archived+Unit+5+May-June+2014

May June 2014

= APRIL NOTES have been moved to page titled "Archived in Unit 4April HW and NOTES". Other notes in earlier archive pages. =

= June 12--Great job in Seminars today =

==If you go on PowerSchool and see that you are missing a "punctuation practice" assignment and know nothing about it, it is due to an __**oversight on my part**__ today. Some folks needed more practice on how to punctuate dialogue, based on what I saw in your Locker Narrative. I gave punctuation practice packets to certain students when I returned the locker narratives-and marked WHO would receive those packets by putting a Missing in the book. Unfortunately I did not RETURN the narratives and the packets today in a few classes, due to the rush of Socratic Seminars. I will address that with my orange and yellow classes tomorrow. Green class may get to it Monday--It will likely be something that can be done during school tomorrow or Monday.==

Kids from blue and red class who received the packets and have not already turned them in, should put them in my HW bin tomorrow.

= June 11: HW Same as YESTERDAY!!! = = June 10 =

HW: I. __Organize notes and stickies to participate in **Socratic Seminar test** on the novel for tomorrow and Thursday.__
==Key to the best grade is to have a few questions to lead discussion; have LOTS of specific short quotations that solidly prove a point you want to make about how HESSE would answer some of life's ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS; have examples of what makes her a good poet; and be able to use literary terms (especially poetic device terms) to discuss the style and the content of the novel.== ==Be able to comment on the 4 specific topics related to the book that I posted yesterday, and ALSO be prepared to say what you learned about a definition of happiness from the characters and events in the book. Which definition of happiness would Hesse MOST agree with--Plato's, Aristotle's, or Mr. C's--revisit the handout I gave you June 5 (reprintable from that day's entry) and have a few specific pieces of evidence from the novel to back up your response.==


 * II**. Continue to study for **Literature Terms test Friday. Chunk the work! You can review the poetry terms by finding examples of each kind of poetic device (except rhyme) from the notes you are organizing on //Out of the Dust.//** That prepares you for BOTH tests.


 * III. Take a close look at the pictures from the "Surviving the Dust Bowl" movie** stills on the Poetry Assignment Resources page of this site. Be certain at least ONE of the two poems you write zooms in on some specific sensory detail (a sight, imagine a sounds, touch, smell, etc) to hook the reader in and connect to the broader observation (s) about life or people that your poem connects the reader to.

Class Notes: __** HOW TO APPROACH WRITING A POEM **__ All classes looked at the poem "Apple Blossoms" on p 43 to look carefully at its structure. As writers, it is a good practice to follow a structure "borrowed" from another writer to try out new techniques. We noticed that Hesse often structures her poems in three segments: DO NOT SKIP the brainstorming step in the writing process. Many students are skipping the brainstorming which robs you of observations about details in the picture that inspires their poem. Instead many students are jumping to the connections and symbolism--but that leaves the reader with nothing to CONNECT **TO. You MUST have a brainstorm noting details--really Zooming in. As the author Cynthia Lord pointed out when she came, the small observations a writer makes often bring the surprise connection that really makes a piece fresh and hooks the reader.**
 * 1) SHe starts a poem by giving some sensory details (visual, sound, touch) to set a few specifics in the reader's mind. She zooms in close on a few details.
 * 2) She then connects to her character--adding some action, or interaction with other characters or with whatever object she zoomed in on. In this poem she describes pink blossoms on the tree--then shifts to the action of the blossoms falling down on her--to connect to a feeling of happiness.
 * 3) She often ends with some way that the object she started with represents something BIGGER and more personal. In this poem, she connects the blossoms, and Ma's care of the tree to the "blossoming" of new life--her baby brother that will complete their home.
 * Common ERROR:**


 * DO NOT start with vocabulary--then you are working AROUND a word instead of letting the words work FOR you.**


 * Get real ideas down--that is the skeleton that will tell your story. THEN look for figurative language connections, Sound Devices, and play with different ways to set up the lines to put muscle on that skeleton****. If a line sounds flat--look at your verbs first! Make those more precise! Then check the vocab list to see if the perfect word to SAY what you want to say is there--or if a word on the list gives you an idea for another image that suits the tone and topic you set in the draft.**

=**Projects due at end of CLASS MONDAY.**=
 * Students had time to draft in class. Students will have period 5 Friday in my class,, Ms. Charron's, Mrs. Ryan's and Mrs. Clough's to continue revision and typing up poems for the project. This should ease weekend homework worries. You will also have class Monday to tidy up finals and fill in the check-off list and the WORKSHEET on poetry devices that must accompany every finished project.**

June 9 = HW: Read the post from June 6! It has important info for this week! =

===3. Get **__slip to participate in fundraising walk__** at lunch or in main office. If you want to participate, we would like to see evidence in the form of a pledge or pledges that add up to a minimum of $5 by WEDNESDAY. Don't be someone who just doesn't "get around to it." You will need to HAVE the sheet and the cash or checks FRIDAY or you cannot walk.===

===4. **__Organize notes for Socratic Seminar test on WED and THURS: June 11 and 12.__** You can bring your book and All homework and notes to use for this oral test grade. You should also be ready with an Essential question or two and your own connection to get conversation started.===

In addition, as I mentioned in all classes today, I will ask the following for questions--so have a few pieces of evidence planned to help respond to the questions.
1. Is Hesse a good poet or a great poet? Prove it! Compare to others we have read—Soto, Poe, Longfellow…. 2. Was this book TOO sad? Should seventh graders read it? 3. Is that Livie in the poem “Gone West?” 4. What do the biscuits symbolize in “Something Lost Something Gained”?

**__Schedule for Lit Terms test__**: To clear up confusion (maybe)--it will be a ONE period test on Friday. All students will take it //__either period 3 or period 4, Friday, June 13__//.
===If you have a special (art, APP tech, gym...) you go to your regular special. You will take the test with a regular House B teacher (Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Ryan, Mrs. Charron, or Mrs. Clough) during ONE of the periods you do NOT have a special. If you do not have Ready, Ryan, Clough, or Charron EITHER period 3 or 4 on Friday, let me know. I have already identified most of you. Mrs. Noblin's students, and Ms. Bailey's, and Ms. Ricci's students will be sent to me to take the test. I am still arranging for Mr. Gravit's students, but assume they will see me as well. If you take the test with me period 3 and then have Ryan, Charron, or Clough per 4--you will have the time to work on the poetry project--they will not be having a regular math, science, or social studies lesson that day.=== ===There will be __no extended time for the test__--it will be mostly matching and multiple choice to ensure you can finish on time IF you studied and **__know the definitions backwards and forwards.__** If you have to take LOTS of time to try to remember--you will not finish. In past year's the majority of students have finished in 25 minutes or so.===

===6. POETRY PROJECT: NOTE CHANGE IN DEADLINE: Due to when I have to get grades in by, I will accept the two poems for the project **__NO LATER THAN the end of class on Monday June 16.__** Extra credit for those who turn it in on Friday, June 13.=== ===__Tonight: Read the directions for the poetry project and highlight any questions.__ Click on the Poetry Assignment Resources page and __scroll down to "Movie stills__"-- scroll through the pictures and __come to class tomorrow with an idea of 1 or 2 pictures you think you could write a poem about.__ You will have at least 30 minutes of tomorrow's(Tues) class to work on the poetry. The amount left for homework will depend on how well you used your class time. You will have a second class next MONDAY to finish up.===

= June 6 = == HOMEROOM : All students received a field trip notice form for our annual trip to Camp Everwood on June 19. Please have it signed and send in the $15 cash ASAP. If the cost is an issue due to a family circumstance, please contact me or the main office or guidance office. We want to make it possible for all students to enjoy this together. ==

== ALSO: Next Friday afternoon is a walk to benefit the Progeria Research Fund. We were hoping that every able student could walk in memory of Sam Berns this year. Any small sponsorship amount will help the school reach its goal of $10,000 and participating by walking for at least a $5 sponsorship. If you are physically able, you should not miss out on the rewarding feeling of doing something to help others. Students CAN sponsor themselves if they are fortunate enough to have allowance or birthday money to offer. The novel we just read SHOULD have made many of us see the timeless truth that in helping OTHERS we often find happiness for ourselves. ==

Student who cannot take part for health or other reasons will still be part of the day by viewing the TED talk Sam gave and then by writing about how we can make a difference in ways that do not involve a fund-raising walk. Students may use the time to make an on-line presentation of some sort to share their ideas.

=HW: ELA= =1. ALL classes should finish the Group Discussion Summary sheets for 180-206 AND 207-end of novel over the weekend.= =I know this is not ideal--but we ran out of time for the group discussions and I want you to have some notes on each section of the book. THe information you wrote down to identify the climax should help you focus on certain poems to finish the Group Discussion Summary.=

=2. Continue chunking your studying for Lit Terms Final next week. Below is a a review exercise that Will R designed and offered to share with his peers. If you designed a study guide worksheet, feel free to send it to me to review and share.=



==3. Bring in the purple literature texts by TUESDAY. Put your name on the fron on a sticky note and leave in your class's pile on the back table in my room. Lost books cost about $70 so LOOK for them carefully.==

==4. For anyone looking to get ahead--I have posted a new web page with the poetry mini-project we will do in class over the next week and two days. Click on the Poetry Assignment Resources page for instructions, resources and models.==

Class Notes:
=We took the SRI test in class. If you were out or did not finish, please make it up during the 20 minutes on Monday.= =Students had some time to work on Group Discussions if they finished the SRI prior to the end of class.=

I will try to post some more info on the final poem writing exercise to begin thinking about over the weekend.

Scroll down to the bottom of the June 5 entry for an __**extra credit writing assignment**__ I posted related to the bottles that we have "collected" over the past few months. These were all left behind by students. What "Theme," or message or truth about life or human nature, do are these bottles make you think about? Write a poem to express this theme. I have added photos to the prompt to help you visualize some small details to focus on and find some symbolism in.

=June 5= = HW: Different for different classes--read carefully = ==ALL CLASSES: Bring in purple text by next Tuesday. Put a sticky note with your name on the top. Pile books on the table at the BACK of my room--under the arrow for your classj---NOT with the classroom copies. I have to match each book with the number you were assigned. Lost books incur a $70 replacement fee, so get these in over the next few days.==

Green: none--think about what poems are the climax of the entire novel
== Yellow and Blue : Write 2-3 sentences identifying the poem or poems that you think are the climax of the novel. Explain how these poems meet the definition of climax ---ALL THREE parts of the definition in the Literary Terms packet you are studying for next Friday's terms final.==

== Red: Complete the Group Discussion Summary for pp 180-206 and write 2-3 sentences identifying the poem or poems that you think are the climax of the novel. Explain how these poems meet the definition of climax ---ALL THREE parts of the definition in the Literary Terms packet you are studying for next Friday's terms final.==

**__Happiness Philosophies and the Socratic Seminar test next Wed and Thurs__**
==Yesterday AND today classes discussed a few philosophies of happiness. The handout we used is attached in the file below. I EXPECT YOU TO ALL REFER to this handout during the Socratic Seminar next week (Wed and Thurs) and be able to say WHICH philosopher (Plaoto, Aristotle or Csikscentmihalyi) Karen Hesse might agree with, based on what brings the characters in Out of the Dust happiness--and what is missing that causes UNhappiness.==

==We discussed these ideas VERY briefly with regard to our viewing of "Life According to Sam." Fiction is just one way to explore and think deeply about essential truths--such as What are we here for? What makes life meaningful and happy? These insights, or THEMES, come through the events and the characters. We can infer that Dickens believed doing good for others is essential to living a happy life based on what eventually brings Scrooge happiness. We may not AGREE with the author's themes -- but reading and looking around at real world stories--like Sam Berns' story--helps us come up with our OWN answers. Thinking critically about life's big questions is what school is ACTUALLY supposed to teach you.==

[[file:definition happinessPlato, ari, cz.doc]]
==Vocabulary: Classes took a stroll back through the interesting vocabulary they noted throughout the novel. Groups shared some of their favorite "Found Words" and I posted a short list on chart paper and reviewed how to use them. I will hand out a list of these words for students to draw from to write one final in-class poem next week (probably Mon and Tues). Students will write as though you are adding a poem to the novel based on a photograph from the movie "Surviving the Dustbowl". I will post the photo options and directions this weekend for students who want to start thinking about this. The poem will run at least 8 -12 lines, not much longer.==

__Explaining the "Freak Show" poem__
==The class then reviewed the poem "Freak Show." I explained that the __**Dionne quintuplets**__ were a celebrated multiple birth--5 babies siblings that survived at a time when triplets were rare. Back in the 1930s and beyond the family was all over magazines and the media. The celebrity took a toll on the children and they had unhappy adulthoods. Hesse imagines the same photographer who captured photos of the family for money also came to take pictures of the "oddness" of the town suffering in the Dust Bowl. After explaining the history and the current mission of the photographer, she shifts to wonder what larger meaning the event might have. She notes she fears she and her fellow townspeople might be nothing more that something to talk about and wonder at to the rest of the country.We noted the similarity of what were called "Freak Shows" in the 1920s and 30s, and current Reality Shows that exploit and exhibit people's problems or bend reality to entertain. Some students made connections to the Roman gladiators and crowds enjoying the spectacle of people and animals suffering as a sick kind of sport.==

==We noted a __**connections to the film yesterday**__, in which one of the very few complaints Sam had about what he went through was the medical photography that recorded his progress. He noted it made him feel like a specimen more than a person. We noted that a theme of this section of the book is that we need to always see each other as people and not lose our humanity. The physical pain Sam clearly endured from the needles and the hospital procedures did not bother him as much as the loss of his personhood. A key to happiness --even in the face of poverty, or pain, or failures--is to still MATTER as a human being. Empathy for others is essential to the happiness of others-- it is part of the concept of TRUE friendship that Aristotle suggested is so very important for a truly meaningful and happy life. It may also be essential for a civilized society to endure.==

Write a 10-12 line free verse/blank verse poem (non-rhyming) about the collection of wasted water bottles on my sink. Structure it the way Hesse structures many of her poems by

 * == first making observations and zooming in on some physical details a viewer might not notice at first; ==
 * == then associate some human action or interaction; and ==
 * == finally shift into a message or a conclusion about some larger symbolism behind the scene. ==
 * == Be sure to include one example of Figurative Language, one or more lines with a Sound Device; and carefully choose the form and graphics of each line to enhance your meaning and mood. ==
 * This will be averaged in as an extra 30 point assignment.
 * [[image:photo1 (1).jpg width="400" height="300"]]

= = = = = = = June 4 = ==Need to run so short entry. All classes EXCEPT BLUE--need to finish the Group Discussion Summary for pp153-179. Even if your group did not get to discuss extensively, try to do this one on your own. We need to get through 2 more discussions in class tomorrow to avoid weekend homework due to Friday benchmark SRI testing break from regular class. Socratic Seminar on WHOLE novel using all these notes will be next Wed and Thursday.==

Blue class will likely have to work through the 20 minutes after lunch to make up the missed class. Use tonight to study for the Terms final since you have a little time.
= June 3 = = HW: Daily Reading Log for 206 to END of BOOK! Finish Group Discussion Summary for pp 136-151 if not completed in class EXCEPT for blue class which will have a little time at start of Wednesday's class. =

Literature circle discussions
==Students (except blue class) had 25 minutes or more to work on their __**small group discussions of 135-151**__ and record thoughts in the Group Discussion Summaries. Do not lose any of these and **organize the worksheets! They will be an important part of your notes to participate in the Socratic Seminar.**==

Concrete Poetry discussion and demonstration
==Half of each class was devoted to a demonstration of Concrete Poetry, using the poems "On Stage" P. 13 and "the Dream" on p 193. We saw how the poems are arranged on the page to suggest the topic --playing piano--but each does so in a different way. The first truly captures the rhythm and energy of the jazz piano Billie Jo loves to play at the beginning of the novel. We watched video of a boy playing "Handful of Keys" by the 1920s jazz pianist Fats Waller and then we recited Hesse's poem out loud alternating sides of the room. Students FELT the energy and the off-beat syncopation of the poetry.==

==We then listened to a little of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", the kind of classical piece Billie Joe's mother might have played. It runs in triplets--smooth and even--just as Hesse's words on the page are grouped in even descending waves of three. THe effect visually is like the effect of the sound--peaceful and calm and quite different from "On Stage" but both showing an emotional power that music has in Billie Jo's life. She has a deep connection to her mother through the arts.==

== Any student who missed the video and the demonstration due absence might want to stay after tomorrow after school since the above description does not capture the concept as well as hearing and seeing the lesson would. ==

June 2
=Read and do Daily Reading Log for pp 180-206= =Finish Group Discussion Summary for pp 115-135 if not completed in class.=

--
== CLass Notes We added the affixes __**OMNI and SCIEN**__ to the Literary Terms list. They are defined in the definition for Third Person Omniscient at the top of page 3 of the Literary Terms Study guide packet. ==

__**Third Person Omniscient vs. Third Peron Limited Point of View.**__
==We acted out body movements to help remember the terms //**Point of View**//; and //**Omni**// and //**scien**//. We had a student stand on a chair to take the point of view of an **//OMNISCIENT third person//** narrator--an all-knowing voice that can tell the reader what is going on from the perspective of ALL or many characters.== ==Another student stood at the back of the room with a **//LIMITED//** view of class mates and tried to describe the expressions on students faces--even though most had their backs to that student. This LIMITED view is what a **//third person LIMITED narrator//** shares with the reader. //Third Person limited// narrators describe what is happening from the perspective of one character. WIlliam Sleator used //**Third-person Limited view**// in "The Elevator" when he tells the story not AS Martin, but mostly through Martin's eyes. The reader does not know any more than Martin does. If Sleator had told the story as an //**omniscient narrator**//, the reader would have know whether the lady was actually dangerous or not.==

__** Consonance **__ In many classes we reviewed what **CONSONANCE IS--__the repetition of a consonant sound ANYWHERE over a line or two__.** It is like alliteration, but the sound that is repeated does not have to be found at the beginning of a word. //**Floating snoflakes softly fell**// r Repeats the "f" sound over several words and in the middle of //**"softly**//." THis creates a poetic effect. Notice IT!!! Alliteration alone, if used too often, can make a line sound like a tongue-twister and give a silly tone to writing. Consonance is more subtle and very effective in appealing to the ear without changing the tone.

==**We also discussed that in the Craft/Style Section B of each Readng Log students should be writing down lines of poetyr thatTEACH them how to write poetry--find some passages that are great examples of how to combine figurative language, sound devices and the use of graphics to convey ideas and images powerfully. Don't just pick any old line!**==

By Monday Read and take notes on 152-179 and complete Daily Reading Log worksheet. Also complete Group Discussion summary for pp 84-114 if your group did not do so in class.
I would ALSO take a look at the study guide for the literary terms final and decide how to chunk your studying between now and June 13. We will have 3 more days of novel homework. You might want to have someone quiz you on definitions and examples for each term and highlight what you are LESS secure about to study first and repeat most often. Class Notes: Most of classes spent time discussing novel in small groups. I reviewed study guide for class I had not reviewed with on Thursday. I reviewed Point of View definition in a mini-lesson in a few classes and will do so with other classes during the coming week. All other terms have been on prior tests and quizzes this year.

MAY 29
== **HW:** Read pages 135-151 and complete the Daily Reading Log. Red and yellow classes must ALSO complete the Group Discussion Summary page they began during class for pp 62-84 if they did not complete the work in class.== ==I also handed out a Study Guide for the literary terms final I will give June 13 to the blue and green classes. Other classes will get the hard copy tomorrow. Below is a file of the study guide as well. CHUNK your studying!==

............................................................

**Moonshine**:
==Many classes did not understand what Moonshine was in last night's reading. I clarified that it was a slang term for illegal liquor, made in machines called "stills". The book is set during Prohibition--a time when buying, selling, or serving of alcohol became illegal--in a failed attempt to end tragedies related to too much drinking. When illegal liquor was made in stills in the woods, a main ingredient was sugar. The poem is actually one of the bright moments for the characters because the sheriff bends the rules a little to take his confiscated evidence (sugar) and give it to the school to be used to make sweets.==

**__Dissonance in poetry__**
==We reviewed the poem "Birthday" on page 76 and talked about "dissonance". In music, //dissonance is when notes seem to clash//--the sound can be "ominous" (it seems to foreshadow something dark or frightening) as noted in a brief video a few classes saw. (orange, and red classes will see this tomorrow)==

===In the past we have looked for characters or events //juxtaposed// next to each other. In poetry, it is often helpful to look for the __//dissonance--places where ideas or sounds seem to be in conflict--something seems "off".//__ When all is harmonious and fits well together, we get lulled into contentment--our minds are not as sharply focused.===

===The poem "Birthday" has a few dissonant features that should have stood out to you as you read. One student noted that it ends with her listening ALONE and unnoticed to Arley's playing and **__that seemed odd__** since she was friendly with Arley and they both love music. It might make the reader wonder WHY she doesn't go in and talk to him or listen to his playing. This dissonance should make readers see more clearly how isolated and lonely she is--she does not think anyone would __**want**__ to be with her. It is one of the bleakest poems in a very bleak book.===

===The more glaring dissonance is the fact that the title is "birthday," despite the fact that the poem never mentions anything about a birthday (which is usually a happy, social occasion). Instead the poem describes nothing but death and loneliness--dead animals, dead crops, a "dead" relationship with her silent father, her "dead" hands which she can no longer use to play--her favorite thing to do.===

===This __**//dissonance//**__ SHOULD have made you slow down and think and try to find a reason for the title. Looking at the end of the poem, the reader sees that it was writing in August of 1934--and then you could have thought back to the very first poem "August 1920" which told of her birth. The very sad poem "Birthday" was written ON Billie Jo's 14th birthday--her first one without her mother. It is raw and painful and very close to the time her mother was supposed to have had the baby.===

__**HW: READ pages 115-135 and complete the Daily Reading Log two-sided work sheet.**__
If you did not take a blank worksheet, you can reprint by opening the instructions for the reading logs I posted on May 20 and scroll to pages 3-4. **ORANGE CLASS ONLY must complete any unfinished sections of the Group Discussion Summary for pp 62-84 that they started in class.** ............................. Class Notes :

==Students from ALL classes have now turned in the "Surviving the Dustbowl" movie worksheet questions. Pass them in if you were out today. I will not chase you down. The link to the movie is posted in the MAY 22 entry if you missed any of the film.==

**HW: Complete the "Locker with Attitude" narrative. Spend about 30 minutes and no more.**
==Print out a hard copy if you are typing. I told ALL classes that __**I will accept** **no technical excuses** tomorrow__. If you could not finish the narrative in class, you were to save it to a flashdrive, use Remote Access, OR print what you HAD completed and finish the rest hand-written if necessary at home. Review the FCAs before completing this to be sure you meet all requirements. A mini-lesson summing up the mini-lesson I gave in class on how to punctuatate and paragraph dialogue is available in the May 19 entry on this page. THat entry also includes TWO samples of proper punctuation for you to use as a reference to check your work. I also wrote a story that meets the FCAs (except I changed things so it is about me and Wikispaces so no one could merely copy ideas) and posted it in the MAY 23 entry if you are not sure if you are on track. Most students looked like they were on target and the writing looked engaging.==

**__Pointers:__**

 * ==Keep the whole story in past tense (with possible exception of dialogue.) Don't flip back and forth.==
 * ==Refer to my models to be sure you follow the PPQ (punctuation PRECEDES quotation) rule, explained in May 19 entry.==
 * ==When quoted dialogue ends in a statement (not a question or exclamation) insert a comma before the close quotations marks. Do NOT capitalize the section that identifies the speaker. EX : "I wish I were done," said Mrs. Ready.==
 * ==New speaker? Start a new paragraph.==
 * ==Reread out loud when you are done to check for missing words or wrong punctuation.==

Students wrote locker narrative in computer lab. Students who were out should do this for homework AND/OR stay after Wednesday to make this assignment up.
==Yellow class met to finish movie after lunch. Anyone who has who has not finished the movie questions can WATCH whatever part of the movie they missed and finish at home. The entry for May 22 has a link you can click on to the page of my website with a link to the movie.==

= May 23 =

HW: ALL classes INCLUDING YELLOW CLASS:
===__Complete a plot map to organize the basic elements of the scene you will write about you and your locker in the computer lab on Tuesday.__ Even though the yellow class did not meet Friday, you ALSO need to come prepared to write Tuesday since I have no more computer lab options.=== ===As much as I do not want to ruin your long weekend, I do need you to come prepared Tuesday so that you can finish a reasonably clear draft of your "Locker with Attitude"--we only have one day in the lab and I am supposed to test you on what you can do in a single period. I will grade the work taking into account the fact that you have limited time.===

==Below is a file with the organizer handout I gave out Friday. You may use the formatted handout, or make your OWN organizer as long as it includes ALL of the elements I list in the directions to the organizer.==

===The file below contains a sample of a FINISHED story that I wrote using the organizer I shared in class Thursday. My topic is a little different from yours--Wikispces talking to a teacher--but it should give you and idea of how to keep the scene limited to a page or two and use dialogue and description of action to show the personality traits of the characters and create a logical flow of conflicts that build tension and then resolve.===

Class Notes:
 * I. AUTHOR VISIT**

Yellow class was replaced with timely assembly on the writing process from author Cynthia LORD. Think of what she had to say as YOU author stories on Tuesday.

 * AS you complete your organizer remember her W.O.W formula--**
 * **WANT**--what do characters WANT(inciting conflict)
 * **OBSTACLES** (create conflicts that build tension)-
 * **WIN?** (Resolution--who "wins?" what CHANGES because of the events in the plot)

MOST classes finished "Surviving the Dust Bowl" movie if they hadn't done so Thursday. Yellow class will meet during 20 minutes in Art Lab to watch the final 10 minutes of film.
 * She also repeated some of the things I drone on about-- **
 * Authors **observe the REAL world** and record details to use later--what do you see, hear, feel--what are people saying?
 * Authors **look for surprises** and things they had not noticed before in their observations--the surprises are often the very points that brighten the story
 * Stories are a **chain of author choices**--from what point of view to write from, character personality traits, settings, word choice, tone, conflicts...
 * writing well **takes TIME** and involves **LOTS of revision**
 * JUST **get a draft on paper**--it does not have to be perfect
 * **Comments and feedback are meant to help you SHINE**
 * To be a better writer**
 * **READ--"steal" from your favorite authors--notice THEIR choices**
 * **WRITE--like ANYTHING in life you improve with practice**
 * **LEARN-- grammar, vocabulary, spelling--it all contributes to telling a story more clearly and compellingly**
 * **DREAM--take the time to daydream, let characters and stories come to life on walks, FIND time to think, create, drift away**
 * II. Movie**


 * III. "Flanders Field"**
 * I shared the poem "In Flanders Field"** which has a connection both to the real meaning of the Memorial Day holiday you are enjoying, as well as to the poem "World War" in the exposition of the novel. You can link to the poem and the story behind the writing of the poem by clicking Links to websites and more and scrolling down to the //Out of the Dust// Links.

I shared a rainfall map of the US and a slide of the kinds of plants that grew naturally on the plains that became the Dust Bowl area. It showed that roots of prairie grasses extended 8-15 feet down to access captured moisture--as opposed to the 1-3 foot roots put down by wheat. Students saw why weak, short wheat plant roots could NOT hold soil during the dry years--and that once the original plant-life was destroyed by the plows, conditions were perfect for the impending ecological disaster.
 * IV. Ecology lesson**

I also shared some pictures of how dune grass roots similarly hold dunes together on Cape Cod, and the destruction of the dunes that happens when storms and foot traffic rip away the native plants.

HW is to complete DAILY READING LOG for pp 87-114. If you do not have log worksheet, open file that included the directions posted May 20 and print pages 3-4 for the worksheet only.
==**If you did not finish movie questions in orange or green class, you can go google "Surviving the Dustbowl" PBS.ORG and it will connect you with the website that has the movie. click on "watch online". Link is also on my Websites and more page.**==

As always, the topics to take notes on include

 * ====plot events,====
 * characterization,
 * essential questions and themes the events and characters make you think about,
 * questions you have, and
 * the writer's style and use of poetic devices (figurative language, sound devices, form/graphics).

Class Notes:
===Students had their final period to complete the Argument Benchmark essay. Students who needed more time stayed after with me today. The work looks very good so far. __**If you need more time and did not stay today, you MUST stay Thursday**__. I have changed my schedule to be here one more afternoon.===

** IF you were absent for any of this week's writing test periods you MUST MAKE arrangements to stay after and work during 20 minute periods. I CANNOT keep chasing individuals to finish. **
__**We also reviewed issues with LAST night's homework. Things to check**__ Be sure you are finding quotes and making connections FOR THE ASSIGNED PAGES.
 * Last night you were to focus on pp62-84 --NOT what came before. If you did the WRONG pages--keep the notes for the Socratic Seminar, but ADD examples from the correct pages as well.
 * Be sure to CONNECT back to a specific from the text as well as give general observations and thoughts about the book. ALSO remember to make a connection--either to yourself, to another text, to the real world, or even to a movie or song that deals with the same essential question. You may want to note whether the connection you make gives a similar insight or point of view as the example in the novel.

Complete ALL of the "Daily Reading Log" worksheet for pages 62-84 of the novel.
===I reviewed all instructions in class and pointed out the model answers (based on pages 1-61) at the back of the packet. The only difference between the sample answer and what you will do is that I only wrote ONE quote and "connection and conclusion" in my sample. You will fill in __**2**__ quotes and connections for Part A--the worksheet clearly shows that two are needed.===

DO your best. Reread the directions AND the essential question topics we reviewed in class BEFORE beginning. You must attempt all sections--we can "fix" entries later if necessary. If you already read and took notes--as you were supposed to--this should not take more than 30 minutes.

Instructions, two-sided work sheet, and model answers are in the file below if you forgot your packet at school. No excuses for unfinished work.

Class Notes I thoroughly reviewed instructions and essential question topics to guide homework. Students continued work on argument benchmark essays. There will be more time tomorrow to finish up. Anyone who was out yesterday or today SHOULD plan on staying after tomorrow WEDNESDAY to finish the Benchmark. If staying after is impossible, see me for options.

1. Revise organizer for narrative about locker if necessary. Do not begin writing a draft yet. All classes had brief review of problem areas from homework. Major issues to correct include

 * __**CENTER oval should name a trait or two**__ that you may use to create characters with believable traits that contribute to the conflict in your piece
 * **dialogue box** should have **__2-3 options of things each character might say__** and should use quotation marks
 * **Action box**--should bullet point an ACTION--not dialogue. "//Locker will argue//" is not really an action//--"Locker SLAMS",// or "//pushes papers out//", is action. __**Personify the locker in 2-3 ways**__.
 * **Appearance box**: Some students started this box by sketching some details--not a bad way to envision your scene to include some details in the text. IF you drew--add some words to describe WHAT you drew. Your final narrative will NOT have a picture, so words will have to do the job of your sketch. APPLY what we learned about symbolic appearance from looking at details from the costuming and features of the Ghost of Christmas Past and Present in "Marley and Scrooge".
 * **vocabulary: synonyms for "Said" box**: MANY students had very weak work here. I assumed you would find a resource (a thesaurus) to help jog your mind for this--not just write down three bland ways to say //"said"// . You are looking for words to use INSTEAD of the neutral sounding "said" to show your character's attitude. //"Do your homework" **she snapped --**// suggests a very different trait from //"Do your homework," **she implored-- or she suggested. __ADD words if you did not have 2-3 synonyms for said to show the traits of EACH of the two characters.__**//

Even though we will not discuss the reading in class tomorrow, spend about 30 minutes on the reading and notes tonight because you will have another 20-30 minutes of writing tomorrow night that will require you to use and analyze what you read on a worksheet I will give out tomorrow. IF you put off the reading, you will have at LEAST and hour's worth of work on Tuesday.
 * 2. READ and take notes on pages 62-84 of the novel . See May 16 entry for details on note-taking.**

Class notes: Friday and today

** Today all students began an Argument Writing in-class benchmark that will continue tomorrow. **
====Students will also be allowed to work during the 20 minutes after lunch on Wednesday for a total of about 90 minutes. Any student who is out for either day of testing should plan to make up some of the time AFTERSCHOOL on Wednesday--we are running out of year to get things done.====

I also reviewed issues to correct with homework that are cited above.

ON FRIDAY we reviewed the basic format that students are supposed to KNOW BY HEART by now. A __**detailed discussion is included in my notes from April 4 and a sample organizer is downloadable from that entry.**__

==I. Students should know AND be applying the following formula to organize a grade 7 argument. They should have come to grade 7 with most of this knowledge. This year we added the need for a HOOK, Counterclaim and rebuttal, and a Call to Action in the conclusion. No one should EVER again ask "how many paragraphs an in-school essay should be--Unless specifically directed to do otherwise, the answer is 4-7 paragraphs to allow for a FULL opening and full closing paragraph, and at least 2 well-developed, supported reasons in favor and one elaboration on one counterclaim and a rebuttal to that counterclaim.==

I stood on a chair and blew into a fake horn (train whistle) to illustrate a "Call to Action" it is a sharp signal to the reader that the argument is concluded and there is a SPECIFIC way to show agreement.
 * __1. Opening Paragraph has a__**
 * hook
 * __claim__
 * general overview (no details) of 2-3 reasons
 * __mention of a counterclaim and reason__
 * transitions will connect and relate ideas.
 * 2.** __At least 2-3 body paragraphs__ will follow to present and elaborate on each reason and the counterclaim
 * evidence will include at least 2-3 direct text quotations with parenthetical citations
 * writers will set up quotations to identify speaker or source --which makes the quotation credible. Elaboration will explain WHY or HOW each quote helps prove the reason and support the main points. Elaborations on quotations paraphrase text to show student fully understands the meaning and significance of any quoted evidence.
 * at least one of the body paragraphs **presents a possible counterclaim**-- which is **a reasonable opposing reason. The student needs to r**ebut (challenge) or respond to that opposition. A rebuttal may take the form of a reasonable compromise position, or point out a major flaw in the opposing argument.
 * 3. __The concluding paragraph__**
 * **sums up and ties together** reasons that the body paragraphs gave details about. Uses fresh phrasing--__does not just repeat__ paragraph 1 or topic sentences of body paragraphs.
 * Ends with CLEAR __"__//**__call to action"__ -- writer tells reader what reader might DO if reader has been persuaded by the argument. A call to action is not merely a restatement of a position.**//
 * //**example: restatement of a position= "heading the ball in soccer is dangerous"**//
 * //**call to action =" Leaders of youth sports should ban heading the ball "**// **or** //**"Parents and coaches should write to the head of their local youth soccer league to encourage rules to end heading the ball"**//

**II. Mini lesson on how to properly paragraph and punctuate dialogue.**

 * (This lesson had NOTHING to do with the argument writing instruction that the benchmark is testing. It was to help with the NARRATIVE writing we will do next--time crunch requires moving forward while testing occurs)**


 * 1. Start a new paragraph whenever a speaker changes. Notice this as you read fiction! If there is even a single word of dialogue said by a DIFFERENT person--you must start a new paragraph.**
 * 2. Remember PPQ--Punctuation precedes quotation. The main errors kids make in grade 7 include**
 * **Do not leave out the comma BETWEEN identifying the speaker and starting a quote--as in the following Connor** said, ** "I love doing homework ** ." **Notice that the comma AND the period in the example both come BEFORE quotation marks.**
 * **DO NOT capitalize //said//, or the synonym for //said//, that follows a piece of dialogue. It is all part of YOUR sentence--not a new sentence.**
 * **Ex: "What are you DOING__?" asked__ Larry.**
 * **"Just poking Curley in the __eye," said__ Mo.**

Wikispaces will not let me type a properly paragraphed exchange here. Below is a file that shows how to correctly begin a new paragraph for each new speaker, as well as where to put the commas, quotation marks, and how to capitalize. Refer to this when you writer your narrative with dialogue. In a second file, I have the correct version of the mini-dialogue students did in class to see where they struggled with punctuation rules for quoted material and dialogue.

HW:
=== 1 . __READ all directions__ for narrative writing assignment "Locker with Attitude" and come with any questions Monday. The file below contains the directions and has been updated from the version we reviewed in class to include more specific language in the FCAs about how to insert dialogue and properly punctuate it. If you did not get a chance to make the changes to the FCAs in class, just print out the revised version below.===
 * ===**__Complete the TWO planners__** __(in handout your received-reprintable from file below)__ -- Insert 2-3 possible options in EACH square to show traits for you and your locker. The vocabulary you choose for your synonyms to "said" should show a trait through the tone of the options you choose. A person that //whispers// shows a different trait than one who //shouts//.===
 * ** DO NOT write the narrative yet. ** That will be done next week.
 * [[file:2014 rev Locker with Attitude.docx]]

===2. __**REVISE the Character Notes homework**__ you did for today IF you were among those who left too many blank spaces (1-3 is acceptable); if you did not SUMMARIZE what your quote was about; or if you left out quotation marks around titles or quotations, or did not CAPITALIZE key words in poem titles.===

3. __**Read pages 62-84 of novel**__ by TUESDAY and __take some notes__ (sticky notes are fine)

 * ===on significant plot events,===
 * ===passages that show character traits and motivations,===
 * ===questions you have, and===
 * ==="STYLE" points ( Identify Figurative Language types, Sound device types, and uses of Form/graphics the significance of HOW she arranges words on the page and where she breaks lines.)===

Class Notes : I will add notes on the argument writing format review and and why I stood on a chair and blew a train whistle AND the mini-review of how to properly punctuate quotations in Monday--May 19 notes.

May 14and May 15
Read Out of the Dust up through p. 61. Take notes on significant events, characterization, questions, and style as explained in prior entries. Finish the Character Notes double-sided worksheet. (reprint available in May 13 entry). THis is a one hour assignment--you should already have put in 30 minutes or more earlier in the week. ANY Notes from parents about not finishing MUST explain WHEN the assignment was started.

May 13
== MCAS tomorrow. Students are to read through page 61 of the novel //Out of the Dust// (OOTD).Two sided work sheet finding quotations on what makes several characters happy or unhappy during the exposition (first 61 pages) will also be due Friday. Students should be taking notes or inserting sticky notes related to the four following literary concepts. ==
 * ====__**Plot:**__ What are the important events/conflicts as the novel progresses. What events CAUSE other events to happen (the domino effect we looked at in the October)? What is the structure of the story?====
 * __**Characterization**__: What traits motivate the characters and inspire some of the conflicts and events? How does Hesse (the author) reveal character traits? Take notes on significant moments that help the reader define the character.
 * __**Questions:**__ Take notes on words, events, character motivations that you do not fully understand and want to clarify
 * __**Style:**__ Note particularly effective examples of Figurative Language, Sound Devices, and/or graphics/form. The definitions of the 5 most common types of Figurative Langauge and Sound Devices are in your ELA binders on a pink handout from the beginning of the year.

====A single poem may have 1-3 notes and some poems may have no notes. An average to shoot for is something significant every 3-5 poems. You are just recording what seems significant and worth discussing in small literary circles. I have about 17 poems with 1 -3 notes in the first 61 pages.====

-- Class Notes: Red, orange and blue classes met today. We reviewed HOW to take notes on novel (see notes above). We reviewed the handout that is due Friday and showed examples.

__**I showed what graphics/form is in poetry--the way lines break and words are grouped on the page.**__
====In blank and free verse poetry, which is what nearly ALL modern poetry is, there is little rhyming or rhythm. The arrangement of words on the page is a huge part of what gives a poetic effect. Isolating a single word such as "rain" on its own line emphasizes its importance by making the reader slow and think about the impact of that word in a way we might not if it was just in the middle of a sentence. Students were shown how phrases run over several lines and lines end with no period, comma, or other punctuation--the spacing alone tells the reader when to slow down or speed up. We will notice this effect on the mood created and the tone and meaning that comes through the poet's careful choices. Later in the term, we will write some of our own free verse poetry and practice creating meaning through FORM and graphic arrangement of words on the page.====

We watched the documentary about the Dust Bowl "Surviving the Dust Bowl" and answered questions as we viewed.

HW May 12
==MCAS tomorrow. Come rested and fed. Bring water and snack for after. Read first 60 pages in the novel by FRIDAY. Bring the novel to MCAS to read if you finish the test early and you have less work later in the week.==

==__Anyone who did not turn in the Dickens webquest AND article MUST do so tomorrow for any credit.__ Parents/guardians should provide a note with any legitimate excuses for late turn-in. No note needed if you were out one day last week, so long as the work is in tomorrow.==

__Dickens Article due MONDAY by 8:10 a.m. via turnitin.com__. See me DURING HOMEROOM with your work on a flashdrive if you have trouble submitting it from home. Insert FCAs at top of article.

 * ===Copy and paste FCAs from the "Article Assignment" file on the "Dickens Webquest" page of this website.===
 * I will check my email 2-3 times over the weekend, so send me a message if there is a technical issue I might be able to help with. Remember--meeting the deadline is important so HANDWRITE what is due if necessary.

Class notes: I reviewed the deadlines and the ways to submit webquest and article. I gave a short lesson on how to make the article read like a REAL news article written from Great Britain in the 1840s. Students were shown **//Boston.com//** site and told to look at a National news story (not sports or entertainment) for examples of headlines that use a noun and verb --as directed in the FCAs. They also saw how the graphic with caption is in each article and how to write their **//byline//** (their name) and **//dateline//** (the city they are "reporting from"--in this case London, Powys, or some other location that had a workhouse in Great Britain.

I reviewed how to copy and paste in FCAs

Student finished all ORQs from yesterday's test and then worked on the Webquest and article. Students were instructed to save to their document drive, a flashdrive, and/or print to be sure they had no technical excuses for missing the deadlines. I will deduct 15 points for late submissions. If all else fails, redo work that "disappears" and hand-write as needed.

__**Below is a copy of one of the articles we looked at to see how to format an article with a**__ headline (with noun --"house" and verb "approves" and insert graphic with caption, dateline, byline, and establish a formal third-person tone.

HW MAY 8
__**Create a planner for ORQ if you are still working on test.**__ TOO MANY students came to class with NO preparation. I should NOT have to assign that you read the ORQ options and create a planner with the points you want to make and the quotations you might use. This SHOULD have been done by everyone automatically--it is HOW you prepare for an ORQ on a test -- especially when ALL questions have been available for two days. __**I should NOT be giving extra time on the ORQ tomorrow--but I will allow it. This will not happen for the final ORQ**__ of the year. I had hoped this would be the final ORQ of the year, but it seems clear that a significant percentage of students do not have the study skills mastered to help you next year. Those who came prepared yesterday and today will likely finish the Dickens Workhouse article during class and have a free weekend. Those that did not prepare will have to use tomorrow's lab time to finish the ORQ and then work over the weekend to finish other work.

It is **due at the end of class for all classes except the BLUE class.** Blue class may **submit it via Turnitin.com** until 9 pm Friday night if you need a little time after school to complete the research. **Anyone who was out sick one or more days this week may have until Monday to submit.**
 * WEB QUEST DUE FRIDAY through Turnitin.com**
 * Work more on your webquest tonight if you think you will not have time enough to finish** after completing the ORQ.

All students may have the weekend to write the 3-4 paragraph article based on your webquest research. You will need to add a final page to the article with at least TWO sources, cited in correct MLA format. (You may use Easy.bib.com. The final must be submitted via Turnitin.com no LATER than 8:05 am Monday. **THe Webquest and the article are** **TWO SEPARATE assignments on Turnitin.com**. As ALWAYS--PRINT A HARD COPY as backup to Turnitin.com.
 * Article on Workhouses due MONDAY--CREATE LOTS of backups--hard copy, flash drive, and or/email.**


 * Anyone who has difficulty using Turnitin.com should EMAIL a copy to me directly AND print a backup hard copy. See me during HOMEROOM Monday to log on and submit to Turnitin from school if you could not do so at home. Do not wait until your ELA class. Bring the document on a flashdrive.**

** If you were out sick one day this past week you may have until TUESDAY to turn in the article. **
Class Notes: Students had full class to complete Dickens multiple choice and ORQ test portions. Students may use class time tomorrow to continue work on ORQ portion of test.

HW May 9
Webquests that were NOT

HW May 7
Prepare the quotations and **evidence you want to use to support you answer to the ORQ portion of the test**. You can bring any notes or planners you want to the test, but NOT a finished ORQ. The ORQ question options are posted in the entry for last night's homework below.
 * Continued testing tomorrow**.

If you have not completed the Webquest research, you may want to do so at home so you have more time to write the finished article using the research during class tomorrow and Friday. I will allow students to complete the article over the weekend if they do not finish in class Friday, but I am sure you would all prefer NOT to have weekend homework. If your notes are complete, the article should not take much more than a period to write.
 * EXTRA TIME on DICKENS ARTICLE**

Class notes Students completed the Socratic Seminar portion of the unit test. Most students showed they were prepared and thinking deeply. About a third of students had some trouble supporting their points with specific quotations from their notes. This was the first attempt at this. I will grade a little more strictly for the next Socratic Seminar on the novel we will finish the year with-- **//Out of the Dust.//** **//All classes completed a portion of the written test and will continue tomorrow.//**

HW :May 6

Study for test.

 * ===See Entry for April 29 for the **__FOUR definitions (characterization, theme, symbolism, essential questions) you need to know WITHOUT notes for tomorrow's test.__** I will ask you to define the four terms and be able to give an example from the play to show you understand the definitions.===
 * ===The rest of the test (multiple choice comprehension questions and an ORQ) are open-note -- not open book.===
 * === For Extra credit I may ask you to use or define **__one__** of the following words. (Definitions for all of the words EXCEPT juxtaposition are in my class notes posted for April 16.) The definition for juxtaposition should be in YOUR notes from the day I had you copy the definitions from the board--or just look it up!===
 * ==== juxtaposition ====
 * ==== heed ====
 * ==== endeavor ====
 * ==== engrosses ====
 * ==== stagnant ====
 * ==== bleak ====

There will be a choice of 4 open response questions-**__You will only answer ONE of the 4 options__** using the format for an ORQ--2-3 paragraphs at most-
 * -**TQA+TAG**
 * **+ 3 D** (use __**quotations**__ and details as supporting evidence and cite act and sc #s)
 * **+ 3 E (elaborate** and explain the significance of each piece of evidence used)
 * **+ T --sum up Topic focus WHY details all matter** --extend beyond specific play if possible.
 * Fill **3/4 to one page** single spaced.

__**ORQ options that will appear on tomorrow's test:**__
How does Dickens' create a believably GRADUAL change in Scrooge from the beginning, to the middle, to the end of the play version of **//A Christmas Carol.//** Use at least **one piece of specific evidence from Act I and 2-3 pieces of evidence from Act II** to show the **__STAGES of change__** Scrooge undergoes on his way to his final transformation into someone who "honors Christmas in his heart" all year.
 * __Option A:__**for up to 30 points**(for a possible A- if every other answer is correct)**

Compare YOURSELF to one character from the list of **major characters** below, AND to one character from the list of **minor characters** below. Explain ONE or two character traits you have in common with the character you choose from each list. Use at least one specific piece of evidence (quotation) from the play and from your life to support each trait. Use SPECIFIC and precise vocabulary to name the trait.
 * __Option B:__** for up to 35 points **(for possible A)**
 * ** Major characters ** || ** Minor Characters ** ||
 * Scrooge || Mrs. Cratchit ||
 * Bob Cratchit || Tiny Tim ||
 * Fred || Fezziwig ||
 * Ghost of Christmas Present || Fan ||

Write a thought-provoking essential question and then answer it as you believe Dickens would answer it, using specific and significant evidence from the play to support your answer. (Remember--an essential question is phrased so it could be asked about life or human nature in general--not using specific character names or plot events. Frame the question as a general thought--then answer it using specifics from the play.) Note whether YOU **agree** with the way Dickens “answers” the question through his characters and the events of the play.
 * __Option C:__** for up to 35 points **(for a possible A)**

On page 670 of the play version of Dickens' **//A Christmas Carol,//** the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge two dolls that symbolize **//"Ignorance"//** and "**//Want (//**which means //poverty//). The Ghost says that the word **//"doom"//** is written on the brow of __one__ of the children to show that all of mankind can be brought down by ONE of these two forces. According to the ghost, which "child," "**//Ignorance"//** or "**//Want,"//** is worse for society? How does Dickens use the characters of Scrooge and Cratchit to SHOW that one of these forces is ultimately a more powerful force for evil that leaves ALL of mankind worse off than the other. Use SPECIFIC quotations and details from the text to support your answer.
 * __Option D:__** for up to 40 points **(For a possible A+)**


 * Schedule for Tomorrow and Thursday**
 * Roughly 10-15 minutes** of tomorrow's class will be used to **finish the Socratic Seminars** for orange, yellow, and red classes. Blue class will need 20 minutes. Green class finished.


 * Green class will spend the entire period on the written test.
 * Other classes will begin the written test and have to complete ALL definitions and multiple choice questions by the end of the period.
 * Students will have **half of Thursday's class to complete the ORQ**. Blue class will have the 20 minutes after lunch to continue on the test.

Students MAY come to class with a planner organizing the evidence you intend to use for the ORQ. You will be able to use your homework and notes to find quotations to support your ORQ response.
We reviewed ruled for Socratic seminars and held 1-2 rounds in all classes. Students have done extremely well so far--showing they have read and thought about the text. One way to do even better for tomorrow would be for students to use specific quotations to support their point of view. One class was interrupted by a fire drill, so they are a little behind. The web quest research will STILL be due Friday. I may have to offer a little extra time over the weekend for students to finish the article based on the research. We will have lab time Thursday after students finish the test and on Friday to write.
 * Class Notes:**

**Socratic Seminar TOMORROW in class:**
===Finish any notes you need for the Socratic Seminar tomorrow. Bring ALL notes and any homework worksheets you did for the play to class. I will not allow people to go back to lockers. __SKIM-Review the notes dating back to March 31 on this website.__ IF you followed my advice to chunk review of the play over several nights last week you will likely do very well.===


 * ARTICLE on conditions in Workhouses DUE FRIDAY at end of class.**

Students should __**finish any research from the Webquest on Workhouses and Debtor's prisons AT HOME by Thursday.**__ DUE TO A Technical problem with one of the sites, ("Powys.org.uk" disappeared Friday), students will not be held responsible for notes from that site. THis means that you will have to find great examples for your article from the other sites, which will not be a problem.

During class Thursday and Friday students will be in the computer lab writing the article. Directions for writing the article were handed out in class and can also be downloaded from the Dickens webquest page of my website.

If you believe you will need LONGER than the in-class computer lab time to finish the 3-4 paragraph article, plan on starting it at home before Thursday. I will be here Tues and Wed afterschool to provide help as needed.

Class Notes:
===I reviewed the schedule for the week with all classes. They worked in the computer lab on their computer research all period. Most students were close to finishing the research. I spot checked to be sure students were taking notes that were SIGNIFICANT examples of the harsh conditions at workhouses and that they were paraphrasing and elaborating on the significance of each selected quotation.===

We also noted that __**it is fine to use Wikipedia for information on the Marshalsea Debtor's prison.**__ Students only need ONE fact about the conditions at a debtor's prison. I just want you to understand a little bit about what Dickens' own family experienced in prison, and to compare prison to workhouse life and consider which might have been worse.

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