Thursday Content Test

After discovering today that many of you hadn't read the story, I've decided to make the content test really comprehensive. You need to read all of the stories.

Earth Day Assembly

I wasn't in class before you headed off to the Earth Day Assembly, so I didn't remind you, but you should be prepared for your quotation analysis for Tuesday's class. It's going to be on Part 3 of Gulliver's Travels. You will be given a passage which has something to do with women.

Fresh Air Friday

Well, so much for daily blogging. I've been a little busy, what with report cards and all. So, just to make a bit of an effort:
today we finished the Quotation Analysis work with group analysis based on Dickenson's "A Light Exists in Spring" which I analyzed for you and handed out as a photocopy. I handed out your report cards, and then we went outside to sit in the bleachers and read short stories. Next week, I have scheduled a content test for the short stories sometime before the first seminar on Friday. I will give you as much time as possible to read the short stories before the test (think about that and you'll know when the test is). Also, we need to have one final quotation analysis evaluation on Gulliver's Travels, and that will also happen next week. So, I don't like to schedule significant work for Mondays, and I want to model a seminar for you before I expect you to do your first seminar. I'm thinking that I'll model my seminar for you on Wednesday...

You are awesome!!

I can't remember the last time I got everyone's essay in on time.!!! WOW. I'm really impressed, and perhaps inspired to mark all weekend since you have all worked so diligently to complete the assignment on time.
We also did a little bit of work on coordination and subordination of ideas, and then my expectations for your seminar presentations. Make sure you have a plan for a technological failure.
And finally, we began some work on how to find and state significance.
Have a great break.

Wednesday

We finished the literal and figurative level interpretations of Part III of Gulliver's Travels with mini-presentations by the class.
I set the dates for the April Seminar Presentations and we finished off the class with a few minutes work on Sentence Structure and variety.

Tangibly Tethered Tuesday

If you were not in class today, you still need to participate in peer editing using the sheet from the class. Make sure that you have two people edit your essay appropriately. You will be submitting your thesis and outline, your rough draft, your peer-edit sheets, and of course your final good copy of the essay itself.

I also outlined what we will be doing in class for the week. Tomorrow we finish Part III Presentations. Thursday we will be arranging specific dates for seminar presentations and going over seminar presentation expectations. If you will be away the last week of April, you need to let me know so I don't schedule you for a presentation on that day.

Monday, Just Monday

Today, I subverted your SURF by giving you assigned readings, and then the class broke into groups and began to make note of the literal and figurative significance of Part III of Gulliver's Travels. We were able to take up Chapter One, and we'll continue with the remainder on Wednesday.
You handed in your Modest Proposals - which I will try to have marked before Easter break.
I handed back most Quotation Analysis assignments - I still have about five to hand back tomorrow. Tomorrow I will have sheets for you to follow when you do your rough draft peer editing. Don't forget that your good copy is due on Thursday.

Fatalistically Feral Friday

Grammar lessons 17, 18, and 19. Since you've already done these but aren't sure of them yet, I had you drill each other on the answers. We'll do that again on Monday.
You finished working on your Modest Proposal after a brief tangential discussion about Reason and Martin Luther.

Your Modest Proposal

Continuing our work with satire, you set to task today to create your own modest proposal, incorporating satiric devices where possible and following a marking structure I handed out. I'm leaving the form and length up to you and evaluating the effectiveness of your satire. Be creative.
We also did Subject Complements for grammar.
If you missed your Quotation Analysis yesterday, you did it today at lunch in the classroom.
Tomorrow you will continue working on your satire and make sure you are writing chapter summary notes as you read ahead for Part III. I'll let you know when I expect you to hand them in. We will have a content test for Part IV.

Quotation Analysis

Today we had our in-class Quotation Analysis. Tomorrow we will continue with grammar and satire.