Class Minutes: Thurs. March 31st

We started Macbeth today. Make sure you watch the video posted below, which we also viewed in class. We did a pre-reading activitiy called, "If the Crime Fits," and read Act I.i-ii. During reading, we did a metaphor/simile hunt for comparisons that characterize Macbeth as a hero. Homework: Read I.iii-iv

Prezi Intro to Macbeth

An Introduction to Macbeth by William Shakespeare on Prezi

Class Minutes: March 18th, 2011

Completed and marked work was handed back, portfolios updated, and progress reports posted. Then, we went over thesis statements for poetry analysis. Finally, we finished by watching a bit of "Freedom Writers." Have a great spring break.

Class Minutes: Wed. March 16th

Today you'll be adding the finishing touches on your Tom Phillips' poem and writing the paragraph analysis. They'll be stapled together and handed in at the end of class.

Class Mintutes: Monday, March 14th

SLAM PERFORMANCES...WOOT! WOOT!

Class Minutes: Thursday, March 10th

We create our Tom Phillip's style found poem and painted it. Slam on Monday!

Class Minutes: Tues. Mar. 8th

I handed back the rubrics and descriptive feedback for you poetry reading recordings. Use the feedback to practice your slam performance (Monday).

Then, we read the picture book, "Who Is the World For," and created a found poem with our favourite lines.

Next, we played Poor Man's Magnetic Poetry,creating found poems out of a selection of words in the envelopes. After creating a poem with our partner(s), we read the original poem from which the words came- "Dream Variations," by Langston Hughes.

We started our Tom Phillips found poem assignment, going over the criteria together. We'll be continuing with this on Thursday.

Class Minutes: Friday, March 4th

We worked in groups to do a gallery walk activity, working with concrete poems. At each station, a different poem was explicated and chart filled out, answering the questions, first without help, and then, with the tip envelope for guidance.

Class Minutes: Wed. March 2nd

We predicted line breaks for the text of a poem entitled, "We Real Cool." Then we listened to the reading and reconsidered our choices based on how it was read by the author. Finally, we saw the unorthodox choice Gwendyln Brooks made and discussed its purpose.

Then, we listened to John Ulrich, in a video interview, explain why "We Real Cool," is his favourite poem and discuss the personal connection he has to the piece.

Finally, we went to the language lab to record our selected favourite poems, include and introduction and explanation. They were then exported as WAV files and emailed to Mrs. Wall.

Class Minutes: Monday, Feb. 28th

Mrs. Wall was at a conference. We read through student samples of poetry explications as models of exemplary level writing.
Then, students had a choice of five poems, one of which was explicated and analyzed in formal theme-based paragraph.