Friday, December 21

Freshmen: Today we took a vocab exam. Have a great Christmas break.

Sophomores: Today we had our seminar on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Have a great break and work on your end of the semester project.

CNF: We finished Murder on a Sunday Morning. Have a great break.

Basketball: We resume a week from today.

Tuesday, December 18 and Wednesday, December 19

Freshmen: Today we focused on haibun. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and have your Grandparent Project done for Thursday. Vocab is due Friday.

Sophomores: Today we read some of your Letters About Literature and focused on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Vocab is due Thursday and the book should be done for Friday.

CNF: Today we focused on Murder on a Sunday Morning and how crime and the justice system work after a crime has been committed.

Basketball: We're at Sunnyside today until 5:30.

Friday, December 14

Freshmen: Today we continued our focus on haiku. Your homework is to write and type up five of them and bring them to class Monday. Vocab is due next Friday, your Letters About Literature letter is due Tuesday, and your Grandparent Project is due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Continue reading from The Diving  Bell and the Butterfly. Remember to complete your Letters About Literature letter and your end of the semester project. Vocab is due next Thursday.

CNF: We finished our reading.

Basketball: We're at Sunnyside until 5:30; Saturday, we will go short, from 8:45-10:00, with film until 11. The kids can get there as early as 8:30 if they would like.

Thursday, December 13

Freshmen: Today we studied haiku and its master, Basho. Read for 20 minutes tonight, and don't forget that next Tuesday, your Letters About Literature are due, next Thursday your Grandparent Projects are due, and next Friday, we will have a vocab exam on Chapter 7.

Sophomores: We continued with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Check the reading schedule and be sure to keep up. Your Letters About Literature are due next Wednesday.

CNF: We continued studying crime and its drop in the 1990s as we read Gladwell and Freakonomics.

Basketball: We have a shoot around at 3 at Lourdes, followed by study hall and a game at 5:30.

World Literature Extra Credit

Hi. If you would like some extra credit, go to http://www.onbeing.org/program/bodys-grace-matthew-sanfords-story/185 and listen to the podcast "The Body's Grace" about Matthew Sanford. After listening, write a 1-2 page typed, double-spaced reflection, analyzing how Sanford's ideas intersect with those of Bauby's. This is due 1/7/13 and is worth up to 50 points extra credit, depending on how good a job you do.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Reading Schedule 2012-2013

The book is due on 12/21. You should have a page reflection/reaction for the entire book that day for our seminar. Please follow this schedule for chapters due.

12/13 - Prologue, The Wheelchair, Prayer, Bathtime, The Alphabet due.

12/14 - The Empress, Cinecitta, Tourists, The Sausage, Guardian Angel due.

12/17 - The Photo, Yet Another Coincidence, The Dream, Voice Offstage, My Lucky Day due.

12/19 - Our Very Own Madonna, Through a Glass Darkly, Paris, The Vegetable due.

12/20 - Outing, Twenty to One, The Duck Hunt, Sunday, The Ladies of Hong Kong, The Message due.

12/21 - At the Wax Museum, The Mythmaker, "A Day in the Life", Season of Renewal, and reflection due.

Tuesday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 12

Freshmen: Today we focused on the Letters About Literature contest. Your final copy is due on Tuesday, 12/19, along with your entry coupon. Go to the following website to print that entry coupon: http://lettersaboutliterature.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Guidelines_School_Library_2013_gl.247153357.pdf You must have a parent's signature to enter and receive full credit. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and finish up your Grandparent Project, due 12/20; vocab is due 12/21.

Sophomores: Today we began reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The book needs to be finished by Friday, 12/21, and you need to have a 1 page reaction/reflection for that day's seminar. Vocab is due 12/20. Your Letters About Literature assignment is due 12/19.

CNF: Today we concluded Hoop Dreams. If you would like to read more about Arthur, William, and some of the other people featured in the film, I recommend reading the following: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27976-2004Jul4.html or http://www.slamonline.com/online/blogs/the-w/2010/03/hoop-dreams-15-years-later/

We then began studying the question: Why did the rising crime wave of the 1990's suddenly stop and reverse direction?

Basketball: We are at Judge today, done at 5:30.

Monday, December 10

Freshmen: Today we focused more on the idea of using description, illustration, and example. I asked you to come to class tomorrow ready to write about a book that changed how you saw yourself or the world. Read for 20 minutes tonight; we have a vocab exam next week.

Sophomores: Today we had our final seminar on Siddhartha. We will begin The Diving Bell and the Butterfly on Wednesday. Keep working on your semester projects, your Letter About Literature, and remember we have a vocab exam next week.

CNF: We nearly finished Hoop Dreams...

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside until 4 PM, followed by studyhall, with our game at 5:30 tonight.

Thursday, December 6

Freshmen: Today we looked at a great Illustration/Example/Description essay about using short words and wrote one ourselves. Homework is to read 20 minutes and be ready for the vocab exam tomorrow.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on the river as a symbol, both in general and specifically in Siddhartha. We will have a vocab exam tomorrow and finish the book for Monday.

CNF: We continued Hoop Dreams.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside until 5:30 tonight.

Tuesday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 5

Freshmen: Today we began a study of Illustration, Example, and Description as rhetorical devices. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and remember that we have a vocab exam on Friday.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the Letters About Literature contest (LAL, lol). You are to think of a book, poem, or story that changed how you view yourself or the world. This essay should take the form of a letter to the writer, who can be living or dead, and explain how the work impacted you. More info can be found at http://lettersaboutliterature.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Guidelines_School_Library_2013_gl.247153357.pdf

The typed essay is due Wednesday, 12/19 and must include the entry coupon that you can download and have your parents sign from the address above. Failure to include the entry coupon will result in earning only up to half credit.

Finish Siddhartha for Monday, complete your reflections, and remember that vocab is due Friday.

CNF: Today we began Hoop Dreams.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside until 5:30 today.

Freshmen Honors Lord of the Flies Prompt #2

Please respond to the following prompt in a few paragraphs. Please respond to what others have to say about the prompt in your response, and use evidence from the text to support your ideas. Feel free to comment multiple times in order to create an on-line conversation. Please sign your first name and period. This should be completed by Wednesday, December 5

Prompt: How would the plot of Lord of the Flies have changed if, instead of being all boys on the island, all the characters were girls?

Freshmen: Today we read an essay about spelling, and the messages you send your reader about yourself when you make spelling mistakes. Tonight read for 20 minutes, and remember that your essay is due on Tuesday and that vocab Chapter 6 is due on Friday.

Sophomores: Today we read a This I Believe essay and wrote some from Siddhartha's point of view. Finish the book for Monday; Chapter 6 vocab is due on Friday.

CNF: Today we had a seminar on Chapter 3 of Freakonomics.

Basketball: Today we play Murray at Riverview Junior High School, located on 751 West Tripp Lane (5755 South) at 4 PM. 

Friday, November 30

Freshmen: We wrapped up a study of compare and contrast today in preparation for you writing your own C&C essays. See the earlier posts about the details for these assignments. Read for 20 minutes; honors students, remember we will meet about Lord of the Flies at 7:30 next Tuesday in my room.

Sophomores: Today we had a seminar on the first half of Siddhartha. Conclude the book for next Friday's seminar.

CNF: Today we read Chapter 3 from Freakonomics and will discuss it on Monday.

Basketball: Today we're at the Sugarhouse Stake Center, located at 1700 South and 1100 East.

Thursday, November 29

Freshmen: Today our focus was on compare and contrast. Due Tuesday is a compare-contrast essay of your own. There are a few requirements you need to adhere to: It should be typed, on an interesting topic, and have an interesting title. In your header, include both the lead and conclusion technique you are using as well as the type of compare-contrast structure you are using (subject by subject or point by point). Remember that you compare one thing against another to show something about your subject, and the things you compare need to be similar enough that the comparison makes sense and different enough that it's interesting. The essay is due on Tuesday, December 4.

Honors students: Your compare-contrast essay must be on the following prompt: Compare and contrast Lord of the Flies and Speak in such a way that you address the following idea: Speak and Lord of the Flies are essentially the same story. You can agree or disagree with this statement, but you need to compare and contrast the two stories in order to prove it. Among the things you might compare and contrast are characters, themes, settings, and symbols. Bring this essay with you to the seminar on Tuesday, December 4.

All students should read for 20 minutes.

Sophomores: Today we did some analysis of Campbell's work. Tomorrow, we will have a seminar on the first half of Siddhartha. Bring your seminar prep.

CNF: We concluded Kicking It and began Chapter 3 of Freakonomics.

Basketball: Today we are at Sunnyside until 5:30; tomorrow we will be at Sugarhouse 1700 South 1100 East.

Tuesday, November 27 and Wednesday, November 28

Freshmen: Today our focus was on the poem "A Work of Artifice" and on turing your Grandparent Project interviews into an essay. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and keep working on your essay.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on an interview between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campell and the concept of the masks of eternity and its application to the novel Siddhartha. We wrote a short analysis of the interview and applied its concepts to what we have read. You should finish the first half of Siddhartha and your chapter reflections for Friday's seminar.

CNF: Today we studied the concept of "winning the tournament", homelessness, and the Homeless World Cup.

Basketball: Tuesday we're at East at 6 (you should have the day's schedule), and Wednesday we're at Sunnyside until 5:30.

Sophomore Film Compare and Contrast Essay Example

More than a Champion

Refusal, not conformity, makes one powerful. Anyone can work hard enough, be dedicated enough, focus and apply themselves to conform to or beat a system. What defines an individual as a unifying force cannot be fitting in, but standing up to face an abusive system.

This is evident in the character of Geel Piet in the Power of One. He is detested by black and white men alike, has spent more time in jail than on the streets, and has no one but himself to rely on. He still manages to outwit the most difficult system in South Africa: the prison system. He made every action unnoticeable, forgettable, except for one act, the last act of his life. He would have lived, died, and passed out of memory, if not for his refusal to betray his friend in the face of torment and death. The reader can forget everything about the man except for his defiant last action against the system he lived and died by.  

            Muhammad Ali, A.K.A Cassius Clay is a powerful, incredible individual, who has taken on the champions of the world in a sport, “…so savagely competitive as boxing,” (Documentary: A.K.A Cassius Clay). He has withstood more challenges to his title in a shorter time period than any other world champion, ever. Muhammad, “…could never take his title for granted,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay). Ali had talent and dedication that found him in a gym six days a week for decades running. While history may remember him as the greatest boxer of the era, perhaps even ever, people will forget this. No one remembers a feeling they never felt. Doc, a passionate and caring music teacher and a loving mentor in the book, The Power of One tells us this in as many words, “I cannot teach you what I cannot feel…It is not possible to touch the heart of the Negro man’s music when he cannot feel it through his fingers,” (Courtenay 383). In the same way, few can empathize with the same passion, determination, dedication and pride that make someone a great boxer.

            We remember our heroes for a while; people still recall the powerful emotions that swept them away as the, “Louisville Loudmouth…a braggart who is somehow not obnoxious,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay), drove potent love and hatred at so many fights. But when this fails, either the memory finds something stronger, something more universal and integral to the human psyche or the memory flickers out.

Ali is remembered for his refusal. He stood up an unjust system, which drafted him and his brothers in faith to fight in Vietnam, by refusing to step forward and be inaugurated into the U.S. Military. Ali realized that he would never be called upon to fight and kill. He would be paid by the government to stay in shape, perhaps to box. He risked very little in going to Vietnam, but he faced certain consequences at home. Rather than compromise his values and fight for a cause he saw as unjust, he surrendered his title. But this loss did not crush him. Rather it established him closer to people’s hearts. It made him a more unifying force in America, in overcoming the ever present tension between the whites and blacks. As he put it, “All of the money, the friendship of those for the war…would still be nothing…if I am in that courtroom with the will of almighty Allah,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay).

Ali knew he was in a bigger ring, and the stakes were higher, but he would not go down. So although the movie leaves Muhammad stripped of his hard earned title, the ending remains a true testament to the power,

…of being the odd man out: the man who senses that there is a collective sanity to humans and who assumes the role of the…searching spirit…The power of one was based on the courage to remain separate, to think through to the truth, and not to be beguiled by convention or the plausible argument of those who expect to maintain power (Courtenay 360).

            But boxing is just as important in Muhammad’s life, if not more important than his religion. While it is easy to forget what we cannot feel, we must understand what boxing was to Ali, it was his soul, his determination, his true passion. It was the full expression of the power of Ali’s life, of how he could be the one who stood out, who pushed back. Boxing was, for Ali, “—One idea, one heart, one mind, one plan one determination,” (Courtenay 103).

            Boxing, while at one level, is a sport, it is, on another level, a passion, a determination, an expression of a mentality integral to one’s life. In Ali’s case, it was expressed in a constant strain of witty, degrading, humiliating, and all too amusing chatter, which only paused during rounds of boxing. His speech expressed a certainty, a pride, and a confidence, that he was the best, and that he would win, because he knew his sport and he loved his sport with a passion that exceeded his opponents.

Boxing is harsh, uncaring, and unforgiving, but it draws a deep reserve out of those who love the sport, in a way no other sport can. Boxing makes a person reach for the intelligence to read an opponent, and the self knowledge that both demonstrates and shatters the boundaries of the individual. Boxing calls out an inner reserve and determination to keep going, to drive harder and deeper. It requires a plan which makes the competitor think long enough to tire the opponent. Finally boxing requires a push to the heart of the individual. It is on this level that boxing becomes an art. It becomes a trial of spirit, to see which contender can go the distance, and can push beyond the reserves of their physical, emotional, and intellectual selves.

            It is this innate connection, portrayed as so artful and beautiful in both the book and the documentary, which binds Peekay and Ali together. Peekay, the protagonist in The Power of One, is a young English boy, born into the heart of the racist and hateful culture in South Africa in the early 1940’s. When he turns five he is sent to boarding school, where he is subjected to pointless violence and racism, perpetrated by the twelve year old character called Judge. Peekay draws a goal from his trials to become the Welterweight World Champion. This becomes the driving force in his life, an expression of the desire to triumph over the horrors of his past, but the author leaves this desire unfulfilled. Just as Ali ended up with a 3 year suspension from boxing, Peekay has nothing more than an empty nest of loneliness birds to show for all his work. But Peekay’s true goal was not to become a champion by conforming to a system, but to be powerful and independent of any system. Peekay realizes his goal when he faces the system, the oppressor, personified in the character of the Judge, beats it down, and crushes it.

In a similar way Ali’s true dream is realized. He says again and again that, “I am the greatest,” or, “I am the champion.” Pride does not allow him to accept the loss of his title. He states this perfectly, “I earned it in the ring, and I can only lose it in the ring,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay) and again at a public speech he asks, “Who is the champion (crowd roars his name),” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay). More important than healing his own wounded ego, he stood up and refused to yield to the government that attempted to force him into a war that he was not willing to fight.

His true dream was to extend his title in the ring to his beliefs. His belief, partly an extension of his pride, was that, “Black is beautiful,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay). He wants to champion the rights of his people, and show that he can face a system just as he has faced an opponent, and show the racist system, just as his opponents thought, “I can’t hurt this fellow because he has no respect for who I am,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay).

            So it cannot be function within a system, but response to a system that defines an individual. The Power of One is a story not of vengeance or perseverance, but a story of the triumph of the human spirit. Peekay finds this triumph through mentors such as Hoppie, Doc and Geel Piet, through school, but most importantly through boxing. Boxing is both the truest expression and passion of Peekay. Ali also finds his spirit in his boxing, and the most outstanding example of this, as pointed out by Cuss de Moto the world famous boxing coach, is Ali’s character. De Moto calls character, “As critical as fitness,” (A.K.A. Cassius Clay). It is what makes a boxer powerful. He supports this by pointing to the first match where Ali took serious punishment. His opponent hit deep enough into Ali to beat the fight out of anyone. Ali simply absorbed the punishment, and got straight back into the fight, despite the best effort of his opponent. Once again the spirit is the critical aspect in boxing. Ali should have been winded, a wide open target, but he kept his guard up, and pushed back, driving from an inner reserve his opponent could not comprehend.

So despite the shortcomings and failures, and the intolerable trials of an individual spirit, we see two clear examples of the courage and strength of the human spirit in Peekay and Ali. In the end, what defines a champion, is not the successes within a competition, but the ability,

…to convert obstacles to stepping stones. It is possible to strip a man of a title, but in a more important sense, a champion means a set of qualities, rather than an official title. A champion is a species of Hero, and a hero is nourished by misfortune. That is why he attracts legend. Let us hope then, that no action of defense departments, or federal judiciary, or Muslim factionalism can quench these qualities that make Ali a champion. He is more than a champion. He is a man, (A.K.A. Cassius Clay). 

            We will forget the Champion. Memory needs more than a Champion. Memory needs an individual.  

Monday, November 26

Freshmen: Today we reprised or study of compare and contrast. We saw it first in a poem by Langston Hughes called "Mother to Son." If you wish, you can compose a poem from the son's point of view. Be sure to adhere to the principles of free verse we studied earlier this year. Also consider how the son might feel about what his mom is saying to him, and what kind of person he is like. You might integrate some of Hughes's poem into your own, or you might title it "After 'Mother to Son'", which is one traditional way of acknowledging you are responding to another poet's work. This poem, typed, is due on Friday. Read for 20 minutes as well, and be sure to bring your interview for the Grandparent Project tomorrow.

Sophomores: Today we talked about problems to fix in your compare and contrast essay. I posted an example of a good student paper on the blog, so check it out for a model to base your revision on. Due Thursday is a revised, annotated, improved essay. Use the comments on turnitin.com and from our class  to help you with this. Due Friday is the first 75 or so pages from Siddhartha, with chapter reflections.

CNF: Today we had a seminar on our two films.

Basketball: Today we're at Sunnyside, done at 5:30.

Compelling Non-Fiction Extra Credit

Attend the following short doc by Jennifer MacKenzie, and write a typed, half-page or so reaction. It is due on Monday, 12/3.

It is my pleasure to invite you to the free screening and panel discussion (with Temple Grandin!) this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Library for INVISIBLE DISABILITIES, the problems of perception a short educational documentary I directed about safely and successfully integrating adults with disabilities into our communities.  I am very proud of this little advocacy film, and it is already doing wonderful things for special needs communities on a National level.  Here is a link to the trailer,  http://www.jennymackenziefilms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12&Itemid=23. Please spread the word, and share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested.  

Tuesday, November 20

Freshmen: Today we looked at some examples of Grandparent Project essays. You can find them on the blog. Read for 20 minutes four times over the break; honors students, read Lord of the Flies. Complete your interview for Tuesday's class; honors students, you have a letter to the editor due next Thursday.

Sophomores: Read from Siddhartha, work on your reflections and Echoes, and complete your essay for Monday's class.

CNF: We concluded Sicko and will discuss information asymmetry on Monday.

Basketball: We're at Sunnyside today, done at 5:30, and at Judge from 8-10:45 tomorrow.

Monday, November 19

Freshmen: Today we introduced The Grandparent Project. See the post on the blog for all the details. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

Sophomores: Today we began Siddhartha. See the post on the reading schedule for all the details.

CNF: We continued to study information asymmetry.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside and done at 5:30.

Siddhartha Reading Schedule 2012

Siddhartha Reading Schedule 2012:

11/21 - Begin book in class on this date.

11/30 - Seminar, with reflections due on the following chapters: The Brahmin's Son, With the Samanas, Gotama, Awakening, Kamala, Amongst the People.

12/10 - Book due: Final seminar and reflections due on the following chapters: Samsara, By the River, The Ferryman, The Son, Om, Govinda.

Reflections should be 1/4 to 1/2 a page long and focus entirely on what you think about what you read. Include only minimal summary, if any at all.

The Grandparent Project

The Grandparent Project

Name:

Objectives:

1. To learn about an older person.
2. To practice interviewing.
3. To improve research skills.
4. To further develop essay writing based on research and interview.
5. To see writing as a gift you can give others.

Assignment:

1. Choose a person aged 60 or over to interview – preferably a grandparent.
2. The topic of the interview is up to you, but I strongly suggest interviewing the person about their experiences at Christmas as a young person. You can then give them a copy of your work as a gift at Christmas, and the whole thing fits together nicely.
3. Arrange to interview him or her beforehand. Target Thanksgiving weekend as the interview date – either face to face or by phone.
4. Write at least 20 questions to ask him or her. Avoid close-ended questions – ones that will end with a yes or no response. Ask questions that encourage the interviewee to tell a story.
5. Take notes during the interview. Leave room under each question for note-taking.
6. Use the notes to help you draft your story.
7. Follow the seven step process we covered earlier this year.
8. Research a few things that come up in the interview and add at least three facts from your to help develop the essay.
9. Write a bibliography (remember www.easybib.com).
10. You will hand in one copy to me, and need to bring at least one other copy to class gift-wrapped to show the class.
11. Give your gift-wrapped copy to your interview subject as a gift.

Interview Questions:

1. As stated, I recommend focusing on Christmas, but there are limitless possibilities. Ask about childhood, family, school, marriage, career, children, faith, opinions about current issues, hobbies, past fads, differences between the past and present, and biographical data.

Conducting the Interview:

1. Keep the fact this will be a gift for them a secret, but explain that this is something they will do to help you with school.
2. Be courteous and grateful. Arrange for the interview ahead of time.
3. Ask open-ended questions so the subject does a lot of talking.
4. Be prepared to ask follow-up questions that are not on your list.
5. Thank the person you interview.
6. If you cannot do it in person, you may do it via email or by phone.

Writing the Essay:

1. Remember, good essays are 8-19 paragraphs. Put in the effort this kind of thing deserves.
2. Essay must be typed, double spaced, and so on – follow standard format.
3. Craft a compelling title at the top that is the same size as the rest of your work.
4. You may want to add a dedication page.
5. Your bibliography is the last page.
6. You may do things to spruce up your work if you want – pictures, decorative work, etc.

Assessment:

1. The interview is worth 20 points – 1 for each question with answer notes. All questions should be open-ended.
2. Final copies – 30 points for bringing in the gift for everyone to see and 100 points for the essay you hand in.
3. 150 points in all.

Timeline:

1. Interview due Tuesday, 11/27/12.
2. Essay for submission to Mr. Baird and gift essay due Thursday, 12/20/12.

Thursday, November 15 and Friday, November 16

Freshmen: Today we began a study of the rhetorical device of compare and contrast, mainly by studying the essay "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts." If you missed class, find a copy online and read it. We also took the Chapter 5 vocab quiz. Read for 20 minutes twice over the break.

Sophomores: Today we took a vocab quiz and had our seminar on The Alchemist. Bring Siddhartha to class on Monday. Keep working on your essay and your This I Believe project.

CNF: We continued our study of information asymmetry.

Basketball: We are done at Sunnyside at 5:30 today.

Wednesday, November 14

Freshmen: Today we self and peer-assessed your narrative essays. Read for 20 minutes tonight (honors students, read from Lord of the Flies), and be prepared for the Chapter 5 vocab exam tomorrow.

Sophomores: We did the same thing today that I posted on yesterday's blog. Be prepared for the vocab exam and the seminar on The Alchemist on Friday, and have your Echoes assignment for The Alchemist finished as well. If you're bored, work on your essay and your end-of-the-semester project.

CNF: We continued So Much So Fast and our study of information asymmetry.

Basketball: We're at Sunnyside, done at 5:30 today.

Tuesday, November 13

Freshmen: Today we looked at a good example of a narrative essay so that you would have another model as you write your own. Your essay is due Wednesday - make sure that you have a good title, list the lead and conclusion technique you use in your header, and that your essay has some sort of conflict or change in it. Read for 20 minutes - if you're not in honors, you should have a new book; if you are in honors you should be reading Lord of the Flies, which is due in three weeks. Due Thursday is vocab Chapter 5.

Sophomores: Today, with the retreat, you had time to read from The Alchemist, work on your Echoes assignment, or work on your essays. Finish The Alchemist for Friday; also have Chapter 5 ready for the exam on Friday.

CNF: Today we began So Much So Fast as we continued studying information asymmetry.

Basketball: We're at Sunnyside, done at 5:30.

Lord of the Flies Freshmen Honors Prompt #1

Lord of the Flies Freshmen Honors Prompt #1

I have decided to focus on a different idea than what we discussed this morning. Please log in and respond as a comment to the following prompt in a couple of paragraphs, and before answering, read the responses that others have left. Respond to others' ideas in your own response. Prompt: If you were stranded on an island, what would you do to ensure your survival and bring about your rescue?

Monday, November 12

Freshmen: Today we had our final seminar on Speak. You should be getting a new book for your 20 minutes of nightly reading. Honors students, you need to have a copy of Lord of the Flies, and we will have a meeting tomorrow morning at 7:35 AM in my room. I have moved the narrative essay assignment back to Wednesday; vocabulary Chapter 5 is due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we focused further on irony. We also introduced your next essay assignment. Here is the prompt: Write a cause and effect essay that answers the question, "What is your Personal Legend?" Explain what your Personal Legend is, how you will go about fulfilling it, and what the effect of fulfilling it will have on you and the world. It is due to turnitin.com by 7:59 AM on Monday, November 26. In your header, be sure to identify the lead and conclusion technique you are using. In the essay itself, you need to have at least three citations from stuff we have read this year. Only use citations from the texts that say things that could not be said any other way. Use passages from the book to help you tell your story. Due Friday is The Alchemist and Chapter 5 vocab. Honors students, we have elected to move our meeting and the essay that is due back to Friday.

CNF: We had a seminar on Chapter 2 from Freaknomics, discussing Information Asymmetry.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside today, done at 5:30, and will have the program-wide parent meeting at 6 this evening at Judge in the library.

Friday, November 9

Freshmen: Today we focused on two things: Improving your Ways Poem, and examples of narrative essays. Here is what you need to do in revision of your Ways Poems:

1.     Spell out everything – no symbols.

2.     Every stanza should be a complete sentence or short paragraph.

3.     Name the object in every stanza.

4.     Give the object an action in every stanza.

5.     Use standard punctuation and spelling.

6.     Use line breaks.

7.     You need multiple ways of seeing.

These revisions are due on Monday. Due Tuesday is a narrative essay. This should be typed. In your header, include the lead and conclusion technique you used. If you wish, 10% it. Remember that the most important element of a narrative is conflict, be it internal or external. Write about a time you were angry, sad, happy, guilty, or scared; write about a time you did something wrong, or passed a difficult trial, or accomplished something great.

Lastly, read for 20 minutes and finish Speak and your reflection for Monday. We will have a seminar about Speak on Monday. Due next Thursday is vocab Chapter 5.

Sophomores: Today we introduced the end of the semester project. You got a hand out on it. We also learned about irony. Ironically enough, this is a concept that you need to apply to your reading of The Alchemist (although that's really not ironic). Finish The Alchemist for Friday, with either a reflection or notes for the seminar.

CNF: We finished reading Chapter 2 of Freakonomics, with either a reflection or notes for the seminar.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside today, done at 5:30. We will be at Judge on Saturday. You can arrive as early as 7:30 if you wish, and we'll be done at 10:30. There will be a quiz on the terminology I gave out and I will collect your letters that day.

Thursday, November 8

Freshmen: Today we focused on getting an introduction to narrative essays. Your homework is to finish Speak for Monday's seminar with a half-page to full-page reaction/reflection. You are also to finish up your revision of your seven-step essay and I want you to annotate the changes you have made on the essay itself. This means I want you to mark on your essay the changes you made and comment on what you changed and why.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on the concept of destiny or fate and its application to The Alchemist. Your task is to finish The Alchemist for next Friday, with either a dozen notes or a reflection for the seminar (NO summary, please). You should submit your 10%ed essay to turnitin.com by Friday, 7:59 AM.

CNF: We began a study of information asymmetry and began reading Chapter 2 from Freakonomics.

Basketball: Today is the first day of practice; we will be done at 5:30. Be sure to read the letter I sent home and study the terminology - there will be a quiz on Saturday.

10% Solution Cheat Sheet

The 10% Solution Cheat Sheet

To find your word count:

1. Click Tools.
2. Click Word Count.
3. Type in how many words your document is below your name.
4. Subtract 10%. The total is your goal (Draft 2 = Draft 1 – 10%).
5. Write down your goal below your current total. Meet or exceed it – don’t settle for close.
6. WHEN FINISHED, BELOW YOUR FIRST TWO NUMBERS, WRITE DOWN THE FINAL WORKD COUNT FOR YOUR DOCUMENT.

To perform the 10% Solution:

1. Click Edit.
2. Click Find.
3. Enter the syllable you are searching for.

For each syllable you search for, ask…

1. Do I keep it?
2. Do I cut it?
3. Do I change it?

*Whatever you decide, the decision should be made with this goal in mind – improving your piece.

**Remember that cutting or changing may require changing other things as well – see the big picture.

Syllables to search for:

-ly	of	that
Pronouns: I, he, she, etc.	-ion	was
Were	very	about
-ing	By	How (case sensitive)
And (case sensitive)	But (case sensitive)	Because (case sensitive)

Tuesday, November 6 and Wednesday, November 7

Freshmen: Today we focused on using in-text and blocked citations. If you search the blog, you can find examples from the past. Your job is to go to turnitin.com and look at the comments on your essay. Based on the comments and what we learned today, revise your seven-step essay and bring in a perfected, awesome hard copy to class on Friday. Also, keep on reading, and finish Speak for Monday with a reflection.

Sophomores: We began The Alchemist today; finish it for next Friday with a dozen notes for seminar. We also learned about Ken Rand's 10% Solution - you are to 10% your film essay and hand in your final copy on Friday to turnitin.com. In your header, include your name, your lead and conclusion techniques, and your original, goal, and final word count. Also due Friday is your permission form and your notes on the film you viewed.

CNF: We finished Who Killed the Electric Car? Seems like a lot of people did...

Basketball: Tryouts today until 5:30; tomorrow, the bus leaves at 2:30 and tryouts will end at 5:30.

Monday, November 5

Freshmen: Today we had a seminar on the Second and Third Marking Periods of Speak. Due for next Monday is the Fourth Marking Period, along with a reflection. Read for 20 minutes Monday-Thursday; if you finish Speak early, get a new book and read from it. Honors students, we will meet 11/13 at 7:35 AM in my room. Please bring The Lord of the Flies with you that day.

Sophomores: Today we had a seminar on The Power of One. Period 5, you need to bring your essay in on Tuesday because of the 1-5 period day; Period 8, your essay is still due on Wednesday.  I have moved back Chapter 5 vocab from next Thursday to next Friday. Please bring The Alchemist to our next class meeting.

CNF: Today we continued to examine Who Killed the Electric Car?

Basketball: Today we had our first day of tryouts; we will continue tomorrow. The bus on Wednesday will leave Judge at 2:30.

Friday, November 2

Freshmen: Today we concluded our study of "Ways Poems". Your task is to choose something - an object, a thing, an idea - and write a ways poem modeled after Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." The idea is to pick something that is ordinary and find what is profound, interesting, or strange. Use some of Stevens's ways of seeing, and invent your own. Personify your object, view it as a metaphor, find its significance. The poem is due on Monday. Also due Monday are the Second and Third Marking Periods with reflections.

Sophomores: We decided on an extension for your reading - it is due on Monday, along with your 3EJ, Echoes, and reflections. Due Wednesday is your essay.

CNF: Today we started to solve a mystery - Who Killed the Electric Car?

Tuesday, October 30 and Wednesday, October 31

Freshmen: Today we began a study of "Ways Poems," based on Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." We started to break down, stanza by stanza, how Stevens portrays, sees, or shows the the blackbird in his poem. We will finish this on Thursday; finish the Second and Third Marking Periods, with reflections, for Monday; vocab is due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we focused on how Peekay's beliefs have evolved over the course of the novel and took the vocab exam. Finish the book for Friday's class, with a 3EJ and reflections, for Friday's class.

CNF: See me for info on Bigger, Stronger, Faster.

Monday, October 29

Freshmen: Today we had a seminar on the First Marking Period of Speak, and I think you did a great job commenting and asking questions about the text. The Second and Third Marking Periods are due next Monday; we will have another seminar then, and you should have a separate reflection for each Marking Period. Use the 20 minutes you are supposed to read each night to meet this due date. Due Thursday is Chapter 4 vocab. We also talked about finding a publisher for your essay, and will discuss that further on Tuesday.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on the Tao and the recurring elements, themes, ideas, images, and concepts we see in the text. Finish The Power of One for Friday; have reflections for each chapter, as well as your completed 3EJ. We are moving the vocab exam up to Wednesday, so be prepared for that.

CNF: See me with questions.

Thursday, October 25

First off - Let's Go, Utes! We will finally break through, 24-14 against Cal.

Freshmen: Today we talked about the seventh step in our seven step essay process: Edit, polish, and publish. This is what you are to do: Make sure your essay conforms to standard form and standard spelling and punctuation. Here are a couple of things to be sure of: Have a header with name, date, lead and conclusion techniques, and your original, goal, and actual word counts. Have an interesting title top and center that is not formatted differently than the rest of your text. Be sure you double space consistently throughout and do not add extra spacing between paragraphs.

Go to easybib.com and create your bibliography. It should be the final page of your essay and be a separate page from the rest of your text.

Submit your essay to turnitin.com by 8 AM on Monday, 10/29. Also bring a paper copy to class. To submit it to turnitin.com, you must have the password, which is Judge (with a big J). The class ID numbers are 5458123 (period 1) and 5458128 (period 2).

Finally, read for 20 minutes twice over the break. The First Marking Period and your reactions are due on Monday. Vocab chapter 4 is due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we talked about echoes of the Tao we see in The Power of One and some ideas from your Triple Entry Journals. Finish the book for next Friday, with your Triple Entry Journal and your chapter reactions. Vocab chapter 4 is due on Thursday.

CNF: Today we had a seminar on Chapter 1 from Freakonomics.

Tuesday, October 23 and Wednesday, October 24

Freshmen: Today we focused on Step Six of our Seven Step Essay Process, which is most simply termed revision. We looked for areas in the essays to expand and clarify. We also learned about Ken Rand's The 10% Solution. Your task tonight is to revise and improve your essay, and AFTER making it as strong as you can, perform the 10% Solution on your essay. Your final copy should be ready for Thursday's class.

Your final essay should have the following components:
1. A header that includes your name, the date, the lead and conclusion techniques you are using (and use them well), and your original word count, your goal word count, and your actual word count.
2. An interesting title that is not bolded, enlarged, underlined, or put in quotes or italics.
3. Site your sources a number of times using the templates taught in They Say I Say.
4. Summarize some of your sources or arguments using the techniques taught in They Say I Say.
5. Have a clear and well-supported thesis statement.

You also should read for 20 minutes the next two nights, knowing that you need to be finished with The First Marking Period from Speak, as well as your reaction to what you have read.

Sophomores: Today our primary focus was on different types of leads and conclusions to use in essays. You should use one of these lead and conclusion techniques in your film analysis essay. Also, remember that your Echoes of the Tao are due on Thursday. Continue to read and work on your reflections and your 3EJ.

CNF: Today we focused on interpreting the data from our survey on cheating and finished reading Chapter 1 of Freakonomics. We will have a seminar on what we read on Thursday.

Monday, October 22

Freshmen: Today we made a slight tweak to the Prayer and Great Thoughts assignment and also reassigned the Letter to the Editor for quarter two. See the posts on today's blog about those assignments. We also began the novel Speak today. You need to read The First Marking Period (approximately the first 46 pages) for Monday. Also, by the start of class on Monday, you need to have a 1/2 to 1 page reaction to what we have read. This should be a short essay that focuses on what you were thinking about or feeling while reading. It may include some questions, ideas, observations, or comments, ranging on everything from style to plot to characters. On Monday we will have what is called a Socratic Seminar as we discuss the first part of the book, and your reaction will help you prepare for it.

Sophomores: Today we focused on Geel Piet and what he believes. Check the reading schedule, and keep working on your 3EJ, reflections, and Echoes assignment. I will collect your Echoes assignment; you should have three entries for Life of Pi and two for The Power of One.

CNF: Today we began Chapter 1 from Freakonomics.

Freshmen Second Quarter Prayer and Great Thoughts Assignment

Freshmen, we are slightly changing the P&GT assignment for quarter 2. Rather than typing up your entire talk, you should have notes only, either in bullet or numbered form. You will still write your great thought large on a sheet of paper as before. Remember to start and end your talk well, make eye contact, and use hand gestures and facial expressions to bring your talk alive.

Freshmen Second Quarter Letter to the Editor Assignment

Freshmen, this is a reminder that all students have a letter to the editor due 1/10/13; honors students have an additional letter due 11/29/12. You have been given a handout that explains the assignment and provides some examples, but remember that to get full credit, you must have the following components to your letter at the start of class the date it is due: The letter must be typed and include your contact information, and be in a stamped, addressed, unsealed envelope. The letters can be handed in any day prior to the due date.

Tuesday, October 16

Freshmen: Today we talked about conclusion techniques to try and moved on to Step Five, Drafting and Developing the Information. In other words, writing your essay. Your essay is due on Tuesday, 10/23. These are the requirements: Have a clear thesis; include the lead and technique you're using in your header; include some summary of, and some quoting from, your sources using the techniques and templates from They Say I Say; use at least one one-sentence paragraph; and remember, while it's about depth and not length, most good essays are 8-19 paragraphs. Read for 20 minutes four times over the break.

Sophomores: Today we had a short lecture on King Arthur and Merlin, as Doc is a direct reference to Merlin. We focused the rest of the time on reading; check the schedule and stay on pace; keep working on your film essays.

CNF: Today we watched a section from the movie Freakonomics about cheating and corruption in sumo.

Monday, October 15

Freshmen: Today we had a presentation on the Ulster Project. Please read 20 minutes tonight. Due on Tuesday are the two leads you have written (bring your research tomorrow), and your Letter to the Editor. In order to get full credit, at the start of class, you need to have a stamped, addressed, unsealed envelope with your letter inside, and your letter must have your contact info.

Sophomores: Today we had a seminar on the first twelve chapters of The Power of One. You know you need to read, view your film and write your essay, and add to your 3EJ and Echoes assignment.

CNF: Today we read the Introduction to Freakonomics and discussed some of the underlying principles of the text.

Friday, October 12

Okay, first off - it's now or never. Utah 28, UCLA 21.

Freshmen: Today we finished covering basic lead techniques as a part of the fourth step of our essay process. The lead techniques we covered are using a quote, making a comparison, telling an anecdote, providing background, framing it as news, making an announcement, and using facts and statistics. Remember, from our conversations, the lead comprises about 20% of your essay, meaning it should be the first two to three paragraphs of your essay. Your homework is to choose the two lead techniques that best fit your audience, purpose, style, abilities, topic, and thesis, and write two different leads for your essay. Each should be a different technique and each should be typed onto a separate piece of paper for Monday's class. In your header, include your name, the date, and the lead technique you are using. You also need to read for 20 minutes this weekend. Bring Speak next week.

Sophomores: Today we focused on taking a vocab exam and reading. We will have a seminar on the first twelve chapters of The Power of One on Monday.

CNF: Today we did some things that involved Blink-style thinking and we will begin Freakonomics on Monday.

Thursday, October 11

Freshmen: Today we started on Step Four of our Seven Step Essay Process, which has to do with crafting a lead and designing a plan for your essay. We did not get all the way through this today, so we will carry it over to tomorrow and I will post more info then. The homework is 20 minutes of reading and vocab Chapter 3 is due tomorrow.

Sophomores: Today we continued an extension of two of the major structures of the class, reading using the observation, induction, and thesis technique and focusing on how a character's belief acts as a guiding principle in his or her life. As an extension of the exercise we did with Cry, the Beloved Country, you were assigned a film and essay project, which you have four weeks to do - it is due November 7. Due for Friday is Chapter 3 vocab and Chapters 1-12 in The Power of One.

CNF: Today we wrote an essay in class that essentially answers the question, Does Gladwell accomplish the three tasks he sets out to accomplish in the Introduction of Blink? Bring Blink Friday, as well as Freakonomics if you have it.

Tuesday, October 9 and Wednesday, October 10

Freshmen: Today we focused on Step 3 of our Seven Step Essay Process, which is Focusing the Data. In other words, we looked at all the data we collected on our topic and, based on this data, crafted our argument. "Thesis statement" is term we are using to describe what the central argument of a piece of writing is. Everything in your essay must revolve around and be driven by your thesis. We established that your thesis statement must be a complete sentence, clearly indicate the direction your paper will go, and never start with the word "how."

It's also important to differentiate between "topic" and "thesis" as well. My topic might be "Defense," but my thesis would be "Man-to-man defense is superior to zone defense."

If you need more information to support your thesis, now is the time to gather it. Everyone is expected to have a clear, concise thesis statement for Thursday's class.

Homework is to read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday (get a copy of Speak for next week); vocab Chapter 3 is due Friday; and if you would like to write a poem about a school experience modeled after Naomi Shihab Nye's "How to Paint a Donkey," you can earn up to 25 points extra credit and it is due next Tuesday.

CNF: We held our final seminar on Blink. Please bring this book to class Thursday, and also bring Freakonomics if you have a copy this week, too.

Sophomores:  Today we focused on the second half of Cry, the Beloved Country. Continue to keep up with the reading (Chapter 12 is due for Friday) as well as your chapter reactions, and your Echoes and 3EJ entries. Chapter 3 vocab is due on Friday.

Thursday, October 4

Okay, tonight's the biggie. I have no reason to for this prediction, but the saying around here is "Utah by Five," so that's what I will say. Final score: Utah 22, USC 17 - our last five points are a safety when Barkley gets sacked late in the end zone and a field goal with a minute to go after a great return. There will be only one rushing of the field tonight...

Freshmen: Today we focused on Question-Based Research Strategy. QBR is founded on the idea that authentic questions drive research. In other words, you need to genuinely care about the topic you are writing about and have questions you want answered in order to write a good piece. Remember, all academic writing is entering into a conversation about a topic. In QBR, you write a question you need answered about your topic on one side of an index card. This drives and guides your research. You then write brief answers, in bullet statement form, on the back of the index cards. Be sure to include the source where you got your answer on the back. For example, I asked the question, "How many teenagers die each year in car accidents?" Some of the answers I found were "3,500 in 2003" on rmiia.org's website, "68,000 from 1996-2006" on Carfax's website, and that "16 year olds are three times more likely to die in a car accident than any other age group" on rmiia.org.

If you come across a big idea that was not addressed by any of your questions, simply state the big idea on one side of an index card and the supporting details on the back, again, with your sources. For example, I had not anticipated brain research factoring into my essay, but when I stumbled across it, I wrote "Brain Research" on one index card. On the back I had details relating to this idea about the dorsal-lateral pre-frontal cortex and decision making.

You will see next week how this method of research not only prevents unintended plagiarism but helps you better organize your early drafts.

Due for next Tuesday is all of your research - this means your interview or survey should be complete, your research read, and your index cards filled out. You may use your 20 minutes of reading to read from They Say I Say Chapters 1-3, which are due Monday, or from your research sources if you wish. Chapter 2 vocab is due Friday.

Sophomores: Today we focused on integrating quotes from what we read into our writing more effectively. See the earlier post on the blog about this for more info and an example. Due for Monday is a revised, annotated copy of your most recent Life of Pi Shaping Event essay that you submitted to turnitin.com. Go to turnitin, read the feedback, and revise your essay based on today's lesson and the feedback you got. Then annotate on your essay the improvements and revisions you made so that I can compare your revised piece with the original and see your process.

Continue to read, work on your 3EJ, and your Echoes assignment, as well as your chapter reflections. Chapter 2 vocab is due Friday.

CNF: Today we began reading Chapter 6 and the conclusion to Blink. We will conclude it next week.

Citing From a Text Example and Guidelines:

When citing a text in your essays, remember the following guidelines:

1. Make whatever you are citing a part of one of your sentences - no hit and run quotes. In other words, the quoted material should not be its own sentence, but rather make up part of or complete one of your sentences.

2. Use this template: Introduce what you are going to quote (text, author, topic), quote the text in one of your sentences, and then comment on what you quoted.

3. Choose lines from the text that could only come from that text. 

Here's an example of how to do that:

We were standing around in Seth’s back yard, and the topic of pride came up. Several of the men there spoke about how pride was evil, how it was elevating yourself above others. I listened to what they were saying with a mixture of interest, agreement, and incredulity. I then began to think of Bryce Courtney’s The Power of One. It is the story of a young boxer named Peekay who must conquer the shame he feels as a young boy when picked on by a figure known only as the Judge. It is not until later that he learns that pride is “holding your head up when everyone around you has theirs bowed” (115). This is a much different sort of pride than the kind Seth was speaking of, for this pride is an extension of courage. In fact, as Big Hettie tells Peekay, “it’s courage that makes you do it” (115). 

World Literature Honors Project

Successful completion of the honors course is dependent upon successful
completion of this project. You are to read the text How to Read Literature
Like a Professor by Thomas Foster in conjunction with the novels we read,
analyzing each novel according to how the concepts contained in Foster’s
book can be applied to the novels we read as a class.

Each essay should be two to three pages long typed, have an interesting
title, and be free of most conventions errors. Most importantly, each essay
must explain how the concepts covered in How to Read… can be applied
to the book we’re reading or how the concepts helped you as a reader
understand and interpret the text. You need to cite from both the novel
we are reading and How to Read… at least twice in each essay. The
essays are due “near” the due dates listed – there will be some
flexibility there, but the essays need to be handed in reasonably close
to the date to earn credit. The essays are worth 100 points each, and the
reading itself is worth 50 points. To get credit for the reading, sign off on
the box for “I Did the Reading” for each collection of chapters on this
sheet and hand it in as your cover sheet with each essay.

We will discuss these concepts each time we have an honors seminar,
and it is expected that you will help enrich the learning of all the other
students in our course by bringing these concepts up in class discussions
and seminars as well.

Here are the novels we will read, in order, and the chapters that
you should read from Foster’s book in conjunction with the novel.
You will notice not every chapter in Foster’s book is listed, but I
encourage you read them all anyway. Some chapters I have paired up
with more than one book? Does that mean you have to reread it again?
No – but you should review it, because it may factor well into your essay
and enhance your understanding of the novel.

Books we’ll read and the corresponding How to Read… chapters:

Life of Pi 18, 10 and Interlude, 12, 19, 5
The Power of One 8, 19, 2, 11, 13, 5, 25, 12
The Alchemist 1, 6, 7, 18, 12, 15, 5
Siddhartha 10, 5, 21
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2, 21, 22, 23, 24, 5
Christmas Break: 26 and 27

Here are the due dates for the essays. The number of the essay listed on the chart
above denotes which books and chapters to focus your essays on:

Essay 1 due 9/12

Essay 2 due 10/24***Changed from original due date.

Essay 3 due 11/14

Essay 4 due 12/5

Essay 5 due 12/19

Essay 6 due 1/6/13 (final deadline for this essay)

The final (well, almost) component of sophomore honors is attending
extra seminars. These will be held in my room, at 7:30, on the dates listed.
These seminars are worth 50 points. If you do not attend, for whatever
reason, you will not receive credit for the seminar. If you are late, the
maximum number of points you can earn is 40. Come prepared for each
seminar having done most of the reading for both the class novel and the
corresponding chapters from How to Read…, as this will be the focus
of our seminars.They are not lectures, but rather opportunities for you to
share ideas and observations, as well as ask questions, both of me and
each other. Feel free to bring your essays to help with the discussions.
Also bring whatever book we are reading as well as How to Read…

Seminar dates:

8/23 (you’re there right now!)

9/12

10/24***Changed from original date.

11/14

12/5

12/19

1/6/13

Note: There may be some follow-up questions for you on the class blog after each
seminar, but these will be announced when appropriate, and will be worth 25 points
per entry (okay, so that was the last component).

Thanks, that’s it, and I look forward to learning alongside you this semester.

-Mr. Baird