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Friday, May 9, 2014

05.09 - Buffy and Gender Characteristics

We started class today with the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz. Everyone had 20 minutes to complete the quiz. After the quiz, we reviewed and discussed quiz answers.

Next, we returned to the "Prophecy Girl" episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and finished watching the last ten minutes of the episode while taking notes on the gender characteristics sheet. If you would like to re-watch this episode, set up a time with Mr. Collins after school or check it out on Netflix streaming (Season 01, Episode 12: Prophecy Girl).

We then discussed some of the gender characteristics that people had notice Buffy exhibiting in the episode. Then, everyone had the next fifteen minutes to respond to the response questions for these notes (see handouts below).

In the last five minutes of class, I returned some graded assignments. Among these was the "Typical People" assignment from our class on Tuesday, April 29. Feedback for this assignment is included below.

Click Image to Enlarge


Handouts:
Buffy Hero and Gender Response

Buffy and Gender Characteristics - Filled in
Buffy and Gender Characteristics - Blank


Homework:

If you did not do so in class, finish responding to the Buffy Hero and Gender Response questions.

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources

Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Thursday, May 8, 2014

05.08 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Prophecy Girl

Today, we returned to our work looking at gender characteristics and how they are portrayed in different stories. This work is getting us ready for the work we will be doing with the Hunger Games. Today, we watched the episode "Prophecy Girl" from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

In watching this episode, everyone used the gender characteristic sheets that we created in class on Tuesday to track which characteristics Buffy exhibits in the episode. People that did not have this sheet, used a generic copy (see below).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 01, Episode 12: Prophecy Girl
If you would like to re-watch this episode, set up a time with Mr. Collins after school or check it out on Netflix streaming (Season 01, Episode 12: Prophecy Girl).
 

Handouts:
Buffy and Gender Characteristics - Filled in
Buffy and Gender Characteristics - Blank


Homework:

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources

Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
 
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

05.07 - NWEA Testing - Part II

Today, we wrapped up our NWEA testing with people completing reading and language sections. Those individuals who did not complete their tests today will need to come to class during study halls or after school to finish their NWEA tests.

When people finished their NWEA tests, they used the class site and Pinnacle to work on completing or revising assignments for our class.


Homework: 
Prepare for the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz tomorrow (be ready!).

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources

Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
 
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

05.06 - Preparing for Buffy Viewing

Our original plan for today was to finish our NWEA testing. The testing system, however, was down for maintenance. As a result, we returned to our work in looking at typical characteristics associated with men and women. We began preparing to use these characteristics to analyze an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in much the same way as we will be analyzing The Hunger Games (this activity warms us up for this analysis).

In class, I returned the gender characteristics sheets that everyone completed in class last Wednesday. We looked at how to transfer the characteristics from individuals' sheets to the Buffy viewing note sheet. I used the characteristics from class as a model in showing how to set up the sheet, however, everyone used their individual sheets to fill out their viewing sheet (anyone that did not have their sheet, used the class one).

Click Image to Enlarge - Characteristics from our work in class last Wednesday
Set-up Model showing how to move characteristics (moody, smart) from our class activity to the Buffy note sheet.

Next, I reviewed the characters, setting, and story line that people would need as background information for the episode of Buffy that we will watch in class on either Thursday or Friday (depending on our NWEA testing schedule).

Buffy Information

Character List:

Buffy - A high school student who is also the slayer. She has super-human strength and healing     abilities. It is her destiny to kill vampires and other demons to protect people.

Mr. Giles - The high school librarian (he’s British). He is Buffy’s “watcher” which means he trains her     to be the slayer with physical, fighting lessons and educating her on demon history, biology,     and culture.

Joyce - Buffy’s mom. Buffy’s parents are divorced and she lives with her mother. Joyce works at the     local art museum and doesn’t know much about Buffy being the slayer.

Willow - Buffy’s friend (she has read hair and is a little nerdy). She likes Xander.

Xander - Buffy’s friend (he has short brown hair). He likes Buffy.

Cordelia - Buffy’s friend (they used to not like each other). She is one of the popular girls in school.

Angel - A vampire. He is one of the only “good” vampires. He was cursed in a way that gave him back     his soul so that he feels human emotions (like guilt and empathy). He helps Buffy out a lot of     the time.

The Master - The top vampire. He wants to open a portal to the demon world to destroy the human     race. To do this, he needs the blood of the Slayer (Buffy). He’s a bad guy.
Other info:

Vampires - They feed off of human blood and are really mean. They can’t come out in the daytime.     They are very strong, but can be killed with a wooden stake, fire, or beheading (the wooden     stake is the most common). They are reduced to ash when they die. When they are about to     feed their faces get ugly.

Sunnydale - The town in California where the show takes place. It is located on what is called a “hell     mouth” which is a spot where negative energy is really high. All sorts of demons and bad sorts     are drawn towards it. The master wants to use it as a portal to let more demons into the world.



Homework: 

If you did not do so today in class, finish filling out the "characteristic" and "descriptive adjective" pieces on your "Buffy and Gender Characteristics" sheet (if you don't have the characteristics that you came up with in class, use the ones above that we created in class.

Prepare for the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz on Wednesday (be ready!).

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources

Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
 
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Monday, May 5, 2014

05.05 - NWEA Testing

Today we had NWEA testing in the library.

This meant that our unit 3 roots and prefixes test has been pushed to Wednesday.

We will have another day of NWEA testing tomorrow.


Homework:

Prepare for the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz on Wednesday (be ready!).

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources


Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
 
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Friday, May 2, 2014

05.02 - Men and Women in Society

At the beginning of class today, we picked up our discussion of gender, sex, and preference from in class yesterday to talk about common terms that are based on the associations that people have between these words. Notes from the discussion are below:

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge

Click Image to Enlarge
Not pictured (I missed the screenshot):
Gender - Female, Sex - Male, Preference - Male
transgender heterosexual female

In class, we also discussed how people may choose to dress or present themselves in a way that is commonly viewed as "male" or "female," but that what determines how we refer to them is their own perspective on their gender. A number of people had questions about different combinations of a person's identity. 

In the end, I wrapped up by noting that The Hunger Games keeps identities pretty simple for us, but that there are some instances of female and male characters exhibiting traits commonly associated with the opposite gender. In actual life, personal identity can be honored when meeting someone new by listening to how people that person knows refers to them, using their first name (everyone has one of those), or, if all else fails, asking a polite question when the time is right about how they prefer to be addressed.

In the last 20 minutes of class, everyone used the back of their unit 3 roots and prefixes study sheet to write about one male-gendered person and one female-gendered person who they admired (this could be a person they knew, saw on TV or read about, or an ideal person they made up). In describing this person, everyone was asked to discuss what "male" or "female" qualities they identified in our word sort from the other day could be used to describe this person.

Handouts:
Typical Gender Characteristics Categories
The Hunger Games Vocabulary Categories


Homework:

If you did not do so in class, complete the Hunger Games Vocabulary Categories activity.

Prepare for the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz on Monday.

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources

Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
 
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin

Thursday, May 1, 2014

05.01 - Jobs Review / Gender Discussion Part I

At the beginning of class today, I handed out a unit 3 roots and prefixes review sheet. Everyone had several minutes to see how many roots or prefixes they could identify by memory. Then, we reviewed the definitions for all of the roots and prefixes in this set.

Next, we reviewed the pictures that people had drawn on Tuesday depicting the typical man and the typical woman at work. These jobs included:

Typical Woman:
bank teller
teacher (x3)
hairstylist
reproduction (x2)
childcare
cooking
manicurist
baker/bakery worker
gardener
cosmetologist
day care / mom
cooking

Typical Man:
teacher (x2)
cowboy/rodeo bull rider
handyman
repair man
janitor
tow truck driver
bus driver
web developer
construction worker (x2)
police officer

We then discussed as a class trends in these jobs for men and women and compared what these jobs told us about how we think about men and women in our society. This lead into a discussion around some of the terms we have been using in discussing these roles. In our discussions, we have been talking about what jobs and characteristics we associate with which gender. In class, I spoke some about what gender means in relation to some other common terms that come up when we talk about the ideas of "male" and "female." The basic points in this discussion were as follows:

Gender - social ideas about "men" and "women," how they act, what they're like, and how a person thinks of themself (e.g. "I'm a man" or "I'm a woman")

Sex - biological definitions of "man," "woman," or "intersex" based on the chromosomes someone has.

Preference - who a person chooses to date (based on their gender and the gender of the person they are dating).

We will talk more about what this looks like for various people in everyday life tomorrow.

Handouts:
Typical Gender Characteristics Categories
The Hunger Games Vocabulary Categories

Homework:

If you did not do so in class, complete the Hunger Games Vocabulary Categories activity.

Prepare for the unit 3 roots and prefixes quiz on Friday.

If you have not done so already, complete sections 1, 2, and 3 of the occupations research paper.
For information and resources associated with this project see the post: Research Wrap-Up: Feedback and Resources



Complete any unfinished assignments.
Revise any assignments scoring below a 92.
     To see which assignments need to be completed or revised check out Pinnacle:
     In school: 192.168.8.7/Pinnacle/PIV
     Outside of school: http://pinweb.lisbonschoolsme.org/pinnacle/pin