Senior+English

__**Senior English**__ __**Here is a list of assignments, DUE dates, reading materials, and other pertinent class information:**__

__**Aug 27**__ Syllabus Norm the Achieve, Res pect, and Engage Section of the Syllabus as a class Complete the bottom of the syllabus by answering questions...why are you here and what do you hope to learn... DUE: Signed syllabus (August 29)

Take the Reading for Purpose Quiz Explore various texts at their tables. Look for different purposes and different skills needed to master each one. (Complete the sheet) Discuss which was the most difficult...the easiest...the most entertaining...the most useful... WHY?

Go back and check quiz (COLLECT) Apply the new reading types to the texts they looked at

Ticket out: Make a list one example of each type of reading that they have done in the last year.

Homework: Smithsonian article about 'taste.' Write about which type of reading was necessary to 'learn' the important details of the article and write a short one paragraph summary of the main points

[|how to write a summary]

[|Informative vs. Persuasive Paragraphs]

__**Aug 29**__
 * DUE: signed syllabus**
 * DUE: summary of Taste Article**

Journal: What is your favorite type of food...why do you think that is so? What has influenced your choices?

Watch National Geographic Video **//Taboo//**.

(Sixth Hour) Learn about the purpose of a Socratic Seminar and how it is conducted.

[|Socratic Seminar 101]



Go over the grading sheet Have students choose a partner to 'grade' for this activity.

Using one of the articles provided skim, scan, read intensively or extensively the text. Write down ten things they learned.. Use these as a starting place...

__**Then...take the two articles (Taste article and Choice article)**__

Highlight TEN things you learned from the articles (ten in total between the two articles) Next...Create TEN questions you could use in a discussion where you were deciding what was the most important factor in what foods we like...Biology, Culture or Environment.

For example.... In the article Accounting for Taset, the author says that when people were given "frozen savory mousse" they liked it better than "salmon ice-cream" even though the two were actually the same thing. Does the name change the taste for people?

In the movie the man said he drank the cobra blood because it made him feel better. Can we make the case that biology actually decides what we like and so our 'favorite foods' are actually tastes we are born with?

__**Sept 3**__

**DUE: Ten questions for a Discussion about the reasons we like some things and hate others**

(Seventh Hour) Learn about the purpose of a Socratic Seminar and how it is conducted.

(Seventh Hour) [|Socratic Seminar 101]

Go through grading rubric

Using the Socratic Seminar method have a 'discussion' about the idea of taste preference for fifteen minutes. Students will grade their partner. (COLLECT grading sheets)

Based on your discussion, write a persuasive paragraph about the one thing that most determines our taste preferences. **(Collect)**

Reflect about whether or not they feel this is a useful way to conduct a discussion...Why or why not. **(Collect)**

__**If absent from class...**__ __**Choose two articles. Read and Summarize Both Articles.**__ __**Finally, write a persuasive paragraph about the one thing that most determines our taste preferences**__

__**Sept 5**__ Complete the District Writing Assessment using G.K.Chesterton's "The Fallacy of Success" as the textual reference.

When finished __**read through page 31**__ in Bach's __**Johnathan LIvingston Seagull.**__

__**Sept 7**__ Take a poll about Digital vs. Traditional Paper as a means of communication using PollEverywhere. http://pollev.com/skoricbhs

Journal: Using the poll as a reference, which medium is the most useful in today's society? Why? Discuss

Read and annotate one of the two articles provided about digital vs paper (Then find and select another from a reliable source. Annotate this as well.)

Conduct a socratic seminar about digital vs. paper Randomly selected 'critical friends' will grade each other.

Complete the persuasive paragraph template using evidence to argue whether digital or paper writing is the best...easiest...most useful type of writing. (DUE SEPT 11)

__**IF ABSENT, OR IF YOU DON'T FEEL YOU DID WELL IN THE SEMINAR, CHOOSE TWO ARTICLES AND SUMMARIZE THEM IN ONE OR MORE PARAGRAPHS FOR EACH ARTICLE. YOU MUST ALSO COMPLETE THE PERSUASIVE ARTICLE ON DIGITAL VS PAPER.**__

__**Sept 11**__ Use the templates to create a persuasive paragraph.

COLLECT THE SEMINAR GRADING SHEET, ANNOTATED EVIDENCE, THE PERSUASIVE PARAGRAPH TEMPLATE, THE COMPLETED PARAGRAPH AND A REFLECTION OF THE PROCESS.

Journal: What the difference between these two words: Represent and Re-present Explore all the possible meanings and make a list of all the things inside and outside of school that 'represent' and 're-present' other things.

Add the words FACT and ART to the board. What are the difference between these two...

Discuss...These words are related to a particular form of storytelling, 'documentaries' and by the end of class they need to know what a documentary is and how it is different than other types of film and video. ( Taken from Behind the Lens POV PBS)

Discuss the documentary vocabulary

Preview the viewing guide

Go to the following site and watch a filmclip the group chooses. Then answer the questions on the viewing guide. (When answering the 'who' questions it is more important to write down the person's role in the film than their name.) [|Documentary Film Clips] (The teacher will generate a master list of the yes/no questions on the board. Discuss as a class whether the clips were fact or fiction  Share their answers to question four. What might the answers say about documentaries?

[|Documentary Filmakers] Watch one as a group. Then answer these two questions. What things are important to the filmmakers? and From listening to the filmmakers what did you learn about what a documentary is?

__**SEPT 13**__ Discuss grades/ missing assignments...

Watch a short film clip and a filmmaker clip as a review Make a list of what a documentary is and is not.

Discuss the validity of watching a documentary in an English class? Is is worthwhile...Why or Why Not?

Switch student seating. In table groups discuss the meaning of the word happy...come to a consensus and agree on a one sentence definition for the word happy. Share sentences (Collect)

Read the Declaration of Independence at tables. Discuss the phrase "the pursuit of happiness."

What did it mean to Thomas Jefferson, to the colonists, to the British?



Read the Times Magazine Article about the pursuit of happiness

Discuss the more current version of the phrase "the pursuit of happiness." How are they different? How hGas our pursuit of happiness changed? How to people go about obtaining the pursuit of happiness in today's world?ite

Homework: Reflect about the idea of the pursuit of happiness: then, now and in the future... (half a page) DUE Sept 19

__**Sept 19**__ Journal: How far will you go in your pursuit of happiness?

Can Happiness be measured? Twitter Happiness measure

[|Happiness index]

In the IMC look at the happiness index and find three select dates. Why do you think those dates registered in that way? Is this a realistic way of measuring the 'mood' of the country? Why or why not?

Consider these philosophers views on the pursuit of happiness? Complete the sheet provided to compare their views.

[|John Locke The Pursuit of Happiness] [|Aristotle's Pursuit of Happiness] [|Epicurus on Happiness] [|Maslow's Ideas on Happiness]
 * 1) Sees happiness as the 'big picture'
 * 2) We should be concerned with the end game and not give in to immediate gratification.
 * 3) We are free to choose the route to happiness, but it should be in making moral choices for the good of others.
 * 4) We are a blank slate at birth and through our experiences we gain happiness.
 * 1) We alone are responsible for our happiness.
 * 2) Virtues lead to happiness
 * 3) Contemplation before action is best
 * 4) Use of balance adn moderation to achieve your potential
 * 1) Hedonism or pleasure is the only intrensic value
 * 2) People fear death and the Gods...He says doesn't concernt himself with day to day events and there is no pain after death so we shouldn't be afraid of this.
 * 3) Hedonism - Pleasure (often confused in today's society) He says we should want to make good moral choices in search of pleasure, not necessarily gluttony just because we want more stuff...)
 * 1) Heirarchy of needs (All we do is in search of filling these needs)
 * 2) Bottom is physical needs for survival
 * 3) Top is self-actualization
 * 4) We can't move up unless we fill the bottom first
 * 5) People often sell themselves short when it comes to happiness.

Homework: Read the excerpt of The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli. (How would he answer the question...what is the pursuit of happiness?)



__**Sept 23**__ Journal: How would Machiavelli answer the question...what is the pursuit of happiness? What does he mean when he says 'the end justifies the means' Do you agree with him?

Watch the documentary Happy. Before you watch review the philosophers studied so far. As you watch make note of examples that apply to the various philosophers. Then discuss connections at your table. For example... Would John Locks have agreed with the film? Can Aristotle's philosophy be seen throughout the film?

Homework: Make comparisons to at least three philosophers from those read about in class.

__**Sept 25**__ Journal: Which philosophy that we have discussed in class most closely follows your own philosophy of happiness? Explain...

Discuss the Informative Essay and Personal Narrative Assignment requirements and due dates



Go to the IMC and begin to explore resources and begin a draft

__**Sept 27**__ Journal: How could the search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow be used to describe the pursuit of happiness? What could other possible metaphors be...?

Mini-Lesson on personal narratives and metaphors

Mini-Lesson on informative essays

Learn conference procedures

Work on personal narrative and informative essays

__**October 1**__ Journal: Which did you better? The Informative Essay or the Personal Narrative Essay? Why?

Begin Reading Johnathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach Write a Summary for each of the three parts. (Due Oct 11)

__**Rough Drafts DUE**__ Writing Conferences:

Read The Bet by Anton Chekov and The Gift of the Magi by O Henry.

Homework: Why and How do these stories fit under the category of the pursuit of happiness? [|The Bet by Chekov] [|The Gift of the Magi by O Henry]

__**October 3**__ Journal: Choose one of the two stories. Write an informative paragraph explaining how the story connects with the idea of the pursuit of happiness. Use the sentence stem... The short story _ by _ (demonstrates, reflects, illustrates) the idea of the pursuit of happiness. (continue with three pieces of evidences for proof) and finish with a conclusion.

Computer Lab for work on Rough Drafts... (Collect a Copy of Rough Draft)

Continue reading Johathan Livingston Seagull (finish by next Friday)

Three Parts: At the end of each part write a summary of what happened and include how you think this story connects to the pursuit of happiness. (Due Friday Oct 11)



[|Jonathon Livingston Seagull P1 (Youtube)]

[|Jonathan Livingston Seagull P2 (Youtube)]

[|Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Entire Novel Read by Grace Butler)]

__**October 7**__ Journal: What are two things you have learned from Jonathan Livinston Seagull so far? Computer Lab: Log in or Create an Account at Turnitin.com

[|Turnitin.com] Class Code for Sixth Hour - 7116776 Class Code for Seventh Hour -7116783 Upload Your Papers Print a report Students can resubmit until 12:00pm on Oct 11

Continue Reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull - (Must be read and three summaries written by the start of class on Friday)

__**October 9**__

Last Day in IMC to finish editing rough drafts and submit to Turnitin.com Last Day to finish novel and three summaries

__**October 11**__ Journal: Watch three trailers and consider these statements... Is there a price for excellence? Is desire the most vital ingredient in achievement? Is Creative Life always a Fight? (Choose one and write a response. Be prepared to discuss it.) [|Happy Feet Trailer] [|Charlotte's Web Trailer] [|Bambi Trailer]


 * Students will move throughout the room every fifteen minutes**
 * Complete the task in each group and turn it in as you move to the next activity.**

__**Group One:**__ Create a twelve question quiz and answer key for the novel. (Four questions for each part.)

__**Group Two:**__ Consider the symbols of flight and eating in the novel. 1. Define each symbol 2. Find four specific examples from the novel to support your definition. (cite page numbers) 3. Create an analogy for each word using the novel in your choice that shows your definition of the symbol. Flight: __as Eating :__

__**Group Three:**__ Consider the characters of Jonathan, Sullivan, Chiang and Fletcher Choose two and complete the character profile sheets



__**Group Four:**__ Create analogies for the following words. Analogies are one word comparisons that show the relationship between the two words. For example Hot: Cold as Summer: Winter.

Ordinary: Conventional as ___:___ Traditions: Rules as ___:__ Freedom: __as__ : Excellence:_ as _:_ Creativity: __as__ :_ ou Then choose one and answer the following questions in a statement... _ looks like _ smells like _ tastes like _ feels like _ is...

__**Group Five:**__ Create a cartoon which demonstrates a theme of lesson learned by the novel.

__**Group Six:**__ Choose what you feel is the most important quote from the novel. Create a graphic that contains the quote, the title and author of the novel, and art work which is representative of the quote.

Spend the last fifteen minutes of class completing any stations you did not finish.

Ticket out: What did you like/not like about this novel? Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?

__**October 15**__ Journal: What is the relationship between friends and family? Which is more important? Why? Has it changed? Do you think it will over time?

IMC - complete the reflection on the papers

[|The Devoted Friend by Oscar Wilde] [|The Luck of Roaring Camp by Harte] [|The Lamb to the Slaughter by Dahl] [|Two Friends by Guy de Maupassant] [|Thoue Baron of Grogzwig by Dickens] [|Ligeia by Poe]

Read and write a summary paragraph of two of the six stories. (Be sure to include a supportable topic sentence that states the main idea.) Be prepared to discuss the story in class. (DUE OCT 17)

Then write a narrative paragraph in which you explain what friendship or family means to you. (DUE OCT 17)

__**October 17**__ Journal: Answer the 'why' question. Why did the instructor choose these two stories and were they worthwhile reading.

Choose the story you liked best... Go to that table and complete the story sheet Then switch tables and 'learn' about the other stories..

Watch the documentary Only the Young Write a summary of the movie (Due next class) Include the main idea and three cause/effects that support that idea

__**Oct 21**__ Only the Young Reflections Due (If not turned in last class) Journal: Which has the stronger influence on your choices and decisions...friends or family?

IMC - Select one article and get one of your own. (consider the source and when choosing) Find and record the statistics on the sheet provided.







In class - Annotate articles and prepare for Socratic Seminar (ten annotations and ten questions that could be asked)
 * DUE: 10/23 Two articles, statistic sheet filled out, possible questions for seminar**



Introduce the Soundtrack of your life assignment. Brainstorm a list of events that have change your life... (need eight) **DUE 10/23** [|It's My Life Bon Jovi]

__**Oct 23**__ Journal: Choose one of the events on your list of fifteen and write about its importance to you.

Conduct a Socratic Seminar About Whether Friends or Family have the Greatest Influence on a Teens Decisions

DUE: Articles, Annotations, Questions, Peer Grade, Persuasive Paragraphe

Give requirements for Soundtrack of Your Life Assignment - **DUE: Nov 7 at 11:59 to Turnitin.com**

Write two informative summaries of your articles and a persuasive paragraph in which you make a claim as to whether friends or family have the largest influence on teens decisions. Due: Oct 29
 * If Absent:**

__**Oct 29**__
 * Journal:** Consider secrets between your friends and family...Everyone has them. Do you feel guilty for keeping them? What are the consequences when the secret comes out...(And it almost always does!)


 * Work time in the IMC for the Soundtrack of Your Life Assignment (eight paragraphs)**
 * Possible conference with Skoric - (to be able to conference you need at least three paragraphs written and three specific questions about your writing) One conference is required before November 6**

(Work on body paragraphs for each song...) Topic sentence: Song title, artist and reason for choosing three sentences of developed support (lyrics..specific connections...etc) conclusion sentence that transitions into the next song (chronological or thematic)

Pick up Scarlet Letter from English Storage on the way back to the room

Last fifteen minutes come down and watch a summary of the Scarlet Letter

As you read... Write down three things you learned about each character **DUE OCT 31**
 * Homework:** Read about the 'players' in the novel: Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and Pearl

Hester p. 6/7 Dimmesdale p. 19 and p. 209 - 211 Pearl p. 41/42 Chillingworth p. 69-71
 * BLACK BOOK**

Hester p. 39/40 Dimmesdale p. 49/50 and p. 195-197 Chillingworth p. 90-92 Pearl p. 67/68
 * RED BOOK**

__**Oct 31**__ Work in the IMC for 40 minutes on The Soundtrack of Your Life Assignment Return to class and work in groups on discussion questions for The Scarlet Letter.
 * Journal:** Which character is the most at fault in The Scarlet Letter... (Use examples from the text to back up your claim)

__**Nov 4**__ Journal: Note to Self... What still needs to be done on The Soundtrack of Your Life Assignment REMEMBER IT IS DUE THE SEVENTH BY 11:59 PM. Presentations on Nov 8 during class

IMC work time on soundtrack.

Finish last two groups. Create topic sentences for two of the questions Create a development paragraph for the character question.

Collect list of three things, topic sentences, development paragraph

__**November 6**__ Journal: What did you like, not like about the Soundtrack Assignment? What would you change for next year? What are two things you learned about yourself and/or your writing?

IMC last minute editing for Soundtrack of Your Life Essay...Submit, Conference, Finalize

Brainstorm a list about EDUCATION...Discuss

Ticket Out of Class: What is the value of education? Do you feel that you have gotten the education you need and deserve from society?

__**November 7 at 11:59 Soundtrack Essay is due to Turnitin.com**__

__**November 8**__ Present Soundtrack selections

__**November 12**__ Journal: What is an allegory? [|What is an Allegory?]

Watch //**The Breakfast Club**//, directed by John Hughes...

Review Essential Vocabulary Terms from Plato

Homework: Read Plato's Allegory of the Cave.. Write a summary of the events in the story in the order they happen. [|Plato's Allegory of the Cave]

[|Allegory in Plain English] (This version of the allegory may be easier to read and understand.)

[|Claymation Version of Allegory]

__**November 14**__ Finish //**The Breakfast Club**// and w rite a persuasive paragraph in which you make the claim that //**The Breakfast Club**// is or is not and example of an allegory. Support your claim with three specific examples and finish with a restatement of the prompt. Collect and Discuss their responses.

Journal: Why do you think that the story was called Plato's Allegory of the Cave? What do you think the cave is being compared to?

Learn about the rhetorical device of allegory and apply that to your own education... How are they similar and how are they different? Questions to consider...

Is school a 'cave' where reality is constructed by someone else? Has the internet, technology and improvements in transportation metaphorically killed the puppeteer? Is our world more transparent than it has ever been? How is then parable like or unlike the education you have gotten in the last twelve years?

Create a Cartoon that Demonstrates What a Utopian High School Would Be Like...

__**November 18**__ Hand out the new journal papers.(green sheets) Tell students they will write their journals on the sheets provided and turn them in when they are full.

Journal: Watch the short video on educating the twenty-first century student... Then write about whether they agree or disagree with the claims made in the video clip. Discuss [|Empowering the Twenty-First Century Learner]

Go back and finish their cartoons about Utopian High School. (Give them twenty minutes and collect them.)

Their job today is to find resources about the state of education in the United States and to use those resources to make predictions about the direction in which education is moving and then demonstrate both orally and in writing whether or not those constitute positive changes for students now and in the future.

They are to find one current newspaper article, one current magazine article, and one updated website. Upon finding and selecting the resources they are to complete the sheets provided. If they are not done this is homework because it is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday.



__**November 20**__ Journal: Reflect on what you learned about education from your research last class. Discuss and collect research sheets

Connect Education to Literature In discussion groups read the excerpts... On your own paper write what you think the passage means and then make a connection to education and learning. The connection can come from your own experience, something you learned from your research, or something you learned about education in another class.

Discuss and collect


 * Extra Credit Option... Read any of these stories or novels and write an informative essay about its relevance to the topic of education.**
 * Due before finals week**

__Journal:__ Choose one and respond to the quote...Denotation (what does it mean) Connotation (what is a connection you can make)
 * November 22**

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ― [|Mahatma Gandhi]

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” ― [|Mark Twain]

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” ― [|Oscar Wilde]

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ― [|Nelson Mandela]

Journal: District Writing Assessment: Write an Informative Essay in response to the prompt given. REMEMBER: Restate the prompt in the introduction Use Specifically Cited Exampled in EACH body paragraph Use transitions between Restate thesis in the conclusion
 * December 3**

Take the survey on google docs before class next time

Be ready with materials for the Socratic Seminar: Whose responsibility is it to Educate the Youth in America? DEC 5

Journal: Respond to the quote...Agree, Disagree????? Connections?????? “We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers - but never blame yourself. It's never your fault. But it's always your fault, because if you wanted to change you're the one who has got to change.” ― [|Katharine Hepburn] , //<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #181818; font-family: georgia,serif; font-size: 14px;"> [|Me: Stories of My Life] //
 * December 5**

Socratic Seminar on Education DUE: grading sheet, evidence, persuasive paragraph answering the question...Whose responsibility is it to educate the youth of America?

If absent...write two summaries of the material researched...newspaper articles, magazine articles, websites. Then turn the summaries in along with the annotated evidene and the persuasive paragraph Journal: What is the role and responsibility of the media in the problems the world is facing today?
 * December 9**

Read: A Modest Proposal by Johnathan Swift.

[|Modest Proposal Audio Book]

[|youtube a modest proposal]

As you read write down ten questions you have... Discuss

Watch a clip of the War of the Worlds [|The War of the Worlds by Orson Wells]

Go to the IMC and research a problem facing the world today. Complete the sheet by next class

Take Role Pass our new journal sheets
 * December 11**

Journal: What is satire? Make a list of characteristics of the genre. For example it often uses hyperbole (extreme exaggeration) and it is most often tied to real life events. Try to come up with at least five. Discuss

Now take out the list of ten things from //**A Modest Proposal**//. Discuss what students thought about the essay. liked? didn't? Discuss the ways that it is or is not an example of satire. (COLLECT LISTS)

For those who are still confused...see the following resource. It provides links to examples from literature and entertainment. [|satire explanation and examples]

Make a list of the things needed in a newspaper article. [|Directions for Editorial Articles]

Take a look at the problems they chose in their research from yesterday. The students must create an editorial newspaper article about a problem that society faces today. The students can choose whether to create an article with a satirical slant or one that is a more traditional problem/solution format.

If they choose to attempt satire they might use the following sites as a resource for examples of satirical pieces. [|The Onion] [|McGuffin's Untrue News] [|The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]

When they are finished students will create an editorial cartoon to go along with their article. Both are due by the end of class on Tuesday, December 17. [|Directions for Creating and Editorial Cartoon] [|Examples of Editorial Cartoons]

Rough drafts need to be peer edited by Friday. (Turn in edited co



Journal: How are things going? What about this project have you liked? disliked? learned? How would you change it for next semester?
 * December 13**

Continue working in the IMC

Journal:Think about where we started...Truth Tradition and Conflict. What are two things you learned about reading and writiing and possibly what is one thing you learned about yourself through this process. Then choose your own three words to represent the class and explain them...(Collect Journals)
 * December 17/19**

Finish Cartoons Peer Edit Papers Make Corrections and Finalize Articles and Cartoons Due at end of class today