That's all for Thursday!

Block B: In class today, we read the story "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes. After discussing the story you started working on a story map and characterization chart. If you didn't finish these in class please do so tonight as we will be discussing them tomorrow.

Block C: Today I reviewed some literary techniques that you should pay particular attention to: allusion, imagery, metaphor and irony. Not only are you expected to be able to identify their use in prose writing - but to discuss and analyze their functions in relation to the depth of your understanding of the work as a whole. Tomorrow will be your first group meeting - you need to have read the agreed upon pages and completed your sticky notes - should you fail to do so - there will be no meeting for you. Come prepared with lots to talk about!!!

Block D: My hope today is that you feel like you know how you are going to improve on your next literary analysis. After our discussion of the story - I talked about some of the things I noticed in your first attempt. I then assigned literary analysis number 2: In a well developed paragraph, analyze the central theme in "Saturday Climbing." The outline is due tomorrow. I will hopefully have the chance to talk to all of you about your thesis statements in class.

Walk-about Wednesday

Block B: Great work on characterization today! We'll read our next story tomorrow - no homework tonight!

Block C: Reading and sticky notes are due for our first group meeting on Friday! Good luck!

Block D: If you didn't finish the discussion questions for "Saturday Climbing" here they are. We'll discuss tomorrow!

Let's Talk Tuesday.

Block B: If you didn't finish the 4 questions for "Gentleman of Rio en Medio" in class today - please do them for homework tonight!

Block C: Intertextuality journal response is due tomorrow. Questions for consideration are on the bottom of the handout from Monday.

Block D: If you didn't finish the plot diagram for "Saturday Climbing" in class today - please do so tonight. If you did, no homework for you!

Mega-Monday!

Block B: Great job on the practice plot diagrams today with Pixar shorts. We will have an ELO on a plot diagram tomorrow in class - review the pink sheet of terminology to prepare. Otherwise - no homework tonight!

Block C: Thank you all for handing in your personal narratives today - I'm looking forward to reading them. There is no homework tonight - we will continue to explore intertextuality in The Matrix tomorrow. The journal response at the bottom of the handout today is due on Wednesday.

Block D: I will finish reading "Saturday Climbing" in class tomorrow. Your homework tonight is to use the feedback from your peer editor to create a double-spaced good copy of your Sammy paragraph.

Fun-times Friday!

Block B: Today we worked on the foreshadowing chart for "The Landlady" - which I know was a bit more of a tricky story - but hopefully our discussion helped you see the clues planted by the writer. Homework this weekend is to complete the plot diagram for "One Man Band." We'll discuss the parts on Monday.

Block C: Thanks for your interesting journals! Here is the slide of the questions if you had to leave early for clubs day and didn't finish.

Due on Monday - the double-spaced good copy of your personal narrative. Please also hand in your draft, map and pink criteria sheet.

Block D: Today I had a chance to check in with each of you on your thesis statements for your Sammy paragraphs. The double-spaced rough draft is due on Monday for peer editing.

Think about Thursday:

Block B: Please read the end of "The Landlady" for homework tonight. We will complete the foreshadowing chart in class together tomorrow.

Block C: The double-spaced good copy of your transformational narrative is due on Monday. If there is time tomorrow - you may use it to do revisions other than that - time's up!

Block D: The outline for your Sammy paragraph is due tomorrow - make sure you are including quotes to support your points and that you are analyzing not summarizing.

What about Wednesday?

Block B: It was very enjoyable to listen to your wonderful inferences about the story "They're Made out of Meat" in class today! We then got started on building up our foreshadowing skills. The notes you took on the prezi today will be used for the next 2 short stories - so make sure they are safe in your binder!

Block C: Keep working on those drafts. Personal narratives are due for self/peer editing tomorrow. I will not be giving you time on Friday to work on this. The 2-3 page double-spaced good copy along with the rough draft, editor feedback, map and pink criteria are due on Monday.

Block D: In class today, we took a few notes on direct and indirect characterization then applied them to the character of Sammy in "A&P" We will tackle the Literary Analysis (capitalization used to denote significance) tomorrow.