Block Day, Week 14: Grammar and Journal

* Open

* Grammar

• Review Grammar Rules
• Do the next grammar sheet (of the four from Focus)
• Review the last two together

* Do J11: Choose one Collins and one Frost poem (Collins and Frost ).  Length = 1 pg. or more. 

1. Frost: Locate a key image or images, and discuss how that image communicates an idea you enjoy.  
2. Collins: Locate a key image or images, and discuss how that image communicates an idea you enjoy.
3. Compare the style, tone, and structure of Robert Frost and Billy Collins.

* CWP (due date and points listed now)

HW: None

Wednesday, Nov. 14: Introduce CWP #2

* Open

I used this picture last week for someone you may see around campus (Mrs. Price).  Today, I'm using the same picture to remember Mrs. Isomi Doyle (middle, in yellow), once a teacher at MVC. 

* Synchronize Swatches (Reno and Schwager): J11 is not homework for Schwager or Reno.  We will work on it in class.

* Schwager's Classes: Turn in the FD of your political essay.  Please underline your opening thesis. 

* Quarter 2 CWP Assignment: A Christmas Blessing

* Grammar

• Do the first sheet (Schwager) or second sheet (Reno) of of the Bedford 21 handout that is on Focus
• Do this on paper or a .pdf editor
• Underline the subject and circle the verb (or just write the two on your paper)

* CWP or Box

HW:

• (Schwager) CWP or Box
• (Reno) Finish your THE (the five paragraph essay you've been working on through LTOW).
• Be sure you print out an MLA formatted copy
• highlight your thesis (making sure it employs parallelism)

Billy Collins

Poems

• Introduction to Poetry 
• Forgetfulness
• Sonnet
• Litany

Monday, Oct. 29: Origins of Poetry

* Open

• Chesterton Memorization

* J9, Please respond to the following questions (in class):

•  What is a poem?
•  What is the oldest poem you can think of?
•  What is your favorite poem or favorite thing about poems?  Has a poem or type of poem ever bothered you?  Explain.  
•  What is your best or worst experience you have had interpreting a poem in an educational setting?

Reno:

• Finish poster
• *Reno's class: Read Leo Tolstoy's "How Much Land Does a Man Need" (Red lit book in class) and do the following journal:
  
  J8(B) - "How Much Land Does a Man Need" (half of one hand-written page)
• What is one of the main themes of this story? Remember that a theme is a general statement that identifies an author's view of some aspect of life. Also, the theme must have a subject and a predicate. In other words, it must be stated as a complete sentence.
• How many ironies can you identify? Explain them.

HW: Read Robert Frost's "The Aim was Song" and "Never Again Would Birds' Song be the Same" below.

Block Day, Week 9

* Open

• Prayer
• Hopkins (we will be memorizing Chesterton next)

* Please read my post on earthquakes and our drill today.  

* When your are finished: We are transitioning from short stories to poetry.  Please read a few examples of student creative writing from the past (click this link to go to the creative writing blog).

* J8 How does an element relate to a the theme of a student's work (see blog, choose a story or poem)?  Or, how might the student have made an element work better in a given piece, given the theme? 

* Review anything remaining from J5, 6, or 7.  Collect 6-7.

 * Party on Monday.  Let's plan:

• The weather is to be partly cloudy with a high of 67 degrees, so hot tea is fine.
• Tea
• Iced tea?
• Lemonade 
• Cups that can take tea
• Plates
• Napkins
• Spoons, knives, forks (plastic)
• Honey
• Baked goods
• Milk?

* Fun: Columbo and Young Spock: "A Stitch in Crime" (2.4)

HW: PARTY!; J8 due Tuesday; Homecoming week: Germanic Myth Theme for Sophs

Foxy Fox

My parents found a grey fox on their deck (we're remodeling) yesterday.  Their property overlooks the Bay Area.  

Joining you in your CWP time: Here is a poem I wrote for my wife today to send with the picture. 

"One Little Word Shall Fell Him"

At first, I thought the Poetry Foundation wrong when it put the line in "I must down to the seas again" in Masefield's "Sea Fever" ("go" was missing).  So, I started reading around and found that those lines originally had "go," but he removed them 20 years later.  Then, 20 years later again, he replaced them.  Finally, he said he just wasn't sure which to do.  That's quite a bit of deliberation!