The Reader, The War, & The Randomness

Due to PSAT testing and differing progression through our ending syntactical assignments, all the classes are up to something different this week - even though all will eventually end in the same place.

1: We reviewed vocab, which means your quiz will be FRIDAY due to the PSAT test. If you are sticking around with me tomorrow, you will have ample time to review vocab and rhetorical strategies, so I hope you are ready for a block period review competition! For the majority of class, we analyzed a passage from The Reader, which did have a few examples of polysyndeton for our review of the strategy. At the end of the hour, we quickly looked at semicolons, colons, and transitions. Remember, a semicolon's main job is to join 2 independent clauses together (with the occasional usage of avoiding comma confusion). A colon announces a list or explanation, which means you need an independent clause before using one. A transitory word or phrase is excess information and requires a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence. For Friday, you will need to complete third hour syntax and the punctuation handout. Yes, you will be called upon so make sure you are completing all of the assignments.

3: The featured item for your class was our first team close read, which allowed students to circle/underline key words and phrases to help understand the passage and its connection with the prompt. How exciting to find zeugma and asyndeton lurking about in the dialogue, ethos, and pathos (amongst other items of note). If you were absent, you will need to pick up this passage prior to our next class, so that you will be prepared for phase 2 of the team close read. Yes, there is a phase 2. Yes, phase 2 involves the writing portion. For Friday's class, you will also need to finish third hour syntax, which can be picked up from me as well.

4: First off, I believe I did not give you the syntax handout for third hour. Oops on my part. I guess we shall tackle that assignment during Thursday's class. Meanwhile, we finished up The Reader passage and spent the remainder of the class hanging out with Alcott for a team close read. When you are close reading, you are circling/underlining/notating anything and everything that stands out to you - words, phrases, images. Eventually, everything will come together into a strategy. For next class, we will finish the team close read with our last group and then move into the writing portion. Don't forget it will be a D Day (not a historical allusion), so we will be shorted 15 minutes.

7: At the start, we completed the vocab quiz for unit 14. As mentioned in class, we will take a brief hiatus from vocab so that we may have time to finish up the syntax unit and start up diction. Afterwards, we spent quality time with The Reader passage, finding polysyndeton, juxtaposition, tone shifts, and lots of emphasis on point of view and the author's diction, For homework, finish the syntax practices for third hour.