Daily Agendas and Assignments for American Literature

 

Current Unit of Study                                                   Past Units of Study

          Catcher in the Rye                                              Crucible

 

·        Tuesday, October 16, 2007

o       How to respond to an article

§        Agree or disagree

§        Comment on a specific idea

§        Discuss why it is good or bad

§        Write about a personal experience

§        Identify the writer’s:

·        Purpose

·        Opinion

·        Thesis and supporting evidence

o       Evaluate the effectiveness of the author’s argument

o       Read and respond to:

§        “You Are Not My Friend”

§        “Recruiting Young”

·        Thursday, October 18, 2007

o       Today:

§        The Other Side

·        Of the 50’s and into the 60’s

·        MLK Jr., Malcolm X

§        Readings in LOL

·        Strides Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King, Jr.

·        Protect Ourselves by Malcolm X

·        Comparing King and X

·        Friday, October 19, 2007

o       Today:

§        Reading in LOL

·        Self-Reliance

·        Monday, October 22, 2007

o       Bell: Reading page 1-6 of Catcher in the Rye

o       Today:

§        Style in Literature (Handout 1, 2, 3, 4)

·        Style Chart – comparing 4 excerpts

·        Closure Chart – saying goodbye

·        Narration in Holden’s Voice – writing a story in Holden’s voice

·        Tuesday, October 23, 2007

o       Bell: Read pages 6-16 (Chapter 2) of Catcher

§        As you read, create a T-chart in which you compare

·        How Holden views Mr. Spencer

·        How Mr. Spencer views Holden

§        You should have at least 3 items in each column (include your own thoughts and a quote)

o       Today:

§        Revisit Style Worksheet from yesterday

·        Thursday, October 25, 2007

o       Bell: SSR Reading – you may read Catcher

§        FYI: Through chapter 7 for Monday

§        Quiz Monday

o       Today:

§        Catcher Vocabulary

§        Holden’s Description of himself

·        Early chapters are like Act I of play

o       Freytag’s Exposition

1.     Background

2.     Introduce Characters

3.     Introduce Conflict

1.     Inciting Incident

·        Find 3 Examples of how Holden describes:

o       Personality

o       Appearance

o       Attitude toward Life

o       Attitude Toward Other People

o       Beliefs – what is important to him

o       (Look for “I am” statements)

·        Friday, October 26, 2007

o       Finish work from Block Day

§        Find 3 Examples of how Holden describes:

o       Personality

o       Appearance

o       Attitude toward Life

o       Attitude Toward Other People

o       Beliefs – what is important to him

o       (Look for “I am” statements)

§        Read through chapter 7 for activity

o       HW: Quiz Monday, through chapter 7

·        Monday, October 29, 2007

o       Quiz Catcher chapters 1-7

·        Tuesday, October 30, 2007

o       Bell: Discussion- what we know about characters from books isn’t always stated by the author. For example, we know where Holden would sit in a classroom. (We are getting to know him as a person.)

o       Today:

§        What would Holden think of taking a field trip to watch the pumpkin launching today?

·        Write a journal entry, as though you are Holden, about going to watch the pumpkin launching. Try to capture his attitude.

o       Reminders:

§        SSR Book Thursday

§        Quiz through chapter 12 on Monday

·        Thursday, November 01, 2007

o       Bell: SSR Reading

o       Today:

§        In your own words, define:    

·        Symbolism

·        Inference

·        Theme

·        (use dictionary if you need but, write definitions in your own words)

§        Important Objects in Catcher

·        Allie’s Glove

o       Describe the glove (give a quote and page number)

o       Explain why Holden has kept the glove.

o       Explain how the glove is connected to the plot.

o       What themes are suggested by Holden keeping the glove?

1.     By the glove itself?

o       What is Holden trying to catch?

·        Holden’s Hat

o       Describe the hat (give a quote and page number)

o       Give the reasons Holden has the hat.

o       Explain how the hat is connected to the story.

o       What is Holden hunting for?

o       Reminder:

§        Quiz Monday, through chapter 12

·        Friday, November 2, 2007

o       The Bettering of Quiz #1

§        Add quotes to support your answers.

§        Write 3-5 sentence answers.

§        You may use your book.

o       Reminder:

§        Quiz Monday, though chapter 12

·        Monday, November 05, 2007

o       Catcher Quiz #2 – Chapters 7-12

·        Tuesday, November 06, 2007

o       Bell: What do you know about psychology?

o       Today:

§        Psychology of Interactions

§        Point of View – Inference

·        Examine the different points of view from chapter 8 of Catcher

o       How does Holden view the situation?

o       How is Holden viewed?

o       What inferences can we make about Holden from these interactions?

·        Wednesday, November 7, 2007 (Restructured)

o       Complete work from Tuesday

§        Point of View – Inference

·        Friday, November 09, 2007 (Block)

o       Point of View / Holden’s Interactions

§        Consider 9 Interactions Holden has while in New York

·        Holden’s conversation with Earnest Morrow’s mother.

·        Holden’s conversation with the taxi driver on his way to the hotel.

o       Not the first reference to the ducks.

·        Holden’s phone call to Faith Cavendish from his hotel room.

·        Holden’s interactions with the “three witches at the next table” at the Lavender Room.

·        Holden’s taxi ride to the nightclub and his conversation with Horowitz.

o       Ducks again

·        Conversation with Lillian and “Navy Guy” in the night club.

·        Holden has a prostitute, Sunny, come to this room.

·        Holden’s fight with Maruice.

§        For each write 5-7 sentences to answer the following:

·        What is happening or being said? Who is involved?

·        What do you imagine the other characters are thinking? (What is their opinion of Holden?)

·        Overall, what is the significance of the exchange in relation to Holden’s journey or search?

o       (What do we learn about Holden from this interaction? Why is it important?)

·        Tuesday, November 13, 2007

o       Catcher Quiz 3 – Chapters 13-17

·        Thursday, November 15, 2007

o       View “Good Will Hunting”

§        Look for similarities in plot as well as symbolism between Will and Holden

·        How are they alike? What are the each dealing with personally?

·        Friday, November 16, 2007

o       Finish viewing “Good Will Hunting”

o       Discuss how Trust was integral to Will’s change

·        Monday, November 26, 2007

o       Bell: Describe yourself as a writer.

§        What is your writing process?

o       Today:

§        Timed Writing Mini-Unit

·        Writing Terms – 2 Groups

o       Writing Process Terms

o       Essay Terms

§        Catcher reading time

·        Quiz Friday, Catcher ch. 18-21

·        Tuesday, November 27, 2007

o       Bell: Writer’s Notebook Out

o       Today:

§        Review the difference between CM (Commentary) and CD (Concrete Detail)

·        CD – Concrete, fact, example, quote

·        CM – Opinion, thoughts, analysis, evaluation

o       Ratio of 1 CD and 2 CM about the CD

§        Why prewrite?

§        Prewriting Strategies

·        Column

·        Outline

·        How prewriting is organized:

o       #1 – Subject/Topic, will become Thesis

o       #2- Three are 2 of them, they will become Topic Sentences (TS)

1.     For each #2, there are 3 #3’s

1.     #3’s are Concrete Details (CD) of you paragraph

o       A set of #2’s and #3’s will become the paragraph

o       You can then add 2 commentary (CM) to each CD

1.     1:2+ Ratio

·        Outline Example

o       #1 – Summertime

1.     #2 Daily Routine

1.     #3 Stay up late and sleep in

1.     CM

2.     CM

2.     #3 Catch up on movies I have missed

1.     CM

2.     CM

3.     #3 Read more books for pleasure

1.     CM

2.     CM

2.     #2 Time with my family

1.     #3 Going on vacation to Disneyland and to the beach

1.     CM

2.     CM

2.     #3 See brothers and sisters more often

1.     CM

2.     CM

3.     #3 Barbeque in the backyard with whole family

1.     CM

2.     CM

§        Practice Prewriting

·        Thursday, November 29, 2007

o       Bell: Writer’s Notebook Out

o       Today:

§        2 Parts of the thesis

·        CD and CM (CD is #1 from prewrite)

§        The Concluding Sentence (CS)

·        Last sentence in paragraph

·        All Commentary

·        Does not repeat any keywords (especially CD’s) from the paragraph

·        Brings a finished feel to the paragraph

§        Prewrite and write out the full thesis and paragraphs on the following topic

·        Best Friends

·        Friday, November 30, 2007

o       Catcher Quiz #4 (Chapters 18-21)

·        Monday, December 3, 2007

o       Today: Catcher SSR

·        Tuesday, December 4, 2007

o       Bell: Respond to the following quote: “If you are going through hell, keep going” – Winston Churchill

o       Today:

§        EPT for CSU

·        English Placement Test for Cal State University system

o       Placement test for English in 1st year of college

o       Like Subject A for UC

·        Timed writing

§        Look at sample EPT

·        Directions

·        Quote

·        Prompt

§        Create prewriting for EPT

·        Use column or outline to create prewriting

·        Thursday, December 06, 2007

o       Bell: SSR Reading

o       Today:

§        A study of inference and theme in Catcher

§        Holden’s Sadness

·        For each of the following scenes

o       1) explain what part of society Holden is critical

o       2) explain why this makes Holden sad

·        p. 110 – while eating

·        p. 113 – conversation about tennis

·        p. 116 – going to the movies

·        p. 146 – conversation about philosophy

·        Look for statements that include: “I hate…” “It kills me…” “Can’t stand…”

§        Create a prewriting:

·        Topic: Holden’s Sadness – this will be your #1 in your prewriting

o       Reminder, Final Catcher Quiz Tomorrow (22-End of Book)

·        Friday, December 7, 2007<