Ready to Recite?

Thursday and Friday we worked on paraphrasing and analyzing the theme of our poems so that we go into he memorization process with an idea of the message that our poem is trying to send.
We worked on "The Brain is Wider Than the Sky" by Emily Dickinson in class. Friday we spent a lot of time using the same process on our own poems: paraphrase/write analysis sentences-- (TURN THESE IN). Then: MEMORIZE!
We will start recitations on Wednesday-- we can get through everyone in one class period, I think.  Can't wait!
NOTE: We will check out our new text, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,  by Ken Kesey, on Monday.

New Semester!

We are off to the races and studying poetry-- how good does it get?
Here is the assignment that will help you select a poem to memorize and recite for class-- If you want to compete in the Poetry Out Loud contest on February 11th, 2014, at 3:30, right here at West Salem High School in the auditorium, you will have to memorize two poems.
POL Poetry Search Assignment

We also worked on a very short, short poem to explore the possibilities of metaphor to make the language move: Examples
                       Lesson

We will turn in the poem during class on Wednesday while we are working on interpreting and memorizing our poems--Fun times ahead, too!
Mrs. E

Gatsby While you Write

Be sure to keep up with the reading schedule, reading log and vocabulary assignment-- quick quiz coming up on Friday to make sure you are on track--
Meanwhile, we are working on our state writing samples in class--- fun stuff and a great way to show what you can do on the page.

Welcome Back!

Here's how we started the week--
Mice and Men And Themes
Mice and Men character Poetry Example
Found Poem Assignemnt

Here's where we're headed later this week when we start reading The Great Gatsby
Gatsby Assignment

Read Through Chapter Two for Wednesday--Chapter Three for Thursday

Mice and Men Hit the Road!

READING: Read through Chapter 2 (they are not numbered-- finish the second chapter) by WEDNESDAY, December 18th, at the beginning of class.
Here are the few things we have worked on in class so far:
Pre-Write/ Journal--
Write/construct a graphic organizer (Venn Diagram) that details your ideas about the PAST and PRESENT features of "The American Dream."
Where the Dream started: Roots of the phrase "American Dream"
Robert Burns poem the inspired the book's title: To a Mouse...
Read the first three pages and then complete this assignment: Analysis of Mood paragraph.

Huck is off to the Territories!

The last pieces of our study of Huck Finn are in the list below--
Hope you had a great ride down the Mississippi, because this is the last "happy ending" you are likely to encounter this semester (okay, for the rest of the year-- more's the pity!)
Menu Assignment ( in case you have been gone for a long time!)
Menu Grading Rubric
Realism Lecture: create Cornell notes, in your own words, on this in formation. Essential Question: What is Realism?
Sentence Structure--What clauses are and how they work together: Power Point about (Santa?) Clauses