Juniors - Thursday, December 18, 2008

Today we watched the first part of a stellar documentary about Vietnam entitled "Letters Home." This is a great film composed of real footage from every facet of life in Vietnam for the young men at war, and the dialogue is the reading of actual letters sent home by soldiers. There is also great music in the film that is reflective of the times. We got through the first half, so we will be finishing it up as soon as you return from break. You also turned in your dialectical journals today, which will be added to your quarter/semester grade. I hope all of you enjoy the holidays and have a fantastic break!!!! =)

Freshmen - Thursday, December 18, 2008

Today we wrapped up The House on Mango Street by completing an in class activity that asked you to personally respond to several thematic questions that were posted all over the room. All of you walked around with markers and responded to each of the sets of questions. To see the questions, please click here. This was followed by a brief discussion. You also completed semester reflections and turned in your dialectical journals and literary terms organizers (these will count towards your quarter/semester grade).
I hope all of you enjoy the holidays and have a fantastic break!!! =) Maybe I will run into a few of you on the slopes...

English 9 and Modern Lit. - Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec.16-17 2008 - FINALS!!!

Yay for finals! You are in the home stretch. Today and tomorrow will be spent completing your English final - how did you do? What did you think about the test? Feel free to use this space to comment. After this frenzy is over, we will spend Thursday wrapping up our current units, discussing the reading, and completing sememster reflections. I will also have progress reports for all of you with updated grades. Keep plugging away, it is almost over!! =)

English 9 - Please note: Your Literary Terms Organizer and Dialectical Journals are due on Thursday, and those grades will count towards your semester grade. If you will be absent, please turn these in early or email them to me no later than Thursday at 5pm.

Juniors - Please note: Dialectical Journals are due on Thursday, and these count towards your semester grade. If you will be absent, please email them to me at megan.l.alvarez@adams12.org no later than Thursday at 5pm.

Juniors - Monday, December 15, 2008 FINALS WEEK!

Today we spent the class period reviewing for the final, which is exactly like the ACT English Test. I also had each of you write me your semester reflections, asking you for your feedback regarding the course overall, the assignments, activities, and units that we completed, and also your assessment of your own performance in the class and your goals for next semester. To help prepare you for the final, click the link below and take the practice tests for English and Reading - your final will be the same format. For homework, finish the book (the remaining two stories) and be ready to discuss on Thursday. Also, I will be collecting your dialectical journals on Thursday for a grade, so don't forget those! Reminder - the extra credit blog assignment is due by Thursday at 12 noon - no later!!

ACT Prep Tests (click on the English and Reading sample tests in the left hand column)

Freshmen - Monday, December 15, 2008

Today was spent reviewing for the final and finishing up the literary terms organizer (the info collected on the organizer will be very helpful for the final!). View the Literary Terms Power Point by downloading below. GOOD LUCK with finals this week!! For homework, finish up the last few stories in The House on Mango Street. We will be discussing the book in class on Thursday and having a Socratic Seminar as soon as we come back from break.

Literary Terms Power Point

Juniors - Friday, December 12, 2008

Today you took a quiz on The Things They Carried, covering up to the end of "The Ghost Soldiers" (page 218). If you were absent, you must make up the quiz no later than Tuesday, December 16. Please see me as soon as possible to schedule a time to take the quiz, as this grade will be a part of your semester average, and failing to make it up by Tuesday will result in a zero. REMEMBER, YOUR FINAL SOAPSTONE ANALYSES IS DUE ON MONDAY!!!!! THIS ASSIGNMENT IS OUT OF 100 POINTS, AND NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!
Have a great weekend, and please email me if you need any help with the assessment. I will be home all weekend grading like a maniac, so I will be checking my email several times throughout the day and will be able to help you (megan.l.alvarez@adams12.org). Also, please note: You do not have to upload your assessment to turnitin.com, as noted on the calendar. There have been some technological issues with it and I am currently unable to log in and set up the assignment, so don't worry about it this time. Just bring your hard copy to class (or email it beforehand) on Monday.

Freshmen - Friday, December 12, 2008

Today you took a quiz on pages 1-80 in The House on Mango Street. If you were absent, it is essential that you make it up NO LATER than Tuesday, December 16, 2008. Please see me as soon as possible to schedule a time to take the quiz, as this grade will be a part of your semester grade. Please note: Friday was the last day to turn in any missing work. I will have updated progress reports for all of you on Thursday, December 18, that will reflect your grade for the quarter.

Juniors - Extra Credit Blog Assignment - Protest Music of the Vietnam War era

For this assignment, you must choose and analyze four to six songs from the Vietnam War era (most often these take the form of protest songs). I have attached a list of suggestions, but you are free to choose them on your own as long as they are from the time period we've been dealing with. Type an analysis for each song, at least a detailed paragraph in length, that addresses the following:

1. Listen to the song (duh) and analyze the lyrics. What can you gather about the artist's perspective through this song? In other words, how does he or she feel about the war, American culture, politics, etc.? How do those views come through in the music? What is the overal message of the song? Quote the lyrics to back up your thoughts.

2. Research any references or allusions to names, places, or events. Note the social/historical context and explain. (Also, please note the date the song was released/recorded, and give a little background info about the artist(s).)

3. Connections to The Things They Carried - Describe any similarities you see to any stories in the book - does the song reflect any similar themes, sentiment, or attitudes about war or American culture? What are these similarites? Please include textual evidence to back up your explanations!

Because this assignment was posted late (my bad), this will due VIA POST no later than Thursday, Dec. 18. This assignment will be worth 30 points, and must be completed in full to recieve credit. Please email me if you have any questions. Have a great weekend and enjoy the snow!

Recommended Song List (feel free to choose songs that aren't listed here, these are just some suggestions):

"For What It's Worth" - Buffalo Springfield

"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Bring 'Em Home" - Pete Seeger

"The Times They are a Changin," "Masters of War," and "Blowin in the Wind" - Bob Dylan

"What's Goin On" - Marvin Gaye

"Ohio" - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

"Draft Dodger Rag" - Phil Ochs

"War" - Edwin Starr

"Vietnam Song" - Country Joe and the Fish

"Give Peace a Chance" - John Lennon

"Where Have all the Flowers Gone?" - Peter, Paul, and Mary

"A Change is Gonna Come" - Sam Cooke

"Peace Train" - Cat Stevens

"Minister of War", "Saigon Bride" - Joan Baez

Modern Lit. - Wednesday and Thursday, December 10-11, 2008

Today we finished up the last ten minutes of the video and then discussed it as a group. We also briefly went over the video questions in class. How does your understanding of our culture in America during the late Sixties help you to better understand the experiences of the young men at war as described by Tim O'Brien? Do you see any possible connections? The rest of the period was spent going over the final SOAPSTone Analysis assignment, which is due this Monday, and you also had a good amount of time in class to work on it. We started with the Analysis Planning sheet, which is a graphic organizer. Complete this first, before you type up the final, as it will help you organize your thoughts. If you were absent, please be sure to see me as soon as possible so that I can go over it with you, and be sure to read all of the requirements on the assignment sheet. As always, anyone can email me if you have questions at megan.l.alvarez@adams12.org. Also, if you'd like to see an example of what a good analysis looks like, download below. For homework, please read pages 189-218 by Friday. We will have a quiz. Please note: The extra credit blog assignment will be posted on Friday. As a result, I am extending the due date for this to Thursday, December 18.

SOAPSTone Analysis Final Assignment Sheet

Analysis Organizer - complete this before you type up your final analysis, and attach to your finished copy.

SOAPSTone Example

New York Times Review of The Things They Carried - this is a great example of a critical analysis! Make sure you read the entire article (it's about two pages).

Freshmen - Wednesday and Thursday, December 10-11, 2008

After our warm up today, we went over another literary term (oxymoron) and discussed various examples. Don't forget to add that to your organizer if you were absent! Afterwards, you split into groups and had small group discussions on the reading from the last few days, as well as some corresponding questions that I gave you, and then each group shared what they had done. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and couldn't continue working on your name collages =( , but we will hopefully finish up with them later on next week. If you didn't complete the guided reading questions from yesterday, please be sure to do so and get those to me by Friday.

Modern Lit. - Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Today was spent finishing up the video "1968" and completing the corresponding film questions. View these questions by scrolling down to Monday's post and clicking the link. We will be discussing them in class on Tuesday. REMEMBER, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12 IS THE LAST DAY TO TURN IN ANY MAKE UP WORK. NO EXCEPTIONS. Also, please note: below is an updated calendar that reflects the minor changes that have been made to the schedule. Don't forget: There will be a quiz on Friday that will cover up to page 218 in the book!

Schedule and Calendar for December 1-18

Freshmen - Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Today after our warm up, we started going over the literary terms focus lessons to help prepare you for your final. Download a copy of the Lit. Terms Graphic Organizer for The House on Mango Street below, review the Power Point, and fill out the information in the organizer. You need to find examples of these literary terms in your book, which might require you to look at past chapters, and briefly explain how your example demonstrates that term. See me if you have any questions. We also spent some time going over the reading and discussing important themes. For homework, please read pages 65-81 and download the Guided Reading 3 Questions here, and turn in on block day.

Literary Terms Graphic Organizer

Guided Reading Questions #3

Literary Terms Focus Lessons Power Point

Juniors - Monday, December 8, 2008

Today we briefly discussed the reading from the last few days and will continue to do so for the rest of the week. We spent most of the time discussing the reading questions from "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," which we didn't really get a chance to go over much. See the discussion questions by scrolling down to the Friday, Dec. 5 post and clicking on the link (make sure you are familiar with these as they might appear on your next quiz!) The rest of the period was spent discussing cultural revolution and watching the video "1968," which we will finish on Tuesday. We are going to talk a bit about what was happening in America during the Vietnam War, and what affect these events had on our history and our collective consciousness as a society. I asked you to keep in mind the essential questions that we are examining for this unit as you watch the video. You also need to answer some video questions, so if you were absent, you need to make an appointment with me to view it. Download the questions by clicking the link below. For homework tonight, please read pages 155-178.

PLEASE NOTE: There has been a change to the calendar/schedule. The song/sonwriter profile assignment has been removed and will not be assigned. We don't have time! =( Just make sure you are caught up with your reading, as you will have a quiz on Friday that will cover up to page 218.

"1968" Video Questions

English 9 - Monday, December 8, 2008

Today we dove back into The House on Mango Street, after remaining on hold for a bit because of We the People. After our warm up, we briefly discussed the last reading assignment, reviewed some themes and stories, and also went over the calendar and schedule for the next two weeks leading up to break. You will recieve hard copies of this calendar in class tomorrow, but you may also download one by clicking the link below. We then had a review of the characteristics of Sandra Cisneros' style, and you completed the vignette assignment in class (the one we had started two weeks ago), due tomorrow. You must write a brief vignette, on any subject you'd like, that imitates Cisneros' style and voice. For homework, please read pages 46-61.

Calendar and Schedule for Dec.8-18

Friday, December 5, 2008

Today we had a guest speaker come and talk to our class about his experiences in the Vietnam War, who happens to be my dad, Dave Alvarez. He was drafted into the war in 1965, and served as Military Police and a helicopter gunner for the Air Force from 1967-1969. He brought in several pictures that he took while he was there and recounted many stories about the land of Vietnam, his travels, training, combat experiences, and also answered many of your questions. I was very impressed by some of the great questions that many of you asked! For homework, please consult your calendar and finish the reading assignment for the weekend. Also, please download the discussion questions for "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" and answer them on a separate sheet of paper. We will be going over the reading from the last few days on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Discussion Questions "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong"

Congratulations Freshmen!!

Congratulations to Ms. Cody's and Ms. Alvarez' Integrated English/Government classes for taking FIRST AND SECOND PLACE at the We the People competition on Thursday!! I am so proud of all of you, and I was truly blown away by your confidence, poise, great public speaking, and stellar performances. Congratulations to all of you for all of your hard work!

Modern Lit. - Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 3 & 4

Block days this week were spent in the computer lab working on an in-class assignment that examines American involvement in wars throughout history. Groups were assigned a specific war, and you were asked to locate various kinds of information pertaining to that war, such as the causes of the conflict, reasons for American involvement, any controversy that surrounded either. Pairs then created a one-page write up that explains the conflict, and compared their assigned war to Vietnam. What common themes were noticed? Similarities/differences? How does O'Brien's depiction of the Vietnam War affect your thinking about other wars, if at all? If you were absent, please download the assignment sheet, choose one of the wars indicated on the assignment, and do a little research. Turn in a one page explanation as soon as possible. For homework, please read pages 117-134 by Friday. Also, your SOAPSTONE Analysis assignment #1 is due on Friday at the beginning of class. NO LATER.

Origins of War Research Assignment

IMPORTANT!! If you did not recieve one in class, download one here:
Schedule and Calendar for December 1 - December 19

Freshmen - Wednesday & Thursday, Dec. 4 & 5

We The People!!! Finally!!! Good Luck to all of you!!!

Juniors - Tuesday, December 2

Today we started the day with an activity centered around finding textual examples of the many themes of the The Things They Carried. Three themes that we discussed were: the fear of shame or showing weakness, physical and emotional burdens, and the idea of "truth" and its place in storytelling. These themes were posted on the wall, and for twenty minutes you worked independently to find examples in the text that represent or embody each theme. Your recorded these quotes on sticky notes along with a few sentences of explanation, and then posted your note under each corresponding theme. After everyone was finished, you went back and read the other responses. This should give you a good supply of textual evidence to use for your next assignment as well as your assessment. Following this activity, we went over your next assignment, which is due on Friday. Please click the link below for the assignment sheet, and be sure to read carefully. You will be writing a S.O.A.P.S.TONE analysis of one story from the book (see me and/or refer to the assignment sheet if you have any questions). This needs to be a minimum of six paragraphs (one paragraph for each element of SOAPSTONE) and must contain at least one piece of textual evidence for each paragraph. This is a "practice" assignment to prepare you for the assessment, but it is also a graded one (40 points), so don't slack on this. It is due at the beginning of the class on Friday, December 5th. The end of the semester is coming up quickly, so be sure to stay caught up! For homework tonight, please read pages 89-116, "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong", by block day.

SOAPSTONE Analysis Assignment 1

Modern Lit. - Monday, December 1, 2008

Welcome back from break - I hope you all had a great few days off! The next three weeks are going to be VERY BUSY, so be prepared to work hard and do a lot of reading. Over break, you needed to read "How to Tell a True War Story" in The Things They Carried. I completely forgot to post the discussion questions last week (sorry!), but that's alright, since we tackled them in class today. Today, the class got into four groups. Each group was given a set of discussion questions. You went over them in your groups, recorded your responses, and also found relevant quotes to support your answers. After everyone was done, we went around to each group and shared your answers. See the discussion questions by clicking the link below. If you were absent, please choose a set of discussion questions, write down your responses, and choose one quote from the text that you feel best embodies the questions and your responses. Turn in to me as soon as you return, as this was a graded assignment, and also some of these questions will appear on a future quiz. For homework, please read "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," pages 89-116, by block day.

"How to Tell a True War Story" Group Discussion Questions

English 9 - Monday, December 1, 2008

I hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving break and hopefully you were able to get a little R&R. The next three weeks are going to be VERY busy as we prepare for the end of semester. Until We the People, which takes place this Wednesday and Thursday, we will be using our class time on Monday and Tuesday to practice and put the finishing touches on your opening statements and responses to the follow up questions. In the meantime, it would be helpful for all of you to go back over the material for The House on Mango Street so that you don't feel lost when we pick it up again.

Modern Literature - Monday, November 24, 2008

Today, after a few minutes of review and reading time, you took the first quiz on The Things They Carried. If you were absent, please see me as soon as possible to make an appointment to take this quiz. Over Thanksgiving break, please read the story/chapter "How to Tell a True War Story" and answer the Guided Reading questions as you go (as well as the vocab), all of which will be posted on Tuesday. We will be doing an activity with this story as soon as we return to school, and everyone's participation is essential. Have a wonderful break!!! =)

Also, check out this photo essay from TIME Magazine - it is a profile of soldiers in Iraq and the good luck charms that they carry. The article mentions and quotes the book we've been reading, too. What do many of these good luck charms have in common? Why do people carry good luck charms, sentimental objects, and/or talismans? Which ones offer some form or "protection," and which ones offer some sort of "escape"?

Freshmen - Monday and Tuesday, November 24 and 25, 2008

These last two days before we head off for Thanksgiving break are being spent practicing for We The People!! We will not be doing any work with The House on Mango Street for these days, seeing as how your competition is being held right after we return to school and you have a lot to get done! We will be working on perfecting your opening statements and follow up questions, finalizing your research, and practicing good public speaking in preparation for your teams to face the judges. Have a great break, and be ready to fully dive back in to The House on Mango Street when we return.

Juniors - Friday, November 21, 2008

I was unexpectedly absent today, however, you all attended presentations put on by our counselors today regarding graduation requirements, credit recovery, etc. Your homework for over the weekend was given to you by the substitute - Please read through page 66 in The Things They Carried, and also read the supplementary article called "When Boys Will be Jarheads." This is an article about the memoir Jarhead by Anthony Swofford and the movie on which it is based, and it makes some interesting connections to to what we've been reading and discussing. As you read this article, pay attention to any common themes you notice between the Marines' experience in the Gulf War (and Swofford's memoir) and the experiences of Tim O'Brien and his fellow soldiers in The Things They Carried. What is similar? What is different? What does it say about the nature of war and how it influences or enforces our ideas about masculinity? Download a copy below.

When Boys Will Be Jarheads

English 9 - Friday, November 21, 2008

Today I had to miss school unexpectedly, but you all had a very productive day according to the substitute and Ms. Cody. You spent the entire class period with the laptops, working on and revising your opening statements for We The People. On Monday and Tuesday, we will be integrating and spending both days practicing and practicing and revising and practicing for WTP. That being said, there is no homework for The House on Mango Street for now - just stay focused on the upcoming competition and remember what we talked about in class regarding qualities of good public speaking (maintaining eye contact, no monotone voices, no slouching, no "likes" or "ums"!) and backing up your follow up answers with as much evidence as possible!!

Juniors - Wednesday and Thursday, November 19 and 20, 2008

Block days this week were spent doing some grammar and vocabulary work. Instead of a warm up, the class got into pairs and read a de-punctuated version of a passage from the book. Working together, you corrected the passage by inserting the correct punctuation. We also had a brief discussion about how punctuation can affect meaning, and located a few sentences in the text that had multiple correct punctuation options. Then, I gave you the correct version of the passage, and you tallied your correct and incorrect answers. Following this activity, we also did a little work with the vocabulary words from the last Guided Reading assingment (you were also allowed to work in pairs for this). The sheets I gave you had several little graphic organizers called Word Castles (corny name I know, and they don't even look like castles!). You filled out each organizer with your vocab words and came up with synonyms, antonyms, pictures, connections, and sentences for your words. Once you complete them, I will score them and then we will be using these for future activities in the coming weeks. The rest of the period was spent viewing some brief footage from from a news piece on the Vietnam War. What connections can you make between the experiences of the characters in the book and the soldiers being interviewed on the film? What common themes do you see? What can you gather about gender roles and war when watching the interview with the nurse? And lastly, how does the news expose portray the war? Is it trying to garner positive support from the public, or is it trying to be comprehensive in its portrayal of the positives and negatives? By Friday, you need to have read through page 66 in the book (there will be a quiz next week, so get caught up!). Over the weekend, you will need to have read the article "When Boys Will be Jarheads" and be ready to discuss it. For a head start, download the article below.

"When Boys Will Be Jarheads"

English 9 - Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 19 and 20, 2008

For block days this week, our warm up was a little different. I asked you to choose your favorite or most important line from each vignette you read for homework (lines from "Gil's Furniture Bought and Sold," "Meme Ortiz,", "Louie, His Cousin & His Other Cousin," "Marin," "Those Who Don't, and "There Was an Old Woman..."). We then shared these lines aloud and discussed their significance. Then, you got into groups of three and began an exercise that practiced writing paragraphs of literary analysis. You all worked together to create persuasive paragraphs that back up a claim about one of the the stories we've read so far. After filling out the graphic organizer, you created a cohesive, well-written paragraph that analyzes the story and turned them in. Make sure you each have a copy of these paragraphs in your notebook. We will be returning to this exercise again, and when it comes time to write your literary critiques, you will have some ready-made paragraphs to refer to. View the assignment by clicking the link below. The rest of the time in class was spent discussing some of the key elements of Sandra Cisneros' style and Esperanza's voice. What are some of the patterns you notice? What literary devices does she use? How does Cisneros capture the essence of a young girl? After we listed some of these characteristics on the board, we wrote our own vignettes (imitating Cisneros' style) to add to our name collages, which we will finish working on next week. For homework, please finish your vignette (and type it) if you didn't complete it in class, and turn in on Monday. Also, please read pages 31-45 by Friday (there might be a quiz). As you read, pay attention to the subtle statements Esperanza makes about racism, racial discrimination, and gender. Pick out some quotes that might convey these ideas. What do these things say about the world she lives in, and how does it affect her sense of self?

Delve-In Response Graphic Organizer for Literary Analysis

Juniors - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Today, after our warm up (which asked you to analyze a passage from the story "Spin,") we finished up going over our discussion questions from yesterday. I also showed you a short, 15-minute film called "Inja" that deals with what we talked about yesterday - the idea that cruelty can perpetuate itself and that it can come back to us. This film takes place in South Africa, but makes several connections to the short story "Spin" and the notion of relativity that we dealt with in our warm up. To view this film, click here. The last fifteen minutes of class were spent doing some guided in-class reading. For homework, please read the story "On the Rainy River" (pages 39-60) by block day and complete the guided reading questions, available for download below.

Guided Reading 2 11.18

Freshmen - Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Today after our warm up, we discussed the guiding reading questions from Monday and turned them in. We also went over some important quotes that we've seen so far and used them to address some of our essential questions for this unit. We also discussed Esperanza's effectiveness as a narrator, and what the style and structure of these stories reveals about Esperanza's character. You also had a short amount of time for in-class reading. For homework, please read to page 30 by block day.

Modern Literature - Monday, November 17, 2008

Today, our warm up dealt with the following questions: does cruelty beget (cause) more cruelty? In other words, does immoral behavior breed more immoral behavior? Does it come back to us? Also, does war make cruelty "okay" or acceptable in most cases? Why or why not? After responding to these questions in writing, some of you shared your responses and we discussed them as a group. Keep these questions in mind as you read, as we will be returning to them later. Next, we discussed some questions for the reading assignments from the weekend, as well as an article from today's paper, which are available for download below. We will continue with these on Tuesday in a group activity, but these discussion questions are helpful to keep in mind as you read, and might appear in the future on a quiz...No reading assignment tonight - just make sure you are caught up and have read the first three stories in the book ("The Things They Carried," "Love," and "Spin").

Discussion Questions 1

Discussion Questions for "Love" and "Spin"

Article from the Boulder Daily Camera about missing Marine Lance Hering (we discussed this when talking about the passage on pages 19 and 21)

English 9 - Monday, November 17, 2008

Today, after a quick warm up, I went over the requirements for the dialectical journal assignment (if you were absent, see me ASAP for instructions and an example). You may create this journal (in two column note format) on plain notebook paper, or you can download a template below and use that. We also had a quick discussion about the book, followed by some in-class reading time. For homework, please read pages 3-18 (the first seven vignettes) and complete the Guided Reading questions below to hand in on Tuesday.

Dialectical Journal template

Guided Reading Questions 11.17

Juniors - Friday, November 14, 2008

Today, we briefly discussed the first story in The Things They Carried - the conflict between being human and being a soldier, the tangible versus intangible "weight" that each character carried with them, and what was revealed about each character through descriptions of what they carry. What might this first story reveal about O'Brien's experience and thoughts on the war? We'll talk more about this story on Monday. We also viewed a Power Point - a brief overview of the Vietnam War and how the United States originally became involved - and took some notes. If you were absent, please fill out the Vietnam Overview Notes sheet and turn in to me. Also, please hand in the Guided Reading 1 assignment and the creative writing we did in class.

For homework, please read the stories "Love" and "Spin" (pages 27-38) and be ready to discuss on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Vietnam Overview Notes Organizer (complete and turn in after viewing the power point)

Power Point (scroll past all of the intro stuff until you get to the slide titled "A Brief Overview of the Vietnam War"

Freshmen - Friday, November 14, 2008

Happy Friday! Today we officially started our new unit by going over an introductory Power Point. I handed out your books and we also did a fun pre-reading activity...Period 2 did a bit of creative writing, and Period 3 began working on some name collages after we read a vignette from the book called "My Name." No homework this weekend, but be ready to dive in full speed next week!

The House on Mango Street Intro Power Point

Modern Lit. - Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 12 -13

Block days this week were spent getting familiar with our next unit, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, a book of related short stories about the Vietnam War. I went over Part 1 of the introduction power point (view by clicking the link below). We will carry on with the second part of this power point on Friday or Monday, which is an overview of the Vietnam War. We also completed a creative writing activity in class today, followed by some reading time. If you were absent, please click on the assignment below and turn in to me as soon as possible. Also, if you would like to download a template for the dialectical journal, you may do so below.

For homework, please read the first story (titled "The Things They Carried"), pages 1-26, by Friday and complete the Guided Reading 1. Be sure to read the instructions!

The Things They Carried Intro Power Point
Creative Writing Pre-Reading Assignment
Guided Reading 1
Dialectical Journal Template

English 9 - Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 12 and 13

Block day this week was spent finishing up the film Freedom Writers. If you liked the movie, I urge you to read the book on which the movie is based, The Freedom Writer's Diary. It is a collection of the actual journal entries written by Ms. Gruwell and her students, and it's great! We also began our next unit - The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. View the Intro Power Point by clicking here. No homework tonight, you will get assigned a book and will start reading it on Friday.

www.freedomwritersfoundation.org

Juniors - Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy Monday! It's a happy Monday because we don't have school tomorrow. In honor of Veteran's Day, please just take a few minutes out of your day tomorrow to appreciate those who have sacrificed so much for our country. Today you turned in your final drafts of your editorials and I can't wait to read them! We also continued watching Fahrenheit 9/11. I asked you to watch out for Michael Moore's use of testimony to support his argument - why does he choose to interview the people he does? What is it about these testimonies support his argument? Are there any inconsistencies or weak parts of the argument as a result of this use of testimony? Pay close attention to this film, as we will be talking about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the Vietnam War, in our next unit. Enjoy your day off tomorrow! =)

Freshmen - Monday, November 10, 2008

Today is a Monday, but it's almost like a Friday since we don't have school tomorrow! Today you worked in your "We the People" groups for Government and held a writer's workshop on your rough drafts. Instead of working on them in your own groups, you traded with another group and offered feedback on thier drafts. Remember, these opening statements are a very important piece of the We the People competition, and they need to be good! Don't forget: These are due to Ms. Cody on Wednesday!

In honor of Veteran's Day, while you are enjoying your day off tomorrow, please take a brief moment to pay homage to those who have fought (and are fighting) for our country!

Juniors - Friday, November 7

Today I met with several of you individually to go over your rough drafts and help you with any issues you're having with your writing. In the meantime, we continued with Fahrenheit 9/11. Remember, your final drafts are due Monday!! If you have any questions, concerns, or would like some last minute feedback on your drafts, please email me at megan.l.alvarez@adams12.org over the weekend, and I will be happy to help you. If you are going to post to turnitin.com over the weekend and need instructions (and in case you lost the sheet I gave you in class on Thursday) you can download one. Scroll down to Thursday's post and you will find the link there. Have a super duper weekend and don't get arrested! =)

Freshmen - Friday, November 7

Today you all turned in your writing portfolios, which I am so excited to read!!! You all worked very hard and I'm proud of you! Some of you chose to share some of your writing with the class today, which was great, and then we finished out the week by starting the film Freedom Writers. This a great movie (the book is still way better...) that just proves just how important the power of the written word can be. Writing is powerful and can not only help you deal with issues in your life or provide a creative outlet, but the practice of writing also has the power to affect change in the world. The true story described in the film is a testament to that. Have a great weekend and be ready to start a new unit next week. REMEMBER, BRING IN A COPY OF YOUR ROUGH DRAFT OPENING STATEMENTS "WE THE PEOPLE" - WE WILL BE WORKING ON THEM IN CLASS ON MONDAY!!!

Modern Lit. - Thursday, November 6, 2008

Today we spent most of the period talking about election stuff, wrapping up our unit, discussing plans for next week, and conferencing with a few of you about your rough drafts. We also went over the instructions for Turnitin.com, the website that you will be uploading your drafts to by next Wednesday. Your final drafts of you editorials are due on Monday, but before I release your grade you MUST upload your assignment to this website. Click on the link below for detailed instructions. We also spent some time continuing with the film Fahrenheit 9/11 and thinking about Moore's use of persuasive strategy.

Turnitin.com Instructions

English 9 - Thursday, Nov.6, 2008

Today we wrapped up our creative writing unit by completing a Self Assessment and Unit Reflection. The rest of the time was spent decorating covers for your portfolios and having some last minute, in class work time. If you were absent, please complete the two assignments below and hand them in to me as soon as possible, as they are worth points.

Self Assessment

Unit Reflection

Juniors - Tuesday, November 4, 2008

ELECTION DAY! Woo hoo! This a very exciting day (and a relief since we won't have to suffer through the campaign commercials anymore...) Today, we spent the day in the computer lab for your last work day before your editorials are due. During that time, you need to complete a sentence audit (download below) on your drafts. I also handed out a list of helpful transition terms, an editing and revising checklist, and also a list of good descriptive words that some of you requested. Download below. Please bring your drafts to class for the rest of the week - we will be working on them in class on Thursday and Friday.

Please note: Due to PLAN/EXPLORE testing, you don't have school on Wednesday.

Sentence Audit

Editing and Revising Checklist

Transitional Phrases list

Freshmen - Tuesday, November 4, 2008

ELECTION DAY!!! FINALLY! This is a historic, exciting election and I hope you all pay attention as it unfolds. Today, we spent the period in the computer lab. This was your last in-class day to work on your drafts and conference with me - I will be coming around and talking to each of you one on one about your writing and helping you with any last minute questions. Your portfolios are due on Friday and I can't wait to read them!!
Your portfolio should include:
3 polished, final drafts of your writing that reflect three different genres
3 Writer's Memos (for an example, click here)
3 Rough drafts that reflect revision and editing
Peer Response sheets from the Writer's Workshop



Please note: Wednesday, November 5 is PLAN/EXPLORE testing, so you will not be attending your normal classes. We will meet again on Thursday.

Juniors - Monday, November 3, 2008

Today I had to attend a training session here at MRHS, so we had a substitute come in who was nice enough to put on a video for you. I originally had something else planned for all of you today, but I chose to show you the 2007 documentary "Darfur Now" instead. The reason I chose to do this was due to the realization from our class activity last week that many of you were unaware of the crisis happening in Darfur. This is too important as issue for me to pass up an opportunity to give you some more information about Sudan, the genocide that is still happening, and the plight of the refugees who have been displaced from their homes. While watching the video I asked you to complete a "3-2-1": Write down 3 things you learned, 2 aspects of the documentary that stuck in your mind, and 1 question that you had. This was turned in at the end of class for a participation grade. If you were absent, please complete this same assignment by visiting the websites below, reading the info that they provide, and watching the videos that are contained on the websites. I am posting these for everyone, however, in case you would like more information or some resources to help get you involved. PLEASE NOTE: YOUR ROUGH DRAFTS OF YOUR EDITORIALS ARE DUE TODAY, NO LATER. THESE DRAFTS ARE GRADED. THOSE WITH UNEXCUSED ABSENCES WILL RECIEVE A ZERO ON THIS ASSIGNMENT. IF YOU HAVE AN EXCUSED ABSENCE, YOU MUST TURN IT IN THE DAY YOU RETURN. FINAL DRAFT IS DUE MONDAY, 11/10.

SaveDarfur.org

CNN.com - News and Video about Darfur

24HoursforDarfur.org

Freshmen - Monday, November 3, 2008

Today I had to attend a training in the building all day, so Periods 2 and 3 had a substitute come and help out while you finished up your workshops. From what I heard, you all did a great job and were able to finish up! Hopefully, this was a helpful experience for you and I hope that you gained some valuable feedback from your peers. I asked that you turn in one or two of your three total drafts that you need the most help on. I will take the drafts home Monday night, read them, record my feedback in a conference record, and meet with you Tuesday and Thursday individually to address your needs. Tuesday, we will meet in the computer lab so you can start weeding through your drafts, looking over the feedback you recieved, and begin working on your final drafts. Here is a brief outline of the upcoming week:

TUESDAY - Teacher conference and lab time

WEDNESDAY - No classes; PLAN and EXPLORE testing

THURSDAY - No block schedule: follow your 1-8 schedule today. Continue conference time, complete self assessment and unit reflection.

FRIDAY - PORTFOLIOS DUE! YIPEEE! Your portfolios must consist of the following: Three polished, final drafts, each of different genre, three writer's memos (see your rubric for more info. For an example, view one of mine by clicking here), three rough drafts that show revision and editing. Also, please attach a nice cover page with your name, period, date, and anything else you want to add. I love pretty portfolio covers!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Even though you don't have to school today, in the spirit of Halloween I thought I would post one of my favorite Halloween stories here for your enjoyment. What are your favorite Halloween stories? Please post them here!


Us and Them by David Sedaris




This is a list of others that I love:
1. Bunnicula by Deborah Howe
2. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
3. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
4. The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
5. The Witches by Roald Dahl

Wednesday and Thursday, October 29 and 30, 2008

Per your requests on your unit feedback cards from Monday, and also to familiarize you with the rubric I will be using to assess your writing, our block days this week were spent doing an activity with various student models of persuasive writing concerning various issues. Click on the links below to view these examples. Each example was placed in a "station," and everyone traveled to each station around the room, read the example, and evaluated each for the quality of argument, effective (or non-effective) use of persuasive strategies, and also scored each piece with your Six Traits rubric. Each article response was recorded on an index card and turned in at the end of the period. This was a graded activity, so if you were absent you must see me as soon as possible to make up this assignment. The remainder of the period was spent watching some video clips from Michael Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11. Michael Moore is a very controversial filmmaker and also not shy about his political views. We briefly discussed how our individual experience, background, and belief systems can powerfully influence how we are persuaded and also how we attempt to persuade others. As we watched the clips, I asked you to consider what persuasive strategies Moore uses in his film and whether or not they are effective. How might two people with opposing political views view this film? Also, take note of where he appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos. Next week if we have time, we will view the "other side" of Moore's argument - the film that was made in response to Fahrenheit 9/11.

REMEMBER, YOUR FIRST DRAFT OF YOUR EDITORIAL IS DUE ON MONDAY! Enjoy the long weekend!! =)

Student Models:
Go Veggie With Style
Darfur
Is your [Sex] Education Adequate?
Legalizing Gay Marriage
So High School Sucked...
Meaty Facts

Freshmen - Wednesday and Thursday, October 29 and 30, 2008

Block days this week were spent beginning our first Writer's Workshop. First of all, I must say that I was incredibly impressed with your diligent work and participation as well as the detailed feedback that you gave your peers. You all did a fantastic job. If you were absent, please see me ASAP so we can figure out a make-up assignment since the workshop is a substantial part of your grade for this unit. Please view the Writer's Workshop PowerPoint for important guidelines. You will be picking up where you left off on Monday.

Writer's Workshop PowerPoint

Juniors - Tuesday, October 28

Today we finished up discussing the Marilyn Manson article that we read on Monday and went over some more examples of how tone and word choice can influence how persuasive a writer can be. The rest of the period was spent doing an in class activity that was turned in at the end of the period. Small groups each chose a piece of persuasive writing that we've done in class so far and completed an Argument Organizer to break down the argument that the writer is making and to identify all the forms of evidence that is used to back up the claim. Groups that did not finish: please turn this in no later than Thursday. REMINDER: please remember, your first drafts of your editorials are due on Monday. No later.

English 9 - Tuesday, October 28

Today, as a warm up, you wrote me a mid-unit "check in" that addressed the following questions: What troubles, concerns, weaknesses, or questions do you have about your writing? What do you feel you need to work on? What do you think are your strengths as a writer? What is working and not working for you so far in this unit? These little pieces of feedback will help me (and hopefully you too) during our conferences next week when I meet with you all individually. Next, we went over the rubrics again that were handed out on Monday (scroll down to Monday's post and download copies there if you need them). To further familiarize you with the Six Traits rubric, we read a student example of a personal narrative, got into small groups and scored the piece using the rubric. Afterwards, we discussed our results, explained why groups scored it the way they did, and also examined some of the discrepancies in the scoring (for example, one group might have given the essay a "2" for Ideas and Content, and another might have given it a score of "4"). We talked about why that was, and what the writer could have done differently in the piece to improve scores in any of the traits. You will be doing a self assessment on two of your pieces in which you will be scoring yourself with this rubric, so make sure to be familiar with it! REMEMBER, BLOCK DAYS THIS WEEK ARE WRITING WORKSHOP. BRING IN YOUR DRAFTS AND BE READY TO PARTICIPATE!

I read this quote recently and loved it. So I'm sharing it with you! Please feel free to respond by posting a comment.

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark would burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time. "
~Jack London

Modern Lit. - Monday, October 27, 2008

Today, our editorial of the day was "Columbine: Who's Fault is it?" by Marilyn Manson (yes, the famous and sometimes creepy shock rocker). This was written in 1999 in the months after the Columbine High School shootings. Since this is the "oldest" piece of writing we've read so far in this unit, to give you a bit of background we first watched a short video clip about the Columbine tragedy and discussed the filmmaker's persuasive strategies in conveying information about it. Marilyn Manson was considered somewhat of a scapegoat for the shootings, and was the target of criticism and censorship attempts by several organizations and parent groups that believed his music played a role in influencing Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris to carry out such a violent act. His editorial, published in Rolling Stone magazine, is his response to this criticism. We read and discussed this article for it's quality of argument, his tone, and his widespread use of the three appeals (logos, ethos, pathos), and recorded our responses on the board in columns. We will be doing more with this article on Tuesday, so please hang on to your copy. You can also download it by clicking the link below. For homework, continue collecting information and start writing your rough draft of your own editorial! Also, make sure you have turned in your article activity from last week...those are graded.

"Columbine: Who's Fault Is It?" by Marilyn Manson

English 9 Honors - Monday, Oct. 27, 2008

Today, after a grammar warm up on punctuation (click here to view), we went over the schedule for the next few weeks regarding work time, writer's workshop, drafting, and when your writing porfolios are due. I handed out the rubric for the unit as a whole (download these by clicking the link below) as well as a copy of the Six Traits Writing Rubric, which is what I will be using to grade your final drafts. Below are copies of these rubrics as well as the assignment sheet with relevant due dates, etc. Next, we created "Six Room Image Poems" to help stir up some more ideas. The material from this activity can be turned into a poem or another piece of writing.


For homework, you must do a "Sentence Audit" on two of your three drafts. Download sheet below. This is designed to help you with sentence fluency, one of the Six Traits, and understanding how to construct your sentences for good "flow" to your writing. Choose a section of your draft (it can be the first ten sentences, the last, or any chunk of ten sentences in between) to analyze. Fill out the appropriate boxes of the sentence audit for all ten sentences. Briefly answer the questions on the sheet and fill out the revision plan at the bottom.

Creative Writing Schedule and Checklist for remaining weeks
Portfolio and Workshop Rubric
Six Traits Writing Rubric
Sentence Audit Assignment

Modern Literature - Week of October 20

Missing two days of school last week, unexpectedly, was a little rough on everyone (including me!) So, this week is being known as the "Lost Week" because I was not able to post my usual daily updates and assignments. In an effort to make sure everyone still has access to the material, I will post a brief outline of the week's activitites and homework so that you can all be sure to get caught up. Please see me if you were absent so I can fill you in on the rest.

Friday, 10/17

1. Persuasive Writing Examples of the Day: Lowering the Drinking Age (for and against) followed by discussion

"Lower Drinking Age No Solution to Bingeing"

"Lowering the Drinking Age a Wise Approach"

2. Putting aside your own opinions, who is making the better argument? Why? What are the persuasive strategies these writers are using?

Monday, 10/20

1. Articles of the Day: Being persuasive without directly stating your claim...

"At Poor Schools, Time Stops on the Library Shelves"

"Tuition Hits $26, 000, and in Private School New York, That's Just for Kindergarten"

2. How do these writer's imply thier opinions without directly stating them? (Think word choice, use of evidence and testimony, use of statistics...)

3. Argument Organizer - graphic organizer (we will be using this a few times so make sure you are familiar with it!) - go over briefly as a class.

Tuesday, 10/21

1. Article of the Day: "TV Poker's a Joker" by Rick Reilly and the use of humor and sarcasm in persuasion.

2. Discussion - Reilly's persuasive tactics, word choice, and tone

3. Homework - using the Argument Organizer, go home and dig up a piece of persuasive writing - it can be an editorial out of the newspaper, an essay, a commentary from a magazine, etc. It is up to you, as long as it is a piece of writing that is trying to persuade the reader. Be sure to cite the title, author, and the publication where you found it! Break down the article/editorial/commentary and fill out the Argument Organizer with the required information. Be sure to address each question thoroughly!

Wednesday - Friday, 10/22 - 10/24

1. In computer lab, conducting research on your choice issue for your editorials. Please view the assignment and instructions here and turn in to me as soon as possible, typed or handwritten.

2. For homework, fill out an Argument Organizer with the material you will be using for your editorial/commentary. Use this to plan your writing and get you thinking about how you will use persuasive strategies, evidence, etc...

Please see me if you have any questions! =)

English 9 - Week of October 20th

Well, sometimes life happens and Ms.Alvarez isn't able to update the blog in a timely manner for a few days, resulting in what I am now calling "The Lost Week." Last week was a bit difficult on everyone due to the fact that I missed two days unexpectedly, and a giant kerfuffle ensued. (I love that word. I will always try to make an excuse to use it!) So, in an effort to keep you all updated and caught up despite the "missing" posts from last week, I am going to list very brief outlines of each day with links to all of the material that we covered in class last week. Please see me if you were absent.

Monday 10/20 -
1.Warm up: Be something else (other than human - like an inanimate object or an animal) and write from that perspective.
2.Short story - "A Blue Day" by Becky Gibb (read aloud and discussion)
3.Personal narrative - "The Climb" (student example - independent reading)
4.The "magic camera" in writing - how we can take a snapshot of a scene and describe it using all of the senses to bring the reader in (try this with a piece of your own writing - where can you use a magic camera and zoom in on an image?)

Tuesday, 10/21 -
1. Warm Up: A Turning Point (write about a turning point you have experienced)
2. Short story - "Extenuating Circumstances" by Joyce Carol Oates (pay attention to the use of repetition and run-on sentences - how does this use of 'incorrect grammar' contribute to the voice of the narrator and the overall effect of the piece?)
3. short discussion
4. writing time

Wednesday - Friday, 10/22-10/24
1. In computer lab, working on drafts! Three rough drafts due next week for Writer's Workshop!

So there you have it. Please see me if you have any questions!

English 9 - Friday, October 17

After our warm up today, we spent the entire class period doing some in class writing I like to call "Smelly Writing." The class was split into eight groups. Each group was given a small tupperware container that contained a specific ingredient. Each person had to smell what was inside and write for five minutes on that particular smell (did it remind you of a memory attached to that smell? What do you imagine when you smell this? etc.). After five minutes, the groups passed containers so that each group had a new smell to write about. We did this eight times. The small containers had the following ingredients: grass, dried leaves, sunblock, cinnamon, italian seasoning, honey, dirt, and peanut butter. After we were finished, some people shared some of their writing, and we discussed how the senses (such as smell) can influence our writing and inspire us. Next week, we will be sifting through all of our writing from this last week and begin composing and working on drafts of our three portfolio pieces. On Monday, I will be checking you warm ups, so don't forget to get caught up if need be. Have a great weekend!