Monday, October 11 2010 Silent Focus Listen: As we tune into Michael Sandel’s Justice class at Harvard Write: Can we put a price on human life? What is a human life worth? Can we measure it in something like dollars? Something else? What does this topic make you think of?

Agenda Hand back Word Power tests and track progress Re-Teach- Go over Fragments tests together Reading ML # 9 Read aloud/ Reader Response Buddha Boy Closing/ Homework

Tuesday, October 12, 2010 Silent Focus Read/ Listen: To “Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon Write: Where are you from? Make a list of important items, people, food, beliefs, places that are important to you. Try to write your own “Where I’m From” poem.

Reading ML #9 Good readers identify the plan(s) that the main characters make to solve the conflict(s) They also understand that authors don’t like to be boring, so sometimes the author has the main character make multiple plans before solving his/her problem. So far in a story, you should be able to identify the Inciting Incident, the protagonist’s Emotional Response, and the protagonist’s Plan of Action to solve the conflict.

Closing/ Homework Go online to retake the Fragments test Last chance for E.C. I’ve extended the kleenex/ hand sanitizer assigment by one week, so bring ‘em in! (up to 40 pts. of E.C.)

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Silent Focus Listen/ Follow along: To the article from Sunday’s Free Press, Prepubescent Criminals Hurt Region’s Rep Write: What is the author’s purpose in writing this article? What does she want readers to learn from this article? Who is the most likely audience for an article like this? What do you think should be done about a problem like this? Whose responsibility is it to solve this problem?

Agenda Fragments Quiz Where I’m From Writing Assignment Writing ML #3 Read aloud/ Reader Response Buddha Boy Closing/ Homework

Where I’m From Brainstorm Items commonly found around your house Items found in your yard Names of relatives, especially ones that link to your past Sayings, like “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times,” Names of foods and dishes that you have at family gatherings Names of places you might keep your memories and why they are important to you.

Where I’m From Assignment Needs to be at least 15 lines Needs to include: Names of family members Family traditions: like meals, holidays, sayings, etc. Use 5 senses language (imagery) so we can more easily understand your writing Why where you’re from is important to you Due: Monday, October 18

Writing ML # 3 Good writers can write from another person’s perspective, or simulate another author’s writing style while developing their own. We can learn a lot from professional writers by “borrowing” their style, especially how good writers use figurative language (like similes, metaphors, and imagery) Reader Response: Write a Where I’m From Poem from the perspective of Justin or Jinsen

Thursday, October 14, 2010 Read/ Listen/ Watch: Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire, a list of people and events that occurred during Billy Joel’s lifetime. Write: What do you think this song is about? What does the chorus mean? What could fire symbolize in this song, and why do you think that? Try to make a list of important event and people in your lifetime, or borrow a different line and try to write one of your own.

Agenda 9th Grade- Reading ML #10 Read aloud/ Reader Response 11th Grade- 2nd – SSR/ Literary Letter 11th Grade- 3rd- Writing ML # 3 Ender’s Game Pre-Reading Activities Closing/ Homework

Reading ML # 10 Good readers are able to explain what happened in a story, especially how the main character solved his/her problem, and what happens as a result of that. (Direct consequence or resolution) They review all of the story elements and come to some conclusion about the moral/theme of the story (whether it’s stated or implied). They are then able to take all of this information and retell it in a summary statement When reading fiction, we can often use a strategy called SWBS (Somebody Wanted But So)

SWBS Good readers can complete a chart by creating a SWBS statement that identifies a character, the character's goal/motivation, a conflict that impedes the character, and the resolution of the conflict. The chart has four column headings: Somebody (Protagonist) Wanted (Goal/ Motivation) But (Conflict) So (Resolution)

Closing/ Homework Work on Where I’m From Poem Remember, E.C. kleenex and hand sanitizer is due on Friday at the latest Silent Reading is Friday