30 October: "How Siegfried Was Slain"

Students had a substitute today. Instructions for the day were on the board. Specific instructions for the Nibelungenlied are all on the handout.

1. Turn in "White Snake" homework if not completed on Wednesday.
2. Add "White Snake" to heroic quest data chart in place of "Hundred Questions." Fill in information.
3. The Nibelungenlied and "How Siegfried Was Slain" follow instructions on handout.

Due & Homework: Any work not finished in class is due Monday.

28 October: Vocab Test, "White Snake"

1. Vocabulary Test - 35 minutes
2. Journal
3. "White Snake" - story in text. Vocabulary, Author Study, Read, Questions

Journal: "A Test"
Write about a test in which you performed especially well. What was responsible for your success? Did your view of yourself change as a result of your performance?

"White Snake"
Vocabulary:
–Curt – rudely brief
–Predicament – problematic situation
–Amends – makes up for a wrong done, makes right
–Scorned – ridiculed; rejected
–Diligence – hard work; constant effort

Author Study (Part A)
The Brothers Grimm (page 52)
Read about the Brothers Grimm, and write 2 questions that being with each of the following question words.
Who?
What?
Why?
When?
Where?
How?

Answer the following:
1) What is romanticism? What did romantics believe?
2) What political effects are nationalism and ethnic pride having in today’s world? Explain.
3) Do you think a work ethic plays a significant role in today’s American society? Explain.
4) Do you think fairy tales should be "cleaned up" before they are told to children, or told in their original versions with all the grisly details included? Explain.

Terms, Reading, Questions (Part B)

• Define motif, moral lesson, and suspense (see pages 46 and 51)
• Read "White Snake" (page 47)
• Answer the following on page 51
• First Thoughts.
  Identifying Facts 1-3
  Interpreting Meanings 1-3
  Applying Meanings

Students turned in all the work that was completed in class. This should include all of Part A. Homework: Any of Part B that wasn't finished in class.

24 October: Vocab Practice, Active Reading

1. Journal
2. Vocabulary Practice
3. Active Reading

Journal: “change” If you could change 1 thing about your high school, what would it be and why? Give specific details. 100 word minimum.

Vocabulary Practice (continued from Wednesday)
(B) Make a cinquain for the following nouns:1.Dilettante 2.Injustice 3.Lamentation 4.Hypocrisy 5.approbation

(C) Make an acrostic for the following words:1.Abyss 2.Just 3.Ethics

(D) Find at least 4 pictures to represent the following words: 1.Corpulent 2.Disconsolate 3.Articulate 4.Purview 5.Divinity

There will be a vocabulary test on Tuesday, October 28!

Active Reading Article: “When senior year is canceled, adulthood hits with a jolt”

Instructions:

• Actively read the article.
• Highlight and make notes next to characteristics of teenagers in 1959.
• Identify injustice. Who was being unjust? Why? Who was affected? How did the closing of Granby High School affect students’ lives, even 50 years later?
• What would you do it you suddenly were told there was no more high school (and there was not another school for you to go to)? Think reasonably, rationally, and logically. What would happen to your life? What would you miss out on?
• Compare and contrast teenagers in 1959 with teenagers today. Compare and contrast “those in charge” in 1959 with “those in charge” today. Make a Venn diagram for each.

HOMEWORK: Study for vocabulary test. Active Reading.

22 October - Commas, Vocab Practice

1. Turn in essays. Staple the final draft to the top. Rough draft in between. Prewriting (green packet) goes at the back.
2. Journal
3. Comma Uses #2 & 3
4. Vocabulary Practice & Review

Journal - "Excuses" People seem to create excuses for almost everything that goes wrong. How many excuses can you think of for getting mud on carpet? Write them.

Comma Uses: #2 & 3

#2 To set off most introductory elements, including subordinate conjunctions.
First, what are subordinate conjunctions? They join subordinate or dependent clauses to main/independent clauses. (Ex: after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, since, though, unless, ntil, when, whenever, where, while)

• Example using an introductory word
  First, I would like to thank my family for supporting me.
  Later, they went to the movies.
• Example using an introductory phrase
  First of all, I would like to thank my family for supporting me.
  After eating dinner, they saw a movie.
• Example using an introductory (subordinate) clause. These are called COMPLEX SENTENCES
  When he won an academy award, he thanked his family first.
  After we ate dinner, we saw a movie.
• When a sentence starts with the independent clause, you don’t use a comma.
  When he won an academy award, he thanked his family first. versus He thanked his family first when he won an academy award.
  After we ate dinner, we saw a movie. versus We saw a movie after we ate dinner.

Comma Use #3 between items in a series

• Example: I am studying history, geometry, chemistry, and language arts.
• This comma isn't always necessary, but you should be consistent with its usage.
• This is also correct:I am studying history, geometry, chemistry and language arts.
• When it’s important to put a comma before "and"
  Example: She enjoys dining out, long hikes in the woods, holding hands and playing the guitar. It doesn't make sense to "hold hands and play the guitar" - these need to be separated by a comma.
• When in doubt, USE THE COMMA!

Vocabulary Practice:

Students matched "Sinbad" vocabulary words with pictures on PowerPoint slides. They then wrote sentences using the words.

Vocabulary with introductory elements of sentences (7 sentences total)
Write a complex sentence using the following vocabulary words and subordinate conjunctions.
Vocab words: philosophy, educate, precocious, institute, hypocrisy, martyr, corpulent
Subordinate conjunctions: after, because, before, if, since, when, while

This vocabulary was turned in at the end of class. There is no homework.

20 October - Labyrinth Essay

1. Information was provided to students via PowerPoint about specific parts and details of their essay.
2. Students had time to work on their rough drafts.
3. Tests were returned.

Parts of the essay:

Introduction: Sentence 1 = HOOK

• The hook gets the reader’s attention. This does NOT mean saying "Hey, reader, I’m going to tell you…"
• This is a sentence that makes your essay seem interesting. You have to make the reader WANT to read your essay.
• State an opinion related to your thesis.
• Create a visual image that represents your subject.
• Define a word central to your subject.

Introduction: Summary

• Summarize the movie in a few sentences.

Introduction: Thesis Statement (last sentence)

• 1 sentence stating the central idea of your essay.
• What is your main goal?
• What should be included in the sentence? - Title of movie (in italics or underlined if handwritten)
  Something about the movie being a heroic quest, journey or something like this.
  Example: In Labyrinth, Sarah journeys through a difficult maze to save her brother from a goblin king.
  Example: Labyrinth is a perfect example of a heroic quest in which Sarah, the hero, sets out to save her brother from a goblin king.

Body Paragraph 1: Topic = stages 1 & 2

• Topic sentence should include:
  1) Call to adventure
  2) Toolkit
• Detail sentences (RENNS)
  Tell specifically what the call to adventure is.
  Give details about Sarah’s toolkit.

Body Paragraph 2: Topic = stages 3, 4, and 5

• Topic sentence should include:
  1) Monstrous world
  2) Tests and trials
  3) Supreme ordeal
  Example: In order to save her brother from the Goblin king, Sarah has to brave the labyrinth and its many obstacles.
• Details (RENNS)
  Give specific details about the labyrinth and the tests/trials.

Body Paragraph 3:Topic = stages 6 & 7

• Topic sentence should include:
  1) The goal being met (saved her brother)
  2) Her return home and recognition (essentially how she grew, what she learned)
• Details (RENNS)
  Give specific details about the reward and return.

Conclusion: Thesis restated: Do NOT copy and paste your thesis from the introduction.
RESTATE (rephrase) it.

Conclusion: final statement about movie: You may want to add your thoughts about the movie, characters, quest, etc.

Conclusion: insightful thought

• Give the reader something to think about without writing "You should think about…"
• This shouldn’t be about the movie itself, but about the theme of the movie (what can someone learn from Sarah’s quest?)
• Give a symbolic or powerful fact or other detail.
• Strike a note of hope

Students' tests were returned to them. If students want extra credit, they need to see me after school Wednesday or Thursday. They must bring their test with them, and we will devise extra credit using the test.

HOMEWORK: Essay including pre-writing, all revised and edited rough drafts, and final draft is due next class.

16 October. Movie: Labyrinth

• Students were given the movie analysis essay assignment (here: http://woodliffenglish10.blogspot.com/2008/10/movie-analysis-essay-assignment.html
• Students were given a pre-writing packet including all stages of the heroic quest. They are to fill in details from the movie for each stage.
• They then watched Labyrinth.
• Students were given an essay rubric.
• A blank outline of the essay was e-mailed to students who gave me their e-mail addresses. If you didn't get one and want one, e-mail me or come by and get a copy.

Homework: Draft essay. Don't worry about making it perfect. Write as many details for each stage of the heroic quest as you can.