Typing, typing

Today we worked on typing up our second draft of our multi-genre project. All five+ works must be done being typed by within the first 25 minutes of class tomorrow.

Diction & Revision

Today we reviewed ways to spice up our diction (e.g. word choice) -- for example, using words other than "said" in dialogue... like yelled, whispered, replied, announced, snarled, gasped, etc.

Homework reading for Wednesday:
CHP 14 257-264, 268-269, 274-275 (Extra Credit: 281-286)
CHP 15 293-mid297, 207-mid310, 312-314

Reminder: Monday and Tuesday we'll be in the computer lab to type up our projects. Come prepared to type or (if you're typing at home) then bring your book/quiet work.

Mrs. Gilbert's absent...

Please answer the following questions and turn them in to the crate
1. Describe what Malcolm’s (and the Nation of Islam’s) policy was about using (or not using) violence/physical force.
2. How did the visit to West Indian Archie in the book differ than in the movie? Why do you think the movie was so different?
3. Which parts of Malcolm’s preaching do you think is still true today? Why? Which parts do you think no longer apply? Why? (BE SPECIFIC)
4. What was your reaction/opinion of how Malcolm handled his relationship with Betty? Why? (BE SPECIFIC!!!)

And we watched the film.

More on Dialogue

Today we took notes on how to correctly do dialogue in our projects -- and EVERYONE must have SOME dialogue somewhere in their project.

Then we had time to revise and work on our projects.

Don't forget to do your reading for tomorrow.

Line breaks in poetry.

Today we did an activity to learn how to add line breaks to poetry, and then we took notes on both line breaks and visual variation in poetry (see the handout crate for extra copies of the notes worksheet).

Then we applied this knowledge to the poems in our multi-genre project.

Homework is to finish applying this to your project.

Movie day

Today we watched more of the movie of Malcolm X after we discussed some of the difference between the book and movie. (We also turned in the homework from last Thursday).

Homework for this Thursday: Read Chapter 13 excerpts: 232-242, 247-254.

Improving your grade by 10%

Today we got the mutli-genre scoring rubric and we discussed it (NOTE: don't lose this, because you'll have to turn it in with your final project!).

Then we spent some time taking notes on imagery and figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole and personification) and adding these to our project. Students should add these thoroughly through EACH piece of writing in order to raise their project grade by 10%. These terms will also be on a test in two weeks, and so they should be on your cheatsheet.

Homework: Continue revising/improving your projects.

Details, Details

Today we watched Malcolm X for a while and then were assigned to read 184-194 in the book. We reviewed why and how details are important in writing and then had to answer the following questions for homework:

1. List some details used in the film to show what prison was like.
2. List some details from the reading that you think would be important to have in the film.
3. Describe one of the differences (in detail) between the book and movie.
4. Look over your rough draft. Where do you need to add detail? Work on additing detail to your drafts -- come prepared tomorrow to show how you added detail.

Reflecting on our rough drafts

Today we turned in our rough drafts to our multi-genre projects. We spent most of the hour writing a reflection on the rough draft (see below) and then we watched a bit of Malcolm X

Sophomore English – Multi-genre Rough Draft Day!

First, decide in what order your writings should appear (which one first, second, etc.). Arrange them so that they’re in that order.

Second, on a sheet of line paper, you will write several brief paragraphs. The first paragraph will be about your first piece of writing; the second paragraph will be about your second, and so on.

For each paragraph:
· Tell me the title of your piece and what genre it is.
· How is this piece of writing meaningful to you?
· What do you like about this piece of writing?
· What made you want to write it?
· If you had any difficulties or challenges in writing this piece, describe them.
· How do you want the reader to feel when they get done reading this piece?
· What types of revision help do you hope to get?

Third, write a final paragraph about
· Why you decided to put the writings in the order that you did.
· How you feel about the project overall.

When finished, you may begin the homework reading for tomorrow (pp.184-194) or you may work on making revisions/changes to the draft in front of you.

Re-capping Malcolm's teens

Today we reviewed yesterday's homework and then we had a quiz over chapters 5-10 of Malcolm X. We finished up by watching a bit of the film version.

Tomorrow: the rough draft of your multigenre project is due.

Moments of change.... for Malcolm

Today we spent some time drafting for our multi-genre project.

Then we read aloud excerpts from chapter 10 of Malcolm X and then answered these questions. In your answer,
· Restate the question as a sentence.
· Write in sentences
· Explain your point with details.

1. Describe in sentences and with details—how does Malcolm begin to change in prison?

2. Malcolm is about to convert to one version of Islam called the “Nation of Islam.” What do you know about Islam or the Nation of Islam? What questions do you have about Islam?

3. Can one individual speak for a whole group? Why or why not? (e.g. Can one male or female speak for all people of their gender? Can one Japanese-American or African-American or Cherokee speak for all their people? Can one teenager speak on behalf of all teenagers? Can one Christian or Muslim say they know what all their people think?)

Homework is to finish any excerpts (pp. 165-170, 172-174, 178-183) not covered in class and to work on our projects.

Notes on Personal Narratives

Today we got our DWA essays back and we took notes on how to revise them. Homework for the weekend is to finish revising them and be prepared to turn in all 5 pieces of your project writing on Wednesday.

Malcolm is caught!

Today the groups on chapters 8 and 9 presented and we took notes in our cheatsheets about dashs and the four types of sentences.

Don't forget to keep working on your project as your homework all week/end long. Tomorrow we'll be revising our stories/personal narratives so stay on top of things!

Revising poetry

Today we took notes on how to revise and improve our poetry, and then we applied to to our actual poem drafts.

Reminder: A rough draft of your completed project is due next week Wednesday -- all five pieces of writing must be included.

Moving on with Malcolm

Today everyone had a bit of time to prepare their Malcolm X presentations. Chapter 5 went today; chapters 6 and 7 will go tomorrow, and chapters 8 and 9 will go on Thursday.

We also made sure that everyone had BOTH their 9th grade cheatsheet and their 10th grade cheetsheet ready to go as we begin reviewing literary terms.

Lindy-hopping!

Today we watched some of the film of Malcolm X and got a chance to learn some lindy-hopping steps ourselves!

6th period participated in the homecoming pep assembly.

Be sure your reading is up-to-date on Monday!

Reading Malcolm in depth

Today we each signed up for one chapter of Malcolm to read in-depth and then present in some way to the class. We had some reading time and the rest of the reading should be completed by Monday so we can begin presentations.

Revising the class

Today we read, annotated and discussed a letter from Mrs. Gilbert to make some revisions to class. Important points to note: we will now have responsibility points for coming to class on time and prepared.

We also had some time at the end of the block to do a bit of creative writing (poems) and everyone should do another short poem by Friday.

What is a Multi-genre Self-research Project?

We discussed the Multi-genre Self-Research Report guidelines and brainstormed some genres for our projects. We then had time to write our table of contents (due tomorrow) and begin drafting. Homework Read and annotate three of the poems in the packet of samples.

Slangin'

Today we shared our slang dictionaries and then we wrote out a dialogue between two characters (for about 10 minutes) using our slang dictionaries to make it sound realistic. Then we tried writing a draft of a poem (for 8 minutes) that had to sound natural, like we really speak. We turned in all of this work and our slang dictionaries.

Homework was to annotate the Multi-genre Self-Research Report packet.