Thursday's Notices

If you were in fourth hour, we spent the majority of the time chatting about the fallacies in the Republican debate and how MC works on the AP Lang exam. Bring back your MC packet for tomorrow as we start our first passage.

As for all of the other classes, 2 quick announcements for you:

1. The Lucy Logs will have a day extension through December 5 - if needed. All logs need to be turned in by 2:40 p.m. on that day to me. You are welcome to turn this in early.

2. I will be sharing the Democratic debate with third, fourth, and seventh hour classes either today (ideally) or tomorrow. If you would like extra credit, you can identify and analyze a maximum of 10 fallacies that are in the debate. Do not exceed these 10 fallacy identification as the copy is for an entire class to use. Make sure that you have a thorough explanation as well. Any fallacies identified by Wednesday, December 6, at 2:30 p.m. will be considered for the extra credit. 

See everyone tomorrow for fallacies and/or MC passages!

At Least We Are All Working on Fallacies

1: After finishing up vocab experts for this round, we spent the rest of the hour with fallacies - the packet, Direct TV commercials (once again, not a paid spokesman), creating and performing slippery slopes to entertain us (who knew that not preparing for the Scholar Quiz team would eventually lead you to a Jason Bourne existence?). At the end of the hour, you were assigned the Republican debate transcript in which you will identify fallacies and explain the fallacies. This is a shared document that all have received, and I have clarified the assignment for any absentees. Complete your assigned section for Friday's class.

3: The entire hour revolved around the Republican debate fallacies, so we will have to play with slippery slopes next class. Plus, we will begin our look at the AP Lang MC portion.

7: After reviewing a few more fallacies, we shared your slippery slope fallacies via an animated dramatic spectacle. Then, you worked in groups to identify fallacies in the Republican debate transcript. This is a shared document that features instructions for any absentees. If you have not shared your debate fallacies in class, be ready to do so on Friday.

Sloping

1: We returned to vocabulary, and you did very well after a week and a half hiatus to complete are presentations and discussions. Then, we read/watched Earl Spencer's eulogy for Diana and indicated rhetorical strategies (asyndeton, telegraphic sentence, pathos, diction, tone, and other impacting methods) to review our three month focus on rhetorical analysis. At the end of the hour, you received the fallacy packet, and worked with a partner to learn about one fallacy and create 2 original examples for class tomorrow.

3: After our vocab quiz, we spent the rest of the hour with fallacies. For homework, you are to compose a minimum 15 step slippery slope. I hope you are creative as fourth hour exceeded my expectation of random slippery slope results. In addition, you need to start identifying fallacies for your section of the Republican debate transcript, which was shared to you earlier today. For each fallacy that you find, make a comment identifying the type of fallacy and why it is a fallacy. You will have 15-20 minutes to work on this during class tomorrow. However, you should begin the process prior to class.

4: After finishing the fallacy types, we had our fourth hour drama department act out slippery slopes. We had evidence finding the Zodiac killer, hors d'oeuvres with a Vanderbilt, M&M's & Mr. Pibb for dinner, calling a teacher "Mom," car crashes, tater tot choking, ferrets, laxatives in the Christmas cookies, and Santa on the can. Yep, this was an entertaining day in class. For homework, you are to take your section of the Republican debate transcript, which was shared with you earlier today. For each fallacy that you find, make a comment identifying the type of fallacy and why it is a fallacy. You will need to have your section ready to go for Thursday. Absentees, you will be  in charge of pages 42-53 of the transcript, and you will both need to participate.

Diana/Fallacies

The blogs this week will be based in brevity, so if you have any questions, do not hesitate to e-mail or ask in person for further details. The blog previous to this one, "Discussing Diana," has links to the video and transcripts for the Diana readings today if you were absent or if you would like to watch/read again. 

1: You received your Keats prompt back and then we jumped into Queen Elizabeth II's speech regarding the death of Princess Diana.

3: We reviewed vocab and then made our way through the fallacy packet, which we will finish up tomorrow. Before the sound faded into cessation, we watched the Direct TV slippery slope commercials, which you  may view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ80SVOHKoo.

4: We worked with fallacies all hour in the packet and watched the video link from third hour regarding slippery slopes. For homework, construct a minimum 15 step slippery slope and feel free to bring in humor, creativity, and egregious examples.

7: We started with a vocab quiz for unit 15 and then spent the rest of the class reviewing rhetorical strategies via the two Diana speeches.

Discussing Diana

1 & 7: We finished our presentation discussions! Seventh hour reviewed for their vocab quiz, which will be the Monday we return.

3 & 4: Third hour finished up vocab, and fourth hour completed the quiz for unit 15. Both hours read the transcripts and watched the videos of the words spoken following Princess Diana's sudden death. Look at this old blog for links for transcripts and videos, which all of you should have knowledge of: http://fznaplang.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-end-of-rhetorical-analysis.html.

I hope you have a plethora of thanks to give this week - even if you are just thanking Lucy Grealy.

Rhetorical Analysis Comes to a Close

For the past three months, we have concentrated the majority of our efforts on rhetorical analysis, and now the time has come to move onward and upward to fallacies, multiple choice, and argument. Before you throw your party, we have one more review to do, so it is another opportunity to bring up all those strategies and work on active verb choice and specific purposes. (F.Y.I. Rhetorical analysis will always be around, so you still need all that knowledge for the rest of the class.)

1: The presentations are complete! We are in the midst of our follow-up discussion, which will resume and complete during tomorrow's class. Also on the docket are the Keats prompts (someone in the class scored a 9) and vocabulary.

3 & 4: The presentation discussions are complete! Third hour has their Keats prompts - which included a 9, the first non-presentation 9 awarded this year. And, we added four more vocab words to the vernacular. Fourth hour, you reviewed vocab today, which means your quiz is tomorrow.

7:

Survey - Do This By November 21

In case you did not have the chance to take the technology survey, you still have approximately 24 hours to do so: https://sites.google.com/a/fz.k12.mo.us/bright-bytes-survey/. Start by going under "High Schools" and then selecting North High.

Our Presentations

The presentations - and the discussions following the topics - have been moving along in all classes the past 2 days. First and seventh hour have completed 3 and will finish these up on Monday; third and fourth hour have completed all 5 presentations and will finish up the discussion portion on Monday. And, next week, even though it is only 2 days, we will keep up with vocab, look at all those prompts you have turned in, and wrap up rhetorical analysis.

Special kudos to our Autism group in third hour with their variety of pathos-attracting techniques to inspire us to see autistic children in a different light; our Starfish group in seventh hour who brought in their own homemade starfish and dissolved those poor things in class; our Malala group in fourth hour for creating an education line with countries fighting it out for diplomas.

The Presentations Start with a 9!

Third hour started off all of the presentations today, and we began with the world of starfish and its wasting disease and North Korea and its life behind the borders. Kudos to our Dr. Ky, his interns, and his audience for their participation in the starfish episode. We are all looking forward to the next installment: the polar bear. Check out the photographic evidence of their performance portion below.

First & Seventh hours started with vocabulary and followed the rest of the hour with preparations for the presentation.

Third hour was solidly focused on the presentations, and we managed to complete one round of discussion on the starfish. We will finish up the discussion on North Korea and then try to squeeze in our other 3 presentations on the block day.

Fourth hour finished one presentation and one discussion, which means we will attempt to finish our final 3 presentations on Thursday.

Still Prepping

First off, let's start with your weekly reminder that you should be keeping up with your 2 text Lucy Grealy assignment - including the reading of the texts and the additional log - since it is due 3 weeks from today. Second off, if it is presentation week, so I am looking forward to witnessing the logos, ethos, and pathos-filled performances and visuals. Third off, I currently have 4 Benjamin Banneker clocks in my possession! How cool that some of you chose to celebrate his influence by making mathematically-oriented clocks. I have not had a poem yet, but the school day is only halfway complete.

1: After resuming our vocabulary with 4 new words, you watched a pathos-oriented video from the Today Show to inspire you to utilize video, music, narration, photographs, and other techniques to involve the audience in your presentations this week. The rest of the class was designated for prep time and the scheduling of your presentations. Our order will be Team Bobby, Team Kira, Team Jalen, Team Jason, and Team Sigmund.

3: After vocab time with 4 more words, you had the remainder of class to prepare for our presentations. Every group should be prepared to go for tomorrow's class - just in case. And don't worry if we have any extra time after presentations each day, we have plenty of items to do as we finish up rhetorical analysis in the next 2 weeks.

4: After vocabulary's aggrandizement, you received your Keats prompts, which averaged out to a similar figure as your last prompt. Overall, there has been consistent improvement with organization, evidence incorporation, analysis, and vernacular variety. With every essay, these expectations remain the same, so continue to pepper your writing with the aforementioned necessities for the forthcoming prompts. 

7: After vocabulary's continuance, you received your Keats prompt, which averaged to the exact number as your previous prompt. Consistency is a start, but you can always improve by cleaning up any distractions, broadening your robust analysis, incorporating evidence, and keeping structure at the forefront of your writing. The rest of the class was designated for preparations and creating a schedule for the groups to present. 

Technology Survey - Something to Do

Are you a lover of technology? Or, are you always complaining about technology? Our school district needs your input. Hence, each of you needs to take this (approximate) 15 minute survey about the technology at school and beyond. Check out the link here and complete by Friday, November 17: https://sites.google.com/a/fz.k12.mo.us/bright-bytes-survey/. If you have already taken this survey, then move along and prep for your presentations.

Presentations Loom

In all classes, you worked on prepping for your rhetorical appeals presentations next week. In addition, it is, technically, the last day of Benjamin Banneker Week, so I hope you are celebrating appropriately.

1: To save time, I gave you a copy of the next unit of vocab, which we will start up on Monday.

3: Mr. Sutton helped us determine our presentation order for next week: Team Bennett will lead the charge, followed by Team Shay, Team Kat, Team Marlee, and Team Kiersten.

4: After 4 more vocabulary words, we figured out the presentation order for next week: Team Maddi will be first, followed by Team Destiny, Team Dan, and Team Brennan.

7: After 4 more vocabulary words, you had the rest of the hour to prep for presentations. We will determine presentation order on Monday.

Prepping Time

Don't forget that first and seventh hour have approximately 24 hours to complete their tone prompts. It is the last full solo essay you will be writing for awhile.

1: At the beginning of class, you compared and contrasted your tone maps to see overlapping and juxtaposing themes, tones, and characterization for EAR's poems. Next up, we looked - literally since these were projected on a screen - at pictures and ads to identify pathos and purpose. At the end of the hour, you were assigned the current event/rhetorical analysis group project. At this point, you know your group, your topic, and your plan for tomorrow. Prep days for you hour are November 10, 13, 14. Presentation days will be November 15 & 20.

3 & 4: We resumed vocab experts with 4 new words today, which means we will sneak in 4 more tomorrow. Then, we watched this video to look at how pathos can involve the subject and the audience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mscduVYpidA. The first time I watched this clip, the tears were flowing! For the rest of the time, you worked on your group presentations next week. We will determine your the schedule of presentations tomorrow. Even if you are fifth in line, you will still need to be prepared in case of emergency absence.

7: We resumed vocab experts with 4 new words today, looked at pathos via advertisements and video (see link above for a viewing), and assigned the current event/rhetorical analysis group project. You will be preparing for this project during class time on November 10, 13, 14. You will be presenting on November 15 & 20. 

Toning to Pathos

We are less than 4 weeks away from the Lucy Logs due date. Make sure you are completing this assignment and not procrastinating!

1: We are almost caught up to the other classes as a result of finishing "To a Skylark" and "Ode to a Nightingale," and you received the tone prompt, which as is follows: In regards to Percy Shelley's "To a Skylark" and John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale," compare and contrast the tone and other rhetorical strategies used by these poets in their writing about birds. This is a 48 hour prompt akin to the Keats' prompt of old. You may hand write or type the hard copy essay, which will need to be in my possession by 3:30 p.m. on Friday. If absent for the entirety of the day, you are required to share, e-mail, or photograph the essay and then turn in a hard copy when returning to school. We will go over the RC and MC tone maps tomorrow, return to vocab, and work with pathos in preparation for your group project. We are busy, busy, busy!

3 & 4: In exciting news, it looks like the projector is working. Did I just create a jinx? After copying down unit 15 vocab for tomorrow's resumption of vocab experts, we spent quality time on the floor looking at pictures and advertisements to check out pathos-based reactions and finding out about the group project - a pathos-driven presentation on one of the 5 topics. If you were absent, you will find out your group tomorrow. Otherwise, the groups can begin dividing up tasks and brainstorming ideas in preparation for tomorrow's class. Prep days (after vocab and a pathos activity) will be November 9, 10, and 13. Presentations will occur on November 14 and 15/16.

7: Check out first hour's agenda for information regarding the tone prompt on "To a Skylark" and "Ode to a Nightingale." You have the same deadline, Friday at 3:30 p.m. for this 48 hour prompt. To finish up the hour, you copied down Unit 15 vocab in preparation for tomorrow's class, and we reviewed a little logos, ethos, pathos to prep for the remainder of this week's classes.

Almost the End of Tone

1: After reviewing how to make a tone map, we summarized the RC & MC poems, looking at EAR's characterization of these two men. For homework, you are completing a tone map on your assigned poem and composing a 1 paragraph analysis. At the end of the hour, we started summing up "To a Skylark," which we will finish up on Wednesday. In addition, we will be working with "Ode to a Nightingale," so make sure you are cognizant of all the vocabulary and allusion meanings in the poem.

3 & 4: We quickly wrapped up "To a Skylark" and looked at "Ode to a Nightingale," finishing up our tone texts. As a result, it is time for your tone prompt, which has a deadline of Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. As with your previous prompt, you have the choice of handwriting or typing the essay with the hard copy in my hands by the deadline - unless absent all day, which means sharing, e-mailing, photographing you work by the given time. In all circumstances, the hard copy is mandatory. Absentees, I have sent to the prompt to your school e-mail address, so that you can work on this and complete the assignment without falling behind.

7: At the start of the class, we worked in partners to compare and contrast our RC & MC tone maps. Then, we summed up - as much as time allows - "To a Skylark" and "Ode to a Nightingale." Whatever is left over, we will finish very quickly on Wednesday, which means you should have ethos on all the vocabulary and allusions in these poems.

Benjamin Banneker Week Begins!

In exciting news, it is Benjamin Banneker week, which celebrates the revered writer, scientist, and all-around savant. Here is a little more information from a fun website of daily, weekly, and monthly celebrations: https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/benjamin-banneker-week/. And, to make this a little more relevant and applicable, you will notice that there are 2 activities for celebrating Banneker's role in our lives. The first is to make a clock face (non-working) using mathematics to represent the numbers 1-12 (so don't literally write 1, 2, and so forth but construct formulas or mathematical expressions to represent each number). Here is a picture I found online (which may be blocked since it originally came from facebook) of such a clock, which looks to be made out of cardboard: https://www.facebook.com/events/1601106116857922. The second is to compose a poem that actually features mathematical puzzles for the reader to solve. Here are some examples: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/resources/mathematical-puzzles-benjamin-banneker. As you can see the word problems are divided up into verse form, which means you can play with rhyme and diction and poetic elements to express math. So to make this interesting and decorate my room, you have the challenge of constructing a 3 dimensional clock (so not on typing paper but with a more solid material - creative materials add to the presentation) and/or a mathematical poem on decorated construction paper/cardboard/posterboard for extra credit. The poem can have combined mathematical puzzles to boost the level of difficulty and content. All the math must be accurate - and, yes, I am a polymath (at least that is what Joe Cassidy calls me) and have right and left brain talents. The clock will be worth a maximum of 35 points, and the mathematical poem will be worth a maximum of 20 points. Points will be awarded for originality, mathematical connection, presentation, and effort, which means those utilizing the most clever materials, math, and presentation will amass the most points. You can do one of each by the way. The due date for this extra credit, which must be in person, is Monday, November 13, so you have one week on this extra credit opportunity. This must be turned in via hard copy (obviously) by 3:00 p.m. on that day. If you have any questions, e-mail me for clarifications. Otherwise, I am looking forward to the final products!

"The Bird"

Make sure that you are prepared for all upcoming texts - you should know word meanings and plot to help you with the analysis phase. At this point, you have had a week to prep all of the texts. In addition, those students who print out the texts and have notes ready seem to have stronger analysis during our discussions.

1: During class, you completed a tone map for "A Children's Hour," and then we spent time looking over the analyses and what you should do and what you should not do. As with all analyses, you still have the expected structure, evidence, and "robust" analysis. On Monday, we will be working with Richard Cory and Miniver Cheevy.

3 & 4: We compared and contrasted our RC & MC tone maps, and then spent the rest of the hour looking at "To a Skylark," which we will finish up on Monday prior to Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale" and the assignment of your tone prompt. Yes, it is coming. And to preview beyond our tone work, we will then move into logos-ethos-pathos work in a group project.

7: We began class with reviewing how to write an analysis for a tone map, then summarized Richard Cory and Miniver Cheevy in preparations for your solo tone map, which will be the culminating activity for tone mappage. Don't worry, though, we wills till have tone analysis next week with Shelley and Keats.

Children's EAR

Don't forget to have all the poems from last week read and ready to go for class tomorrow. While third and fourth hour are in the final throes of tone work, first and seventh hour still have a handful of texts left to tone map.

1: We went to "Chicago," finishing up the summary of the poem and constructing a tone map as a sample. A tone map (there are samples on previous blogs if you need a visual) begins with the poem itself: find the shifts in tone, assign a specific tone word to each section, select two words to act as a range, plot the points on the map, analyze a pattern. At the end of the hour, you started the beginnings of a tone map for "The Children's Hour" by identifying tone for each stanza. We will resume there tomorrow. To expedite time, I highly recommend selecting tone words for each stanza prior to class.

3 & 4: We spent some quality time with your "The Children's Hour" tone maps - looking at tone word meanings and reading the paragraph analyses. As noted, you should have a title to your tone map - we need to know what poem is being analyzed - and a solid paragraph with a topic sentence, transitioned evidence, and analysis prior to the concluding sentence. Next, we summarized those poor chaps "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy" prior to your assignment of a solo tone map for tomorrow's class. For this tone map, you are noting the shifts by line - not by stanza - and creating your map and paragraph analysis on construction paper. Absentees without construction paper may do the assignment on typing paper or (if the only option) notebook paper. Caleb, you will be in charge of a tone map for "Miniver Cheevy." Kennedy, you will also be working with "Miniver Cheevy."

7: Back from our lockdown drill and assembly, we resumed "The Children's Hour" by having you construct tone maps and analysis. In our circle on the floor, we looked over almost all of the tone map samples to provide feedback and tips for our upcoming tone maps. We will finish that up to start class and then be spending quality time with RC & MC.

Tone Shifting

I hope you noticed that I was wearing my "tone shift" shirt today in order to celebrate that all classes are involved in our tone unit.

1: We played with identifying tone in statements, created dialogue with our umbrella tone list, and shared our favorite new tone words from the big kid's list. We just began reviewing the plot of "Chicago" when the bell shrilled, so we will finish that and create a class tone map sample next class.

3: We took a second look at our class tone map with the purpose of analysis, looking at patterns in tone and how these connect with the poem's meaning. Then, you shared the plot of "A Children's Hour," created partner tone maps, and turned those in.

4: We looked over the plot of "A Children's Hour" and created partner tone maps, which we will analyze in class tomorrow.

7: Due to a shortened class period, we reviewed our tone map from last class and began our look at "A Children's Hour" content.