Tuesday, 2/11 - Bring in a revised draft of your Antigone essay for our second peer review AND bring in a completed copy of the online research for background context on Things Fall Apart (Copy the document from here.)
Thursday, 2/13 - Antigone essay final draft due to TurnItIn.com before midnight.
Friday, 2/14 - Unit 2 Vocabulary Quiz (word list here)
Sunday, 2/23 - Extra Credit on Sadlier Connect due today by 11:59 p.m. (assignment here)
Upcoming Due Dates:
Friday, 3/13 - Complete your IR book and bring your Still Life project to class! (here)
Resources:
Things Fall Apart Researching Context (Copy the document from here.)
Things Fall Apart - novel PDF (here).
Things Fall Apart - Audiobook (here; hint: view the pinned comment for chapter start times)
SpringBoard Things Fall Apart Unit PDF (here)
Antigone - full-text PDF from SpringBoard (here)
Antigone Works Cited page (here)
Antigone Essay Packet (here)
Monday, February 10
Learning Goal(s): Explore a culture to prepare for reading a text from outside of the U.S.
Targeted Standards: ELAGSE9-10RL6: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. ELAGSE9-10SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Agenda:
- Find the list of literary terms from SpringBoard on page 218. Label each word with either a Q (I have questions about this word), an H (I’ve heard it but I need a little refresher), or a T (I know it well enough to teach it to a classmate). For your "Q" terms, look up and define each term in the Ponder and Respond section of your IAN.
- Answer the “Essential Questions” on page 220 of the Introduction to Things Fall Apart in your SpringBoard textbook.
- Complete activity 3.2 (pages 221-222) on proverbs and folktales; read, discuss, and analyze the Nigerian folktales “Why the Bat Flies at Night” and “The Lucky Fisherman.”
- Complete the culture wheel activity on pages 226-7, and create your Ibo pronunciation bookmark from page 225.
- If time, begin reading chapters 1-4 of Things Fall Apart.
- Continue to revise your Antigone essay based on peer feedback (packet here) - your next draft is due TOMORROW for our final peer review.
- With your partner, complete the online research for background context on Things Fall Apart; one partner must bring in a PRINTED copy of your research on Tuesday, 2/11. (Copy the document from here.)
- Study Unit 2 vocabulary words for our quiz on Friday.
- Continue reading your independent reading novel - you need to have your novel read by Friday, March 13th. Plan the items you will bring for your Still Life project (handout here).
Tuesday, February 11
Learning Goal(s): Practice role as a “peer editor” to improve revision skills and help create polished pieces.
Targeted Standards: ELAGSE9-10W5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 9–10.) ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Agenda:
- Turn in your printed copy of Ibo “Researching Context.”
- With a partner, complete the “style” peer review activity for your Antigone essay (peer review here); complete mini-lessons on literary present tense and scholarly diction.
- As time permits, complete remaining introductory activities for Things Fall Apart as necessary.
- Read and complete activities for chapters 1-4 in Things Fall Apart:
- Read chapters 1-4 of Things Fall Apart, tracking character traits between Okonkwo and his father to compare and contrast Achebe’s characterization.
- Consider cultural elements of the novel: are there any cultural aspects that strike your interest so far? Remember that you will be creating a research presentation on one element of tribal culture before and after British colonization.
- Complete active and passive voice activity in SpringBoard, page 229. Write your own sentences in both active and passive voice.
- Create a double-entry journal to analyze the first four chapters of Things Fall Apart - consider Achebe’s use of motif and foil.
- Analyze the character faults of Okonkwo - discuss the first four chapters and consider how Achebe presents Okonkwo’s character. Complete the graphic organizer on page 231, then answer the ponder and respond.
- Ponder and Respond (SB pg. 232): Take a position on the question: Is it common for powerful leaders to have flawed characters? Why? How might this affect the community? Write an argumentative paragraph, using at least two pieces of text evidence, to support your position and explain how it relates to Okonkwo’s character.
- Continue to revise your Antigone essay based on peer feedback (packet here) - your final draft is due to TurnItIn.com Thursday, February 13th before midnight. (You are not required to submit this essay in hard copy.)
- Study Unit 2 vocabulary words for our quiz on Friday.
- Continue reading your independent reading novel - you need to have your novel read by Friday, March 13th. Plan the items you will bring for your Still Life project (handout here).
Wednesday, February 12
Learning Goal(s): Analyze how a complex character interacts with other characters. Write a short expository essay to compare and contrast.
Targeted Standards: ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. ELAGSE9-10W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. ELAGSE9-10W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Agenda:
- Complete reading and activities for chapters 1-4 in Things Fall Apart:
- Continue reading chapters 1-4 of Things Fall Apart, tracking character traits between Okonkwo and his father to compare and contrast Achebe’s characterization.
- Consider cultural elements of the novel: are there any cultural aspects that strike your interest so far? Remember that you will be creating a research presentation on one element of tribal culture before and after British colonization.
- Complete active and passive voice activity in SpringBoard, page 229. Write your own sentences in both active and passive voice.
- Create a double-entry journal to analyze the first four chapters of Things Fall Apart - consider Achebe’s use of motif and foil.
- Analyze the character faults of Okonkwo - discuss the first four chapters and consider how Achebe presents Okonkwo’s character. Complete the graphic organizer on page 231, then answer the ponder and respond.
- Ponder and Respond (SB pg. 232): Take a position on the question: Is it common for powerful leaders to have flawed characters? Why? How might this affect the community? Write an argumentative paragraph, using at least two pieces of text evidence, to support your position and explain how it relates to Okonkwo’s character.
- If time, begin reading chapters 5-6.
- Continue to revise your Antigone essay based on peer feedback (packet here) - your final draft is due to TurnItIn.com Thursday, February 13th before midnight. (You are not required to submit this essay in hard copy.)
- Study Unit 2 vocabulary words for our quiz on Friday.
- Continue reading your independent reading novel - you need to have your novel read by Friday, March 13th. Plan the items you will bring for your Still Life project (handout here).
Thursday, February 13
Learning Goal(s): Analyze how a complex character interacts with other characters. Write a short expository essay to compare and contrast.
Targeted Standards: ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. ELAGSE9-10W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. ELAGSE9-10W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Agenda:
- Submit your Antigone essay to TurnItIn.com before midnight tonight!
- Label the Magic Lens sentence for levels one and two.
- Read chapters 5-6 of Things Fall Apart; track character relationships on a chart (use SB, page 233 to model the graphic organizer you create in your IAN).
- Create a written response to the “Writing to Sources: Explanatory Text” on SB page 234 in the Ponder and Respond section of your IAN. Based on your response, be prepared to have a mini-debate to explain your position.
- As a class, participate in a debate on the following question: How do Okonkwo’s family relationships make him a sympathetic or unsympathetic character?
- Continue to revise your Antigone essay based on peer feedback (packet here) - your final draft is due to TurnItIn.com TONIGHT before midnight. (You are not required to submit this essay in hard copy.)
- Study Unit 2 vocabulary words for our quiz on Friday.
- Continue reading your independent reading novel - you need to have your novel read by Friday, March 13th. Plan the items you will bring for your Still Life project (handout here).
Friday, February 14
Learning Goal(s): Analyze how a complex character interacts with other characters. Write a short expository essay to compare and contrast.
Targeted Standards: ELAGSE9-10RL3: Analyze how complex characters(e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. ELAGSE9-10W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. ELAGSE9-10W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Agenda:
- Take the Unit 2 vocabulary assessment.
- Label the Magic Lens sentence for levels one and two.
- As needed, complete yesterday’s mini-debate on the following question: How do Okonkwo’s family relationships make him a sympathetic or an unsympathetic character?
- On page 235 in SB, answer question 1 on foreshadowing.
- Read chapters 7-8 in Things Fall Apart - be ready to discuss each chapter in small groups.
- Continue reading your independent reading novel - you need to have your novel read by Friday, March 13th. Plan the items you will bring for your Still Life project (handout here).