November 17: Classwork and Homework

In-Class:

• No journal today (Ms. Houston at a training). 
• We did a worksheet (part as a group, part on our own) to help us prepare to write our Beowulf story from a new perspective. 

Homework:

• Take home books and finish the worksheet. Due on Wednesday.

November 13: Classwork and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: Watch video clip (Stomp- kitchen and basketball scene)  and write down the different objects used to create sound.  Then, argue whether or not this is music. Next, compare music to creative writing. What's the same? What's different? Are they related? (10 pts)
• We did a peer review of each others' Cinderella stories (10 pts).  I allowed students who wished to make changes to go home and fix them and turn them in on Tuesday.
• I passed back Beowulf worksheets and gave the opportunity to make corrections for more points.

Homework:

• If you decided to take your Cinderella story home to fix (or didn't turn it in), it is due on TUESDAY.  Any paper received after that day will receive at least a five point deduction.

November 11th: Classwork and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: Finished character sketch
• Looked at a powerpoint presentation with student samples from the point of view/perspective worksheet and talked about the strengths of the samples and any improvements that could be made
• Discussed passive voice and how it can be less effective
• Began our Cinderella Re-telling Assignment

Homework:

• Cinderella Re-telling assignment typed, double spaced, at least 400 words (50 points). Due Wednesday.

Nov.7: Assignments and Classwork

In-Class:

• Read samples of the Cinderella story from different perspectives written by classmates.
• Journal: Cinderella Character sketch (any character BESIDES Cinderella).
• How old is the character and what is/her name?
• What is his/her family like?
• Where was he/she born?
• What is his/her personality like?
• What does he/she fear the most?
• What does he/she wish for the most?
• What is his/her favorite food?
• What is his/her biggest pet peeve?
• What is his/her greatest accomplishment?
• If he/she could travel anywhere….?
• Talked about elements of a good perspective piece.
• Discussed Point of View versus Perspective and also review past and present tense.
• Did a worksheet practicing these concepts.
• Peer reviewed each others' responses. 

Homework:

• Finish journal if you didn't in class.

November 5: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: We read a generic version of Cinderella online and then re-told the story from the perspective of another character.
• We watched clips of different interpretations of Cinderella (coming from different directors' perspectives).
• We did a 40 point worksheet on the last chunk of Beowulf (The Battle with Grendel's Mother).

Homework:

• Finish the Beowulf worksheet if you didn't finish in class.

November 3: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: We did telephone Pictionary as a class.  This shows how an original message or image can get distorted as different people "tell" it. 
• We passed around each group's comic strips about Grendel's mother and wrote one sentence on the back summarizing what it looked like was happening according to the pictures. 
• We got back in our groups and either re-wrote our modern day re-telling of the story of Grendel's mother or looked at the comments made on our comic to see how effective we were in telling the story.  Those who finished early read the section in Beowulf on the battle with Grendel's mother.

Homework:

• Those absent for the group activity need to do it on their own at home.