Sunday

Quarter 1, Week 5

Reminder: Independent Reading due by next Friday, September 7 @ 2:15
Methods: Homework bin, my box in the main office, share via GoogleDocs
Monday, August 27                                                              
Classwork
  1. Do Now: Mid-Quarter Vocab Review Test
  2. Then: Review new words
  3. After: Independent Reading Reminder
Homework
  • Read: finish "Speaking of Courage" and "Notes" (p. 161)
  • Write: keep running list of symbols from each chapter
  • Continue Independent Reading assignment due next Friday, September 7
Tuesday, August 28                                                                           
Classwork
  1. Do Now: What are some of the challenges that the characters face? Focus on one or two in your response.
  2. After: Norman Bowker- Does knowing about his post-war life change your opinion of his actions during the battle that took Kiowa's life? (NY Times Article Excerpt)
  3. Quote Review: “Courage, I seemed to think, comes to us in finite quantities, like an inheritance, and by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down.” (p. 40)
  4. Major Project Introduction: Powerpoint Presentation focusing on a single character from the book (completed during last two weeks of the quarter)
Homework
  • Think: Begin thinking about presentation ideas
  • Read: "In the Field", "Good Form" and "Field Trip" ( to p.188)
  • Write: continue keeping a list of symbols
  • Continue Independent Reading due next Friday, September 7 by 2:15
Thursday, August 30                                                            
Classwork
  1. Do Now: O'Brien creates tension for the reader in the three stories you read.  How? Why?
  2. Next: Letter-writing (students write a condolence letter to Kiowa's family from the perspective of a soldier who was in the field with him the night he died)
  3. After: Continue discussing presentations and inclusion of other texts
  4. (Time-permitting) Begin creating presentations
Homework
  • Begin creating Major project presentation
  • Read: "The Ghost Soldiers" (to p. 218)
  • Study: Vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 3
  • Continue Independent Reading due next Friday, September 7 by 2:15
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Quarter 1, Week 4

Monday, August 20                                                                
Classwork
  1. Do Now: Vocabtest.com  Junior Unit 2, Quiz B
  2. Then: Review Quiz A
  3. After: Student Responsibility for Vocabtest.com reminder
Homework
  • Finish Reading "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" in The Things They Carried (p.116)
Tuesday, August 21                                                                    
Classwork
  1. Do Now: How possible do you think it would be for a soldier's girlfriend to be flown into Vietnam during the war?  Why would a soldier want this for the person he loves?
  2. After: How to edit and revise
  3. Writing Workshop: Revising the Argument Essay
  4. Then: imagery, symbolism and metaphor in The Things They Carried (Groups discuss: topography of Vietnam, the Green Berets and Mary Anne's transformation)
  5. Next Argumentative Essay Topic: Does gender change your expectations of a soldier in war?
Homework
  • Read: "Stockings", "Church", "The Man I Killed", "Ambush" and "Style" (end @ p. 136)
  • Write down one object that acts as a symbol from each story you've read so far and bring the list to next class (14 total objects/symbols)
  • Optional: Revise Argument Essay 1: A true war story is... (use your online textbook for drafting help, p. 1256-1258) due by last day for late work, 9/21
Thursday, August 23                                                                    
ATTENTION: LESSON MAY BE ALTERED DUE TO PICTURE-TAKING IN THE CAFETERIA
Classwork
  1. Do Now: Take out the symbol list that you created.  Why was it important for these objects to hold a symbolic meaning?
  2. Then: Choose next argumentative topic (default if none chosen- Does gender change your expectations of a soldier in war?)
  3. Writing Workshop (p. 1256-1259) Developing a thesis, Using persuasion in creation of an argument, Drafting strategies, Preliminary Thesis and Outline due by the end of the period
Homework
  • Begin writing Argument Essay #2 (use the online textbook, p. 1260 for help)
  • Study for Vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 3- Quiz A on Monday
  • Read: "Speaking of Courage" and "Notes" for Tuesday (end @ p. 161)
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Week Ending August 16 (Holiday- August 17)

Tuesday, August 14                                               
Classwork
  1. (Recover graded work from bin by the windows)
  2. Do Now: Vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 2: Quiz A
  3. Then: Argument Writing Workshop, "A true war story..." (40 minute writing assignment using evidence from all stories and sources given in class to-date.  See older posts if necessary.)
  4. After: Reminder to complete Poll and assign next reading
Homework
  • Read: "Enemies," "Friends," "How to Tell a True War Story," and "The Dentist" (pp. 62-88)
  • While Reading: Keep a running list of 'things' the soldiers carried on the card provided in class
  • Continue independent reading (make sure to sign-up at the top of this page)
  • If you missed the Empower3000 Level Set, please make arrangements to make-up at lunch, before or after school
Thursday, August 16                                                        
Classwork
  1. Do Now: Journal entry thinking about the differences between 'memoir' and 'fiction'
  2. Then: Discuss the 8 stories read so far in groups.  Each group will determine who the main character is in each story.  Then, determine who the major characters are in the book so far.
  3. After: Short discussion about how O'Brien's writing reflects the 'surreal nature of war.'  What kinds of truths can surrealism reveal that non-fiction cannot?
  4. Read: Ernest Hemingway's Soldier's Home (hard copy provided in class.  Click here for web version) 
Homework
  • Study vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 2 for Quiz B on Monday
  • Bring several topic ideas to class for your next argumentative essay (must be related to American War Literature)
  • Read: "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" (pp. 89-116)
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Week Ending August 10


Monday, August 6                                                               
Classwork:
  1. Do Now: Unit 1, Quiz B
  2. Descriptive Writing Activity: Write a three-paragraph essay on an object you carry now, or one from your childhood. Describe the object in detail, the mood it evokes, and reasons for its importance.
Homework:
Tuesday, August 7                                                                
Classwork:
  1. Do Now: Read The Things They Carried page 1 to the break on page 2.  In Journals, write about why the letters were so important to Jimmy Cross.
  2. Watch short film about Vietnam Era
  3. Read about conscription/draft in Vietnam Era
  4. Read An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
  5. Write: Looking at the background of each author, what seems similar about the two men's writings that seem similar?
Homework
  • Read The Things They Carried to page 25 (end of chapter 1)
  • Think: What's so important about 'the things they carried' in the book?
  • Continue Independent Reading
Thursday, August 9                                                            
Classwork:
  1. Do Now: Extended argument essay: War Literature is                     .
  2. Then: Discuss how the two war stories are similar and different
  3. War Literature Activity- an argument writing workshop
Homework:
Photo of younger Tim O'Brien in Vietnam
Click to listen
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Wednesday

Week Ending August 3

Monday, July 30
Classwork:

  1. None

Homework:

  • None

Tuesday, July 31
Classwork:

  1. Review KKHS folder and student planner
  2. Review Syllabus and Expecations
  3. Complete Quarter 1 portion of syllabus
  4. Explain weekly vocabulary procedure

Homework

  • Signed documents to period 1 teacher
  • Study Vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 1 list for quiz on Thursday

Thursday, August 2
Classwork:

The Things They Carried
Click to Listen
  1. Do Now: Listen to the short reading from The Things They Carried. In at least a paragraph, describe why you think 'a true war story' is described in such a way.  You have 10 minutes from the beginning of the reading to complete the assignment.
  2. Junior Unit 1 Quiz A
  3. War Literature Activity
  4. Tim O'Brien background
  5. Descriptive Writing Activity: Write a three-paragraph essay on an object you carry now, or one from your childhood. Describe the object in detail, the mood it evokes, and reasons for its importance.

Homework:
Photo of younger Tim O'Brien in Vietnam
Click for classroom document

  • Study Vocabtest.com, Junior Unit 1 list for quiz on Monday
  • Continue writing Argumentative Writing Activity started in class
  • Choose Independent Reading book by next Friday
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