Delta 8 English with Ms. Marks Assignments

If you are on the list from 6/2 Attendance Question Instructions, you need to makeup Narrative Writing.  (Disregard this assignment if you are NOT on the list from 6/2 Attendance Question).  


Please write about your life since Covid hit us and schools closed on 3/15/20.  What happened in the world and in your world, and how did you feel?  How did your life change or stay the same during T3 last year, over summer, starting school remotely in the fall, moving to 2 days in, then 4 days in for in-person learning, or staying remote?  What is your understanding of this historic time?

We did it!   Congratulations on completing a historic year! 


Attendance Question:   What was the most surprising thing about this school year?

Our penultimate day of this school year, class.  We made it through a scary, difficult and challenging year.  Congratulations and respects to you for your perseverance, your strength in struggles, and being your best selves-- I see you, and I'm glad to know you all!   I'll be speaking to individual makeup work and extra credit opportunities in class.  Meantime;


Attendance Question:  What is your favorite color?

If you are on the list below, please work on Narrative Writing Make-up.  
By Writing a Covid Memoir:  What happened during the past 15 months of your life since Covid hit us and schools closed on March 17?  What has your life been like, how have you spent your time, how did the Covid regulatations affect your life?   I have made an assignment tab for this, due Monday 6/7.      (If you have started under the original assignment tab in 8th grade, you may continue there.)

If you are getting 3's in Narrative Writing, you may write this as extra credit.

Otherwise, use the Student Portal, and check for a 2 grade, then search by date for that assignment in google classroom, and redo it by expanding descriptive language, elaborating textual evidence, and writing down connections between the question and a larger context, such as history, human emotions, and/or a sense of importance.  


Covid Memoir Group:
8th
S.A.
K.A
F.D.
L.F.
A.K.
A.R.
L.S.
F.D.
T.K.
L.S.


7th 
E.B.
E.H.
A.B.
A.B.
M.C.
P.C.
A.C.
O.P.
C.R.
C.W.


Attendance Question:
What did you do for Remote English Class today?

With this narrative poem (any form from sonnets to free verse to rap) or story, please tell the world about the last 14 months of your life, from March 16th, when school buildings closed until now.  Perhaps some things were very hard.  Perhaps there were surprising benefits.  


Your narrative should include the feelings and experiences you had when
1.  You became aware of the pandemic
2. Schools closed then went remote
3.  T3 last year.
4.  The summer when everything was closed
5.  Back to school remote
6. 2 days in the building  
7. 4 days in the building
8.  Things starting to get back to normal/vaccines
9.  Outlook for the future


You have until FRIDAY for this assignment, so please use your time to build this narrative into an enjoyable, informative and connected reading experience.  


If you are a strong writer, your narrative may be up to 8 pages.  If you struggle to express your thoughts on paper, this might be 2-3 pages, however, I will be checking that you are engaging in effort to build your descriptions of events to create a sense of place, time, character (yourself and any other people involved in your story), and plot sequence.  


You have lived during a historic time that has changed and revealed many aspects of our society and world.  How do you want to remember this time?  Now is your chance to write for posterity; the ones who come after us, who will experience this history through your storytelling.

Complete your assignment as a video memoir here :o

If you are still writing your Covid Memoir, please continue.  For attendance, please write down either an unexpected benefit, or the hardest challenge of the past 14 months.  


If you are done with your Covid Memoir, for extra credit or makeup, please read the poetic monologue "All the World's a Stage, by William Shakespeare, attached below, then write an observation, question or connection in the comment section below.  

If you are still writing your Covid Memoir, please continue.  For attendance, please write down either an unexpected benefit, or the hardest challenge of the past 14 months.  


If you are done with your Covid Memoir, for extra credit or makeup, please read the poem Birches, by local legendary poet, Robert Frost, attached below, then write a well developed paragraph about this poem with
          1.  a topic sentence stating who the poem is by, and what the poem is about.  
          2.  3-5 sentences describing imagery in the poem that shows the poet's feelings.
          3.  3-5 sentences describing imagery in the poem  that shows the poet's values.
          4.  What you conclude this the poet wants his readers to feel, believe and/or do.  

If you turned in your Covid Memoir, please write something you like about Ms. Marks' English, and a suggestion for improvement.


If you are working on your Covid memoir, how's that going?  I remembered some images maybe you saw in media too;  the different kinds of wild animals exploring empty city streets...  Maybe you want to add a section about that?

Are you working on your Covid Memoir, and do you need any help with missing assignments?

What did you work on in English class today?  (new assignment, and/or makeup work)

15 minute freewrite:  Today for English, I'm asking for you to write from the point of view of an animal.  First, choose an animal, one that you know, or one that you don't know personally, then imagine what the world is like from their perspective.  Write a poem or a story of 1-3 stanzas or paragraphs in their 1st person narration, but don't say what kind of animal you are.  Then, see if your classmates can guess what animal you are!  You can guess the animals by replying to classmates' posts.

If you are still working on your Final English 8 paper, please continue.  
If you are making up RI.8.1 work from T2, Ms. Codding will be working with you.
If you are all caught up, please read the poem, "Song for the Turtles in the Gulf", then respond to this question:


How is it different to read an informational text versus a poem on the topic of threats to ocean life?  What does each genre offer that the other does not?

How does John Steinbeck represent the oppression of indigenous peoples through his characters and their stories in The Pearl?



Please create your doc here, and draft a 1-2 page paper about your novel (MAUS, Red Pony, or The Pearl).  Use your 5 paragraph persuasive essay writing strategies to brainstorm, plan and organize, and draft and revise your paper. 


Your paper should examine the story in relation to a broader context (big idea or essential question), so you are both summarizing  and making a connection to a theme.  Your task is to explore the story as an aspect of human nature and human experience, and show your understanding of the story's moral purpose.

What are you working on today for English class?


1.  Final English 8 paper
2.  Old Attendance Questions
3.  Short Read and answer a discussion question (share doc with me)


4:  All caught up and looking for something new?
After reading Stevie Smith's 1957 poem "Pretty" (link below), please write an observation, question or connection you have for this poem.  

Suggestion for advanced readers:  How might this poem be considered ironic in tone?
Verbal Irony, when things said mean something different; what is Stevie Smith suggesting with the examples she uses as "pretty"?

Pearl Group:    You should be writing your conclusions and turning in your paper today.    


Short Reads Group:  Please make a doc if you are working remotely; share it with me, and then, in a paragraph, choose 2-4 DISCUSSION Questions (top right menu) to answer about the Maya Angelou poem, Still I Rise, below.   


Attendance Question:  What did you do for English class today?  

Red Pony, MAUS, and Short Reads Group:  What are you reading for class, and what's happening in this text?    (A new reading is attached below, if you are looking for your next read, or you can use "Courage in Denmark if you haven't responded to that text.)


Pearl Group:  How is your paper going?  

Are you working on your novel chapter notes (MAUS, Red Pony), shorter reads text discussion questions (make a doc to share your choice; 2 of 4), or writing the BODY of your essay on big ideas and essential questions of The Pearl?     Is there anything you need help with?

The Pearl Group:  Today, you should be finishing up the Introduction to your paper if needed, and writing the Body A paragraph/paragraphs.  This is where you will begin to discuss how the story relates to one of the big ideas or essential questions of the unit.  
Write for a half hour, then answer:  What is your status update for today?  Are you on pace, or do you need help?  


MAUS/Red Pony Group:  After reading a half hour, what is an observation you made about what you read today?


Shorter Reads Group:  Please work on the "Courage in Denmark" packet by reading, then answering 2 of the open response/discussion questions.  You can work on paper if you have the packet from yesterday, or create a doc and share your open responses with me.  The reading is attached below.  For your attendance question, what is sonething that stands out as very important in the reading?

Have you written an introduction for the paper about your novel?  Does it provide a brief description of the setting, plot, characters, and do you end your introduction with a statement connecting to your big idea or essential question?

Pearl Group:  To begin The Pearl, we identifies some big ideas and essential questions:


Big Idea #1: Native peoples have been and continue to be persecuted by settler nations all over the world.

Big Idea #2: For impoverished peoples, acquiring wealth can become a liability.

Essential Question #1: How do native peoples survive off natural resources in cash economies?

Essential Question #2: How is gender represented in the novel, and how does it affect the plot??





Which of the above sentences most resonates with you as a frame for understanding the major theme of the novel, and why?






MAUS Group:  What is one thing that happens in the new reading of this week's chapter?


Poetry Group:  What is Julio Noboa's poem Identity about?

Hello class,


Today is a makeup day for 8th grade English.  Please use class time today to catch up on reading, rereading for clarity as needed, reviewing your attendance questions back to 3/22 and making sure they are your best work, show understanding and are formal.  You may also catch up on the Narrative Writing Assignments, or, in some cases, finish missing Winter Benchmarks.  There's still time!  


If you are all caught up, please submit your best work to the MAUMS Literary Fair (top of stream) by filling out the google form and uploading your poem, narrative and/or essay.  You can also do independent reading in a chapter book, or, lastly, draw an illustration for your novel.   
 


Attendance Question:


How are you using your time in English today?  

What is one thing that stands out to you as very important in whichever text you are reading?


If you have fallen very behind in your chapter book, please locate "Hanging Fire" in the stream and speak to that poem.

Pearl Group:   Why does Kino throw the pearl back into the sea?
Please reread your answers to the Attendance Questions from this unit, or reread novel.


Audre Lorde Group:  What does Audre Lorde want?
Please work on your narrative poem or story on the topic of 
your middle school experience.

Now that you've finished the book, explain why the pearl, in Kino's hands, becomes evil when it was supposed to bring him prosperity.

After reading Chapter 6, answer:


What is the climax of The Pearl, in other words, what is the most emotionally intense moment in the story that changes everything irrevocably?


If you are reading an alternate title, please write an observation, question or prediction about your new chapter.  

Hello class, 


A reminder that I am grading these open responses in 2 Standards; 


Language, where you show formality; capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb, makes sense


and 


Reading Comprehension, where you show that you understand what you are reading by answering questions about each chapter or story that you read.  


The good news is that you have some choices on how you can demonstrate your language skills and your understanding! 


a.  Scroll down in our Stream to a new flipgrid topic, so you can answer these questions by making a video!
b.  Make a story board with captions/dialogue.  
c.  Of course, you can also write your answer here.  




For Friday:   You are blurb writer for Netflix, and they have just created a new animated feature film that is an exact version of John Steinbeck's novella, The Pearl.    How do you market this film to audiences by summarizing and describing it so people will want to watch it?

After reading your chapter, please answer the question below that pertains to your reading:


(Aiden) MAUS:  Why did author Art Spiegelman choose to represent the Jews as mice, and the Nazis as cats in his graphic novel?


(Stazy and Alexis): The Story of Prometheus:  Why didn't Jupiter want Prometheus to help mankind?  


The Pearl:  Early in Chapter 5, How does author John Steinbeck legitimize Kino's battery on Juana?   (You may need to reread the passages where the narrator describes what both Kino and Juana are feeling when he catches her attempting to throw the pearl into the ocean.)




I am looking for 2-5 sentences, depending on your goal for a grade.  For a 3-4 grade, your answer should be formal, restate the question in your answer, provide supporting details, elaborate your reasoning, and make a conclusion.

What is an observation, question or prediction you have about your reading today?     Note that this is a formal open response, 1-5 sentences.  Because students are reading from among several titles, please be sure to include author and title of the reading in your answer.






New 8th graders:  Below is where you'll find your reading for today.

Chapter 4 Reading Comprehension check:


Why does Kino decide to take his family to the capital of La Paz?


Be sure to use FORMLITY in your answer of 1-5 sentences.

How do ocean plastic and other environmental issues affect the Gulf of California around La Paz, the state capital of Baja California Sur, Mexico; the setting for our story?  


See what research you can find to inform your answer, and be sure to cite your source in your formal answer of 1-5 sentences.

Consider the following passage (p. 43):


"All of the neighbors hoped that sudden wealth would not turn Kino's head, would not make a rich man of him, would not graft onto him the evil limbs of greed and hatred and coldness.  For Kino was a well-liked man; it would be a shame if the pearl destroyed him. "That good wife, Juana," they said, "and the beautiful baby Coyotito, and the others to come.  What a pity it would be if the pearl destroyed them all."


Clearly, we see foreshadowing, and the narrator is setting the tone here for what will follow.  


But what does this suggest about how the author views Indigenous peoples' relationship to wealth in the colonial context?  In other words, what does the author want us to believe about Indigenous culture and its beliefs about the affects of wealth on personality?


Remember to show FORMALITY in your answer to meet your Language Standard (Punctuation, capitalization, subject-verb, makes sense SIMS).  Write 1-5 sentences.  

Across Chapter 4, what are some of the challenges Kino and other pearl sellers have encountered in selling their pearls for fair market value, and why do you think this is the case?


Be sure to use FORMALITY in your answer of 1-5 sentences.  

Please Answer BOTH QUESTIONS:  
a.   Do you have makeup work for English  (1's or 2's in a domain), or do you need help viewing Student Portal?         
b.   What is an observation, question or prediction you have about today's independent reading?


Remember to observe FORMALITY in this answer.  (Capitalization, Punctuation, Subject-Verb, Makes Sense SIMS Style:)


IF YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT UP WITH READING,  YOU HAVE HOMEWORK/Study Hall/Team Time Makeup work:


By the end of this week: 

The Pearl, Chapter 4

Look at key words in the following passage (p. 29) about Kino's world view (or more precisely, the world view that the author has created for his character).  What does this foreshadow?


"Thus Kino's future was real, but having set it up, other forces were set up to destroy it, and this he knew, so that he had to prepare to meet the attack.  And this Kino also knew--that the gods do not love men's plans, and the gods do not love success unless it comes by accident.  He knew that the gods take their revenge on a man if he be successful through his own efforts.  Consequently Kino was afraid of plans, but having made one, he could never destroy it.  And to meet the attack, Kino was already making a hard skin for himself against the world.  His eyes and his mind probed for danger before it appeared."  


Remember to use formality in your answer (1-5 sentences).

What are some of Kino's ambitions now he has this valuable pearl?  


(Remember to use formality in your response; 1-5 sentences)

Remembering to use formality (capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb agreement, makes sense) as you answer:


What is an example of people's attitudes have changed now he has the found The Pearl of the World?

What is an example of personification in Chapter 3, where something non-human has been given human attributes?

After reading Chapter 3 in "The Pearl" for today's English class:


What is an observation, a question or a prediction you have about these plot developments?


Be sure to proofread your replies for formality; SIMS style "capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb, makes sense".  

Here's a chance to connect with your imagination.

Please write a RETELLING of chapter 2 in The Pearl as a 1st person narrative poem or prose (paragraphs), where you write from the point of view of/in the character of/in the voice of

a. Kino's canoe (How does a canoe that was made by Kino's people, and passed down from his grandfather to father to himself feel about the sand, the water, the sun, its occupants?)

b. the giant pearl (How does it feel about the decades of life in the water, hidden, ever growing, and now, it has been discovered!)
OR
c. Juana's shawl that she uses to cover the baby from the sun. (What if this shawl had a life, and wanted to warm Juana, and shade the baby? What if it felt emotions for the family, like Yellow Kettle's and Dey Dey's moccasins in Birchbark House? What if it remembered being cotton plants, being loomed and woven, and now it feels itself starting to fray!)

Why personify non-human entities? What do a canoe, an oyster, a shawl have to offer the world?
Your writing today will teach us about ourselves. When we bring out the personhood of objects, we bring our the humanism in ourselves.

PS: It can also be FUN :)



Please show work today. Hard due date is Friday, but I'm hoping you can jump in, have fun with this and free-write for a half hour in the quiet of your own imaginative space.

Your narratives are due today at 2pm.  If you need extra time, you may also take the weekend and finish writing your story that connects to what you've read in your novel.  
Remember:  Narrative means story.  It is not an informative or persuasive essay.  Your novels are narratives.  When you write a story spinning off from your novel, you too are writing a narrative.  


Attendance Question:  
Are you on pace with the reading and writing assignments this week?    (Reading on in Chapter 3, Completing Attendance Questions back through March 22, and Writing a Narrative spinning off of The Pearl.)


Show that you meet the Language Standard by answering today's attendance question formally with "capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb, makes sense" style.

Learning Targets : Understand what I read, communicate stories, observe my own language.

How is it going?

Consider the following:

a. I have questions about the ELA SBAC on Monday.
b. I don't know why and/or how I am supposed to do creative writing work going off the novel.
c. I have questions about _______________________
d. I am caught up on my work and I'm going to draw a picture from a scene in the Pearl.
e. I need to focus on catching up with my reading. (Reading Chapters 1 and 2)
f. I need to catch up on Attendance Questions.
g. Other __________________________________________________

As you know, this week you are writing a narrative poem or story in the voice of a non-human character from your novel. Today, please work on this writing, and please come to office hours or gmail me if you need help.

Attendance question for today:
Have you had trouble accessing Savaas readings this year? (This is the digital version of your workbook.)

Did you finish reading Chapter 2, and are you working on your Creative Writing/Narrative Writing Assignment progress on which is due today?

Your instructions are to read Chapter 2 today.
There will be 4 Attendance Questions later this week that will ask about this chapter, so do your reading today.

Did you read Chapter 2 of the Pearl today so you are ready to meet Reading and Language Standards later this week?

Make an Inference: Why is it " a most surprising thing" that Juana wants the doctor (p. 9), and what is a quote later in Chapter 1 that supports your reasoning?

On p. 11 in the book, or almost to the end of Chapter 1 in digital copy of "The Pearl", the doctor is told by his servant about the sick baby. What does his reaction say about the colonial view of "Indians", that is, how do European-Mexicans (people of Spanish and French descent who live in the Americas) view the native population?

What is Juana like?

Your answer should be specific to the text you've read in Chapter 1 of the Pearl. (Digital copy below, in case you've lost your book). It can be physical description, or a description of her personality based on her actions as a character.

In Chapter 1, there are several examples of symbolism; that is, when one thing; an object or an image, represents a bigger, or more encompassing idea. For example, the flag represents its country.
Reread Chapter 1 as necessary, then answer:

What is an example of Symbolism from Chapter 1 of "The Pearl"?

What is an observation, prediction or question you have about Chapter 1 in the Pearl?
(Please note what the page number you read to if you didn't finish Chapter 1).

What question do you have about our 2 Big Ideas and 2 Essential Questions as we begin the Steinbeck novella, "The Pearl"?
*Reminder: Aiden, Elijah, Alexis, Carter and Leah-- You still need to come to school to pick up your novella, or have your grown ups contact me for help.

Big Idea #1: Native peoples have been and continue to be persecuted by settler nations all over the world.

Big Idea #2: For impoverished peoples, acquiring wealth can become a liability.

Essential Question #1: How do native peoples survive off natural resources in cash economies?

Essential Question #2: What technologies do native peoples have that help them survive without access to money/capital?

For CLASS, you are working on your own poem about middle school.

For today's attendance question:
How would you describe the MOOD of Audrey Lorde's poem, "Hanging Fire"? In other words, what emotional feeling does it give its readers?

To read her poem, please see page 56 in the workbook, or visit the Savaas realize link posted Tuesday.

As you read this short nonfiction narrative, the question emerges; is suffering humiliation in middle school a "right of passage"? Why/why not? Are we ok with this?

For CLASS, you are working on your own poem about middle school.

For today's attendance question:
In her poem about struggling in middle school, what do you think Audrey Lorde was alluding to when she used repetition of the lines "Momma's in the bedroom/with the door closed"?

To read her poem, please see page 56 in the workbook, or visit the Savaas realize link posted Tuesday.

After reading Audrey Lorde's poem "Hanging Fire", try your hand at writing a poem about how middle school has been for you. Your poem can take any form; free verse, sonnet, ballad, etc., metered or not, rhyming or not. It should be no less than 21 lines, and can use repetition, like Audrey Lorde's repeated phrase "and momma's in the bedroom/ with the door closed". Too, think about the possibilities of imagery-- word pictures that create an emotional response on your readers. You have today and Wednesday to work on this. Have fun-- be brave! Be creative!

Have you started playing with ideas for your poem about you in middle school? Do you have any questions? Do you need any help getting started?

After reading the short Savaas reading in the stream today, answer one of the following questions:

Are humiliation and embarrassment a "right of passage" in middle school? Why/why not? Are we ok with this? How could it be different?

What piece of writing did you choose for your Best Work - T2 Showcase Essay?

Please choose and add your best writing for T2 to this assignment tab.
Then, please go back into it try to level up to the next level by proofreading, editing and revising.

Use the rubric attached below to set your goals and make the necessary adjustments.

Proofreading: Reread, and check for punctuation; if your voice pauses, you likely need a comma. If your voice stops, you need a period. Check for capitalization; capitalize all the first letters of the first words of sentences, and also proper nouns (names of people, names of places, and titles of stories and articles).

Editing: Reread for clarity. Does your writing make sense? Try to say it. If it doesn't make sense, try to say it differently, maybe break up an long sentence, or add in missing words. Watch for underlined words in the google doc program-- it will catch most of these errors, and even offer suggestions.

Revising:
Make sure you have an Introduction that sets up the topic of the paper, and ends with a thesis statement. See Claim and Organization in the rubric.

Make sure you cite your sources, and use text-based evidence in your writing to support your claim. See Reasoning, Evidence and Sources on the rubric.

Check your work against the Transitions and Style criteria on the rubric. You may have covered this in the proofreading and editing stages.

Reread your conclusion. Does it build excitement, urgency? Does it expand the focus to a universal truth, historic importance, or a moral obligation?



Thanks for all your amazing reading, thinking and writing this term. It has not been easy, and I respect you all for doing your best in making sense of our world.

After watching the video of the Holocaust survivor, reflect on his MOMENT OF REALIZATION, and what that implies about the DEHUMANIZATION of genocide. (1-3 paragraphs).

Tips: Press CC in bottom right for captions. If you expand the screen, it doesn't work, leave page, then go back.

Disregard the learning activities further down the page-- you are only responsible to write a reflection as per above for today.

This is where you will compose your 350-400 word persuasive essay in answer to this question.

However, I have another source for you to consider as you continue to formulate your thoughts about this problem, which I share with you here. I spoke with Krista Cattrell of the the Bennington Coalition for the Homeless on 3/2/21. I am quoting her below, and you can quote/cite her in your paper too, as you see fit:

"PTSD is a leading cause of homelessness. Substance abuse is another leading cause of homelessness, because people with active addiction exhibit behaviors that have negative consequences, such as losing their housing vouchers. PTSD itself can lead to addiction, because people can use substances to deal with PTSD, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

"Lack of affordable housing in the area, and lack of job opportunities are also significant factors that drive homelessness. In my experience, lack of affordable housing is the greatest problem of all, because many people are one crisis away from not being able to pay for housing. It is difficult for people to save money when working at a $12-$14 job. Most rentals require a first and last month rent, as well as a security deposit to sign a lease, and that is out of many people's reach. The lack of public transportation serving rural areas makes it difficult for people to get to jobs. Ex-felons and people with criminal records can have a difficult time finding employment and getting into housing because many employers and landlords won't give them a chance.

"Other causes of homelessness include domestic violence, where survivors and their families are fleeing abusive situations. Vermont has high rates of domestic violence given the small population of the state. Additionally, people who have aged out of the foster care system at 18 often have no resources and face homelessness. Foster care parents no longer receive money after a child turns 18 and DCF is no longer involved in foster children's welfare after they turn 18. LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk of running away and becoming homeless than non-LGBTQ youth. P.A.V.E. and Vermont Victims Advocates are two organizations that help survivors of domestic abuse connect to services."

Ms. Cattrell suggested I contact the Vermont Veterans' Home for data about homeless veterans in Bennington. I will do that today, and share results with you tomorrow.

I recommend that Wednesday you draft an Introduction, Thursday, you draft the Body paragraph, and save the Conclusion for Friday. Take time to think through your argument. Attached are graphic organizers for you to use as needed. If you don't have a printer, you can recreate the content on paper. I am really looking forward to your work on this topic.

Aftermath: This young person's playground was a war-torn city. Watch as you read for turning points as the author begins to realize the stories behind this abandoned landscape.

What is an important fact from the article below that shows the link between homelessness and domestic violence?

What was the most interesting thing about this year?

Did you see the Group list (second post down today in stream) with makeup work? What did you do today for English?

What improvements to available services would address and prevent veteran homelessness?

Did you read the interview with Krista Cattrell in the Veteran Homelessness assignment, and start your paper today?

What are 1-3 facts from today's readings that you can use in your Americanism essay on how to help homeless veterans.

What is one important fact from today's reading?

What did you do in English 8 today?

Please listen to/read the Dirx essay from yesterday again as necessary, and then, complete these 4 questions today.

Try to develop a formal paragraph response by restating the question in your answer, providing rich detail, and a sense of understanding of the situation presented in the text.

Use formality of writing; capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb; makes sense.

If you need additional time, please request it in a gmail.

Are there any ruined buildings by you, and how do they make you feel?

What is the reading today, and is it interesting?

After reading the passage about the end of WWII, and what happened as the Nazis lost territory, please answer this question:

What dangers did prisoners face, even as the Nazi regime crumbled?

After reading this excerpt from Elie Wiesel's autobiographical novel of his internment in Auschwitz,
what are

1. a word
2. a phrase
and
3. a sentence

that stand out to you for communicating the sense of this passage.

What did you work on in English class today?

Answer these questions with formality and developed discussion in your writing.

Your assignment today is to read Elie Wiesel's 1984 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, then begin to answer the open response questions about the text. You will have time tomorrow to finish these questions, and to finish the poem/letter to children of Holocaust assigned Monday, as needed.

What have you done in English class today?

Have you started, or finished your Homage to the Children of Concentration Camps?

Please take today's half hour of English to write a poem or a letter to dedicated to a particular child, such as Anne Frank, or other children, living or passed, locked up for being born who they are. What do you say to the children of American Indian reservations, to the children of the Holocaust, to children in refugee camps, or children in detention centers across the world? What can you say to acknowledge and value them, when the world seems to have forgotten them?

Your poem or letter may be brief or longer, so long as you are honest with your feelings, and show that you understand one of the basic lessons of the Holocaust: We are supposed to treat each other with kindness.

Open this reading tab, and read about this amazing hero. Then, under a separate assignment tab, show your reading comprehension.

Is your Benchmark turned in and ready o be assessed, or do you need more time?

What is a question, observation or connection/comparison you make about this information?

After reading "Irena Sendler: Rescuer of the Children" (in the Savaas link under UPCOMING, due today), what would you say are the qualities she had to resist unjust laws and become a peoples' hero?

What did you do in English class today?

example: I read the stream and followed directions for 8th grade Make Up Day, I chose an old essay and worked on it. Should I submit it?

After reading about Irena Sender, answer who she was, when and where she lived, and what she accomplished.

Both of the articles "Too Many Fishermen" and "Monster Debris" show how human beings have had a negative impact on oceanic life. Using evidence from the articles to support your position, which problem, overfishing or ghost nets, should be addressed first and why?

Today, for my Winter Benchmark I

A. Reread the articles or thought about the problem of plastic garbage in the ocean, landfills and incinerators, especially plastic straws and other "single-use" non-recyclable items.

B. Organized my brain for writing with pre-writing activities like brainstorm ideas on a separate sheet of paper or doc, drew clusters or idea maps to gather and connect my ideas, outline my 5 paragraph essay with my thesis, main points A, B and C, and the expansion of my discussion in the Conclusion to connect this topic to... history, human responsibility, evolution, etc.

C. Drafted my paper in a doc which I've created or added to google classroom.

D. Looked over my paper for minor edits, such as capitalization, punctuation, subject-verb, makes sense, and corrected.

E. Submitted my paper on time by 2pm, showing good habits of work.

After reading this brief article by the Ocean Conservancy organization, what is the claim/argument/thesis of this piece? In other words, what does it ask us to do, believe or feel? Notice where this thesis is found; in the Intro, the Body, and/or the Conclusion?

After reading the National Geographic article on the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, what is your reaction, and does it affect your thesis about prioritizing ghost nets or overfishing?

Today in English, you should create the doc in the assignment tab for your winter benchmark. Then, you should be gathering evidence from both articles and plan the A, B, and C sections of your paper. You can do this as prewriting at the top of the Assignment tab, (to edit out later), or you can use the graphic organizer or writing paper. If you are ready, you can begin drafting your introduction to frame how you will be using this evidence; to what persuasive purpose.

What did you do for your Winter Benchmark Essay today?

Have you read Instructions for the Benchmark, and marked up articles today with a highlighter or pencil to gather your evidence for the body of your paper, including titles and authors?

After reading "Monster Debris" on p. 5-6 of the Winter Benchmark packet (found below, in Stream for 1/19, and under Classwork), what would you say is the main idea of the article?

If you are having trouble with reading comprehension, don't worry, we'll be reviewing these materials in person as well.

Just do your best to read the one article today, and offer your best answer to the question.

After reading "Too Many Fishermen" on p. 3-4 of the Winter Benchmark packet (found in stream for 1/19, and under Classwork), what would you say is the main idea of the article?

If you are having trouble with reading comprehension, don't worry, we'll be reviewing these materials in person as well.

Just do your best to read the one article today, and offer your best answer to the question.

After listening to the audio introduction, read this excerpt from Maus and then write a summary under the Assignment tab. You may want to enlarge the view.

Find the reading on p. 231 or the Savaas link.

After reading today's selection, in your own words, write a summary of this excerpt from this graphic novel.

Be sure to include Who, What, When, and Where information in your answer, as well as plot developments.

Expect to write at least a paragraph, and quite possibly more.

You are a paralegal in the law offices of Hegel, Linnmahn and Blackstone, lawyers for the Estate of Anne Frank. Their client, the Estate of Anne Frank is seeking civil damages for her persecution and murder. Any monetary awards will be given to the Anne Frank Museum.

You have been assigned to research the Diary, (Acts 1 and 2 posted under UPCOMING) and collect evidence of persecution; the bullying, discrimination, repression, , and detention of Anne Frank, her family, and the Jewish community of Amsterdam. You need to find at least 3 pieces of evidence to keep your bosses happy, but they will be even happier if you collect more. Your bosses will be really, really, really happy, and maybe make you a partner, if you write down the Act, Scene, and Line Numbers of the evidence in the text.


Well, young legal researcher, what have you found?

This is the digital reading. The play begins on p. 101 in your workbook, which I encourage you to use.

Act 2-- We'll have the pace as originally scheduled, but if you are reading more slowly, that's ok, as long as you check in to class each day (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday half day) with an observation about what you HAVE read, either in Act 1 or 2.

The pace is to read Scene 1 Monday, Scenes 2 and 3 Tuesday, and Scenes 4 and 5 Wednesday, with a question for each scene.

Show me you are engaging in the play, show me you are making best effort to think about the story; its lessons and cultural importance: A girl whose voice survived her genocide, and what it was like for her those years in hiding.

You are babysitting for a neighbor. The child is a very hyper, inquisitive 8 year old.
They see you are doing your homework on your laptop while they are watching TV, and, since there's nothing on but Thundercats, they want to know what you are doing.

In this global simulation, you cannot tell a lie.

How do you tell an 8 year old what really happened during the Holocaust?

There's a quote in Anne's diary, "Despite everything, I still believe people are really good at heart". It is the last line of the play version, though not of her real diary, and in the play, it creates a powerful dramatic moment of irony, considering what the Nazis have done to her, her family, and what ends up being 12 million human casualties of Nazi concentration camps.

She is making a statement about human nature, and her believe reveals her own compassion. But what do you think?

In a formal open response (using proper punctuation, capitalization, complete sentences and clarity), describe how you see humanity. Use evidence from the play, your life experiences and your background knowledge to support your point of view, and conclude by connecting back to Anne Frank, and reflecting on her beliefs, and what it means to your understanding.

If you don't finish the composition today, at least start it so I can mark you present for English class today, and rough in your A, B, and C supporting evidence in an outline form.

Oh, and one reminder as you begin: Anne is a person, victims of genocide are people, so obviously good people too must count in our evaluation of humanity , n'est pas?

Use FORMAL WRITING when you answer these questions; capitalization, punctuation, complete sentences with a subject (in this case you) doing verbs. Check your answers to make sure they make sense and say what you want them to say clearly and completely.

Create a doc in which to write:

1. Choose a character and describe their reactions as the scene rises to the climax. What is revealed about their character?

2. Why do you think Mr. Frank says, in the last line of the play, that Anne "puts [him] to shame?

Below, share a highlight of your vacation with as much detail as you can; tell about an experience or experiences, and how they affected you.

Then, choose 2 classmates' journals and reply with a comment or question about it. The goal here is to draw out the written communication.

If you send me a private journal, that's fine, but please be sure to reply to the 2 classmates so they can see.

How do you think you're doing in English class? What do you like? What is hardest?

Create a doc in which to write your answers:

1. In Act II Scene 2: Explain the change in the connection between Anne and Peter.

2. In Act II Scene 3: On the heels of the discovery of Mr. Van Daan's transgression, or breaking trust, what is the news that shifts how Mr. and Mrs. Frank react?

Create a doc in which to write your response:

1. What evidence from this chapter shows that Anne and her companions are experiencing hunger?

Create a doc in which to write your answers:

1. How does Anne feel about Hanukah?
2. See p. 146 (paragraph 131 in digital text): What effect does this event have on Anne and the others?

Create a doc in which to write your answers. Please answer in complete sentences that restate the question in your answer.

1. Are Anne's nightmares about being arrested from anxiety, premonition or both? Why do you think this is?
2. Who is able to comfort her, and what do they say?

Create a doc in which to write your answers:

1. Describe an interaction that shows tension between Anne and one of the various characters.

2. What effect does this tension create for the audience?

Please create a doc in which to answer these questions (not as a private comment):

1. What are the specific rules in the Secret Annex the Franks and the Van Daans have to observe to stay safe?

2. What are the bedroom arrangements?

After reading this scene,
1. Write down the characters' names and personalities.
2. Describe the mood
3. Reflect on how Anne feels about the situation, and what she reveals about her connections with the members of the household.

This is our home connection letter for our Trimester 2 Unit; the Holocaust, to give students a preview of our unit, the readings and assessments we'll be completing, and to invite families into conversations at home.

This is NOT yet a formal essay, but research and information gathering stage/rough draft writing. It should contain the ideas you learn from one or both of the articles posted in today's stream, and can be in outline, brainstorm or draft form. Make sure to note your source article.

You may also gather notes and quotes from the articles, but these must be focused on your question, and not more than 3 lines in a quote, as these will ultimately be used in YOUR essay on this topic.

You may also answer this question in the comments below today's readings, so that your classmates can see your work.

After reading this article, write down 3-5 questions or observations about this content IN THE COMMENTS of this assignment. Comments will be considered evidence of class attendance.

Logos: Use of reasoning and logic in drawing sensible conclusions

Pathos: Appeals to feelings and emotions

Ethos: The sense of right over wrong, justice, and moral purpose

Today, I will ask you to write about yourself, specifically, about a time when you really wanted something, or, about something you really want now. I would like you to use Logos (what makes sense, is reasonable and logical), Pathos (an emotional appeal, creating feelings of understanding in your reader), and Ethos (a sense of what is right, and just, and morally good) in your argument, which you can address to a person who was/is in a position to help you meet your goal.

For example, if I were a child who was brought up with the tradition of Christmas, I might write a letter to Santa Claus explaining how having a puppy is a time honored tradition, an important part of growing up, and that I should really have a puppy to grow up with while I'm young enough to enjoy it (logos); I might explain how I am really lonely since covid because I don't see my friends like before (pathos), and I might end with how I have done all my chores and don't play Xbox during my zoom classes, and never bicker with my sibling, and always eat all my vegetables, and therefore deserve a puppy for all that good behavior (ethos).

And then I will close the letter with a courtesy and sign it with my name.

Do you think my persuasion would work on Santa?

How will you argue effectively to get what you want?
Or, how would you have argued in the past to get that something?

If you couldn't access the text on Savaas, here it is.
Read it below, then answer the questions about Chief Joseph's persuasive speech; his strategy to save his people.

BACKGROUND
In 1863, the Nez Percé tribe refused to sign a treaty that would make them
move from their ancestral land in Oregon to a much smaller reservation in Idaho.
So, the United States government sent in federal troops to force
the Nez Percé off their land. In response, Chief Joseph led his people toward
Canada in a three-month, 1600-mile flight across the Rocky Mountains. He
eventually surrendered to General Miles in 1877, under the terms that his tribe
could return to their homeland. Instead, the Nez Percé were sent to Oklahoma,
and half of them died during the trip. In one of many appeals to Congress on
behalf of his people, Chief Joseph made this speech in 1879 in Washington D.C.:


Words Do Not Pay For My Dead People

I do not understand why nothing is done for my people. I have heard
talk and talk, but nothing is done. Good words do not last long unless
they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people. They
do not pay for my country, now overrun by white men. They do
not protect my father’s grave. They do not pay for all my horses
and cattle. Good words will not give me back my children. Good
words will not make good the promise of your war chief General
Miles. Good words will not give my people good health and stop
them from dying. Good words will not get my people a home
where they can live in peace and take care of themselves. I am
tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart sick when
I remember all the good words and all the broken promises.
There has been too much talking by men who had no right to
talk. Too many misrepresentations have been made, too many
misunderstandings have come up between the white men about
the Indians. If the white man wants to live in peace with the
Indian he can live in peace. There need be no trouble. Treat all men
alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to
live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief.
They are all brothers. The earth is the mother of all people, and all
people should have equal rights upon it. You might as well expect
the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born a free
man should be contented when penned up and denied liberty to
go where he pleases. . . .
Let me be a free man—free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free
to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to
follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for
myself—and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty. ❧

The Holocaust Unit begins with the Genocide of Native Americans by the United States, which Hitler studies, and uses as a model for his Concentration Camps.

Open the link on Savvas for the reading. It is on p. 307 in the textbook.
Then, please answer ALL these questions:
1. What does Chief Joseph want us to know, feel, or do in this persuasive speech; what is his thesis?
(Quote the umbrella statement that covers all the specific details.)

2. What can you INFER is happening to the Nez Pierce from his list of things that "good words" do not accomplish?

3. What are 3 quotes that support your inference?

4. When he writes this, Chief Josepeph and his people are trapped in a fort, with no guns or ponies, having been promised they would be fed. They are being starved, and are not allowed to leave the fort to gather food for themselves. What do you INFER the purpose of this was by the US government of 1863?

After reading the article on cell phone addiction, you will write an argument detailing what you think sensible family rules and school policies should be to protect children and young adults from addictive cell phone behaviors.

In your Introduction, be sure to set up your readers' expectations. What are you writing about; what is at stake? What do you think is the solution?
In the body of your composition, be sure to cite/use evidence from the reading as well as your experience and reasoning to support your point of view. Develop 3 lines of support.
In your conclusion, expand on the importance of your work; how it will help people, and why it is the right solution.

You have 5 days to complete this writing, with steps in the process due each day.

You may wish to PLAN your answer; brainstorm, cluster, outline on a separate piece of paper before you being to write.
You also MAY research and incorporate additional sources you find through your research.

As your teacher, I do not have to AGREE with your point of view; I just have to see the structure of your argument, your use of supporting evidence, and sense of importance.

After reading the Amnesty International article on Cobalt Mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, consider this question:

Should industries such as Apple and Samsung be responsible for effects of their product (in this case, cell phones) in human populations?

You may wish to consider this question as it applies to YOUR paper on sensible family and school cell phone policies.

You can reply to each others' posts!

Please do! Please post your answer, then comment on 2 other students' posts by 2pm. Habits of Work rubric: Best Effort

RL.2 Reading Literature:
I can show understanding of literature (poetry, short story, film, literary nonfiction) by discussing the Central Idea/theme/moral.
(((I need 3 written/flipgrid examples.)))

W.1 Persuasive Writing (((I need 2-3 writing samples/flipgrids)))
Including:

Intro: Who, what, where, when + claim/thesis/argument

Body: 3 areasangles/lines of argument applying supporting evidence: logic, reasoning, TBE-text-based evidence/quotes, integrating sources with your agenda

Conclusion: Connect the specific ideas around the text to a larger importance.

I will be returning work today, so you should check gmail for writings you can consider for your portfolio.
Reminder: Veterans' Day tomorrow: No school. If you are very behind on your assignments, you may want to use the time for makeup. Add any new responses to your portfolio.

Options for English learning activities today:
1. *VERY Late: Make a portfolio (see Thursday's assignment)
2. Copy and Paste original assignment/s into your portfolio.
3. Make a Flipgrid answering: What is the text your talking about? What is it about? What is it's CENTRAL IDEA and why is it important? (paste link into your Portfolio)
3. Your My Perspective Workbook 1st 4 questions that follow any of the following readings: Ruby Bridges, Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (p. 315-319), Aleeza Kazmi (324-326), or student -selected readings from Unit 3: What Matters ("Words Do Not Pay by Chief Joseph, p 307-309)
(Note title, author and page numbers in Portfolio, Teacher must check)
4. Write a Reflection on an Independent Reading Choice (add to Portfolio)
5. Make Up/Redo: Choose a story, name it by title and author, explain what it's about, what is its Central Idea, and why it's important. (add to Portfolio)
6. Revise/develop one of your writings by adding 5+ adjectives and 3+ adverbs, rereading for clarity and completeness, and revising as needed.
7. Write a paragraph about Sonia Sanchez' poem: "Haiku and Tanka for Harriet Tubman" https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/146231/haiku-and-tanka-for-harriet-tubman

Options for English learning activities today:
1. Late: Make a portfolio (see Thursday's assignment)
2. Copy and Paste original assignment/s into your portfolio.
3. Make a Flipgrid answering: What is the text your talking about? What is it about? What is it's CENTRAL IDEA and why is it important? (paste link into your Portfolio)
3. Your My Perspective Workbook 1st 4 questions that follow any of the following readings: Ruby Bridges, Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (p. 315-319), Aleeza Kazmi (324-326), or student -selected readings from Unit 3: What Matters ("Words Do Not Pay by Chief Joseph, p 307-309)
(Note title, author and page numbers in Portfolio, Teacher must check)
4. Write a Reflection on an Independent Reading Choice (add to Portfolio)
5. Make Up/Redo: Choose a story, name it by title and author, explain what it's about, what is its Central Idea, and why it's important. (add to Portfolio)
6. Revise/develop one of your writings by adding 5+ adjectives and 3+ adverbs, rereading for clarity and completeness, and revising as needed.
7. Write a paragraph about Sonia Sanchez' poem: "Haiku and Tanka for Harriet Tubman" https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/146231/haiku-and-tanka-for-harriet-tubman

Wednesday Remote English
RL.2 Evidence for T1.

Option 1: Students will post one comment and reply to 2 comments on any of the following prompts:

What are the central ideas of any of the T1 texts?

Naomi Shihab Nye's "Making a Fist"
Tupac Shakur's "The Rose that Grew From Concrete"
Ruby Bridges' excerpt from her autobiography
Claude MaKay's "Tropics in New York
JUICE WORLX clean lyrics
Doris Pilkington's "Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence"
Loiuse Erdrich's "Birchbark House" (from last spring)
Aleeza Kazmin spoken word
Francisco Jimenez' "The Circuit" (optional reading)

Spoken Word Variation: Post in FlipGrid. Your replies may be in fipgrid or in stream.





Flipgrid | 612a6b3b
https://flipgrid.com/612a6b3b

If you need help understanding Adverbs and their uses, please see the Adverb study sheet here, under CLASSWORK tab, four posts down the stream.

If you need help, please refer to the Adjective study sheet, which you will find under the CLASSWORK tab.

Hello class,

Today, you have a choice of writing topics:

a. Continue your creative writing from yesterday and Monday by composing an ending to your narrative, including falling action and a resolution. If you have turned this in, simply return to the assignment, unsubmit, finish your fina draft, and turn in.

If you finished that already, or are stuck,
b. write a 20-30 minute journal entry on your life; what's been happening, how you are feeling and things you are thinking about.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

For Tuesday, you shoud be working on the middle of your story/poem. I have returned all docs so you can continue. When you think of the middle of a story, your audience is learning more about the characters, and typically, things are happening that are driving the action toward the climax. You should be clear what that scene is going to be: Is it an emotional scene? Is it a breakthrough? Is it a moment of danger? Are characters in an intense interaction? By the end of writing for a half hour today, you should have your story covered up to this part.

Monday, 10/26
Taking a theme is the theme of our unit readings; Making a Fist, The Rose that Grew From Concrete, Tropics in New York, Juice WRLD, Eleeza Kazmin, Ruby Bridges, Doris Pilkington. and Fransisco Jimenez all defended themselves and their values in different ways. Sometimes, it was using their voice, sometimes, it was using their will, and sometimes it was using their bodies. Your assignment this week extend from last week's Remote Learning:

You will write a short story or a poem-- in the persona, or voice of one of these characters, demonstrating your understanding of character, setting, theme with your storytelling. What happens next in their stories, as you imagine it? You have permission to take some risks with this assignment. Today's part of this three day assignment is due by 2pm. Copy and paste the graphic organizer below to the top of your doc to plan your storytelling, and then complete the up to the Exposition of your story. Review last week's model narrative writing of you still need help, or, as always, email me with questions.
Narrative Writing Graphic Organizer:

*Students who have completed this are working on independent learning activities. Check gmail.


Beginning:
Setting
Characters
Mood
Conflict


Middle
What happens?
What else happens?
Climax


End:
Then what happens?
How do the characters resolve this experience?

Hello, dear 8th graders! I noticed many of you were confused by the directions yesterday, when you were asked to write a narrative in the persona of one of the characters we've read this year...

So, let's back up and make sure everyone is clear on the different types of writing students are asked to do:

The first type is the one you are probably most familiar with; the EXPOSITORY WRITING MODE or type. See that root word "expose" in there? So this is when you "expose" your readers to the content. You answer the who, what, when where, and can explain why and how things happen... Summaries, retellings, reports and book reports, encyclopedia entries, many documentaries, most news articles, and even diary and journal entries can fall into this category. When you are asked to do EXPOSITORY WRITING, you are responsible to explain what happened. Your explanation shows how well you understand the content. Your readers should be able to read your writing, and know about the content, even if they didn't read your source. We do this kind of speaking and writing all the time irl! For example, when you tell a friend what happened during lunch, or you tell your Advisor what you did over vacation-- you are using the Expositional mode or style.


Next, let's talk about the PERSUASIVE WRITING MODE. Remember those Benchmarks, and that old SBAC challenge? You've done persuasive writing before. Sometimes we call it "Argument". Also, think about when you have those heated conversations with the adults in your life, maybe about going to bed at 10pm, or why you should get that new phone, or why you shouldn't have to do those chores before you watch Netflix. Persuasive writing works in much the same way, and it comes from the same part of our brain. This is when we use EVIDENCE, REASONING and the RHETORICAL APPEALS to prove our point. We want to prove that we are correct in our understanding of a situation, and we want to convince our audience to agree.

So, what is EVIDENCE? It can be quotes or summaries of passages from your reading, or data from the experiments you do in science, it can be sources in addition to your main text, such as articles, and these present indisputable FACTS that you then USE to prove your point. So, for example, if you are arguing that the government should do more to prevent climate change, facts on trends in weather data would help your argument. Now, REASONING is really one of the RHETORICAL APPEALS, so let's discuss these:

LOGOS, you may recall from 7th grade, is precisely your powers of reasoning. It is the use of your intelligence to make sense of facts and data. To go back to our example, it would be reasonable to discuss sea level rise in terms of how it affects coastal communities, and how this would impact loss of property, threats to human life, and so on. LOGOS involves your ability to make sense of facts, and use those same facts as evidence.

ETHOS is your sense of right and wrong; it's where we get our word "Ethics", and this has to do with justice. This is when you use a sense of justice to make your point.
And, last but not least, PATHOS is when you make an emotional appeal to convince your audience by engaging their feelings, their empathy to see your point.


So, now we come to the NARRATIVE WRITING MODE. This is when YOU are a fiction writer, or a poet, or a literary non-fiction writer. You are NOT RETELLING a story, but CREATING a story. You can choose, or sometimes are instructed to write as an narrator, telling a story about your characters in the 3rd person,m or you could choose or be instructed to write IN THE FIRST PERSON/PERSONA of your character-- AS IF YOU ARE the character telling your story.

This was the assignment you were asked to write Wednesday, which many of you mistook for a Summary (of the Exposition Mode)

OK? Let's check for understanding...

Choose one of the characters from the reading this year; Naomi Shihab Nye or her mom, Tupac, Aleeza Kazmin, Francicso Jimenez, Ruby Bridges, or Doris Pilkington or her mom, and write the next chapter in thier story in your own style.

Your story can be in the form of a poem or a short story, and should show a beginning (exposition), middle (rising action, climax and falling action), and an end (conclusion).

This is a 3 day assignment. Plan on spending about 20-30 minutes working on yoyr story each day... If this means you advance into the next day's goals, that's fine, you'll just have an even more developed project.

On day 1, I should see notes (an outline, brainstorm or cluster) to see your ideas forming. (You can delete this in your final draft later). I should know you are decided on a character, and a story by the end of Monday.

On day 2, I should see the most of the story as a first draft. I should see you are into the writing of the story on Tuesday.

On day 3, I should see the story/poem finished and revised for typos. I should see your writing turned in.

I will be checking your progress each day, and you must show work each day to receive attendance credit.

Remember, we aren't zooming until Thursday, but I will be checking gmail if you need help.

I can't wait to read your stories!

For today's remote class, please write at least 1 paragraph about this story that includes an introductory statement answering the question below, 3 sentences that use examples from the text that support your answer, and a concluding sentence that shows the importance of Doris Pilkington's experience.

You do not have to write from memory. You may wish to take notes as you reread "Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence" to plan your paper.

Question: How do the characters relate to nature, and why does this help them make their escape?

Read the exposition to this story carefully. Check for understanding: WHY are the children leaving, and WHERE are they going?

Take notes on the characters, setting, and surprising plot twist in this book excerpt... What is the big picture of the culture in question?

After reading and discussing the text Monday in class, you are asked to go back to the text, notice, and write about 3 specific challenges Ruby Bridges and her family faced, and how they coped in the progression of events that lead to New Orleans public school integration.

Intro: Write an overview of the story.
End your intro with a thesis; your argument about what she had to overcome.
A. First challenge/decision
B. Second challenge/decision
C. Third challenge/decision.
Conclusion: What is the importance of Ruby Bridges' experiences for the country?

Here is the Ruby Bridges memoir excerpt.

Click through. Remember" Top Right corner, press HIDE to get a page view...

Whether it's proudly and unapologetically identifying yourself as a member of a group (as we saw with Aleeza Kazmi and Juice WRLD), or resisting fear and sadness with poetry (as we saw with Naomi Shihab Nye and Claude McKay), whether it's going to school where you want (as we'll see with Ruby Bridges), or resisting the theft of your land (as we'll see with Chief Joseph), people are inspired to defend what matters to them.

These actions may be big or small, personal or public. We'll explore a range of issues in Literature and Informational and Media texts that have caused people to make a stand for what they feel and believe, and, at the end of the unit, you'll be asked to think about what matters to you too, and defend your position.

So, for today, what do you think? When does it become necessary to take a stand?

Post your answer below, then we'll discuss.

For Wednesday Remote English, we are going to draw on the Second Step curriculum from this week, being a good friend. So, in this persona piece, where you are role playing, let's say you are friends with Aleeza Kazmi, and your parents are friends, and you've known each other your whole lives. What do you say to her at age 6, when she tells you about her day in kindergarten? And what do you say to her in 6th grade when she tells you how she insisted to that boy that she is brown? How does a good friend act when, through the years their friend is going through an identity crisis, and then, finally stands up for herself? What values do you exemplify?

You may ned to rewatch the video if you can't remember what Aleeza says about her experiences....

So far, we've read two poems this year that have to do with facing challenges. In Naomi Shihab Nye's poem "Making a Fist", the poet works through being afraid while she is sick, and later, sad. Her mom was a great source of strength.

After reading today's poem, Claude McCay's "Tropics in New York, you'll recognize that this poem is addressing a different kind of challenge-- homesickness brought on by seeing a lovely tropical fruit display in a fruit stand. He faces with this challenge by making beauty of pain, by sharing his memories of the landscapes of Jamaica with his readers. This poem operates through a series of images, which, if you let your mind be directed, will paint the picture his mind sees. Please look up any unfamiliar words as needed.

For today, connecting with the theme of challenges, I'd like you to share about a challenge you've faced. Maybe you'll find poetry helps you get through this too.

This is hard work because it's asking you to really think about your own life, your own struggles, and be willing to share with me. I hope you will trust me with your story, and know I appreciate you, your strengths, and your trust.

PS: You can write this as a poem or in paragraphs. Maybe I'll even see you using metaphors, imagery, and symbolism!

This is a practice quiz to help you process this week's poem, "Tropics in New York" by Claude McKay.

Your work on this independent practice is evidence that you attended remote English class today.

Please read the syllabus, then sign and have your parent/guardian sign and provide preferred contact information.

If you are unable to sign/write on the agreement on the last page, as a backup, please send me a
gmail with your name, your parent/guardian name, and their preferred contact information.
I will credit you for completing the assignment that way as well.

[email protected]

Compete these multiple choice and open responses for today's class.

In these short answer questions, I'll ask about your history of reading, your learning style, and your relationship to reading. This will help me get to know you as a student, and plan our year accordingly!

Please answer these 5 questions today to receive credit for Wednesday remote learning, and always, gmail me if you need anything :)

How are you feeling as we start a new school year?
What are you looking forward to?
Do you have questions or concerns?
Let's talk!