Monday, February 27, 2006

Carson visit

Carson's small learning communities visit.

Friday, February 24, 2006

The Ballad of the Harp Weaver

Periods 1, 2, 3, 5 will do lesson will read “The Ballad of the Harp Weaver” on page 648 in Language of Literature. Read it silently for 5 minutes then play the CD—it’s the fourth track. Discuss then answer the questions on page 652. Make sure they answer the “comprehension check” questions adjacent to question 1. Have them write the questions and the answers.

Read pages 22-25 in the Measuring Up books and answer questions 1-5 on page 25.
The Ballad of the Harp Weaver

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Lesson 2 in Measuring Up

Periods 1, 2, 3, 5 will do lesson 2 in the Measuring Up books (pages 14-21).
They must title their papers “Lesson 2 Measuring Up” and subtitle their papers for each group of questions:
Page 17 (1-5)
Pages 19-20 (1-10)
Page 21 (1-5) Assessment practice
This assignment is worth 40 points and there will be no make ups for this assignment. It must be turned in today at the end of the period.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Read the poems in Language of Literature

Refer to the poetry "table of contents" on page xxiv in Language of Literature to pick poems to read in class. After reading each poem a few times and discussing it, fill out the poetry chart for each poem. Each student must complete two double-sided charts.

Homework: Finish photograph poem. Final draft must be in pen or typed with a photo attached. Write the poem so your readers can see the photo in their mind.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Finish lesson 1 in Measure Up books

Finish lesson 1 in the Measure Up books.

Update assignment list and enter grades.

Current assignment list

1. Mood Dispatch, 1/25, 12
2. I/R Homework pages 258 and 259, 1/25, 16
3. 3 Wishes Disp., 1/31, 10
4. Monkey Paw Groups Essay, 2/7, 50
5. Frederick Douglass Disp., 2/9, 10
6. Cut-out Poem, 2/10, 50
7. extra credit
8. Measuring Up Lesson 11, 2/15, 12
9. Photograph Poem, 2/17, 35

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Measure Up books

Do lesson 11 in the Measure up books.

Photograph Poem

Veiw the kiss sonnet in Romeo and Juliet.

Click here to take online quiz: Quia class page for poetry forms

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Romantic sonnets for Valentines Day

Click here to take online quiz after you finish the cut-out poem: Quia class page for poetry forms

Homework: We will be using the photograph tomorrow, so bring in a photo of a family member or friend that is important to you.

Poems of the day: romantic sonnets on pages 118-119 in Poetry with Teenagers.

From Romeo and Juliet:

ROMEO
[To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

JULIET
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

ROMEO
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

JULIET
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

ROMEO
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

JULIET
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

ROMEO
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.

JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

ROMEO
Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.

JULIET
You kiss by the book.


Sonnet 36 by William Shakespeare

How Do I Love Thee by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Write what is romantic about the poems? What lines are romantic? Why?

Finish cut-out poems.

Click here to take online quiz after you finish the cut-out poem: Quia class page for poetry forms

Monday, February 13, 2006

Quia class page

Click here to take online quiz after you finish the cut-out poem: Quia class page for poetry forms

Friday, February 10, 2006

Ode to Salt by Pablo Neruda

Poem of the day:"Ode to Salt" by Pablo Neruda

Copy poetry forms:

Ballad: story poem, often sung
Lyric: poem with one narrator or one voice or one speaker
Free verse: no specific rhyme scheme or meter
Blank verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter
Ode: praise poem
Sonnet: 14 lines of rhymed iambic pentameter (10 syllables each line)
Epic: long story poem
Elegy: poem that honors someone’s passing (death)
Narrative: story poem

Finish cut-out poem.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Continue Cut-Out Poem

Dispatch: What do you think of the poem by Langston Hughes below. Consider sound, meter, and meaning. Which line from the poem is your favorite? Why?

Frederick Douglass: 1817-1895

Douglass was someone who,
Had he walked with wary foot
And frightened tread,
From very indecision
Might be dead,
Might be dead,
Might have lost his soul,
But instead decided to be bold
And capture every street,
On which he set his feet,
To route each path
Toward freedom’s goal,
To make each highway
Choose his compass’ choice
To all the world cried,
Hear my voice!…
Oh, to be a beast, a bird,
Anything but a slave! he said.

Who would be free
Themselves must strike
The first blow, he said.

He died in 1895.
He is not dead.
Finish Cut-Out Poem

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Cut-out poem

With the words that were cut out yesterday, each group member will make a poem on a poster by pasting the words on construction paper. The student will also display the poem on the poster and rewrite the poem on a regular piece of paper with a proper heading.

Grading Guidelines

Appearance: Poster reflects student’s pride in his or her work. All words are cut out and no words are formed with letters that have been cut out individually. The copy of the poem produced by hand is neat and legible.

Sound: The combination of words on the page is interesting. The words may alliterate, rhyme, produce a rhythm, or otherwise just sound cool.

Meaning: The words on the page seem to make some kind of sense. There should at least be a hint of meaning.

Homework: Bring in a photograph of a friend or family member who is important to you.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Part of speech review

Copy these notes from the overhead.

A preposition shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun an another word in a sentence.

examples: above, in, out, past, since, through


A verb shows action or state of being.

examples: walk, talk, think, believe, is, am

Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns.

examples: tiny, three, furious, sunny

A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.

examples: Andy, park, book, truth

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.


Working in groups cut out 10 nouns, 5 verbs, 3 prepositions, 2 adjectives, and 2 adverbs per group member.

Homework: Bring in a photograph of a friend or family member who is important to you.

Monday, February 06, 2006

First day of second semester

Sign program cards.

Review classroom rules:

Be in your seat ready to work when the bell rings or receive a tardy.

Bring a blue or black pen, paper, a # 2 pencil with eraser, your agenda book, your English notebook and any other required texts every day.

Behave in a polite and appropriate manner.

No eating, drinking or gum chewing (except water in plastic water bottles).

Use restroom before and after class.

Be respectful when someone is speaking to the class—pay attention, don’t talk, and stay in your seat.

Absolutely no “UPDOG” in the classroom (last rule is a set up for joke of the day).


Finish reading group essays and completing the subordination assignment.

Homework: Extra credit bring in a magazine that we can destroy for 10 pts.




Friday, February 03, 2006

Read essays to class and more subordination

Groups read essays to class

Read pages 40-41 in Writing and Skills and do exercise 1 on page 41.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Continue Group Essay

Continue to work in groups on essays.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Group Essay

Complete "Compare and Contrast" chart that compares "The Monkey's Paw" short story to the "Simpsons" episode in terms of theme, genre, and mood.

Get into groups to write a group essay. Each group member must contribute one of the following assignments to complete the essay.

1. Introduction and conclusion.

2. Body paragraph about genre.

3. Body paragraph about mood.

4. Body paragraph about theme.

5. Type the essay.