Plot Builds Character: July 2016

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Night Activities

Activities for Night by Elie Wiesel

There are two prompts. One that is a challenge or can be used for a Regular English class / Honors English class. The other prompt is for students who could benefit from accommodations or a more straightforward essay topic.

Again, I added a very guided outline. It is the best outline I have ever made. Both Regular Education and Special Education students were very successful with it.

Night Cut and Paste Timeline with Answer Key

Blank Timeline

Major Events (includes events listed in order)

Night Journal Response

This can be modified to accompany any chapter in the book. It is especially useful after a long weekend. For students who might have been absent, I have included a list of events that happened in Chapter 1.

Night Quiz for Chapters 1 - 2

Engaging Introduction and Narrative Essay Lesson

Every year, we have students write an essay or introduction paragraph about themselves. This year, I made it more formal and planned out a lesson surrounding how to write a narrative in an interesting and sophisticated manner. I hope it goes over as well as I think it will in my head :)

Engaging Introduction and Narrative Essay

First, I will talk about different ways to begin a narrative piece. We give them these handouts all the time, and all the time, they neglect to use them. So I added the next page which has examples from different texts of engaging hooks.

For each excerpt, students must determine which hook strategy was being used.

Then, I give them expectations for their introduction essay. This is a pull-out Special Education English I class, so I want them to write at least four well-written paragraphs. The information is from their head, and I have included lots of prompting questions to guide them, so I am hoping this will not be too overwhelming.

I have highlighted questions that I want them to answer. They obviously do not have to answer all the questions. They are just to get them thinking because many students will bore me with details that are not particularly applicable, interesting, or relatable. Definitely remind students NOT to simply answer questions in order. They should read the questions, get a feel for what types of information I am looking to learn about them, and then write comprehensively.

Students are to hand write this first assignment because the computer lab is always overrun the first couple weeks of school. It seems silly, but that indentation is key for me to drill into their heads as freshmen, so my sophomore coworkers will be spared the disorganization. Thus, I do waste the paper and ink to print this out for this assignment.

I plan on giving students a participation grade for completing the strategies and warm-up activity. The essay will be graded using the TN state narrative writing rubric. For the most part though, I will be looking at their hooks, basic organization, and thoughtfulness since it is their first long writing assignment, and they are just adjusting to my expectations.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

To Kill a Mockingbird Novel Folders

**I set up novel folders for each of my ninth grade students. All the folders had all the materials for the whole unit inside. I graded the folders three times throughout the unit using a checklist. The only assignment not included in the folder was the poster project and essay.**

***Folders remained in the classroom. If a student was absent, they could take out one page at a time, never the whole folder.***

Unit Overview and Day by Day Outline

Power Point - Modified from original creation by Chadrenne Blouin and found at http://slideplayer.com/slide/239553/

Since this is created on slide player, I just show it slide by slide and scroll down.

Power Point Outline

Introduction Activity - Free from Teachers Pay Teachers by Tracee Orman

Read this teaser passage twice. Tell students to listen the first time, and the second time write down on a sticky note one fact they know about the book from hearing the passage, and one question they have about the book. I then have them come stick them on a t-chart at the front of the room that remains on the wall the rest of the book. As we read the book, we continued to return to the poster and address questions we had and facts we thought we knew. We then went straight from this activity to reading Chapter 1 and piquing further interest.

Important Quotes Collection Log

Allow students to see the Character Analysis Essay Prompt at the beginning of the unit, so that they understand what quotes might be appropriate to start collecting.

Chapter 2 + 3 Quotation Warm-Up

Chapter Summaries 4- 8

Summaries are copied from Sparknotes and formatted for ease of reading and printability.

Chapter 4-8 Sequence of Events - Read the summary of each chapter; Highlight 8 main ideas (one or two per summary). Use those main ideas to create a sequence of events chart.

Chapter 10: Close Reading

Maycomb Caste System Powerpoint and Graphic Organizer

This should already be in their folder for them to fill in. If not, pass it out, and when it is complete, have them file it in the folder appropriately so that all their materials remain together.

As a class, work through the Power Point to answer the questions. Then, as a class fill out each tier of the pyramid.

Plot Diagram

*An excellent culminating activity especially during crazy test scheduling*

Found free on Teachers Pay Teachers by Danielle Knight

Folder Checks: (Remember these will change dependent on what activities you choose to do. The students need the feedback that comes with these checklists. That way they are held accountable.)

Check #1
Check #2
Check #3

Poster Project - See my blog post from fall semester.

Essay Prompt

Absentee Assignments:

Chapter Profile: Students read the missed chapter (or summary) and complete the profile. (This would be in addition to or instead of the classroom assignment, depending on what was missed or how many days they have been absent).

Other Great Resources I used/modified from a lot:

TKAM Book Marks!!

So Cute!! Just Print, Laminate, and Cut! Found on TPT by Classroom Sparrow

Grade 10 TKAM Unit: Santa Ana Unified School District

Anticipatory Guide
Chapter 2 - Say, Mean, Matter: Diction and Setting
Chapter 3 - You Never Really Understand a Person Until...
Chapter 3 - Considerin Multiple Perspectives
Chapter 3 Quick Write - Walk Around in Shoes Quote
Chapter 7 - "A Scene from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee..." - Sketch all the items found in the knothole. Have students write possible symbolism/significance next to each item.
Chapter 9-10

Practice Explaining Symbols (93-94)
Analyzing Symbols in To Kill a Mockingbird (97)

Chapter 11 - Quick Write on Courage
Mob Mentality Unit Plan
Chapters 17-19: Courtroom Vocabulary and Pictures (148-9)

Trial Evidence Chart (153-55)

Chapter 20 - 21: "Responding to the Trial Verdict" (184-6)
Chapter 23 - 24: Close Reading of Atticus's Closing Argument (167-8)
Chapter 28 - 29: 4 People Under the Tree (208)

Mr. Tate's Decision (210)

Sunday, July 3, 2016

I love NY!

My husband and I are both from Upstate New York, and we wanted to have something to remember it by, so I painted this sign. They are sold at Wal*Mart for $5 (but NY only sells NY state cut-outs, etc).

Not geographically accurate, so don't drill me on it. I fudged it a little.

Country Stitchery

If you love Country Designs, you'll love making your own signs! With the help of You tube and their tutorials, anyone can learn some simple stitches to make these cute designs and more. The frames are plain wooden ones from the Dollar Store that I paint with cheap acrylics.