Monthly Archives: November 2008

Due Wednesday: Last homework before break! Woo Hoo!

Draw / color a picture of how you envision the two snakes (one pointing north and one south)  from today’s quote in class.  Write the quote on the top of the page.  Then, answer the important question below in a short but very meaningful and honest way. Put your answer somewhere on your page (it could be on the bottom or in the borders) Be creative!

“Two snakes full of poison.  One lying with his head pointing north and the other lying with his head pointing south.  Their names was slavery and freedom.  The snake called slavery lay with his head pointing south and the snake called freedom lay with his head pointed north. Both bit the nig–r and they was both bad.”  -Patsy Michener

Big Question:What is a lasting impression or big idea will you take with you from our study of slavery, the Civil War and of Abraham Lincoln? 

Due Tuesday:

1) Civil War Letter #3 Due.  Say good bye to your partner.  Wrap up any loose ends and answer any questions that remain with your book and in your ongoing question.  Provide a recommendation for the book and really express how you felt about the book. Give a tase of the books conclusion, but do not give it away.

2) Complete the Gettysburg Address questions.  You also must be ready to recite your version of the address to class by Wednesday.

Due Monday:

1) Read Chapter 6 in Lincoln.  No assignment, just read! Attend to the details and the major events that occurred during the war years, there may be a pop quiz on Monday (hint-hint).

2) Add color and spice to the storyboards that we started in class. You may improve your illustrations and over-write the descriptions in ink if they are in pencil.

3) Finish your Civil War Books.  They must be complete and the last letter due (#5) on Tuesday. No Exceptions!

Due Thursday:

1)  Symbolic Representation of Emancipation.  Read chapter 6 in To Be A Slave, choose a passage that speaks to the core of what you think emancipation meant for African Americans, and create a symbolic design to represent that, with the passage on the art.

2) Read Chapter 5 in Lincoln.  Be prepared to discuss and show your knowledge.

Due Wednesday:

1) For Writer’s Workshop: Bring in the packet of personal narratives written by students from past classes (i.e. “Lemonade Stand”, “Subway Musings”, One Last Time”).  Re-read and re-familiarize yourself with the stories.  Complete the questions on the first page about your personal reactions to the narratives.  Be prepared to share your personal reactions and begin to think about a topic for your own personal narrative.

* Reminder* My advisees will go to St. Johns to package and give out food at the food pantry Wednesday afternoon.  We will leave at approx 12:30 and return around 2:00.

 Due Thursday:

1) A symbolic representation of “Emancipation” with a passage from Chapter 6 in To Be A Slave.  You must read Chapter 6 as well, not just skim the chapter for the passage of your choosing.  There may be a quiz on the chapter itself! 🙂  The symbolic representation must include on it the passage that you have chosen and it must be of presentation quality.  Be prepared to share your work with the class and explain your work fully.

2) Read Chapter 5 in Lincoln: An Autobiography.  Just read it! Think about it. Have some questions mulling around in your mind for our discussion of it.

**Tomorrow are your family conferences with Michelle and me! See some of you there. Please be sure to bring in any work you wanted to highlight at the conference if you left it at home.

**Irwin Scholars Application deadline is extended until Wednesday, November 19 at 4 PM.  Click on highlighted portion fo the application, 2 questions to write in response to, and where to send it.

Due Monday:

Read chapter 4 in Lincoln and complete the NEW AND REVISED handout with comprehension questions on the chapter’s content.  21 questions in all! Answers must be in full sentences and completed on a separate sheet of paper.

For Tuesday:

1. Bring your lunch and a question for the author of the book you are reading for our trip to the National Book Award Press conference–we leave at 9:30 on Tuesday. You will want to bring your book with you as you will have a chance to meet the author and have him/her sign your book.

2. Civil War Letter #4 due at 8:20A with 2 copies printed out.

Vocabulary Quiz Tomorrow!

1) Study our vocabulary lists from Chapter 3 and 4 in Lincoln.  Scroll down for the links to these words if you have forgotten them. This quiz will be a substantial one, worth 40 points, so take the time to review each words’ meaning, its part of speech, and write a sentence for each word that demonsrates the meaning of it.  Also, re-read the word in the context of the chapter in Lincoln, as you will have questions that refer to how the word was used in the book.

Due Monday

1) Read chapter 4 in Lincoln and complete the NEW AND REVISED handout with comprehension questions on the chapter’s content.  Answers must be in full sentences and completed on a separate sheet of paper.

Due Wednesday:

1) Civil War Letter due by 8:20 (2 copies printed out – one for me, one for partner)

2 Writing Wordshop entry based on a photo. (We started this in class last week) Bring in the Photo from home that you wrote about.

**Your Civil War letter #3 deadline is extended until Wednesday. So, tonight, you should:

a.    Add in the requirements of “Two things I learned about the Civil War or the Civil War time period…”, use the original assignment packet for ideas that can make your letter interesting and full of content, ask questions to your partner to push their thinking deeper about their book. Also, use the heading that is outlined in the packet!

b.    If needed, add sentences and/or parts of speech to Lincoln chapter 3 vocabulary list. Make SURE that your sentence demonstrates the word’s meaning (this is another step beyond using it properly).

c.    Due Tuesday: the vocabulary and sentences below that are from Lincoln ch 4 (you do not need to read the chapter–just do the vocabulary and sentences).

Lincoln: A Photobiography
Chapter 4: Half Slave and Half Free
Vocabulary

Directions:  Look up the following words, define them and give their part of speech.  Then go on to use each word in a sentence of your own making that shows you understand the word’s meaning.  We’ll talk more about how to do this in class.

Please note:
You must use the word’s definition that MATCHES its use in the book!  (That’s why the page numbers are included).  You may work with a partner on this, but you must make up your own sentences.  For the quiz, you will be asked to know:
a. part of speech
b. definitions
c. how to make a sentence that demonstrates the word’s meaning.

Chapter 4
1.    Sprawling (45)
2.    Abolitionist (46)
3.    Popular sovereignty (50)
4.    Rigged (52)
5.    Floundered (55)
6.    Modestly (57)
7.    Race-baiting (59)
8.    Enumerated (60)
9.    Degradation (65)
10.    Seceded (65)
11.    Inauguration (65)
12.    Sovereign (65)

d.    Due Wednesday:

1. Civil War letter #3 (book should be halfway read by then! )

2. Writer’s notebook assignment about your photo.

Due Tuesday, November 4 (Election Day!):

Civil War letter #2 due at 8:20 AM, 2 copies printed out. Don’t forget to respond to your partner’s letter and then go on to write about what you have read since your 1st letter. Use the checklist and be sure to use proper format!

Due Wednesday, November 5:

1. 20 minutes of free writing in your writer’s notebook that expands upon one of your good/no-so-good lists that we started in class.

2. Bring in one object from home that literally or symbolically represents your culture, family traditions, history or personal beliefs. Be prepared to share and write about this in class.

Due Thursday, November 6:

Revise your essay using the rubric handed out in Monday’s class, my comments and any comments that you may have gotten from peers.   Start by reading your paper aloud–DO NOT SKIP THIS—and note where it needs work.  Use your personal comments stapled to the paper to prefect the paper. Be sure your conclusion follows the guidelines in the packet. Tomorrow in class we will have an editing workshop and read a sample essays.

Due Monday, November 10:

Lincoln chapter 3: vocabulary definitions and sentences & read the chapter and complete handout (click to open).

Due Tuesday, November 11:

Civil War Letter #3. Book should be ½ way done by about then!