Tag Archives: conflict

Short Stories and a Doomed Mockingbird

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First and sixth periods began an odd week of overlapping units: we’ll still work on some of the materials for the persuasive essay, but we’ll also be working from the other end on a short stories unit. Today, we began said unit by reading one of the greatest horror stories of all time, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

Second and sixth periods began one of the most memorable selections of the year, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Additionally, the ad for the propaganda project is due tomorrow.

Seventh period finished up the lesson on conflict type and began the final lessons in the short story unit. We’re looking at inferences and theme.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: work on persuasive essay.
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • complete chapters 1-4 in Mockingbird;
    • work on the study guide for Mockingbird (you might need to print it out);
    • finish any of the propaganda work from Friday not completed (You’re getting some slack cut here, ladies and gentlemen!);
    • find an ad for the propaganda project (if you haven’t already).
  • Seventh period: none.

Business Letters, Schaffer Paragraphs, and Conflict

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First and sixth periods worked on Schaffer model paragraphs with persuasive topics.

Second and sixth periods worked on a quick overview of business letter formatting. We also went over the propaganda project. Students will begin a new unit Monday; the project due dates are on the calendar.

Seventh period looked at conflict — external and internal — in stories we’ve read, doing pair work to end the period.

Homework
  • First period: complete the commentary for the Schaffer paragraph.
  • Second and fourth periods:
  • Sixth period: work on additional research as necessary.
  • Seventh period: complete conflict chart for “Letters from Rifka.”

Voice, and More Setting/Conflict Fun

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Second and fourth period continued wrestling with the question of setting and conflict in “The Most Dangerous Game.” Looking over the homework, we determined that we’re still writing more summary than analysis, so we took a deep breath and a step back: we began reevaluating the story’s setting and conflict (class notes available here), finishing up with some pair work to re-write our analyses.

First and second period continued working on the relationship of voice and word choice. We’ll continue working on this throughout the Nightjohn unit. We began a word map of the term “voice” and will add to it throughout the unit.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: none.
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • complete in-class writing;
    • read pages 124, 125;
    • take notes on handout from the beginning of the unit.

Writing About Literature and Starting a Literacy Unit

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First and sixth began a new unit in which we read the book Nightjohn and culminate with a literacy memoir. To that end, we began thinking, writing, and talking about literacy by using Patricia Polacco’s Thank You, Mr. Falker.

Second and fourth periods began a brief introductory unit on the basics of writing about literature. It will also include a review of literary terms that we will be using throughout the year. Today we read a short story entitled “The Sniper” and worked on how we would respond to the question, “How does the setting contribute to the conflict.” Second period’s notes are here; fourth period’s notes are here.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: complete a Sneeze on the question, “How would your life change if you could not read or write?”
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • using notes from class, write a one-paragraph response to the question, “How does the setting contribute to the conflict.”
    • read the following stories from the purple text book:
      • “The Most Dangerous Game”
      • “Harrison Bergeron”

Expecting Giver Progress

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First and fourth periods are working on The Giver and Great Expectations respectively. First period looked at the various conflict types and did some role playing; fourth period continued working on their motif study. Additionally, fourth period worked on graphical representations of the most famous of all Dickens’s characters: Miss Havisham.

This year, I’ve decided to cut down Great Expectations a bit by allowing students to skim selected chapters. The divisions are as follows:

Chapters to Read

Chapters to Skim

1

 4
2 5
3 6
7 9
8 10
11 14
12 15
13 16
18 17
19 20
21 23
22 24
27 25
28 26
29 30
34 31
35 32
36 33
38 37
39 41
40 45
42 46
43 47
44 51
48 52
49 55
50
53
54
56
57
58
59
Homework
  • First period: read through chapter 18.
  • Fourth period: read through chapter 13.

Mood for a Day

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First, fourth, and sixth periods had a selection test on “Cub Pilot,” conflict, and prediction. Hopefully everyone did well. After the test, we began the next selection by talking about mood, which is the feeling that a piece of writing creates in a reader.

Second period had something of a catch-up day. We went over indirect objects and in doing so, determined we needed to have a general parts of speech review. We’re going to have an individualized review, starting tomorrow. Students will review at home on their own, and we’ll devote a little class time to questions they might have. Hopefully, before the end of the month, we’ll have a good understanding of the parts of speech.

Homework
  • First, fourth, and sixth periods: none.
  • Second period: chapters 24 and 25.

Nouns and Discussion

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First, fourth, and sixth periods completed a review of “Cub Pilot”, discussed some grammar (the formation of plural nouns), and reviewed some vocabulary. We’ll be having a selection test tomorrow.

Second period discussed the eight chapters (!!) they had to read for today. We worked in small groups, then shared one epiphany with the class.

Homework
  • Second period:
    • Complete the direct/indirect object review and quiz assignment;
    • Read chapters 20-23;
    • Create two of each QAR question type;
    • Find one figurative language example from each chapter.
  • First, fourth, and sixth periods:
    • Prepare for selection test tomorrow;
    • Complete classwork.

Conclusion and the Depression

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First, fourth, and sixth periods finished “Cub Pilot,” and everyone was relieved to see Brown get his just dues.

Second period watched a short clip about the Great Depression, listened to a song about a share cropper, and, running out of time, prepared for an essay question that should have been a class discussion.

Homework
  • First, fourth, and sixth periods:
    • Finish conflict graphic organizer;
    • Finish prediction graphic organizer;
    • Review vocabulary (52);
    • Prepare for selection test on Wednesday.
  • Second period:
    • Read chapters 11-19 of Caged Bird;
    • Complete quizzes online;
    • Complete essay question concerning the Depression and Caged Bird.

Starting down the River; Looking at Community

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First, fourth, and sixth periods began “Cub Pilot on the Mississippi”, an autobiographical account of Mark Twain’s first days on a riverboat. We looked at the setting (the Mississippi River) and we began reading.

Second period looked at four discussion questions about I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings:

  1. Why did Angelou include the episode in chapter six?
  2. Discuss the relationship between the group Angelou refers to as “powhitetrash,” African Americans, and whites.
  3. Why was canning and preserving so important? Why is it less important now?
  4. Do you think Momma was proud of her singing? Support it from the text.

We also discussed a few elements of the website.

Homework
  • First, fourth, and sixth periods
    • Literature in Context (pg 64): answer the question in a 150-200 word essay.
    • Prepare for skit with Twain’s first meeting with Brown.
  • Second period (due Thursday)
    • Read chapters 8-10
    • Vocabulary quiz (chapters 1-5)

Conflict and Characters

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First, fourth, and sixth periods began working on unit 1: the memoir. We’ll be reading Mark Twain’s “Cub Pilot on the Mississippi”, which is actually a chapter from his memoir Life on the Mississippi. We began today by looking at conflict and prediction. We discussed methods to predict and why it’s an important reading skill, we looked at the major forms of conflict.

Second period went over chapters 1-3 from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. We began by looking at a sonnet Angelou mentioned in her memoir: Shakespeare’s 29th sonnet:

When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess’d,
Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;
For thy sweet love remember’d such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

After taking the time to tease out the meaning — Billy is not the easiest writer to comprehend — we discussed how this sonnet might have appealed to a young Angelou. We concluded by working in groups to determine which, if any, of the characters in the memoir might play the same role as the “thee” of Shakespeare’s sonnet

Homework
  • First, fourth, and sixth periods:
    • Read “Meet the Author” (pg 60);
    • Answer the question on page 61 (under picture) in a 200 word (2/3 page) entry in your response journal.
  • Second period
    • Read chapters 4-7;
    • Write two “Right there” questions for each chapter