Extra Credit Deadline

If you are doing a scene from "451" or another Bradbury story for extra credit, you must adhere to the following deadlines.

By Friday: You must give me a list of your group members, the roles and responsibilities of each member, and the scene you will be doing. This information must be given to me in writing.

By Monday: a typed script will be due. Your script should include all of the dialogue as well as stage direction (and narration if necessary). Include the list of "credits" for your scene (writer, director, actors)

Once I have this information, I will arrange for a performance date.

Be sure to take advantage of this opportunity. Create a group that will help you reach your goal.

Homework

You MUST have your draft of your banned book essay with you tomorrow. We will begin the revision process, so you will not be able to revise your draft if you don't have it with you. Be prepared!

Banned Book Essay: First Draft Due Monday

Essay Assignment: “Banned in the U.S.A.”

Over the past few weeks, we have been following the journey of Guy Montag, a fireman in a world where books are illegal. Although Fahrenheit 451 is a work of fiction, book burning and book banning are very real. We have read a bit in class about actual cases of banned or challenged books, and last week you were asked to find two news articles on the topic. You will be using the information from those articles to help write an essay on book banning.

Your essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Your introduction: In a short paragraph, introduce the topic of book banning. You can open your essay by mentioning the idea of book banning in Fahrenheit 451, and then transition into mentioning the real world history of book banning. Your thesis statement will basically be a claim that book banning or the censorship of books is a reality in our world.

The Body: The body of your essay should include  2-4 paragraphs discussing two specific examples of books that have been banned. For each example, explain the basic “5 W’s” and details of the situation.  This information should come from your articles. Include quotes from your articles in your body.

Conclusion: In your closing paragraph, restate your thesis statement and wrap up your claim/argument.

A first draft of this essay will be due on Monday. We will work on revising it during the week (next week) in class.  A rubric will be provided before the final draft is due.

Sample Body paragraph (These details are made-up. Don’t copy them.)

     On example of real-life book banning took place in Cleveland, Ohio in 2010. Upset over some of the violence and reckless teenage behavior in S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, a parent group from Bentley Middle School protested against the book’s use and sought to have it removed from the school library. According to the Cleveland Times article “Parents Protest Over Violence in Books”, a group nearly 50 parents marched into the school and demanded that The Outsiders and other violent books be removed from the school’s required reading list. Although the protest was initially successful, a lawsuit filed by another parent group eventually resulted in the books being returned to the shelves. “This is America,” said parent Gilbert Reyes. “Banning books is the most un-American thing I can think of.”

Extra Credit Opportunity: Group Play Project

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: Ray Bradbury Theatre

For this assignment, we will be combining the acting and directing skills we worked on with Adam this year and our current unit on author Ray Bradbury.  The assignment is as follows:

You will work with a group to turn a scene from Fahrenheit 451 (or one of the Bradbury short stories we have read) into a play. You will need to rehearse your play and perform it in front of the class. This is an optional assignment, but if you need to raise your grade to pass this class, consider it mandatory. Here is what you must do:

Form a group to work with. The size of your group will depend on the number of jobs involved in your production. For example, a scene with 3 actors and a director should have 4 members. Choose your groups wisely. Work with people who will help you succeed.

Choose a scene to work on. No two groups will be permitted to work on the same scene. I must approve your scene before you begin working on it.

Transform the section of the book or story into a script. Your script should look like a play: dialogue, stage directions, etc.  Final copy must be typed and will be collected and counted towards your grade.

Rehearse: Since the whole class will not be involved in this, I will not be giving up much class time to work on it. You must find time to rehearse on your own. When available, I will allow my room to be used for rehearsals during the lunch period. 

I will be speaking to Adam about having him return for one more day. I will let you know when he will be coming. You should have your scene worked out by then so that you can get some of his expert input to guide you.

Perform: Your performance must be done (as Adam says) “off book” (no scripts).

Your project will be graded on the following: your script, your performance, your preparation and effort.

Dates and deadlines are all T.B.D.

Deadline Change

News articles (2) on banned or challenged books are now due on Monday.

Propaganda Posters.

Your Fahrenheit 451 propaganda posters are due tomorrow for 802 and 831. Those who were testing this week (in 802) will have an extended deadline. 821 posters are due on Monday.

Your poster should be created as if it were to exist in the 451 world. You should use propaganda techniques (review the handout) to persuade people not to read. On a separate sheet of paper with your heading, write a paragraph explaining your poster. Your paragraph should include a description of your poster, an explanation of which techniques you used, and an explanation as to why you chose those techniques. Do your best!

Homework (Due Thursday) 802 & 831

Search the web to find two news articles about books being banned, challenged, or burned. Review the list of frequently challenged books you were given in class. You can search for stories in these titles if you would like. You should be brining in copies of news articles, not lists of books. You will end up using these articles as sources for a research based essay. Be sure to bring them in on Thursday.

Getting Back on Track

With the recent state exams, our preparation for our performance, school assemblies, etc. our schedule over the past few weeks has been anything but regular. Fortunately, most of that is behind us. Over the next few weeks, we will be continuing our study of Ray Bradbury/ Fahrenheit 451. Tests and projects will be coming soon. Please keep your focus. Graduation is right around the corner. Be there.

Outsiders Performance Tomorrow!

Our performance of scenes from The Outsiders will take place tomorrow in the gym (pds. 4&5). All actors and directors should report to my room immediately after period 3. All members of 802 should report to my room period 4 as scheduled. We will have some time to set up and prepare in the gym. The show will likely begin during the second half of period 4.

Actors: Rehearse your lines! Do your best! You have all worked very hard on these scenes. I am proud of the progress you have made.

Audience Members: Support your classmates. You are expected to be a quiet, attentive, and respectful audience. Be your best.

Homework: Due Tuesday

Students in 802 and 821 should complete their Literary Letters by Tuesday. Be sure to follow the directions and use the sample letter as a guide. Check your work for mistakes and revise as neeeded.

Spring Break Packets

Packets were distributed during the week before break. They are due in class (completed) tomorrow. Be prepared.

Welcome Back

Unfortunately, I have had some technical issues recently which have prevented me from posting here. Fortunately, most of that time has been during the break. Everything is back now and seems to be running smoothly. Stay tuned.

Wear Green on Friday!!!

Help our team win the spirit challenge; wear GREEN on Friday in celebration of St. Patrick's Day and your Irish English teacher:)


Also.....

This video was filmed at the St. Patrick's Day Parade back in the 90's. Your favorite English teacher (then just a teenager) makes a cameo appearance in the video. Click the link and see if you can spot him.

House of Pain: "Jump Around"

Reminder: Signed Tests are Due

If you received a grade lower than a 65 on last week's exam, you must have it signed by a parent and return it to me. Most of your tests were given back on Friday. Signed tests are overdue.

Extra Credit Opportunity

Create a 6-word memoir slide connected to "Death of an Innocent". Your words should be connected to a central idea or theme of the article. Choose an image that is connected to your words. You must print out your slide and hand it in to me by Friday. The grade you receive on this assignment will replace your lowest quiz grade for the 3rd marking period. It's an easy way to get your grade up. Take advantage of it. See me if you have additional questions. Here is an example:

Test Update

As a reminder, the test on "Death of an Innocent" will be given on Thursday (802,821) and Friday (831). The test will consist of 20 multiple choice questions and 2 constructed response questions. You WILL be provided with a copy of the article to use during the test.
The multiple choice questions will focus on your ability to infer the meanings of new words in context, to determine the chronological order of events, to recall details from the text, etc.

Sample Multiple Choice Questions:

“Then, without notifying any friends or family members, he loaded all his belongings into a decrepit yellow Datsun and headed west without itinerary…” (pg. 5)

Another word for itinerary is
a) money   b) plan  c) destination  d) worry


Which of the following events happened first?
a) Chris met Wayne Westerberg    b) Chris gets a ride from James Gallien  
c) Chris burns his remaining cash    d) Chris worked at an Arizona McDonald’s

Which of the following statements about Chris would the author most likely agree with?
a) he was insane   b) he was arrogant   c) he was brave   d) he was incompetent

Sample Constructed Response Question

Circle ONE of the adjectives below to describe Chris McCandless. Write a paragraph based on your choice. Be sure to begin with a topic sentence. Support your topic sentence with multiple details from the text.

(Sample topic sentence: “Chris McCandless was a very __________ person.”)

            resourceful                kind-hearted              determined

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Test Next Week

On Thursday (802, 821) and Friday (831) of next week, students will be taking an exam based on Jon Krakauer's "Death of an Innocent". You will be provided with a copy of the article during the test. The test will consist of multiple choice and constructed response questions. These questions will focus on the skills we have worked on while reading this article: determining the meanings of new words by using context clues, understanding sequence of events, supporting answers and/or opinions with details from the text, recalling details, making inferences, etc. More information will be given in class next week. If you are interested in reading the article again or downloading your own copy, go to the link below:

"Death of an Innocent"

831: Reminder

Your letters to Ms. Burgos are due tomorrow. As you know, she is expecting them. Be sure to clearly explain your suggestions to make our school better and to tell what YOU can do to make it happen.
Be sure to proofread your work.

Outsiders Article Directions and Rubric

You can download an extra copy of the directions and the rubric by clicking the link:

 Directions & Rubric

Outsiders Sample Article

Click the link to see a copy of the sample article: Sample Article

Outsiders Article Rubric

Outsiders News Article Rubric

Structure: Article contains all of the necessary elements of a news article including a headline, byline, lead, etc.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Content: Article gives a clear account of the story, stays loyal to the book, and includes meaningful quotes from relevant characters/witnesses

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Appearance/ Layout: Article is typed neatly and includes the title of the newspaper, date, headline, etc. Article is divided into two columns. Proper fonts, sizes, etc. are used. Pictures and captions are used effectively.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Language, Spelling, Grammar: Article is well-written and contains no errors in spelling, grammar, etc.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Overall: All directions were followed, a strong effort is evident, and all requirements mentioned above have been fulfilled.

1               2                 3                 4               5              6               7              8               9             10

Raw Score: ____________                                            Final Grade (Raw X 2): _____________

February Break Mini-Project: Outsiders Article

Over the four day weekend, you will be responsible for creating your own original news article based on an event from The Outsiders. Use the sample article I gave you in class as a model. Your article must be typed (in two columns). Be sure to include all of the elements we discussed in class. A rubric for this assignment will be given and/or posted on this site by tomorrow. The assignment is due when we return on Wednesday. If it needs revising or tweaking, I may extend the deadline, but you MUST bring in your completed article on Wednesday.

Here is a more detailed description of the assignment:

Assignment: Create a newspaper article based on an event from The Outsiders. Your article should contain all of the elements of a news article that we have discussed: headline, byline, lead, story details, quotes from relevant “people” (characters), etc.

Your article should consist of details from the book as well as those from your own creative imagination. For example, you may need to create names and characters such as police officers or eyewitnesses. Be sure, however, that the details you create have a logical connection to the story. Use the sample article on Bob’s death as a model for the structure and appearance of your article. Do NOT, however, write an article that closely resembles the content of the “Bob’s death” article.

Your article should be typed in a newspaper-like font (Times New Roman). Across the top of your page should be the name of the newspaper (Tulsa Times, Windrexville Post, etc.) This should be in a large and bold font. Include the date (in smaller font) underneath. Your date should not be today's date, but one logically connected to the story (according to the sample article, Bob's death occurred on October 4th, 1967) Your headline should be in a larger and bolder font than your article (but smaller than your newspaper’s name). If you include a picture, be sure to include an appropriate caption. Divide your article into two columns. Be sure to carefully proofread your work and check for errors.

Tips:

• ·      Create a headline that gives the main idea of the article without being overly specific.
• ·      Include the who, what, when, and where in your lead paragraph
• ·      Include specific details from the book in your article. Don’t include details that would be unknown at the time your article is written.
• ·      Create meaningful quotes from relevant people/characters
• ·      Use the rubric as a guide to assess your own work.

Suggested topics/headlines (in case you can’t think of one):

Police identify two suspects in Hinton Park murder case
Tension builds between rival groups following Hinton Park murder

Toxicology reports reveal Hinton Park murder victim was drunk

Teen hero dies in hospital

Church fire hero killed in showdown with police

Girlfriend of Hinton Park murder victim testifies for defense

Church fire hero cleared of all charges in Hinton Park murder case

Keep in mind when your story is being written. Although Bob’s name was not in the headline or the lead of the sample article, it would be much more likely to appear in either or both in future articles (since his name and case would now be more well known). Apply that same idea to your article; ask yourself: Is this the first article on this topic or has the story already been in the papers? That should help you to determine which information might be new to you and/or your readers

Homework

You MUST bring in a newspaper article for a class activity tomorrow. If you don't have a newspaper, you can print an article off of a newspaper's website. Your article should contain all of the elements we discussed in class today: Headline, byline, lead, story, quotes, etc.

PERIODIC ASSESSMENT EXAM

The Periodic Assessment Exam in English Language Arts will be given to all students this week. Our schedule is as follows:

Tuesday: 802 and 831 will be tested

Thursday: 821 will be tested.

Be sure to bring in sharpened #2 pencils on your exam date.

Extra Credit "Fakebook" Projects Due Tomorrow

Reminder: The extra credit Fakebook project based on a character from The Outsiders is due tomorrow. Scroll down to the original post for details. I have copies of the rubric for you. If you completed the project, I will give you a rubric to quickly fill out before you hand it in. A copy of the rubric is posted on this page. Review it and use it as a guideline in creating your project. Do your best!

Test Tomorrow: The Outsiders

As a reminder, tomorrow's exam is an "open book" test. Be sure to bring in your copy of
The Outsiders. The format of the test is as follows:

Part I: Vocabulary in Context: You will be given 10 sentences from the book. Each sentence will contain a highlighted vocabulary word. You will have to pick the word that best matches the highlighted word. (30 pts.)

For example:
"If the judge decides Darry isn't a good guardian, I'm liable to get stuck in a home somewhere. (165)
a) scared.  b) reluctant.        c) likely.       d) guaranteed

Part II: 25 multiple choice questions based on details from the novel (50 pts.)

For example:

The rumble ends when.....
a) Darry knocks out Paul.  b) the Socs run away.   c) the cops show up.   d) Dallas pulls out Two-Bit's switchblade.

Part III: Constructed Response: You will be given two 10 point questions to answer. Each question will require a response of approximately a paragraph in length. You must respond to all parts of the question and support your answer with details from the text.

For example:
"Cherry tells Ponyboy that "things are rough all over". Write a paragraph in agreement or in opposition of this statement. Be sure to provide details from the story (on,y the story) in your response.

There will also be a few extra credit questions based mainly on differences between the book and the film.

Next Week's Schedule

Monday: We will be continuing our work with Adam. This week, we are expecting to get into some improvisation connected to The Outsiders.

Tuesday: The ELA Benchmark Exam will be given to all students during English class.

Wednesday/ Thursday: Depending on the schedule of your class, we will be finishing our discussion of the novel (chapters 11 and 12) on Wednesday and/or Thursday. We will be discussing theme as well as S.E. Hinton's use of symbols and motifs in the book. We will also be writing a newspaper article based on an event in the novel. More details will be provided next week.

Friday: All classes will take a final exam on The Outsiders. Details of the exam will be provided next week.

*The movie (what most of you have been asking about), will be shown the following week)

Reminder: Extra Credit Projects are due on (or before) Friday. Do your BEST!

Sample Introduction Paragraph

Here is a sample introduction paragraph for the compare/contrast essay. Do NOT copy it word-for-word, but try to follow the basic format:

     When we think of a person committing suicide, we often think of someone taking a large amount of pills or jumping off of a bridge. A lesser-known form of suicide is known as “suicide by cop”. Suicide by cop occurs when a person intentionally causes a police officer to kill them as a way to take their own life. Examples of this can be found in works of fiction such as S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders as well as in real-life, as detailed in the article “Depressed Man Commits Suicide By Cop” by Frank Eltman.

FOLLOW THIS FORMAT:

• Introduce the general topic (Suicide by cop)
• Explain what it means
• Mention that it is present in both the book and the article (use titles and authors)
• Do NOT go into details of the stories in your introduction. Don't even mention Dallas or Moe in your introduction.

Compare/Contrast Essay

Your final draft for the compare/contrast essay of Dallas Winston and Moe Pergament will be completed in class tomorrow. You should bring in your outline and your Venn diagram as well as any notes or drafts your may have written. You can use all of these resources to help you write your final draft. You MUST have the book and the article with you for reference. Remember, the rubric is on the back of the article, so that will be attached to your final draft. Be prepared.

Introduction: Introduce the topic (suicide by cop). Provide the title and author of both works.

Body:
1 paragraph explaining the details surrounding Dallas' death.
1 paragraph explaining the details surrounding Moe's death.
1 paragraph comparing the two situations (similarities)
1 paragraph contrasting the two situations (differences)

Conclusion: As short paragraph restating the main idea.

Work on your "rough draft". Look up any words that you don't know how to spell. If you do all of the prep work, writing your essay in class should be much easier.

In addition to your essay, I will also be collecting your outline and your Venn diagram.

Extra Credit Project Update

The FAKEBOOK extra credit project will be due next Friday, February 8th. You can use the same template as the the last one, but you will need to modify the layout of the second page (or just create your own). The ALL ABOUT ME section should be removed. Move the BLOG section to the top of the page. This should take up about half of the page. You can add pictures to the bottom of the page if you need to fill the space.

Note about wall posts: The wall posts should seem as if they were written by the actual characters. Use their slang and style of speaking, not yours.

See me if you are having any problems.

Here is the rubric (I will give out copies in class if needed)

Fakebook Rubric:Fictional Character

           (page 1) 

Page contains a profile picture, biographical information, relevant status, friends list, and at least (3) wall posts from friends

   0          1          2          3         4         5         6         7         8         9        10

Wall posts include pictures, are from relevant “friends”, and make reference to important events in the book.

0                       3                     6                       9                  12                          15

 (Page 2)

Blog entry discusses a single, important event in the book life from his/her point of view. Blog entry gives a detailed description of the event as well as the emotions, feelings, and opinions of the character regarding the event. (approximately 1/2 page in length)

0                       3                     6                       9                  12                          15

Directions were followed, profile is neat, informative and free of errors. All parts of the task have been successfully completed. A strong effort is clear.

0          1          2          3         4         5         6         7         8         9        10

Total Points Earned: ___________      Project Grade (Total pts. X 2) _______________

Essay Assignment and Rubric

Essay:  (100 pts.) Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Dallas Winston and Moe Pergament. In your essay, be sure to:

·       Include an introductory paragraph in which you introduce the theme that connects the two stories as well as the titles of both the book and the article

·       Clearly discuss the circumstances of Dallas’s death including specific details from the book.

·       Clearly discuss the circumstances of Moe’s death including specific details from the article.

·       Compare and contrast the details of both stories

RUBRIC

Includes a strong introductory paragraph

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Clearly discuss the circumstances of Dallas’s death including specific details from the book

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

 Clearly discuss the circumstances of Moe’s death including specific details from the article.

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Compare and contrast the details of both stories

1                              2                                   3                                   4                                5

Raw Score: ______                                                   Total Points (Raw X 5): ______


* If you lose the article, Google "Moe Pergament suicide by cop" and you should find it.

Compare/Contrast Essay

Today in class, we discusssed the connections between the deaths of (fictional character) Dallas Winston and (real-life person) Moe Pergament. You were provided with an essay assignment and a rubric. Follow the directions carefully. Work on a rough draft of your essay today. Be sure to follow the format/outline we went over in class. Use details from the article and the book in your essay. Tomorrow, we will spend some time in class revising it. The final draft will (most likely) be due on Friday. This is an important assignment. Do your best.

Extra Credit Opportunity

The following assignment is extra credit. It is optional. However, if you have received a failing grade in this class, it is HIGHLY recommended that you take advantage of this opportunity.

Create a FAKEBOOK page for a character from The Outsiders. The first page should follow the same format as the profile you created for your biography project. Do NOT, however, include a post from yourself. Instead, your page should consist of 3 or 4 wall posts from other characters from the novel. Each of these posts should make reference to events from the book.

The second page will be the same as the biography project except for the ALL ABOUT ME SECTION. Since we don't know the entire life stories of these characters, that section will be eliminated. You can fill the space by posting some pictures or other things that can be found on a typical online profile page. The LATEST BLOG ENTRY section should follow a similar format to the one in the biography project: describe an important event from your character's point of view and give his/her feelings and thoughts on the event. Follow the same guidelines for the likes and interests section.  The favorite quote should be something from the novel that is connected to your character.

The due date is to be determined, but likely it will be by the end of next week. A modified rubric will be posted soon. See me if you have any questions or concerns.

The grade for this assignment will replace your lowest 3rd marking period grade (except for a ZERO grade on a project).

I only want to see your BEST work. Don't hand in anything less.

The Outsiders

You must complete The Outsiders by Friday. We will be having an exam, an essay, and a project in the near future. Exact dates will be announced shortly.

Note-Taking Worksheet Due Tomorrow

The note-taking sheet for chapters 7-9 is due tomorrow. You should be finished reading chapter 9 in time for tomorrow's class.

Vocabulary Exam Tomorrow

As I explained last week, we will be having a vocabulary exam on Wednesday. All of the words are from the first 4 chapters of The Outsiders and are included on the worksheet we completed last week. I am not asking you to memorize definitions; I want you to understand the words when they are presented in context. That is a skill that is very valuable to a reader.

There will be 20 "questions" on the exam. Ten sentences with missing words will be given. You will be asked to complete the sentence by selecting the best word to fill in the blank. The other 10 words will need to be matched with the proper definition.

These are the words:

unfathomable
sophisticated     
apprehensive     
premonition   
defiance          
gingerly        
rivalry     
resigned    
ember    
elite      
 roughishly
nonchalantly

      sagely
      digested
      incredulous
      abide
      contemptuous
       aloof
       sheepish
       asset

USE THE VOCABULARY WORKSHEET AND A DICTIONARY TO REVIEW!

Reminder: Book Logs & Journals

As I explained to you earlier in the year, your book logs and journals need to be maintained regularly. It is a vital part of this class and an important step in improving your reading skills. When you finish a book, add it to your log, present the log and the journal entries to me, and I will sign for it. I will no longer be checking logs and journals of the entire class at one time. It is YOUR responsibility to bring these items to me each time you finish a book. If you fail to do so, I will assume that you have not been reading or writing in your journal, and you will receive a grade of ZERO for these requirements.

The 3rd marking period is upon us. It is time to step it up. I expect your best!

Homework: Read and Respond

Copy and answer the following questions:

•1. What was most likely the cause of the church fire? Cite specific evidence form the text in your answer.

•2. Why do you think Johnny and Ponyboy ran in to help save the kids instead of just watching?

•3. Explain the impact (if any) the church fire may have on each of the following situations:

ØJohnny’s trial

ØPonyboy’s relationship with Darry

ØThe feud between the Greasers and the Socs

Continue to read the book over the weekend.

Book Log Requirements

I will be checking book logs next week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

Be sure to include all books you have read this year on your log.

Fill out all of the required information for each book.

At this point in the year, you should have read a minimum of 12 books

Books over 500 pages count as 3 books.

Each book on your list should be labeled with the proper code.

•Book Log Codes: Enter the appropriate code to the left of the number for each book on your log:

•C.R. : Class Reading: this code applies to any book we have read together in class.

•I.R.: Independent Reading: this code applies to any books you read during the independent reading session in class.

•O.R.: Outside Reading: this code applies to any books read outside of class or at home.

•A.R.: Assigned Reading: this code applies to readings that I (or other teachers) have assigned you to do outside of class.

If a book counts for more than one book, indicate that in parentheses below the code

Example of what a log might look like:

I.R.          1. Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone…..

(3 books)__________________________________

C.R.         2. Various Memoirs………………………...........  

                _________________________________

A.R.         3. The Life and Times of George W. Bush

(2 books) _________________________________

I will ONLY sign for books that have been documented in your journals. Bring in your journals if necessary.
Our Class readings for this year (so far) have been:
The short stories we read in September (all 5 combine to count as 1 book)
Various Memoirs (1 book)
Poetry (1 book)
The Outsiders (1 book)
The only Assigned Reading you were given from me was the biography/auobiography

Book Logs

Over the next week, I will be inspecting your book logs. At this point, you should have read 12 books. Be sure to have your book log with you at all times. I will be giving you some additional information to include on your logs in class.

Homework: Word Work

Review the first 4 chapters of The Outsiders. Make a list of at least 10 words or phrases that may be unfamiliar. This can be a combination of vocabulary words and slang terms. For each word/phrase, indicate the page number where it can be found and explain what you think the word means. Use context clues, not a dictionary, to determine the meanings of these words.

Homework: Chapter 3

Finish reading chapter 3 of The Outsiders. Copy and answer the following questions:

1. Describe the encounter between the Greasers and the Socs that takes place in chapter 3. 

2. Compare and contrast Ponyboy’s relationship with Darry to his relationship with Soda? Provide details. Why do you think these relationships are so different?

3. Describe what happens when Ponyboy returns home late. 

Teaching Artist Residency

Monday will be our first session working with the teaching artist from Flushing Town Hall. Adam will be here every Monday through April to work with us on creating a theatre-based project connected to The Outsiders, and the work you do during these sessions will have a big impact on your 3rd marking period grade. I have done these residencies with Adam and other teaching artists in the past, and they have always been meaningful, educational, and a lot of fun. I expect everyone to give their very best. We are fortunate to have this opportunity. Let's make the most of it.

Homework

Read chapter 2 of The Outsiders.  Be prepared to discuss it on Monday. If you read ahead, do not give anything  away about what happens. You may use this book for your at-home journal entries if you wish.

Poetry Project Rubric

Your poetry projects will be graded using the following rubric:

Poetry book contains 8 to 10 poems of various styles and topics.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Includes pictures, drawings, etc. which accurately represent each poem.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Poems are well written and show a strong knowledge of figurative language

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Poetry book contains a cover, table of contents, and “About the Author” page.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Overall, the poetry book is well put together and shows that a strong amount effort went in to it.

1                      2                   3                         4                   5

Raw Score:                                                  Grade (Raw X 4)

Deadline Update

Happy New Year! Poetry projects are technically due today. However, if you need more time to complete or improve on your project, I will be accepting them up until Monday with no penalty. No projects will be accepted after Monday.

You were also given a packet to complete over the break. That packet is due on Friday.

Make sure 2013 is your best year yet!