There was a substitute in for me for today's class. Everyone continued looking at diction in terms of both denotation and connotation in order to analyze the tone(s) used in writing. Today's focus was on two poems about the ocean/the sea. Everyone had the class period to work on this assignment.
Handouts:
Salt Water Tones
Homework:
If you did not finish the "Salt Water Tones" analysis from today's class, do so for homework.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
09.17 - Connotation and Denotation
There was a substitute in for me for today's class. Everyone was learning about and working with diction (word choice) and how diction can affect tone in writing. In this work, we looked specifically at the denotation and connotation that words can have and how that changes the tone of an author's writing.
After practicing with this, everyone looked at a passage from The Giver and analyzed it's use of diction.
Handouts:
Diction Notes
Diction Practice
Diction in The Giver
Homework:
If you did not finish the diction work from today's class, do so for homework.
After practicing with this, everyone looked at a passage from The Giver and analyzed it's use of diction.
Handouts:
Diction Notes
Diction Practice
Diction in The Giver
Homework:
If you did not finish the diction work from today's class, do so for homework.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
09.16 - Annotating Frost and Lost Sailor
At the beginning of class today, everyone reviewed their annotations to Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and then we resumed our discussion of the meaning of this poem and how people had annotated it. We then looked at the tones used in the power with an eye towards determining if the tones were serene and calm or more dark and sinister.
Next, we looked at the song "Lost Sailor" by The Grateful Dead. Everyone shared out annotations that they had made and then we looked at tone to determine whether this was a carefree, adventurous song or despairing, gloomy song (the song as played is included below).
Tomorrow, everyone will be working more specifically with diction in annotation by using the denotation and connotation of words to analyze The Giver.
Handouts:
Homework:
Look at the way Lowry uses language in The Giver to describe Jonas' world before and after he is the receiver (we'll focus on this more specifically in class tomorrow).
Prepare the set 1 roots and prefixes quiz in class on Friday.
Monday, September 15, 2014
09.15 - Roots and Annotations
Everyone had the first part of class today to work with the first set of roots and prefixes. The root/prefix sheet was completed individually and then people worked with a partner to complete the practice sheet. We reviewed responses on the practice sheet together in class.
Next, we reviewed the annotations that people had made on Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." We will continue looking at this poem tomorrow in class.
Handouts:
Homework:
Read and annotate the lyrics to the song "Lost Sailor".
Use the annotations to respond to the following prompt: What tone(s) does this song use? How do you know? What is the message here? How does the tone(s) relate to the message?
Friday, September 12, 2014
09.13 - Annotating "Mushrooms" and Frost
We started class today with everyone sharing their tone writing that was done as homework with a partner. We then discussed several of these examples to look at how people established tone.
Next, we looked at the poem "Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath and everyone responded to the following prompt in their writing journals:
What tone(s) does Plath use in this poem? How do you know?
What is the message here?
How does tone relate to the message?
After everyone had a chance to respond to this prompt, we discussed people's responses. We then looked at how to delve further into a text through annotation. To explore this topic, everyone received a sheet reviewing annotation and we then walked through an annotation of "Mushrooms."
Handouts:
"Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath
Annotation information
"Mushrooms" annotations (contains two examples)
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
Homework:
Annotate Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" using the techniques reviewed in class.
Use your annotations to answer the following question:
Finish reading "The Giver."
Next, we looked at the poem "Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath and everyone responded to the following prompt in their writing journals:
What tone(s) does Plath use in this poem? How do you know?
What is the message here?
How does tone relate to the message?
After everyone had a chance to respond to this prompt, we discussed people's responses. We then looked at how to delve further into a text through annotation. To explore this topic, everyone received a sheet reviewing annotation and we then walked through an annotation of "Mushrooms."
Handouts:
"Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath
Annotation information
"Mushrooms" annotations (contains two examples)
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
Homework:
Annotate Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" using the techniques reviewed in class.
Use your annotations to answer the following question:
What tone(s) does Frost use in this poem? How do you know?
What is the message here?
How does tone relate to the message?
Thursday, September 11, 2014
09.11 - Tone
We started today's class with the following writing journal prompt:
After everyone had a chance to respond to this prompt we discussed students answers. We will be looking at the idea of values and how they are practiced in society as we continue with our discussion of The Giver.
We will be using tone to look at how Lois Lowry comments on social values in The Giver so we began to identify what tone is and how it is used in writing. In class we had a series of activities where people worked with portraying different kinds of tone. I provided some materials on tone to guide this work (see below).
Handouts:
Tone definition and examples
Kinds of Tone
Homework:
Finish your short writing piece (5-8 sentences) using a positive or negative tone (refer to the tone sheet for different possible tones). This can be based on your activity card or a made up story of your own design.
Read to page 120 in The Giver for Friday.
Complete revisions for your summer assignment essay on A Separate Peace (due Friday)
Review the values you identified from looking at common rules our society follows. Which values do you feel are cultural assets? Which ones are ones we should think about more carefully? Explain your response.
After everyone had a chance to respond to this prompt we discussed students answers. We will be looking at the idea of values and how they are practiced in society as we continue with our discussion of The Giver.
We will be using tone to look at how Lois Lowry comments on social values in The Giver so we began to identify what tone is and how it is used in writing. In class we had a series of activities where people worked with portraying different kinds of tone. I provided some materials on tone to guide this work (see below).
Handouts:
Tone definition and examples
Kinds of Tone
Homework:
Finish your short writing piece (5-8 sentences) using a positive or negative tone (refer to the tone sheet for different possible tones). This can be based on your activity card or a made up story of your own design.
Read to page 120 in The Giver for Friday.
Complete revisions for your summer assignment essay on A Separate Peace (due Friday)
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
09.10 - Rules and Values in Society
We started class today with everyone compiling a list of the rules they had observed in the first forty pages of The Giver. Everyone then started working with a partner to look at these rules and figure out the intention behind the rule. An example of this is that our society has rules around how fast you can drive on the roads in different areas. The intention of these rules is keep people safe by preventing crashes and to keep traffic flowing smoothly to prevent traffic jams.
After everyone had looked at the rules in this way, we looked at the rules overall to see what they told us about what the people of The Giver value. For example, speed limits show that our society values physical safety (by preventing crashes) and efficiency (by preventing traffic problems). We then discussed the values that people had observed through these rules. Some of the values we discussed were:
Family
Childhood
Trust
Preservation
Selflessness
Independence
Innocence
Equality / Conformity
At the end of class, everyone began brainstorming rules that our society follows. For homework, everyone should complete this brainstorm and should identify some of the values that it reveals about us.
Homework:
Complete your brainstorm list of rules we follow in our society. Identify values that this list of rules reveals about our society.
Read to page 120 in The Giver for Friday.
Complete revisions for your summer assignment essay on A Separate Peace (due Friday)
After everyone had looked at the rules in this way, we looked at the rules overall to see what they told us about what the people of The Giver value. For example, speed limits show that our society values physical safety (by preventing crashes) and efficiency (by preventing traffic problems). We then discussed the values that people had observed through these rules. Some of the values we discussed were:
Family
Childhood
Trust
Preservation
Selflessness
Independence
Innocence
Equality / Conformity
At the end of class, everyone began brainstorming rules that our society follows. For homework, everyone should complete this brainstorm and should identify some of the values that it reveals about us.
Homework:
Complete your brainstorm list of rules we follow in our society. Identify values that this list of rules reveals about our society.
Read to page 120 in The Giver for Friday.
Complete revisions for your summer assignment essay on A Separate Peace (due Friday)
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