March 17th and 19th

So we've finished Macbeth at this point. We'll be doing lots of work with the play for the next few weeks.

Our first assignment is a character evaluation of Macbeth. We'll be completing this in class TOGETHER, but you'll be taking notes with your computers.

We're going to write characteristics AND find quotations from the text that support your ideas about his characteristics.

Once we've done this for Macbeth, we'll be working with a different sort of character... This work is going to be done independently.

Here is No Fear Macbeth for those of you who need to access it online.

February 10th and 12th

We're continuing to read Macbeth. I'll post elements of plot and key events on this blog.

Vocabulary

4B on 2/12

Blog Posts:

2/10: Write about a time when you felt ambitious. Use sensory details to describe the setting and emotions.

2/12: Answer questions from each of the following sections pertaining to Macbeth:

How I read: (choose two items)

1. I got distracted by...
2. I started to think about...
3. I got stuck when...
4. I was confused by...
5. I had a hard time understanding...
6. I'll read better next time if I...

What I read: (choose two items)

1. I predict that...
2. The protagonist (Macbeth) wants/is...
3. The most interesting event in this book so far is...
4. The conflict is...
5. One theme that keeps coming up is...
6. The following quotation is interesting because...

Elaborating on what I think: (choose one)

1. I think______________ because...
2. A good example of _______________ is...
3. This reminds me of__________________ because...
4. This is important because...
5. One thing that surprised me is_______________, because I always thought...

Three questions I have are

1. One_____________
2. Two_____________
3. Three_________________

February 2-6

Wow! What a crazy start to a semester!
We've had quite a few snow days that have managed to interfere with class.

vocabulary

4A on 2/6

We've started reading Macbeth.
We've discussed the following things:

• witches: 
• What do we think about when we think of witches?
• Where do we get the images/ideas of witches that we have?
• Why would Shakespeare choose to open the play with witches? What kind of tone does it set for the rest of the play?

PLOT Act I

• There is a war going on between Scotland and Norway.
• Duncan is the king of Scotland.
• Macbeth is a ruthless warrior that is from Scotland. He fights really well in battle and is merciless.

• Macbeth is given a prophecy (this is your future) by the witches.
• Thane of Glamis (he is already because his dad handed it down to him)
• Thane of Cawdor (the original is going to be executed for being a traitor)
• King
• Banquo is given a prophecy as well.
• Your children will be kings, but you will not.
• Macbeth starts thinking dark thoughts (about maybe killing to be king)
• Malcolm is heir to the throne (his father Duncan decrees this)

• Lady Macbeth reads a letter from Macbeth that tells her about the witches' prophecies.
• She decides that she needs to talk her husband into killing the king.
• She has a few famous lines that are super twisted. She asks to be made more manlike and less sensitive. 
• Lady Macbeth tells Macbeth that she would kill her own baby if she had promised to do so.

PLOT Act II

• Banquo says "we should talk about the witches" to Macbeth.
• Macbeth hallucinates a dagger (first with no blood and then with blood on it)
• Macbeth hears a bell and goes to kill Duncan (or try to...We'll see)

• Lady Macbeth says she would have killed Duncan herself but he looked too much like her father. (What does this say about her character?)
• Macbeth kills Duncan (off stage) and feels lots of guilt about it.
• Macbeth brings the daggers back to their room. Lady Macbeth scolds him and returns the daggers and sets up Duncan's guards by smearing blood on them.
• Macbeth refused to return the daggers himself.

January 6-21st (update 23rd)

On the 6th and 8th we discussed the following terms and you took notes:

• plot
• theme
• character
• protagonist
• antagonist
• stock characters and archetypes
• setting
• internal conflict
• external conflict

On the 12th, 14th, and 16th you worked on your projects connected to your free reading books. You need to make sure you discuss the above terms AS WELL AS a project. Remember that your project should not be a keynote or a powerpoint presentation. I want to see that you have created something on your own OR that you're connecting your text to art or music in a meaningful and thorough way.

Good Luck!

Remember that this is due on the 21st.

Update: This is due on the 23rd.

Update: If you miss the presentation, then you need to set aside a time to present to me after school or during a learning lab.

December

We've been working on the following:

1: Discussion questions with ATD

2: Themes in ATD

3. Vocabulary (lots of review for 3B)

4.  ATD Projects connected to theme

November 12 and 14

Vocabulary seems to be our theme this week. On Wednesday we reviewed the 2B words again and took an assessment. You also had time to make up assessments you have missed.

Today (the 14th) our agenda/homework is as follows:

• read from choice books
• review new vocabulary list...Test next Thursday over 3A
• kahoot

We talked about what you would rather do for homework and what you need the most support with. Most of you said reading for homework works the best. The rest of you (okay, two of you) went with writing. So, please do one of the following. Either read OR write for homework. The assignments are below. If you read, then you'll take a quiz on Tuesday and then write in class (with support from me). If you write, then you'll read in class on Tuesday (with support from me).

We're going to test this out and see how it works for your learning. 

• read from ATD -page 196...(We started this reading in class, but you need to finish it for homework).
• Write about loss. You can write about losing a a friend, a relative, any kind of loss you'd like to address. You can also write about losing a game. OR Write about Joy! What makes you happy? Why?

Have a great weekend! Be safe and kind!

October 28 - November 7th

We've had a long few weeks of testing, blogging, and reading.
Your classwork/homework is as follows:

1. Students need to read through page 168 in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. They need to write a blog post discussing this chapter. 
2. Students can study for vocabulary. They will have a test on the words (2B) next Wednesday.
3. Students can read from their choice books.