31.1.11

Multi-Racial Perspectives in America

Monday, January 31st - Periods 5 & 7

Poetry: Day 9

Do Now: What are the similarities between art and poetry?

Critical Thinking Question: What happens when you recontextualize words and images?  How can we change meaning?  What is art?

Content: The Art of Collage Video, Magazines and Newspapers, Student Collages and Found Poetry, http://kohlage.com/

Objective: To understand how context affects and shapes meaning in communication, especially with modern forms of art and poetry.

Class Activities: View videos and discussion about recontextualizing words and images, Creating group found poem about class theme

Homework: No Homework

Monday, January 31st - Period 3

Culture: Day 8a

Do Now: What is a rhyme? What is rhyme scheme in a poem?

Critical Thinking Question: How does rhyme connect ideas in a poem or a song?

Content: Student Rhyming Poems

Objective: Students and teacher will define rhyme, giving examples and non-examples of rhymes. Students and teacher will define rhyme scheme.

Class Activities: Creating a rhyme scheme and poem for that rhyme scheme

Homework: Personification Poem Reminder. Complete your personification poem if you have not already.

Monday, January 31st - Period 6

Culture: Day 8a

Do Now: In high school how or where do students “find themselves” or develop a sense of identity?  Explain.

Critical Thinking Question: What is the dilemma of the decent kid?  What is the culture that exists that makes this dilemma possible? What are competing influences and forces that affect teenage identities? If you listen to gangster rap music, then what kinds of beliefs, values, and rules are you developing?

Content: Code of the Street “The Dilemma of the Decent Kid,” Tupac “How Long will they Mourn Me”

Objective: To deconstruct culture and generate a “found poem” in groups from the underlined sentences of the class text.  

Class Activities: Discussing underground urban culture, Reading Dilemma story, Text Rendering, and Found Poem writing and presentation

Homework: What beliefs, values and rules are you developing as a young adult? (1-2 Paragraphs)

Monday, January 31st - Period 1

Culture: Day 9a

Do Now: How is writing a poem different from writing an essay?

Critical Thinking Questions: How does poetry help us to express ourselves?  How can poetry be a good way to express our feelings of culture and race?  Does a poem have a thesis statement?

Content: We Wear the Mask

Objective: To develop your own metaphor or simile of your race or culture in order to express in a free verse poem.

Class Activities: Read and discuss poem, Identify metaphors and similes, Develop our own metaphors and similes, Begin writing poems

Homework: Type or write a clean copy of your poem.

26.1.11

Wednesday, January 26th - Period 3

Poetry: Day 9

Do Now: What are the similarities between art and poetry?

Critical Thinking Question: What happens when you recontextualize words and images?  How can we change meaning?  What is art?

Content: The Art of Collage Video, Magazines and Newspapers, Student Collages and Found Poetry, http://kohlage.com/

Objective: To understand how context affects and shapes meaning in communication, especially with modern forms of art and poetry.

Class Activities: View videos and discussion about recontextualizing words and images, Creating group found poem about class theme

Homework: No Homework

Wednesday, January 26th - Period 1

Culture: Day 8a

Do Now: In high school how or where do students “find themselves” or develop a sense of identity?  Explain.

Critical Thinking Question: What is the dilemma of the decent kid?  What is the culture that exists that makes this dilemma possible? What are competing influences and forces that affect teenage identities? If you listen to gangster rap music, then what kinds of beliefs, values, and rules are you developing?

Content: Code of the Street “The Dilemma of the Decent Kid,” Tupac “How Long will they Mourn Me”

Objective: To deconstruct culture and generate a “found poem” in groups from the underlined sentences of the class text.  

Class Activities: Discussing underground urban culture, Reading Dilemma story, Text Rendering, and Found Poem writing and presentation

Homework: What beliefs, values and rules are you developing as a young adult?

25.1.11

Tuesday, January 25th - Periods 3, 5 & 7

Do Now: What does it mean to write with consistent verb tense?

Critical Thinking Question: Why is it important to write with consistent verb tense? How can verb tense facilitate understanding in a story?

Content: "Sick" by Shel Silversteen

Objective: Students will learn about verb tense and will appropriately respond to a CRQ

CRQ: In Shel Silverstein’s poem, “Sick,”Peggy Ann McKay uses various language devices and strategies to make her argument to stay home from school, which one is most effective? Explain your answer using at least two examples from the poem.

Homework: No Homework.

Tuesday, January 25th - Periods 1 & 6

Culture: Day 2/7a

Do Now: Describe a time when you had to move from one home to another.  What was difficult or easy about the adjustment?

Critical Thinking Question:  How and why do the “rules” change when we enter different cultural contexts?

Content: Tyree’s story

Class Activities: Reading beginning of Tyree’s Story, Discussion of his challenges, Acting out of different scenarios of Tyree’s critical situation.

Homework: Finish reading Tyree’s Story to packet page 6.  Write a 1-2 paragraph reflection of the story. Guiding questions could be: What stood out to you from the story? Does the story seem real? How does the story portray urban city life?

24.1.11

Monday, January 24th - Periods 1 & 6

Essay Reflection Day

Do Now: Why is it important to have a clear thesis when writing an essay?

Critical Thinking Question: What is good writing?  What does good organization, authentic voice, and excellent support look like?

Content: Student essays

Objective: Students will learn and reflect on good writing

Class Activities: Review writing samples, Reflection

Homework: No Homework.

Monday, January 24th - Periods 3, 5 & 7

Poetry: Day 7

Do Now:Name and describe a person who seems to only think from one perspective.

Critical Thinking Question: How does the perspective of a story affect its meaning?

Content: Student’s own poetry

Objective: Students will learn Perspective in storytelling (1st, 2nd, 3rd person narration), student will write from one of those perspectives using personification to draft a poem.

Class Activities: Presentation and note taking on perspective, Reading and picking our potential perspectives from class text, Personification poem drafting

Homework: Type your final copy of your personification poem.

23.1.11

Le Show


We're not #1: 7.00-10.00

21.1.11

Friday, January 21st - Periods 3, 5 & 7

Poetry: Day 7

Do Now: Is it possible to write a poem about our classroom from the perspective of a desk?

Critical Thinking Question: How does the perspective of a story affect its meaning?

Content: Article related to the class theme.

Objective: Students will learn Perspective in storytelling (1st, 2nd, 3rd person narration), student will write from one of those perspectives using personification to draft a poem.

Class Activities: Presentation and note taking on perspective, Reading and picking our potential perspectives from class text, Personification poem drafting

Homework: Type your final copy of your personification poem.

Friday, January 21st - Periods 1 & 6

Culture: Day 6a

Do Now: Name an example of a new technological advancement that has happened in the past 5 years that you use every day?  (examples of globalization)

Critical Thinking Question: What is globalization?  How has globalization affected all of our lives?  Why is it important to be comfortable interacting with and learning from other cultures in a globalized world?

Content: Cultural Differences Video, Will i Am: Check it out, Student Stories

Objective: To realize the significance of globalization and the importance of multicultural understanding.

Class Activities: View videos and class discussion of globalization, Reading and responses to multicultural stories.

Homework: No Homework. Enjoy the Weekend!

20.1.11

Obama Urges Global Response

Thursday, January 20th - Periods 3, 5 & 7

Poetry: Day 8

Do Now: Personification is when we give human feature to a non-human being or object. Think of 2 examples of personification.

Critical Thinking Question: How can personification be used to enhance the creativity of your poetry? How can personification provide different perspectives on an issue or experience that we would not otherwise think of?

Content: Personification Poems

Objective: By the end of the class period, students will be able to exhibit mastery of personification by constructing a personification poem for their Poetry Portfolio.

Class Activities: Read and discuss examples of personification, begin writing own personification poems.

Homework: Construct a simile or metaphor that you can use within your Personification Poem

Thursday, January 20th - Periods 1 & 6

Culture: Day 5a

Do Now: Why do we tell stories? (4-5 sentences)

Critical Thinking Question: Why is it important to tell stories of our experiences?  Why are there story tellers?  What is the problem with stories and history? Why is story writing an important form of writing? What is your philosophy of writing and expressing yourself?  Why do you tell stories?

Content: The History Makers - “Walter Hill comments on the importance of oral history

Objective: To further understand the writing process and significance of telling stories.  To develop your own philosophy as a story teller and writer.

Class Activities: View and discuss video, exchanging stories, writing about your philosophy.

Homework: Final (typed) draft of your essay due tomorrow.

Camden City Job Cuts

19.1.11

Wednesday, January 19th - Periods 3, 5 & 7

Poetry: Day 5 (Group Day)

Do Now: From the group agenda, identify the part of speech from each underlined word.  

Critical Thinking Question: Why is it important to know part of speech?  How can parts of speech make you a better writer?  How do good poets and writers use parts of speech effectively?  

Content: Group Agenda, Examples of Cinquain Poems, Poetry Unit Portfolio

Objectives: Students understand and recognize parts of speech.  Students collaborate in groups to generate 3 cinquain poems.

Class Activities: Observing an artifact, Defining Parts of Speech, Cinquain Presentation, Writing Cinquains in groups.  

Homework: How can careful word choice, like how we chose the best words for our cinquain poems today, improve your writing?
(1 Paragraph)

Wednesday, January 19th - Period 6

Culture: Day 8/4a

Do Now: Are you “American”? Explain.

Critical Thinking Question: What does it mean to “become American”?  Why might it be difficult or hard for an immigrant to give up their culture, their history, and their language?  Why do they feel like they must “become American” to succeed in America?

Content: “How to be More American” Video, Mixed Salad Bowl vs. Melting Pot version of cultural assimilation, “Becoming American” Poem

Class Activities: Discussion of American traits, Reading Poem, Use of imagery, Reflective writing: How does language and history important to culture?

Homework: What do you know about the history of your culture?  Talk to parents or guardians to describe at least 2 important historical events of your culture.

Wednesday, January 19th - Period 1

Culture: Day 3a
Do Now: Pick out the most interesting question from culture and race.  Why is this an important question?  (1 Paragraph)

Critical Thinking Question: What does it mean to “become American”?  Why might it be difficult or hard for an immigrant to give up their culture, their history, and their language?  Why do they feel like they must “become American” to succeed in America?

Content: “How to be More American” Video, Mixed Salad Bowl vs. Melting Pot version of cultural assimilation, “Becoming American” Poem

Class Activities: Discussion of American traits, Reading Poem, Use of imagery, Reflective writing: How does language and history important to culture?

Homework: What do you know about the history of your culture?  Talk to parents or guardians to describe at least 2 important historical events of your culture.

18.1.11

Tuesday, January 18th - Periods 6

Culture: Day 3a

Do Now: Pick out the most interesting question from culture and race.  Why is this an important question?  (1 Paragraph)

Critical Thinking Question: What role does race play in our society today?  How do people from different cultures learn to understand each other?  Why is it important to have a beginning, middle, and end to a story?

Content: The All American Slurp

Objective: Students will recognize the beginning and middle of a story and be able to construct their own plot line of these parts of the story.

Class Activities: Reflecting on Culture Questions, Re-introduction to Plot line, Reading The All American Slurp, Filling out Plot

Homework: Finish reading The All American Slurp and complete plot worksheet for the end of the story.