Building Your Reading Muscles: November 30, 2018

Focus: How do we build our grammar and reading skills?

1. Warming up with a Khan Academy review of fragments and run-ons

2. Offering you the independent book review (the culminating activity for your independent reading book); these are due by the end of class on Friday, December 14.

3. Reading your independent reading book and completing your review if you're ready

HW:
1. For MONDAY: Bring your book club book to class.

2. For TUESDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

3. For FRIDAY, DEC 14: All course work due, including your book review, essay revisions, make-up work, etc.

Book Clubbing, Day 3: November 29, 2018

Focus: What is a threshold guardian, and how is this figure significant to the hero's journey?

1. Warming up with a mini lesson on threshold guardians (in your in-class brainstorming document)
(16:00-31:00)

• How does the grandmother navigates the threshold between the ordinary world and the special world?

• How does this threshold guardian (the grandmother) help the hero?

• What important information does she give the hero so that the hero can cross the threshold?

• In your book club book, have you met any threshold guardians yet? What makes them threshold guardians?

2. Enjoying Book Clubs, Day 3

Please make sure you take a moment to discuss my feedback on your previous syllabus.

3. Wrapping up with an exit ticket

HW:
1. For FRIDAY: Complete any two IXL lessons on verb TENSES (Level I or higher is recommended). BRING YOUR INDEPENDENT READING BOOK TO CLASS.

2. For next TUESDAY: Assigned book club reading.

3. For FRIDAY, DEC 14: All make-up / revised course work due. No work for English 10 will be accepted after this date.

What Is Our Final? November 28, 2018

Focus: How do we prepare for the end of the semester?

1. Warming up with a mini lesson on verb tenses (you need your mini white boards)

2. Offering you an overview of your final exam

3. Reading your book club book and completing your syllabus for tomorrow

HW:
1. For THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

2. For FRIDAY: Complete any two IXL lessons on verb TENSES (Level I or higher is recommended).

Book Clubbing, Day 2: November 27, 2018

Focus: What is a threshold guardian, and how is this figure significant to the hero's journey?

1. Warming up with a mini lesson on threshold guardians (in your in-class brainstorming document)

• Who navigates the threshold between the ordinary world and the special world?

• How does she help the hero?

• What important information does she give the hero so that the hero can cross the threshold?

• In your book club book, have you met any threshold guardians yet? What makes them threshold guardians?

2. Enjoying Book Clubs, Day 2

Please make sure you take a moment to discuss my feedback on your previous syllabus.

3. Wrapping up with an exit ticket

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Bring your book club to class for some book club reading / syllabus time.

2. For THURSDAY: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

3. For FRIDAY: Complete any two IXL lessons on verb TENSES (Level I or higher is recommended).

Illustrating Han Xin's Journey: November 26, 2018

Focus: How can graphic illustrations help us strengthen our hero's journey foundation?

1. Warming up with three good things and an IXL mini lesson on verb tenses

2. Solidifying your heroic journey foundation knowledge with an ancient Chinese hero, Han Xin (Popcorn reading?)

3. Creating a heroic journey comic page for Han Xin

• Goal #1: Using the hero's journey steps, select the most important details of Han Xin's journey.

• Goal #2: Even if you're not artistic, try to use colors to create the tone of each step. For example, what colors might you use for the ordinary world? The special world? The symbolic trip to the Underworld? The return home?

• Goal #3: Consider why the comic book is often a medium for conveying the hero's journey.

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Assigned book club reading and syllabus.

2. For FRIDAY: Complete any two IXL lessons on verb TENSES (Level I or higher is recommended).

Your Ordinary World: November 16, 2018

Focus: What is your ordinary world, and to what extend are you in conflict with it?

PLEASE PRINT AND TURN IN YOUR ESSAY BY 4:00 PM TODAY.

1. Warming up with your ordinary world and your special world

2. Jigsawing into mixed grid groups to educate each other on the classical hero's journey; click HERE for the note-taking grid

Topic #1:
How does each hero fulfill the steps of the monomyth?

Topic #2:
What strengths do all four Greek heroes share? How would you characterize their flaws?

Topic #3:
Why do you think we're all still drawn to these heroes? Why do modern heroic journeys still imitate these classical myths?

3. Independent reading / book club reading

HW:
1. For TODAY: Print and turn in your essay.

2. For TUESDAY AFTER BREAK: Assigned book club reading and syllabus (determined by your group).

Book Clubbing, Day 1: November 15, 2018

Focus: What is our hero's ordinary world, and why/how are they in conflict with it?

1. Warming up with an example of a character in conflict with her ordinary world (5:00-12:00)

• What do we know about her ordinary world?

• How is she in conflict with it?

2. Enjoying your hero's journey book clubs, Day 1

• An extra challenge for your book club: What does the beginning of your book teach you about your hero's ordinary world? How is your hero in conflict with this world?

3. Wrapping up with an exit ticket

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Bring your book club book and/or independent reading book to class tomorrow for 30 minutes of reading time.

2. For TUESDAY AFTER BREAK: Assigned book club reading and syllabus (determined by your group).

Quiet Book Clubbing: November 14, 2018

Focus: How do we prepare for our first book club meeting?

1. Warming up with a Kite Runner vocabulary assessment

2. Reading your book club book (and preparing your syllabus for tomorrow)

3. Wrapping up with mini discussions on yesterday's Greek heroes; click HERE for the note-taking gride

Topic #1:
How does each hero fulfill the steps of the monomyth?

Topic #2:
What strengths do all four Greek heroes share? How would you characterize their flaws?

Topic #3:
Why do you think we're all still drawn to these heroes? Why do modern heroic journeys still imitate these classical myths?

HW:
For FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00. If you are absent on Friday, you need to print and turn in your essay before you leave.

The Big Greeks: November 13, 2018

Focus: What classical foundation do we need to understand the hero's journey?

If you did not turn in your signed letter yesterday, please do so today.

1. Warming up with your final Kite Runner vocabulary review

2. Offering you an overview of "Finding Your Myth"

3. Making your two selections:

• Selection #1: Hercules, Theseus, Perseus, or Atalanta
• Selection #2: Your hero's journey chart

4. Reading and charting your myth

• If you get stuck / overly frustrated by the written text, go to YouTube and search your hero's name. The "See U in History" videos are pretty well done and can help.

5. Jigsawing into mixed grid groups to educate each other on the classical hero's journey; click HERE for the note-taking gride

Topic #1:
How does each hero fulfill the steps of the monomyth?

Topic #2:
What strengths do all four Greek heroes share? How would you characterize their flaws?

Topic #3:
Why do you think we're all still drawn to these heroes? Why do modern heroic journeys still imitate these classical myths?

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading; BRING YOUR BOOK CLUB BOOK TO CLASS TOMORROW.

2. For WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: 

• Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.
• Wednesday will be a book club reading day; make sure you bring your books to class.

3. For FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00. If you are absent on Friday, you need to print and turn in your essay before you leave.

Going Book Clubbing: November 12, 2018

Focus: How do we ourselves up for successful book clubs?

1. Warming up with three good things and Kite Runner vocabulary review

2. Offering you an overview of book clubs: Your freedoms and responsibilities

• Click HERE for a sample book club syllabus.

3. Setting your own schedules and manifestos

• Fill out the bookmark: Which reading will be due which days? Who will be in charge of the syllabus each day? Please write this on your bookmark AND in your calendars.

• Create a shared folder called "Book Club Folder." It should be shared with each member of your group and placed inside your Transcendentalism folder. ALL SYLLABI AND CLASSWORK must be placed inside this folder.

• Complete your book club manifesto and place it inside your shared book club folder.

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Start reading your book clubs books (pages determined by book clubs).

2. For WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: 

• Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.
• Wednesday will be a book club reading day; make sure you bring your books to class.

3. For FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00. If you are absent on Friday, you need to print and turn in your essay before you leave.

Wrapping up Loose Ends: November 9, 2018

Focus: What loose ends from the past 6 weeks need to be wrapped up before we move into our next unit on Monday?

1. Warming up with Kite Runner vocabulary fun (10 min)

2. Showing you the independent reading review

3. Offering you three choices

• Independent reading (the book needs to be finished by December 3, which is in 3 weeks)
• Revising your essay independently
• Taking care of any missing English 10 work from the past 6 weeks

4. Viewing the end of The Kite Runner film (15 min)

HW:

1. For MONDAY, Nov 12: 

• Any make-work / revisions from the last 6 weeks due.
• Signed book club letter and copy of the book due

2. For NEXT WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.

3. For NEXT FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00.

Editing Your Essay for Style: November 8, 2018

Focus: How can I write in a more commanding voice?

1. Warming up with a writing drill on strong verbs

2. Editing your essay for style using these slides

3. Using SAS Writing Reviser to improve sentence variety and grammar (or Grammerly)

• You may need to log in with your Google account.

• Click on "Create Essay."

• Play around with your new, robotic peer editor.

• Make all revisions in your original Google Doc, not in this program.

HW:
1. For TOMORROW:

• Edit your essay based on today's slides (click HERE if you'd like to see the slides again).
• BRING YOUR INDEPENDENT READING BOOK TO CLASS (we have three weeks left to finish).

2. For MONDAY, Nov 12: 

• Any make-work / revisions from the last 6 weeks due.
• Signed book club letter and copy of the book due

3. For NEXT WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.

4. For NEXT FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00.

Editing Your Essay for Content: November 7, 2018

Focus: What revisions will strengthen the content and style of our essays?

1. Warming up with a vocabulary challenge: Spend 5 minutes on Quizlet with the final 10 Kite Runner vocabulary words; work at least ONE word into your synthesis essay.

2. Offering you my new and improved English 10 writing rubric

• Highlight two areas where you see yourself as strong or distinguished.

• Underline two areas you'd like to improve upon. 

• Circle any places you don't understand/have questions about.

3. Self or peer editing your essays for content and style: click HERE for the editing slides.

4. Revising your essay based on today's editing lessons

HW:
1. Edit your essay based on today's slides (click HERE if you'd like to see the slides again).

2. For MONDAY, Nov 12: 

• Any make-work / revisions from the last 6 weeks due.
• Signed book club letter and copy of the book due

3. For NEXT WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.

4. For NEXT FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00.

Concluding Your Draft: November 6, 2018

Focus: How do we conclude our rough drafts?

1. Warming up with a few quick & easy ideas for your conclusion

• Restate your thesis, but NOT word-for-word. Try breaking it into two sentences.

• Dedicate at least one sentence to The Kite Runner and at least one sentence to your other text.

• Consider how The Kite Runner ends and how your other text ends. Can you tie that into your larger argument?

• Try using your descriptive creative writing skills to help the reader imagine something.

• See the conclusion on the sample essay for a concrete example.

2. Drafting, drafting, drafting away

Remember yesterday's lesson (see green sheet for details):

• Lead into your quotation / example with a little background info / context.

• Incorporate the quotation smoothly into your own sentence.

• Lead out of the quotation / example by....

• Analyzing a word, symbol, etc. that is specific to that quotation.
• Analyzing how this example demonstrates this hero's journey and the particular step you're focusing on.
• Analyzing what this reveals about all heroes' journeys.

3. Unveiling your book clubs and offering your the official letters

HW:
1. BEFORE CLASS TOMORROW: Finish your entire rough draft.

2. For MONDAY, Nov 12: 

• Any make-work / revisions from the last 6 weeks due.
• Signed book club letter and copy of the book due

3. For NEXT WEDNESDAY, Nov 14: Vocabulary assessment on all 30 Kite Runner vocab words.

4. For NEXT FRIDAY, NOV 16: PRINTED FINAL DRAFT OF SYNTHESIS ESSAY IS DUE BY 4:00.

Book Club Set-Up: November 5, 2018

Focus: How do we set ourselves up for successful book clubs and essays?

1. Warming up with three good things

2. Offering you an overview of the hero's journey book clubs and setting up book club preferences

3. Editing a sample lead-in and lead-out together

4. Finishing your body paragraph(s)

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Finish the majority of your body paragraph (s).

2. For THIS WEEK:

• Tuesday: November 6: Entire rough draft is due by the end of class

• Thursday, November 16: Final draft is due by 4:00 pm.

3. For FRIDAY: VOCABULARY ASSESSMENT ON ALL 30 KITE RUNNER WORDS.

4. For MONDAY, Nov 12: 

• Any make-work / revisions from the last 6 weeks due.
• Signed book club letter and copy of the book due.

Viewing The Kite Runner: November 2, 2018

Focus: How can watching the film version of The Kite Runner help us understand something better or differently about the novel?

1. Warming up with a quick essay check-in

2. Viewing the film version of The Kite Runner (start at 1:08:44)

• Please note: If you need to quietly work on your hero's journey synthesis essay as you watch the film, you are welcome to.

• Remember our one movie rule: No talking.

3. Wrapping up with an exit ticket about the film version of The Kite Runner


HW:
1. For TODAY: Finish the first half of your rough draft.

2. For NEXT WEEK:  

• Tuesday: November 6: Entire rough draft is due by the end of class

• Thursday, November 16: Final draft is due by 4:00 pm.

You've Been Drafted, Part 2: November 1, 2018

Focus: How bring together our argument and our evidence in a well-structured draft?

1. Warming up with a little Kite Runner vocabulary (5 minutes) and a sneak peak of tomorrow

2. Color coding the body paragraph in the sample essay to see how the parts fit together

• Evidence: Highlight the evidence (quotations and specific examples) in green.

• Lead-ins: Highlight the lead-ins (the build-up to each quotation or example) in light blue.

• Thesis, topic sentence, and lead-outs: 

• Highlight the thesis in yellow.
• Highlight the topic sentence in yellow.
• Highlight the lead-outs (sentences of analyses that follow each piece of evidence) in yellow.

3. Drafting your own body paragraph(s)

HW:
1. For TOMORROW: Finish the first half of your rough draft.

2. For NEXT WEEK:  

• Tuesday: November 6: Entire rough draft is due by the end of class

• Thursday, November 16: Final draft is due by 4:00 pm.