We’re beginning to wrap up a number of units — convenient since we’re nearing the end of the year. First period worked on “Flowers for Algernon” after a PASS review (page 402) and a bus evacuation drill. It amounted to little more than explaining the homework as the drill had taken a fair chunk of our time.

Second and fourth periods worked on Great Expectations, which we’re finishing tomorrow.  We began as we often do: analyzing sentences to determine sentence type:

1. The second of the two meetings referred to in the last chapter, occurred about a week after the first.
2. I had again left my boat at the wharf below Bridge; the time was an hour earlier in the afternoon; and, undecided where to dine, I had strolled up into Cheapside, and was strolling along it, surely the most unsettled person in all the busy concourse, when a large hand was laid upon my shoulder, by some one overtaking me.
3. It was Mr. Jaggers’s hand, and he passed it through my arm.

We made our own web of characters to look at the inter-related nature of the novel’s various story lines.

Second Period's Web

Fourth period completed the task with fewer variables and the results were clearer.

Fourth Period's Web

(A simplified version from a previous is here, password “done”).

Sixth period went over potential essay questions as a summary of The Giver. Student-created notes are below:

Seventh period shifted from propaganda techniques to bias. We had a review of connotation and then began looking at how words can take on positive, negative, or neutral connotations. We ranked some near-synonyms to determine the range of different shades of meaning.

We also went over some extensive notes about bias, available here.

Homework

• First period:read the next two journal entries from “Flowers for Algernon.” Make inferences (and write them down) at the following locations:
• page 330, second half of page;
• page 331, “May 18” entry
• Second and fourth periods: read to chapter 59. Much of this can be quick-read. Make your own judgment.
• Sixth period: study for test on The Giver tomorrow.
• Seventh period: none.