Hello students!  Today we will begin our Narrative Fiction Unit.  Sometimes, a story will have some words with which you might have some difficulty.  To help you with those words, do the VOCAB assignment for Marriage is a Private Affair; so open this link and get busy!

Now that you've mastered those words, I want you to read this story .  As you read, annotate for conflict(s) and characterization.

Sorry; as you can see, I wasn't able to get the scavenger hunt on my blog, so you'll get a few minutes at the beginning of class to complete that assignment.  

Remember to bring your Independent Reading Book (IRB) on Monday.

For those of you who haven't turned in the Netbook Agreement, have that to turn in to me on Monday.

Congratulations to all; we made it through the first week!  Have a great weekend!

If you haven't done so already, turn in your Netbook Agreement handout and find an Independent Reading Book to bring to class. 

We're getting our textbooks in the library tomorrow, so remember to have your school I.D. or your planner AND your class schedule.

In groups, we gave advice on how to be successful in school; that advice was written down in your notebook, so copy it from someone if you don't have it.  Label it ADVICE.  We also talked about consequences for not following the rules; 1st time is a warning, 2nd time is lunch detention, 3rd time is a phone call home, and the 4th time is a referral.  The exception to this list of consequences is the electronic device policy: 1st time is a warning, 2nd time is the collection of the phone to be given to the office and returned to your parent or guardian; if you refuse to give me your electronic device, you get a referral for defiance. 

We began the 6 Word Memoir.  Create a saying or slogan that illustrates something about you.  Examples: "Every day is a new experience."  "Argghh!  A pirate's life for me!"  Write your 6 Word Memoir creatively on a strip of construction paper.  Due date: 9/5

WELCOME BACK! 

There is a lot of information to absorb on the first day of class.  First, make sure you have the following internet addresses in your planner: jbgardham@gmail.com   and  
 jbgardhamsblog-o-rama.blogspot.com/

Also, we went over the syllabus and netbook agreement handouts; get these from the podium if you don't have them.  The classroom rules were discussed and we made a name tent.  To make a name tent, do the following: fold a regular sheet of paper in half by width; in the middle of the half-sheet, write your first name, big and bold; in the upper left-hand corner, write an adjective that describes you; in the upper right-hand corner, write something you like to do in your spare time; in the lower left-hand corner, write a future goal; and in the lower right-hand corner, write your favorite or least favorite subject.

The HW is to find and write down a college-level word that describes you.  I will collect that word at the door as you enter class.

Lastly, we did an exit slip answering the following questions: Which classroom rule will be easy for you to follow?  Which classroom rule will be difficult for you to follow?

CONGRATULATIONS! WE GOT THROUGH DAY 1!  WHOOP WHOOP!

SENIORS: Continue working on your Slam poem.  Presentations start Wednesday.  See Friday's blog for details about presentations.  Also, we went to the library to return textbooks.  If you did not do this during class, you are on your own; do not ask me to return textbooks during class.

SOPHOMORES: We discussed the last poem you will need to write; this new poem is to be based on a photograph of your choice.  The rubric for this poem is: Proof of picture attached to poem--20 points; Paints a picture with imagery--20 points; Strong verbs and precise nouns--20 points; Effective line breaks and stanzas--20 points; Personification, and either metaphor or simile--20 points.  All poems are due on Thursday, June 6, at the latest.  Also, we returned textbooks today; if you didn't do that, you are on your own.  Do not ask me to return textbooks during class.

SENIORS: Work on finishing your Slam poem; not only do you need to have it written, but you also need to annotate it for everything on the rubric (pun, alliteration, consonance, assonance, perfect rhyme, slant rhyme, internal rhyme, and 4 of the following: metaphor, simile, personification, irony, hyperbole, or allusion).  Presentations will be on Wednesday, June 5, and Thursday, June 6.  Everyone needs to be ready on Wednesday.  I'll start with volunteers and then randomly call names.  If you tell me you're not ready, you'll lose 100points.  You still need to present, but you'll have to wait until everyone else has had an opportunity to present.  We're only doing this for 2 days; so if we run out of time, and you haven't presented, you're out of luck.  I will not listen to any presentations at any other time other than that Wednesday and Thursday.  So the smart thing would be to present on Wednesday; then you can be a relaxed audience member on Thursday.  The choice is yours.
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON MONDAY; WE'LL HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO GO TO THE LIBRARY TO RETURN THEM.  KEEP THE TEXTBOOKS YOU'LL NEED FOR FINALS.
 
SOPHOMORES: We started the News Article poem.  Find a news article from printed media that interests you and use it as inspiration for a poem.  Here is the rubric: Proof of article attached to poem--20 points; Paints a mental picture with imagery--20 points; Strong verbs and precise nouns--20 points; Effective line breaks and stanzas--20 points; Personification and metaphor or simile--20 points.  BRING YOUR TEXTBOOKS ON MONDAY; WE'LL HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO GO TO THE LIBRARY TO RETURN THEM.  KEEP THE TEXTBOOKS YOU'LL NEED FOR FINALS. 

SENIORS: Still working on the final draft of your slam poem. Presentations will be due on June 5th and 6th.  Everyone must be ready to go on the 5th. I'll start with volunteers and then randomly call names; if you tell me you're not ready, you'll lose 100 points.  You will still need to present, but you'll have to wait until everyone else has a their first chance to present.  If we run out of time, you're out of luck; I will not hear any presentations after school, during lunch, or before school; you lose those points.  IMPORTANT DATES: Friday, May 31 I'll be doing a notebook check (Word List of 100 words, Look Around Poem, "Louder Than a Bomb" notes, one Freewrite, 3 What Are You Doing warmups, and one Alliteration warmup) Monday, June 3 we'll be returning textbooks to the library (keep books you still need for finals). Finally, the deadline for the Slam Poem final draft is June 4.  If I don't see your poem before you present, you DON'T present.

SOPHOMORES: We started work on sonnets.  See me for the handouts.  Your Sestina and Slam poems were due today.  Keep working on your word list until you get to 100 words (real words, not "hat, cat, bat" words).