October 13/14, 2008

English 1 -- Today in class, students took 2 short quizzes: the reading check quiz over chapters 14 through 16 of TKAM and an open-note quiz over the Scottsboro Boys case that they learned about last class. After taking the quizzes and discussing the chapters read for homework, students learned about the social classes of the southern USA during the time of TKAM by filling out a 5-rung social ladder. After filling in the traits and characters that belong in each catagory, students received the review packet for chapters 6 through 11, which they begun working on and will have time to finish next class period. We also got most of the way through the reading of chapter 17 in class. The chapters we are reading right now are some of the most important and most suspenseful of the entire novel; next class period we will see these chapters come to life in the TKAM movie.

English 1 Homework
Read chapters 18 and 19 (finish chapter 17 if not finished in class)

Chapter 18

1. Who is Mayella intimidated by when she is testifying?
2. Why does Atticus ask Mayella if Tom chokes and hit her?
3. Who does Scout say has spotted them sitting in the balcony?

Chapter 19

1. Who does Tom Robinson work for?
2. What does Tom say Mayella does to him?
3. According to Tom, who did Mr. Ewell direct his anger toward?

English 2 -- Today in class, students wrote in their Writer's Notebooks about either their best birthday memory or their worst birthday memory in preparation for the short story we read called "Eleven". After reading the story, students experimented with writing in different voices by writing an extension of "Eleven" from the point of view of the narrator's parents, trying to explain to her why she had been discriminated against by her teacher. After the writing assignment, students engaged in a peer response activity called PQP (praise, question, polish) during which they both gave and received advice on how to improve the personal narratives that will be due next week. Next class we will be doing some conferencing, revising, and editing of the narratives in order to get them ready for submission for a grade.

English 2 Homework

Make changes suggested by your responder on your narrative

Finish the "Eleven" writing assignment if not yet finished