Today, students had some time for Silent Reading. Starting the 3rd week of February, students will be doing Book Talks on a novel of their choose. Best to commit to a book now, if you haven't already!
Examples of the written-part can be found in the back hallway. More criteria and sign-up-sheet to follow. They then took on a Self-Reflection write. We are half-way through the year, and I wanted to get a sense of how they are feeling, and "where they're at", as well as challenging them to tell me about their strengths in this subject area and recognize their challenges (and why these things are challenging). Students finished by creating a goal to work toward for the latter half of the year. We went over SMART goals (see below), and I asked them to provide information re: the steps they will take to achieve, and what "success" will look like for them, as individuals. (For example, you and I might have a similar goal, but our steps-to-success and what "success" looks like might be quite different.) Self-Reflection - English 8 - Half-Way Through 1. Write 3-4 sentences about your experience of English 8 so far, this year. 2. List 2 strengths you have now - either ones you’ve consistently had (always/for a while) or learned September → now. List 2 challenges you still have, and what is challenging about them, for YOU. (this is the reflection piece) 3. What is a SMART goal that you have for English 8, for the rest of the year?
Specific - be very clear about the details of your goal; can’t be wishy-washy, like “I want to do better”. Measurable - how will you know you’ve succeeded? What will be the “measurement” of your success? Attainable - you need to be realistically able to do it; should be challenging, but not completely out-of-range. Relevant - something that is important to you, that will bring value to you, or you won’t strive to achieve it. Time Based - when will you assess your success, or stages of success? Can’t be open-ended. (Our “time” is “the rest of the year”; plan to assess a couple of times before June, and finally at the end of June.)
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Quite a few assignments handed back, last day. (always check Connect for marks)
Silent reading, then we went over the "Zlateh the Goat" in-class assignment answers from previous day. Shorter class, due to Parent-Teacher Interviews. No homework, unless you have missing assignments - in which case, GET THEM DONE, ALREADY! ;) Lots wrapped up, today!
Review Aloud: Plot, Characters, Setting, Conflict Notes: Point of View Time to work on: Plot Diagrams for Absolutely True Diary AND Zlateh the Goat (started with sub last week) - add more detail, now that notes are completed and parts of a story are clarified. Chance during last 15 minutes of class to go to library to get a new Silent Reading book. We'll start with Silent Reading again, next week - a bit of time, most classes - and students will do Book Talks later this semester. More info will be given, soon, about Book Talk criteria. Committing to a book sooner rather than later will allow you more in-class time to read. :) Please have a book with you, starting next class, to read during Silent Reading. For next day: Complete both Plot Diagrams (if not done in class); bring a book for Silent Reading; review "Zlateh the Goat" short story, as we'll be revisiting it with an in-class assignment. Used PowerPoint for notes to review Plot, and talk about Characters (protagonist, antagonist, static, dynamic, flat, round), Title, Setting, and different types of Conflict (Internal/External, then Character vs Self, Character, Society, Environment, Fate, Supernatural, and Technology).
Used examples from what we've read - ATD, "Green Bottle Street", "Zlateh the Goat" - to make connections, as well as student examples and other fiction (like fairy tales). Will finish up with Point of View, Tone, and Atmosphere, next day. And back to Zlateh! (very mixed feelings about this goat!!) - We reviewed "Rising Action" notes - what does this mean?
- Brainstormed some "big moments" in the book - after Mr. P. and Jr. talk about Jr. having to leave the reservation, and before Arnold's significant change(s) near the end of the book; worked kind-of-mostly in order: = Tells Rowdy he's leaving for Reardon (asks him to come with) = Jr. goes to Reardon (starts rough --> smooths out after a while) = Jr. and Roger "fight" - learn the rules of a new school/culture = Jr. meets Penelope = racist teacher leads to Jr. making friends with Gordie (another outsider) = people find out more about Jr.'s real life (he's poor, where he lives, some of his background) = Jr. makes varsity basketball team Note: all of these moments/events lead to Junior being able to experience life differently than he did, back at Wellpinit, on the Spokane Reservation (only one friend, always bullied, etc.). They also get him to see the differences between "who he is" in one place vs. the other, and he feels torn, like he doesn't really fit in anywhere (is he a "traitor"? has he "betrayed" his family? is he selfish, for wanting more out of life, like a solid education?). Climax: The moment in a story where the big shift, reveal, or event happens (can be the "AHA!" moment). The climax shifts the focus of the story by affecting the protagonist (physically and/or emotionally) in a significant way. = Eugene dies = Grandma dies = Mary dies = the "David and Goliath" basketball games, where Junior is first brutally beaten and then his team beats the Wellpinit team The deaths (esp. Mary's, as it's the 3rd in a row and Junior feels somewhat at-fault) AND the basketball game can be seen as Climax moments in ATD. Note: These events cause emotional turmoil in Junior: - too many people from his community are dying - and so many related to alcohol in some way; he feels guilty that Mary left and died, wondering if it's his fault b/c he left first. - he wants to win, but recognized the privilege the Reardon players have, knowing how the Wellpinit players will go home and be treated; he sees how many other opportunities Reardon kids have, vs minimal choices/chances for Wellpinit kids. Outcome: Decides he needs to try to make things right with Rowdy. Junior misses and needs his best friend. Falling Action: Results of the climax. What's next? What has changed, and how will this cause any ripple-effects? Decisions and choices to be made? - Junior goes to see Rowdy - They talk and begin to make peace - Junior remembers when they climbed trees and weren't scared of anything Resolution: The outcome; how the story ends. - Junior and Rowdy playing basketball - as friends, not as a competition - Junior more at peace with his "2 worlds" after talking to Rowdy; wonders if he'll ever really be able to reconcile the 2 worlds I'm home sick today, so you'll be looking at a short story with whomever is teaching you.
We will come back to our Plot Diagram and Parts of a Story NOTES next class. If you haven't yet handed in your Protagonist Paragraph, or your suffixes and prefixes sentences, please make sure to get those done! See you soon, ~Ms. Hlina Parts of a Story (notes to be written, in class, on lined paper - paper was provided, and notes were written on white-board as we went along)
Introduction/Exposition: The beginning, where the reader first learns about the main character(s) and setting (where the story happens, when it happens, and social/political situations of the time). Inciting Incident: Event/situation that triggers the conflict in the story. Rising Action: Series of events that moves the plot forward. More conflict, more details about characters, sometimes more characters, action, sometimes smaller resolutions (big resolution happens later, but the story arc can be a bit like a roller-coaster with some ups-and-downs before the BIG climax + resolution at the end). Fill in Plot Diagram with information for Absolutely True Diary, by Sherman Alexie. Main Characters (Arnold/Junior, Rowdy, Penelope; also important are Roger, Junior's parents and sister, his Grandma, Mr. P., and Gordy) Setting: Spokane Indian Reservation and Reardan High School (off reserve) Point of View: Junior's diary = 1st person POV (I, me, my, we, us pronouns used) Inciting Incident: Junior throws textbook at Mr. P. They have a talk about Junior having to leave the reservation (sets all the rest of the events into movement) FOR HOMEWORK: Under the "Rising Action" part of your NOTES (on lined paper provided), write a series (4-5) of important events in ATD that lead to changes in Junior's life, and his successes (AFTER the Inciting Incident of the book throw + "get out while you can" conversation). Next day, we'll talk about what students see as "big events" and decide together which ones best fit into the Rising Action part of our diagram. |
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