Our English Class » prediction

Mood for a Day

Mr. Scott — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:05:22 +0000

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

Mr. Scott — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:56:51 +0000

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.

Starting down the River; Looking at Community

Mr. Scott — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:12:26 +0000

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:

Why did Angelou include the episode in chapter six?
Discuss the relationship between the group Angelou refers to as “powhitetrash,” African Americans, and whites.
Why was canning and preserving so important? Why is it less important now?
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

Mr. Scott — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:08:40 +0000

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