Language Arts 9: Burying "Dead Words" and Autobiography Drafting

Warmup: Create a list of the 20 verbs and adjectives you believe are most often overused in writing!

From the list we create, choose your "top 3" overused words.

"Bury" one of those words by creating a gravestone for it. Around the outside of the gravestone, write five more vivid, specific words that could replace the dead word. (worth 2 points)

Handout: 6 Traits Rubric. Your environmental autobiography will be graded on this rubric.

Homework: Environmental autobiography draft due on Tuesday. It must be TWO pages long for five points. (Three or more pages will get you a point of extra credit.)

Remember, this is a ROUGH draft. You will revise it and make it better later on!

Language Arts 12: Deep Revision

Warmup: Visual Spelling Experiment "post-test"

Edit returned name essay draft for organization by adding new hook.

Edit draft for sentence fluency by marking ALL of your sentences that begin with the subject of the sentence.

Using your notes on sentence starters, edit your sentences so that you have AT LEAST one example of each type of starter in your draft.

Begin working on your revised draft, using peer edits and teacher edits to guide you.

Homework: 
None

Integrated Writing, section 1

Peer Assessment of Tucson Mountains, part II

Read Luis Alberto Urrea, "My Life on the Mississippi."

Answer the reading comprehension questions on the handout. Define at least five words from the story using a dictionary.

Class discussion of the reading questions.

Language Arts 11: Persuasive Design in Print Ads

Review ethos, pathos, and logos by identifying the appeal used in three commercials

In groups, select a print ad from a magazine. Answer the questions in the analysis packet about the rhetorical and persuasive purpose behind the ad's design.

Present your ad analysis to the class.

Homework: None

The ultimate example of pathos in advertising: 

Language Arts 10: The Hero's Journey Continues

Review the "Departure" stage of Star Wars
Use your hero's journey notes and tracker to list examples of stages found in the second half of Star Wars

Homework: 
Quiz on the Hero's Journey will Thursday, September 6

Have John Steinbeck, The Pearl, on Thursday, September 6


Obi-Wan, the mystagogue

Language Arts 12: Essay and Hook Cliches

Writer's Journal Entry: What do you think is (or would be—you can make it up), the BEST first line of a story, book, or movie ever written (or never written)?  (Write this down in your binder—scrap piece of paper). What makes it the best?

Done? What do you think is/would be the WORST first line of a story? 

Read examples from the list of the best first lines of novels. What do they all have in common? 

Handout: Top Essay and Hook Cliches to Avoid

Practice: Write two examples of a strong hook that would work for your name essay

               Write one example of a cliched hook that you should NOT use for your essay

Finish last notes on six types of sentence starters

Homework: None

Language Arts 9: Writing Strong Hooks

Warmup: What do you think is (or would be—you can make it up), the BEST first line of a story, book, or movie ever written? What makes it the best?
 

Read some examples from the list of best first lines of novels.

Handout: "Little Red Riding Hooks": 8 techniques for grabbing your reader's attention in your first line (Organization Trait)

Work on rough draft of your environmental autobiography. 

Homework: None

Language Arts 12: Visual Spelling and Sentence Starters

Conventions trait: 

Visual spelling "pre-test" of 20 commonly misspelled words

Read article about neurolinguistic programming and spelling skills

Practice NLP visual spelling techniques

Visual spelling "post-test" to see whether your spelling has improved


Sentence Fluency trait: 

Take notes on six ways to start a sentence (to help you vary your sentence structure)


Handout: 20 Commonly Misspelled Words


Homework: None

Language Arts 9: Environmental Autobiography

Writer's Journal entry: Describe, in detail, a place that has been important to you. Really set the scene, using imagery from as many senses as possible. What does the place look like, sound like, smell like, feel like? Why was it so significant? This should be at least one very LONG paragraph. Once you're finished, draw a picture in your journal of what your place looks like.  

Read and discuss excerpt from Jeannette Walls' "true-life novel," Half-Broke Horses.

Discuss environmental autobiography assignment, and prewrite. 

Read reviews of two Southwestern novels, Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli, and House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer. Be ready to vote on Wednesday for which book you'd like to read as a class this year!

Homework: None

Integrated Writing, section 1: Wild Trees

Warmup: Scattergories-esque word game

Read excerpt from Preston, Wild Trees aloud, focusing on fluency and expression.

Homework: None!

a furrowed redwood tree: 

Language Arts 11: Rhetorical Appeals in Advertising

Writer's Journal entry: In this day and age, many of us believe that we have become pretty savvy about advertising tactics. Write about some techniques that advertisers use to try to get you to buy goods and services. Be specific. What exactly do they do in commercials, Internet ads, and magazine ads to try to persuade you to buy products?  Do these techniques ever work on you, even though you see through them?
 

View and discuss television commercials. What persuasive techniques are being used? How have some advertisers become more sophisticated in their techniques?

Notes on the rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. 

Check for understanding: identify the appeals used in a variety of commercial examples. 

Homework: None. 

Be ready to analyze print advertisements in great detail on Thursday, and to create your own "truth ad," showing your understanding of persuasive techniques and the rhetorical appeals.

Language Arts 10: Star Wars, a Hero's Journey

Notes on the "Return" stage of the hero's journey myth structure
Notes on archetypes

Watch first section of Star Wars (the "Departure" stage of the hero's journey), filling out tracking sheet with the stages of the journey you see in the film

Homework: None

Quiz on hero's journey and archetypes will be Thursday, September 6.

Have a copy of John Steinbeck, The Pearl, by Thursday, September 6.

Language Arts 12: Peer Editing

Using the peer editing sheet handout, serve as "test reader" for a classmate's name essay.

Watch video excerpt about Rudolfo Anaya (author of Curse of the Chupacabra)

Homework: Three-page name essay draft due Tuesday, ready to be graded for voice, word choice, and ideas (research, etc.). Turn this in along with any previous drafts and the peer editing feedback you received today.

Language Arts 9: Jimmy Santiago Baca, part II. Environments

Writer's Journal entry: ten-minute free write. Include at least one simile, one metaphor, and one example of each of five types of imagery in your writing.

Identify examples of similes, metaphors, imagery, and symbol in Jimmy Santiago's poem "I Am Offering This Poem..."

Discuss whether knowing the poet's background and history influences how you read his poem.

Read an excerpt from Jimmy Santiago Baca's memoir A Place to Stand. 

Homework: NONE!

Next week you will begin working on your own "environmental autobiography."

Integrated Writing section 1: Tucson Mountains part 2

Peer assessment of Tucson Mountains, part I

Homework: Read and transcribe Tucson Mountains, part II for Monday, August 27.

Language Arts 11: Writing Diagnostic

Write an in-class persuasive essay supporting a position about Internet addiction, using the Newsweek article we read in class and information from class discussions.

Ten points based on ideas, effort, and basic grammar and spelling.

Language Arts 10: The Hero's Journey

Writer's Journal entry: Write about heroism. What is a hero? What qualities does a hero possess? Give an example of a hero and describe what’s heroic about them.


Notes (using a handout outline) on Joseph Campbell and The Hero's Journey "monomyth," with video montage examples.

Homework: None.

Please have your own copy of John Steinbeck's The Pearl by Thursday, September 6. 

Language Arts 12: Overused Words

Writer's Journal entry: Write 5 LONG (at least 7 words each) sentences about your plans for the upcoming weekend. Do not use any words more than once in your paragraph; this includes "me," "and," "a," and "I"!

Create a list of overused words to avoid in your name essay draft
Discuss linking verbs and how their overuse can be avoided

Assignment: For Friday, have a full draft of your name essay with all overused words and excessive linking verbs corrected, AND the new 7-sentence (at least) "showing" descriptive paragraph.

It is essential that you have these for peer editing. Plus they are worth 5 points. 

Language Arts 9: Jimmy Santiago Baca

Read brief author biography of Jimmy Santiago Baca

Writer's Journal entry:

1. Does Jimmy Santiago Baca sound like a person whose work you'd like to read? Why or why not?

2. Do you think that knowing the author's biography and life history is important for your understanding of a poem or story? Why or why not?

Review of and notes on simile, metaphor, imagery, and symbol.

Read Jimmy Santiago Baca's poem, "I Am Offering This Poem to You." Watch video of Baca reading his poem aloud

Homework: prose poem due Friday, August 24

On Friday, you will be finding the similes, metaphors, imagery, and symbol in "I Am Offering This Poem to You" and reading an excerpt from Baca's memoir

Language Arts 12: "Show, Don't Tell"

Writer's Journal entry: free association writing on three different one-word topics, for three minutes each

Examples of using descriptive writing to "show" rather than "tell"

Handout: Practice expanding sentences by using "showing" and descriptive writing to rewrite 6 "telling" statements.

Assignment: Identify places in your name essay draft that "tell" and could be expanded to "show." Rewrite one of them in a paragraph at least 7 sentences long. (This assignment will be continued in class on Wednesday.)

Remember, you need to have Anaya, The Curse of the Chupacabra, by next Wednesday, August 29!  


"She is upset" is a "telling" statement about the picture below:

Language Arts 9: "Borderlands" and Prose Poetry

Writer's Journal entry: ten-minute free writing

Read and discuss Gloria Anzuldua's poem, "To Live in the Borderlands Means You..."

Assignment: Due Friday, August 24, write your own prose poem on any topic, following the instructions and tips on the assignment sheet. This is worth five points.

Remember the "borscht" from the poem? This what borscht looks like:

Integrated Writing section 1: Tucson Mountains

Warmup: Boggle!

Peer assessment of Hall, "Stump People" transcription

Review vocabulary words from "Stump People"

Assignment: Due Thursday, August 24. Read and transcribe first page of Ring, Tucson Mountains. Write down the definitions of at least three words from the article.

Language Arts 11: Internet Addiction?

"Internet Use Survey" (really a questionnaire used to diagnose Internet addiction.

View two network news clips on the concept of Internet Addiction in China and the U.S.

Read and discuss Newsweek article, "Is the Web Driving Us Mad?"

Homework: Finish Newsweek article for Thursday, and be prepared to write a diagnostic persuasive essay on whether Internet addiction is a serious issue and should be considered a disorder. 

Language Arts 10: North American Creation Myths

Background context on four North American peoples: the Aztecs, the Maya, the O'odham, and the Hopi

Notes on 7 types of myths common across cultures (flood, creation, "the dying god," the creative sacrifice, axis mundi, titanomachy, and the hero's journey)

Notes on 3 types of similarities between myths (linguistic, structural, and psychological)

Handout on 7 characteristics of myth

Assignment: Due Thursday, August 23. Complete dialectical journal on four creation myths. Include 12 entries (3 for each myth). Use each of the 7 characteristics of myth at least once.

(To complete an entry, include a quote from a myth that illustrates one of the 7 characteristics. List the page number on which the quote is found and the characteristic it illustrates.)

Language Arts 12: Name Essay Draft and Voice

Writer's Journal entry: Choose a fabulous 1990s yearbook photo from the board and write as the person you choose, in what you think their voice would sound like.

Receive 6 Traits rubric and discuss Voice trait.

Draft a rough draft of an essay about your name

Homework: Your draft is due on Tuesday, August 21. It must be three pages handwritten (a front of a page, a back, and another front) or about 2 1/4 pages typed and double-spaced. This is worth 10 points.

**Remember, you are using your name and the folklore of naming as a starting point for a personal essay. You could go in a folklore direction, a historical direction, an autobiographical direction, or any other connection you can make.

**Remember, this is a ROUGH draft and the goal is to have three pages of thoughts about and connections to your name down on paper. We will work on the organization and details later!

Language Arts 9: Symbolism

Guess the logo game

Notes and discussion on symbolism

Read about the Tohono O'odham Man in the Maze and its symbolism

Assignment: Create your own personal symbol and explain it in writing

Requirements: Create a visual symbol that represents some aspect of yourself and/or your life. Make it large and artistic, at least an 8 1/2 x 11 size. 

•Your symbol should include at least FOUR symbolic elements (shapes, colors, etc. that represent something about you).

•You must also write an explanation of your symbol and what each element stands for.

•Your explanation must include an introduction, a conclusion, and at least TWO sentences explaining each element. (So, it will be at least 10 sentences total.)

This will be due on Tuesday, August 21. It will be worth 10 points. 

Use your writer’s journal to brainstorm and sketch!

Integrated Writing section 1: Stump Proud

Peer assessment of Gallwey, Inner Game of Tennis transcript

Vocab quiz

Puzzle word search

Read and transcribe Hall, "Stump Proud"

Language Arts 11: "The Veldt," adapting text into film

Questions about Bradbury, "The Veldt":

Summarize the author's theme

In a paragraph, use details from the story to support the your position on the "reality" of the veldt's lions

Discuss the story

Watch the Ray Bradbury Theater film version and complete the "Text to Film" handout

Homework: None

Language Arts 10: Culture and Fairy Tales

Writer's Journal entry: Create your own Tucson alphabet

Definition of culture Read article about fairy tales in the zeitgeist

View clips of modern-day fairy tale television show for inspiration and identify elements of culture shown


 Homework: For Monday, August 20, rewrite a classic fairy tale by setting it in your time and culture. Submitted assignment must be typed or written in ink. Two pages. Ten points.

Language Arts 9: Language and Parts of Speech

Circle the nonsense words in "Jabberwocky" and label their basic part of speech (noun, verb, adjective)

Reflection paragraph: What does "Jabberwocky" show us about how language works? (For example, how did you know how to "galumph," or what part of speech "mimsy" was?)

Free writing: Practice free association getting ideas on paper by writing for five minutes on any topic without stopping

HW: None

LA 12: Folklore of Naming

Writer's journal entry: Tell me in writing about your name. For example: What do you know about where your name came from, and how you got it? Who named you? Why did they pick the name they did? What is the history of your last name? 

Notes on the folklore of naming

Peer editing and suggestions for expansion of writer's journal entry

Handouts: info and options for obtaining a copy of Anaya, The Curse of the Chupacabra

Homework: For Friday, interview a relative or conduct Internet research about your name and its origins. Turn in a list of at least three things you learn.

Have a copy of The Curse of the Chupacabra by WEDNESDAY, August 29!

Language Arts 9: "Jabberwocky" introduction to poetry and parts of speech

Quiz on class procedures

Writer's Journal Entry: Write your own "nonsense" poem, using at least five made-up words

Reading and dramatic performance of "Jabberwocky," by Lewis Carroll

Notes on review of basic parts of speech: nouns, adjectives, and verbs

Homework: None, but be ready to label the basic parts of speech of the nonsense words in "Jabberwocky" on Wednesday, August 15

Language Arts 12: Folklore

Quiz on Class Procedures

Discuss list of various examples of folklore. What do they all have in common?

Definition of and notes on folklore.

Identify examples of elite, popular, and folk culture.

Homework: "Secret Assignment" due Wednesday, August 15, if you didn't finish it in class. Students in other grades can't know about this assignment yet (or the project will be ruined), so see me as soon as possible for more information!

Peer assessment of Waters, Foreword to Slow Food

Read Gallwey, Introduction to The Inner Game of Tennis

Homework: Finish Gallwey transcription for Thursday, August 16

                   Study for quiz on Thursday, August 16.

Quiz on class procedures

Writer's Journal entry: Pick one of the following pre-reading questions and answer it in writing:

1. What might happen if rooms could become environments sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of their human occupants? 

2. What is your perspective of the viewpoint held by some parents that “nothing's too good for our children”?

Read "The Veldt," by Ray Bradbury, and fill out Connections reading strategy sheet. Write at least two connections for each column on the sheet, and explain each in at least 2 sentences.

Homework: Finish reading "The Veldt" and complete Connections sheet for Thursday, August 16.

Class procedures quiz

Writer's Journal entry: Write down your favorite childhood fairy tale from memory.

Read the Brothers Grimm's original version of "Cinderella." Mark details that are different from the Cinderella story you remember from childhood.

Read the Himalayan story "The Black Cow."  Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting "Cinderella" and "The Black Cow."


Takeaway questions: (1) What are some reasons that very similar stories might arise from different cultures?
(2) What can we infer about the culture of the Indian Himalayas from reading "The Black Cow"?

Homework: None

Discuss class procedures

Present two to three procedures to class using art (poster, skit, song rap, etc.)

Handouts: Language Arts Class Procedures sheet

Homework: Procedures Quiz Tuesday, 8/14

                   Have all class supplies Tuesday, 8/14

Peer assessment of Reichl, "The Queen of Mold" transcript

Transcribe Alice Waters, Foreword to Slow Food

Homework: Finish Waters transcription for Monday, August 13

Discuss class procedures 

Present two to three procedures to class using art (poster, skit, song rap, etc.)

Handouts: Language Arts Class Procedures sheet

Homework: Procedures Quiz Monday, 8/13

                   Have all class supplies Monday, 8/13

Fill out "Getting to Know You" sheet.
Teacher Quiz
discuss Course Syllabus

Homework: Have course syllabus signed for Friday, 8/10.

Discuss Course Syllabus
Transcribe "Queen of Mold," by Ruth Reichl

Homework: Transcription due Thursday, August 9

Fill out "Getting to Know You" sheet.
Teacher Quiz
discuss Course Syllabus

Homework: Have course syllabus signed for Thursday, 8/9.