First, second, and seventh periods all finished up verbs (though seventh didn’t quite finish) by looking at subject-verb agreement.

Fourth period went over the material from homework video on Dickens’ life. (Stills below) 

Dickens' Childhood

It’s a great video for providing students with a brief biography of Dickens. 

Visiting his father in debtors' prison

The animation makes it just lighthearted enough that it doesn’t feel like a drudgery. 

At work as a law clerk

And students get to see just how prolific Dickens was. 

Books and family

Afterwards, we went over the concept of a reader’s response journal.

Homework

• First, second, and seventh periods: journal.
• Fourth period: reader’s response journal.

First, second, and seventh periods finished up verbs. Now that we’ve covered nouns, pronouns, and verbs, we’ll be trying to cover subject-verb agreement quickly before the PASS test.

Fourth period almost completed work on clauses. We’ll be starting a new unit on Great Expectations, with a grammatical focus on phrases, clasuses, and sentence types, and we are almost prepared.

Homework

• First, second, and seventh periods: journal.
• Fourth period:
  • Watch the Dickens biography;
  • Play the Dickens’ London game;
  • Fill out the 6-5-4-3-2-1 chart associated with it.

First, second, and seventh periods went over linking verbs in a desperate attempt to get subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement finished before the PASS writing test next week. We should finish up working on verbs tomorrow.

Fourth period went over clauses, both independent and dependant/subordinate. This is in preparation for Great Expectations, when one of the grammar focuses will be on sentence type.

Homework

• All classes: journal.

All classes went to the spring book fair today. This year we were given only fifteen minutes in the fair, which seemed fair enough.

Afterward, first and seventh periods began working on linking verbs, with the eventual goal of working on subject/verb agreement.

Second period evaluated their PASS exams.

Fourth period worked on quoting and the use of square brackets.

Homework

• All classes: journal

I’ve been sharing example songs for English I students to get an idea of how the soundtrack project should be. I’ve created a small sample of the song we went over today at the beginning of class.

We had a late start, so first period didn’t have class today. Second period only had twenty minutes; we continued our whirlwind review of the parts of speech.

Fourth period continued watching Romeo + Juliet and discussed a little about the project.

Seventh period did first period’s work from yesterday, so the two classes are now caught up.

Homework

• All classes: journal.

Whew — what an odd day. First period went over yesterday’s test, as did second period. Additionally, first period began working with verbs. Second period didn’t get that far: Dr. Mark made the announcement regarding the early dismissal, and it became almost impossible to get back to work. (It also didn’t help that we had less than ten minutes remaining.)

Homework

• All classes: journal.

First, second, and seventh periods all had a test on nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. We spent the remainder of the time going over examples of PASS writing test responses, evaluating and discussing the individual essays’ strengths and weaknesses.

Fourth period took the final quiz on Romeo and Juliet and we continued watching the film version. We’ll be starting tomorrow with the balcony scene and finishing up Wednesday.

Homework

• All classes: journal.

First and second periods were taken up with the ITBS. Our team switched second and fourth period, so second period met during the fourth period slot. We did the second part of our parts of speech review (pronouns).

Seventh period completed work on the addition of specific details to our writing. We also did a quick review of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.

Homework

• All classes: journal.
• Fourth period: complete Romeo and Juliet.

First and second periods were taken up with the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS).

Fourth period discussed three topics in R&J, two of which have been running through the whole play: fate and dreams. We decided on a project proposal that will not take up significant amounts of class time. We agreed on a few changes that the project prospectus and rubric now reflect.

Seventh period worked on the essential question, “What is the difference between specific and general details?” We worked on an activity that looked something like this:

Homework

• First, second, and seventh period: journal (daily assignment).
• Fourth period: read Romeo and Juliet act five scene three.

The following is an example of what would be required in a proposed changed project:

Act III Scene 5

Nora Jones “Nightingale”

Nightingale
Sing us a song
Of a love that once belonged
Nightingale
Tell me your tale
Was your journey far too long?

Does it seem like I’m looking for an answer
To a question I can’t ask
I don’t know which way the feather falls
Or if i should blow it to the left

All the voices that are spinnin’ around me
Trying to tell me what to say
Can I fly right behind you
And you can take me away

Analysis

Jones’ song hints at the same kind of longing that Romeo and Juliet feel throughout the play. It is particularly appropriate for III.5 with its references to the nightingale. It might well be Juliet singing:

Wilt thou be gone? it is not yet near day:
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings on yon pomegranate-tree:
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

Both the song narrator and Juliet are experiencing a love that they know they should turn their back to. Throughout the play, Juliet wonders about the wisdom of starting a relationship with her sworn enemy. Everyone has his or her own opinion of what Juliet should do, and “All the voices […] are spinnin’ around [her],” yet she’s not concerned with them. She simply wants to “fly right behind Romeo.”

First and seventh periods had a final review of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. We played a version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?  and both classes made it to the million dollar mark.

Second period began a whrilwind review of the parts of speech. We’ll be spending the next week or so splitting our time between PASS writing and parts of speech.

Fourth period went over V.1 and V.2 from Romeo and Juliet. We decided to combine the quizzes for acts four and five, and we should be having that quiz Friday.

We also discussed in fourth period the option of doing a soundtrack project. Later today I’ll be posting my own example of the work involved.

Homework

• All periods: journal
• Second period: Much Ado About Nothing review due March 1.

First and seventh periods turned back to grammar, covering a one-day review of adjectives. We’ll have a small test on nouns, pronouns, and adjectives next week.

Second period finally had their PASS review. We’ll spend a little more time on it tomorrow.

Fourth period finished IV.3.

Homework

• First, second, and seventh periods: none (except the daily journal)
• Fourth:
  • read IV.4 and IV.5;
  • complete analysis of Juliet’s soliloquy.

A quick overview: First period went over outlining for a PASS writing test prompt. Second period continued working on their review of Much Ado About Nothing. Fourth period went through IV.1 and IV.2 of Romeo and Juliet. Seventh period had a review of nouns and pronouns. Additionally, first and seventh spent some time writing in their journals.

Homework

• First period: finish outline and write second draft by Friday.
• Second period: complete second draft.
• Fourth period: journal entry.
• Seventh period: none.

First, fourth, and seventh periods had a quick practice PASS test today. We’ll be having them in first and seventh periods periodically until the actual test in March. (Fourth period took a break from Romeo and Juliet because of Monday’s impending quiz on act three.)

Second period almost completed watching Much Ado About Nothing. We’ll finish up Tuesday and begin our work on the reviews.

Homework

• First and seventh periods:
  • complete outline for PASS writing assignment;
  • write second draft based on that outline.
• Second period: none.
• Fourth period:
  • study for act III quiz (Tuesday)
  • read IV.i and write a paragraph about the subtext from one of the following characters:
    • Paris
    • Friar Laurence
    • Juliet
  • read IV.ii and write a paragraph about the subtext from one of the following characters:
    • Capulet
    • Juliet