Week at a glance February 6 - 10, 2012

Curriculum focus: analyzing and interpreting figurative language: simile, metaphor, and symbol (11.1.3.K4a, b, i), identifying and analyzing the development of theme in a narrative text (11.1.4.K10d), identifying and analyzing the author's style: flashback, symbolism, tone, and mood (11.1.4.K11), comparing and contrasting narrative elements: character traits and character motives (11.1.4.K7), identifying and analyzing types of characters: flat, round, static, and dynamic (11.2.1.K1), and contextual aspects of setting: historical, social, and cultural (11.2.1.K2).

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

1. caust - fire/burn - caustic, cauterize, holocaust
2. grav - heavy - gravity, grave, grief
3. lite/ite/lith - rock - monolith, lithium, coprolite
4. son - sound - sonar, consonant, supersonic
5. terra - earth - terrain, territory, extraterrestrial

"Attention must be paid..." This week we'll finish the reading portion of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. As we'll see, Act One ends on a bit of a high note, with the potential of good things ahead for Willy and his sons. However, questions remain: what caused Willy to kick Biff out of the house, why can't Biff hold down a job, and what will happen to Willy? As we read we'll also analyze Miller's use of symbols and tone to enhance the events of the play.

• Mon: New root words; quiz on Friday.  Review the first half of Act One.  Begin reading/discussing the rest of Act One.
• Tues: Root words quiz.  Finish reading Act One.  Act One, part two study guide due Wednesday.
• Wed: Act One, part two study guide due.  Review Act One.  Begin reading/discussing Act Two.
• Thurs: Continue reading/discussing Act Two.
• Fri: Root words quiz. Finish reading/discussing Act Two.  Begin working on the Act Two study guide.