Wednesday, April 29, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 29, 2015

Focus: How do we start discussing our books?

1. Warming up: What are the three rules that your book club abides by?

2. Creating websites for your book clubs:

Two possible web applications for your website: www.wikispaces.com and Google sites

Criteria for your website:
Remember that this website will be how you share all of your book club work with me. Your website grade will be your culminating grade for this unit.

First names of group members (no last names, please).
Title and author of book club book

You will need separate links/pages within your website for the following items:

1. Welcome page with statement of purpose: Who are you, and why are you creating this site?
2. Your three group rules
3. Characterization activity (description of assignment and link to it and the product you created, whether it was a series of brains or a discussion)
4. Setting activity
5. Motif activity
6. Theme activity
7. Book-film comparison

CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE WEBSITE ON THE BLIND SIDE.
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE WEBSITE ON SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

Please e-mail your website link before the end of class.

3. Discussing CHARACTERS!

a. Click HERE for Option #1

b. Click HERE for Option #2

Feel free to mix and match Options 1 and 2; be sure to publish your work on your website!

HW:
1. Finish any work not finished in class today (website, characterization, expectations/rules).
2. Annotated mockumentary research due by the end of class tomorrow.
3. Assigned book-film club reading for Tuesday, May 5.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 28, 2015

Focus: How we can we establish a strong, academic background for our mockumentaries?

ACT: Very shortened class

1. Warming up: Introducing the timeline

2. Finishing your five annotated articles; please show me your research as soon as you finish.
  • Remember that you need to annotate each article with your brainstorming and questions.
  • Keep track of your sources and start a Works Cited page.

3. Starting the timeline and creating your projections into the future

HW:
1. If you have not yet finished your five annotated articles, please finish BEFORE class tomorrow.

2. Assigned book club reading for tomorrow. Make sure you bring your books with you on book-film club days.

Monday, April 27, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 27, 2015

Focus: How do we read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently? (Common Core Reading Standard 10)

1. Warming up with a quick overview of tomorrow (annotated research)

2. MAP testing  / Ms. Leclaire's reading assessment

HW:
1. If you didn't finish your how/why chart, please finish for tomorrow.

2. Assigned book club reading for Wednesday (if you were absent last Friday, touch base with your group so you know what you're supposed to read).

Friday, April 24, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 24, 2015

Focus: What groundwork do we need to establish to make our book clubs successful?

Spring Assembly: Shortened Class

1. Warming up with our final round of banned book speeches!

Diego
Blake
Zach
Harrison


2. Taking 10-15 minutes to sample your book-film club books

3. Meeting with your book-film clubs to establish the following:

a. Your reading schedule (make sure you record precise assignments in your student calendars)


Wednesday, April 29
Tuesday, May 5
Thursday, May 7
Finish book and watch film by Tuesday, May 12


b. Your club rules (please Google share them with me)

HW:
1. Assigned book club reading.

2. Essays due in "Final Draft" folder by 3:00 pm today.

3. If you did not finish your How/Why Chart in class yesterday, finish over the weekend.

4. We will have MAP testing on Monday. If your parents wish to opt you out, you will need a written note or an e-mail. 

Thursday, April 23, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 23, 2015

Focus: How do we start creating our mockumentaries?

1. Warming up. Testing your topic by brainstorming: The How/Why Chart

Pencils vs. cell phones

2. Working on your How/Why Chart; aim to finish in class, and show me so that I can give you credit on your rubric and get you started on your annotated research.

3. Starting on your annotated research if time allows (keep the C.R.A.P. test in mind)

HW:
1. If you parent approved your book film club novel, then you may go ahead and purchase that novel.  You must have a hard copy of your book in your hands this Friday, April 24.


2. Prepare for your banned book speech this Friday if you haven't given yours yet.


3. Final draft of your synthesis essay due this Friday; please submit it to www.turnitin.com. There is a "rough draft folder" if you'd like to check your essay before you turn it in for real, which I highly recommend. There is a "final draft folder" for your final draft.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 22, 2015

Focus: What is our final project in English 10?

Please turn in your signed book film club proposals if you have not done so.  They were due yesterday.  If I do not receive your signed proposal by Friday, you will be reading A Separate Peace.

1. Warming up: Viewing a few sample mockumentaries

Austin and Graham
Boring History Lesson on Music
iPods

2. Figuring out the purpose and process of creating a mockumentary

3. Brainstorming possible topics

HW:
1. If you parent approved your book film club novel, then you may go ahead and purchase that novel.  You must have a hard copy of your book in your hands this Friday, April 24.


2. Prepare for your banned book speech this Friday if you haven't given yours yet.


3. Final draft of your synthesis essay due this Friday; please submit it to www.turnitin.com. There is a "rough draft folder" if you'd like to check your essay before you turn it in for real, which I highly recommend. There is a "final draft folder" for your final draft.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 21, 2015

Focus: How can make our essays stylistically strong?

1.  Enjoying a brief mini lesson on verbs with Ms. Leclaire:

Look through your essay for this verb construction: is/are/were/was ___________-ing

Examples:

Truman is trying...
Montag is thinking...
Christof and his crew were deceiving...

Try to eliminate the "to be" verb and the "ing."

Fixed Examples:

Truman tries
Montag thinks
Christof deceived

Try fixing this one: 
She is trying to change Truman's mind, reassuring him that everything is fine. But she is also frustrating Truman, who wants only to escape.


Look through your essay and make sure all verbs are in the present tense.

Example:
Montag started his heroic journey when he killed Beatty.

Fixed Example:
Montag starts his heroic journey when he kills Beatty.

Example:
Truman had disregarded the fallen light in the opening scene, but he later saw its significance.

Fixed Example:
Truman has disregarded the fallen light in the opening scene, but he later sees its significance.

2. Giving your essays a final, thorough edit with the slides linked here 

3. Peer editing with the official rubric

HW:
1. Please revise your essays based on today's editing lessons.

2. If you do not turn in your parents' signatures for the book-film clubs proposals by Friday, you will be reading a district-approved book selected by Ms. Leclaire.

3. You need a physical copy of your book by this Friday.

4. Final, final drafts of your essays due this Friday. Feel free to e-mail me or stop in for a conference if you need some advice.

5. If you have not yet presented your banned book speech, you will do so this Friday.

Monday, April 20, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 20, 2015

Focus: How can we develop and strengthen our writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach? (Common Core Writing Standard 4)

1. Warming up with happy Monday thoughts

2. My apologies to today's presenters...I left you off the schedule. If you'd like to present today, you're welcome to. Otherwise, you may present this Friday.

3. Editing your body paragraphs for content

Today, I'm going to become a better writer by...

Click HERE for today's editing slides.

HW:
1. Please revise your essays based on today's editing lessons; tomorrow, we will have our final day of editing in which we will focus on style.

2. If you have not yet gotten your parents' signatures for the book-film clubs proposals, please do so by tomorrow.

3. You need a physical copy of your book by this Friday.

4. Final, final drafts of your essays due this Friday. Feel free to e-mail me or stop in for a conference if you need some advice.

Friday, April 17, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 17, 2015

Focus: What can we do to prepare for next year and beyond?

1. Warming up: Submit your book-film club proposal

2. Traveling to the Forum together to figure out our futures

3. Returning to the classroom and enjoying one of three options:

  • Working on your schedules
  • Drafting your essays
HW:
1. Finish your conclusion paragraph by Monday (at that point, your rough draft should be complete).

2. Final, final drafts due Friday, April 24.

3. Please get your book-film club proposals signed by Tuesday, April 21; you will need an actual copy of your book no later than Friday, April 24 (if you're ordering one online, order it this weekend).



Thursday, April 16, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 16, 2015

Focus: How can we develop and strengthen our writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach? (Common Core Writing Standard 4)

1. Warming up: Reading my feedback and setting some goals for today

Today, I'm going to become a better writer by...

2. Revising your first body paragraph

3. Using the feedback on your first body paragraph to form an effective second body paragraph

4. Offering you a few thoughts about conclusions

Your goal: To finish the second body paragraph before you leave class today and to meet the goal you set for yourself at the beginning of class.

HW:
1. Finish your second body paragraph if you did not finish in class today.

2. Compose your conclusion paragraph by Monday.

3. Final, final drafts due Friday, April 24.

4. Book-film club proposals due tomorrow as you walk in the door.

(Meet in here tomorrow first, then we'll travel to the Forum to hear the counselors.)

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 15, 2015

Focus: How can we develop and strengthen our writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach? (Common Core Writing Standard 4)

1. Warming up with your future book clubs and finalizing your choices

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE SURE YOUR INTRO AND FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH ARE IN A CLEAN DOCUMENT (NOT IN THE OUTLINE).

TITLE THE DOCUMENT "___________ (your last name) F451 ESSAY" AND SHARE IT WITH ME RIGHT NOW.

2. Engaging in a self-help round of admitting our weaknesses

"Hi. My name is________________, and I ___________________ (admit your writing weakness)."

"Hi, ________________. I can help."


2. Peer editing each other's body paragraphs

Round 1: Give feedback on the weakness your partner just identified

Round 2: Follow along with Ms. Leclaire's presentation (help me help you, kids)

3. Offering you some time to revise your first body paragraph and start composing your second

HW:
1. A heads-up: I will be giving you feedback and a completion grade today (you should have an intro and one body paragraph at least).

2. Please finish revising your first body paragraph; write about half of your second body paragraph (your goal will be to finish it by the end of class tomorrow).

3. Book-film club proposals due this Friday (no signatures required yet)

4. Final drafts due Friday, April 24.  Late essays are penalized five points a day.

5. Turn in your school copies of F451 as soon as you're done with them.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 14, 2015

Focus: How can we develop and strengthen our writing by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach? (Common Core Writing Standard 4)

1. Warming up with a sample introduction from a brave volunteer

No one ever suspects it, but the average person in a society can sometimes become a inspirational hero throughout the world. Both Montag from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and Truman from The Truman Show prove this is possible for any unlikely hero. Guy Montag is content with his job burning books until he meets his new neighbor, Clarisse who inspires him to make a change from his dystopian society. He becomes heavily influenced by guilt from destroying books, which have recently become a treasure to him. Truman Burbank is just an average man who discovers his entire life is staged and he decides he will stop at nothing to break free and create an actual life for himself. Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show prove that the desires to escape your confinement in society and to break free cannot be repressed, suggesting that humans are naturally rebellious.

2. Peer editing using the official rubric

3. Breaking down the body paragraph, old school style

4. Revising your introductions and composing your body paragraphs/finishing your outlines, which were terrifyingly unfinished as of yesterday morning

5. Taking five minutes to touch base with book clubs and (hopefully) finalize decisions

HW:
1. Complete your first body paragraph before class tomorrow.

2. Finish revising your introduction based on today's feedback.

3. Book-film club proposal due this Friday at the beginning of class.

Friday, April 10, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 13, 2015

Focus: How do we lay the organizational groundwork for book clubs and the synthesis essay?

1. Warming up: Introducing you to book clubs!  Overview, letter, and time to browse

Click here for a list of upstanding books made into upstanding films.
Click here for a student-generated list.
Click here for a list of books recently made into films.

2. . Warming up your reader: What differentiates an "A" introduction from a "D" introduction? Writing your own "A" quality introductions

3. Breaking down the anatomy of a body paragraph, old-school style and starting to draft your own

HW:
1. Finish your introduction and first body paragraph before class tomorrow.

2. Work on your book club proposals, due Friday, April 17.

All Boys, All Blogged: April 10, 2015

Focus: Why do books get banned?

1.  Enjoying our penultimate round of persuasive banned book speeches

Justin
Tom
Joey
Griffin
Corey
Andrew
Camden
Evan
Kaleb?

2. Taking a few minutes to review your vocabulary

3. Acing your last vocabulary quiz of the semester: The final group of F451 words

4. Working on your synthesis essay outlines (due Monday)

HW:
1. Outline should be as complete before class on Monday. It's a lot of work, but it makes writing your essay a piece of cake.

2. If you have yet to deliver your banned book speech, start preparing and rehearsing (remember that your speeches will take place Monday, April 20).

3. If you're interested in applying for Honors American Lit or A.P. Language, attend the informational meeting on Tuesday, April 14 in E-9 at 6:45 am or 2:30 pm.

Click on the link below for the online application:



Thursday, April 9, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 9, 2015

Focus: How do I effectively structure my synthesis essay?

1. Warming up with a little F451 vocabulary review

2. Breaking down your thesis into two body paragraphs: Two tricks

Both Clarisse from F451 and Sylvia from The Truman Show spark the main characters to reject their societies' false "truths" and to embrace their individuality, showing that the human desire for truth conquers the allure of lies.

1. First body paragraph: How Clarisse and Sylvia inspire Montag and Truman to reject their societies' false truths

2. Second body paragraph: How Clarisse and Sylvia inspire Montag and Truman to embrace their individuality

What if my thesis looks like this?

Water in F451 represents freedom, while water in The Truman Show symbolizes fear.

My trick: Try to find something problematic/negative that water represents in both, then try to find something helpful/positive that water represents in both.

Water in F451 and The Truman Show initially presents the characters with a fearful boundary, but it ultimately offers both characters an opportunity to free themselves.

What if my thesis looks like this?

Both Montag in F451 and Truman in The Truman Show reveal the significance of escaping repressive societies.

My trick: Turn this into a problem-solution essay, in which you dedicate one body paragraph to developing the problem and one body paragraph to developing the solution.

Both Montag in F451 and Truman in The Truman Show reveal that repressive societies create ignorance, but escaping these societies fosters intellectual and emotional growth.

3. Finalizing your topics sentences and gathering examples; finish your entire outline by Monday at the latest so that we can start drafting.

HW:
1. Prepare for your final vocabulary quiz tomorrow on the last group of words from F451.

2. Continue working hard on your outline; should be completed by Monday at the latest.

3. If you're delivering your banned book persuasive speech tomorrow, prepare and rehearse.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 8, 2015

Focus: How can use The Truman Show to help us better understand F451?

1. Warming up: Using your notes to think about The Truman Show more deeply (2 min/each)

a. Take a look at your character descriptions.  Which minor character (any character besides Truman) was the most important to Truman's heroic journey and why?

b. Take a look at your symbols/motifs.  Which object carried the most symbolic weight and why? What does it symbolize to Truman? To Cristoff? How did its meaning shift a little throughout the film?

c. Reread your questions.  Pick two questions that seem important to understanding the film as a whole and respond to them thoroughly.

d. Examine the connections you made to Fahrenheit 451. Which one is the most revealing/intriguing/important?  Type a few sentences in which you really explore and expand upon this connection; be as specific as possible.

2. Using Team Shake to shake up your editing: Google sharing your thesis statements and getting peer feedback:

  • Is it clear (well-worded and easy to understand)?
  • Is it specific (mentions specific characters, symbols, titles, and problems/solutions)?
  • Is it debatable (makes an argument instead of merely summarizing what happens)?
  • Is it provable (can be backed up by examples from both texts)?
  • Which one is the overall strongest?

3. Putting your thesis to work: Forming your outline and composing topic sentences

Click HERE for the outline and make a copy for yourself (you must be signed in to do this). Once you have chosen your favorite thesis and revised it, please copy it into the thesis section of the outline.

HW:
1. If you have not yet put those remaining F451 words into quizlet, now is the time! Review tomorrow, quiz on Friday.

2. Finish revising your thesis and forming your topic sentences before class tomorrow; start filling in the rest of the outline, which must be complete before class on Friday.

3. If you're delivering your banned book speech on Friday, prepare and rehearse.

Interested in applying for Honors American Literature, A.P. Language, or A.P. Literature?

Information meeting on Tuesday, April 14 before (6:45 am) and after school (2:45 pm) in room E-9

Click on the link below for the online application:


Tuesday, April 7, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 7, 2015

Focus: How do we close read a film, and what larger meanings can we take from The Truman Show?

1. Warm-up: Close reading two scenes from The Truman Show

Some close reading questions to jump start your thinking...

Why is Truman looking a mirror?
How are his drawing and speech symbolic?
How is this moment significant to the film as a whole?

What might the water (and the storm) symbolize?
What might the boat symbolize?
How does this scene reflect an important change in Truman?
What do you think is the most significant moment in this scene and why?
What does Christof represent?

Why do you think the writer of this film named the protagonist "Truman"?
Why do you think Bradbury named his protagonist "Guy"?

2. New grid group discussions of The Truman Show (15-20 min)

3. Composing a rough thesis that draws together The Truman Show and Fahrenheit 451

Some samples...

Character analysis:
Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show share the heroic traits of ________ and _________, revealing that a true hero must ___________________________.

Both Guy from F451 and Truman from The Truman Show prove that the desires to ____________________ and ____________________cannot be repressed, suggesting that humans are naturally ________________________.

Both Clarisse from F451 and Sylvia from The Truman Show spark the main characters to realize ________________ and _______________, showing that _________________________.

Cristoff and Beatty?

Mildred/friends and the people watching The Truman Show?

Problem - Solution:
In both F451 and The Truman Show, the societies suffer from _________________, but they ultimately _______________________, revealing that _____________________________.

In both F451 and The Truman Show, the protagonists struggle to ____________________, but they eventually succeed in _________________________, revealing that _______________________.

Symbols:
The ____________ from F451 symbolizes _______________________, while the ___________ from The Truman Show represents _______________________, both symbols suggesting that _______________________________.


HW:
1. Form three different versions of a thesis statement using Google docs and share them with me by 10 pm tonight.

2. Bring F451 to class tomorrow so that you can start gathering quotations.


3. Study the remaining vocabulary words for Friday's final vocab. quiz.

4. If you're presenting a banned book speech this Friday, prepare and rehearse.


Helpful website for spelling the director's and the characters' names correctly: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/fullcredits

Monday, April 6, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 6, 2015

Focus: What symbols and patterns are emerging in The Truman Show?

1. Warming up with happy Monday thoughts

2. Questioning the film in grid groups: what are you wondering so far? How many images of dead-ends can you think of from last week? What might they suggest?

3. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:

This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.

Include the following categories in your notes:

a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say

b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film


c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film


d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)


4. Wrapping up: Post one specific connection you've discovered between The Truman Show and F451

HW:
1. Study the remaining words in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz Friday.

2. If you're delivering your banned book speech Friday, prepare and rehearse.

Friday, April 3, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 3, 2015

Focus: Why do books get banned?

1. Warming up with a few interesting tidbits on why F451 was banned

2. Enjoying our second round of banned book presentations

3. Taking your second F451 vocabulary quiz

4. Continuing The Truman Show if time allows

HW:
1. Before Monday morning, please respond to the blog entitled, "Connect the Dots." Nope.

2. If you have not yet delivered your banned book presentation, work on it over the weekend.

Thursday, April 2, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 2, 2015

Focus: What symbols and patterns are emerging in The Truman Show?

1. Warming up by testing your vocab prowess: a quick close-eyed review of vocabulary words 16-30

2. Questioning the film: what are you wondering so far?

3. Starting to think about the film on a symbolic level: how many images of dead-ends can you think of from yesterday? What might they suggest?

4. Watching The Truman Show and focusing on the following in your notes:

Make sure you have a document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us

This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.

Include the following categories in your notes:

a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say

b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film


c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film


d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)


HW:
1. Study words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz tomorrow.

2. If you're delivering your banned book speech tomorrow, prepare and rehearse.

3. Remember that tomorrow marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

All Boys, All Blogged: April 1, 2015

Focus: What are Bradbury's themes, and how did he use symbolism to construct them?

Happy April, everybody!

1. Warming up with F451's central symbols

With your partners, explore the symbol you've been given using these steps:

a. Draw/cut out what your symbol looks like. The more detailed, the better. 

b. Find one or two good quotations from the book that describes your symbol. Write it on your symbol.

c. Brainstorm all the larger ideas your symbol represents in this book; try to find variation (it represents _______, but it also reveals ______). Be prepared to defend your thinking.


2. Finding patterns among the symbols to form larger themes

On our class blog, try one (or more) of these:

Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to warn us that...

Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to criticize our society for...

Bradbury uses the symbols of ____________ and ___________ to encourage people to...



2. Explaining how to set up your notes for The Truman Show (click HERE for a trailer)

Please start a new document called "___________ (your last name) Truman Show Notes" and share it with me directly at kleclaire@lps.k12.co.us

This document will eventually be worth 40 points in the growth category.

Include the following categories in your notes:

a. Characters: Names, personality traits, clothes, things they say

b. Motifs/symbols: Specific objects that seem symbolic, what they might represent, and how they change throughout the film


c. Questions: Level 1, 2, and 3 questions; try to answer them at the end of the film


d. Connections to Fahrenheit 451: Be specific and original (these will form the backbone of your essay)



3. Starting The Truman Show

HW:
1. Start studying words 16-30 in your F451 vocabulary packets; quiz this Friday.

2. If you're delivering your banned book speech this Friday, start preparing and rehearsing.

3. Remember that this Friday marks the end of the second six-week grading period; if you have any makeup work (missed fishbowl blogs, reading journals that you need to revise/do for the first time, etc), it must be completed by this Friday.