Agenda 10-8

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Discuss problem solving #3
* Timed writing, journal #2:

Reflect on the following quote:
"I had watched the whole scene without moving. I kept quiet. In fact I was thinking of how to get farther away so that I would not be hit myself. What is more, any anger I felt at that moment was directed, not against the Kapo, but against my father. I was angry at him, for not knowing how to avoid Idek's outbreak. That is what concentration camp life had made of me" (Wiesel).

Paragraph 1: Write about a time when you have misplaced your anger. Who were you really mad at? What would you do differently if you could go back to that situation?
Paragraph 2: Compare yourself to Elie.

Announcements:
* Discuss questions or concerns about reflection paper, due Thursday, 10-9
* Please turn in any missing butterflies, 30% off late penalty
* No school on Friday, 10-10

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir
* Write a response to literature

Agenda 10-7

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Finish reading and discussing chapter 4 of Night
* Begin reading and discussing chapter 5 of Night

Announcements:
* Discuss questions or concerns about reflection paper, due Thursday, 10-9
* Please turn in any missing butterflies, 20% off late penalty
* No school on Friday, 10-10

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir
* Write a response to literature

Reflective Essay, Night 2008

the overview:
When reading literature, part of our experience consists of learning about another time or culture -- an experience far removed from our own. But another part of our reading experience involves reflecting on the literature -- finding a unique connection between what goes on in our own lives with that of the fictional characters we discover through reading.

the assignment:
You will be writing a reflective essay on some of the chapters we will study during our Night/Holocaust unit in place of a quiz. You should not work collaboratively on this assignment. Papers, written by friends, which appear similar in concept or wording, will be asked to be re-written.

As I said before, this will be very difficult for those of you who believe you may skip reading assignments (or blatantly NOT pay attention during class—which, by the way, is very disrespectful and rude) and still receive a decent grade. No gifts will be given with these assignments; you will receive the grade you earn.

Keep in mind, grammar and spelling always count. Neatness also counts; if I cannot read it, I will not grade it.

Include an MLA heading. Double-space the entire essay. This does not have to be typed, although I would prefer it that way. Those who opt to type will receive a 5 point bonus (half a letter grade). Also include the word count at the end of the paper.

First, choose an important/meaningful quotation from the chapter to reflect upon. The quote should be no more than 3 sentences long and does not count toward your word count. You should write the quote on the top of your paper and include the page and paragraph found.

Next, explain the quotation and its relationship/significance to: a) the rest of the chapter; b) the novel, in general; and c) Elie’s character. You must include all three of these topics.

Then, describe your personal emotional response to the quotation. Why did you choose this quotation? What word or words demand an emotional response from its reader? (I’m looking for specifics here. Statements like “This quote is sad. This book makes me sad. It’s a sad story.” will receive 0 points. Explain, in detail, all your thoughts. Maturity also matters – disrespectful, irrelevant, or sarcastic comments will also receive 0 points.)

Finally, include any literary devices which connect to the quotation. (i.e., simile, metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony, etc. P.S. If there are “no literary devices used” you should pick a different quote.)

the content:
Choose a meaningful quote from chapter 4 of Night.

extra help:
As always, if you feel like you need help beyond what is available in the classroom, I will be available in my classroom before school 7:15-7:35am and after school until 4:30pm. I also check my email daily and may provide assistance this way as well. I cannot provide assistance if you do not ask; claiming to "not understand" an assignment and not asking for help is inexcusable. If you do not ask for help I will assume you understand the assignment and plan to turn it in, completed, on the due date. This assignment will be accepted up to three days late, with a

the values:
This essay will be graded using the ISTEP writing rubric.
quote: 5 points
explanation: 15 points
personal response: 15 points
literary devices: 15 points
content and grammar: 50 points
total: 100 points

Indiana State Academic Standards met by this assignment:

resources:
* sample correct response
* sample incorrect response

Agenda 10-6

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Quiz over chapter 3 of Night
* Receive reflection essay handout
* Begin reading and discussing chapter 4 of Night

Announcements:
* No more quizzes this week
* Please turn in any missing butterflies, 10% off
* No school on Friday, 10-10

Objectives:

* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy

* Read a memoir

Agenda 10-3

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Finish reading and discussing chapter 3
* Journal #1, 50 points:

Reflect on the following quote:
"At about noon they brought us soup: a plate of thick soup for each person. Tormented though I was by hunger, I refused to touch it. I was still the spoiled child I had always been. My father swallowed my ration" (Wiesel).

Paragraph 1: Explain how it describes Elie, his father, and how it pertains to the story.
Paragraph 2: Relate it to yourself. (details!)

Announcements:
* Quiz on Monday, 10-6, over chapter 3 -- 10 questions, short answer, 50 points
* Turn in butterflies
* Turn in bellringers for this week -- check for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir
* Write a response to literature

Agenda 10-2

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Begin reading and discussing chapter 3 of Night
* Receive sample reflection essays (right and wrong way) -- discuss

Announcements:
* Butterflies due on Friday, 10-3

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir
* Identify strengths and weaknesses of essays

Agenda 10-1

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Quiz over chapter 1 of Night -- 8 questions, short answer -- 50 points
* Read and discuss chapter 2 of Night

Announcements:
* Butterflies due Friday, 10-3

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir

Agenda 9-30

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Finish reading and discussing chapter 1 of Night

Announcements:
* Quiz on Wednesday, 10-1 over chapter 1 of Night
* Butterflies due Friday, 10-3

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir

Agenda 9-29

Activities:
* Bellringer
* Finish One Survivor Remembers film
* Receive Night unit calendars
* Butterfly project: Create a butterfly work of art, honoring the poem written by Holocaust victim. Art CANNOT be on notebook paper. Should be worth having 4 nights to complete. Should be creative and original. 25 points. Butterfly poem

Announcements:
* Butterflies due Friday, 10-3

Objectives:
* Explore the themes of fear, subjugation, anger, and tragedy
* Read a memoir

lit devices: types of writing 1

allegory: a story in which people, things, and actions represent an idea or generalization about life; allegories often have a strong moral or lesson example: Allegory of the Cave by Plato

autobiography: an author's account or story of her or his own life example: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

biography: the story of a person's life written by another person example: Albert Einstein: a Biography

comedy: literature that deals with life in a humorous or satiric manner; in comedy, human errors or problems appear funny; comedies end on a happy note example: The Taming of the Shrew *

drama: the form of literature known as plays; but drama also refers to the type of serious play that is often concerned with the leading character's relationship to society example: 12 Angry Men

epic: a long narrative poem that tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero example: The Epic of Gilgamesh

epitaph: a short poem or verse written in memory of someone example: famous epitaphs

essay: a piece of prose that expresses an individual's point of view; usually, it is a series of closely related paragraphs that combine to make a complete piece of writing example: "Self-Reliance"

fantasy: a piece of prose that takes place in a nonexistent and unreal world, such as fairyland, or concerns incredible and unreal characters, or relies on scientific principles not yet discovered or contrary to present experience example: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

fiction: narrative writing drawn from the imagination rather than from history or fact example: Wicked

genre: refers to a category or type of literature based on its style, form, and content

gothic novel: a type of fiction that is usually characterized by gloomy castles, ghosts, and supernatural or sensational happenings -- creating a mysterious, chilling, and sometimes frightening story example: Frankenstein

legend: a narrative or tradition handed down from the past; distinguished from a myth by having more of a historical truth and perhaps less of the supernatural; legends often indicate the lore of a people and thus serve as at least partial expressions of a national spirit example: King Arthur

memoir: a form of autobiographical writing dealing usually with the recollections of one who has been a part of or has witnessed significant events; memoirs differ from autobiographies in that they are usually concerned with personalities and actions other than those of the writer, whereas autobiographies stress the inner and private lives of their subjects example: Out of Africa

Daily Agenda 10/19

Today's Agenda ~


* Finish reading "The Uprooting of a Japanese-American Family"
* Read and respond silently for 20 minutes -- turn in when finished OR finish for HW
* Announcements: Darfur letters were due Monday; vocab was due Tuesday; outlines due TODAY!
* Find envelopes
* "Struggling with a Conflict of Interests" survey / complete and discuss
* "Oh, Romeo, Oh, Like, Wow" handout; read on your own time

Daily Agenda 10/18

Today's Agenda ~

* Begin reading "The Uprooting of a Japanese-American Family" (memoir)
* Read and respond to the story for 20 minutes (at least to page 61) -- keep and bring back for tomorrow
* Announcements: Darfur letters were due Monday; vocab was due Tuesday; outlines due Friday, 10/19
* Discuss outline topics