Class Recap TW Sept. 19/20

Today we held the second meeting of our Book Club. Students read the second third of their group-selected novel and completed a series of literary analysis exercises.

During the second half of the period, we broke in to "tribes" and started planning how to perform and teach the creation myth selected by the group.

HOMEWORK: Study for vocabulary test. Finish Book Club packet including illustration of a specific scene in the second third of the novel.

Class Recap M 9/18

We started work today on two of the tasks on the Unit Worklist:

_____2. Research creation myths from various cultures, either from books provided in my class, the library, or any credible internet source. In your group, share the myth you like, listen to other group members’ choices, then decide on a myth that your group would like to analyze, interpret, perform, and teach.

_____3. Write a focused journal entry based on the myth your group has chosen. Follow the rubric and consider the graphic organizer as you read, discuss, and analyze this myth. Turn in your myth journal for my comments before you begin to plan your presentation. (Each student will turn in his or her own journal entry based on this myth.)

Each tribe chose their myth and analyzed and interpreted it together. They will have more time in class this week to plan their presentations for showing the class on Friday and Monday.

HOMEWORK: Complete journal entry. Read second third of book for Book Club.

Class Recap TF Sept. 14 and 15

To start, we had a quiz on Lesson 1 in the Vocabulary packet handed out last week. Students were expected to have completed the exercises for Lesson 1 and have thoroughly studied the fifteen words on the first page. (Unfortunately, the number of prepared students was not high...)

I next handed out a packet with information on writing citations using the MLA format and we reviewed how to cite works used.

Lastly, using a graphic organizer, we plotted the Book of Genesis for themes, symbolism, and other literary devices.

HOMEWORK: For TF the 21 or 22, complete the exercises for Lesson 2 in the "Believing" vocabulary packet and STUDY all of the words for Lesson 1 and Lesson 2 for a cumulative quiz.

Complete the second third of your Book Club book for TW the 19th or 20th.

Class Summary 9/12

As part of our unit on Ancient Literature, we are going to examine the concept of "culture" so that as we continue our survey of world literature we are clear about the definition of the world.

The lesson we started today is designed to reinforce the understanding we have of culture. Students were formed into groups or "tribes" and asked to create their own culture with a location, a name, and a symbol. Next, the tribes will write a creation myth that reflects their cultural ideals and then present their tribe, culture, and myth to the class.

In the second half of class, we read about Joseph Campbell and explored his relevance in the discussion of myth.

HOMEWORK: Study for first vocab quiz on Friday. Read the Campbell handout on Adam and Eve and Buddha and answer the Thinking questions #2 and #5.

Class Summary 9/11

In remembrance of the five year anniversary of the events of 9/11, we talked about personal stories and students wrote in their journals about their own personal remembrances of that day. We then shared with our groups and talked about the importance of memories and aligned them with our current studies of myth.

Reading Expectations

Sophomores should be reading at least 45 minutes a night.

If they are reading text for class, this fulfills the requirement. However, if not, they should be doing some form of supplemental reading. To make sure that students don't have the excuse "I don't have anything to read", our class will have assigned Book Clubs that meet bi-weekly throughout the year and consist of complementary texts to what we are studying.

The first book we are reading is popular fiction. The choice had to be approved by me and listed on the NYT lists or be an award-winner.