Week at a glance Aug 29 - Sept 1, 2011

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), uses information from the text to make inferences and draw conclusions (11.1.4.K5), identifies persuasive techniques (11.1.4.K14a-f), distinguishes between fact and opinion and recognizes propaganda (11.1.4.K15a), analyzes how the author’s use of irony contributes to his/her purpose (11.1.4.K11c), identifies the protagonist (11.2.1.K1a), contextual aspects of setting: how history, society, and culture influence events in the text (11.2.1.K2), and analyzes how the problem or conflict advances the plot of a narrative (11.2.1.K3a).

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

1. ced / cede / ceed - go - proceed, concede, succeed
2. hyper - over or above - hyperactive, hyperventilate, hyperbole
3. inter / intra / intro - between, within, into - international, introduction
4. mega - great - megaphone, megaton, megalopolis
5. ortho - correct - orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
6. trans - across - transport, transition, transatlantic

This week we'll start our pre-reading unit for Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  The play covers the events of the Salem Witch Trials, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people.  On the surface, their crime was witchcraft; however, Miller and other historians have suggested there was much more to it than that.  We start the week with a quick history of witchcraft to explain why it was so feared in the late 1600s.  We'll then look at ways crowds of people are pushed one way and another as we explore honest and dishonest persuasive techniques.  On Wednesday we'll hear the Puritans' own words and see how they viewed their society.  Finally, on Friday we'll preview the play itself so we have an idea of the setting, major characters, and opening conflicts.  Students will revise, edit, and finish their Personal Narrative Essay in the computer lab on Thursday.

• Mon: New root words; quiz on Friday.  A Brief History of Witchcraft - discussion and notes.  Root words quiz over last week's roots.
• Tues: Swaying the Mob: Persuasive Techniques - discussion and notes.
• Wed: The Puritans, in-class readings and assignment due by the end of the hour
• Thurs: Meet in Library Lab D to revise, edit, and print a copy of the Personal Narrative Final Draft, due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Root words quiz.  The Crucible - preview setting, major characters, and opening conflicts.

Week at a glance Aug 22 - 26, 2011

Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), organizing and planning a written piece (11.7.1.3), composes persuasive writing (11.7.2.1c), adapts writing by identifying, analyzing, and understanding audience (11.7.2.2), writes using one or more text structures when appropriate to a achieve a specific purpose or to address a specific audience: problem/solution (11.7.2.4d), and develops clear and purposeful ideas with sufficient evidence and/or relevant detail to satisfy purpose using sufficient evidence, examples, anecdotes, quotations, expert opinions, and/or statistics (11.7.2.1d)

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

1. culpa - blame - culprit, culpable
2. duc / duct - lead - conduct, seduce, introduction
3. jud / jur / jus - law - judge, jury, justice
4. polis / polit - city - police, politician, metropolis
5. rect - straight - correct, direct, insurrection
6. urb - city - urban, suburb

We will continue our Root Words unit this week with the roots listed above, quiz on Friday. We also write our first essay of the school year: the Personal Narrative. The Personal Narrative is an essay with both narrative and expository elements. Students will focus on a specific song, movie, book, food, or place and explain its significance to them.  Since this is our first essay, we will go step-by-step through the writing process. Students will submit an electronic copy of their rough draft by the end of the hour on Friday. Check the Course Materials section for copies of this assignment.

• Mon: New root words; quiz on Friday.  Personal Narrative, assignment overview. Personal Narrative pre-writing due Tuesday.
• Tues: Personal Narrative pre-writing checked in class. Creating an informal outline. Begin creating an informal outline for the Personal Narrative.
• Wed: Personal Narrative informal outline checked at the beginning of the hour. Creating the introduction.
• Thurs: Personal Narrative - meet in the computer lab to begin writing the rough draft. Introduction paragraph checked by the end of the hour. Continue writing the rough draft.
• Fri:  Personal Narrative - meet in the computer lab to finish writing the rough draft.  Root Words quiz; Personal Narrative rough draft due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance Aug 16 - 19, 2011

Welcome!

On this site, you’ll find a breakdown of each week’s lesson plans and activities for English 11. Assignments and due dates will always be listed in red. You can access class handouts through the “Course Materials” section located on the top right side of this site. If you have any questions or comments regarding things you'd like to see on this site, call me at WRHS or e-mail me at ritchjoh@usd437.net


Curriculum focus: determines word meanings through knowledge of word structure: Greek and Latin roots and prefixes and suffixes (11.1.3.k3), organizing and planning a written piece (11.7.1.3), composes persuasive writing (11.7.2.1c), adapts writing by identifying, analyzing, and understanding audience (11.7.2.2), writes using one or more text structures when appropriate to a achieve a specific purpose or to address a specific audience: problem/solution (11.7.2.4d), and develops clear and purposeful ideas with sufficient evidence and/or relevant detail to satisfy purpose using sufficient evidence, examples, anecdotes, quotations, expert opinions, and/or statistics (11.7.2.1d)

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

1. ante - before - antecedent, antebellum
2. brev - short - abbreviate, brevity
3. fin - end - final, infinite
4. pan - all - pandemic, panorama
5. poly - many - polygamy, polytheism
6. vac - empty - vacation, vacuum

This week we will get things rolling right away.  We will spend much of Wednesday looking over and discussing our course overview and policies, as well as familiarizing ourselves with the procedures of the class.  We'll also begin our root words unit.  On Thursday, students will have a chance both to show what they know about writing and to express their preferences when it comes to reading and writing assignments in class.  Friday starts off with a Root Words quiz.  We'll wrap up this first week of the semester with an assignment over Robert Frost's "Birches," which will serve as both a literary analysis pre-test and a preview of the Personal Narrative Essay that we'll begin next week.

• Mon: No school - staff work day
• Tues: New student orientation
• Wed: Introductions, syllabus, and course overview.  Root Words 1 - notes, quiz on Friday.  Bring a 1 1/2" - 2" binder to class by Friday.
• Thurs: Preferences writing prompt.  Write and discuss.  Writing prompt due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Root Words Quiz.  Personal Narrative preview: read and discuss Robert Frost's "Birches." Read and reflect assignment due by the end of the hour.