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.