Thursday’s Class: February 4th

In Class

Review of field trip experience.

Journaling about the experience.

Writing about Steinlauf’s lesson–re-read pages 40-41 in Survival in Auschwitz. Consider what Steinlauf offers to Levi about surviving. Paraphrase what the lesson says. In your response, you may choose to agree or disagree with it, as Levi does. You may use the pronoun “I” in the response as this is a personal response.

Homework

Exercise on Active and Passive Voice on Moodle. Write full sentence responses. Be able to show me your written work in Friday’s class. May be on your laptop rather than printed out.

Complete (if needed) and submit your writing about Steinlauf’s lesson. Upload to Moodle.

Scavenger Hunt a Success!

Today the entire 10th grade participated in a scavenger hunt with our Easter Seals buddies!

I am pleased to report, the day was a success!

1st place: Jack, Harry, and their partner, Garrott

2nd place: Ryan, Mark, and their partner, James

3rd place: Scooter, Joe, and their partner, Jay

Nice work from everyone. We all enjoyed the challenge of the hunt, finding clues, and getting to know our buddies better.We’ll begin the work of conceptualizing our projects this week and next.

In class for Thursday

–We’ll review your vocabulary lesson 23. Make sure it’s completed.

–I’ll check your active reading for chapters 2 and 3 for credit.

–We’ll discuss and write about the Scavenger Hunt experience.

Thursday Night Homework: Write up Steinlauf’s philosophy about how to survive. Demonstrate your understanding of the concept by paraphrasing what he does and says about dignity and propriety. Your final write up should be a 1/2-1 page, double spaced response. DUE FRIDAY!

Still waiting for Hotel Rwanda Film Notes!

Few of you have uploaded your Hotel Rwanda film notes.

In the regulars classes, most of you handed them in on paper.

In the honors class, none of you handed in on paper. I see only 2 people have uploaded. These are the film notes, not the elements of story from Hotel Rwanda. Where are they?

Friday January 29th–Honors

Note: Sorry to miss you guys again! My son has “Sleepy-Time, Story-Time” at the Lower School this afternoon, and I have a doctor’s appointment to get some help with whatever is ailing me. My apologies, again. I hate to miss this class especially with so much to talk about from our readings!

Here’s the plan for the class:

1. Be nice to Ms. Blau!

2. Take vocab quiz. Ms. Blau will give you the password as soon as you are all turned with your laptop facing her and as soon as you are all safely secured from Temptation.

3. Please upload your discussion/study questions from The Sunflower pages 20-35 to Moodle. As instructed on Wednesday, these should have been completed.

4. Please upload your Hotel Rwanda Films Notes to the Hotel Rwanda box on Moodle.

5. Begin the weekend reading pages 35-55. Actively read and mark your text. There are no study questions that accompany this reading. I will expect that you have actively read and may verify that fact for credit.

Enjoy the weekend. I look forward to a full week next week.

Friday January 29th–Regulars

Regulars

In Class:

Take Vocab Lesson 22 quiz on Moodle

Download study questions from http://drop.io/cgiraud#

We used these questions to guide our discussion on the chapter 1 reading of Survival in Auschwitz.

Reminder: I expect you will be actively reading this book. Particularly on nights when you don’t have study guide questions, I expect you will be engaging critically with the reading. Don’t be surprised if I do book checks next week to see that you are staying current with active reading.

Homework for regulars: Actively read chapter 2 in Survival in Auschwitz. Remember to actively read and bring your book to class!

Thursday January 28th

REGULARS

In Class

Students will work in class to construct sentences using vocab words. We will focus on how to use context clues to determine meaning, a skill that several are struggling with.

We’re also going to discuss two poems: “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by Wordworth and “Problems with Hurricanes” by Cruz. The students should have already read these and prepared some study guide questions. Study guide questions are on Moodle. The poems are in the poetry packet. If you have lost your poetry packet, you can find both of these poems by Googling poem and author. Print the poem out so you can actively read it.

Homework:
read 13-21 in Survival in Auschwitz.
Prep for vocab quiz Lesson 22

Honors Class, G period, Wednesday

A Note for Honors Class on Wednesday

Sorry to miss class, G period. I am not feeling well and have gone home.

There’s plenty to keep you occupied.

1) Discussion questions for the reading are posted on Moodle. Please use these as the basis of your discussion and reflection about the reading. You may work individually or with a partner. If you are behind in the reading, use this time to catch up. I will ask you to turn in these discussion questions for credit.

2) For homework, read “Pandora’s Box.” Consider what the myth offers about the origins of human depravity.

3) Read the poem on the back of the packet, “The Pulley.” Consider how the title informs the larger meaning of this poem.

Thanks for your diligence and focus in my absence.

Don’t forget about the vocab quiz on Friday: lesson 22. Go to study bulb to review the words.

Tuesday January 25th

In Class

Regulars: Discuss “the Fish” and study questions are due. Must be printed out to hand in for full credit!

All: Discuss elements of story in Hotel Rwanda. take notes. You will use these as a reference point for final exams.

Honors: finish Hotel Rwanda.

Homework

Honors: Continue reading of Sunflower. Read pages 20-35. Use study guide posted on Moodle to guide your reading and response.

Regulars: Read “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” and “Problems with Hurricanes.” Answer study guide questions posted on Moodle.

Upcoming

Vocab Quiz on Friday! Here’s the link to Study Bulb to help you study.

Friday January 22

In Class

Continued to watch Hotel Rwanda.

We will finish the film on Monday. By film’s end, be sure to complete your write up about the film. Form is available on Moodle. In class, we will work to understand the details of the story as well as examine elements of the story such as metaphor, irony, character development, foreshadowing, juxtaposition

To read more about the war in Rwanda, click here.

Homework

With the earthquake in Haiti, we have a unique opportunity to “do good” in the world. You may feel overwhelmed by the story of Rwanda. I encourage you, as indicated in class, to tip the scales of badness in human nature to the side of goodness by offering your time and energy to collect medical supplies for the victims of the quake.

With that, your homework this weekend is to “DO GOOD” for Haiti. I look forward to hearing about your experiences when we return to class.

Next Week

Vocab Quiz Lesson 22 on Friday

Honors: Begin Sunflower

Regulars: Begin Survival in Auschwitz

Tuesday January 19

In Class

Begin discussion about the nature of mankind. Looking at history, philosophy, and literature to stimulate discussion and thinking about human motivation.

In class we talked about recent events in Haiti and watched a video of an Indian philosopher talking about “mindfulness.” Here’s a link to the video. Consider what the speaker offers about states of awareness and mindfulness.

This week, we’ll be watching Hotel Rwanda and discussing human nature and motivation. We are working towards beginning our next books. Honors will be reading The Sunflower and regulars classes will be reading Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levy.

Homework

Vocab Lesson 22 — workbook

Read Unbowed chapter 13 by Friday

FRIDAY: Quiz on Unbowed and Quiz on Vocab

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I posted another grammar practice test on Moodle. It covers structure questions from our work on sentence types.Use it to improve and test your knowledge of sentence types.

On Thursday afternoon from 3-3:30 and on Friday morning from 7:30-8:00 I will offer a grammar test retake for the section on structure types. Your new grade will supplant your old grade.