12/23/09

Wednesday, December 23

Have a wonderful break!

Don't forget to work on the following:
Independent Reading Project due Wednesday, January 6
Transcendentalism Essay due Friday, January 8

We will start reading Beloved after the break!

12/22/09

Tuesday, December 22

Today we took Benchmark 2 (hooray!).

We also took a vocabulary quiz. In order to take the quiz, your word maps must be fully completed.
Quizzes can be made up tomorrow in school. I recommend making it up before the break so that the words are fresh in your mind.

Reminders:
Independent Reading Project is due 1/6.
Transcendentalism Essay is due 1/8.

12/21/09

Monday, December 21

Enjoy your Snow Day!

Tomorrow, we will have Benchmarks and review for your transcendentalist test.

Remember, you have Study Island assignments to work on (Revising and Editing Writing), as well as vocabulary word maps and your independent reading book.

If you go back and finish an older Study Island, please email me and let me know. Otherwise, I may not check that assignment again.

12/17/09

Thursday, December 17

Journal: What would be the effect on civil order if each person always followed his or her own conscience? Explain.
Or...
When Thoreau accepted release from jail (because someone else paid his tax), did he become just like the people he criticized - those who opposed the Mexican War and the expansion of slavery but supported it indirectly with their tax money? If he wanted to make a truly courageous and effective protest, should he have insisted on staying in jail? Explain your response.

Today, read an excerpt from "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr, and a speech by Gandhi. We identified the influences and similarities these pieces and ideas shared with each other, and Thoreau.

We also reviewed vocabulary for your test Tuesday.

Homework: King and Gandhi drew their inspiration from Thoreau, who argues that if one honest man truly protested slavery and went willingly to jail for his belief, "it would be the abolition of slavery." Explain how that single night in jail serves as the "small beginning" that expanded the campaigns of King and Gandhi.

Friday: Study Island/Independent Reading
Monday: Benchmarks
Tuesday: Test on transcendentalism and vocabulary
Wednesday: movie

12/16/09

Tuesday 12/15 and Wednesday 12/16

Tuesday & Wednesday: We wrapped up the "Civil Disobedience" group reviews, modern transcendentalism presentations and the Thoreau worksheet.

12/14/09

Monday, December 14

Today we reviewed vocabulary words and Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience." Groups summarized and came up with questions for each section of "Civil Disobedience." We will finish presentations for tomorrow.

For tomorrow: Find a modern example of transcendental thought. It can be a comic, song, TV show, movie, poem, book, etc. Write an analysis of the piece and explain how it represents the ideals of transcendentalism. Your response should be at least 1 written page. If possible, bring in the example to present to the class.

Also for tomorrow, have the Thoreau worksheet from the substitute teacher on Friday ready. I will check it and we will discuss it.

12/10/09

Wednesday, December 9

Today, we reviewed pgs 64-72 of "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" in Walden. We also examined Calvin and Hobbes comics and modern music for transcendental ideas and

Homework: Read 72-79 of "Where I Lived and What I Lived For" in Walden. You should have two pages of dialectical notes completed on this reading.

For Monday: Read "Civil Disobedience" at the end of Walden. You should have five pages of dialectical notes completed for this assignment.

For Tuesday: Find a modern example of transcendental thought. It can be a comic, song, TV show, movie, poem, book, etc. Write an analysis of the piece and explain how it represents the ideals of transcendentalism. Your response should be at least 1 written page. If possible, bring in the example to present to the class.

Because of freshmen field trips, I will be late to class tomorrow, 12/10. You should be ready to work on Study Island and bring your independent reading book. You can also work on the assignments due on Monday and Tuesday.

12/8/09

Tuesday, December 8

Journal: : Do you think that there is too little or too much emphasis on self-reliance and individualism in America today? What might Emerson think of today's focus on the individual?

Assignments: Today, we read Henry David Thoreau's background and began reading Walden. Your homework for tonight is to read pages 64-72 and complete 2 pages of dialectical notes. We also got new vocabulary to help us better understand Thoreau.

12/7/09

Monday, December 7

Today we reviewed vocabulary and Emerson's "Self-Reliance."
Each group read a different section of "Self-Reliance" to summarize, paraphrase and report out to the class. Each group also chose a quote from the excerpt that represented Emerson's main idea.

Please take the time to reflect on some of the philosophy and aphorisms you are reading. You will have a reflective assignment at the end of the transcendentalism unit.

You will have independent reading time and Study Island time in class on Thursday.

Homework: Work on your independent reading book.

Friday, December 4

Today, we read "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Read Emerson's bio on pages 179-180.
Read about transcendentalism on pages 146-148.
Read "Self-Reliance on pages 185-186.

12/3/09

Thursday, December 3

If you haven't brought in your Independent Reading Book yet, bring it in soon so you can get credit!

Today, we checked the vocabulary homework and shared our opinions about the big ideas of transcendentalism.


Homework
Choose one of these statements. It can be the one you agree/disagree with the most, or one that you are undecided about. For this statement, write a response explaining why you think the way you think. Reflect on your personal opinions and point of view and how it relates to this statement. How does the way you live your life reflect this statement?

Your response should be at least 10 sentences long.

1.    It is never a good idea to conform to what others expect of you, even in the face of great opposition.

2.    Once you have made up your mind about something, you should never change it.

3.    If you see a great wrong in the world, it is your duty as a world citizen to do something about it.

4.    If you don't agree with a law or rule, you must disobey it.

5.    Violence should never be used to solve problems.

6.    The best place to find meaning for our lives is in nature.

12/2/09

Wednesday, December 2

Today, we worked on Study Island in the IMC. Complete Sentences is due today; Point of View/Main Idea and Reasoning are due on 12/7.

NHD is staring up, so our computer time will be limited. Make sure you are getting this done!

Tomorrow, bring your Independent Reading book to class! You will have at least 30 min of Independent Reading Time.

12/1/09

Tuesday, December 1

Today, we reviewed Paul Revere and talked about how Longfellow "romanticized" the story. We also read "Thanatopsis" on page 167 and "The Cross of Snow" on page 173. Read the author biographies and the background to the poem before you read; they will help you better appreciate the poems. We examined the poems and looked for examples of romantic ideals in each poem. We also compared Bryant's "Thanatopsis" to Edgar Allan Poe's "Conquering Worm."

Also, practice for Vocab chapters 4 & 5 is due in class on Thursday. See me for this handout. 

Tomorrow, we will be in the lab for Study Island. You also need to have your book picked out by tomorrow. We will have in-class reading time on Thursday.