Week of June 2nd

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: Be ready to sign up for American poet project.
• Class: Final exam review puppet theater; some thoughts on college recommendations; odds and ends.

Tuesday, June 3rd (U)
• Due: Work on American poet project and final exam prep.
• Class: Work on American poet project in Media Center.

Wednesday, June 4th (M)
• Due: Work on American poet project and final exam prep.
• Class: Work on American poet project in Media Center.

Thursday, June 5th (T)
• Due: Prepare for common assessment (you may bring one side of one piece of paper with a handwritten outline or rough notes; no drafts and nothing printed or microscopic).
• Class: Common assessment (the last one of the year!).

Friday, June 6th (W)
• Due: American poet project (your handout, two pages only). Remember to review the assignment sheet for requirements, including three sources for your research.
• Class: Portfolio reflection; begin poetry presentations.

Monday, June 9th (H)
• Class does not meet today. Sniff!

Tuesday, June 10th (F)
• Due: Be ready to share your poet with the class.
• Class: Present and respond to American poetry projects.

Wednesday, June 11th (S)
• Due: Be ready to share your poet with the class.
• Class: Present and respond to American poetry projects.

Thursday, June 12th (U)
• Due: Exams (folk art and written explanation) and portfolio inserts due.
• Class: Exam presentations begin.

Note: You must attend our final exam period at 8.15a on Tuesday, June 17th, even if you have already presented! Unless you are medically unable to be in school, you will lose your participation points for not coming to the exam and listening to your classmates.

Reminder: Bring back vocabulary books – plus anything else you owe – as soon as possible to avoid hold slips!

Week of May 26th

Monday, May 26th
• Memorial Day (no school today).

Tuesday, May 27th (T)
• Due: Draft of Catcher imitation. Turn in Catcher books today.
• Class: Discuss plans for the rest of the year; share and work on imitations.

Wednesday, May 28th (W)
• Due: Work on Catcher imitation; review texts for class review session.
• Class: Review for exams.

Thursday, May 29th (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Friday, May 30th (F)
• Due: Final draft of Catcher imitation.
• Class: Review for exams.

Monday, June 2nd (S)
• Due: Be ready to sign up for American poet project.
• Class: Work on American poet project.

Note: Not too many deadlines left! Here are some tentative ones:

• Your poetry project handouts are due on Friday, April 6th.
• Portfolio inserts (signed by a parent or guardian) are due Wednesday, April 11th.
• Final exam projects are due Thursday, April 12th.

Reminder: Bring back vocabulary books – plus anything else you owe – as soon as possible to avoid hold slips!

Week of May 19th

Monday, May 19th (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, May 20th (F)
• Due: Final copy of research paper, including works cited page. Review your proofreading checklist for requirements before printing! Read Catcher through Ch. 23 (pg. 180).
• Class: Share research papers in small groups; research paper self-assessment; getting to know Phoebe Caulfield.

Wednesday, May 21st (S)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 24 (pg. 193).
• Class: “Diagnosing Holden: Troubled Teen or Something More?”

Thursday, May 22nd (U)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 26 (pg. 214).
• Class: Big paper discussion of the end of the novel: symbolism and voice in Catcher.

Friday, May 23rd (M)
• Due: Begin work on Catcher papers (individually or in pairs).
• Class: Time to work on Catcher papers.

Monday, May. 26th
• Memorial Day (no school today).

Tuesday, May 27th (T)
• Due: Draft of Catcher papers due when you arrive in class.
• Class: To be announced.

Catcher Links

This link will take you to the Psychology Today page for today's diagnosis:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/pto/conditions_by_topic.php

This page has the full text of The Catcher in the Rye online (scroll down and click on "Show full text"):

http://www.wattpad.com/3616

Finally, click this link if you'd like to download an electronic version of the chart to work on:

http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/ahs/faculty/kitsis/documents/diagnosing_holden.doc

Good luck, to you and to Holden!

Week of May 12th

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 11 (pg. 80).
• Class: Wrap up slang lesson; understanding Holden, Allie, and J.D.

Tuesday, May 13th (U)
• Due: Second draft of research paper (full length plus works cited).
• Class: Peer reading with revision guide.

Wednesday, May 14th (M)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 14 (pg. 104).
• Class: “Dear Abby; Dear Holden.”

Thursday, May 15th (T)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 17 (pg. 134).
• Class: “Psychology Today.”

Friday, May 16th (W)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 20 (pg. 157). (Note the correction!)
• Class: Wrap up psychology lesson; reading time.

Monday, May. 19th (H)
• Class does not meet today. Keep reading and revising!

Tuesday, May 20th (F)
• Due: Final draft of research paper (in hard copy when you arrive, including works cited page). Remember to review the checklist and try to get another reader. Read Catcher* through Ch. 23 (pg. 157).
• Class: Self-assessment of research paper; “Getting to Know Phoebe.”

Week of May 5th

Monday, May 5th (M)
• Due: Read The Catcher in the Rye through Ch. 4 (pg. 35).
• Class: Reading quiz; finish A Raisin in the Sun.

Tuesday, May 6th (T)
• Due: Full draft of research paper, including Works Cited page.
• Class: Peer review of research papers.

Wednesday, May 7th (W)
• Due: Keep reading Catcher.
• Class: Finish watching A Raisin in the Sun; discuss.

Thursday, May 8th (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Friday, May 9th (F)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 7 (pg. 52). Send me your questions about the research paper (correct citations, how to paraphrase, style, you name it).
• Class: Making sense of Holden; understanding slang; your research paper questions.

Monday, May 12th (S)
• Due: Read Catcher through Ch. 11 (pg. 80).
• Class: Investigating the author of The Catcher in the Rye.

Note: The second draft of your research paper will be due on Tuesday, May 13th. No late days on drafts. The final paper will be due at the end of that week.

Week of April 28th

We'll be working on our drafts, watching A Raisin in the Sun, and starting The Catcher in the Rye this week ... lots of stuff so some of the specific dates are up in the air.

Important: Your rough drafts are due on Tuesday, May 6th. Keep working on papers throughout the week. We'll also have some initial reading assignments for Catcher.

Week of April 14th

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Draft of your contribution to study guide in electronic form.
• Class: Demonstrate Wikispaces.com; work on group projects (in Media Center).

1. Go to www.wikispaces.com.
2. Click the “Sign In” link at the top right and enter your username (which is “kitsis2-” and your first name; e.g., “kitsis2-bob”) and password (your student number).
3. Under “My Spaces” on the left, click on “kitsis-per2-2007.”
4. Under “Navigation,” click on the name of your play.
5. You’ll see what your page currently looks like; I’ve set up the sections for you.
6. Click “Edit This Page” to start making changes; the easiest thing to do is compose your work in Word (and save a copy!) then paste it into the appropriate section.
7. You can also click on the “Discussion” tab to leave messages for your group members to see.
8. The “History” tab will show you what changes have been made to the site.

Note: You will receive a failing grade for the project if you edit or otherwise deface another group’s project. I can see all changes as well as who makes them.

Tuesday, April 15th (S)
• Due: Work on outlines, group projects.
• Class: Work on group projects (in Room 321). Turn in your quizzes by the end of class so I can photocopy them for tomorrow!

Wednesday, April 16th (U)
• Due: Research paper outlines (typed). Study guides are online, ready to go.
• Class: Take quizzes using study guides; work on self-assessment (in Room 321).

Thursday, April 17th (M)
• Due: Finished study guides and self-assessment.
• Class: Performances of selected scenes! Turn in your books.

Friday, April 18th (T)
• Due: Be sure you’re squared away with work before the vacation; anything due before break and turned in after will receive only the barest smidge of credit.
• Class: Wrapping up American drama (grade quizzes, etc).

Note: There is no assigned work over break. I will turn your outlines back to you when we come back from vacation with detailed feedback, and we’ll start drafting papers. You should use your break to take any additional notes you need so that you’re all set to start writing!

Week of April 7th

Monday, April 7th (U)
• Due: Read to agreed-upon point in your play.
• Class: Finish reading your play; complete theme activity.

Tuesday, April 8th (M)
• Due: 30-40 note cards for research paper.
• Class: Note card self-assessment; lesson on outlining.

Wednesday, April 9th (T)
• Due: Bring a piece of literary analysis from a reputable source (e.g., the databases) about your play. Write a one paragraph summary of the article; include whether you agree or disagree with this interpretation and why.
• Class: Research exercises; share literary analysis; work on group project.

Thursday, April 10th (W)
• Due: Rough outline of ideas for your contribution to the project.
• Class: Work on projects in Room 321.

Friday, April 11th (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Monday, April 14th (F)
• Due: Complete, polished contribution to the study guide in electronic form when class begins (finished guides are due on Wednesday; no exceptions or late days).
• Class: Work on projects in the Media Center.

Week of March 31st

Monday, March 31st (T)
• Due: Continuing work on research paper.
• Class: Introduction to American drama (play selection); notes on notes.

Tuesday, April 1st (W)
• Due: Handful of notes (minimum of 5-10 note cards) you have taken for check in.
• Class: Research exercises (warm up exercises continuing throughout the unit); getting started with literature circles; reading.

Wednesday, April 2nd (H)
• Class does not meet.

Thursday, April 3rd (F)
• Due: Contribution to background information (author’s life, time period, politics, etc).
• Class: Share background contributions; reading.

Friday, April 4th (S)
• Due: Continuing work on research paper.
• Class: Character resumes; discussion of the plays; reading.

Monday, April. 7th (U)
• Due: Continuing work on research paper (30-40 notes due on Tuesday!); read to agreed upon place in your play.
• Class: Finish the play today; drama maps.

Socratic Seminar Topics

For a homework grade, prepare your responses in writing with quotations. Groups will be assigned at random on the day of the seminar.

Round One
1. How does Steinbeck foreshadow the turn of events at the end of the novel—from the death of Curley’s wife to the shooting of Lennie? Is the foreshadowing skillful or heavy-handed? What does it add to the story? Explain, with examples and reasoning.

2. Steinbeck paints a vivid picture of George and Lennie’s dream through several—if sometimes incomplete—recitations of it. Analyze the content of this dream, discussing what it represents and how it contrasts with the lives they’ve lead. Is the dream ever truly within their grasp? How important is the ritual recitation of the dream versus its achievement?

3. Consider the allusion to Burns’s “To a Mouse” (see attached). How does Burns’s poem illuminate a central theme in Of Mice and Men? Do you find this theme to be realistic or pessimistic? How are we to respond to or integrate these ideas in our own lives?

Round Two
1. Are there questions that should be revisited from the first group?

2. Consider the role of gender in the novel. Curley’s wife is the only woman in the novel, and she is never given a name, nor ever presented as less than a threat. Much more, of course, can be said of her. Is Steinbeck’s portrayal of women problematic? Or, through his presentation of this character, is he making a point that is ultimately supportive of women? Explain.

3. Does Of Mice and Men have a place in the curriculum? Consider the grounds upon which the novel has been frequently challenged (see attached) and occasionally banned. On the other hand, many critics consider this one of the greatest works of short fiction of all time. How would you defend the book to those who would ban it from school curricula and libraries? Muster a strong, coherent argument grounded in the work’s larger purpose and value.

Week of March 17th

Monday, March 17th (U)
• Due: Keep working on research papers reading Of Mice and Men (nothing due today).
• Class: “Reading Photography: The Art of Dorothea Lange.” Wrap up conferences on research paper topics and course selection.

Tuesday, March 18th (M)
• Due: Finish reading Of Mice and Men.
• Class: Round robin writing exercise and discussion of the end of the book. Review requirements for annotated works cited page.

Wednesday, March 19th (T)
• Due: Annotated works cited.
• Class: Lesson on taking notes for the research paper.

Thursday, March 20th (W)
• Due: Keep working on formal preparation for Socratic seminar (due on Tuesday).
• Class: “To a Mouse” and preparation for seminar.

Friday, March 21st
• No school today. Enjoy the long weekend!

Monday, March. 24th (H)
• No class today.

Tuesday, March 25th (F)
• Due: Formal preparation (notes with quotes!) for Socratic seminar.
• Class: Socratic seminar on Of Mice and Men.

Week of March 10th

Monday, March 10th (T)
• Due: Read Ch. 3 in Of Mice and Men; complete worksheet response.
• Class: Finish sharing collage art from Friday; discuss what makes a good research question; discuss Ch. 3; plan scenes.

Tuesday, March 11th (W)
• Due: Research paper topic proposals.
• Class: Perform and discuss scenes from Of Mice and Men.

Wednesday, March 12th (H)
• Class drops today.

Thursday, March 13th (F)
• Due: Read Ch. 4 in Of Mice and Men; complete worksheet response.
• Class: Small group discussions. Explain annotated works cited assignment.

Friday, March 14th (S)
• Due: Bring materials to work on research paper.
• Class: Research workshop and conferences (meet in Media Center).

Monday, March. 17th (U)
• Due: Keep reading (end of the novel due on Tuesday!).
• Class: Reading Photography: The Art of Dorothea Lange.

Banned Books

Click here to investigate banned books at the ALA website (more on this soon).

Homework Survey

I'm doing a little research into my own teaching. Help me (and hopefully yourself!) out by taking this short survey on homework. Click here to start. Thanks for your feedback!

Week of March 3rd

Monday, March 3rd (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Bring your slides for webquest lesson (in electronic format) to class.
• Class: Finalize webquest slides and practice for tomorrow’s lessons.

Wednesday, March 5th (S)
• Due: Preliminary research paper topics due (at least two possibilities, written down). Be ready to go for webquest lessons; presentations emailed to skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us.
• Class: Webquest lessons; log Gatsby papers, sample introductions.

Thursday, March 6th (U)
• Due: Read Ch. 1 (p. 1-16) in Of Mice and Men and complete response.
• Class: Discussion of Ch. 1 (p. 1-16).

Friday, March 7th (M)
• Due: Read Ch. 2 (p. 17-37) in Of Mice and Men and complete response.
• Class: Sketching the bunkhouse, discussion of Ch. 2 (p. 17-37).

Monday, March. 10th (T)
• Due: Read Ch. 3 (p. 38-65) in Of Mice and Men and complete response.
• Class: Prepare and rehearse dramatic scenes.

Webquest: Of Mice and Men

Click on the appropriate group to begin your webquest:

• Group One: The Great Depression
  
• Group Two: Migrant Workers and Rail Riders
  
• Group Three: Migrant Workers Today
  
• Group Four: The Life of John Steinbeck
  
• Group Five: Understanding Mental Illness

Instructions (given in class) follow.

You and the members of your group will prepare a short presentation for the class (about five minutes) on a topic related to our study of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

After reviewing your topic and recommended resources, you may decide to break up the work among yourselves. Just be sure that you can put it all together at the end to create a presentation that makes sense to the class. Your presentation will be graded on:

• Content: provides accurate information; answers the essential questions
  
• Attractive presentation: include some pictures; be neat
  
• Conventions: spelling and grammar count
  
• Equal distribution of labor: everyone contributes to the slide show and everyone speaks during the presentation
  
• Verbal and nonverbal presentation skills: you speak clearly; presentation is organized and easy to follow; eye contact; we’ll talk more about all this
  
• Citations: giving credit where it is due; a source slide at the end is acceptable for this assignment

After you create your slide show please save it to one of your student accounts and email it to me so that it can be loaded onto the projector station before class.

Week of February 25th

Monday, Feb. 25th (S)
• Due: Hope you had a great vacation!
• Class: Finish Maxed Out; discussion.

Tuesday, Feb. 26th (U)
• Due: Work on personal finance response (see reverse).
• Class: Model and practice structuring arguments for the common assessment (SAT); introduce webquest presentations for Of Mice and Men.

Wednesday, Feb. 27th (M)
• Due: Work on personal finance response.
• Class: Common assessment

Thursday, Feb. 28th (T)
• Due: Personal finance response.
• Class: Work on webquest presentations; complete homework survey.

Friday, Feb. 29th (W)
• Due: Bring your contribution (99% complete; in electronic form so it can be edited) to the group’s presentation.
• Class: Assemble, revise, and practice webquest presentations (presentations Tuesday).

Monday, March. 3rd (H)
• Class does not meet today.

Tuesday, March 4th (F)
• Due: Webquest presentation sent to skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us before class.
• Class: Share webquests and begin Of Mice and Men (Ch. 1 due Wednesday).

Sample Paper in Progress

Click here to view the model paper that we were working on in class today.

Gatsby Materials

The following will help with your Gatsby papers:

• Click here for the paper topic.
• Click here for the results of class brainstorming (all sections combined).

See below for your class calendar with deadlines, etc.