Wrap up drafting

We worked on drafting our papers and took notes on how to do conclusions. We also reviewed how to better elaborate on our examples and practiced doing so. This is important because our final exam is tomorrow and it asks us to elaborate on connections between Malcolm X, Melinda and a poem.

Homework: Final draft of essay due tomorrow or Monday.

Drafting the literary essay

Today we copied down the patterns for the literary essay introduction and body paragraphs and began writing them. Please have your body paragraphs finished by the time you come in tomorrow.

Presentation prep.

Today we got a schedule of the last week of the quarter, and then Mrs. Gilbert modeled how to do the literary term presentation. Then we had time to work with our partner to prepare the presentation.

Don't forget to do your reading tonight.

Presentations start Monday.

Final exam, Friday 3/17

Speak Quiz #2

Today we watched part of the movie and took a quiz comparing the movie to the book.

More on appositives

Today we did a sentence combining worksheet on appositives and then we turned in our literary cheatsheets. After a discussion on the book (there will be a quiz tomorrow!), we reviewed guidelines for the literary terms presentation on the book which will be due next week Wednesday.

Don't forget to read through page 137.

Sentence patterns & cheatsheet stuff

Today we did a worksheet on sentence patterns that also involved us comparing a non-fiction article to Speak. Then we added several more terms to our literary cheatsheet, including appositive, adjectives shifted out of order, alliteration, bold, vowels (see the poster on the wall).

Reminder: Read through page 125 tonight and be sure your literary cheatsheet is ready to turn in.

Interpretation/Analyze

Today we made art from scraps and wrote an analysis of what the art symbolized. After sharing our art in groups, we turned in the art and analysis.

Then we extended these abilities to analyzing literary techniques in Speak. Students should quote and cite two examples of their assigned literary technique and then analyze why the author used that particular technique in that particular scene. This was due by the end of the block.

Don't forget to do your reading this weekend!

Speak & Lit. Tech

Today we spent some time in silent reading and then we got in groups to discuss the following questions. Then we wrote up our answers individually WITH QUOTES from the book to prove our point about literary techniques.

· How does Melinda try to relive childhood memories in “Peeled and Cored” (65-66?)? What literary technique does Anderson use to help us feel the same mood Melinda feels?

· How is “Rebellion…in the air” in Both “First Amendment, second verse” AND “Wombats Rule?” What literary technique helps show off how Melinda feels about the rebellion?

· How are Melinda’s feelings towards her family/parents complex? What literary techniques show this in “Winter Break?” and “Hard Labor?”

Be sure to do your reading for tomorrow and bring your 5 crazy disposable objects as well.

Speak quiz

Today we discussed last night's reading of Speak and then took a quiz on it. We also re-wrote answers from the Unit 1 test to get more points back.