Our English Class

Finishing Up Grammar

Mr. Scott — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:19:01 +0000

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.

Grammar Day

Mr. Scott — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:14:34 +0000

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.

Book Fair

Mr. Scott — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:01:52 +0000

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

Sample Product

Mr. Scott — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:57:07 +0000

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.

Late Start

Mr. Scott — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:03:59 +0000

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.

Test Review and Early Dismissal

Mr. Scott — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:07:00 +0000

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.

Tests and More PASS Practice

Mr. Scott — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:28:36 +0000

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.

ITBS II

Mr. Scott — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:18:50 +0000

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.

ITBS, R&J, and Specific Details

Mr. Scott — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:25:40 +0000

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.

Proposed Project Example

Mr. Scott — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:24:08 +0000

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.”