Antigone test!

Yep, we took a test on Angione today.

Tomorrow we're doing a journal check, so make sure you're caught up on your independant novel journaling!

Ode to Antigone

Today we analyzed the songs/odes of Antigone to see
1) how each song/ode related to the scenes right before/after it.
2) how each song/ode used literary techniques.

The end of Creon!

Today we began class by doing a quick-write about scene 4, and then we discussed the events of scene 4.

We read scene 5 and were having so much fun that we kept reading through the end of the play. Tomorrow we'll update our charts and discuss some of the odes.

Homework: Keep reading and journaling your independant novel. We'll do a journal check-in on Friday. You should be at least 1/2 way through your book and have 4-5 journals written.

Haimon vs. Creon

Today we read Scene 3 in Antigone and added Haimon to our character charts. We also went over the literary terms worksheet that was homework over Thanksgiving. We didn't collect the charts to give everyone a chance to keep revising/fixing the terms which are less familiar.

Homework: Read Scene 4 in Antigone and identify 1) how is Antigone feeling in this scene, and 2) how does the crowd feel about Antigone in this scene?

Antigone heats up

Today we read Scene 2 of Antigone and saw tempers begin to flare. We added to our character charts and got a lit. terms review sheet to do over the long weekend.

We also journaled.

Don't forget to continue reading your independant novel and journaling on it!

Beginning Antigone

Yesterday we read the Prologue to Antigone and introduced the character worksheets we'll be completing on Antigone. We also had some journal time and did a family tree for Antigone.

Today we continued reading Antigone. We journaled on the Parados and read Scene 1 aloud. Tomorrow we'll be doing Scene 2 and lots of work with literary terms.

Don't forget to be reading your independant novel and journaling on it as your homework!

The Oedipus Dilemna

Today we did some background reading/discussion leading up to reading the play Antigone. Everyone had to sign up for parts to read for next week and the homework this weekend is to pre-read your part and practice it so that you'll be comfortable reading it.

Everyone should also begin reading their independant novel and journaling.

From poetry to prose

Yesterday we orally presented our poems.

Today we reviewed the independant novel project and the guidelines for the journals that are part of it. We also looked at samples of good and bad journals.

Students must choose a novel (200+ pages of science fiction, fantasy, or AP-list recommended) by tomorrow and have it approved by Mrs. Gilbert.

Finalizing poems

Today we met in C-13 to put the final touches on our poems.

We also reviewed how to properly (and dramatically) read poems.

Tomorrow, the final drafts are due and everyone must dramatically present their poems (for a grade!)

Poetry formatting

Today we wrapped up the poetry workshopping and then we took notes on a worksheet about how to format poetry and what special rules govern the mechanics of poetry.

Homework: Work on revising your poems based on the feedback you received.

Poetry Workshop

Today we took notes on how to participate in a poetry workshop and then we had a poetry workshop.

Any poems not workshoped today will be workshopped on Monday. Students should use the long weekend to revise and improve their poems.

Otherwise -- just kick back and enjoy the break before we buckle down to hard work next week!

Poetry plans

Today we looked as some sample poems and discussed some advice for writing good poetry. Then we had the rest of the period to try to draft a poem of our own -- whether it be a revision of the praise poem or a totally different poem trying to capture a moment or make a point.

Homework: Bring 5 copies of your rough draft poem to class tomorrow for workshopping.

We also showed our homework from yesterday to Mrs. Gilbert for credit.

Bible as poetry

Today we started by sharing our apple poems and turning them in.

Then we looked at how literary devices worked in some Bible poetry, such as the famous Psalm 23 and some excerpts of the love poetry in Song of Solomon. We also looked at how literary terms worked in proverbs.

Homework: Write a praise poem (of a person or diety) OR write 5 original proverbs. Whichever one you choose, make sure that it is RICH with literary devices.

An apple each day...

Today we reviewed literary terms by using an apple to inspire some poetic writing.

Homework: Write a poem (or description) of your apple using at least five of the terms we reviewed. Your poem and today's worksheet will be due when you come to class tomorrow.

Change of plans...

Hey folks,

I’m so very sorry, but my daughter is still sick enough to have to stay home from school. So today’s plans have been thrown to the wind. Here are the new plans:

1. Please write a reflection on your c/c paper. Describe at least three revisions you made (between your first and final drafts) that made your paper more interesting, more thoughtful, or more clear. Be sure to actually quote “before” and “after” examples – and explain why the “after” version is better! Staple the reflection to the grading rubric. Turn in the grading rubric/reflection, your final draft, and the stack’o’process work in to the crate.
2. Enjoy some open-mic time. (Explain to the sub how it works)
3. If there are allusions to share, elect a class recorder to write down the allusion (as it is shared aloud) and write down who shared the allusion. Turn the list/record into the crate.
4. Any time left? Journal and/or rejoice in a free weekend (Note: Next weekend, expect homework!)

Complex sentences

Today we continued studying sentence patterns by looking at complex and, briefly, compound-complex sentences.

Homework for tonight: Apply what we learned to your c/c papers. Turn in the final draft and all process work tomorrow.

Beginning sentence grammar...

Yesterday (Oct. 31) we had to show our R.D. #3 to Mrs. Gilbert. Then we learned how sentence-combining practice can help our writing and we tried it. Finally, we took some review notes on complete sentences and compound subjects and verbs.

Our homework for yesterday was to proofread R.D. #3 according to the same guidelines we did on the last project (e.g. read it aloud, read it backwards, have someone else read it)

Today we continued with notes on compound sentences. We reviewed how commas work in compound sentences and some easy ways to tell if a sentence is compound or not. We wrapped up by writing some practice compound sentences. All sophomores will need to memorize the 7 coordinating conjunctions and where the comma goes in relation to them.

The homework for tonight was to apply the compound sentence test to R.D. #3

Tomorrow we'll be doing complex sentences.