AGENDA 9/30

HOLIDAY - No School

AGENDA 9/29

Vocabulary warm-up: Black Boy vocabulary, unit I
Small group discussions about Chapter 1 of Black Boy
Have one person record the group's thinking, and address the following questions:

• Which "episode" of Wright's life so far has shocked you most? Explain.
• What do we learn about Richard's character in Ch. 1?
• How is Richard similar to/different from his family and others in his community?
• Is Richard's mother a good parent? Explain.
• What seems to be Wright's attitude toward religion?
• Why does Wright begin his life story with the recounting of the broom and the fire?
  

Writing: (8 minutes)
Write about a time when you got in big trouble and deserved it OR write about a time when you realized life was unfair.

HW: For Wednesday, read up to Chapter 2, page 68, to the break in the text, where it says, ".." Study for your vocabulary quiz, which will be next Tuesday, October 7. Remember to review your Enrique's Journey words in addition to learning your new words from Black Boy.

AGENDA 9/26

Writing: (10 minutes)
Write about a time when you genuinely were curious and wanted to learn something OR write about a time when you were truly terrified.
Share out, then put these in the writing section of your binder.

Begin reading Chapter 1 of Black Boy aloud


HW: Finish reading Ch. 1 and annotate at least 6 times. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts, questions, and reactions.

AGENDA 9/25

Finish introducing new vocabulary from Richard Wright's Black Boy
Review and discuss "Jim Crow Laws" in small groups
Whole class: Brainstorm connotations/possible meanings of the titles Black Boy, American Hunger, and "Southern Night"

HW: It is imperative that you bring your copy of Black Boy with you tomorrow! We'll begin reading in class!

AGENDA 9/24

Introduce new vocabulary from Richard Wright's Black Boy
Presentation by Ms. Wax-Gellis: School policies regarding suspensions and expulsions

AGENDA 9/23

Prepare for Back-to-School Night by writing "Back-to-School Night Letters" to your folks...see you tonight at 7 pm!

HW: none :-)

AGENDA 9/22

Baseline essay: SAT-style prompt

AGENDA 9/19

Prepare for baseline essay: Examine New SAT prompts, sample essays, and rubric

HW: Complete any preparation you wish for Monday's essay--you may make outlines or cluster map prewriting, take notes, mark quotations in either book (EJ or The Chosen), and more. Anything you do you can use on Monday's baseline essay.

AGENDA 9/18

Assembly: Sonia Nazario

REMINDER: Supplies check Friday!
3-ring binder with 5 sections: Current Unit, Vocabulary, Grammar, Writing, and Independent Reading
notebook paper
blue/black ink pens
pencils
current books: Enrique's Journey and The Chosen
Optional: 3x5 index cards for vocabulary, post-its, highlighters

AGENDA 9/17

Continue Seminar on Enrique's Journey and The Chosen:
What makes someone a parent?
Are parents ever justified in leaving their children, physically or emotionally?

Turn in seminar preparation (the 2 quotations and the paragraph) and seminar forms (the half-sheet you received in class to self-evaluate and take notes during the seminar).

HW: Supplies check Friday:
3-ring binder with 5 sections: Current Unit, Vocabulary, Grammar, Writing, and Independent Reading
notebook paper
blue/black ink pens
pencils
current books: Enrique's Journey and The Chosen
Optional: 3x5 index cards for vocabulary, post-its, highlighters

Review Scoring Guidelines for Speaking & Presenting that we came up with as a class last week
Review seminar norms
Discuss forms for seminar: notes and self-evaluation
Begin seminar on The Chosen and Enrique's Journey--continue seminar tomorrow.

HW: Supplies check on Friday--make sure you have everything:
3-ring binder or folder with 5 sections: Current Unit, Vocabulary, Grammar, Writing, and Independent Reading
notebook paper
blue/black ink pens
pencils
The Chosen and Enrique's Journey (will need Richard Wright's Black Boy beginning Tues 9/23)
Optional: post-its, highlighters, 3x5 index cards for vocabulary

AGENDA 9/15

Share out OPTIC photos and observations from Friday
Begin Seminar Preparation for tomorrow

HW: Select ONE quotation from Enrique's Journey and ONE quotation from The Chosen--both should be significant, or worth discussing. Consider the seminar preparation questions that link the two books. Then write a paragraph: you might attempt to answer one or more of the questions, explore the meaning of one or both of your quotations, or share your thoughts about either text. Tomorrow we will have a full-class seminar about these two works and the two central ideas: What makes someone a good parent? and What sacrifices should people be willing to make for each other?

AGENDA 9/12

Vocabulary Quiz - Enrique's Journey list
Finish discussing photograph from yesterday using OPTIC strategy
Flip yesterday's handout over for a blank OPTIC sheet

Begin analyzing another one of the color photos from Enrique's Journey using OPTIC:
Complete O, P, T, and I on the sheet--bulleted notes or fragments are OK (no need to write complete sentences until the Conclusion paragraph. Conclusion paragraph can be on a separate sheet if needed and should be approximately 5-8 sentences long, essentially answering the question, "What idea or argument does the artist/photographer convey through this image?" Be sure to include specific details from the image in your analysis.

HW: Complete OPTIC analysis if not finished in class--due Monday. Complete & submit Enrique's Journey Summer Assignment by next Thursday.

AGENDA 9/11

Vocabulary Practice - EJ Voc Warmup #2
Reflect on yesterday's Immigration Field Hearing Activity
Introduce OPTIC strategy to analyze cover photo for Enrique's Journey
Blank OPTIC handout
Directions for analyzing images from Enrique's Journey and sample OPTIC sheet
HW: Study for tomorrow's vocabulary quiz! Download the Enrique's Journey vocabulary list.