September 13, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
Goal: Complete collaborative posters, read the battle between Beowulf and Grendel, reflect upon Anglo-Saxon ideals in Beowulf.

Starting class, we took ten minutes to complete the posters from yesterday. I hope there is an opportunity to present sometime early next week.

Following this, we read pages 45-57. Focus questions were:

1. Describe the fight between Beowulf and Grendel.
2. Where do you think we are on the hero’s journey? How do you know? (Use this link as a tool.)
3. What does Beowulf take from Grendel and why?

At the end of class, we started Beowulf: Analysis of ideas, Lines 1-883. Copy this into your notebook and add it to your table of contents. (Directions in Classroom).

Periods 3 and 4:
Today was a busy day.
Goal: Complete symposiums to reflect on reading, respond to The Alchemist, learn about your symbols project, and collaborate to analyze poetry with a related theme.

Starting class, tables shared and discussed their symposium questions based on yesterday's reading of pages 51-85.

Following this, I shared the An Exploration of Symbols in History, Literature, Art and Music project. Start thinking about your symbol NOW.

Next, you were asked to respond to ONE of the following prompts from pages 51-85 (for ten minutes). This should go in your Notebook and be added to your table of contents. The directions are in the Classroom.

Finally, partners were asked to read one of two poems by Langston Hughes ("Harlem" and "Dreams").

After reading, annotating, and analyzing, there is a question (posted as classwork) in Google Classroom for you to respond to.

PHEW. That was a lot!

Period 6:
What you’re doing: Reading a memoir with a small group
How you’re doing it: On task, collaboratively, focused on the traits of a memoir
Click on the number for your group to get the memoir you will be reading:
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6

Paste the questions below into your English Journal (Google Doc) and answer them as you discuss these questions with your group. Talk about the question before you write your answers. 
Be prepared to explain more about your reading to another group who has not read this memoir.

• What does the writer experience in this text?
• What is the writer trying to say about this experience?
• What techniques does the writer use to make the story real?
• What obstacles did the writer encounter in this memoir?
• What does the writer gain/learn from these challenges?