English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained literary concepts in autobiography.
We completed the short Angelou piece today, freshmens, and you had time to begin your homework based on the reading.
Here’s more on “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, also known as the Negro National Anthem: The song was featured on an NPR broadcast several years ago as part of a series detailing American cultural icons. After you listen, check out the following videos of two versions of the song, the first by the Soul Children of Chicago and the second by Marvin Gaye’s often-partner Kim Weston’s.
And here’s a video of “Graduation” author Maya Angelou’s reading her poem, “On the Pulse of Morning” at Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. (And here’s the text.)
You have homework. Check details on your class page.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained literary concepts in autobiography.
We continued with “Graduation” today, freshmens, and we discussed a bit about the differences between the “black” and “white” schools in the text and Mr. Donleavy’s expectations of the different groups of students. I asked if expectations of young minority men have changed much since the time of the excerpt. Here’re two texts to read and think over: “Cool-pose culture’ hurts young black men” and “Hip Hop War”.
You’re not required to read the articles, and I know many of you are loathe to do more than required to make the grade, but I heartily encourage you to examine these articles. By engaging them you’ll be connections outside of our text and begin to see how authors work out their ideas in answer to questions posed by our cultural context and how the latter inspires authors’ work.
See you Wednesday for the last day of rigor for the quarter. Friday we’ll meet with your counselors who’ll advise you about registration; bring your independent reading book both Wednesday and Friday.
Peace.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained literary concepts in autobiography.
Freshmens, we began a new short piece today by Maya Angelou. We did with this much as we’ve done in the past, read and listened to the narration and studied the passages closely. These’re familiar tasks and will take us to the end of the quarter. We’ll continue on Monday.
Have a great weekend.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen wrote expository-analytical paragraphs about theme.
You did as the objective states, freshmen, bringing to close our long conversation with creeper William Shakespeare and his obsession with teen love. Well done, boys and girls. We’ll begin to tackle non-fiction next class; it’s time we spent some time in the real world.
See you Friday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen began writing expository-analytical paragraphs about theme.
We reviewed your potential themes for Romeo and Juliet today, freshmen, and it appears that many of you were closer to the target than not. You worked in pairs to work your themes into topic sentences and began searching for evidence to support your argument. You’ll finish your paragraphs next class. Keep looking for evidence over the next couple of days until then, maybe come into tutoring tomorrow and go over some ideas?
Hope to see you then.
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen 1) differentiated between theme and motif, and 2) generated their own themes for movies.
We did as the objective states, freshmen. Remember that a motif is a recurring element, idea, image, et cetera, that appears throughout and/or helps structure a text. A theme is an independent clause (a sentence, a declarative statement), not a single word or phrase, that explains a text’s insight about humanity, culture life, and the world. It’s not a “moral” or a “lesson”, and doesn’t name characters or plot details. We’ll continue to practice this idea for the rest of the school year.
Because of the short period, we were unable to begin the composition as I’d planned, and so we’ll commence writing on Monday. Remember that you should have two of your own themes for Romeo and Juliet then.
Have a great weekend, and if you can’t get to the rodeo, you can enjoy Whiplash the Monkey Cowboy!
Ride Whiplash! Ride like the wind:
Happy Rodeo Days!
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen differentiated between theme and motif.
After your final quiz over Romeo and Juliet, we began preparing for your next writing by discussing the concepts of motif and theme. We listed several of what many might commonly call themes for the play: fate and free will, young love, et cetera, and I argued that these are not themes. I introduced you to motif, or images, events, or ideas that reoccur and inform the theme of a literary or visual. I’ll define theme for you next class and help you apply to your writing.
Remember to bring a paragraph template to class Wednesday.
See you then, kids.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we finished Romeo and Juliet today, finally. You had the opportunity to completed your graphic organizers and your practice questions as well as begin your homework questions. Be mindful of your what’re due Monday; see your class page for details.
See you next week when we’ll begin a brief writing assignment, similar to the last, which you’ll complete Wednesday.
Have a fine weekend.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
We’re racing toward the end of the Tragedy (I say Comedy) of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet has been discovered by the Nurse and she appears dead; Dad Capulet decrees the wedding festivities be turned to funeral proceedings.
Many students are becoming expert at answering questions, some need work, all really should be capable by now, but your progress is as much your dedication and affect as my guidance. We’ll see how things look updated on Friday.
See you then, children.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmens, you turned-in your written work today and we continued with our drama, picking up with act 4. Romeo’s been banished to Mantua, Juliet is to wed Paris Thursd-, no, Wednesday (thanks to Dad Capulet), and Friar Laurence, in his holy honesty, has given Juliet a potion to drink that will make her appear and fool everyone into thinking she’s dead so Romeo can return and wisk her away from Verona. Makes sense, right? Thus Bill Shakespeare.
We’re going to move quickly this week and be done Friday. Pay close attention as we’ll be writing next week.
See you Wednesday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen continued drafting an expository-analytical paragraph.
After some discussion of the morning incident, students worked in their pairs to complete their paragraphs over Romeo and Juliet. You spent more time than I expected drafting, but plenty of questions came up during the activity, mostly from Kody, and which was all right because everybody benefited from the answers. I was particularly pleased that many pairs found themselves having to reevaluate their ideas as they wrote and go back and change some piece of evidence or explanation. More than one group changed their thesis all together, sometimes more than once. It seemed like a lot work for eight measly sentences, but students’ willingness to revise and rethink as they worked demonstrated their maturity, and I appreciate it and you’ll see it pay-off as you grow as writers.
The completed paragraph is due Monday when you cross the threshold of T-12. You must have a completed template and your paragraph rewritten in blue or black ink on class-standard paper; remember to skip lines.
See you Monday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen began drafting an expository-analytical paragraph about character and plot.
Freshmen, in our short time together today, we reviewed the Ideas, Organization, and Conventions traits of the rubric we all know and love, and then we commenced writing. In pairs you identified the main problem Romeo and Juliet face and looked over the text for evidence to support your argument. You’ll complete writing next class, and we’ll begin act 4. We’ll be done with the play next week.
See you Friday, children.
English 9 Class Notes
Objective: Freshmen began brainstorming ideas for an expository-analytical paragraph.
Freshmens, we began discussing in earnest discussing the last study question I gave you over Romeo and Juliet that related to the two characters’ decisions and their consequences. I relayed to you the “fate” motif that’s informed this play since the advent of Shakespearean criticism, and this turned into an interesting discussion of (what boiled down to) free-will and determinsim, that is, do we make our own choices in life or are our choices an illusion, the mere result of a series of causal events that stretch back to the first cause. This is fun stuff, the kind of thing that I often discuss with my advanced students, and certainly relevant to our discussion of the play.
On Wednesday, you’ll begin drafting a two-chunk paragraph in which you explain and analyze the action of the play so far through the free-actions or determined-inactions of its eponymous characters.
See you in a couple of days.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
We completed the third act of our drama today, children. It’s been slow going, but it’s worth it to get a full understanding of the play by Shakespeare. After we read, watched, and discussed your in-class work, you had time to finish your homework for turn-in. Those that finished were able to do some silent reading on their. I’ll quiz you on Monday, and we’ll begin some writing before we head into the last two acts of the play.
Have a great weekend and enjoy the game on Sunday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we continued with the third act of our drama today. We saw Romeo and Juliet breakdown after the events of the day, and we saw the betrothal of Juliet to Paris (unbeknown to the former, as of yet). We’ll finish the act Friday; until then, you have practice questions and homework questions to complete, both sets of which will help you with your quiz over the action of this portion of the play.
See you in a couple of days.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we picked up the third act of the play today, just after Romeo and Juliet are married (having known each other less than 24 hours) when the trouble between the Capulets and Montagues comes to its final boiling point in the streets of Verona. Tybalt and Mercutio goad each other to swords, but the latter is killed by the former when Romeo intervenes to stop fight. Then Romeo avenges his friend by taking up arms against Tybalt and killing him and this results in his banishment from Verona by Escalus.
We’re not even halfway through the play, boys and girls, but we’ll continue next class. Until then, more clips; the first picks up just as Romeo has entered and stalled the dispute between Mercutio and Tybalt. We’ll watch the teleplay version when we see each other again.
I’ll see you next time.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we did some review work on the second act of our drama over which I quizzed you. You turned-in your work and we watched and discussed the important points of act 2. To summarize the action so far, after Romeo and Juliet pledge their “love” the night before, they arrange to be and are married the next day. This is only a day after Romeo was despairing over Rosaline. That was Sunday, and the title characters are married early Monday afternoon, roughly.
Here’s Franco Zeffirelli’s vision of act 2, scene 4:
Remember to bring the Chain of Events graphic organizer with you next class.
Have a great weekend.
English 9 Class Notes
In my absence today, boys and girls, you were to have finished the second act of Romeo and Juliet on your own. I expected it to be a challenging task, and to encourage your best efforts I promised a quiz over. You should be fine: We’ve already covered the first three scenes, leaving you responsible for only one scene of moderate length and two brief scenes. Read critically and work carefully and you should be fine.
See you Friday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we continued Romeo and Juliet today, and, with some difficulty, worked our way through scene 3 of act 2 in which the friar chides Romeo and then agrees to marry him to Juliet (but for his own reasons).
I found clips of Mercutio’s Queen Mab speech from act 1 and Romeo and Juliet’s (stomach-turning) balcony scene in act 2, both from Franco Zeffirelli’s film of the play. Compare them to the scenes as we’ve viewed them from the 1976 teleplay; in what ways are they similar, and in what other ways are they different?
See you Wednesday.
English 9 Class Notes
Objectives: Freshmen identified and explained plot, character, setting, and figurative language in a drama.
Freshmen, we reviewed the first act of our drama today, compared the characters of Benvolio and Tybalt (and I included some ribald information about the latter’s name), and I quizzed you. Instead of reading and listening as we began the second act, we tried watching and reading: We watch the teleplay production while you read along and I stopped frequently to check your understanding and help clarify the action. We only got to the end of the second scene, but taking our time was worth it, I think, to comprehend perhaps the most famous scene in Western drama.
No homework. Have a fine weekend.