Tag Archives: Odyssey

Schaffer Organization, Game Play, and Foldables

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First and sixth periods did some work with the Schaffer model of organization. Together we wrote an example Schaffer model paragraph; I’ve put one of the paragraphs online as an example for others.

For second and fourth periods, it was the big day: students turned in and played the Odyssey board games they’ve been working on. Pictures are available here.

Seventh period had a split day: those students who didn’t do the homework went to one side of the room to do yesterday’s homework. The remaining students did group work, reviewing plot organization and analyzing the plot from “The Amigo Brothers.” We finished up by creating foldables of the major elements of the plot.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods:
    • begin planning your persuasive essay;
    • complete any additional research as necessary. (You can come in early and use the library’s computers for this.)
  • Second and fourth periods: wait for it… no homework.
    The second time this year. (Are you feeling okay, Mr. Scott?)
  • Seventh period:
    • students who didn’t complete the homework yesterday (those reading in class today) are to complete the questions for “The Amigo Brothers;”
    • students who did homework yesterday are to finish their illustrated foldables.

Assessing Sources, Starting Afresh, and Propaganda

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First and sixth continued assessing online sources and began researching for their persuasive writing topic.

Second and fourth periods began a lightning quick unit covering propaganda and letter writing (not as odd a combination as one might expect) as we finish up the Odyssey project.

Seventh period began a new short story in our short story unit. We’ll be finishing up the unit next week.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: none.
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • find one example of transfer or glittering generalities in advertising; print it, identify it, and bring it
    • work on Odyssey project;
    • study for phrases test.
  • Seven period: read “Letters from Rifka” (page 224).

Appositives, Evaluating Sources, and the Plot

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First and sixth periods worked on evaluating web sources as we move the the research phase of our unit on persuasive writing. We’ll be spending a bit more time in the lab this week, researching our topics.

Second and fourth periods went over appositives and appositive phrases in a flash before spending the rest of the period working on the Odyssey project. We’ll be having a small test on phrases next Monday.

Seventh period used Freytag diagrams to examine the plot of a couple of short stories.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: none.
  • Second and fourth period:
    • continue working on project;
    • study for phrase test next Monday.
  • Seventh period:complete a Freytag plot diagram for “The Three Little Pigs.”

Infinitives, Persuasion, and a Story

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First and sixth periods went over yesterday’s quiz and continued looking at persuasive techniques in action.

Second and fourth periods went through a lightening-quick overview of infinitive phrases. Afterward, we spent time planning our Odyssey project.

Planning the Game Board

The Joy of Group Work

Seventh period began a new story, “The Bear Boy,” and began looking at predicting as a reading skill.

Homework
  • First period: define the vocabulary words
    • deject
    • inject
    • project (2 definitions)
  • Second and fourth period
    • Use each of the following infinitive phrases in a sentence of your own.
      • to give the right answers
      • to go home after school
      • to run after the bus
      • to read the entire book over the weekend
      • to spend the night at my cousin’s house
    • Continue planning project
  • Sixth period: none.
  • Seventh period: questions 1-5 on page 196.

Presuasion, Narratives, and a Project

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First and sixth periods learned about persuasive techniques.

Second and sixth periods continued working on the Odyssey project. Today was one of the final days of full in-class preparation. The project will likely be due 21 October (but no earlier).

Seventh period read “Papa’s Parrot” as we continue working on context clues for words and narrative structure.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: find an opinion piece (either online or in a newspaper) and find one example of one persuasive technique. Copy the sentence, identify the technique, and bring it to class tomorrow.
  • Second and fourth periods: read “Odysseus’s Bed” (in other words, complete the Odyssey).
  • Seventh period: answer questions 1-5 on page 31.

Persuasion, Planning, and Short Stories

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First and sixth periods turned in their memoirs and began a new unit today. We’re working on persuasion, and we’ll be creating a persuasive piece of writing after learning about persuasive techniques.

Second and sixth periods reviewed the weekend’s reading before heading to groups to do some more planning for the board game Odyssey project.

Seventh period began a short story unit, looking at context clues and working on an anticipation guide for the first story we will read tomorrow.

Homework
  • Second and fourth periods: Read “Death at the Palace” from Odyssey.
  • All other classes: none.

Final Conferences and Project Planning

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First, sixth, and even seventh periods (my seventh grade class) all had a final day of workshop to clear up any last-minute problems before the final turn in of their writing projects on Monday.

Second and fourth periods reviewed homework and then began planning for the Odyssey board game project.

Homework
  • First, sixth, and seventh periods: complete final drafts for turn-in Monday.
  • Second and sixth periods: read pages 1083-1091.

More Exploring and Some Reviewing

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First period completed the Explore Test. Second period didn’t meet due to an overlap in scheduling with the Explore Test.

Fourth period simply reviewed the now-completed first half of the Odyssey. We’ll finish the epic next week.

Sixth period had a sentence fragment review. We’ll be adding this to the rubric for the memoir project.

Seventh period practiced finding content gaps and plugging them, so to speak.

Homework
  • First period: none.
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • answer questions 1-4 and 6-12 on page 1075;
    • read 1078-1083.
  • Sixth period: none.
  • Seventh period: complete second draft.

Allusions and Revisions

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First period had the Explore test today. We finished with enough time to go over the day’s stem word before finishing with some silent reading.

Sixth and seventh periods worked on revision as well. Sixth period went over the entire STAR revision system while seventh period (my seventh grade class) went over only the “A” portion, “adding.”

Second and fourth periods went over the Scylla and Charybdis section of the Odyssey, looking at “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” a song by “The Police,” to study allusion.

Homework
  • First and sixth period: none.
  • Second and fourth periods: read “Sun God’s Cattle” (i.e., finish the first section of the Odyssey).
  • Seventh period: take chosen sentence and expand by adding two more sentences of description (working on the “A” from STAR).

More Monomyth, First Drafts, and a Sentence Finale

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First period worked on turning all the planning we’ve done for a memoir into a first draft. It’s to be completed by tomorrow.

Second and fourth periods went over two films to see how closely they follow the monomyth developed by Joseph Campbell. We’ll return to our myth — the Odyssey — tomorrow.

Sixth period did group work, looking for content gaps in our first drafts.

Seventh period completed work with sentence fragments.

Homework
  • First period: complete first draft.
  • Second and sixth periods: read “The Sirens” and “Scylla and Charybdis” for tomorrow.
  • Sixth period: none (if first draft is complete).
  • Seventh period:
    • choose one of our four drafts for further development;
    • re-read the draft;
    • write five questions you would have if you were a stranger reading this draft.

Mythic Archetypes, Clusters, First Drafts, and Fragments

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First and sixth periods began making a rubric for the memoir project (tentatively due next Monday). We also did some planning via clustering.

The draft rubrics are below:

First period notes

First Period Notes

Sixth Period Notes

Sixth Period Notes

Second and fourth periods looked at Joseph Campbell’s mythic archetype (the monomyth) and looked at how it applied to the Odyssey thus far. We’ll be applying it to pop culture (Star Wars and The Matrix) tomorrow.

Seventh period followed up Thursday’s and Friday’s sessions on sentences with a quick review of identifying fragments and correcting them. We’ll be incorporating this into our current writing project.

Homework
  • First period: complete the cluster planning for memoir.
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • read pages 1059-1064;
    • students who’ve not watched Star Wars are encouraged to watch it tonight if possible; if not possible, read the plot summary at Wikipedia and view clips on YouTube. (The first part is here.)
    • students who are not familiar with The Matrix are encouraged to read the plot summary at Wikipedia (as it’s an R-rated movie, I’m not even encouraging students to view it as that would be problematic at best; additionally, reading the plot summary will suffice for our purposes).
  • Sixth period: write (or preferably type) a fresh copy of your first draft for class tomorrow; do not put your name on it anywhere.
  • Seventh period: none.

Examining a Text, Writing Descriptively, and Varying Sentences

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First and sixth periods continued working on their memoirs, practicing adding sensory details to their writing. There were some truly amazing examples in class of using the senses to show rather than tell. We’ll be finishing up the memoir late next week or early in the following week.

Second and sixth periods went over the reading from last night. We looked for examples of Odysseus’s linguistic genius (his ability to say the right thing at the right time) and Homeric similes. We also added hospitality to our “cultural ideals” check list, and now we’re looking for examples of good (and bad) hospitality and the results.

Seventh period spent one more day working on sentence transformations. We’ll be finishing up our first writing pieces next week.

Homework
  • First, sixth, and seventh periods: none.
  • Second and fourth periods: complete the Cyclops reading begun in class.

Sentence Variety, Calypso, and Sensory Details

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First and sixth period worked on adding sensory details to writing. We looked at two passages from the I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings excerpt (the description of Mrs. Flowers’s living room and the description of eating the cookie Mrs. Flowers had baked) that use highly detailed sensory language. We then turned our attention to a picture of a room to try our hand at sensory details.

Second and sixth looked at the highly detailed imagery characteristic of the Odyssey. This led us to our first two Homeric similies.

Seventh period looked at sentence structure and practiced some more complicated sentences. We’ll be continuing tomorrow with our drafting and revision.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: complete sensory-based description of room (see above).
  • Second and fourth periods:
    • continue examining the Suzanne Vega song to compare it to the image of Calypso we see in the Odyssey (this will be the starter tomorrow morning);
    • read “I am Laertes’ son” and “The Lotus Eaters” (1043-1047);
    • complete and turn in the final short story analysis.
  • Seventh period: you need to have four different first drafts completed by tomorrow.