AGENDA 1/12

Whip around: Share poet findings
Continue to explore Introductory material & make connections to ch. 1

Listen to & discuss ch. 2 "The Mail" and characters --> model taking notes for each new character (Mr. Jarvis Lorry & Jerry)

HW: Read Part the First for Wednesday --> continue to make note of character traits/description as new characters appear.
3&4 for tomorrow
5&6 for Wednesday

Take-aways:
1. Noticing the connections between the introduction pamphlet and A Tale of Two Cities.
2. Analyzing the author's devices to personalize the character's traits.

AGENDA 1/8

Generating Concept Circles for Fiction Unit
Group activity
Round 1: Deal out cards to each group. Sort each term, grouping if possible, then create concept circles and add 3-5 terms
Round 2: Jigsaw--mix groups. Share each previous group's concept circles. Add and revise terms/category names as needed. Rewrite new compiled circles.
Round 3: Trade drafts to new groups. Give final edits/revisions, then turn in final copy to Pust.

Introduce supports for reading A Tale of Two Cities--we'll pick up the book from the textbook room tomorrow (assuming they're processed and ready for us!)

• selected vocabulary words
• free audio book from Loud Lit
• the full text online (this is available in a lot of ways, and as a free Kindle download, too!
• for super-nerds or procrastinators only: an amazing one-hour introductory lecture on A Tale of Two Cities or this archived page from the New York Public Library on the author's life and times

Two Take-aways:
-Grasping the true meanings of poetic devices through association with other devices as well as grouping based on similarities and differences.
-Understand that there are various ways to group the words provided

HW: Review the Poet List and read one poem by FIVE poets--as you read each, notice your reactions, and be prepared to share likes, dislikes, confusion, or sheer love tomorrow!

AGENDA 1/7

Closure on "Mulvaneys" passage from yesterday--sharing concept circles on board, discussing major ideas and devices, etc.

Picture of classroom board with completed Concept Circles (to be added!)

Distribute A Tale of Two Cities scaffolding packet (introductory information and explanatory notes/timeline). Read and annotate--what is significant? What is merely interesting? Use blank parts of pages for tracking connections back in the book as you read.

Takeaways: We learned about the conventions of fiction such as dialogue and diction
Fiction sometimes borrows from poetic writing styles to better convey its meaning

Supports for reading A Tale of Two Cities:

• selected vocabulary words
• free audio book from Loud Lit
• the full text online (this is available in a lot of ways, and as a free Kindle download, too!
• for super-nerds or procrastinators only: an amazing one-hour introductory lecture on A Tale of Two Cities or this archived page from the New York Public Library on the author's life and times

HW: Read the introductory packet for A Tale of Two Cities and annotate it. Try to distinguish between that which is useful, and that which is merely interesting.

AGENDA 1/6

1) Seat change + partner sharing about Winter Break highlights

2) Quick overview of semester 

• Poetry Project
• Novels: A Tale of Two Cities, 100 Years of Solitude, A Lesson Before Dying, Jasmine
• Timed essay practice: dual-poem, prose, poetry, open question
• Full-length exam practice around spring break

3) Analysis and Discussion of Joyce Carol Oates' novel excerpt with thesis claim; found examples of Figures of Repetition, Syntax, Diction, Diction Patterns, Conventions of Fiction/Imaginative Prose, Figurative Language, Others and organized into Concept Circles w/ relevant line numbers

Talking points: Oates uses various devices typically associated with different genres (refrains, asides) to support mood and the themes in her work--heightening the realization of the moment of death as a "theatrical" moment in an otherwise colloquial piece. Other devices are more common to fictional prose.

HW: Bring books to return and ID cards.  

AGENDA 11/18

Timed essay: poetry prompt

Need help with Hamlet? Try this amazing resource
HW: Bring costume elements and prepare lines for tomorrow's Act II Reader's Theater presentations! Poetry concept quiz on Thursday--be sure to know all of these terms and be able to organize them into concept circles and explain your groupings. Performances of Act II on Wednesday (and Friday if needed).

AGENDA 11/17

Meet in groups to practice and generate costume ideas for Act II Reader's Theater presentations to be performed in class on Wednesday

Discuss Hamlet's first soliloquy  and review events of Act I. Watch clips from beginning of Act II--the introduction of "insane Hamlet" and the family meeting between Polonius and Ophelia.

Need help with Hamlet? Try this amazing resource

HW: Timed essay practice prompt - you'll get 15 points no matter how much or little you write, but give yourself 40 minutes (no more!) and try your best. Get your crash-and-burn out now! :-) Poetry concept quiz on Thursday--be sure to know all of these terms and be able to organize them into concept circles and explain your groupings. Performances of Act II on Wednesday (and Friday if needed).

AGENDA 11/13

In small groups, make an identification poster for villanelles after looking at these examples – what’s the structure of a villanelle? Then, flip the poster page over and choose ONE of the four villanelle examples and dive into it—what does the poem mean? How does the form of a villanelle support or contribute to that meaning?

Next, examine the AP essay prompt page with “Evening Hawk” on it. Read and annotate the poem silently and individually for roughly ten minutes, planning how to respond in an essay and noting what is significant about the poem and what is asked for in the prompt. Then compare ideas with a partner—what might your thesis statements look like? What evidence would you use in body paragraphs? How would you analyze that evidence?

HW: For Friday, read The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act I.iii, I.iv, I.v and complete the following in your reading journals - write TWO interpretive questions (how or why questions, one about the author’s style, one about events within the play) AND choose a short segment (1-3 lines) that best represents that scene, writing a short justification of why this quotation best represents the scene. See the Study Guide for Act I.i/I.ii for examples. Be ready to review poetry terms in class tomorrow for next week's terms quiz--what do you not yet understand?