This class: We began work on our Symbolism Posters.

Homework: Finish reading Lord of the Flies, and complete your poster.

Next class: Themes of the novel!

This class: We discussed chapters 7 and 8, with an emphasis on the scene between Simon and the Lord of the Flies.

Next class: Chapters 9 and 10!

This class: We worked on storyboards for chapters 6 and 7 of Lord of the Flies. Choose one of those chapters and create at least 12 illustrations and captions showing the main actions of the chapter in chronological order.

Homework: Complete the storyboard and read up to the end of Chapter 8.

This class: We discussed, in groups, various topics from chapters 3 and 4, and created essay outlines for those topics. The topics were: “The Beach vs. The Forest”, “The Role of Meat”, “Simon”, “The Coincidence of the Ship and the Pig”, “Classical Conditioning and Morality”, “Face-Paint”, and “The Need for Shelter”.

Homework: Read chapters 5 and 6.

This class: We discussed chapter two of Lord of the Flies.

Homework: Read chapters three and four, and make at least one full page of notes on what you read. (Whenever you read something that is a bit interesting, write the page number and quickly record some of your thoughts on it, then keep reading.)

Next class: We will be looking at chapters 3 and 4.

This class: We learned about the historical context that Lord of the Flies was written in, and a little about the author as well. We then discussed the first chapter, paying close attention to the arrival of the Jack and the choir, the first meeting and choosing of a leader, and the first encounter with the pig. We then worked on worksheets to help us understand how certain details reveal character.

Homework: Read chapter two of Lord of the Flies.

This class: We wrote our in-class essays.

Homework: Finish reading the first chapter of Lord of the Flies. 

Next class: We will discuss the first chapter of Lord of the Flies.

This class: A Block got started on the in-class essay, while blocks C, G, and H postponed the until next week, and got started on reading Lord of the Flies.

Homework: Read the first chapter of Lord of the Flies (Block A excluded) and Vote in the poll below!

Next class: We begin, Lord of the Flies.

This class: We looked at the grading system used for synthesis responses, and practiced grading some papers. This was in preparation for the in-class essay we will write next class.

Homework: Refresh your memory about the stories we have read since September, and be on time and ready to write next class!

Next class: In-class essay comparing two of the stories we have read.

This Class: We listened to “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkel, wrote a response to it in our journals and used it as a springboard to our discussion of “Death of the Pugilist.” Our discussion focused on the last section of the story and what happens there: what happens to Blindman, and what happens to Burke.

Homework: Complete your writing assigment.

Next class: We will be reviewing our short story unit.

This Class: We completed We completed our open-book quizzes today and began work on our writing assignment for the pugilist–due Oct 9/10.

Homework: Get started on your chosen topic. You should have already made some progress by the beginning of next class.

Next Class: We will listen to Simon and Garfunkel’s song, “The Boxer” and talk about how it’s protrayal of a boxer is similar to “Death of the Pugilist”.

This class: We finished reading “Death of the Pugilist“, and wrote a response journal entry about it, before starting an open-book quiz on the story.

Homework: If you haven’t finished reading the story on your own, finish it and read it a second time, so you are ready to complete the entire quiz next class.

Next class: We will complete the quiz and start a writing assignment.

This class: We started reading our last story of the unit, “Death of the Pugilist“, and looked at some study questions to help deepen our reading.

Homework: None, but you would be wise to finish t reading the story.

Next class: We will continue to read the story, write a response journal entry,  and do an open book quiz on it, all in preparation of our next writing assignment.

This class: We discussed Stanislaw Lem’s short story, “The Seventh Voyage” and shared our thematic statements for it. We then began work on a reading activity (one of several choices) to deepen our understanding and decoding ability. The activity is due next week at the latest. There was also an important ANNOUNCEMENT: Tuesday at 4:00 is the deadline for submitting any late assignments that are outstanding. After that deadline, new assignments will be required (on the same criteria) to make up any zeroes on your record.

Homework: Complete your selected activity by class time next week.

Next class: We will begin work on our final story of the unit, “Death of the Pugilist” by Daniel Mason.

To view the grades page, you will have to enter a password. The password is the surname above the room number outside our classroom. The password is case-sensitive.

This class: We made a response journal entry on the photo, “Migrant Mother” as a comparison with the ideas in “Evona Darling”. We then reviewed “literary analysis” and looked more closely on what “themes” look like. We spent a good portion of class reading our next story: “The Seventh Voyage”.

Homework: Finish reading “The Seventh Voyage” and write a thematic statement for it (i.e., identify its theme).

Next class: We will be looking at how plot and conflict make theme clear in “The Seventh Voyage”.

This class: We discussed “Evona Darling”, and continued working through the study questions.

Homework: Complete study questions.

This class: We read a story called “Evona Darling” and, responded to comments on the story in our reader response journals, and answered study questions.

Homework: Complete questions 1 to 5. If you are a slow writer, you may want to preview questions 6 to 8.

Next class: We will discuss the story, then complete and hand in our answers to the study questions.

This class: We learned about how to correctly integrate quotations into our essays. We then practiced, and finally went down to the computer lab to revise our essays.

Homework: Hand in your revised essay (the final draft) next class or no later than 3:30 on Friday.

Next class: We read a new story!

This class: We learned some editing notation, and then peer-reviewed our synthesis responses, checking for correct formatting, as well as for correct spelling, grammar, etc. At the end of the class we handed in the marked up work.

Homework: None. Have a nice long weekend!

This class: We took our “Synthesis Response” writing to the computer lab, where and learned how to format our writing in the style of university papers, with correct in-line citation.

Homework: If you did not hand in a completed draft, finish it and hand in your paper next class. If you do not hand in your completed work next class, your incomplete draft from this class will be used for grading.

Next class: We will peer-review our synthesis responses, checking for correct formatting, spelling, and grammar.

This class: We completed our character sketches of Alice from “Mirror Image” and discussed what that story implies about the relationship between one’s body and one’s personality or behaviour. We took notes, collecting relevant quotations and page numbers. Then we looked at two other texts that relate to identity: part of Alice’s conversation with the caterpillar from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the first and last verse of Asher Roth’s song, “Y.O.U.”

Homework: Choose two of the three texts (“Mirror Image”, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and “Y.O.U.”) and decide which of the two texts gives a more convincing picture about identity. Respond in 300-350 words, referencing both texts.

Next Class: We will take our written responses to the computer lab and type them up in MLA format, with proper citation, etc. The writing will be due at the end of that class, so that it can be peer reviewed the class after that.

This class: We used our character webs from the previous class, to write a character sketch in the way suggested by the handout, How to Write a Character Sketch. We completed the writing in class and handed it in.

Homework: None!

Next class: Some students will be finishing up their character sketches during silent reading. After that, we will be exploring the themes of “Mirror Image” more, and comparing it with the themes in another text.

"Hand with Reflecting Sphere" -- M. C. Escher

Your homework: Look in the mirror and ask the person you see there, “Am I you?”

Next class: We will be continuing work on “Mirror Image”. If you need to take a copy home for further study, please come see me after school.