Scarlet Letter Day 1

Collect Syllabus

Puritan sharing
Scarlet Letter Graffiti 

1. List one unwritten rule for surviving in high school.
2. What comes to mind when you hear the word “clique?”

3. List one clique that exists in this school.
4. In what way do you (and people in general) conform to what is expected of you?
Review responses and have a discussion

The Puritans

1. What do you know, or what have you heard, about the Puritans? What is their reputation? What associations does the word “Puritan” have for you? 2. Have you ever heard someone talk about being branded with a scarlet letter or call someone a scarlet woman? What might this mean?

•A new girl has transferred to your school. As she passes through the hall, you overhear some boys and girls in your class whisper that she is a slut. What is your response?

1. What does guilt look like? Draw a symbol for guilt.
2. Your friends are angry at you. Would you rather get the silent treatment or be angrily confronted? Briefly explain your choice.
3. Write a definition for “scapegoat.” Add to the definition written by your peers by giving examples.
4. What are some possible reasons someone might not speak up for themselves when they are being treated unfairly or are simply misunderstood.?



HW: Read Scarlet Letter ch 1-II (33-41)



Write questions in margin
Keep track of characters
What do you notice about the cultural setting?
What about the physical setting?
Circle and look up all vocabulary words that you find challenging.
Are there places where you feel the text invites you to read for figurative/symbolic meaning? Where?  Why?
What do you think of the narrator?  What makes him trustworthy or not?  Do you think he is essentially represents Hawthorne's perspective and attitudes or some other one, i.e., he is essentially a another character, a creation of Hawthorne's, a persona? Why?

PERA Type II #1 and Puritan pre-reading research

PERA Type II: This Boy's Life

Junior teachers are administering this so that we have a baseline sense of each student's reading and literary analysis skills.  Although I will assess this and keep it as part of a batch of beginning of year writing samples I have from each of you, I will simply give you a 5 point completion grade rather than a grade. Do your best, but don't stress. Please hand in as you leave.

Stop writing no later than 10:18.  When you are done writing your essay, please staple your essay to the top of your prompt and reading packet, and hand the materials in. MAKE SURE YOUR LT HEADING IS WRITTEN AT THE TOP OF YOUR ESSAY SHEET! 

Homework:
# Finish reading the syllabus (have your parents read it too) and bring in your syllabus signature sheet (signatures from both you and a parent) on Monday.

# Bring The Scarlet Letter on Monday, August 28.

# Online research project. Go online and research American Puritans.  Please see details below:

Find answers to the following questions.  In each case, find a credible website, read it, and copy and past key excerpts that help to answer this question. Identify the title and URL for each website you use. Print and bring the materials in for Monday.  Aprroximately 1-2 pages of text.  Make sure that you have read your research materials and understand it well enough to explain it to classmates.

1) When and why did the Puritans come to America? (copy and paste relevant passages with website name and url)

2) Which key theological (religious) beliefs shaped how they saw themselves and their society? Which Puritan religious leaders were prominent in America and why? (copy and paste relevant passages with website name and url)

3) Why  might shame and punishment play such a central role in their culture and society?  This might be a mix of passages from internet sources combined with your own inferences.




 

August 24, 2017 Summer Reading

It's a Woman's World

• Pair and share
• Large group discussion

• Summer Reading Group Talk

1.     Introduce your book: title, author, topic

2.     What do you think was the most inspirational aspect of your book? Explain

3.     What is an idea/concept you think you'll never forget that your book brought up?

4.     What type of person in our society needs to read this book?  Explain.

5.     If you could talk with the author, what is one question you would ask him or her? 

Homework: Write your LT Heading and your book title, and the write a paragraph discussing whether or not you think we should keep this book on the list for next year's incoming juniors. Explain why.  If it was not on the LT summer reading list, simply explain why you would or would not recommend it to another LT student for reading.

 

August 23, 2017 It's A Woman's World and Inferential/Evaluative Questions

Here is the phone policy for our course.

•  No headphones.
• All phones must be placed on the desk to the immediate right of your keyboards. Please don't make me remind you each day! From now on, we will keep cellphones on the right hand corner of your desk whether in the classroom or a computer lab. That way, you will have them ready if we need them for a class activity, but this will hopefully minimize texting and other distractions during class.

• Syllabus review: read through the second quarter

• Discussion Time

_____________________________________

"We are defined by what we forget"
What do you think the line above means?

Read the poem.
Now what do you think the line means?
Discuss your interpretation and reasoning with your group. 

Homework Part One: 

Re-read the poem. Then, write one textually-based interpretive questions about the poem. Please make sure to link it to a specific quote from the poem.  
Interpretive questions are questions that seek clarity about a passage that strikes you as ambiguous or confusing, but which you feel is potentially important. 


An interpretive question differs from more straightforward, factual questions in that it may have more than one possible answer.

Example interpretive question:

Lines 18-20 contain what might appear to be a counter-intuitive statement: "We are defined by what we forget". She adds, that we are defined "by what we never will be: star gazers, fire eaters." Who does "we" refer to, and why does Boland claim they will be defined by what they forget and what they never will be? Finally, who is it that is defining them this way? 

Homework Part Two: 


Bring a book that you read this summer.  Be prepared to share  a passage (about a paragraph) that you found interesting and tell us how it relates to the book in general.
Also, prepare notes to help you discuss the following:

Summer Reading Group Talk

1.     Introduce your book: title, author, topic

2.     What do you think was the most inspirational aspect of your book? Explain

3.     What is an idea/concept you think you'll never forget that your book brought up?

4.     What type of person in our society needs to read this book?  Explain.

5.     If you could talk with the author, what is one question you would ask him or her? 

At the end of tomorrow's class, you will turn in the following:  When your group is finished, each of you fill out a half sheet of paper with your name, your book title, and whether or not you think we should keep this on the list for next year's incoming juniors. Explain why.  If it was not on the LT summer reading list, simply explain why you would or would not recommend it to another LT student for reading.

Bring signed syllabus sheet on Friday, August 25

August 22, 2017 - Introduction and Beginning-of-Year Self Assessment Letter

August 22, 2017

All Classes in DC West
- Attendance
- Turnitin.com registration.  The Keyword is WESLEY

15882897            3AP prd 1 sem 1 1718     

              

15882957            3AP prd 3 sem 1 1718     

              

15882969            3AP prd 8 sem 1 1718  

LT Heading:

(your name)

(teacher’s name)

(class name and period)

(date)

- Introduction and Beginning-of-Year Self Assessment Letter

Wesley

Self-Assessment #1

Introduction and Beginning-of-Year Self-Assessment Letter

Purpose: This letter will help me 1) get to know each of you personally and as an English student, 2) provide you with an opportunity to reflect on your experience as a student of language and 3) allow you to begin reflecting on your reading, writing, and discussion goals for this year. FYI…I will read this, but I will not grade it. 

Directions: In a conversational letter, tell me about yourself. For the sake of efficiency and thoroughness, please follow the format below:

Dear Mr. Wesley,

Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself, say “hi”, and tell me a little bit about where you live, your family, and what classes you are taking this year.

Paragraphs 2 and 3: Share a little bit more about yourself. In no particular order (I’ll leave it up to you as to what you choose to put in paragraphs 2 or 3, respectively), address some (or all) of the following: hobbies, activities, places you have lived, languages other than English spoken in by you and/or other family members at home, a person you look up to (and why), favorite childhood memory, a memorable recent event, an accomplishment your proud of, how you like to spend your free-time, pets, and most memorable recent event. Also, share some of your favorites: TV show, musical artists, food, book, school subject, movie, sports team.

Paragraph 4: How do you see the study of English/language arts impacting your life now and in the future?  In your opinion, how is it relevant or meaningful to your life? Also, what can you and I do in this class to make it more meaningful?

Paragraph 5: Please address the following: What are your strengths in language arts? Reading, writing, discussion? Which specific reading, writing or discussion skills do you feel are strengths for you? Conversely, what do you struggle with or feel you need to work on? What English skills would you most like to improve upon this year?

Paragraph 6: Anything you want to share that wasn’t covered in the earlier paragraphs or just a short, polite closing …

Sincerely,

Your Name

When you are done, please save it to your LT English folder, print two copies - one for your binder and one to hand in to me - and submit it to turnitin.com.  

Time Permitting: Review part of syllabus

HW: Find my blogspot on your phone/computer and make it a favorite/like it...no, I'm not trying to win a cyber popularity contest, just want you to know where to find class info.

August 21, 2017 Day 1 of class

Welcome to 3AP and my blog (I generally use this instead of Canvas)

Schedule:
1: 3AP - N210
2: Planning Period 
3: 3AP - N210
4: Drop-in Language Arts - N221
5: Planning & Lunch
6: 4P World Perspectivess - N210
7: 4P World Perspsectives - N210
8: 3AP - N210

LTTV Eclipse

Typical Weekly Schedule

Mon	Tues	Wed	Thurs	Frid
Weekly Schedule/ Reading	Writing & Discussion	Reading	Writing & Discussion	TBD

My background

• Education: Undergrad and Grad 
• Professional - Envirnomental and Teaching
• Daughter is an LT Grad

- Attendance...please let me know if I mispronounce your name or if you go by a nickname

- Review syllabus...Day 1

______________________________________
"We are defined by what we forget"

What do you think the line above means?


Homework: 
Enroll in turnitin.com (make sure you enroll in the correct section!). The class sections/numbers are provided below. The enrollment key for every section is WESLEY (all caps)

15882897            3AP prd 1 sem 1 1718     

              

15882957            3AP prd 3 sem 1 1718     

              

15882969            3AP prd 8 sem 1 1718      

Tim O'Brien interview Public television

Bring your Platoon permission slips tomorrow