What causes corruption? What prevents it?

Students read the play "The Picture of Dorian Gray," the tale of a man who sells his soul to a mysterious painting in order to retain his youth. With every corrupt action Dorian takes, however, the painting publicizes his evil.

Today we watched the film, and students took notes about the light and music direction. They also wrote key words that may be factors leading to corruption.

Pride
Distrust
Terror

Finally, some notable quotations from the play include:
"But when your youth goes, your beauty will go with it, and then you will discover that world doesn't want you anymore." (Lord Henry)
"Evil is a thing that writes itself across a man's face." (Basil)
"I will kill the past. When that is dead, I will be free." (Dorian Gray)

Vocabulary Quiz TOMORROW

aqua-water...aquarium
bio-life...biology
gen-birth, race...generation
mater-mother...alma mater
spec-look...inspection
cogn-know...recognize
loc-place...dislocation
nat-born...natural or innate
ped-foot...pedestrian
sign-mark...signature
aud-hear...audience
struct-build...construction
vis-see...visual
photo-light...photosynthesis
therm-heat...thermometer
act-do...activity
mem-recall...remember
tact-touch...contact
cycl-circle...recycle
graph-write...biography

What other cognates can you recall?

Multi-Genre Project

This week, students began work on the Multi-Genre Project (MGP). Each Core was able to choose a topic as a class. Once the class had chosen, I researched the topics and found articles for the students to work with. We focused in class on pulling out the most relevant information from the articles, and had a mini-discussion to ensure understanding of the content.

We will start working on the first part of the MGP, the collage, on Monday. Students will be able to visually represent what they see as the most important information. The second part of the MGP is the informative essay. Students had a little time today to work on the thesis tree, but they will have more time before they begin drafts on Tuesday. We will spend the entire class time on Wednesday working on the essay. Revisions will happen in class on Thursday, and the essay will be due at the start of class Friday, May 3^rd. I will grade their essays according to the Informative Essay Rubric, which is glued into their composition notebooks. Also on Friday, we will begin working on the third part of the MGP, the interview. We will have class time Monday to finish it. Students will create a book cover for the MGP as the last piece of the project. Presentations will be on Wednesday, May 8^th.

Core Topics (Chosen by Students)

Core One: Public Acts of Violence

Core Two: The FBI

Core Three: Terrorist Attacks

Important Dates

April 29^th Collages to be made in class

May 3^rd Informative Essays due at the start of class

May 6^th Finish Interview

May 7^th Create Cover

May 8^th Present Multi-Genre Project

Artist Research Project

After reading a list of forty-four different artists, students were able to choose one artist they would like to research. (Students will have time in class to do the research.) Doing the research will enable students to create a PowerPoint Presentation and a narrative biography. (Both of which they will have time to work on in class.)

The narrative biography will be due on April 11^th. I always expect students to incorporate the Six Traits of Writing into their essays/drafts. Beyond the Six Traits, things that I am looking for in a good narrative biography include: story telling elements, pictures, and a citation page. A narrative biography should sound more like an E! True Hollywood Story than an encyclopedia entry.

Emphasis on the narrative piece in the biography is important because it will make PowerPoint Presentations stronger. If their writing has a story-like feel, then their PowerPoint Presentations will have a conversational quality. The PowerPoint should also include pictures and a works cited page.

To do well on both parts of the assignment, students should do the following:

•  Consult the Informative Rubric (Six Traits)
•  Tell a story – Do not just give facts
•   Include pictures of the artist and the art
• Include at least three credible sources
•  Include a citation page.

Finishing the Argument Essay

     Today, students received feedback and critiques on their argument essay rough drafts. We spent the second half of class making good drafts into great essays. Students will need to complete the second draft of the argument essay over the weekend. On Monday, I expect that students have their thesis trees, rough drafts, and second drafts with them when they walk into class. We will go to the computer lab to type the final copy of the argument essay.

Reminder!

You may not use contractions.
You may not use "I".
Your position must be a "should" or "should not" statement.
You should balance your facts with interpretation.

Slam Poetry

What is Slam Poetry?

 It combines rhythm and vivid language to express the poet’s thoughts on  social issues.

Most poets write about…

differences,

fears,

love,

 and justice.

Poets experiences may include school, family and

world news, and the poetry may form from something real, imagined, or both.

We are going to become slam poets!

Through the use of figurative language and the connection of themes from literary works and our lives, we are going to write our own slam poetry.

What is figurative language?

  --Figurative language puts a picture in the reader’s mind.

“Food?”  Chris inquired, popping out of his seat like a toaster strudel.

Simile: comparison using "like" or "as"

His cotton candy words did not appeal to her taste.

Metaphor: direct comparison between two or more things - one thing IS another

Peggy heard the last piece of cheesecake in the refrigerator calling her name.

Personification: giving human characteristics to animals or objects

Alice's aunt ate apples and acorns around august.

Alliteration: repetition of sounds, letters, or groups of sounds in a series of words

Snap, crackle, pop!

Onomatopoeia:use of words to imitate or describe a natural sound or a sound made by an object

I could eat a horse!

Hyperbole:An extreme exaggeration – so dramatic that no one believe it

Theme 

How do you make inferences and connections to the text?

Examples: Themes from the Civil Rights Unit

Hate breeds hate

Until every American is treated equally, there is no equality 

Even the smallest, youngest people can make a difference

We also watched a slam poet, Devin Murphy.

 http://www.hbo.com/russell-simmons-presents-brave-new-voices/cast-and-crew/team-san-francisco/video/devin-murphy.html

Argument Essay: Rough Draft Due March 7th --- Final Draft Due March 11th

Having just finished our class novel, Three Cups of Tea, we are now moving full force into the argument essay.  Today in class, students organized the research they have been compiling and began working on thesis trees for the essay. At this point, every student should have their position (thesis), supporting details (bullet points), and thesis tree (organized outline of the argument essay). Core three did not make it as far as cores one and two on the thesis trees today, but they will have time in class to work on them tomorrow.  Additionally, tomorrow we will spend the bulk of our time writing our rough draft for the argument essay.

Since next week is ISTEP+, students are not required or expected to work on the argument essay over the weekend. We will spend time in class tomorrow as well as a day next week working on rough drafts of the essay; it will be due on March 7^th. The final copy will be due on March 11^th, and we will go to the computer lab as a class to type it. For students who do not finish typing the essay in class, Mrs. Adler and I will hold Language Arts tutoring (Monday the 11^th) in the computer lab. Students will be able to stay after and finish the essay at that time.

 I strongly encourage students to bring flash drives to class if possible. Doing so will benefit all students, but it is especially beneficial to those who do not finish typing in class and cannot stay for tutoring. After the class time and tutoring on the 11^th, we will not return to the computer lab to finish the essay. Students who do not finish in class and cannot come to tutoring will be able to turn in the essay on the 12^th, and will need a flash drive to do so.