Friday 4/15/11

IN CLASS:
Today all classes took the exam for our poetry unit. This took the entire class period.

ASSIGNMENT:
Vocab Quiz 29 is on Monday, April 18

Tuesday, April 12-Thursday, April 14

IN CLASS:
This week in class we spent time reviewing and finishing poetry terms. We practiced with "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, two songs by Bob Dylan, "Friendship and Love" by Emily Bronte, and "When We Two Parted" by Lord Byron. Term each students should know include the following:

• Line
• Stanza
• Rhyme Scheme
• Meter/Rhythm
• Metaphor
• Simile
• Irony
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Alliteration
• Imagery
• Tone
• Theme

ASSIGNMENT:
Vocab Lesson 29 due Wednesday, April 13
Prepare for Poetry Exam on Friday, April 15

Monday 4/11/11

IN CLASS:
Today we began with the root words for this week.

• Zoon=animal (as in zoo, zoologist, Paleozoic)
• Verto/Versum=turn (as in reverse, controversial, advertise)
• Facio/Factum=make, do (as in factory, manufacture, artifact, magnify)

Then, Hour 2 and 8 took the quiz over Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" while hours 3, 4, 5 worked on the poetry/song of Bob Dylan.

ASSIGNMENT:
Finish Bob Dylan worksheet (hour 8 excluded)

Friday 4/8/11

IN CLASS:
Today classes began with 20 minutes of independent reading. Then we finished up any notes from yesterday. Then...

Hour 2 had some technical difficulties, so we instead looked at Bob Dylan's poem/song "The Times They Are a-Changin." This worksheet will be due Monday.

Hours 3, 4, 5 took a short quiz on Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken."

Hour 8 finished notes which took the rest of the class period.


ASSIGNMENT:
Hour 2 Only: Finish worksheet on Bob Dylan for Monday

Thursday 4/7/11

IN CLASS:
Today we went through the first stanza of "The Road Not Taken" and paraphrased lines as a class. Then we began some notes looking at the SOUNDS of poetry (we've already worked on structure and meaning including types of figurative language).

ASSIGNMENT:

• Finish up "The Road Not Taken" worksheet if not finished.
• Bring Independent Reading Book Tomorrow

Wednesday 4/6/11

IN CLASS:
I was unexpectedly out sick today, so students had a sub in class.

Hours 2, 4, 8--
Today students began work on "The Road Not Taken." Given a worksheet, students were asked to paraphrase (or put into their own words) the lines of this famous poem. When that was finished, students picked up vocab lesson 29 and had the rest of the hour to work on that.

Hours 3, 5--
These classes started with a critical response to "The Poison Tree."

William Blake’s poem “A Poison Tree” is often described as didactic (intended for instruction). What is the lesson about the cultivation of anger does Blake give his reader? Use at least 2 DQs to support your answer, and consider the figurative language used in the poem.

When that was finished and turned in, students began work on "The Road Not Taken" (see above for instructions).

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8--

• "The Road Not Taken" worksheet due tomorrow
• Vocab Lesson 29 due Wednesday, April 13

Hours 3, 5--

• Critical response due by the end of class
• "The Road Not Taken" worksheet due tomorrow

Tuesday 4/5/11

IN CLASS:
In class today students worked on and/or shared their limericks. Then we did some talking about the poem "The Poison Tree" which was assigned before spring break and due today. This should have been turned in at the end of class.

ASSIGNMENT:
none

Monday 4/4/11

IN CLASS:
Today we reviewed poetry terms (particularly the structure of poetry) through limerick writing. Students looked at three examples of limericks and found the specific structural requirements for a poem to qualify as a limerick. Click here to download the document from class today.

After we came up with a definition of a limerick, students began work on their own which is due tomorrow.

Also, remember that the worksheet from before break is due tomorrow in class. Download that document here.

ASSIGNMENT:
Limericks and worksheet on "The Poison Tree" due tomorrow