Day One Hundred Sixty-Three, 6/1

Today, we listened to our detective stories, and read some Hemingway.  (Prezi). 
Today's Song:  "Everybody's Talkin'", Harry Nilsson

Today's Homework:  Please bring in your novel again on Friday and Tuesday.
 
Parents:  Now accepting entries for the Promotion Poetry and Art Contests.  Please encourage your child to give it a shot.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Sixty-Two, 5/31

Today, we began a unit on public speaking (the last unit of the school year.  (Prezi). 
Today's Song:  "Where I'm From", Anthony Hamilton


Today's Homework:  The final version of the detective project is due tomorrow.  Please bring in your classic novel on Wednesday and Thursday.
 
Parents:  Now accepting entries for the Promotion Poetry and Art Contests  Please encourage your child to give it a shot.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Sixty-One, 5/27

Today, we reviewed past winners of the Promotion Poetry Contest, and we began some literary analysis work.  (Prezi). 
Today's Song:  "Cemetery Gates", The Smiths, (or here)


Today's Homework:  Read your classic. You have two weeks left (June 9th).
 
Parents:  Now accepting entries for the Promotion Poetry and Art Contests  Please encourage your child to give it a shot.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty-Nine, 5/25

Today, we made radio plays. 
Here are some old examples from Gunston 2008.  (One and Two and Three)


Today's Homework:  Read your classic. Bring it in on Friday.
 
Parents:  Students are making radio plays in class.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty-Eight, 5/24

Today, we listened to and viewed a radio mystery script.   (HERE and HERE and HERE) (Prezi)
Today's Song:  "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" and "Bigmouth Strikes Again", the Smiths


Today's Homework: Half-Worksheet due on Wednesday. Read your classic. Bring it in on Friday.
 
Parents:  Students are making radio plays in class.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

One Hundred Fifty-Six, 5/20

Today, we analyzed a few detective stories. 
Today's Song:  "Mystery Zone", Spoon


Today's Homework: Read your classic. Bring it in on Monday.
 
Parents:   Book eight is a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty-Four, 5/18

Today, we wrote bus poems. 
Today's Song:  "Bizarre Love Triangle", New Order

INSTRUCTIONS:
Here are the Guidelines.
Here are some samples.
Here is where to submit the poem.



Today's Homework: Fill in your detective chart.
 
Parents:   Book eight is a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty-Three, 5/17

 Today, we read a Sherlock Holmes Mystery, "The Speckled Band". (Prezi) 
Today's Song:  "Watching the Detectives", Elvis Costello


Today's Homework: Consider mystery writing and bus poetry.
 
Parents:   Book eight is a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty-Two, 5/16

 Today, we took the reading SOL.  I'm sorry you have to put up with this, but I hope you know that you have what it takes to win.  
Today's Song:  "Horchata", Vampire Weekend

MEANWHILE: if you want a copy of your poetry movie, email me.  Meanwhile, here is some joy.

Today's Homework: Consider mystery writing.
 
Parents:   Book eight is a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Fifty, 5/12

Today, we ran through a few demonstrations of point of view and play-acted some vocabulary words.  (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Toxicity", System of a Down
Today's Homework: Memorize your poem for tomorrow.
 
Parents:   Book eight is a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Click here for lab instructions, 5/11

 
1. Take the simulated SOL test.  Answer  only 22 questions.

• go to start on your computer
• go to SOL online testing
• click "ePat programs"
• Choose Gr8EnlishReading
• Enter 1st name (or a made up name...your French name? Spanish name? what you wish your parents named you?)

After you answer 22 questions, close the window and click "submit answers" so you can see how many you got right. Tell your number to me.

2. Please respond to the fourth quarter survey.

3. Memorize your poem.  Here is some inspiration.  Watch the whole thing to see a familiar person.

4. Leave a comment:  what is your confidence level going into the SOL on Monday?

Day One Hundred Forty-Eight, 5/10

Today, we went to the library.
 
Today's Homework: Select a "classic: book to read.
 
Parents:  Please talk to your child about your favorite book.

Day One Hundred Forty-Seven, 5/9

Today, we read our poems aloud in class and considered the SOL.
Today's Song: "My Mistakes", Eleanor Friedberger
Today's Homework: Select a classic book to read.
 
Parents:  Progress reports go home on Tuesday. Book eight must be a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Forty-Six. 5/6

Today, we did our book papers for book six in class--basically a literary analysis of a poem. (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Up on the North Shore", The Sea and Cake
Today's Homework: The written poem--a pantoum, villanelle, or a sonnet--is due Monday.  The memorized poem is due next Friday.  A selection for book eight--a literary classic--must be made by Friday next week.
 
Parents:  Progress reports go home on Tuesday. Book eight must be a classic of literature.  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Click here for lab instructions, 5/5

1. Go here.  Do questions 21-45 and report your score to me as a percent (e.g. 99%).

2. Write your final poem--the pantoum, villanelle, or sonnet.  Print it out in a snazzy manner.

3.  Go here or  here or  here.  Weird.

4. Leave a comment below.  What's on your mind? Are you secretly a spy?  You can tell us.

Day One Hundred Forty-Four, 5/4

Today, we read Kate Chopin. (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Helplessness Blues", Fleet Foxes
Today's Homework: Start a pantoum, villanelle, or sonnet, and pick a poem for recital. 
 
Parents:  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Forty-Three, 5/3

Today, we read Kate Chopin. (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Wait and See", Holy Ghost
Today's Homework: Respond to the worksheet about gender discrimination, and pick a poem for recital. 
 
Parents:  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Day One Hundred Forty-Two, 5/2

Today, we made some meter. (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Electric Avenue", Eddie Grant
Today's Homework: Write two lines of rhymed iambic tetrameter.
 
Parents:  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.

Click here for lab instructions, 4/28

HA!

1. Go here.  Do the first 20 questions and report your score to me as a percent (e.g. 99%).

2. Write your cinquains.  Print them out aesthetically.

3.  Go here.  Weird.

4. Leave a comment below.  What's on your mind? Are you going to wake up to watch the Royal Wedding?

Day One Hundred Thirty-NIne, 4/27

Today, we ran through some poetry stations. (Prezi)
Today's Song: "Soweto", Joy Denalane  (English)
                          "Im Ghetto Von Soweto", Joy Denalane (German)
Today's Homework: Computer lab tomorrow for the Cinquain
 
Parents:  A full calendar of events is shown at the right.