Journal Project for Catcher in the Rye

Journal Assignment for Catcher in the Rye
As we read the novel you will be responsible to write a diary entry as if you were Holden Caulfield. Three diary entries will be due every Friday and will be collected and graded. Below are some sample questions that your character may want to answer when writing in the diary. Do not give a plot summary of the chapters we have read. Get into character and make it as interesting as possible. If you are at a loss of something to say, answer any of the following questions:

1. Who has impressed, annoyed or pleased you so far? Describe the person. What other
character has had an effect on you?
2. What do you want to accomplish in your life? What are your aspirations?
3. What have you done that has made you proud of yourself?
4. What are you most afraid of or worried about? What makes you anxious? How do your
fears or worries relate to what has happened so far?
5. What are you hoping for in the near future?
6. Describe an object or a place that is important to you. Why is it important?
7. Who or what has made you happy recently? Explain.
8. If you could relive a moment, what moment would you like to relive? Why is it such a
strong memory for you?
9. Choose a value or ideal that is important to you—honesty, courage, faithfulness, etc.
What makes it an important value or ideal?
10. Describe an interaction you have had with another character. Was it positive or negative?

Remember, you are writing as if you are Holden Caulfield. It is not necessary to answer these questions specifically, but they will guide you in composing diary entries that are meaningful and interesting.

Reading assignments for Catcher in the Rye

For tomorrow - 4/1 read chapter 3

For class on 4/2 - read chapters 4 and 5

For class on 4/3 - read chapters 6 and 7

Over the weekend to be ready for class on Monday, 4/6 - read chapters 8-11

For class on 4/7 - read chapters 12-13

For class on 4/8 - read chapters 14-15

Finish the novel over break

Homework for tonight

Read chapter 3 in Catcher in the Rye

do a journal entry for tomorrow

CB essays

There are still many of you who that didn't turn in a copy of your essays. We need 95% completion in order to get the money for the school.

I need to submit your essays no later than tomorrow. Please make sure you email me a copy of your essay (400-500 words) with your full name and phone number by tomorrow.

Check teacherease if you are unsure if you completed this assignment.

Harlem Trip slips and money due tomorrow

If you are interested in going on the trip, tomorrow is the last day I can accept permission slips and money... There will be NO last minute involvement on this trip...

College Board essays

All rewrites and final polishing is due by Sunday, March 29th via email. Your original draft will be submitted if a new one isn't sent.

mssackstein@yahoo.com

make sure to have your email, phone number and first and last names.

Playwriting contest

ANNOUNCEMENT:

New Works of Merit Playwriting Contest is accepting scripts through June 30, 2009 for new works that:

1) Enhance self-realization
2) Support peace and social justice
3) Foster new understanding of=2 0minority issues that focus on racial, ethnic and gender discrimination both in the United States and abroad
4) Empower youth to build healthy inner foundations
5) Educate to gain further insight into healthy social/emotional living
6) Shed new light on religious, spiritual, and cultural differences and issues
7) Build respect for cultural expression and identity in a world that is experiencing rapid globalization
8) Explore the widening gap between the values this country was founded on and the values we present to the world today

For Guidelines and Application Form: PLAYWRITINGCONTEST (dot) CJB (dot) NET

Harlem Trip - Big Onion Walking Tour of Harlem/Sylvia's Trip.

www.sylviasrestaurant.com


www.bigonion.com

Visit the above links to learn more about our trip to Harlem

Reminders

Your college board essays are due this afternoon via email... make sure you include home phone number and email as well as your full name.

I also have a limited number of copies of Catcher in the Rye - please bring in a copy of your own by Monday.

Calendars will be posted in the room for your constant reminder.

Final Drafts of College Board Essays

Final drafts of the CB essays are due electronically by Thursday, 3/26.

Here is the information you need to include in your email in addition to your essay (which you should send as a word doc.
Full name
phone number
email address

We will be submitting them on your behalf.

Remember, we need something from everything as we need 95% compliance in the whole grade in order to get the money for the books. Thanks in advance for your hard work.

Due for tomorrow, 3/24 in class

Please type the first draft of you College Board essay for class tomorrow.

Come to class tomorrow WITH your typed first draft
It should have:

• a clear opening that states how you feel about students' responsibility for learning
• specific examples from the articles and your life that support your opinion in several supporting paragraphs
• a clear closing

Make sure to bring the articles and flyer to class as well.

You will be revising and working on a second draft in class - working with your peers to get your work done.

Please read through the vocabulary builder packet as well... bring it to class tomorrow.

Hip Hop Workshop - Wed. 3/25

On Wednesday, we will be offering a hip hop workshop to 5 students from each grade who are interested. If you have interest in being a part of this experience, please email me at
mssackstein@yahoo.com.

The first 5 people to show interest will be notified by tomorrow afternoon.

1st homework for the 3rd trimester

Please draft an outline for your college board essay based on what we read in class today.

If you have any questions about structure, post them here.

Please make sure to bring in your outlines for class on Monday. We will be working on this essay in class through Wednesday.

Please also get a copy of Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger 3/30
I will purchase a limited number of copies for $8.00. I will bring them to class when they come in hopefully by the end of the week.

speaking strand (3 and 4)

Strand ELA.11.SP4: Speaking
Standard ELA3.11.SP4: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA3.11.SP4.01::-->
Students express opinions or make judgments about ideas, information, experiences, and issues in literary, scientific, and historic articles, in public documents, and in advertisements.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA3.11.SP4.02::-->
Students articulate personal opinions to clarify stated positions, persuade or influence groups, or state preferences about topics.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA3.11.SP4.03::-->
Students present reasons, examples, and details from sources such as reviews of books, plays, and interviews to defend opinions and judgments.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA3.11.SP4.04::-->
Students modify content and presentation strategies on the basis of audience response during presentation.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA3.11.SP4.05::-->
Students respond to constructive criticism.
Performance Indicator 06--> ELA3.11.SP4.06::-->
Students use visuals and technology to enhance presentation.


11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.SP4: Speaking
Standard ELA4.11.SP4: Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA4.11.SP4.01::-->
Students speak informally with familiar and unfamiliar people, individually and in group settings.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA4.11.SP4.02::-->
Students respect the age, gender, social position, and cultural traditions of the listener.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA4.11.SP4.03::-->
Students use social communication in workplace settings to foster trust and build goodwill.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA4.11.SP4.04::-->
Students respond respectfully.

Speaking strand (1 and 2)

Strand ELA.11.SP4: Speaking
Standard ELA1.11.SP4: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA1.11.SP4.01::-->
Students prepare and give presentations to a variety of audiences on a range of informational topics.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA1.11.SP4.02::-->
Students use figures of speech, such as similes and metaphors, to make new ideas and complex information clearer to listeners.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA1.11.SP4.03::-->
Students anticipate and respond to the listener's points of view.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA1.11.SP4.04::-->
Students give directions and explain complex processes.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA1.11.SP4.05::-->
Students ask and respond to probing and challenging questions to acquire information


Strand ELA.11.SP4: Speaking
Standard ELA2.11.SP4: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.11.SP4.01::-->
Students use devices such as voice, tone, volume, pitch, rate, body language, rhyme, rhythm, and repetition to create an emotional or aesthetic response

Listening strand (3 and 4)

Strand ELA.11.LI3: Listening
Standard ELA3.11.LI3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA3.11.LI3.01::-->
Students determine points of view, clarify positions, make judgments, and form opinions.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA3.11.LI3.02::-->
Students use the perspectives of other individuals, groups, recognized experts, and prior knowledge to analyze and evaluate presentations.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA3.11.LI3.03::-->
Students evaluate content and organization of the presentations, applying criteria such as the validity of the speaker's conclusion.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA3.11.LI3.04::-->
Students recognize the use of protocols and traditional practices in interviewing and other forms of speaking.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA3.11.LI3.05::-->
Students evaluate the impact of the medium on the message.


Strand ELA.11.LI3: Listening
Standard ELA4.11.LI3: Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA4.11.LI3.01::-->
Students participate as a listener in social conversation with one or more people who are friends or acquaintances.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA4.11.LI3.02::-->
Students respect the age, gender, social position, and cultural traditions of the speaker.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA4.11.LI3.03::-->
Students listen for multiple levels of meaning, articulated and unspoken.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA4.11.LI3.04::-->
Students encourage the speaker with appropriate facial expressions and gestures.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA4.11.LI3.05::-->
Students withhold judgment.
Performance Indicator 06--> ELA4.11.LI3.06::-->
Students appreciate the speaker's uniqueness.s

Listening Strand (1 and 2)

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.LI3: Listening
Standard ELA1.11.LI3: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA1.11.LI3.01::-->
Students interpret and analyze information from media presentations, such as documentary films, news broadcasts, and taped interviews.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA1.11.LI3.02::-->
Students anticipate the speaker's points and assess their validity.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA1.11.LI3.03::-->
Students synthesize information from different sources by condensing, combining, or categorizing data, facts, and ideas.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA1.11.LI3.04::-->
Students recognize appropriate voice, tone, diction, and syntax.

Strand ELA.11.LI3: Listening
Standard ELA2.11.LI3: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.11.LI3.01::-->
Students interpret and respond to texts from a variety of genres, authors, and subjects.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA2.11.LI3.02::-->
Students respond to authors' reading and discussing their works.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA2.11.LI3.03::-->
Students recognize and respond to historical and contemporary social, political, and cultural conditions in presentation of literary text.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA2.11.LI3.04::-->
Students identify how format and language are used in presentations to communicate the author's message and evoke a response.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA2.11.LI3.05::-->
Students recognize how presentation style affects the emotional response of listeners.
Performance Indicator 06--> ELA2.11.LI3.06::-->
Students listen to comprehend, interpret, and respond to texts and performances, such as reviews and critiques of literary texts.

writing strand standards (4)

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.WR2: Writing
Standard ELA4.11.WR2: Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA4.11.WR2.01::-->
Students share the process of writing with peers and adults; for example, write a condolence note, get-well card, or thank-you letter with writing partner(s).
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA4.11.WR2.02::-->
Students respect age, gender, and cultural traditions of the recipient

writing strand standards (3)

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.WR2: Writing
Standard ELA3.11.WR2: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA3.11.WR2.01::-->
Students develop critiques from more than one perspective, such as historical, cultural, and social.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA3.11.WR2.02::-->
Students analyze a wide range of texts using resources such as recognized experts, knowledge from school subjects and reading, and personal experience.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA3.11.WR2.03::-->
Students use strategies designed to influence or persuade in writing speeches, editorials, and advertisements.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA3.11.WR2.04::-->
Students use telecommunication to participate in Listserv discussion groups.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA3.11.WR2.05::-->
Students maintain a writing portfolio that includes writing for critical analysis and evaluation

writing strand standards (2)

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.WR2: Writing
Standard ELA2.11.WR2: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.11.WR2.01::-->
Students write original literary texts:
create social, historical, and/or cultural context
create multiple levels of meaning
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA2.11.WR2.02::-->
Students write interpretive and responsive essays of approximately three to five pages to:
express judgments and support them through references to the text, using direct quotations and paraphrase
explain how the author's use of literary devices affects meaning
examine development and impact of literary elements, such as character (protagonist and antagonist), action (conflict, intrigue, suspense, and climax), and setting (locale and time period), in literary texts and performances
compare and contrast the treatment of literary elements in different genres and by more than one author
use literary criticism to expand personal analysis of the literary texts
engage in a variety of prewriting experiences, such as using a variety of visual representations, to express interpretations, feelings, and new insights
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA2.11.WR2.03::-->
Students use resources, such as personal experience, knowledge from other content areas, and independent reading, to create literary, interpretive, and responsive texts.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA2.11.WR2.04::-->
Students maintain a portfolio that includes literary, interpretive, and responsive writing.

Writing strand standards (1)

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.WR2: Writing
Standard ELA1.11.WR2: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA1.11.WR2.01::-->
Students use both primary and secondary sources of information for research.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA1.11.WR2.02::-->
Students analyze and integrate data, facts, and ideas to communicate information.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA1.11.WR2.03::-->
Students define the meaning of and understand the consequences of plagiarism; investigate electronic safeguards.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA1.11.WR2.04::-->
Students use a range of organizational strategies, such as clustering, webbing, and mapping, to present information.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA1.11.WR2.05::-->
Students maintain a portfolio that includes informational writing.

Last reading strand of standards

Commencement
Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.RE1: Reading
Standard ELA4.11.RE1: Language for Social Interaction
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA4.11.RE1.01::-->
Students share reading experiences with a peer or adult; for example, read together silently or aloud and discuss reactions to texts.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA4.11.RE1.02::-->
Students consider the age, gender, social position, and cultural traditions of the writer.
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA4.11.RE1.03::-->
Students recognize the types of language (e.g., informal vocabulary, culture-specific terminology, jargon, colloquialisms, and email conventions) that are appropriate to social communication.

More reading standards with performance indicators

Commencement
Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.RE1: Reading
Standard ELA3.11.RE1: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA3.11.RE1.01::-->
Students form opinions and make judgments about the validity of interpretive texts.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA3.11.RE1.02::-->
Students analyze and evaluate nonfiction:
identify text structure, using supports such as graphic organizers
preview a text (e.g., in order to build a schema), noticing structural markers, such as headings and subheadings
identify the particular kinds of language used in particular texts
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA3.11.RE1.03::-->
Students analyze and evaluate fiction, including the effect of diction and figurative language:
use a variety of written responses, such as double-entry journals and reading logs, to identify literary elements and evaluate their effectiveness
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA3.11.RE1.04::-->
Students form opinions and make judgments about literary works, by analyzing and evaluating texts from more than one critical perspective, such as psychological.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA3.11.RE1.05::-->
Students select, reject, and reconcile ideas and information in light of biases.
Performance Indicator 06--> ELA3.11.RE1.06::-->
Students make judgments about the quality of literary texts and performances by applying personal and academic criteria, such as that found in literary criticism and in political, historical, and scientific analysis.

More sStandards

Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.RE1: Reading
Standard ELA2.11.RE1: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.11.RE1.01::-->
Students read, view, and interpret texts and performances in every medium (e.g., short stories, novels, plays, film and video productions, poems, and essays) from a wide variety of authors, subjects, and genres:
build background by activating prior knowledge through questioning what they already know about the form in which the story is presented and the period in which it was written
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA2.11.RE1.02::-->
Students read, view, and respond independently to literary works that represent a range of social, historical, and cultural perspectives:
monitor their own comprehension by questioning, reviewing, revising, and rereading to enhance overall comprehension
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA2.11.RE1.03::-->
Students read literary criticism to increase comprehension and appreciation of literary texts:
use a variety of written responses, such as double-entry journals and reading logs, to integrate new concepts with existing knowledge
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA2.11.RE1.04::-->
Students compare a film, video, or stage version of a literary work with the written version.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA2.11.RE1.05::-->
Students read literary texts aloud to convey an interpretation of the work.
Performance Indicator 06--> ELA2.11.RE1.06::-->
Students interpret multiple levels of meaning and subtleties in text:
engage in a variety of collaborative conversations, such as peer-led discussions, paired reading and responding, and cooperative group discussions, to construct meaning
Performance Indicator 07--> ELA2.11.RE1.07::-->
Students recognize and analyze the relevance of literature to contemporary and/or personal events and situation.

reflections/ standards

As a whole, class reflections (with few exceptions) don't address the standards we have been doing in class. It's not enough to just say you did it or that you did "good" on it. You must speak about what you know and how the assignment shows it as evidence of your learning based on the standards...

still unsure about the standards:
www.nylearns.org -
it has all the standards on the site...

Commencement
Commencement
11th Grade
Strand ELA.11.RE1: Reading
Standard ELA1.11.RE1: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Performance Indicator 01--> ELA1.11.RE1.01::-->
Students locate and use school, public, and academic library resources for information and research.
Performance Indicator 02--> ELA1.11.RE1.02::-->
Students read and follow written directions and procedures to solve problems and accomplish tasks:
use workplace documents and technical manuals
Performance Indicator 03--> ELA1.11.RE1.03::-->
Students identify and evaluate the reliability and validity of informational sources.
Performance Indicator 04--> ELA1.11.RE1.04::-->
Students check the consistency of hypothesis with given information and assumption.
Performance Indicator 05--> ELA1.11.RE1.05::-->
Students analyze and synthesize information from different sources, making connections and showing relationships to other texts, ideas, and subjects and to the world at large.

Hello American Lit. Students!

Obviously, you know who I am, but we have not exactly been formally introduced. My name is Ms. Cea, and I will be officially taking over Ms. Sackstein's class. I recently decided to change careers and teaching has always been a passion of mine. I was very unhappy with the job that I had, so I enrolled into college again to obtain my teaching degree. I am fortunate to have students like you that will make my transition into the teaching field fun and rewarding. I know that with your cooperation we will have a successful and educational journey together. Please do not have any fears as I am working closely with Ms. Sackstein to ensure that all of your learning needs are met. I am looking forward to the rest of the year as I believe that all of you are talented individuals.

Sincerely,  Ms. Cea 

presentation day 4 - finishing up

Jonathan Williams presented on Anne Spencer. What did she do? What was she famous for? What poems were she famous for?

Vicky presented on Countee Cullen. What was unique about his childhood? What kinds of writing did he do?

Please make sure to bring in your permission slips for the trip no later than April 1. You need to bring in $15 as well.

Presentations day 3

Stephany's presentation was Dorothy West. What was interesting about her family? What did they value? What did she end up doing?

Jenee's presentation was on Josephine Baker. What did she do for a living? What performance made her famous? What was she known for and how was she controversial?

Josue's presentation was on Willis Richardson. What were the names of his 3 anthologies? What made him leave his home in North Carolina?

Ladonna's presentation was on Florence Mills. What were some of her nicknames? What do they tell about who she was? What show was she in and with whom else who was presented about today?

Alan presented on Alain Locke. What did you learn about his educational experience? What was most important to him?

Omar presented on Jean Toomer. What did you learn about his early life? What was his famous for? Who was his inspiration and why? What was he criticized for?

Jonathan presented about Eubie Blake. What was different about him? When did his talent emerge? What was an interesting fact about his life that you learned?

Presentations day 2

Christina K's presentation was on Marita Bonner. What made her different? How did she feel people can transcend racism and sexism? What did you learn about Bonner that you found interesting?

Christina C's presentation was on Walter Francis White. What group was he associated with? What contributions did he make to the group? What is a propagandist? What were his core beliefs? What was surprising about him?

Paula's presentation was on Gwendolyn Bennett. What were some of the jobs she had? What was interesting about her personal life? What was the focus of her writing? How were her beliefs similar to other people you have heard about?

Angii's presentation was on Arna Bontemps. How did he play a big role in the Harlem Renaissance? What happened to his father that helped shaped his life? What happened as a result of it? What did he do with his later life? What has been done to honor him?

Al's presentation was on Eric Walrond. What was unique about his childhood experience? What kinds of writing did he do mostly? What magazine gave him his start? How was his writing characterized? What was his connection with Marcus Garvey? What is the UNIA?

Richard's presentation was on Nella Larsen. What happened in her childhood? Where did she live and how did that affect her life? What was the controversy of her college years? What other careers did she have? Why did she stop?

Ciera's presentation was on Jessie Fauset. What kind of education did she have? Where did she write? What did she write about? Why was she discriminated against? What did her skin color have to do with it? Who can you compare her to that you heard about today and why? What made them similar?

Alex's presentation was on Claude McKay. What did his upbringing have to do with what he did? What association did he work and travel for? What did their work do? How did it change what he wrote about? What was interesting about his political beliefs?

Permission slip information - please fill out your Harlem trip permission slip with this information

Class: American Lit
School: WJPS
Trip date: 4/29/09
Trip coordinator: Destefano
Destination: Historic Harlem and Sylvia's Soul Food
Departure: WJPS at 8am
Return: WJPS at 3
Mode of transportation: LIRR/subway
Purpose: Experience a taste of Harlem in conjunction with learning about Harlem Renaissance writers.
Specific clothing - weather appropriate clothing (full uniform)
physical activity - walking

Responding to presentations today -

Rachel's presentation was about WEB Dubois - explain what pan-africanism is. Discuss 2 things Rachel talked about.

Haley's presentation was on Carl Van Vechten - What was he famous for? What was interesting about his life? be specific.

Anthony's presentation was on Rudolph Fisher - What different careers did Fisher have? What did he write about? How did he die?

Yanill's presentation was on Arthur Fauset - What was his contribution to the Harlem Renaissance? What did he do in his early years? What did he do later in his life?

Robert's presentation was on Eloise Thompson - where did she go to school? What kind of childhood did she have? What did she do as an adult? What was her main focus in her writing/play writing?

Jordan's presentations was on Zora Neale Hurston - How was her early life? What event changed her early life? What was interesting about her life? How would you characterize Zora based on Jordan's presentation?

Harlem Trip - Big Onion Walking Tour of Harlem/Sylvia's Trip.

Permission slips will be given out on Monday.

The cost is $15 per student, as WJPS has so generously agreed to foot half the bill--this is a bargain! It is imperative that students have the slips returned with the money BY APRIL 1.

Ms. D have to send a non-refundable deposit, and in order to get the money from the school, she has to know precisely how many students will attend.

If you don't get the permission slip and money in by April 1st, you will not be coming with us.

This will be a great opportunity after doing the project we are working on now.

We will need chaperones, so if you have siblings or parents who would be interested in going, please let me know.

thanks

Reminder

Your Projects are due on Monday, 3/16 (This Monday coming up)

The following people should be ready to present on Monday:
Rachel Reed
Haley Diaz
Anthony Molina
Yanill Mencia
Robert Wright
Christina Kiousenteris

Jordan Montell
Christina Ceko
Paula Barbosa
Stephany Guzman
Angii Lewis
Al Negron

For Tuesday -
First anyone who doesn't go on Monday, then:
Richard Williams
Ciera D'Aguilar
Victoria Rios
Omar Valdez
Jenee Clark
Ladonna Godette

For Wednesday -
First anyone who doesn't go on Tuesday, then:
Josue Sanchez
Chris Marks
Alex Rubildo
Jonathan Chin
Freddie Lluberes

Independent reading assignment #1 - 3rd trimester

Your next independent reading assignment is due March 31st (Tuesday). It is the first major assignment of the last trimester. Please let's start this trimester off on the right track.

Get it done on time.

IR #2 for the 3rd trimester will be due April 30th (Thursday)

Presentation pointers

Please be ready the day before you signed up to go -

Don'ts:

• Read directly from your project or any other written piece
• Come unprepared, expecting to "wing it"
• Speak softly so no one can hear you
• Do not just spew random well-known facts

Dos

• make note cards of specific points you'd like to make
• have visuals to represent your work
• make eye contact with the class
• be prepared to answer questions
• make sure to inform us of what makes your person unique and special - i.e. why are you studying him/her?
• educate us on who your person is...
• be conversational - talk to us about your person based on all the work that you have done.
• show us what you have learned

Listeners:

You will be expected to take notes and ask questions based on the presentation

You will be expected to be courteous and respectful

You will be expected to give exit tickets every day

You will be expected to post to the blog with specific directives given on the day of the presentation

How to use Teacherease for the 1000th time

Please do not look at the grade you have on teacherease...

use this tool as a way to know what you are missing and to record what you have received on finished work... make sure to read the comments written on there as well.

As far as knowing where you stand, refer to the following:
4= A
3=B
2=C
1= Needs Improvement

other break downs:
3.5= A-/B+
2.5=B-/C+
1.5=C-

I hope this helps... when I tabulate grades, I look at your standards and the work you have completed. If you would like to have a conference about your grades, please email me... Do NOT post it to this blog.

Make up work

Tomorrow is the last day make up work will be accepted for the second trimester... this includes all rewrites, papers, and blog posts.

Portfolio pulling should be happening now, please make sure you go through your work in progress folder in class and select the pieces you'd like to put into your portfolio and make sure to write standard based reflections on each piece. You should try to select 3 pieces.

College Board Schools - 2009 Scholarship Essay Contest

Earn money for college and support your school. Submit an essay for the 2009 scholarship essay contest.

Eligibility:
The contest is open all college board 11th graders

Student prizes:
1st prize
$1000 college scholarsheet
(Best essay from all college board schools)

2nd place prize
$500 college scholarship
(One winner at each school)

3rd place prize
$250 college scholarship
(One winner at each school)

School prize
Schools with 95% percent of the 11th graders participating earn a $1000 book gift certificate\

we will discuss this in class.

MLA Style citation

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_mla_format_examples.shtml?gclid=CPvTrOvai5kCFQ9SQgodMhTCnA

http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/workshop/citmla.htm - a very comprehensive site... color coded and everything.

Searching for informational cites

Please fight the urge to use Wikipedia.com...

Go to www.google.com

in the search line put your person's name and Harlem Renaissance

Once you go to the first few cites, take notice of other key words you can use to search.

Make sure to write down all of the following info in order to document websites:
Title of the cite or page
Full Url
Publisher of the cite
date of last publication

Portfolio pulling

Please select 3 pieces of work from this trimester and reflect on it using the standards and skills used in the assignment...

Consider why and how this piece you've selected shows what you know and how well you know it.
Some pieces you may consider:

• Essay on the Bluest Eye (task 4)
• Essay on beauty from the Bluest Eye
• Crucible essay
• passage analysis on the blog
• Independent reading assignments
• Original poem with picture
• Gothic lit essay

These pieces will be due as of March 2oth - in time for parent/student/teacher portfolio conferences on March 26th and March 27th

Deadlines and reminders

2nd genre draft due Thursday, 3/5
3rd genre draft due Monday, 3/9
4th genre draft due Tuesday, 3/10
5th genre draft due Wednesday, 3/11

Final drafts and full projects due on Monday, 3/16

Presentations will be given the week of 3/16 as you signed up

the second trimester is over on 3/20

All make-up work is due no later than Wed. 3/11.

2nd genre drafts due on Thursday

Because of the field trip tomorrow, your send genre first drafts are due on Thursday.

Taken from Science Times today - please read and give your thoughts on this topic

This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now.

March 3, 2009
Rewards for Students Under a Microscope
By LISA GUERNSEY
For decades, psychologists have warned against giving children prizes or money for their performance in school. “Extrinsic” rewards, they say — a stuffed animal for a 4-year-old who learns her alphabet, cash for a good report card in middle or high school — can undermine the joy of learning for its own sake and can even lead to cheating.
But many economists and businesspeople disagree, and their views often prevail in the educational marketplace. Reward programs that pay students are under way in many cities. In some places, students can bring home hundreds of dollars for, say, taking an Advanced Placement course and scoring well on the exam.
Whether such efforts work or backfire “continues to be a raging debate,” said Barbara A. Marinak, an assistant professor of education at Penn State, who opposes using prizes as incentives. Among parents, the issue often stirs intense discussion. And in public education, a new focus on school reform has led researchers on both sides of the debate to intensify efforts to gather data that may provide insights on when and if rewards work.
“We have to get beyond our biases,” said Roland Fryer, an economist at Harvard University who is designing and testing several reward programs. “Fortunately, the scientific method allows us to get to most of those biases and let the data do the talking.”
What is clear is that reward programs are proliferating, especially in high-poverty areas. In New York City and Dallas, high school students are paid for doing well on Advanced Placement tests. In New York, the payouts come from an education reform group called Rewarding Achievement (Reach for short), financed by the Pershing Square Foundation, a charity founded by the hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. The Dallas program is run by Advanced Placement Strategies, a Texas nonprofit group whose chairman is the philanthropist Peter O’Donnell.
Another experiment was started last fall in 14 public schools in Washington that are distributing checks for good grades, attendance and behavior. That program, Capital Gains, is being financed by a partnership with SunTrust Bank, Borders and Ed Labs at Harvard, which is run by Dr. Fryer. Another program by Ed Labs is getting started in Chicago.
Other systems are about stuff more than money, and most are not evaluated scientifically. At 80 tutoring centers in eight states run by Score! Educational Centers, a national for-profit company run by Kaplan Inc., students are encouraged to rack up points for good work and redeem them for prizes like jump-ropes.
An increasing number of online educational games entice children to keep playing by giving them online currency to buy, say, virtual pets. And around the country, elementary school children get tokens to redeem at gift shops in schools when they behave well.
In the cash programs being studied, economists compare the academic performance of groups of students who are paid and students who are not. Results from the first year of the A.P. program in New York showed that test scores were flat but that more students were taking the tests, said Edward Rodriguez, the program’s executive director.
In Dallas, where teachers are also paid for students’ high A.P. scores, students who are rewarded score higher on the SAT and enroll in college at a higher rate than those who are not, according to Kirabo Jackson, an assistant professor of economics at Cornell who has written about the program for the journal Education Next.
Still, many psychologists warn that early data can be deceiving. Research suggests that rewards may work in the short term but have damaging effects in the long term.
One of the first such studies was published in 1971 by Edward L. Deci, a psychologist at the University of Rochester, who reported that once the incentives stopped coming, students showed less interest in the task at hand than those who received no reward.
This kind of psychological research was popularized by the writer Alfie Kohn, whose 1993 book “Punished by Rewards: The Trouble With Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise and Other Bribes” is still often cited by educators and parents. Mr. Kohn says he sees “social amnesia” in the renewed interest in incentive programs.
“If we’re using gimmicks like rewards to try to improve achievement without regard to how they affect kids’ desire to learn,” he said, “we kill the goose that laid the golden egg.”
Dr. Marinak, of Penn State, and Linda B. Gambrell, a professor of education at Clemson University, published a study last year in the journal Literacy Research and Instruction showing that rewarding third graders with so-called tokens, like toys and candy, diminished the time they spent reading.
“A number of the kids who received tokens didn’t even return to reading at all,” Dr. Marinak said.
Why does motivation seem to fall away? Some researchers theorize that even at an early age, children can sense that someone is trying to control their behavior. Their reaction is to resist. “One of the central questions is to consider how children think about this,” said Mark R. Lepper, a psychologist at Stanford whose 1973 study of 50 preschool-age children came to a conclusion similar to Dr. Deci’s. “Are they saying, ‘Oh, I see, they are just bribing me’?”
More than 100 academic studies have explored how and when rewards work on people of all ages, and researchers have offered competing analyses of what the studies, taken together, really mean.
Judith Cameron, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Alberta, found positive traits in some types of reward systems. But in keeping with the work of other psychologists, her studies show that some students, once reward systems are over, will choose not to do the activity if the system provides subpar performers with a smaller prize than the reward for achievers.
Many cash-based programs being tested today, however, are designed to do just that. Dr. Deci asks educators to consider the effect of monetary rewards on students with learning disabilities. When they go home with a smaller payout while seeing other students receive checks for $500, Dr. Deci said, they may feel unfairly punished and even less excited to go to school.
“There are suggestions of students making in the thousands of dollars,” he said. “The stress of that, for kids from homes with no money, I frankly think it’s unconscionable.”
Economists, on the other hand, argue that with students who are failing, everything should be tried, including rewards. While students may be simply attracted by financial incentives at first, couldn’t that evolve into a love of learning?
“They may work a little harder and may find that they aren’t so bad at it,” said Dr. Jackson, of Cornell. “And they may learn study methods that last over time.”
In examining rewards, the trick is untangling the impact of the monetary prizes from the impact of other factors, like the strength of teaching or the growing recognition among educators of the importance of A.P. tests. Dr. Jackson said his latest analyses, not yet published, would seek to answer the questions.
He also pointed out that with children in elementary school, who typically show more motivation to learn than teenagers do, the outcomes may be different.
Questions about how rewards are administered, to whom and at what age are likely to drive future research. Can incentives — praise, grades, pizza parties, cash — be added up to show that the more, the better? Or will some of them detract from the whole?
Dr. Deci says school systems are trying to lump incentives together as if they had a simple additive effect. He emphasizes that there is a difference between being motivated by something tangible and being motivated by something that is felt or sensed. “We’ve taken motivation and put it in categories,” Dr. Deci said of his fellow psychologists. “Economics is 40 years behind with respect to that.”
Some researchers suggest tweaking reward systems to cause less harm. Dr. Lepper says that the more arbitrary the reward — like giving bubble gum for passing a test — the more likely it is to backfire. Dr. Gambrell, of Clemson, posits a “proximity hypothesis,” holding that rewards related to the activity — like getting to read more books if one book is read successfully — are less harmful. And Dr. Deci and Richard M. Ryan report that praise — which some consider a verbal reward — does not have a negative effect.
In fact, praise itself has categories. Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychologist, has found problems with praise that labels a child as having a particular quality (“You’re so smart”), while praise for actions (“You’re working hard”) is more motivating.
Psychologists have also found that it helps to isolate differences in how children perceive tasks. Are they highly interested in what they are doing? Or does it feel like drudgery? “The same reward system might have a different effect on those two types of students,” Dr. Lepper said. The higher the interest, he said, the more harmful the reward.
Meanwhile, Dr. Fryer of Ed Labs urges patience in awaiting the economists’ take on reward systems. He wants to look at what happens over many years by tracking subjects after incentives end and trying to discern whether the incentives have an impact on high school graduation rates.
With the money being used to pay for the incentive programs and research, “every dollar has value,” he said. “We either get social science or social change, and we need both.”

Writing Obituaries for famous people

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/nyregion/01harvey.html?scp=2&sq=obituaries&st=cse

This is a recent obit that the NY Times ran. It will give you an idea of what can be included

editorial writing - sample

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/opinion/01sun4.html

http://econrsss.anu.edu.au/~aleigh/pdf/OpEd_Tips.pdf- this link gives good tips for writing opinion pieces

feature/entertainment article - sample

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/arts/television/02watch.html?ref=arts

Feature articles are different than news articles in that they aren't as timely. They are a little more descriptive and don't need to be as straight to the facts. They also don't need to use the inverted pyramid


Top tips for writing feature articles taken from
©Econnect Communication, 2002
http://www.econnect.com.au/pdf/quicktips/writing_features.pdf

A feature story differs from a straight news story in one respect – its intent. A news story provides
information about an event, idea or situation. The feature does a bit more – it may also interpret
news, add dept h and colour to a story, instruct or entertain.
Structure :
· The introduction is the most important part - entice your reader, hook them in. Use
drama, emotion, quotations, questions, descriptions
· The body of the article needs to keep any promises or answe r any questions raised in
the introduction - try and maintain an "atmosphere" throughout the writing
· While the introduction draws the reader in, the conclusion should be written to help the
reader remember the story - use a strong punchline
Some points to keep in mind:
· Focus on human interest - the feel and emotion you put into the article are critical. Don't
think about writing a "science" story - think about writing a "human interest" story.
· Be clear about why you are writing the article. Is it to inform, persuade, observe,
evaluate, or evoke emotion?
· Write in the active voice. In active writing, people do things. Passive sentences often
have the person doing the action at the end of the sentence or things being done “by”
someone.
· Accuracy is important - you can interpret and embroider but not fudge.
· Keep your audience clearly in mind - what are their desires, what really matters to them?
· Avoid clichés (cutting edge, world beating, revolutionary ) and sentimental statements -
especially at the end of your article.
· Interviews for features usually need to be in-depth and in person rather than over the
phone - this enables you to add in colour and detail.
· Use anecdotes and direct quotes to tell the story - try not to use too many of your own
words.
· Talk to more than one person to provide a more complete picture – but don’t just add in
sources to show how much work you’ve done. Be ruthless about who you put in and who
you leave out!
· Don't rely on the computer spell-checker - especially those with a U.S. dictionary.
· Decide on the ‘tense' of your story at the start and stick to it. Present tense usually works
best.
· Avoid lengthy, complex paragraphs. Your article will appear in columns, so one or two
sentences equals a paragraph.
· Ideas come from everywhere - watch, read, listen, keep up to date, take notes. Talk to
people outside the field of science to find out what interests and concerns them.

Sample news article -

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/nyregion/03storm.html?_r=1&hp

notice the objective tone...
lead
quotes both direct and indirect
short paragraphs
very informative

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/news/step3.htm - this is a great link for news writing tips

Early years poem - sample

The Early Years Blues

Born in Joplin, my parents loved me
But couldn’t get along with each other

Said I was born in Joplin, got lots of love
But my parents couldn’t get along
Mom went to look for stable work
Daddy hightailed it to Mexico feelin’ he was wrong

Raised by grandma until I was 12 in Kansas
She wanted what was best for me

Said I was raised by grandma ‘til I was 12
She wanted all the world for me
Grandpa died at that point
Mom came and took me to Illinoi

Homer Clark and Mom moved from place to place
We went from Illinois to Ohio and I began to write

Said Homer and Mom took me all over
Traveling the Midwest and I began to write
Moved through nine cities before I graduated high school in Cleveland
And took some time for delight

Headed down to Mexicali
Wanted a change of atmosphere

Said I headed down to Mexicali
Wanted a change of atmosphere
Started teaching English
Only lasted but a year

Headed North again seeking smarts
And some change

Said I headed to New York City seeking smarts
And some change
Enrolled at Columbia U
Far from my roots on the range

Success was coming
I could feel it in my bones

Said success was coming
I could feel it in my bones.
My big break happened when Lindsay read my poems
Shocked and surprised, his mind was blown.

Sample Statement of Process

Statement of Process

Over the course of my research, I have read many articles, many of which retold many of the same anecdotes. I found myself driven by all kinds of information.

• For the birth certificate, I did a Google search on birth certificates to find out what a Missouri certificate looks like. I found out what Langston Hughes’ real name was and who his parents were. I then fabricated a doctor’s signature for authenticity and as well as witness’s signature. I tried to make it as authentic as I could.
• The Early Years poem was based on much of the research that I found… mostly the internet articles mentioned in the bibliography. I tried to keep the style of the poem in the jazz tradition that Hughes was known for writing in.
• The skit was based on a blurb that I read about when Lindsay and Hughes met. The whole conversation is fabricated, but it gets the point across.
• The Negro Speaks of Harlem was based on the style of “Negro Speaks of Rivers” and the content was based on information provided by the historical articles on Hughes’ time in Harlem.
• The letter to Charlotte Mason came from an article that stated she was his financier and wouldn’t move forward with him due to differences of opinion. She also worked with other famous people during that time.
• The journal entry is a fabrication that just retells many of the events that happened and what I believed Langston’s closing thoughts would be after finding out he had cancer
• The timeline was taken from Exxon Mobile’s Masterpiece theater. It was condensed and paraphrased.
• The obituary was modeled after a New York Times obituary on famous people. I just took major events and publications and put it in one place.

sample birth certificate - see original that I made in class... this is just to give you an idea

Missouri Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records

P.O. Box 570

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570

Certification of Live Birth

This certifies that James Mercer Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1, 1902 .


Carrie Langston Hughes James Nathaniel Hughes
Mother Father

Weight: __ lbs __oz
Length: __ inches
Official Seal of Missouri

______________________ _______________________
Delivering doctor date Witness date

Official Seal of Missoui

Sample skit - exemplar

The “Busboy” Poet is Discovered

Fade in: Washington D.C. in 1925. We are at the Wardman Park Hotel restaurant where Langston Hughes is currently working as a busboy. The already famous poet, Vachel Lindsay is dining at the restaurant. Hughes sees Lindsay eating from across the room.

Hughes: (curiously staring) Hey! Do you think that is The Vachel Lindsay?

Busboy 1: Who’s that?

Hughes: You know, the poet. He’s written “The Gospel of Beauty” and “Rhymes to be Traded for Bread.”

Busboy 1: Never heard of him.


Hughes: (Walking slowly toward Lindsay’s table, searching for the right words to say. He digs up a napkin from his pocket and writes down one of his poems “The Weary Blues.” He continues to walk toward Lindsay’s table and holds his breathe.) Are you done, sir?

Lindsay: You can take this plate. (He doesn’t even look at Hughes when he answers.)

Hughes: (Places the napkin in front of Lindsay and takes the plate.) Anything else I can do for you, sir?

Lindsay: What’s this? (He seems irritated that his meal is being intruded upon by another want to be poet, but he still takes the time to read the poem. He slows down and doesn’t seem so annoyed anymore; he is intrigued by Hughes’s poem.) Did you write this young man?

Hughes: Yes sir. I have been writing for a while now. (He is confident, yet humble and truly amazed that Lindsay is interested in his work. The two become deeply engaged in conversation.)

Lindsay: How long did it take you to write it? What was your inspiration?

Fade out: Lindsay and Hughes discuss poetry through the rest of the night. Vachel later calls him the “busboy” poet because this is how he is discovered. Lindsay gives Hughes much valuable advice, which later helps Hughes win high accolades for his poem “The Weary Blues” which helped put him on the map as a writer. Unfortunately, Lindsay goes on to commit suicide.

Obituary - sample

Langston Hughes, Break Through Poet Dead at 65
Harlem, New York
May 23, 1967
By Starr Sackstein

It was a sad day for all of the people in Harlem. James Mercer Langston Hughes better known as just Langston Hughes passed away in Polyclinic Hospital of cancer. Hughes is best known for his many prize-winning poems and short stories. He will be remembered and missed.
Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in February of 1902. His parents, Carrie Langston Hughes, a schoolteacher and James Nathaniel Hughes, a storekeeper separated early in his life and he was raised until he was 12 by his grandparents in Lawrence, Kansas.
Hughes got the writing bug early in his life and began composing his beautiful poetry in elementary school. He was voted class poet while in the Eighth grade in Lincoln, Illinois. Even then, his classmates could see that he possessed something special.

Hughes was a Walt Whitman enthusiast as he too wrote about “workers, roustabouts, and singers, and job hunters…people up today and down tomorrow, working this week and fired the next, beaten and baffled, but determined not to be wholly beaten.” He was a poet of the masses, speaking of his experiences of the world. His experiences were all of our experiences despite the chaos that lurked in our country.
Langston Hughes’ best-known works are “The Weary Blues,” “Negro Speaks of Rivers” and Not Without Laughter. He had written several volumes of poetry, six novels, nine young person’s novels, two autobiographies, a variety of short stories and sketches, plays, photo essays, translations, lyrics for musicals and operas, radio and television scripts, recordings and articles on an array of topics.

Langston Hughes lived at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem. He will be missed by the literary community as well as by his remaining family. He never married.

Sample journal entry - exemplar

May 10, 1967

My days are quickly coming to an end. I feel them slipping by me the same way the countrysides of my youth drifted by in a fuzz and a whirl. I watched many people come and go and my life really feels complete despite my age and lack of relationships. I had wanted to be married but was dismayed early in life when love just didn’t come easily to me. Looking back on my years now, I feel as though I have done what my life has been put her for.

I traveled all over this good world, from Haiti, Mexico to the Soviet Union and Europe. I’ve played all kinds of place and met all kinds of people. No job was beneath me and situation was unconquerable. I am proud of what I have done even though everything hasn’t gone as planned.

When I found out that I had cancer, I wasn’t really surprised, I just didn’t think that life would pass me by so much more quickly. I’ve had so many opportunities afforded to me and I can honestly say that I’ve made the most of them all. I left my mark on this world as few can say and I had fun too. In these closing days, as I know the end is near, I warmly remember the hardships of my youth and the plight that my people and I have faced. I am confident that my work will touch people in a way that will hopefully inspire the young Negros of America to do something with their lives. Then at least I know my legacy was for something.

Signing out for now

Happy Snow Day

I hope all of you are staying warm and inside on this day off for snow...

Please use this opportunity to get some work done. Many of you haven't done your midterm reflection questions which should be emailed to me as soon as possible...

also there are many assignments missing...

Take this unexpected surprise to start making up work and reflecting on your current practices as we begin to wind down this 2nd trimester.

Wednesday you are on a field trip, so you will be missing class again... your projects are still due on March 16th... the grade will count twice... presentations will be happening all week (march 16-march 20)...

We will then be moving into our next full length novel - Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. Please make sure to grab yourself a copy of this novel as soon as possible. If you could buy it, it would be ideal. If not, please borrow it in time for March 23rd - That is when we plan on beginning.

Reflections in general

It is really important when writing reflections that you really go into depth about what your understanding of the assignment was and then how your work demonstrates you have done it.

Use the rubrics provided by your teachers to be specific in the standards and skills expected of you and then you can address many of them in your reflection.

Talk about what you did well.

Talk about what you could still do better.

Talk about how you felt about the assignment while you were doing it.

What do you want the reader of your reflection to take away from the piece you have used?

Sample standard based portfolio reflection

I have chosen my independent reading assignment for my portfolio because I feel that it illustrates my ability to demostrate a variety of skills and standards in this class. Because I have achieved a 93 on it, I feel that I am more than meeting many standards. It shows that I can identify texts of various genres independently and then write brief critical analysis about my selections.

For questions 3 and 4 where it asked me to locate a passage that shows the author's effective use in language, I show that I am both able to identify different literary elements such setting and characterization as well as literary techniques like foreshadowing and figurative language in the text. In addition to identifying these elements, I can discuss and analyze the author's craft and effectiveness. I feel that is not enough to just mention, but rather also to discuss the effect it has on the audience by using these things. I feel that reading published author's work has further helped me develop my writing as well.

Other things I am successful with in the assignment is my ability to understand texts on more than one level. I show that there is deeper meaning by selecting a passage and then drawing my own conclusions and making inferences.

I think this assignment demonstrates my successful mastery of these standards. I have learned to read a novel more closely and become acutely aware not only of story line meaning, but author's purpose while reading. I've also been able to write about these things in a meaningful way.

In the future, I feel that I will need to be more specific in addressing theme in this assignment. I think that I misunderstood what theme was about in question 6. I could have also worke with symbolism, but I think I mistook theme to be the main idea, when really it is just an overriding idea and there could be many in a text. Author's use them to connect the story to readers. Sometimes I could have selected more effective passages too. I think I may have rushed alittle in my selection of a passage about setting.

Independent Reading Assignment Standards

In an effort to help you all write better, more specific reflections, I wanted to help you understand the specific standards we have been addressing in the independent reading assignment:

For the whole assignment:

• Standard ELA2: Language for Literary Response and Expression Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.


• Listening and Reading Key Idea 1 -->ELA2.LR1: Listening and reading for literary response involves comprehending, interpreting, and critiquing imaginative texts in every medium, drawing on personal experiences and knowledge to understand the text, and recognizing the social, historical and cultural features of the text


• Students read and view independently and fluently across many genres of literature from many cultures and historical periods


• Students identify the distinguishing features of different literary genres, periods, and traditions and use those features to interpret the work.


• Students recognize and understand the significance of a wide range of literary elements and techniques, (including figurative language, imagery, allegory, irony, blank verse, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness) and use those elements to interpret the work.


• Students understand how multiple levels of meaning are conveyed in a text


• Students read aloud expressively to convey a clear interpretation of the work
  

Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.12.WR2.01::--> Students write interpretive and responsive essays of approximately five pages to: express judgments and support them through references to the text, using direct quotations and paraphrase

• explain how the author's use of literary devices, such as allegory, stream of consciousness, and irony, affects meaning

Performance Indicator 06--> ELA2.12.RE1.06::--> Students interpret multiple levels of meaning and subtleties in text

Performance Indicator 02--> ELA2.11.WR2.02::-->

• Students write interpretive and responsive essays of approximately three to five pages to:
• express judgments and support them through references to the text, using direct quotations and paraphrase
• explain how the author's use of literary devices affects meaning
• examine development and impact of literary elements, such as character (protagonist and antagonist), action (conflict, intrigue, suspense, and climax), and setting (locale and time period), in literary texts and performances
• compare and contrast the treatment of literary elements in different genres and by more than one author
• use literary criticism to expand personal analysis of the literary texts engage in a variety of prewriting experiences, such as using a variety of visual representations, to express interpretations, feelings, and new insights
  

Independent Reading Assignment Standards

In an effort to help you all write better, more specific reflections, I wanted to help you understand the specific standards we have been addressing in the independent reading assignment:

For the whole assignment:

• Standard ELA2: Language for Literary Response and Expression Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
• Listening and Reading Key Idea 1 -->ELA2.LR1: Listening and reading for literary response involves comprehending, interpreting, and critiquing imaginative texts in every medium, drawing on personal experiences and knowledge to understand the text, and recognizing the social, historical and cultural features of the text
• Students read and view independently and fluently across many genres of literature from many cultures and historical periods
• Students identify the distinguishing features of different literary genres, periods, and traditions and use those features to interpret the work.
• Students recognize and understand the significance of a wide range of literary elements and techniques, (including figurative language, imagery, allegory, irony, blank verse, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness) and use those elements to interpret the work.
• Students understand how multiple levels of meaning are conveyed in a text
• Students read aloud expressively to convey a clear interpretation of the work
  

Performance Indicator 01--> ELA2.12.WR2.01::--> Students write interpretive and responsive essays of approximately five pages to: express judgments and support them through references to the text, using direct quotations and paraphrase

• explain how the author's use of literary devices, such as allegory, stream of consciousness, and irony, affects meaning

Performance Indicator 06--> ELA2.12.RE1.06::--> Students interpret multiple levels of meaning and subtleties in text