Tuesday, May 31st

Today - vocab 17 ex. 5 is due. Tomorrow ex. 6 is due and your quiz is on Thursday.

You should be finished with your research now. If not, that's alright. There will be computers in the classroom to finish that up. You should be writing the body of your speech now. That will be due tomorrow. Your entire speech should be written on notecards by Thursday so that we can do peer reviews.

Monday, May 23rd

Today, we'll be going over what this speech is going to be about. Then, we'll look at buzzwords to use when giving the speech to your hypothetical audience of college admissions officers.

In your groups, pick one of these websites to look for FIVE buzzwords.

Augsburg College

North Hennepin Community College

Normandale

University of Minnesota (Go Gophers!)

Hamline

Hennepin Tech

Friday, May 20th

VOCAB DAY!

We'll be taking our Vocab 16 tests and starting the new packets for vocab 17. This should be a day to catch up on anything you need to turn in.

Thursday, May 19th

PRESENTATIONS! We're going to finish them up today. Also, vocab 16 ex. 6 is due today, as well as the entire packet tomorrow. Tomorrow, as you know, is the quiz for that packet.

Also, tomorrow, don't forget to turn in your reflections and any other papers that go with your theme triangle projects.

Tuesday, May 17th

First things first - let's go over vocab 16 ex. 5

Then, we're going to explore a concept called barriers to entry. This is a concept that makes it hard for people to understand other communities. For example, let's look at two newspaper websites:

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Star Tribune

In order to gain entrance and understand a culture (whether it be a city, country, school or neighborhood), we need to know some of the cultural codes, which included vocabulary, how you act and how you look.

We'll break into six groups. There will be three texts (chapters from The House on Mango Street (pgs. 28-30, 84-85, & 106-107) Brent Staples's "Black Men and Public Space" (pgs. 297-300) and a Newsweek blog article). Two groups will read each text and answer these four questions:

• What is the big problem in what you read?
• What is preventing that problem from being solved?
• Has this ever happened in your life?
• How can somebody solve it?

You will answer these questions as a group and then we will get together to have a large group discussion.

Monday, May 9th

1. Quiz over the ENTIRE book. Don't worry - it's just an essay quiz and you get to use your book.

2. Begin theme triangle project.

DUE TOMORROW: vocab 16 ex. 2

Choose one question to answer. Each answer should be AT LEAST a half page long. Do not worry about writing organization, grammar or spelling - that's NOT what I'm looking for. What I'm looking for is that you can answer these questions based on what you know of The Secret Life of Bees as a WHOLE book.

Here's the breakdown of scores:

Do you use quotes or paraphrases (so, otherwise, evidence) from the book? ____/2

Do you explain how this evidence relates to your answer? ____/2

Do you have a correct understanding of the events in Bees. ____/2

Did you answer the question? ____/2

Is your answer at least half a page? ____/2

Go ahead now and pick a question to answer. Please, please, please put down the number of the question you are answering.

1. Do you think T. Ray loves Lily? Why or why not?

2. How has Lily's relationship with her mother changed?

3. What do you think are the positive and negatives of Lily's community?

4. If there were a sequel to this book, what would be the plot? Why do you think that?

Thursday, May 5th

VOCAB DAY!

You will have your quiz and then the rest of the hour to finish the next vocabulary packet.

DUE MONDAY: Finish up The Secret Life of Bees.

Monday, May 2nd

We're starting debates today! Today, you'll prep for your group's debate and tomorrow will be the show down. Also, prepare for your Bees quiz.

DUE TOMORROW: Be prepared for the debate; vocab 15 ex. 5

Friday, April 29th

DUE: Vocab 15 ex. 4

What we're doing today: Going over theme triangle project that we will begin on May 10th.

DUE MONDAY: The Secret Life of Bees chapters 10, 11 and 12

Wednesday, April 27th

DUE: Vocab 15 ex. 3

Finish up group presentations

Begin socialization activity with agents of socialization from a text book and worksheet asking you to find examples of each one in Bees and the world.

Tomorrow: Nothing's due, but remember, chapters 10, 11 and 12 are due on Monday. Start reading!

Monday, April 25th

DUE TODAY: Vocab 15 ex. 2, TSLOB ch. 6-9 (Quiz today!)

What are we doing today? Group work! You will be working on your weekly mission in groups today and presenting them tomorrow. If you miss today, grab a sheet and choose one mission to complete.

Due Tomorrow: Nothing!

Thursday, April 21st

DUE TODAY: Vocab 14 packets

Take Vocab 14 test and then work on vocab 15 packets OR reading.

Due Monday: Reading TSLOB ch 6-9. There will be a quiz on Monday; if you fail the quiz, you will not be able to do group work.

Wednesday, April 20th

DUE: Vocab 14 ex. 6; Remember: Vocab test is tomorrow! Know your words!

What we're doing in class: Discussing the benefits of communities and reading a newspaper article about the American Indian Cultural Corridor on Franklin Ave., in Minneapolis. Students will work in groups to find benefits of this community and relate them to their own lives.

Tuesday, April 19th

DUE: Vocab 14 ex. 5

Finish group work and go over presentations. Turn in notes at the end of the hour!

DUE TOMORROW: Vocab 14 ex. 6

Monday, April 18th

GROUP WORK!

Let's keep working on it.

What's due today? Vocab. 14 ex. 4

TSLOB ch. 4 & 5

Strive Toward Freedom worksheet

What's due tomorrow?

Vocab. 14 ex.5

Vocab 14 test on Thursday

Chapters 6-9 TSLOB due Monday, April 25th

Friday, April 15th

Group work study of The Secret Life of Bees

1. Go over vocab 14 ex. 3

2. Learn about group work expectations:

Each individual will participate and be graded on their participation.

Each group will create a prep sheet for their questions.

Each group must create a lesson and visual to teach the class.

Each individual will take notes on their sheets from the other groups' presentations.

3. Do group work!

HOMEWORK: Read chapters 4 and 5; we'll finish this section of group work on Monday and have a quiz on the chapters. Also, do vocab ex. 4

Thursday, April 14th

1. Go over vocab ex.2

2. Introduction to our unit on the development of communities. This will coincide with reading The Secret Life of Bees AND lead into writing informative speeches later.

3. Here's the powerpoint of the day:

The Not-So-Secret-This-Unit Life of Communities on Prezi

HOMEWORK: Vocab. ex. 3, Chapters 1-3 of TSLOB, 20 questions

Tuesday, April 12th

The MCAs made the schedule kind of whacko, so this will be a day to work on vocabulary, reading and worksheets (Eyes on the Prize, Strive for Freedom, etc.)

Here's the schedule for vocabulary 14:

Vocabulary 14 Due Dates

Exercise 2: Thursday, April 14

Exercise 3: Friday, April 15

Exercise 4: Monday, April 18

Exercise 5: Tuesday, April 19

Exercise 6: Wednesday, April 20

Final Test: Thursday, April 21

Friday, April 7th

More introduction to The Secret Life of Bees.

Homework: Eyes on the Prize sheet due Monday; Ch. 1-3 of TSLOB and 20 questions due next Friday.

The-Secret-Now-But-Not-Later Life of Bees on Prezi

Thursday, April 7th

EYES ON THE PRIZE!

We're watching an episode from the PBS series "Eyes on the Prize" to get some background information on the Civil Rights Movement for The Secret Life of Bees.

Homework: EOTP worksheet

Wednesday, April 6th

LAST DAY OF MCA PREP!

You've found out which portions of the MCA test you'll need to improve; now, open your packet and improve those skills today.

Tuesday, April 5th

We're finishing up the MCA prep test today.

When you finish, you'll get a key to score how you did. On the sheet, the questions are divided by category. You will see which areas are your strengths and weaknesses. You'll get a packet in which you will be able to work on your weaknesses.

Monday, April 4th

MCA PREP!

You'll take a pre-test in class today in order to judge your strengths and weaknesses for the upcoming test. This MCA's important: embedded in the test are questions that you must answer correctly in order to graduate.

March 21st

Last day of speech prep!

First, go over vocabulary exercise 5.

Then, time yourself and edit your speech with your partner.

We will draw numbers at the end of class to get the order of speeches for the next few days. We will spend the rest of the week listening to and giving speeches.

March 18th

1. Go over vocabulary exercise 4

2. See rubric for the speech; focus on the delivery section! Most of you will have the speech written wonderfully. Practice the delivery to make sure you speak with each of the parts of delivery:

• Volume
• Pacing
• Pose
• Articulation
• Voice tone & pitch
• Expression and body language
• Eye contact
• Note cards

3. How to note card your speech

Highlight key words and phrases

Outline on note card

4. Outline speeches on notecards

DUE MONDAY:

Outlined speeches on notecards

Vocabulary exercise 5

March 17th

1. Go over vocabulary ex. 3

2. Talk about the body of the speech

a. George W. Bush clip (why it's necessary to prepare for speeches)

b. Ethos - make sure to write what you're going to say and practice so that you use your ethos to engage your audience.

3. Write body of speech; get introduction and conclusion checked.

4. Reconvene; DUE TOMORROW IF YOU DIDN'T GET IT FINISHED TODAY: Body of speech.

March 16th

Brainstorming for speech items

-each item will be small enough that it can fit into a brown paper bag. It'll stand for one of your values, desires or beliefs.

Also, look at how to organize a speech:

Introduction

Lead - (question, fact/statistic, anecdote, quote, definition)

Thesis - the purpose of this speech; everyone's will be similar

Preview - optional, but a natural part of preparing your audience for what you will be speaking about

End Statement - A transition to your body

Body

Conclusion - This will mirror your introduction, but with concluding language

End Statement - A transition FROM your body

Review

Wrap Up

DUE TOMORROW: A rough draft of your introduction and conclusion. This means you will need your paper bag objects chosen to write this.

March 15th

Vocabulary Work Day

Complete vocabulary worksheets; if you finish early, finish reading "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston and finish worksheet. You'll need a copy of the text to finish the workshet.

Vocab due dates:

3/16 - ex. 2

3/17 - ex. 3

3/18 - ex. 4

3/21 - ex. 5

3/23 - ex. 6

Due tomorrow: "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" worksheet

Welcome!

This is your class.