Thursday, January 31, 2019

70 minutes

In groups or individually respond to these questions about "An Ex-Mas Feast."

      *HOMEWORK: Finish the group questions that we worked on in class.

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

92 minutes

1.   SSR—extended so that people can finish reading “An Ex-Mas Feast” 

2.   Watch about 40 minutes of interview with author Uwem Akpan and TAKE NOTES at this link:  http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/Watch-Oprahs-Book-Club-Say-Youre-One-of-Them-Webcast-Video

HOMEWORK DUE THURSDAY, JANUARY 30: Complete the annotation and questions for  “An Ex-Mas Feast”

Friday, January 25 2019

92 minutes

     1.    SSR 

      2.      Watch and take notes on Elif Shafak TedTalk: The Revolutionary Power of Diverse Thought 

     3.      Discuss Shafak’s ideas about diverse thought 

     4.      Background information on our next writer: Uwem Akpan 

     5.      Homework for next time: Read “An Ex-Mas Feast” and annotate it and respond to questions at the end of the packet.

HOMEWORK DUE TUESDAY, JANUARY 28: Read and annotate and respond to questions about “An Ex-Mas Feast”

Wednesday, January 23 2019

92 minutes

1.   SSR 

2.   Groups  finish work on questions about “Sugar” 

3.   Whole class discussion about “Sugar” 

Tuesday, January 15 2019

44 minutes

For the Final Exam period tomorrow: Make sure that you have annotated your copy of “Sugar” and have annotated it based on the instructions

1.   SSR

2.   Work on preparing for final exams

Friday, January 11 2019

92 minutes

1.   SSR 

2.   Share your homework and then hand it in 

3.   Watch Elif Shafak's TedTalk.  Take notes on this sheet on these concepts in the talk: circle metaphor, identity politics, compass metaphor, and cultural cocoon. 

4.   Pair share your understanding of these concepts. 

5.   Watch slide show on background for Elif Shafak’s story “Sugar” 

6.   Review these literary devices: allusion, setting, and central conflict 

7.    Get the homework: the story "Sugar" and instructions for how to annotate this story 

8.   HOMEWORK DUE TUESDAY January 15: Read and annotate "Sugar" according to the directions linked above.

Wednesday, January 9 2019

92 minutes

REMINDER: PHONES SHOULD BE PUT AWAY ENTIRELY OR YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE BLUE BUCKET

1.   SSR/ Essays returned. Set up files 

2.   Finish jigsaw groups of Solzhenitsyn Nobel Prize speech 

3.   Small groups: discuss the meaning of Solzhenitsyn’s speech and connect his ideas to an example from the real world or from fiction. Share out. 

HOMEWORK DUE FRIDAY, JANUARY 11: Complete the writing assignment comparing themes in “One Word of Truth Outweighs the World” and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich