PACE: Noun Project, Conflict & Essential Questions

Today we took stock of the work we have to do for the rest of the year.

Here's a pic of the notes.

We used The Noun Project  to explore relating conflict through simple images.  The idea here is that our experiences with conflict informs our ability to see and relate to even a string of basic images.  We know conflict when we see it; now, how do we deal with resolving it?

On your blog for this week, you will post a story using images from The Noun Project to relate a conflict you are dealing with in your life.  You may choose to include an explanation or allow the images to speak your voice.

Then we took time to choose essential questions around conflict to guide our work.  Each person chose his or her own Q. This question should be thought about as you read and complete the graphic organizer, collecting evidence and understanding as you go of your essential question.

Next class, we dive back into vocab (QUACK 2), MUGS, share our essential Qs and what is happening in our books.  We will also start pre-writing our essays.

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ Posts (Q4 Wk 1 - we did not have mandatory blogs the first two weeks of the quarter bc we were on the trailer project.)

Req'd Post: Post a story using images from The Noun Project to relate a conflict you are dealing with in your life.  You may choose to include an explanation or allow the images to speak your voice.

Vocab:  Quack Unit 2 Part 1

Quiz: Thursday, May 8

MUGS: TBA.

Quiz: TBA.

Read:  2 Novels from Selections

Complete: 3 Graphic Organizers Per Selection

Due: June 1

Complete 1st Book by May 15

Write: 2 Essays over Self Selected Essential Questions

Due: June 8 

Complete 1st Working Draft of 1st by May 15

AP Lit: 2B/3B Multiple Choice Test Prep & More

Hope the break was a good one.  It was your last.  (Of your senior year.  In high school.)

Tuesday's class was built around multiple choice test prep.

We discussed the #ayuhaloha project.  Here's an update.

We also discussed the Pinterest board projects being due this Friday, May 2nd.

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post: #Remash of #ayuhaloha pieces.

Read: Watchmen Chapters 1 & 2 (Be Certain to Read Under the Hood)
Due: Thursday, May 1st

Complete: Pinterest Test Review Boards
Due: Friday, May 2nd

Create a set of Pinterest boards to aid in your review, and your peers' review, of three texts to have mentally ready for the open-ended essay at the test.

Your set of boards MUST include pins that will help you to remember:
Characters & Narrators
Structure & Point of View
Conflicts & Resolution
Imagery & Symbolism
Items, Objects of Significance
Settings of Significance
Overarching Themes
These categories are based on trends one can see in the open ended response prompts of the past. 

Now, how you organize your boards is up to your brain.  It may make sense to have one board for each title.  It may make sense to have one board for each category of analysis.  Set it up in a way that makes sense to your brain and has deliberate intentions.

#AyuhAloha & #Remash
INTENDED DUE DATE: Friday, May 2nd
Due Dates Are On THIS BLOG POST. If you have not read this, do so POST HASTE!

Test Prep
Test: Thursday, May 8th.
You have a folder of test prep materials shared with you on your Google Drive.  Help yourself to those resources.

Humanities: Privacy vs Accountability

During class on Tuesday, we discussed the following questions:

Should people be held accountable for comments made in private?  

and

To what extent does it matter if those comments are recorded and made public? 

We discussed these questions in relation to the allegations made regarding L.A. Clippers majority owner, Donald Sterling, and a record purportedly made of him making racist comments.

Later in the evening, the NBA issued its fine and a lifetime ban on Sterling's participation in the NBA.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10857580/donald-sterling-los-angeles-clippers-owner-receives-life-ban-nba

We will discuss this during Wednesday's class.

Wednesday will also include time to work on a graphic organizer, either based on an article such as the one above or a selection from Little Brother.   You have a grand total of six due by this Friday, May 2nd.  These are important as they lay the foundation for your next round of DEJs as well as your project due NEXT Friday.

HOMEWORK:

Blog: 3+ Entries
Req'd Post: To what extent should high school students be given unfiltered access to the internet?  

Little Brother Organizers: 2 Due by Friday, April 18.
2 Due: Over Break
2 Due: Friday, May 2nd
Grand Total of 6: Friday, May 2nd

Project Due: Friday, May 9th

Vocab: Roots 13 
Study: Quiz & Product (11-13), Thursday, May 1st

Humanities: Boston: One Year Later & Little Brother

One year ago, this weekend, the Boston Marathon Bombings forever changed the lives of thousands.

As we read Little Brother, look for parallels between the events in each.  Consider what Marcus experiences and his role in it all.  Consider the role and portrayal of law enforcement in both the true story of the Boston Bombings and the fictional story of Little Brother.

You will blog your thoughts today on the above.

HOMEWORK:

Blog: 3+ Entries
Req'd Post: Discuss the connections between what you have read in the Little Brother unit so far and what is in the 60 Minutes video regarding the Boston Marathon Bombings.

Little Brother Organizers: 2 Due by Friday, April 18.
2 Due: Over Break
2 Due: Friday, May 2nd

Project Due: Friday, May 9th

Vocab: Roots 13 
Study: Quiz & Product (11-13), Thursday, May 1st

AP Lit: 2B/3B/3G: #AyuhAloha, True Grit, Heart of Darkness, Watchmen, Test Prep, Analysis & More

We have been up to all sorts of things these past couple of weeks.

A great deal of work around tone, Heart of Darkness, on demand writing, True Grit, collaborations, test prep, and a bunch of other stuff as well.  And yes.  It can feel like a lot of stuff all at once right now.

And this week will feel much the same.  This may be fortunate or unfortunate depending upon your point of view.

Analytical & Composition Process Product
Due Friday, April 17

This isn't a piece you need to defend.  This isn't a piece you need to share or present.  Though it could be very rewarding if you did.  And it would make wonderful blog posting.

Remember the expectations here:
Demonstrates your strengths & weaknesses in your analytical process
Demonstrates your strengths & weaknesses in your composition process
Uses evidence to prove the above are true.
Must stand on its own without need for further interpretation.

Pinterest Test Review Boards
Due Friday, May 2nd

Create a set of Pinterest boards to aid in your review, and your peers' review, of three texts to have mentally ready for the open-ended essay at the test.

Your set of boards MUST include pins that will help you to remember:
Characters & Narrators
Structure & Point of View
Conflicts & Resolution
Imagery & Symbolism
Items, Objects of Significance
Settings of Significance
Overarching Themes
These categories are based on trends one can see in the open ended response prompts of the past. 

Now, how you organize your boards is up to your brain.  It may make sense to have one board for each title.  It may make sense to have one board for each category of analysis.  Set it up in a way that makes sense to your brain and has deliberate intentions.

#AyuhAloha & #Remash
Due Dates Are On THIS BLOG POST. If you have not read this, do so POST HASTE!

Test Prep

There will be on-demand writing this week.  And feedback.  And conferences.

I will be recording a two-minute slice of audio feedback for each of you.   From there, if you'd like to meet with me to talk more about your on-demands, we can set up a time.

True Grit & Heart of Darkness
This week's activities will focus on bringing the ideas from those novels together.

Watchmen
Handing these out on Thursday & Friday

HOMEWORK

Blogs: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post: TBA.

Other Work?
See above.

MEssing around with Real Time Board

AP Lit: Hamlet

You asked for it, and here it is. We're finally going back to Hamlet.

It's been a while, but we really want to get through this. So today we're skipping the timed writing and completely focusing on watching Hamlet. For those of you who want to participate, we've set up a backchannel. Get ready to discuss!!

Don't forget. The analytical project deadline is fast approaching! Be sure to email if you have any questions.

Little Brother Introduction

Today we will begin to lay the foundation for the next book we will be starting, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. This story has an unbelievable amount of themes that can be explored, but for our purposes we will only focus on a few: freedom, privacy, and responsibility/accountability.

What is "freedom?" What about "privacy," "responsibility," or "accountability?" What do these things look like when done right? What about when they are done completely wrong?

Not only are these ideas all through Little Brother, but are also factors in our everyday lives, so they should be explored! Begin your exploration here, with some Pinterest boards I put together to give you a quick idea of what these terms mean and look like. If you have more time, or don't find my sources particularly helpful, feel free to find your own, but be prepared to both discuss them and cite them later.

We will briefly discuss the terms after you have had time to check out some of the sources, and then it's time for a much more hands-on exploration, so get excited!

The idea here is that by the end of class, we will have collected enough information on these topics in order to form our own working definitions of them to be used throughout the readings and discussions of Little Brother.

Req'd Blog Post: Briefly summarize (a few sentences will do for that) this experience and reflect upon it. Did you learn anything new? Has any of your thinking changed as a result of this? Once that is complete, be sure to include the definitions of the terms that we formed in class. Pick one of them to expand upon- either find more sources with further information on the topic or relate it to your own life or experience.

Weekend Homework

Well I don't know about you, but I think we need a recap of what's due for next week.

1. True Grit needs to be read when you get to class next week. It's vital that you have read it and have a general understanding of the book because we're going to do an in class activity (an introduction to our collaborative project with Hawaii) based on the book.
Due: Monday, April 7th

2. You should have your picture chosen for the Dr. Seuss assignment. As a reminder you are writing a short passage, story...anything really, in the rhyming style of Dr. Seuss, but with the tone of Heart of Darkness. **This can be about anything. It DOES NOT have to be about anything we've done in class** I just want you to show me that you understand the tone and can replicate it in an unconventional way.
Due: Monday, April 7th

3. When you get to class next week you should have a written poem somewhere (on your computer, handwritten..preferably not on your blog), and you should have your visual 3x3 posted to your blog. **To make it a little easier on you guys, this will count as your required blog post for the week**
Due: Monday, April 7th

Hope this helped. There will be a post to follow about the analytical project. As always, feel free to email us with any questions!

AP Lit: Heart of Darkness and.....Dr. Seuss???

Yup! You read it correctly. Today, much like we did with Frankenstein, we discussed the overall tone of Heart of Darkness (not an easy feat I might add). After that we took on an interesting challenge. Write a short story, scene, description, etc in the rhyming style of Dr Seuss, but with the tone on Heart of Darkness. 

On a side note, we're going to start a collaborative project with another class in Hawaii next week. Get pumped!

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:  Take one line from a 3x3 either you or a classmate wrote and turn it into a poem. **The poem does not have to be about Heart of Darkness**
Due: Friday, Apr 4

Reading:  Have all of True Grit read for class next week. You'll need it for our activity with Hawaii!
Due: Mon. Apr. 7 (3G) / Tue. Apr. 8 (2B/3B)

Over the weekend you should also create your visual 3x3 poem and write a poem to go with it. As always, if there are any questions make sure to send an email!

Just a reminder. This week's blog posts will go on 4th quarter. If you have blogs that you've posted late please email either Mr. Ryder or Miss Haskell to make sure they're graded before the quarter closes this friday!

AP Lit: Heart of Darkness 3x3s

This morning we took another close look at Heart of Darkness. We just did it a little differently today. Instead of sitting there analyzing passages, we got out the note cards and made ourselves some literary 3x3s. Then for homework we all took one line from either our 3x3 or a classmate's and turned it into a poem to put on our blog. 

While the reading for Heart of Darkness is done, we're still spending one more class with the text and attempting to combine it with the stories of Dr. Seuss!

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:  Take one line from a 3x3 either you or a classmate wrote and turn it into a poem. **The poem does not have to be about Heart of Darkness**
Due: Friday, Apr 4

Just a reminder. This week's blog posts will go on 4th quarter. If you have blogs that you've posted late please email either Mr. Ryder or Miss Haskell to make sure they're graded before the quarter closes this friday!