Wednesday, Sept. 30 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Disney’s Pocahontas –sections (while watching, notes)

*Think of these questions and be able to discuss them based on the notes you take while watching

*What is true to Smith’s account (General History)?

*What has been changed, added, modified to suit Disney’s purpose and audience?

*What Native American myth characteristics do you see and how?

*How do you think the relations of Pocahontas’ tribe feel about this version? Why?

*Discuss with partner what you answered for how the tribe feels? Then discuss: Is there a bias in the movie? What? How can you tell?

*Bias- A personal, sometimes unreasoned judgment; prejudice; bent

•Answer two of the History vs. Fiction prompts in writer’s notebook (at least a paragraph for each)

1. Is it a good thing that children are learning a sanitized, changed version of history? Why? Explain your thoughts in detail.

2. Do you think that most of what American society knows about history comes from movies? Is this good or bad? Why? Explain your thoughts in detail.

3. According to Chief Roy Crazy Horse, of the Powhatan Nation, “It is unfortunate that this sad story, which Euro-Americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes "entertainment" and perpetuates a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation.”  Analyze and evaluate this comment/feeling (break it apart, explain the sections, judge is it right or misguided or wrong, connect to direct evidence from notes)

*Time to read your book if you finish the prompts

Tuesday, Sept. 29 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: ACT Prep

*Discuss John Smith’s General History…

*Notes on Pocahontas

*In Writer’s Notebook: Is the media (TV, movies, books, internet, etc) responsible for accuracy?  Do they need to be 100% true accounts if they are using a true event for ‘inspiration’?  How accurate do shows/movies/books/sites need to be?  Support your opinions with details/logical arguments.

*Writer’s Notebook: At some point, you were Disney Animation Studio’s target audience.  Do you feel that at that point in your life, Disney effectively targeted you? Has their message affected the thoughts you have or had or what you ‘know’? Is Disney effective when it comes to getting their message to their target audience? How?

Discussion

Monday, Sept. 28 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Collect Myths (rubric paper clipped to the story, turned into the blue crate, first block folder)

*Finish paragraph from Friday (Cultural Encounters Message). Then, working individually: do you think either of these (de las Casas’ and Equiano’s) accounts changed the audience? How? Why yes or no? If no, what could they have done to more affect their audience? (comment on my blog): Read your book when you are done.  Remember, you need the book finished and a creative one-pager created by the last week of the quarter.

*Notes on Jamestown and John Smith

*General History of Virginia pg 94 Orange

*What changes do you think were made when Smith wrote it, why? (lists of details most likely true and those most likely altered) Is this a true witness account or fiction? Why?(reliable narrator) Why third person narration?

*Look at what he says about self as compared to what he says about others

*What was Smith’s purpose (or purposes) in writing General History… What details are included or possibly taken out that helped accomplish his purpose

*What does Smith’s account say about Pocahontas?

Friday, Sept. 25 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Discussion on “Relation”

*Refresher on Olaudah Equiano

*From The Interesting Narrative… pg 84 orange

*What is his purpose in writing? Who is his audience? Pick specific lines/sections that show purpose and audience.

*Question 8 on page 89

*Bring your answers up to me when done

*Time to read if you finish and others haven’t.  We haven’t had much, and you need to finish a novel by the end of the quarter, so take time to read.

*Discussion on topic “Frontiers and Cultural Encounters” and ties of Equiano and de las Casas to it: What message about Cultural Encounters and Frontiers do these two selections communicate? Details to show

Myth due on MONDAY!!

De las Casas and Equiano

1. With your group you are going to talk about our large topic (Cultural Encounters and Frontiers) and how it can be tied to the two most recent readings we have done.  What MESSAGE ABOUT cultural encounters and frontiers do these two selections communicate? Not just that they show cultures encountering, but detail out a specific message about the encounters that they show.  Please use textual evidence in your argument.

Post your group's answer as a reply to this post and make sure all of your names are listed in the text of the reply.

Once your group has discussed the topic "Frontiers and Cultural Encounters" and tied these two authors to it (and written it with textual evidence as a reply to this post), work on your own to answer this question as a second reply to this post:

2. Do you think either of these (de las Casas’ and Equiano’s) accounts changed the audience? How? Why yes or no? If no, what could they have done to more affect their audience?

Aim for around a paragraph, making sure to answer all of the questions and connecting them to each author

Thursday, Sept. 24 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Prior Knowledge on European arrival to the Americas in Writer’s Notebook: What do you know of the arrival of Europeans to America? How were the native populations treated by the English? Write about and be ready to share any prior knowledge on this…

*Writer’s Workshop

*I will call individuals up to the desk.  Bring your highlighted copy from yesterday

*European’s Arrival: From The Very Brief Relation of the Devastation of the Indies pg 97 (read the background info and the text in the handout you are given) –Answer these ‘prompts’ below in class notes section, be prepared to discuss both the selection and the answers you come up with

*What are injustices of Spanish colonizers –relate to English colonizers

*Mood of “Relation” –what is it and list four details that support that mood (emotion in reader created by work) –direct quotes or specific ideas

*Who is his audience? What makes you say that?

*How does this fit into the topic of “Cultural Encounters and Frontiers”? In depth answer with textual evidence to support (at least one piece)

Answers to Relation due tomorrow, Myth due Monday

Wednesday, Sept. 23 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Discuss “I Was Sleeping Where the Black Oaks Move”

*“Hunger In New York City” pg. 950 Blue/handout and questions: answer questions on the poem itself, making sure to identify word choice that supports your answer (you can just identify it directly in the text)

*In your writer’s notebook, write a paragraph where you explain the connections you can make between “Hunger in NYC” and “I Was Sleeping…”. They can be poetic connections or possibly cultural connections as both authors are contemporary Native American authors. Bring up to me when completed along with the poem and your answers.

*Writer’s Workshop Time

*Sensory Image Highlighting

*sentence structure (commas) mini lesson, dialogue format reminder

*Confer with me if you would like

*Final draft due Monday

Tuesday, Sept. 22 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: ACT Prep

*Writer’s Workshop time:

*Rubric

*Confer with me (sign up on board)

*Work to make your draft better, final due Monday

*“Thomas Builds-the-Fire” Discussion: Large Group

*Poetry Brainstorm: Poetic Terms needed this semester

*Louise Erdrich- “I Was Sleeping Where the Black Oaks Move”

*Poet Info: Minnesotan, Chippewa/German-American Ethnicity, writes with characters showing both sides of her ancestry

*Critics say she “has remained true to her Native ancestors’ mythic and artistic visions while writing fiction that candidly explores the cultural issues facing modern-day Native Americans and mixed heritage Americans.”

*Close Read the poem:

*Literal and metaphoric meanings

*What poetic terms can we see

*Connect to myths (characteristics in general)

*Connect to Sherman Alexie (Thomas Builds-the-Fire)

Friday, Sept. 18 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Remember, you need a printed out/paper copy of your complete myth

*Post-Modern and Contemporary Era

*Small Group Discussion: I’ll check the close read and answers from yesterday

*Create list of similarities to other myths we read, how does it show Nat Am myth characteristics?

*Discuss other notes

*Discuss metaphor/metaphors

*Discuss things you are confused about: Work together to answer ALL questions or come up with ideas to help you understand the story.

*Come to a group consensus: What is the author’s purpose of this story? What is the author’s attitude towards Thomas Builds-the-Fire? Towards the gov’t/BIA?

*Your group needs to post as a comment to the most recent post on my blog: your list of characteristics, your answers to the last three questions, and at least three important things you talked about

*Questions on the story: Completed on own, blank sheet of paper, turn in when done (to the folder in the BLUE crate)

*Writer’s Workshop: color coding your myth (if you finish in time, otherwise, color code on Tuesday)

*You need six different colors

*Select a color to represent each sense and underline where in your story you have the different sensory images

*The sixth color should represent the Native American myth characteristics and underline where you have those

*Once you have done this, KEEP IT for me to check, and then make your draft better and type it if it isn’t (I will be reading through and commenting on your draft on Sunday/Monday night, so make sure it is shared with me)

*Read your book: remember, you will be doing a one pager, so if you want to mark interesting ideas, quotes, themes, etc, that would be a good idea.

*****If your draft isn't typed up and/or shared with me, please get that done by Sunday night!

Thomas-Builds-the-Fire Discussion

Post your groups information from your discussion as a comment to this post.

Make sure you post these things:  your list of characteristics, your answers to the last three questions, and at least three important things you talked about

Thursday, Sept. 17 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Modernism Presentation

*Sherman Alexie- “The Trial of Thomas-Builds-the-Fire”

*While reading, notes on blank sheet or mark up the text: how does this share myth characteristics, what is the metaphor of the ponies, what are you confused about, answer the question about why he told the story of Qualchan, understandings about the story

*Writer’s Workshop time

*Rough Draft due tomorrow (need it printed out (or a paper copy) at the start of the block)

*About 2 pages length for rough draft

*Read your book: remember, you will be doing a one pager, so if you want to mark interesting ideas, quotes, themes, etc, that would be a good idea.

Wednesday, Sept. 16 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Realism Presentation

* Native American Cultural Representations today (pink packet, questions on previous slide –questions due tomorrow)

*Non-fiction on reservation life

*Writer’s Workshop Time

*Rough Draft of myth due by: Friday

*Writer’s Workshop Time or reading of choice book if you feel you have a complete story ready for Friday (around 2 pages long)

*Discussion on nonfiction readings tomorrow

Tuesday, Sept. 15 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Romanticism presentation

*Review notes on Trickster Myths, Hero Myths and literary terms

*“Rabbit Boy”: questions in your reader’s notebook/class notes section: bring sheet up to me to get checked when done

1.What trickster, hero and/or general myth characteristics were shown and how (list at least five with examples) –can highlight in the packet and label what characteristic seen

2.What is Rabbit Boy’s reoccurring vision and what might it represent?

3.Why does Rabbit Boy allow Iktome to capture him?  Why did Iktome fail at the same task?

*When done, bring answers to me and then start/keep writing your myth in writer’s notebook (add trickster characteristics if you’d like)

*Try your hand at an origin/creation myth, or add in some hero/trickster myth characteristics as well: model it after one of the stories we’ve read, or go your own way.  It needs to have many of the literary characteristics/qualities of myths from our notes

*I need to see at least a page of writing in WN/on computer by tomorrow

Monday, Sept. 14 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Lg. group discussion of first 2 creation myths (bring your chart up to me to be checked)

*Age of Reason Era

*“The Voice, The Flood and The Turtle”

*Read on own, take notes on the sheet, when finished reading, answer these questions: 1.  To what Biblical story does this story relate?  Explain at least two ways the stories are similar. 2. What is the ending prophecy?  How could it be applied and interpreted today?  Please make your explanation of the prophecy and today’s world clear.

*Can work with partner on questions, write answers on back of sheet, turn into crate when finished

*Myth prompt (only start if finished chart/questions: at least a paragraph due tomorrow)

*Try your hand at an origin/creation myth: model it after one of the stories we’ve read, or go your own way.  It needs to have some of the literary characteristics/qualities of myths from our notes

Friday, Sept. 11 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: In Writer’s notebook: Why do people tell stories? What is the point of an “oral tradition” of storytelling? What are some origin/creation stories you’ve heard? Why do people tell these stories? Write the whole time given, if you run out of ‘answers’, just write about stories/storytelling in general

*ACT Essay practice evaluation

*Discuss writing expectations this semester

*Make sure you have three colors of writing utensils/highlighters

*Puritan Notes

*Native American myths

*Creation Myths- Iroquois in packet and “The World on the Turtle’s Back” page 38 Orange *Take notes on chart while reading or at end of reading. This is what definitely should be noted: what origins are explained, what characteristics shown, similarities and glaring differences (for this you want main plot and character points): both stories and the two columns of the chart are due Monday.

*Myth prompt (if time)

*Try your hand at an origin/creation myth: model it after one of the stories we’ve read, or go your own way.  It needs to have some of the literary characteristics/qualities of myths from our notes

Thursday, Sept. 10 Agenda

*Bell Ringer:  In writer’s notebook section: What is a frontier? Give as many different types of frontiers and examples as you can.  Why is it important to explore frontiers through literature/writing?

*Choice book reading time: remember, you are going to be creating a ‘one-pager’ from this, so mark things that you think seem important thematically, or that would help to remember when creating the one pager.

*First Topic: Cultural Encounters and Frontiers

*Brainstorm what groups and/or individuals we could read in this section

*Native American/Colonial Group: While the group presents, make sure to take notes, ask questions and fully understand the era

Wednesday, Sept. 9 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Writer’s Workshop Time:

*Write this in ACT Prep section

*ACT writing practice– One Version of History?? 

*We like to think that history is an exact record of what occurred in the past. However, there are always different sides to a story. No two people interpret events in exactly the same way, and any description of an event will be colored by the teller’s point of view.

*Can there be one, undisputed version of history? (Thesis based on this question) Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

****You get 30 minutes to plan, write the entire essay, and revise/edit.

*Collect ACT essay

*Things I’m looking for with this first essay: Intro –thesis (position on paper); Body Paragraphs –topic sentences, supporting details; Conclusion –restate thesis

*Expert group work time –presentations start tomorrow!!

*Make sure you have a note sheet for your classmates for the presentation

*Note Sheet should highlight the most important portions of your presentation: What will people need throughout the semester about your era (literary techniques, literary terms, characteristics of the era, characteristics and beliefs of movements and eras, etc)

*Give me one copy and I will make a class set

Tuesday, Sept. 8 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Get out your work for your expert group

*Expert Groups:

*Rubric

*Continue planning presentation

*Presentations begin Thursday

*Chronological Order: The Native American and Colonial Period; The Puritan Era; The Revolutionary Period and Age of Reason; Romanticism and Transcendentalism; Realism, Regionalism and Naturalism; Modernism and Harlem Renaissance; and the Post Modern and Contemporary Era.

*You may have group members gone tomorrow (which is the last chunk of work time), so make sure you figure out what needs to be done and who will be doing it!!

*Make sure you have a note sheet for your classmates for the presentation

*Note Sheet should highlight the most important portions of your presentation: What will people need throughout the semester about your era (literary techniques, literary terms, characteristics of the era, characteristics and beliefs of movements and eras, etc)

Friday, Sept. 4 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Choice Book

*First Quarter: Any book from the list, needs to challenge you though (if one you want to read is not on the list, talk to me and you’ll submit a ‘proposal’ to me).

*End result: Creative One Pager

*Library- if necessary and your group is ok with you leaving

*Expert Groups: Continue Researching –share your notes with me now, let me know when you think you have compiled enough for me to check

*You need to have all of your information on your Google Doc by the end of work time today!

*Cross Check notes

*Presentation ideas/note sheet

Thursday, Sept. 3

*Bell Ringer: Share blackout poem

*Binder division

*Expert Groups

*Find out Era

*Begin researching

All notes compiled by the end of the block tomorrow!!

Wednesday, Sept. 2

*Bell Ringer: find your seat (pick a seat…for now…)

*Expectations

*https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/58/1f/36/581f36edf2353818db4c9196a22f20ae.jpg

*Blackout “poetry” explanation of yourself, an important idea to you, or just a creative thought: Poem due tomorrow

*http://newspaperblackout.com/about (video intro)

*http://www.bitrebels.com/design/newspaper-blackout-poems-a-creative-way-to-write-poetry/ (basic examples)

*http://www.creativity2point0.org/2012/10/tone-and-mood-in-literature-moving.html (example to incorporate tone)

*http://www.logolalia.com/alteredbooks/ (colorful examples)

*Writer’s Notebook/Binder- need one ASAP (some of you have one from last year?)

*What is English 11/American Lit?

*“Survey” course, Eras

*Common Themes (the BIG focus)

*Expert Groups explanation

*ranking for Expert Group preferences by end of block

Expert Groups Ranking Link

You received an email with this form linked, but you can also click on this link to rank your American Literature Eras.