Monday, April 7, 2008

Agenda: Monday, April 7

1) Collect Rhetorical Entries on Obama's speech on race
2) Return and Discuss Argument Timed Essays: Tacit Codes
- see examples of effective excerpts -
3) Multiple Choice Practice: Take the Neil Postman m.c. practice tonight (time yourself for 11 minutes)

Homework: M. C. practice; review vocab (quiz Wednesday)

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Agenda: Monday, April 1

1) Vocabulary Warm-up: Quiz next Wednesday
2) Discuss Obama speech - rhetoric and argument: rhetorical terms entry due Monday

Homework: Huck Finn seminar prep (due Thursday) - see board in class; study vocab; begin rhetorical terms entry

Monday, March 31, 2008

Agenda: Monday, March 31

Welcome Back!

1) Collect spring break homework: 3 rhetorical terms entries on Huck Finn
2) Quickwrite
- How much progress has America made in terms of racial relations since Twain wrote Huck Finn?
- Describe a personal experience in which you were identified with a particular race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. How did you know you "belonged" or "didn't belong"?
3) Handout Obama's speech on race (click on link for text AND video)

Homework: Read Obama's speech and the NYTimes analysis (both are in the packet)
- identify and discuss 3 rhetorical devices
- highlight/annotate 3 points that Obama makes that are worth discussing tomorrow

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Agenda: Friday, March 14

1) Be sure to sign the Thank You cards for Council Member McKeown and Ms. Julie Rusk.
2) Turn in slavery letters (be sure to label how you've met the style requirements) and address envelopes for mailing
3) Discuss Huck Finn to chapter 22

Homework: Finish Huck Finn and complete three rhetorical terms entries (see sidebar on webpage for requirements)

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Agenda: Thursday, March 13

Spring Break Homework:
Finish Huck Finn
Complete 3 rhetorical terms entry for Huck Finn:
1) Free Choice Device: Colloquialism, Colloquial Diction, Dialect, etc.
2) Two entries on a humor device: pun, dramatic/situational/verbal irony, personification, euphemism, hyperbole, understatement/litote
Larger Meaning:
1) What is Twain using this device to satirize? What folly/flaw in human behavior is Twain critiquing? Why does he include this scene? What larger point does it allow him to make?

Chapter 22 Multiple Choice Practice
Discuss Sherburn/Boggs and Sheperdsons/Grangerfords

Homework: Revise slavery letter: add stylistic devices if you haven't already (see "10 Steps to Sexier, Sassier Sentences" handout) BRING TWO COPIES of your letter and an envelope and stamp

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Agenda: Tuesday March 11

Santa Monica Local Issues Guest Speakers!
Report to B200 at 8:45

Homework: Read chapters 19, 20, 21 in Huck Finn
Complete assembly reflection

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Agenda: Thursday, March 6

AP Multiple Choice Practice: Chapter 15
Continue Raft vs. Steamboat Discussion

Homework: Evidence Log Due Monday; chapters 17 and 18 due Monday

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Agenda: Tuesday, March 4

Announcement: Due to guest speakers from Santa Monica City Council and Human Services Division, you need to be at school by 8:45 next Tuesday. This is mandatory - but won't feel like it (yummy treats for those who arrive at 8:30 and engaging speakers eager to talk about local issues!)

1) Distribute and Review AP Interim Vocab Unit 1
2) Review AP Multiple Choice Huck Finn Practice
3) Discuss ch. 7-9 in Huck

Homework: Read ch. 10, 11, 12, and 13; evidence log due Monday

Monday, March 3, 2008

Agenda: Monday, March 3

Announcements: This is the last week to register for the AP Test!
This week's Evidence Log topic: Religion in America

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Discussion ch. 1-6
- Small and Large Group discussion (Bag 'o Destiny)

Homework: Read chapter 7, 8, and 9; Evidence Log (religion) due Friday

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Agenda: Friday, February 29

Collect Evidence Logs and Share Out
Finish Satire PowerPoint
Introduce Huck Finn and begin reading.
Focus Questions for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:
1) At what stage of Kohlberg's Moral Reasoning theory are different characters functioning?
2) Who uses the "n-word" pejoratively (i.e., in an insulting manner)?
3) What does Twain make his hero and illiterate orphan?
4) What is the effect of Twain's colloquial diction?
5) What distinction do you notice between what happens to Huck on the river vs. what happens to him on land?
6) What humor devices do you notice? Who/What is the object of Twain's satire?

Homework: Read chapter 1-6 for Monday (this includes chapter 6)

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Agenda: Thursday, February 28

Return Synthesis Essays: Advertising Prompt
Distribute Huck Finn books - be sure to see me for a textbook room note if you did not purchase a copy
Satire Introduction:
Discuss The Onion article, "Fall Canceled After 3 Million Seasons"
Begin Satire PowerPoint and complete cloze notes

Tomorrow is the LAST DAY for Regular AP Test Registration!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Agenda: Wednesday, February 27

I'm out today for an 11AP Scoring Session:

Humor Quickwrite
Read and Annotate The Onion article and answer questions
If time, read and annotate 2nd Onion article

Homework: Finish reading The Onion article #2, Evidence Log due Friday

Agenda: Tuesday, February 26

Synthesis Timed Essay

Homework: Evidence Log due Friday

Agenda: Monday, February 25

Frederick Douglass Vocab Quiz #2
Discuss What Would Thoreau Do? Handout and Articles

Homework: Review synthesis notes to prepare for tomorrow's essay; Evidence Log due Friday

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Agenda: Friday, February 22

Grammar Pre-test: Commas, Semi-colons, Run-ons
Share out Kohlberg Dilemmas
Discuss Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience"
- 5 Main Ideas
- Contemporary Applications

Homework: Study vocab (quiz Monday), Read The Sit-in at the Altar (NYTimes article) and Loyalty to Country or Conscience? (LA Times article) and complete What Would Thoreau Do? handout (due Monday)

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Agenda: Thursday, February 21

The Ethicist Podcast from 2/15/08
Focus: The same action can come from different motivations
Kohlberg's Levels of Moral Reasoning Cloze Notes
- fill in notes and discuss levels and dilemmas
Begin Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience"

Homework: Finish Kohlberg Homework Sheet; Finish Reading "Civil Disobedience" and do the following: 1) summarize/paraphrase Thoreau's argument after EACH paragraph 2) find and label TWO rhetorical devices 3) On the back of the handout, write out what you think is Thoreau's most compelling line from the essay, then briefly discuss why

NOTE: Vocab quiz is moved to Monday

Agenda: Wednesday, February 20

Introduce Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Reasoning
- Moral Dilemma Scenarios

Homework: Brainstorm a moral dilemma

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Agenda: Tuesday, February 19

Announcements:
Last day for Huck Finn money
AP Registration begins today: $84 per test

Vocab Quiz
Return synthesis essays and review effective excerpts

Homework: draft of slavery letter

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Agenda: Friday, February 15

Vocabulary Warm-up: quiz Tuesday
Turn in Evidence Logs: Work
- no evidence logs next week; all students need to have turned in at least one by now
Read UTNE article and discuss
Introduce persuasive letter assignment: draft due Wednesday

Homework: study for vocab quiz; begin researching/drafting letter

Agenda: Thursday, February 14

Happy Valentine's Day!

Finish viewing slavery documentary
Seminar: Kevin Bales article, documentary, ch. 10 of Douglass

Homework: Evidence Log

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Agenda: Wednesday, February 13

Continue screening slavery documentary

Homework: Read "The Social Psychology of Modern Slavery"; Read Frederick Douglass to page 118 and complete seminar prep (see yesterday's agenda); Evidence Log: Work, due Friday

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Agenda: Tuesday, February 12

Slavery Quickwrite: 10 Questions about Modern Slavery
- Share out and Discuss
Begin Modern Slavery: A Global Investigation Documentary
- Complete viewing guide

Homework: Read "The Social Psychology of Modern Slavery" Scientific American article by Kevin Bales; Read Frederick Douglass chapter 10 to page 118; Complete Douglass/slavery seminar prep; Evidence log: Work

Monday, February 11, 2008

Agenda: Monday, February 11

1) Turn in passive voice rhetorical term entry
2) New evidence log topic: Work (i.e., worker's rights, unions, compensation)
3) Compare/contrast Douglass and Malcolm X:
- What similarities do both men share in their attitudes toward education?
- What departures do you notice? How do you account for them?
- What is the tone of each piece? Provide an excerpt
- Find a rhetorical device from either piece and discuss

Homework: Study vocab (quiz Friday), Read chapter 10 (to page 118) in Douglass for Thursday, Evidence log (due Friday

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Agenda, Friday February 8

Turn in Education Evidence Logs and annotated article
Frederick Douglass Vocabulary Warm-up
Discuss Chapter 2 Close Reading: Rhetorical Terms Entry due Monday

Homework:
Passive Voice Rhetorical Terms Entry
Read Malcolm X's "Learning To Read"
*Remember $5 for Huck Finn

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Agenda: Thursday, February 7

Grammar Warm-up: Active and Passive Voice
Frederick Douglass:
Discuss chapter 1
Chapter 2 Close Reading

Homework:
- Evidence Log and annotation due tomorrow
- Read chapter 7 in Douglass
- Rhetorical Terms Entry for ch. 2 close reading due Monday

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Agenda: Wednesday, February 6

Quickwrite: What basic human rights are essential to the pursuit of happiness? (turn in at the end of class)
- share out and discuss
- Examine United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (handout)
Introduce Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
- Vocabulary
- Introductory Notes
- Begin reading chapter 1

Homework:
- Read chapters 1 and 2 in Douglass, due tomorrow
- Evidence log: Education, due Friday

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Agenda: Tuesday, February 5

Synthesis Timed Essay

Bring Frederick Douglass tomorrow!

Homework: Evidence Log, due Friday

Monday, February 4, 2008

Agenda: Monday, February 4

1) Share and Discuss Flag Burning DCQ Intro Paragraphs
2) Examine and Discuss Flag Burning Packet
3) Notes and Tips on Synthesis Essays

Timed Synthesis Essay Tomorrow!
Homework: Work on Evidence Log (Education), due Friday
Bring Frederick Douglass on Wednesday

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Agenda: Friday, February 1

1) Grammar Mini-lesson: Active Verbs
- Read handout and complete #2, 4, 5, 7
- Share out and discuss
2) Introduce Synthesis Prompt
3) Introduce Evidence Log Assignment
4) Finish Pleasantville

Homework:
1) Write an introduction that acknowledges complexity using the introduction structure. Write two claims and one counter-argument claim. DUE MONDAY
2) Evidence Log Assignment. Topic: Education. Find article, annotate, and complete log. DUE NEXT FRIDAY