23-27 April

It's been a little wild at Grant this week with ACT testing and such.

The class has been studying Act III and the beginning of Act IV.

SSR is due next week.

Also next week with be OAKS testing Tuesday and Wednesday. Forecasting will happen on Thursday and Friday.

Ms. Margolis will be guest teaching next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Monday / Tuesday 16 / 17 April

In class students had SSR time.

Then we reviewed the II.ii. prompt books.

We read II.iii taking careful notes about how the chain of being was portrayed as broken.

We read and listened to II.iv. and then began watching III.

Wednesday / Thursday 11/12 Aprl

In class students had SSR time.

It was the last day to turn in the genocide research paper before the end of the quarter.

Students answered the question: Given how important the themes / concepts of night, sleep, blood, guilt, and The Chain of Being seem to be, what is Macbeth about (in your opinion)?

After answer this students created a Prompt book for II.ii. The prompt book is directions to actors and production crew to make their interpretation of the play clear.

Below is the handout used for this project. It is due next class period.

Monday Tuesday 9/10 April

Class focused on close readings of I.ii. of the Scottish Tragedy.

We looked at signs of how the breaking of the chain of being was upsetting the world.

We considered guilt as an important theme. We also considered the role of sleep as a theme and symbol. Blood was also identified as an important theme.

Chain of Being

All classes have had a lecture on The Chain of Being. Students can get an outline for the lecture from Mr. Zartler.

They will need to get these very important notes from a fellow student, or read an article provided by Mr. Zartler.

Wednesday / Thursday 4 /5 April

Today students had SSR time.

We asked the question, "Who's in charge?" in relation to I.v - I.vii.

Mr. Zartler gave a mini lecture on "Who was in charge?" in 1603. Students should get key notes about James I (VI); patronage; and The Lord Chamberlin's Men and The King's Men from another student or during conference period from Mr. Zartler.

Monday / Tuesday 2/3 April

In class we explored the idea of text and subtext.

We spent a lot of time studying Lady Macbeth's speech in the beginning of I.v. Then we watched three different productions of I.v in order to analyze the subtext for Lady Macbeth in each of the three productions.

Students turned in SSR for March. SSR for April is due 30 April / 1 May.

Final drafts of the research paper is due on Thursday / Friday 5 / 6 April.

Monday 19 March

Students watched I.i. - I.iv of Macbeth.

Students (who had turned in their research paper rough drafts) got back their research paper rough drafts.

Any one who needs additional help needs to see Mr. Zartler immediately.

Week of 12-16 March

Students should have turned in the rough draft of their research paper.

Students checked out Macbeth. We have read I.i. through I.iii. In periods 2,3, and 7. Periods 2 and 3 have read through I.v. and scene a professional version of these acts.

We have discussed how the concept of "paradox" is important to the play; see these notes:

Monday / Tuesday 5/6 March

Students began their monthly SSR sheets.

Mr. Zartler began by describing the specific skills required in writing a research paper:
A) Doing research (completed!)
B) Organizing Complex Ideas (what we're working on with outlining)
C) Clear explanations (rough draft; final draft work)
D) Citing Sources in MLA format (focused on in final draft)

Mr. Zartler gave a lecture on turning notes into an outline.

Students reviewed their notes, and the graphic organizers they created last week. They then tried to explain what question their notes were trying to answer.

Another way to think about this is to consider all of the notes gathered during research as pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Consider what picture you will see after assembling all of these pieces.

The answer to the question (above) or a description of the picture is the THESIS STATEMENT of the research paper.

By the end of class students should have an outline for their paper including complete topic sentences for all paragraphs except the conclusion.

February 22-28, 2012

During these class periods students first received a lecture on what a research project paper is and what it requires. Here are some key notes:

Then students learned about what kinds of questions to ask in doing research; for example:

Finally, students were taught the skill of "Annotating" a research article. Students must read and annotate at least four articles on their research topic; these annotations are due at the end of class on Monday or Tuesday. Thursday through Tuesday were days to do research in class.

Mr. Zartler collected and graded the annotations.

Reminder: SSR sheets will be collected from the 3-Ring binders at the end of the week.

Wednesday 16 Februray

After SSR students engaged in a variety of conversations about class, and grades.

Tuesday/Wednesday 14/15 February

Students began with a focused write on the topic: “Is a photograph an unbiased point of view?” After discussing how point-of-view and bias are related, students had SSR. Most students thought that the previous semester of SSR had improved both their reading rate and skill.


Next students participated in this lesson built around photographs of survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

Friday / Monday 10 / 13 February

Students first considered the word "Genocide."
Then students wrote to the prompt: "Do you find it remarkable that there needs to be a word like genocide? Why or why not?"
The class then brainstormed questions they had about genocide in human history. These questions were not answered, but may become focal points of the research paper that students will write this month.

Next students began studying a set of articles about recent genocides. Students then attempted to answer a set of questions handed out in class in order to identify fact from opinion.

Students received three new vocabulary words: bias; point of view; and propaganda.

The class then examined articles for bias, and for facts. These handouts are available form Mr. Zartler.

Wednesday / Thursday 8 / 9 February

In class students watched the video One Survivor Remembers. After watching this academy award winning documentary the class created a Venn Diagram comparing Gerda Weissmann's experiences to those of Elie Wiesel.

At the end of class students had SSR time. SSR logs are due March 2nd / 3rd.

Monday / Tuesday 7 / 8 February

We began the new semester with a a discussion of Grant High School culture.

End of the Semester

Remember:
Carrying Poem Final Drafts are due at the beginning of Final Exams!

Final Exams are an open note / open book essay on one or more of the themes in Night.

In class we have been taking notes on night and sharing quotes that help illustrate the various themes.

Mr. Zartler (or Ms. Brandy) has taught lessons on creating vivid descriptive language and metaphors for the carrying poems.

Finish Night.
Finish your Carrying Poem.
Do you best!

Monday / Tuesday 23 /24 January

Class began with a quick write:
What "big idea /them" (e.g. faith; family; illusions and delusions; hope; survival; good vs. evil; human nature; etc.) is most interesting to you in Night? Why? How do you think it will come up in the remainder of the memoir?

Students were asked to enter the following due dates in their planers.

While reading each of the chapters in Night they should take notes on the theme that they wrote about in the quick write today.

Also a reminder that SSR sheets must be complete the 25th / 26th.

Students turned in their poems after doing the following activities with them:
What intangible thing(s) is /are meant to be part of your poem?
What do you hope a reader will think about after they hear your poem?
Underline any very strong images or metaphors.
Put a squiggly line under any too vague or general words / phrases.
Ask Mr. Zartler one question (specific) that will help you improve your poem.

Students had some work time to accomplish their various tasks.

Thursday 18/19 January

2nd period students:
Students had SSR
Students worked in groups on the prompts they created for chapter 4 (through page 65 of Night).

Homework: Respond to the following prompt: On page 62 of Night, Wiesel writes, "I remember that on that evening, the soup tasted better than ever ..."; on page 65 he writes, "That night the soup tasted of corpses." What changed so much in Elie Wiesel's life that the soup (which probably had not changed much) tasted so differently to him?

3rd Period students:
Students had SSR
Students used the rainy weather outside for practice writing detailed, concrete sensory based descriptions
Students practiced creating metaphors by using comparisons of one thing with a DISSIMILAR thing in order to make a surprising image.
Students worked on drafting and revising their Carrying Poems.

Rough Drafts of Carrying Poems are due 23/24 January.

All students should have read through page 65 of Night.

Wednesday 18 January

Students turned in their homework creating prompts for passages in Chapter 4 of Night (through page 65).

Students shared progress on their "Carrying Poems".

Students worked on their carrying poems.

Carrying Poems Rough Drafts are due 23/24 January.

Tuesday, 17 January

Students had SSR time.
Students received graded work from Mr. Zartler.
Students got their Persepolis papers back including comments from Mr. Zartler.
Students got updated grade printouts.

We finished reading "The Things They Carried."
Mr. Zartler introduced the "Carrying Poem".

Rough drafts of the poem are do 23/24 January.

Final drafts of the carrying poems are due for each classes final exam.

Students began the process outlined on the handout for creating their poems.

Students turned in their five (5) longer responses to the close reading.

Period 2 was assigned reading through page 65 of Night. The assignment is:

Consider the passages that I have asked you to pay special attention to above. Now read, or review Chapter 4 (pages 47-65). Which passages seem most important to you in this section. Copy the passage down; write a question or prompt that you think is important to consider in conjunction with the passage. You should have at least two passages.

Friday, 13 January, 2012

Class today had the amazing privilege and inspiration to listen to Mr. David Dennis! Wow!

Wednesday / Thursday 11 / 12 January

7th Period students heard an interview with Walter Dean Myers. We did a SOAPS Analysis of the interview.

Students had SSR.

Students took the Night Vocabulary Quiz.

We read Patrol by Walter Dean Myers.

Students worked on their "Carrying" Poem.

Tuesday / Wednesday 10 / 11 January 2012

Students did a SOAPS analysis of this interview with Walter Dean Myers .

We discussed the implications of what Myers said.

Students had SSR time.

The class continued reading "The Things They Carried."

Monday / Tuesday 9 / 10 January

Vocabulary Quiz on Wednesday / Thursday
genocide; antisemitism; discrimination; propaganda; racism; stereotype; family; faith; Romani; "Gypsy"; Transylvania; Jewish; Holocaust; and sublime.

Close Reading of Night 5 Detailed Entries due on Friday / Tuesday!


Students had SSR and received a grade for completing notes on Night through page 46.

Students finished reading and discussing "The Things They Carried" and received a handout on how to write a "Carrying Poem." We will be working on this poem during the week.

Thursday / Friday 5 / 6 January

Students had SSR time; SSR is due the 25th/26th of the month.

Students presented their "Millions Project". Late Millions Projects should be presented on Monday or Tuesday.

The class continued reading and taking notes on "The Things They Carried."

All students should have read Night through page 46 and taken notes on the passages on the "Close Reading" work sheet.

Wednesday / Thursday 4/5 January

Reminder that "Millions" projects are due on the 5th / 6th.

Class began with a review of vocabulary. There will be a quiz on the current vocabulary next week. We added the word "sublime" to the vocabulary list.

Students had SSR time.

As a class we reviewed notes on pages 5-29 of Night.

Students should read and take close reading notes on Night through page 46 for Monday / Tuesday of next week.

Period 2 began reading "The Things They Carried".