November 30

We reviewed the structure of a persuasive essay, and students wrote their last persuasive essay before the STAAR test next week. Tomorrow, students will decide which essay (between this essay and the one from before Thanksgiving break) they would like to submit as a major grade.

essay structure & prewriting options

Students who finished before the end of class had time to complete the STAAR practice from yesterday or read. 

Today's Board

November 28

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Article of the Week - "Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away" (Bonus - A professor's perspective)

Cartoon from The New York Times

Students reread Antigone's speech from Scene 2 and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and completed a SOAPSTone analysis.

Today's Board

I will be out tomorrow, so students will be completing a practice STAAR test. We'll go over this when I return and look at commonly missed questions.

November 27

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: What if your government declared you the enemy? Read page 952 and write a response in your notebook.

page 952

Students read an excerpt from Farewell to Manzanar and tracked cultural characteristics. We discussed how the story is similar to Antigone.

Today's Board

Week-at-a-Glance

November 17

We had a few groups who needed to present their Antigone scenes. Students did a really good job on this project!

We continued watching Bend It Like Beckham, looking for similar conflicts as we saw in Antigone.

Homework: READ! And have a great Thanksgiving break!

Not much on the board today, so here's a cartoon from one of my favorites, Liz Climo.

November 16

Students wrote a persuasive essay inspired by Antigone. Absent students should plan to attend tutorials A block Tuesday, 11/28, to complete this assignment.

Today's Board

November 15

Students had 20 minutes at the beginning of class to practice their scenes before presenting to the class. Second period has 2 groups that will present on Friday, and 4th period has a few groups who still need to present, also.

Tomorrow, students will write a persuasive essay inspired by Antigone. We reviewed the outline for a persuasive essay. Students will be allowed to use their notes and writer's notebooks as they write.

Outline review

Our big question this semester is "How do texts connect the human experience across time and culture?" We discussed 4 conflicts in Antigone (conflicts caused by society's expectations, conflicts caused by youth, conflicts caused by gender, and conflicts caused by family). We began watching Bend It Like Beckham to compare and contrast the same conflicts. We will finish the film on Friday.

Today's Board (we did not have IRT or a notebook entry today)

November 14

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: What is the difference between what is right and what is fair?

Students used the remaining class time to plan their scenes, write their scripts, and practice their presentations. We will begin presenting tomorrow!

Today's Board

November 13

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Are there present-day rules or laws that you feel are unjust? What laws would you like to see changed and why? What are some ways to protest an unjust law?

Students worked in groups to create a scene to add to Antigone. I hope to start these presentations on Wednesday! (Mrs. Nickerson stayed with 4th period today so I could leave early for an appointment.)

Today's Board

Week-at-a-Glance

November 10

Students have a substitute today.

Today's Board

November 9

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Outside Entry

We recapped our reading of Antigone yesterday and finished the literary devices page in the packet. Students then worked with their groups to find allusions in Scene 4 and Ode 4 and to apply elements of the tragic hero to Creon and Antigone. Students handed in the packet before the end of class.

Students will spend the next few days creating a scene to add to the play. They will present their scenes to the class on Wednesday.

Students will have a substitute tomorrow, and we're on a weird schedule because of the Veteran's Day assembly during 2nd period and pep rally at the end of the day. I'll still post a recap of the day.

Today's Board

November 8

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Some people believe that there is no such thing as a truly unselfish act, that even when we do something to help others, we're seeking glory and satisfaction for ourselves. What do you think?

We finished reading Antigone (Scene 4, Scene 5, Paean, and Exodos) today! We will complete the packet tomorrow before handing it in.

Students will begin working on a group project tomorrow, so they spent some time deciding whom they would like to work with.

Today's Board

November 7

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: "If I am young, and right, what does my age matter?" - Haemon // Discuss this question in your entry today. You may choose to apply it to your own life instead of what Haemon is experiencing.

Students completed a Greek roots quiz today.

We recapped and analyzed Scene 3 of Antigone then read Ode 3. We *will* finish reading tomorrow!

Today's Board

November 6

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Choice--Reflect on / respond to news about yesterday's shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas; or write about whatever is on your mind.

We calculated our reading rate for the book we're currently reading. Here's the formula (the numbers in color represent my book and rate; students should use their own information to calculate).

Reading Rate Formula

Students received notes about stichomythia and looked for more examples in our reading. We recapped Scene 2 of Antigone and filled in literary devices. We read Scene 3--we'll begin this analysis tomorrow.

I shared a few more words with Greek roots to remind students about tomorrow's quiz. Don't forget your iPad!

Today's Board

Week-at-a-Glance

November 3

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Outside entry

We continued reading and analyzing Antigone, concentrating on Ode 1 and Scene 2 today.

Greek roots quiz on Tuesday! Bring your iPad!

Today's Board

November 2

IRT: ~20 minutes
WNB: Recall your most and least important values from the last two entries. How could those two ideas come into conflict with one another?

We reviewed the Greek roots handout and looked at some sample quiz questions.

We recapped Scene 1 and took some time to finish up the analysis charts for the Prologue and Parados and began the Scene 1 chart.

Today's Board (We did not read Ode 1 today.)

November 1

IRT: 20 minutes
WNB: Of these five values (loyalty to family, obedience to local and national laws, observance of religious beliefs and customs, following your own conscience, achieving respect and recognition), which one do you believe is least important? Explain your response.

Antigone: We recapped the Prologue and analysis from yesterday. We read and analyzed tone in the Parados. We read Scene 1 and will begin the analysis tomorrow.

Students will have a quiz over Greek roots on Tuesday, 11/7.

Today's Board