Week at a glance Sept 26 - 30, 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), 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. belli - war - rebellion, belligerent, bellicose
2. fac - do or make - factory, facilitate, manufacture
3. mort - death - mortal, morbid, mortician
4. poeia, poie, peia - make/create - poem, onomatopoeia, mythopoeic
5. the, theo - god - atheist, theology, monotheism
6. tox - poison - toxicology, toxic, botox

This week we'll wrap up the reading portion of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  Proctor and his friends are sentenced to hang for the crime of witchcraft, so what hope is there now in the play.  We'd be surprised, if we look carefully.  That will be part of our challenge as we wrap up our reading of the play.  We'll begin reviewing characters and motivations by mid-week.  Since we are so far ahead of the other English 11 classes, we have the advantage of being able to do a creative assignment - a RAFT - that we'll begin in class on Wednesday.  Details and the assignment online to come soon.

• Mon: New root words.  Pass back study guides and current grades.  The Crucible - begin reading and discussing Act IV.
• Tues: The Crucible - finish reading/discussing Act IV.  Act IV study guide due Wednesday.
• Wed: The Crucible - Act IV study guide due.  Character traits and motivations review.  Begin The Crucible RAFT assignment.
• Thurs: The Crucible RAFT - decide the role, audience, format, and topic of the project.
• Fri: Root Words quiz.  The Crucible RAFT - go to the computer lab and begin assembling the project.