Monday, December 21

Silent reading.
Amnesty Announcement. (No regular reading log due day after break).
Reminder: will collect today's 2 DEJs plus 2 DEJs on The Wife of Bath's Tale together on Wednesday; Character posters due Wednesday.
Began reading The Wife of Bath's Tale. (178--184).  Finish as homework, with DEJs, for Wednesday!

DUE DATES

MONDAY, January 4: Bank/amnesty logs accepted: 1 past log can be submitted w/o penalty on the Monday after break; up to 2 future logs can be banked.
WEDNESDAY, December 23: 

• Canterbury Tales character posters due.
• Wife of Bath's Tale reading quiz. 
• 2 Wife of Bath's Tale + 1 DEJs on Summoner, Pardoner, Host will be collected.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, December 18

"Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.

COLLECTED DEJs on "The Miller," "The Manciple," and "The Reeve."
Read "The Summoner," "The Pardoner," and "The Host."
Assigned 2 DEJs as HOMEWORK for Monday.  (Will hand in with "The Wife of Bath's Tale" DEJs.)
Assigned character posters (due Wednesday).

DUE DATES

MONDAY, January 4: Bank/amnesty logs accepted.
WEDNESDAY, December 23: Canterbury Tales character posters due.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, December 17

Choice of vocabulary study or reading.

Groups finished reading "The Miller," "The Manciple," and "The Reeve" (157--159).
Students added 2 notes to DEJs.
Shared and presented DEJs.  (Will COLLECT tomorrow.)

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, December 16

Choice of vocabulary study or reading.

Reviewed and finished the discussion of "The Wife of Bath," "The Parson," and "The Plowman" (155--157).
Discussed professions noted for their integrity or lack of it.
Groups began reading "The Miller," "The Manciple," and "The Reeve" (157--159).

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, December 15

This lesson taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.
Finished Star Trek episode, "The Changeling."

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, December 14

This lesson taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.
Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Began Star Trek episode, "The Changeling."

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, December 11

Study session with the Wife of Bath's Tale vocabulary list.
Individual students finished recording their 2 DEJ entries on "The Wife of Bath," "The Parson," and "The Plowman" (155--157).
Discussed "The Wife of Bath" in detail.

DUE DATES

THURSDAY, December 10: Final draft responses to Campfire Quiz due.
FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, December 10

Choice of silent reading, vocabulary, or last touches to Campfire Quiz questions.
COLLECTED quizzes.
Discussed Quiz questions and the process.

Groups read and discussed "The Wife of Bath," "The Parson," and "The Plowman" (155--157).
Individual students created 2 DEJ entries on any of the three.

DUE DATES

THURSDAY, December 10: Final draft responses to Campfire Quiz due.
FRIDAY, December 18: "Wife of Bath's Tale" vocabulary quiz.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, December 9

Choice of silent reading or wrapping up drafts of Campfire Quiz questions..
Groups discussed their answers to the Campfire Quiz questions; students began to revise to their final drafts.

Described the upcoming poster project.
Read and discussed "The Doctor" as a whole class (154--155).

DUE DATES

THURSDAY, December 10: Final draft responses to Campfire Quiz due.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, December 8

Choice of silent reading or wrapping up drafts of Campfire Quiz questions..
Groups briefly checked in around time needed to complete drafts; discussed questions that had arisen.

Final draft answers to the questions due THURSDAY after warm-up.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
THURSDAY, December 10: Final draft responses to Campfire Quiz due.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, December 7

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Groups continued Campfire Quiz process, reading 150--154 together.
Individuals began work on rough drafts answering the question set on the reading.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
WEDNESDAY, December 9 (tentatively): Final draft responses to Campfire Quiz due.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, December 4

Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2)
Silent reading (short).

Groups began Campfire Quiz process, reading 150--154, discussing characters for understanding as they go, before beginning the question set on the reading.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, December 3

Vocabulary or silent reading (short).

Discussed characteristics of religious leaders who are admired or otherwise in the past or present.  What do we expect of a religious person?
Read and discussed "The Monk" and The Friar" in Canterbury Tales (147--149).
Distributed Campfire Quiz directions.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, December 2

Choice of vocabulary work or silent reading.

Reviewed objectives for the DEJs on The Canterbury Tales.
Read "The Squire," "The Yeoman," and "The Nun" and recorded 2 DEJs from them.
Groups wrapped up discussion of DEJs and forming an answer to the question on"The Nun" (146).
Presented exemplars DEJs and discussed the question and the character of "The Nun."
COLLECTED a total of 4 DEJs on Canterbury Tales.

Began discussion of what makes a religious figure corrupt or admirable in our own time.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, December 1

Introduced Part 2 Chaucer vocabulary.

Reviewed objectives for the DEJs on The Canterbury Tales.
Read "The Squire," "The Yeoman," and "The Nun" and recorded 2 DEJs from them.
Groups met to share DEJs and discuss the question on"The Nun" (146).  (Will present tomorrow.)

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, November 30

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Reviewed objectives for the DEJs on The Canterbury Tales.
Recorded DEJ entries from the post-it notes on "The Knight."

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, December 4: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog Part 2).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, November 23

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Discussed objectives for the DEJs on The Canterbury Tales.
Began reading The Canterbury Tales.
Placed two post-it notes on "The Knight's Tale," using Canterbury Tales DEJs.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, November 20

Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
Silent reading.
Reading quiz on pages 137--140 in textbook, introduction to The Canterbury Tales.

Finished Powerpoint notes on The Canterbury Tales.
Introduced Canterbury Tales DEJs.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, November 19

Choice of silent reading or vocabulary study.
HOMEWORK: Read pages 137--140 in textbook, introduction to The Canterbury Tales.  Be prepared for a reading quiz!

Continued notes on The Canterbury Tales.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, November 18

Vocabulary study session.

Discussion of changing genres and purposes reflected across the time periods and literature we have studied so far in this course:

• Beowulf and the Pre-Christian, Warrior-centered Old English culture.
• Caedmon and the transition to Christian Old English culture.
• Robin Hood and the peasant's view of the post-1066 world; English oral culture.
• Medieval Romances and the noble's view of the post-1066 world; French and then Middle English literature.

Began notes on The Canterbury Tales.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, November 17

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Groups presented DEJs on Medieval Romance in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
COLLECTED DEJs.
STUDENTS WHO WERE AT COLLEGE VISIT: Please hand in DEJs, any other work, tomorrow.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, November 13

Introduced vocabulary unit on Chaucer (Prolog through the Doctor).

Groups finished reading Part 2 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Students wrote up DEJs on elements of Medieval Romance.
Shared DEJs in groups and chose representative ones to share with the class as a whole.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, November 20: Quiz on Chaucer vocabulary (Prolog through the Doctor).
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, November 12

This class taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.

Watched BBC documentary, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, November 11

No school due to Veteran's Day.

Tuesday, November 10

This class short due to early release schedule.

Students labeled DEJs on Part 1 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
COLLECTED DEJs.
Distributed Chaucer vocabulary set: available on Quizlet; quiz on Friday, 11/20.

Groups read Part 2 of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, noting down line numbers of notable elements of Medieval Romance in Gawain.  (Will finish task on Thursday.)

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, November 9

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Groups discussed students' DEJs on elements of Medieval Romance in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and presented examples to the class.
Class discussion of elements of Medieval Romance in Gawain.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, November 6

Quiz on King Arthur/Sir Gawain vocabulary.
Silent reading.

Accessed online text of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and finished reading first part of the poem.
Students completed 2 DEJs on elements of Medieval Romance in the poem, and saved them to share with their groups.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, November 5

Reminder: Vocabulary quiz tomorrow.
Choice of silent reading or King Arthur vocabulary.
Discussed elements of Medieval Romance from "The Day of Destiny" in students' DEJs.
COLLECTED DEJs.

PowerPoint notes on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Distributed new DEJs on elements of Medieval Romance.
Accessed online text, and began reading the poem, noting line numbers of examples for new set of DEJs.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, November 4

Annual plagiarism training:

• Watched the You Tube video, "A Quick Guide to Plagiarism," stopping to discuss situations and definitions in greater detail.
• Visited the Bates College Plagiarism Resource Site, and reviewed their academic honesty materials.
• Students completed the academic honesty self test.
• Students signed off that they had completed the test, and reviewed and initialed they understood key concepts in academic honesty.

Saved DEJs on "The Day of Destiny"from Le Morte d'Arthur (216--222) for discussion in class tomorrow.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays were due via Google Docs.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, November 3

Homework check: 4 DEJs on King Arthur packet.
Discussed the model DEJs on the first part of the packet, from "The Drawing of the Sword."
Choice of silent reading, amending any of the four DEJs from the homework on the King Arthur packet, or studying King Arthur vocabulary.
COLLECTED 4 DEJs from the later packet selections.

Reviewed elements of a Medieval Romance.
Read the Background information on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur (215).
Read "The Day of Destiny"from Le Morte d'Arthur (216--222).
Students found two examples of elements of a Medieval Romance from "The Day of Destiny," and wrote them up as DEJs.

Saved DEJs for discussion in groups in a future class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays were due via Google Docs.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, November 2

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Reviewed why Robin Hood ballads were not written as Medieval Romances, what the political purposes of the genre of Medieval Romance were.
Reviewed the elements of Medieval Romance.
Read "The Drawing of the Sword" from the King Arthur Packet.
Students worked in pairs to record 2 notes on elements of Medieval Romance for DEJs.

HOMEWORK: Read the remaining stories in the packet, and fill out four additional DEJ notes for discussion tomorrow.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays were due via Google Docs.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, October 30

Choice of vocabulary study or silent reading. (King Arthur and Sir Gawain vocabulary quiz will be next Friday.)
Returned Anglo-Saxon Poetry tests; checked in around essay submissions.

Finished reading the ballad "Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford."
Discussed why Robin Hood ballads would not have been popular with the Norman Aristocracy.
Finished PowerPoint notes set on Medieval Literature and History.
Read and discussed the story "The Drawing of the Sword," from Lang's King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table. (Packets available in class.)

Students began looking for two DEJ notes on how the story showed typical elements of a Medieval Romance.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, October 29

Introduced King Arthur and Sir Gawain vocabulary unit.  Quiz will be next Friday.
Choice of vocabulary study or silent reading.

Began PowerPoint notes set on Medieval Literature and History.
Began reading the ballad "Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford."

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, October 28

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Brief review of how the Norman Invasion relates to the development of English.
Watched "The History of English (In Ten Minutes)."

Quick check in: what do we know about Robin Hood?

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, October 27

Silent independent reading and reading logs will both be on Wednesday this week.
Guest teacher, Ms. Soel from Westfield State presented a lesson on the transition from Old English to Middle English with the Norman Invasion of 1066.

Students took notes, discussed how vocabulary with French and Old English roots reflects the social structures after the invasion, and inspected a reproduction of the full Bayeux Tapestry depiction of the invasion.

Students wrote a short paragraph summarizing the changes in the language as a result of the Invasion of 1066.

COLLECTED paragraphs.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, October 26

Silent independent reading and reading logs will both be on Wednesday this week.

Anglo-Saxon Poetry Test, Part 2.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, October 23

Silent independent reading and reading logs will both be on Wednesday this week.

Anglo-Saxon Poetry Test, Part 1.

DUE DATES

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26: Anglo-Saxon Poetry Test, Part 2.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, October 22

Short revision/independent reading session.
Groups reviewed and discussed their DEJs on "The Seafarer" (87--91).

Whole class discussion of the Focus Question, and Questions 1 and 2 on page 91:
Discussed fatalism in both Beowulf and "The Seafarer"
Discussed "The Seafarer"as an allegory, analyzing lines for what they tell us about the Anglo-Saxon attitude toward the life of a good Christian.
COLLECTED DEJs on Caedmon and "The Seafarer."

Reviewed the definition of an elegy, and listened to video performance of "The Wanderer."

HOMEWORK: For Friday: This is in preparation for a test.

Read background information on "The Wife's Lament," and put down 2--3 Post-It Notes on passages in both "The Wife's Lament" and "The Seafarer" to allow you to answer Question 3 on page 94: "The most important bond in Anglo-Saxon society was that between a lord and his retainers.  How do "The Seafarer" and "The Wife's Lament" reveal the Anglo-Saxon ideal of loyalty and the tragedy of separation or exile from one's lord?

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23: Students applying Early Decision should submit their final drafts of the college application essay via Google Docs, in order to receive last set of feedback before deadline.  (This is only for those needing early feedback!)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, October 21

Recorded the names of those applying early decision who will be handing in final drafts THIS Friday.

Groups read the introductory materials and "The Seafarer" (87--91).
Groups discussed what the poem is about, and the Focus Question on page 87.

Individuals recorded two notes on a DEJ on "The Seafarer" and shared and discussed those notes with their group; groups gave feedback on the quality of the examples and reasoning for each student.

(I will collect these notes, with the two notes on the story of Caedmon, tomorrow after our whole-class discussion.)

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23: Students applying Early Decision should submit their final drafts of the college application essay via Google Docs, in order to receive last set of feedback before deadline.  (This is only for those needing early feedback!)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, October 20

Reminder: final drafts of reflective essay (on Google Docs) due THIS Friday for those applying early decision; NEXT Friday for those who are not.

Finished the story of Caedmon of Whitby (85--86) and the discussed the elements of Anglo-Saxon culture to focus on in a DEJ.
Students wrote two DEJ entries on facets of Anglo-Saxon culture reflected in the story of Caedmon.

Shared observations from DEJs with the whole class; discussed how the different quotes did or did not illustrate various aspects of the culture or literature in the post-Christian era.

Played short video clip of Caedmon's Hymn with discussion of its significance.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23: Students applying Early Decision should hand in their final drafts of the college application essay, in order to receive last set of feedback before deadline.  (This is only for those needing early feedback!)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, October 19

Homework reminder for students out on Friday. (Paragraph was due.)
Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Returned graded rough draft essays and discussed how the Google Docs process worked for those who chose it this time.
Based on feedback from class, handing in essay and getting feedback via Google Docs will be mandatory for future drafts.

Reviewed the aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture before and after the coming of Christianity to England we are looking for in the next batch of DEJs.
Began the story of Caedmon of Whitby (84--85) with Post-it notes to transfer to DEJ for tomorrow's discussion.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23: Students applying Early Decision should hand in their final drafts of the college application essay, in order to receive last set of feedback before deadline.  (This is only for those needing early feedback!)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30: Final draft college essays due via Google Docs.

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, October 16

Homework check: paragraph in answer to question 6 on page 381.
Choice of reading/writing.
COLLECTED paragraphs.
COLLECTED rough draft essays (via Google Docs shares or hard copy).

Discussed the story of the prodigal son.

Finished PowerPoint notes set,  "The Lowly Raised Up," tracing the rise of Christianity in Anglo Saxon culture, and the importance of Christian motifs in Old English Literature.

Distributed Caedmon/Old English Elegies DEJ forms.
Read intro material on Caedmon of Whitby (83--84) and reviewed the aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture before and after the coming of Christianity to England from the head of the DEJs.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, October 15

HOMEWORK: Read "The Parable of the Prodigal Son" from Literary Focus and Background through the parable (378--380) and write a short paragraph in answer to question 6 on page 381. 

Writers' Workshop/conferences.

 Began PowerPoint notes set,  "The Lowly Raised Up," tracing the rise of Christianity in Anglo Saxon culture, and the importance of Christian motifs in Old English Literature.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16: Rough drafts due for a grade.

Wednesday, October 14

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Writers' Workshop/conferences.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16: Rough drafts due for a grade.

Friday, October 9

Anglo Saxon vocabulary quiz.

Writers' Workshop.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16: Rough drafts due for a grade (this is a change).

Thursday, October 8

Reminders: Anglo Saxon vocabulary quiz Friday!

Writers' Workshop.
Tomorrow after the vocabulary quiz will be the last day dedicated to writers' workshop, but there will be an opportunity to write during warm-up next Thursday and Friday.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7:  Epic Hero essay test.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: Beowulf art project due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16: Rough drafts due for a grade (this is a change).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Quiz on Anglo Saxon Vocabulary 2

Wednesday, October 7

Reminders: Epic Hero Essay Test tomorrow; Beowulf art project due tomorrow.
Anglo Saxon vocabulary quiz Friday!

Essay test on the epic hero.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7:  Epic Hero essay test.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: Beowulf art project due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Rough drafts due for a grade (tentatively).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Quiz on Anglo Saxon Vocabulary 2

Tuesday, October 6

Today's class short due to early release day schedule.

Reminders: Epic Hero Essay Test tomorrow; Beowulf art project due tomorrow.
Anglo Saxon vocabulary quiz Friday!

Distributed essay test scoring rubric, and reviewed expectations for tomorrow's test.

Writers Workshop and individual writing conferences.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7:  Epic Hero essay test.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: Beowulf art project due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Rough drafts due for a grade (tentatively).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Quiz on Anglo Saxon Vocabulary 2

Monday, October 5

Reminders: Epic Hero Essay Test now on Wednesday; Beowulf art project due Wednesday.
Anglo Saxon vocabulary quiz Friday!

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Writers Workshop/writers group wrap-ups.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7:  Epic Hero essay test.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: Beowulf art project due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Rough drafts due for a grade.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Quiz on Anglo Saxon Vocabulary 2

Friday, October 2

Epic Hero Essay Test now on Wednesday.
Beowulf art project due Wednesday.

Writers Groups met.
Students shared their drafts, with questions for their writing groups, and received feedback from other students in their groups.

Writers Workshop.
(Students who were out on college visits will have a chance to connect with their groups on Monday.)

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7:  Epic Hero essay test.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7: Beowulf art project due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9: Rough drafts due for a grade.

Thursday, October 1

Reminder: DEJ on the importance of the loyalty and fatalism within Anglo Saxon culture from Part 2 of Beowulf was due yesterday.
EPIC HERO ESSAY TEST ON TUESDAY!

Assigned Beowulf art project (color illustration with an appropriate quote from the poem as a caption) for WEDNESDAY.

Choice of independent reading, starting on the Beowulf art project, or work on the college essay for warm-up.

Writers Workshop.
Continued working on college application essays.
Students exchanged email addresses in order to share their current draft through Google Docs with their writing group tomorrow.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: Rough drafts shared with small writer's groups for peer feedback.

Wednesday, September 30

This lesson, short due to club day, was taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.

COLLECTED DEJs with 2 more notes, on loyalty and fatalism within Anglo Saxon culture, taken from Part 2 of Beowulf (43--48).

Writers Workshop.
Continued working on college application essays.  Students will be sharing their current draft with their writing groups on Friday.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: Rough drafts shared with small writer's groups for peer feedback.

Tuesday, September 29

Reviewed the importance of the loyalty and fatalism within Anglo Saxon culture.
Began reading Part 2 of Beowulf (43--48).

Homework: finish reading Part 2 at home, and add two notes, one on an example of fatalism, one on an example of loyalty between a lord and his followers, to the current double entry journal.  (This will make a total of three examples in this journal.)

Writers Workshop.
Continued working on college application essays.  Students will be sharing their current draft with their writing groups on Friday.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: Rough drafts shared with small writer's groups for peer feedback.

Monday, September 28

Silent reading.
COLLECT weekly reading logs.

Groups reported to the class the evidence they found to explain how Beowulf is an epic hero:
Larger than life/superhuman abilities
Great adventures
Reflects the values of his culture.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: Rough drafts shared with small writer's groups for peer feedback.

Friday, September 25

Reading quiz on Beowulf, Sections 10--end of Part 1.

Students worked in small groups to find evidence to explain how Beowulf is an epic hero:
Larger than life/superhuman abilities
Great adventures
Reflects the values of his culture.

Began sharing examples, reasoning with whole class.

(Students will be writing an in-class essay on this topic in the near future as a test grade!)

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2: Rough drafts shared with small writer's groups for peer feedback.

Thursday, September 24

Reading quiz!
COLLECTED DEJs.

Read Beowulf, Sections 8--10 (pages 30--35).
HOMEWORK: Finish reading Part 1 (pages 35--38).  Complete one note on your DEJ form. Expect a reading quiz!

Continued work on college application essays.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, September 23

Continued reading Beowulf (p. 25, line 189--p. 29 line 327).
Homework: Students should finish reading Section 7 (p. 29--30) of Beowulf and add one additional note on the culture or poetry on their DEJs for a total of TWO notes. 

BE PREPARED FOR A READING QUIZ!

Continued work on college application essays.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.
WEDNESDAY,  September 23: Beowulf DEJ with two notes and comments.

Tuesday, September 22

Continued reading Beowulf (p 22, line 70--p. 25, line 189).
Students recorded one additional note on the culture or poetry on their fresh DEJs.

Continued work on college application essays.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, September 21

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.
Returned DEJs on first reading of Beowulf.

Discussion of comparative cultures and Beowulf.
Reviewed DEJ assignment.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, September 18

Reviewed the rough draft rubric for evaluating reflective essays.
Reviewed the Common App prompts and a 3 step process for beginning to write the essay:

• Find the vivid moment, the memorable heart of the story.
• Give the background to understand the story.
• Deliver the meaning/tie the essay to the prompt.

Students began brainstorming and drafting college application essays.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, September 17

COLLECTED Double entry journals from Beowulf.

Read Common App sample, Morley's essay.
Highlighted particularly good or interesting parts.
Briefly discussed strengths of the essay.

Demonstrated Common App unit resources.
Students accessed Google Docs (suggested, not required, as easiest way to share drafts with Ms. Bishop and other students).

Reviewed Common App prompts and began discussing a 3 step process for beginning to write the essay.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, September 16

This lesson taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.
Watched the movie Nicholas Nickleby.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Tuesday, September 15

This lesson taught by a sub in Ms. Bishop's absence.
Watched the movie Nicholas Nickleby.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Monday, September 14

Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

Watched In Search of Beowulf intro and recapped what we are looking for in our reading of Beowulf.
Students reviewed notes, entered them into Double Entry Journal notes (due tomorrow in class).

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Friday, September 11

Beowulf vocabulary quiz.
Choice: silent reading or beginning work on the Common App essay.

Wrapped up our discussion of Michaela's successful application essay, identifying some of the essay's strengths; read the reaction of the Johns Hopkins' Admissions Committee to the essay.

Small groups read Kyla's admissions essay, and found three strengths to report on to the class as a whole.
Took notes to share with the class on Monday.

DUE DATES

MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Thursday, September 10

Choice of reading or vocabulary study.
Read and discussed this year's prompts for the Common App essay.

Read and highlighted Michaela's successful application essay; Identified some of the essay's strengths.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 11: Beowulf vocabulary test.
MONDAYS: Reading logs are due.

Wednesday, September 9

Guidance visit to discuss Common Application process.  (We begin work on the Common App essay tomorrow.)

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.

Tuesday, September 8

Short classes today due to early release day schedule.
COLLECTED signed syllabus forms; returned reading quizzes.
Reminder: vocabulary quiz Friday.
Silent reading.
COLLECTED weekly reading logs.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.

Friday, September 4

COLLECTED signed syllabus forms; returned reading quizzes.
Reminder: reading logs due Tuesday!
Choice of silent reading or vocabulary study.

Reviewed elements of Old English life and poetry relevant to Double Entry Journals (DEJs).
Began reading Beowulf, checking in for comprehension and for passages that are relevant to DEJs.
Stopped to allow students to record a 2 quotes, and to identify of what element they are examples.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.

Thursday, September 3

Reading Quiz on pages 6--17 in the textbook.
Short silent reading session.

Students logged onto Quizlet and joined the class.
Quick Quizlet study session of Beowulf vocabulary.

Finished PowerPoint notes on Old English Life and Poetry.
Reviewed elements of Old English life and poetry relevant to Double Entry Journals (DEJs).

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: Beowulf vocabulary quiz.

Wednesday, September 2

HOMEWORK: Read pages 6--17 in textbook for tomorrow, focusing especially on pages 11--17, "Anglo Saxon Life." Expect a reading quiz!

COLLECTED signed syllabus forms.
Distributed Beowulf Vocabulary set and announced quiz next Friday.

Wrapped up our discussion of historical periods we would like to visit, and why; discussed literature as a way to experience the history we otherwise would not be able to understand.

Began PowerPoint notes on Old English Life and Poetry.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11: Beowulf vocabulary quiz.

Tuesday, September 1

COLLECTED signed syllabus forms.
Completed partner introductions from yesterday.
Signed out textbooks.

Small groups reached consensus on periods of history they would like to visit, and why; began presenting results to the class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.

Monday, August 31

Created classroom folders for each student.
Reviewed the syllabus and class expectations.
Introduced the class blog.

Students completed the English IV Survey.
Shared surveys with partners.
Began introducing partners to the class.

DUE DATES

FRIDAY, September 4: Signed syllabus form and movie permission slip are due.
TUESDAY, September 8: First reading log is due.

Syllabus