Week at a glance May 21 - 24, 2012

Our last week of classes are structured for review and the semester final.

• Mon: Review for the Semester Final
• Tues: Check in Gatsby books.  4th and 6th hour finals
• Wed: 2nd, 3rd, and 7th hour finals
• Thurs: 1st and 5th hour finals.  '11-'12 school year dismissed at 11:35.
• Fri: Staff workday - First full day of summer vacation!

Week at a glance May 14 - 18, 2012

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

During this last full week of the '11-'12 school year, we'll wrap up reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.  Students should be on the lookout for the climax of the novel -- the intense moment that resolves the novel's central conflict.  At the beginning of the novel, narrator Nick Carraway tells us that what happened to him in New York was awful enough for him to move away and not want to see anyone for awhile.  Now we finally see the fatal decisions that left Nick disgusted with humanity.  Students will need to pay careful attention, particularly as the novel will be the focus of our semester exam next week.

• Mon: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapter VII. For Tues: finish reading Chapter VII.
• Tues: The Great Gatsby - Chapter VII quiz, study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapters VIII and IX. For Thurs: finish reading Chapters VIII and IX.
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby - Chapter VIII and IX quiz, study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Begin reviewing for the semester final.

Week at a glance May 7 - 11, 2012

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

This week we'll continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.  Last week Daisy and Jay Gatsby were reunited (and it feels so good).  This week we'll start to see how much of a chance their happiness has for a lasting future.  Students should also be working on their Thematic Analysis this week.  The Thematic Analysis is our wrap-up assignment for the Independent Reading Project.

• Mon: No school - Professional Learning Day
• Tues: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapter VI. For Tues: finish reading Chapter VI.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby - Chapter VI quiz, study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby - review Ch 4 - 6.  Gatsby mood and tone assignment, due Friday.  Finish the Thematic Analysis for Friday.
• Fri: Thematic Analysis due - brief discussion and sharing.  Continue The Great Gatsby - film review.

Week at a glance April 30 - May 4, 2012

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

This week we'll continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.  Last week we finally met Jay Gatsby.  This week we discover the cause for all of his parties and his interest in Nick, Daisy, and Tom.  As we read Chapters IV and V this week, students may wish to reflect on the quote from Fitzgerald that heads our class website. Think of a time when we have returned to a friend or a place we enjoyed in the past -- is our return ever as joyful or wonderful as the happy memories?

• Mon: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapter IV. For Tues: finish reading Chapter IV.
• Tues: The Great Gatsby - Chapter IV quiz, study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapter I. For Thurs: finish reading Chapter V.  Pass out and discuss Independent Reading Project thematic analysis.
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby -Chapter V quiz, study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Independent Reading Project - finish reading your selected book and taking notes for the upcoming thematic analysis and book talk.  The Great Gatsby - film review.

Week at a glance April 23 - 27, 2012

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

This week we'll continue reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Students have already met Nick, Daisy, Tom, Jordan, and Gatsby. They've encountered some of the most enduring symbols in all of literature: the valley of ashes, the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg, and Gatsby reaching out to the green light across the bay. We'll continue on with readings and discussion over chapters 1 - 3. During these chapters, students will come to understand who Gatsby actually is and why he was reaching out across the bay.

• Mon: The Great Gatsby Ch I-II review.  Begin Ch I-III vocabulary, due by the end of the hour on Tuesday.
• Tues: The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Ch III.  Vocabulary due by the end of the hour.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby - Chapter III quiz; Chapter III study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby - review Ch I-III.  Crossword due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Independent Reading Project - continue reading your selected book and taking notes for the upcoming thematic analysis and book talk.  The Great Gatsby - film review.

Week at a glance April 16 - 20, 2012

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

Root Words Exam this Friday - students will receive a study guide on Monday. We'll review throughout the week.

This week I will not be in the building because I must take care of a deeply personal matter.  I will return on Monday, April 23.  Though I will be gone, our work continues.  Students will check out their Great Gatsby books on Monday.  Our focus for the week will be the first two chapters.  Students will have in-class quizzes and in-class study guides due on Tuesday and Thursday this week.  We'll wrap up the week with the final root words exam of the semester and some time to continue our Independent Book Project.  Mr. Anderson will be available to answer any questions.

• Mon: Pass out the self-test for the Root Words, 2nd Half Exam.  Check out The Great Gatsby - read and discuss Chapter I. For Tuesday: finish Chapter I, pages 1-21.
• Tues: The Great Gatsby - Chapter I quiz; Chapter I study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby - read Chapter II, pages 23 - 38.
  
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby - Chapter II quiz; Chapter II study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Root Words, 2nd half Exam. Independent Reading Project - continue reading your selected book and taking notes for the upcoming thematic analysis and book talk.

Have an exciting, fun, and safe Prom :)

Week at a glance April 9 - 13, 2011

Curriculum focus: identifies, interprets, and analyzes figurative language including: idiom, imagery, and symbolism (11.1.2.K4), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), compares/contrasts textual aspects: character traits, themes, character motives, and author's purpose (11.1.4.K7), analyzes and evaluates how the author's style (word choice and sentence structure) and use of literary devices work together to achieve his/her purpose by using tone, mood, and imagery (11.1.4.K11d, e, and h), and analyzes contextual aspects of setting and their influence on characters and events in the story including the contexts of history, society, and culture (11.2.1.K2a-c).

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. endo - internal - endocrine, endorse
2. exo - external - exoskeleton, exonym
3. tact/tang - touch - contact, intangible
4. veloc - quick - velocity, velociraptor
5. vers/vert - turn - invert, conversion

This week we will do our last set of root words before our 50-point exam, coming up next week.  We'll also begin our last unit of the school year over F. Scott Fitzgerald's great American classic, The Great Gatsby. We'll set the stage for the novel by focusing on the historical, cultural, and social context of Fitzgerald's work as we have an overview of the Roaring 20's, Prohibition, and the Jazz Age--a name for the era given by Fitzgerald himself.  We'll wrap up the week doing a root words quiz, reading for our Independent Reading Project, and previewing The Great Gatsby's opening scenes.

• Mon: No school - snow day :)
• Tues: New root words; quiz on Friday. The Great Gatsby background -Roaring 20s video, 10 facts due by the end of the hour.
• Wed: The Great Gatsby background - lecture and notes
• Thurs: The Great Gatsby background - lecture and notes, turn in notes sheet.
• Fri: Root words quiz.  Independent Reading Project, 20 minutes of in-class reading. Preview The Great Gatsby opening scenes.