October 3, 2019

Periods 1 & 2:

Anglo-Saxon research project presentations.

Periods 3 & 4:

The first five minutes we spent reflecting on yesterday's article using the reflection stems and writing on the right side of our notes.

After, we watched this TED Talk and gathered notes/discussed our reactions. Your reflection on this video will take place in class tomorrow.

Period 6:
Now that you have completed your memoir and evaluation, you are going to go digital! You are going to turn your memoir into a digital story. There are many ways to tackle this project.

See the assignment sheet here for all the options. 

Your visual memoir is due Monday, October 7.

Need photos? Get them from Photos for Class.


If you insist on Google...follow this guide.

Screencasting: 

• If you want to make a movie of your visual memoir you could try screencasting today. 

• Recording your screen and adding your voice is not hard. 

• There are several free sites and apps that do this. 

• We will try Screencast-o-matic.

• Today we just want you to try it. You won't be making a perfect recording today, just a little practice. 

• Don't practice too much because the free version limits you to 15 minutes of recording.

Option 2: Visual Memoirs Project- Screen Cast or Presentation

• Create the slide deck described above and the abbreviated script of your memoir in the slide notes. 

• Screen record the slides while narrating using your script from the slide notes. The best free option for screencasting seems to be Screen-cast-o-matic at https://screencast-o-matic.com/

• Expect to make several practice recordings while you get used to the way the software works. It might help to have a printed version of your script, so you can record your slides full screen.

• You are welcome to edit, add music, and visual effects as needed, but do not detract from the message of your memoir.

• Your video must be between 2-5 minutes. 

• Upload your video to YouTube using your @stu.sandi.net account (Or your personal Gmail account if you choose to). 

• Set it as unlisted, but not private. We will collect the link from you in class on Monday10/7.

• Grades for advanced projects will range from 0-100%.

In-Class Presentation Option

Prepare the same slide deck described above.

Let your teacher know that you would like to present your memoir in class on 10/7 or 10/8. 

Print out and/or memorize your abbreviated memoir script.

Practice presenting your slides and script to friends or family.

Present your slides and speak your script in class. 

Grades for presented projects will range from 0-100%.

Presentation dates will be 10/7 or 10/8 but slides must be complete by Monday 10/7/19. 

October 2, 2019

Open House is tomorrow!

Periods 1 & 2:

Anglo-Saxon research project presentations.

Periods 3 & 4:

If you were not in class today, please review these Slides on SOAPSTone.

We read this article in class, annotating it for SOAPSTone, adding to the reading side of the note template you added to your Notebook yesterday.

Annotating is not an option. You must make notes on the text prior to making notes in your notebook. This helps you avoid plagiarism and make sense of what's important.

Period 4:

I handed out Open House info and Federal Survey Cards. You will get yours when you return (if you are absent today).

We will "reflect" in our notes tomorrow.

Period 6: 

1. English Journal Self Score:

Open your English Journal

Review the English Journal Scoring Guide (attached here).

Determine how you would score your English Journal.

PASTE the sentence below into the TOP of your English Journal and be sure it is complete.

October 2, 2019 Self Score:

I believe I have earned a ______ <<(Your score 1-5) on my English Journal because_______________________ _______________ <<(Your reasons you think you earned that score.)

2. Creating visual memoirs.

Your Visual Memoir Project Has two Options

• Option 1: Make slides and a script for your memoir.  (0-85%)
• Option 2: Turn those slides and script into a video or present it in class. (0-100%)
• You can find more information about this project on Google Classroom.
• Remember for photos you can only use your own pictures (credited) and Photosforclass.com.

Copyright-free images:
For your visual memoir, you can only use pictures from http://photosforclass.com or personal pictures you or someone you know took. 

• All pictures must have a visible black attribution bar OR be cited in the credits slide of your visual memoir. 
• You may also use Creative Commons licensed images from other sources, but you must provide a link to that source in your credit. 
• Citation format for images is: Creator's Last name, First name. “Title of the digital image.” Title of the website, retrieval date. URL.

Note: Providing a citation DOES NOT mean you are allowed to use the image. If you are in doubt about image rights ask a teacher. 

2. Your visual memoir is due FRIDAY. Keep working on it! See below to make sure your images are used correctly:

ADVANCED Visual Memoir Rubric
BASIC Visual Memoir Rubric


Work Time: 
Get started on your visual memoir project.

October 1, 2019

Note to ALL classes: There is now a place to begin turning in your INDEPENDENT READING PROJECTS on Google Classroom. It is an assignment called INDEPENDENT BOOK PROJECT #1. Read the directions there for a successful turn in.

Periods 1 and 2: 

Finish reading Beowulf. 

Last day to work on research projects. Presentation schedule HERE.

Periods 3 and 4:

If you are absent, please copy and paste this document into your notebooks at the top and add "Fake Meat Notes" to your table of contents. 

At the top of the notes (where it says QUICK WRITE, please write what you think of when you hear the term "fake meat." You should write for 3-5 minutes.

After, please visit the link here and read the infographic. Please take notes in the LEFT side of the notes template. Your notes should include anything that catches your attention and details that could be useful when expanding upon and researching this topic. 

After reading and taking notes, take five minutes to write a reflection on the writing side of your notes, considering any information that has confirmed, challenged, or extended your thinking on this topic. You may use these stems to help.

Period 6:

Goals: Evaluate your memoir, then read an article and write about it in your English Journal.

Agenda
Read
Self score your memoir
Article of the week

1. What's in your memoir:

• Highlighting specific things in your memoir can help you see what you have and what you need. 
• Use THIS DOC of directions to color code your writing. 

2. Self-score your memoir: 
Use this MEMOIR SELF SCORE FORM to evaluate your memoir.
Memoirs are due today.


3. Article of the week

• Read THIS ARTICLE in Newsela. (Hint: Sign in with Google)
• Open your English Journal. 
• Add a new entry at the TOP with today's date. 
• Write two paragraphs about the article. The first one is a summary. (Use the summary frame below if you need it.) The second paragraph is your opinion. (You can say "I" in the second paragraph.)

Reminders: 

 
• Keep reading
• You should be done with your book.
• Open House is Thursday 10/3. Tell your parents.

September 27, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
Here are the Slides that will walk you through / back through our day.

We spent the time looking at mentor "how to be" poems.

Choose one character/monster from Beowulf to draft a how-to-be poem. This will be revised/published at a later date.

Do not forget, I will be out Monday and you will work on your Anglo-Saxon Research Projects, due, turned in on Classroom, by 11:59PM Tuesday

Periods 3 and 4:
Last day of Symbols Presentations!
Preview your reflection assignment here.

Period 6:
Writing Groups: 

• Sharing your writing with a group will help you improve your writing and learn what a reader might think while reading your work. 
• Follow the procedures in the chart or on THIS PAGE with your group. 
• Remember, share your work as "CAN COMMENT" not edit. 

Absent?

Read your memoir out loud to someone. Hopefully someone who was not there when your event happened. Ask them what questions they have about your story. 

September 26, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:

Read Beowulf pages 175 - 193. 

Finish the period working on Anglo-Saxon Research Projects. Your next times to work on the projects will be Monday and Tuesday. Presentations are Wednesday through Friday next week.

Periods 3 and 4:

Symbols project presentations.

Period 6

Focus on revision of memoirs: Adding dialogue and interior monologue

Dialogue

1. Look at the text you pasted into your English Journal. (This is the first piece under "Dialogue").
2. With your partner discuss how you would correctly format this dialogue. You probably need to add some paragraph breaks and punctuation. 

Well, why were you down at the swimming pool anyway? my mom asked as she pulled the dripping carton of eggs out of the shopping bag. I told you I need to get in shape before the swim team tryouts. Damn half these eggs are broken. But sweetie, you know that kids under 13 aren’t allowed at the pool without an adult. Why didn’t you ask your father or I to go with you. Because you guys are busy and if I wait for you to take me it will get later and the pool will get more crowded with adults who want to swim laps and I just don't like sharing a lane with some hairy dude in a speedo. Honey, the lifeguards know you are under 13 and they will be watching for you. They just aren’t going to let you swim there. I’m sorry, but we need a better solution.

Dialogue, Part 2

1. Add dialog to your memoir. 
2. You don't need to remember the actual words anyone said. You can write what you think they said or what you think they probably said.  

Interior Monologue

View the Slides presentation and read the mentor text. Then, respond in your notes (copied/pasted into Notebook).

When finished with all tasks, return to memoirs to revise for dialogue and interior monologue. (You may also be adding descriptive language, working on launches and landings, or flashback).

Tomorrow is writing response groups. You will read your memoir OUT LOUD as well as give and receive feedback.

September 25, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:

In your notebooks, cut/paste this document. Add it to your table of contents. Here is my table of contents as a reference.

Directions:
CONSIDER EACH OF THE TWELVE STEPS AND THEIR DESCRIPTIONS:
NOTE passages to be used to support your thinking about Beowulf’s journey.
For example:

Example:
Ordinary World: Describe the hero's normal life at the start of the story, before the adventure begins. 

Prior to sailing to Denmark, Beowulf lives in Geatland and is in service to his leader, Hygelac.
“When he heard about Grendel, Hygelac's thane At the court of King was on home ground, over in Geatland. There was no one else like him alive. In his day, he was the mightiest man on earth, high-born and powerful,” (15, 194-199)

Notice how I cited the page number and lines. 

I am also not expecting you to finish because we have not finished the book, but you should work up to the point where Beowulf would fight the dragon.

Periods 3 and 4:

Symbols presentations.

Remember: connect the symbol's meaning to your examples.

Period 6:

Using Flashback

Copy/paste the NOTES page into your Notebook and add to your table of contents.

The Slides are for use later, and the other document (mentor texts with flashback) will be used in class.

In class, we viewed the Slides and completed the notes. Then, we looked at mentor texts and completed part two of the notes. Finally, you were asked to try out flashback in your own writing.

Remember: You will be doing writing response groups on your completed draft FRIDAY.

Tomorrow you will choose between going back to the landings (ends) of memoirs using mentor text and trying out interior monologue/dialogue.

September 24, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
The first five minutes were dedicated to writing fluency.
We began the period with our symposium questions. Many of the questions were "right there" questions with only one answer. We will be doing more work in generating more thoughtful questions.

There was a brief, six-question reading quiz on pages 147-163. When I ask you to read, I expect you do. You can expect many more symposiums and/or reading quizzes to hold you accountable in the future.

Finally, we read pages 163-175 (read if you are absent).

No other homework besides your independent reading projects.

Periods 3 and 4:
Fluency writing for the first five minutes.
Symbols project: you should be finished and upload the assignment by this evening. See the presentation schedule here. 

Period 6:
Your complete memoir (DRAFT) is due, in class TOMORROW.

After fluency writing...
Add this document to your new English 19-20 folder. 
(If you are absent, go to www.drive.google.com and click NEW on the left side. Click FOLDER. Name it ENGLISH 19-20) This will be a place to add files that you will use as a reference this year. You can create subfolders as you wish or when encouraged.

We spent the period looking at mentor text for beginnings and endings. You were asked to pay close attention / observe three launches (beginnings) and landings (ends). After, you were asked to try writing like the mentor, using your own content (stuff) from your memoir.

For example, in my memoir about bacon, I chose the passage below, and then I imitated it with my content.

My original beginning: I love bacon. I love bacon a lot. I love bacon so much, I often joke that I would eat a kitten if it was wrapped in enough bacon. Maybe even just some bacon.

Below is my attempt at revision

MENTOR TEXT: People sometimes ask me, “What’s it like to do photoshoots for magazines?” “Do you enjoy that kind of thing?” Let me be completely honest here. Publicity and press junkets are just part of the job. Your work is what you really care about because your work is your craft and your craft is your art and photoshoots are THE FUNNEST!

IMITATION: One time, someone asked me, “What’s your favorite food? Do you have something you could eat every day?” Let me be frank here. Chocolate and hot wings are just two things I’d consider. The best food is what I really crave in spite of any mood because it will make me happy because it is simply THE BEST!

 I liked my original launch better, but I attempted the revision. You may like the imitation better and - guess what? You can keep it if you want to.

We went through this process with three launches and three landings. 

September 23, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
In class, we read Beowulf, pages 129-147.

For tonight's homework, continue/start working on independent reading projects (due two weeks from today) and read Beowulf pages 147-163.
Also: go to Google Classroom to view post in Google Classroom for your Beowulf symposium
Periods 3 and 4:
Today and tomorrow, you will have the period to work on your symbols projects. I will give you your presentation order tomorrow.
Please remember your independent reading projects are due two weeks from today.

Period 6:
Complete the desriptive language module that is on the Classroom. It was posted on Friday. Cut/Paste the WHOLE document into your notebook and add to the table of contents.

Your memoir should be a complete draft (with beginning, middle, and end by WEDNESDAY's class).

September 20, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
Today, we worked on Anglo Saxon Research Projects. Everyone has their topics!

Periods 3 and 4:
Read, the epilogue of The Alchemist.
Everyone had time to work on symbols projects. Due: Wednesday, 9/25/2019.

Period 6
Working with Memoir drafts: 

• Most of you have a draft. 
• All of you need more time to develop your draft. 
• But first, you need a lesson about slowing down time. 
• Let's read THIS passage of a moment described in detail. 

Step 1: 
Divide your draft into three sections: before / during / after

Step 2: 
Add more details to the middle/during the section of your draft.
Suggested things to add include:

• What you were wondering at that moment
• What you thought was going to happen
• What you worried was going to happen
• Something someone (or you) said in that moment
• Sensory details, about what things smelled like or looked like
• The look on someone's face
• Add a simile or a metaphor, or a lot of adjectives 

Need more help? 
Here are a few more examples.

Need more help? 
Click here to access the descriptive language module for revising your memoir. 

Reminders: 
Complete your memoir draft by 7:30 am TUESDAY before school. (I'm looking them over during 1st period.) (If you need more time for your draft let me know that today.)

1. Keep reading. INDEPENDENT READING PROJECT due 10/7/2019.

September 19, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
We read Beowulf 129-147.
Select Anglo-Saxon Research topic using Google Form (which can be accessed in Google Classroom). Remember, the first person to claim a topic gets that topic.
________________________________________________________________

Periods 3 and 4:
Fluency Writing
Read The Alchemist, 139-END

Tomorrow: Symbols project

Read: You should be near completion of your book. Your book project is due 10/07/19.(That's sooner than you think.)
Open House is Thursday, October 3rd. Tell your parents. 
________________________________________________________________

Period 6:
Goal: Writing the first draft of your memoir.

Writing Small: 
A short memoir should be about a single incident. 
The focus should be on one event. 
You can include a before and after, but keep the focus on the main event. 
These are the examples I showed you yesterday.

Writing prompt:
The Google Doc for you to write your memoir has already been created for you in Google Classroom. 

Write a complete draft, beginning, middle, and end. If you finish early go back through your writing and continue adding details, dialog, and descriptions. 

Homework: 
Finish your draft. It does not need to be perfect (yet). It does need to be the whole story. 
If you need more time you can have it, but finish your complete draft by Friday. 
Read: You should be near completion of your book. Your book project is due 10/07/19.(That's sooner than you think.)
Open House is Thursday, October 3rd. Tell your parents. 

September 18, 2019

Periods 1 and 2: 
To begin class, I shared the Anglo-Saxon Research Project Guidelines, a project you will complete prior to finishing the reading of Beowulf. Over the next couple of days, you should consider what you want to research. By Friday, I will post a Google Form that will collect your project focus, and it will be first-come, first-served.

For the remainder of the class, you worked on the Beowulf Mind Mirror handout. If you are absent, here's a copy of the Mind Mirror document for you to print. The Mind Mirror is due Friday at the start of class.

Homework: Read Beowulf pages 101-116.

Periods 3 and 4:
Class began with a symposium for the reading of pages 104-127.

As a reminder, when you are reading, whether in class or at home, you should be entering excerpts into your dialectal journal. Do not wait to be prompted.

For the remainder of the class, we read The Alchemist, pages 127-139.

Period 6:
To start class, you were asked to write (in your notebook) about one of your "food" experiences based on one of the items from your list yesterday. Who knows? This may be the memoir you decide to draft TOMORROW.

After reading "Steak" by Jim Gaffigan yesterday, you were asked to respond using this chart (also below) that should be cut/pasted into your Notebook. 

General Memoir Questions:

Date:

Text Title:
Author:

What is the focus of this memoir?
What makes this memoir seem true? Be specific.
What relationship or relationships are explored in this memoir?
What kinds of sensory details and/or description does the author use? Find three examples
How do you think the author feels about this experience? Why?
How would you describe its structure? Why?:

Homework: Be prepared to flash draft your memoir TOMORROW. Think of it as a two-minute story.

September 17, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
After writing fluency, we read Beowulf pages 83-101.
Focus questions:

1. Describe the queen and her characterization at this point.
2. What is the significance of the torque given to Beowulf?
3. Describe Grendel’s mother. 
• Who does she kill and why is he significant?
• What is Hrothgar’s reaction?
4. How are the monsters portrayed on page 95?
5. Describe the mere. What is the mood presented here?

With some time left, the instructions were to catch up on dialectal journal entries.

Periods 3 and 4:
After fluency writing, we did an activity called affinity mapping. It was an in-class collaborative activity so if you missed it, you missed it.

Remember to read up to page 121 and submit your symposium question here.


Period 6:
Please check Google Classroom.
Add the two assignments to your notebook and table of contents. Please read the excerpt "Steak" by Jim Gaffigan. Consider the traits of a memoir (what makes this story a memoir?) and how it is organized around a central idea/topic (steak). You will be responding to the prompts in Google Classroom in class tomorrow.

September 16, 2019

Periods 1 and 2:
Copy/paste ONE of the following into your notebook and table of contents:

9/16/19 - Beowulf reading response #1Draft a paragraph about a potential theme in the story so far. How do you know?ORDraft a paragraph analyzing the character of Beowulf? How could he be described? Why?
We took ten minutes to write as much as necessary on this prompt. I'm not looking for an essay (although these responses could easily be one).


After, everyone read at their tables with their groups from page 57-71. Groups discussed:
1. Describe the aftermath of Grendel’s defeat.
2. What does Hrothgar do? How do people react?
3. Analyze lines 1016-1018.
4. In lines 1019-1048, what Anglo-Saxon concept is featured? (Use your list from Friday).

5. What potential new conflict may arise based on Hrothgar’s consideration of Beowulf?

You should also by up to about EIGHT dialectal journal entries.

No homework tonight (unless you are absent, then please read).

Periods 3 and 4:
Everyone read at their tables with their groups from page 85-104. Groups discussed:
1. A foil character is one who contrasts the main character. Why can we describe the Englishman as a foil character? 
2. What does the Englishman refer to as the “principle of the Soul of the World? How does this connect to the caravan and the desert?
3. What information do Santiago and the Englishman exchange? What do they learn? 
4. How does Santiago feel when he meets Fatima? How does Santiago believe his reunion with Fatima represents the Language of the World? Each encounter that Santiago has presents him with an opportunity for personal growth. What does Fatima think about his journey? What lesson does this teach him? 
5. Who finally shows Santiago how the find The Alchemist? Why is this significant? 
6. What vision does Santiago have when he witnesses the hawks in the desert? What conclusion does he draw from the vision?

Groups wrote answers on sticky notes and placed them around the room at designated spots. This allowed me to check for understanding while allowing you all to work collaboratively.

You should also by up to about EIGHT-TEN dialectal journal entries.

Homework is to read up to page 127 AND enter one symposium question by class on WEDNESDAY.

Period 6:
We started by reviewing the mentor texts from Friday and filling in the chart below, trying to connect others' experiences with our own. This should help us generate more potential ideas for our memoirs.

Title of Memoir	Author’s Experience	My Closest Experience (something like this that happened to me)

Next, we spent time learning about the ladder of abstraction.

Ladder of abstraction: A tool that helps writers move from abstract [BIG] concepts (vacation) to more concrete [SMALL] examples of the abstract.

Below is an example of moving from a BIG idea to a FOCUSED idea for a memoir.

 

Level 5: Abstract	Sports
Level 4: Noun Classes	Soccer
Level 3: Noun Categories	Soccer Games
Level 2: Specific, Identifiable Nouns	Playing Club Soccer
Level 1: Situation/Event	The Time I Scored a Hat Trick

Finally, we reviewed two two-minute stories and considered how they became focused ideas.

To finish out class, you are asked to:

Select ONE six-word memoir you’ve written (maybe the one you think you’re going to turn into your memoir) and:

- Write it out LARGE on the paper given

- Illustrate the memoir to the best of your ability.

- Use color if available.

Homework: Complete the form here by tomorrow to help me think about what you are going to write about on Wednesday.