A Quote from Maya Angelou

“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Thank you for making this class awesome.

I've learned so much from all of you. 

- Ms. Black

EOC Review

It's a short day and we don't have a lot planned, but here's the agenda:

1. EOC Review with Lemon Brown

        You and a partner will be creating a Popplet to represent the literary devices in Lemon Brown.

        This Popplet may be counted for extra credit on your EOC if done thoroughly. 

2. We will start The Outsiders movie during the last twenty minutes of class. 

Final Socratic Seminar

ARE YOU READY?!

Today we will:

1. Take five (yes, five.) minutes to take care of last minute thoughts and questions in before we circle up.
2. Participate in the last Socratic seminar of the semester.
3. Reflect on our learning.
4. Start the EOC review with the short story "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" by Walter Dean Meyers.

This week is your last chance for a make-up reading log. You know if you need to do it. Make sure you bring it on Friday.

Are you ready for the next Socratic seminar?

Found Poetry

Socratic Seminar Number 1

Connections Circle

Today's Agenda:

1. Connections Circle
2. Listen to The Outsiders Chapters 10 and 11.
3. Discuss Tuesday's Socratic Seminar.

It is a minimum day. Have a wonderful weekend!

Make sure to come prepared for the Socratic Seminar

on Tuesday.

Group Discussions

Good morning everyone!
We have a lot to do today.

Agenda:

1. Warm Up
2. Read Chapter 9
3. Discussion Questions
4. Group Discussions

Here is your warm-up.

writingprompts.tumblr.com

Remember: write for six minutes without stopping!
You can always add more detail and explanation.

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We will be reading Chapter 9 and participating in
group discussion circles. Get ready to work hard;
it's going to be a very busy day.

Likert Scales

Today we will read Chapter 8 and work in groups of four to expand our discussions about the text.

Back to Reading!

Performance Task

Do Now (in this order!):

1. Take out your video permission slip
    and your "Nothing Gold Can Stay" work.
    Place them on the corner of your desk.
2. Take your iPads out and open your Performance Task.
3. Furiously review everything you've been working on
    and/or fill in empty boxes you didn't complete.
3. Be ready for further instructions.

Today's Agenda:

1. Warm-up
2. Performance Task (We will be finished today!)
3. We will start reading Chapter Seven of
   The Outsiders via audio CDs.
4. Fill out this google form. You will find a
   link to it on Canvas in Announcements.
5. Hopes/Fears activity (if time permits)

"Nothing Gold Can Stay"

Last class we came across a poem in The Outsiders that Ponyboy recited to Johnny one evening while they were hiding out in the abandoned church. We didn't spend any time talking about it, so that's what we're going to do today.

Reading in Pairs

Welcome to your new seats!

Now that you've found it, ask your partner 

to introduce him/herself.

Take a couple minutes to write about a
moment in your childhood that you remember
vividly. Be as detailed as possible. It can be
happy, sad, funny, scary-- whatever you
remember it to be. You will be sharing.

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For The Outsiders:

Today you will be doing a little more independent work.
As you read, you will discuss with your partner and
collaboratively answer the questions provided. The following
guidelines will help you do this.

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We may not get to our performance task today,
but if we do, this is what you need to work on:

1. Read and annotated ALL four texts.
2. Complete Graphic Organizer One and Two

Just Keep Reading

Do Now:

On your warm-up sheet in your Outsiders folder,
write today's date (April 21).

1. Take a minute to review Chapter 3.
2. Pretend you are Ponyboy, and that you have his
    feelings and ideas.
3. Choose one of the following characters and
    describe the character from Ponyboy's point of view.

• Darry
• Sodapop

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We have a lot of reading to do today. 

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Your tasks for the day:

1. Write a paragraph. The prompt we will discuss:

 
A *major event* happens in Chapter Four.
Using details from the book, Describe the actions 
that Johnny and Ponyboy take after the incident.

2. Continue working on your character chart.

Socs vs. Greasers

As you listen to/read Chapter 3 today, make sure 

to continue noting unfamiliar vocabulary.

After we read chapter three of The Outsiders today, 

we will continue our examination of important quotes 

from the story, and explaining their significance. 

Today we will be focusing on the characterization 

of Greasers vs. Socs.

Your tasks:

1. Chapter 3 quote sheet and prediction
   about the next chapter.
2. Continue working on character chart.
   (DO NOT FORGET to describe character
   traits. Physical traits are great, but not enough.)

When we have about a half hour left, we will

continue working on the Performance Task. 

Characterization in The Outsiders

Do Now:
Take out a sheet of paper and write your name on it. You will be turning this in.

Choose one of the three quotes below. Copy it down and explain what we
learn about the character's personality from the quote.

"Soda is one of a kind… In our neighborhood it’s rare to find a kid who 

doesn’t drink once in a while. But Soda never touches a drop--he doesn’t need 

to. He gets drunk on just plain living." (pg. 8)

"[Dally’s] eyes were blue, blazing ice, cold with a hatred of the whole world. 

Dally had spent three years on the wild of New York and had been arrested 

at the age of ten.” (pg.10)

"Johnny Cage was last and least. If you can picture a little dark puppy that 

has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers, you’ll 

have Johnny." (pg. 11)

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Today we will be reading Chapter 2 of The Outsiders. 

While we listen to the chapter, don't forget to keep
your notecard beside you to write down words that
are confusing or new to you.

You have three tasks (which I will give to you)
when the chapter is completed:

1. Write a paragraph to summarize a scene.
2. Answer the questions about quotes from the chapter.
3. Continue working on your character organizer.

"Tough and tuff are two different words... In our neighborhood both are compliments."

Do Now:

1. Go to your most recent Canvas announcement

2. Click the link that says "SBAC Testing Page"
     (or click here)

3. Click "Sign In" (You DO NOT need a username/password)

4. Select "Grade 8" from the drop-down menu

5. Wait patiently for further instructions.


Classwork:

We will finish Chapter 1 of The Outsiders today.
After this, we will discuss the characters we have
met so far.

Your character chart asks you to write down

characteristics of the person, meaning you 

want to write traits of the characters 

based on evidence and proof from the book.

Click here for a list of traits that you can use!

Your last project for today is to begin to think

about the Greasers as a whole.

You will create a FAST chart about Greasers. 

Make sure you use evidence from the book

and write down the quote AND page number. 

Beginning The Outsiders

Today we will be starting our new unit.

We will be reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.

You will not need anything but a pencil
for our activities today.

The Landlady

Welcome back from Spring Break! 

Today your warm-up asks you to explain 

examples of oxymorons and hyperboles. 

If you do not remember what these figures of speech are:

An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two 

words that are opposite or contradictory are put 

together to make a new phrase

A hyperbole is an obvious or unrealistic exaggeration

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We will be reviewing mood, tone, and foreshadowing

by reading "The Landlady" by Roald Dahl.

(Pg. 62 in your textbook)

Tone - The author's attitude toward their subject/writing.

Does the writing sound playful, angry, serious, depressed, 

frustrated, lonely, excited?

Mood - the way the story makes the reader feel. 

Does the story feel suspenseful, happy, nervous,

angry, joyful?

Foreshadowing - when something early in the story

gives a hint about an event that will occur later. 

Argument Peer Review

Today you will be doing a peer review on the rough drafts 

you wrote for today before writing your final draft to turn in. 

When you are discussing your papers, think about the ways

that the paper is strong as well as ways the argument could

be improved.

Your agenda:

1. Read your paper out loud to your partner.

2. Your partner will fill out the peer review sheet while they listen to you.

3. When you are done, share your findings. You will to

    explain to your partner what they did well and what can be 

    improved. (Hint: Use the chart below for talking about writing)

4. Trade roles!

5. You will then work together to make improvements based 

    on the feedback you received. What can you add to made the 

    argument stronger? More evidence? More explanation? Add it. 

Writing Poetry

Good morning!

We've been reading a lot of different poems. 

Now it's time to explore the process of writing our own. 

In Canvas, you will find a file called "First Draft Ode."
It is a rough draft of an ode titled "Ode to Thanks"

An ode is a type of poem that we use to celebrate 

something that we love or appreciate or truly value. 

As writers, we have to remember that our best 

ideas do not always occur right away. Expressing

ideas in creative ways takes time and effort. 

You will be working in groups to turn this rough 

draft into a second, much more descriptive draft. 

(Don't worry; I will explain.)

This will require creativity, patience, and real 

communication with your peers. You all have 

brilliant ideas; do not be afraid of them!

Summarizing

Good Morning!

We're going to continue our work with Beowulf today.
You should have it open in notability. Do not forget that
you should be:

1. highlighting pieces of the text that you do not understand;
2. Discussing these parts with your group;
3. Writing down what you learned in the margins; and
4. Filling out the "Sum It Up" boxes on each page

After everyone is finished, your group will create a four-corners 

summary of Beowulf. You will each write a summary, and then work 

together to create a detailed summary together. 

Then we will start our new poem "Casey at the Bat," 

a mock-epic poem. 

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If you're interested in hearing "Beowulf" in its original

Old English, here is a video of a performance of the 

opening lines. It sounds like a completely different language!

http://youtu.be/Y13cES7MMd8

Beowulf

Today we will be reading some selections from "Beowulf."

This poem is what we call an epic poem, which is a long, narrative poem that tells about a great hero who goes on a series of quests. 

The first election that we will read is on page 428 of of your textbook.

The second selection will be given to you. If you lose this copy, you can access a PDF copy by clicking here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0J8fyb3_YBib3oyR21odjNpU3M/edit?usp=docslist_api. It is also in Canvas. 

Some things to keep in mind about the characters:

Beowulf = the hero

Hrothgar = the kind of the Danes (Denmark)

Higlac = Beowulf's uncle and king of the Geats

Grendel = a demon/monster who terrorizes Hrothgar's kingdom

Questions and statements  you might use while you are working 

with your groups to read the second selection:

- What does it mean in line ____ when it says "..........?"

- What does the word _______ mean? 

- Do you understand why the character ________?

- In lines _______, I think what happened is that ________. 

Do you agree?

- I agree with you that _________ happened, but I'm not 

sure that ________ is right because......

"To have great poets, there must be great audiences." - Walt Whitman

Good morning!

Today we are continuing our learning on poetry. Here is our agenda:

1. Literary Devices Warm-Up - in the Chapter 6 folder in Canvas
2. Review Paul Revere storyboards
3. Continue working on "My Mother Pieced Quilts" and "Junkards."
4. Introduce epic poetry with "Beowulf"

In addition, here are a couple links you might be interested in. 

• This is the TRUE story of Paul Revere. It's very short. The poem we read is not entirely true, though he did ride through many towns at the beginning of the American Revolution. You can even seen a map of the route!
• The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park has a special exhibition until July that focuses on quilts. If your interested in the quilting process or want to see some amazing examples, check it out.

Symbolism in Poetry

A junkyard

Happy Monday!

Make sure you have your completed storyboard out on your desk. I will be collecting them at the beginning of class.

Today we will be exploring symbolism in two poems:

• "My Mother Pieced Quilts" by Teresa Palomo Acosta
• "Junkards" by Julian Lee Rayford

Our work for the day comes in three parts:

1. In Canvas, open the file in the Chapter 5 folder called "SYMBOLISM.pdf." You will be reading the poem and completing this work with your row partner.
2. Together we will read "Junkyards." Your homework will be to complete the "Junkyards of the Future" questions. 

If you finish, I would like you to fill out the form linked here in the sidebar at the top of the page called "Student Questionnaire."

It is a simple form. I have been with you for about a month, but I want to know more about you! Please answer honestly. I will not be grading it, nor will anyone else see it. 

Narrative Poetry

Good morning everyone!

Today we will be starting a new unit on poetry. We have lots to do, so let's get started.

We are going to start by reading "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Here is some important vocabulary that you might need to write down (probably in your Toolkit):

narrative poem: a poem that tells a story. It has a beginning, middle, and end, as well as a conflict and a resolution, just like a short story or a novel.

end rhyme: when words rhyme at the end of two or more different lines of poetry

internal rhyme: when there are words that rhyme in the middle of lines of poetry

Alliteration: The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words

stanza: a grouping or division of lines in poetry that often have a common pattern that is repeated in each stanza. It can be compared to a paragraph in stories.

You will be making a storyboard, recreating the story using pictures and explanation. There are three things that you must include for each of the six panels in your storyboard.

1. A drawing of what is happening in the story.
2. A written explanation of what the picture represents using complete sentences.
3. one or two lines from the poem that show you that this event is happening. It should look like this:

"Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch

Of the North Church tower as a signal light,—

One, if by land, and two, if by sea;"  (lines 8-10)