Friday, Feb. 12 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: ACT Prep

*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: Peer Evaluation Discussion and Writing Time –final version (and all steps in between) due Monday

*“Thomas Builds-the-Fire” Discussion: Large Group (on Monday)

*Poetic Terms needed this semester (put note sheet in your notes section)

*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)

Final Draft of Myth and Close Read of "I Was Sleeping Where the Black Oaks Move" due Monday

Thursday, Feb. 11 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: 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

*Peer Eval of Myth

*Print out paper copy for a peer

*When you get someone else’s story, you need to read it.  You are  looking for Native American Myth Characteristics and Narrative Techniques

*General Myth Characteristics

*Creation Characteristics

*Hero Characteristics

*Trickster Characteristics

*Narrative Techniques

*character development, setting, conflict, plot development (exposition, rising actions, conflict, falling actions, resolution)

*If you want to write ways for your peer to improve their story, do so on the paper copy they have given you

*Give their story an evaluative ranking based on the rubric, adding a quick explanation if needed for each category to help the author understand

*Evaluate each category and then overall

*If you aren’t done at the end of class, finish for homework

"Trial of Thomas Builds-the-Fire" Discussion

After your group has discussed what was on the smart board, post some of your insights as a comment to this post.

The things that you need to post are: *your list of characteristics, your answers to the last three questions, and at least three important/insightful things you talked about

Wednesday, Feb. 10 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Modernism Presentation

*Writer’s Workshop time

*Print off your story/share it with me

*Highlight each example of a characteristic that you are using and annotate in the margin/as a comment what specific characteristic that is an example of

*Assess your use of characteristics and narrative (story characteristics): have you done as well as you believe you can? If not: revise what you have, add more details, make sure your characteristics flow within the story, use precise language for your readers to ‘see’ what you want them to, etc.

*Discussion on nonfiction readings with partner to check answers to first three questions

*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

*General understandings about the story

*Read your book (at any point when you are done and we haven’t moved on): 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.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Realism Presentation

*“Rabbit Boy”: questions (next screen) in your reader’s notebook/class notes section: due at 3:00

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? 

*Writer’s Workshop Time

*Complete story, typed, with MANY different MYTH CHARACTERISTICS worked in

*Due Wednesday (tomorrow)

*If you feel you have a solid story, with MANY characteristics (all types), read your book

*Native American Cultural Representations today (packet, questions on sheet in packet –questions due tomorrow)

*Non-fiction on reservation life

*AIAN stands for American Indian and Alaskan Native

Monday, Feb. 8 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Romanticism Notes

*Lg. group discussion of first 2 creation myths

*“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

*Try your hand at an origin/creation myth, and 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

*By Wednesday you need a complete story (typed up) with many different myth characteristics worked in to it.  You will also want to add some hero/trickster characteristics after we talk about those.  You need to be able to identify which characteristics you used and where.

*Review/add to notes on Trickster Myths, Hero Myths and literary terms

Friday, Feb. 5 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Native American myths

*Creation Myths- Iroquois in packet (did this for HW) 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)

*Myth prompt (only start if finished chart for the first two stories)

*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

*Age of Reason Era

Thursday, Feb. 4 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Read choice book for a bit (waiting for science folk to return)

*Puritan Notes

*ACT Essay practice evaluation (take out the packet from Tues)

*Native American myths

Creation Myths- Iroquois in packet *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

Tuesday, Feb. 2 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?

*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

*ACT Writing Evaluation: Example Essays

*Use the rubric to give each essay a score in each of the four areas as well as an overall score.  Make sure you have marked up the essay with supporting details as to why you gave the number

Monday, Feb. 1 Agenda

*Bell Ringer: Writer’s Workshop Time:

*Write this in ACT Prep section

*ACT writing practice– Information Accessibility (explanation on next slide)

*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