Malcolm's girlfriends

Today we started with a pop quiz over the reading in Chapter 4. We also discussed a bit of the event of Chapter 4.

Then Mrs. Gilbert read aloud from chapter 4 and we discussed Malcolm X's use of slang. Our homework for the weekend is to create our own "slang" dictionary. This is due Monday.

Finally, we had some time to give some feedback about how class was going to Mrs. Gilbert.

Talking about Malcolm

Today we did a talking activity about Malcolm X as a teenager. We discussed and wrote down the answers to three questions: What would Malcolm be like if he were a teenager today (think about clothes, music, behavior/activities). Do you agree or disagree with Malcolm about how much time/money people should spend on their hair (e.g. straighten it or not?)? And how does what you think of interracial relationships compare to the rest of BCC?

We turned in the worksheet from yesterday and we also turned in our journals.

Homework for tomorrow: Chp. 4: pp.67-78

Talking about Malcolm

Today we did a talking activity about Malcolm X as a teenager. We discussed and wrote down the answers to three questions: What would Malcolm be like if he were a teenager today (think about clothes, music, behavior/activities). Do you agree or disagree with Malcolm about how much time/money people should spend on their hair (e.g. straighten it or not?)? And how does what you think of interracial relationships compare to the rest of BCC?

We turned in the worksheet from yesterday and we also turned in our journals.

Homework for tomorrow: Chp. 4: pp.67-78

Review

Today we began class by filling out a reflection on our work habits.

Then, the students who were caught up on their reading went to the library for some "fun" research activities.

The students who were not caught up on their reading spent the period completing a reading guide over the assigned reading.

Homework: Student should bring their journals (all 6) to class tomorrow to be turned in, and the worksheet from today is due.

"A Song from the Front Yard"

Today we began by reading and annotating Gwendolyn Brook's "Song from the Front Yard" Students who shared during the discussion got extra points.

Then that poem was used as part of our quiz, which had sections on the poem, on Malcolm in Boston (Chp. 3), on Malcolm's childhood (Chp. 1-2), and a few practice ACT style questions.

Reminder: tomorrow is parent-teacher conferences. If you come with your parent, you get some extra credit.

More on Macolm

Today we did a freewrite and then discussion about how language appropriateness varies based on situation.

Then we turned in our timelines and had time to read. Tomorrow there will be a quiz.

"Touch"

Today we read and annotated the poem "Touch" and wrote about how the poem compared to Malcolm X's childhood. We turned these in after reviewing them and then we had journaling time.

Homework:
for MONDAY: create a timeline of Malcolm X's childhood based on the reading so far
for TUESDAY: Read Chp. 3, pp. 50-57 and 59-63

Picture day

Today we took school pictures during class.

In the remaining time, we completed a worksheet on the first chapter of Malcolm X. If you didn't get it done, it is homework.

Homework reading: pages 30-36 and 39-40 of chapter 2

Who was Malcolm? Who are we?

Today we shared the results of our Malcolm interviews. We signed out our books and were assigned excerpts from chapter 1 to read (pp. 3-6, 11-16, 24-26) -- please be sure to read all the way to the end of the page for each excerpt.

We then took a quiz over class procedures and names.

Tomorrow is picture day, so don't forget to dress up!

Looking at poems we picked

Today our poetry analsis was due for the poem/song we picked out on our own. We shared our analysis with our group and then the group scored how well we did. We looked briefly at the scoring guide and discussed how we should work on improving over the course of the quarter. The analysis and scoring guide should have been turned in to Mrs. Gilbert to grade.

Then we began investigating the Autobiography of Malcolm X. We read some quotes by him on the walls and Mrs. Gilbert read part of the first chapter aloud to us. We discussed what the exposition was revealing about Malcolm and speculated as to what impact these details will have on his life.

Then we had free-writing time to explore what exposition we would give on our own lives.

HOMEWORK: Don't forget to do your interview with some over 50 on Malcolm X. It's due tomorrow.

Unwritten and Written

We began class with 10 minutes of journal time -- don't forget that journals will be collected every couple of weeks.

Then we finished sharing out our table analysis of "Unwritten."

Mrs. G gave extra credit to students who had their homework finished. This weekend's homework is to finish annotating your poem based on its diction, images, figurative language, rhyme, repetition, tone and mood. This will be due Monday.

She also reviewed Tuesday's homework -- to interview someone over 50 years old about Malcolm X. There is a blue worksheet in the classroom with the questions to be asked.

The quiz over names was pushed to Monday.

Reading poems

Today we started class by discussing/revising what consequences should follow breaking the rules. The final draft will be posted in the room soon.

Then we reviewed/practiced analyzing poems. We read "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield and then answered questions on a worksheet about it. Each table had slightly different questions and needs to share their answers with the class. Some table went today and some will go tomorrow.

The homework: Choose a song or poem to analyze. Take the "Unwritten" worksheet questions and apply them to your song or poem -- put the answers on some lined paper.

Digging for Potatos

Today we learned about our journals and writer's workshop.

We began by doing a "potato" write where we wrote for 8 minutes about the potato given to us from Mrs. Gilbert. We then shared those writings with each other.

We then discussed how the potato was a metaphor for writing and how the journals would be used in this class. After this "warm-up," we proceded to have an additional 10 minutes for writing and some additional sharing time.

No homework tonight.

What we love about language

Our bellwork today was to read and respond to a letter from Mrs. Gilbert, to help her identify what our consequences would be if we break any class rules.

We also shared our homework -- the 6 quotes of language we love. Based on our homework we compiled a list of traits of "good" writing/language and that list should be in the first page of our journal.

We'll need our journals tomorrow for a writing activity, and our homework is to complete the topic tree worksheet (a brainstorming activity that will help us write).

Finally, we reviewed where to meet for fire drills and the importance of it.

Wrapping up the room/intros

Today we did some more introductions and well as a scavenger hunt to review the procedures and materials of the room.

4th Period also had a "rules" discussion to agree upon classroom rules.

Homework for both periods:
Bring in a list of 6 quotes of language you love -- the quotes can be from songs, poems, books, movies, whatever... as long as you love how they said it. You should cite where each quote came from. You will also need your journals tomorrow.

District Writing Assessment

Today we took the district writing assessment for sophomore English. This was a timed writing assignment that took up most of the block. With any remaining time, we continued the introductions from yesterday.

Rules & community

Today we continued to do introductions to get to know one another.

We also reviewed the syllabus and turned in our homework (syllabus signed and annotated, student survey).

Finally, we brainstormed rules for the classroom, and tomorrow we'll work on combining them into a short list.

Also: tomorrow we will have a writing assessment, so students need a writing utensil and may bring their iPods/MP3s to listen to while writing.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Sophomore English blog!

Every day, we'll post the activities and homework for that day so that students and parents can have an easy reference at home.

Today we filled out a folder of work and students received two pieces of homework: a syllabus to annotate and have their parents sign, and a survey to be filled out.

We also spent some time introducing one another and sharing the symbols on our nameplates in order to better get to know each other.