Friday, September 30

First, it'll be Utah 38, Cal 28.

Today we focused heavily on revision and self-assessment. We did two different revisions of the best version of your lead for your essay about "The Most Dangerous Game." The first revision was on paper, and you evaluated how well you used each of the four parts of the introduction that we studied - hook, bridge, summary, and thesis. We then took those, and began revising them on csddocs, which you shared with me so that I could comment on how you are doing. If you didn't finish your lead in class, do so this weekend.

Also, this weekend read for 20 minutes and upload your second free verse poem to Canvas.

Wednesday, September 28

Today we continued to focus on leads and introductions, as we took a brief quiz, which you can take at nearpod.com (PIN GZSYH), and continued to find the hook, bridge, summary, and thesis in the various lead technique examples we have been studying.

We then began practicing writing introductions in response to this prompt: Does Rainsford's killing of General Zaroff at the end of "The Most Dangerous Game" constitute murder? You were to write two separate leads for your essay, each one using a different lead technique that we studied (e.g. a background lead and an anecdote lead, or an analogy lead and a quote lead). You also needed to be sure to include each of the four elements of the introduction in your lead (hook, bridge, summary, and thesis). Both of your leads should be completed for class on Friday.

Read for 20 minutes tonight and complete your free verse poem and upload it to Canvas by Monday, October 3.

Tuesday, September 27

Today our focus was on the four parts of the introductory paragraph and began analyzing how these four elements are present in each of the seven lead techniques we studied this past week. Tonight, please do questions #1-5 on the next page in your packet, focusing on hooks. Essentially what you need to do is read each hook and decide which technique is being used.

Also, continue to work on your second free verse poem (see Canvas for details) and read for 20 minutes.

Monday, September 26

Today we studied another principle of free verse poetry - beginning inside an experience. Please see Canvas for your second free verse poem assignment and upload it there when done. The rubric is there, too. This is due Monday, October 3.

We also reviewed the seven lead techniques we began learning about last week (anecdote, news, background, analogy or comparison, quote, announcement, and facts and statistics). Tomorrow, we will focus on the specific requirements all leads should have, regardless of which overarching technique you choose.

For homework, along with your free verse poem, read for 20 minutes.

Thursday, September 22

Today we went to the library for Library Orientation and some book talks. Read for 20 minutes twice over the three day weekend, and complete the Ted Talk Public Speaking Analysis that you can find on Canvas.

Predictions:

Brighton 28, Jordan 17

Utah 31, USC 21

Monday, September 19

Period 1 had 100% with students bringing a book to class today, therefore everyone in the class gets 10 points extra credit on this week's Weekly Reading - good job!

For the rest of us, we signed up for dates for the Great Thought Talk assignment, read a short story called "The Interlopers," and applied our understanding of literature to it in a short quiz. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and to complete your free verse poem assignment. You can find information and details about it on Canvas. It's due, typed and on paper, in class on Wednesday.

Extra Credit Opportunity

If you wish to enter the Reflections Contest, you can earn up to 25 points extra credit for something that could consider "language arts." Go to http://www.utahpta.org/reflections and scroll down the page for more information.

Friday, September 16

First, the important stuff. Predictions:

Brighton: 45
T'ville: 14

Utah: 48
SJSU: 10

Today in class we began a study of the habits and behaviors of effective public speakers. Our case study was Randy Pauch's "The Last Lecture" which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

This sets the stage for our Great Thoughts assignment, which we will talk about in more detail on Monday. For homework, read for 20 minutes, do your formal email assignment if you haven't already, and work on your free verse poem. Information about both of those writing assignments can be found on Canvas.

Thursday, September 15

Today our main focus was on discussing the literary elements found in "The Most Dangerous Game." I will collect your annotated copies tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight, work on your formal email assignment (due 9/19), and complete your free verse poem (due 9/21).

Wednesday, September 14

Today we concluded reading "The Most Dangerous Game." You can find a link to it in yesterday's post. If you were absent, finish reading and annotating it. Please complete questions 1-4 in the packet for homework tonight.

We also focused on a principle of free verse poetry we're calling "The Power of I." You are to write a free verse poem that adheres to this principle. It is due September 22. The description is on Canvas, as is the rubric.

Also, remember your nightly 20 minutes of reading homework.

Tuesday, September 13

Today we continued our focus on short stories and the elements of literature. We began reading "The Most Dangerous Game," which can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfp04WjOv9A and here https://archive.org/stream/TheMostDangerousGame_129/danger.txt
as well as the poem "Did I Miss Anything," which can be found here https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/013.html. Read these if you were absent. Read for 20 minutes, and work on your formal email assignment, which can be found on Canvas.

Monday, September 12

Today we continued to focus on close reading and annotation as we read Langston Hughes's "Thank You, M'am." We also read Chapter 2 from How to Read Literature Like a Professor, which you can find here: http://www.evergladeshs.org/ourpages/auto/2015/5/28/58122395/How%20to%20Read%20Literature%20Like%20a%20Professor.pdf

We also focused on how to send an appropriate, formal email. Please see Canvas for details about this assignment at https://canyons.instructure.com/courses/1106145/assignments/7829379. It is due September 19.

We also read two September 11th poems, one titled "Voices" and the other "The Names," both of which can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN72xg_Tcj4

http://www.sonyasones.com/wp/whats-new/2013/giving-voice-to-the-victims-of-911/

Friday, September 9

Today we practiced close reading and annotation as we applied our knowledge of the various literary concepts we studied as we analyzed two texts, Stafford's "Traveling Through the Dark" and Alexie's "Traveling." Your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Predictions:

Brighton 24, Cottonwood 17

Utah 38, BYU 21

Thursday, September 8

Today we focused on a poem by ee cummings that again shows how a poem's content is often revealed by its format. It can be found at https://allpoetry.com/l(a...-(a-leaf-falls-on-loneliness). We also covered the final few forms of conflict we find in literature, as well as symbolism. If you were absent, read Chapter 12 from How to Read Literature Like a Professor, which can be found here: http://ziveuniverzity.sk/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Foster-How-to-Read-Literature-Like-a-Professor.pdf. Also, read for 20 minutes tonight.

Wednesday, September 7

Today we read the poem "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" and examined how the form of a poem reflects and shapes its meaning. We also went to the lab and took the SRI test today. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes tonight.

Tuesday, September 6

Today we took the summer reading test and focused on the literary concept of irony. Tomorrow we will take the SRI test. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Friday, September 2

Today we finished studying how plots are constructed, and focused on how characterization occurs in literature. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes twice over the short break, and to finish all of your summer reading work. The test will be on Tuesday.

Predictions:

Brighton 28
American Fork 14

BYU 21
Arizona 31

Thursday, September 1

Today we concluded our explicit practice of inductive analysis (observation, synthesis, thesis formation) with a film clip and a poem, and moved into a study of the elements of literature. Today our focus was on the Aristotelian story arc and the monomyth theory.

Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and complete your summer reading assignment.

Prediction: Utah 45, SUU 10.