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)