English Studies (fifth period) worked on their Nightjohn project. We’ll have a couple of more days to work on this.

English I Honors continued with the introductory lesson on the poetry unit. We worked on an intuited list of things to keep in mind and to do to understand a poem.

Sixth period’s list:

1. Read it multiple times.
2. Determine the meaning of ALL unknown words.
3. Connect related ideas visually.
   1. Pronouns and antecedents
   2. How words are connected to the title and other parts of the poem.
   3. Look for parallels (same number, same anything)
4. Underline key words
5. Ask questions
6. Know what is happening in the poem
   Realize the difference between literal (word-for-word actual reality) and figurative (metaphor)

Seventh period’s list:

1. Read poem MULTIPLE times, always including the title.
2. Identify words you don’t know.
3. Figure out what’s physically, actually happening.
4. Connect visually related parts of poem
   1. Pronouns and antecedents
   2. Different parts of poem
   3. Patterns (like numbers of items)
   4. Determine key words
5. Keep in mind literal (what is happening in reality) and figurative (metaphor)

We also looked at a poem by Denise Levertov:

Intrusion
Denise Levertov

After I had cut off my hands
and grown new ones

something my former hands had longed for
came and asked to be rocked.

After my plucked out eyes
had withered, and new ones grown

something my former eyes had wept for
came asking to be pitied.

English Strategies (fourth period) continued with Nightjohn. We worked again on applying effective readers’ skills.

Homework

• English 8 Studies: none.
• English I Honors: 
  • be prepared to explain something about the poem “Intrusion” during your starter;
  • continue working on the “Tell-Tale Heart” final project.