How do we find meaning from text?
This central question is the foundation for all the literature we study this year. Students, strive to find meaning and understanding in everything you read. As we discover techniques to help us understand, I will ask you to practice each one.
1. Apply the elements of fiction - Example: In the plot of "The Most Dangerous Game," the inciting action is when Rainsford falls off the ship. This must be the start of the rising action.
2. List questions as or after you read - no rules - no question too dumb, too obvious, or too simple! Example: What did the character say on stage? Why did the characters hear some lines and not hear other lines? (from the play Audience)
3. Relate an event or idea to your own life or to life in general (example: What gift have I received that was special and important? (from "The Gift of the Magi")
4. Find literary terms in action. In other words, look for figurative language and devices that might "unlock" the meaning. (example: The structure of this poem is a sonnet. Why did the poet choose this structure? OR Langston Hughes uses metaphors in the poem "Dreams." What do these metaphors mean? |
posted May 6, 2009 6:24 AM by Kim Gasaway
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updated May 6, 2009 12:24 PM
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Weekend Homework: Go to USATestprep.com and complete the Large Practice Test. Email your results to the teacher.
Friday - Reading project due on Wednesday; EOCT on Monday and Tuesday. Homework: Go to USA Test Prep and complete the Medium practice test: Email your results to the teacher
Thursday - Reading should be finished; project extension granted - all work will be due on Wednesday
Wednesday - Reading and working on project; homework: EOCT practice on USAtestprep.com; complete "Conventions" section;
homework - go to USAtestprep.com and complete the "Conventions" section:
Email your results to the teacher.
Be sure to email your results to your teacher.
Tuesday - Reading and working on project
Monday: Independent reading |
posted Apr 27, 2009 12:10 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated May 1, 2009 12:25 PM
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Friday - We are in the media center today. You must be quiet and remain seated at the computer station. You have several items to accomplish.
First
Go to www.usatestprep.com and log in
Go to EOCT - 9th Grade
Complete the following activities:
"Writing" Question Activities - "1 Passage & 4 Questions" and "10 Question Section Quiz"
Be sure to email me the results
Next
Go the the Vocabulary Activities and Other Activities section in the Writing domain (look to the right). Spend at least 15 minutes completing all or some of the activity practice.
Third
Take out your novel and read. Continue to work on your character list, etc...
Homework/Classwork
go to www.chompchomp.com
Click on exercises
Complete all the exercises for "Comma Splices and Fused Sentences." Be sure to read the tutorials or help screens when you are confused or miss an answer.
continue reading (EOCT in English is May 11 and 12)
Thursday - continue reading
Wednesday - Continue reading
Tuesday - Continue reading
Be sure to study the items you miss (if any) and to email your results to Ms. Gasaway.
Continue reading
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posted Apr 17, 2009 12:45 PM by Kim Gasaway
Friday -parallel reading activities
Thursday -parallel reading activities; Writing Lab EOCT practice
Wednesday - parallel reading activities
Tuesday -parallel reading activities
Monday - Research Presentations; parallel reading activities |
posted Apr 17, 2009 12:43 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Apr 17, 2009 12:45 PM
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Friday - Writing Lab to continue research activity; vocabulary 12 test (research presentations due on Monday)
Thursday - Writing Lab to begin research activity and group reading
Wednesday - Vocabulary 12 due
Tuesday - Vocabulary 12 continued; issue Pride and Prejudice or Great Expectations; discussion of Reading Groups and Research presentation - Refer to the Parallel Reading Link for copies of handouts and more details
Monday - Vocabulary 12 assigned |
posted Mar 30, 2009 11:10 AM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Apr 1, 2009 11:53 AM
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Note: If eligible, all make up work must be completed by Thursday in order to receive credit.
Friday - Major Test - The Odyssey
Thursday - Test Review
Wednesday - Finish reading the Odyssey; class discussion; HW: Finish Study Guide and begin studying for the test.
Tuesday - reading pop quiz; short drama activity; Homework - ready through page 1046 in Odyssey (quiz tomorrow)
Monday - oral reading of Odyssey and preparation for drama activity |
posted Mar 25, 2009 12:11 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Mar 26, 2009 9:19 AM
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Friday - The Odyssey
Thursday - The Odyssey
Wednesday - Begin the Odyssey; read all pages quickly; (pp, 981 - 985) concentrate on your assigned lines and have a written summary prepared for class
Tuesday - USA Test Prep - Writing Lab
Monday - USA Test Prep - Writing lab |
posted Mar 17, 2009 12:35 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Mar 20, 2009 12:35 PM
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NOTE: You will need your literature book next week. See reading schedule below for mythology reading assignments.
Friday - Vocab 11 Test. Reviewed Works Cited Page and brainstorming. Re-do Works Cited page if needed. It is due on Tuesday.
Myths and Their Meanings Reading Schedule:
Due Monday the 24th - pp. 71-84 and 89 - 95
Due Tuesday the 25th - pp. 99-106 and 111 - 123
Due Wednesday the 26th - pp. 129 - 136 and 142 - 155
Wednesday - Presentations - Vocab Review
Tuesday - Discussed Mythology Character Presentations
Presenting on Wed. - Bryanna, Mathhew, Kelly, Connor, Jessica, Ellyn, Quint
Presenting on Thur. - Bennett, Maddie, David, Parker,Drew, Wesley, Caroline, Nathan, Katie Ian, Jack
Monday - Vocab 11. Anthem Essays due. |
posted Mar 10, 2009 1:47 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Mar 13, 2009 12:36 PM
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Friday - DUE MONDAY - Anthem Essay Final Draft. Bring 2 copies. One for Mrs. Vann and one to send in for the contest.
Remember: Myth presentation due March 18 and 19
Catch up on reading if needed.
Thursday - read Venus 52-61
Wednesday - ready 36 - 47 Jupiter and Minerva
Tuesday - Assign mythological characters, discuss project, read pp. 21 - 31 in Myths and Their Meaning, issued text
Monday - Introduction of Mythology Unit
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posted Mar 2, 2009 11:14 AM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Mar 2, 2009 11:22 AM
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Friday -
Thursday -
Wednesday -
Tuesday -
Monday - After you finish taking the Anthem test, please begin work on the Anthem essay.
Anthem Essay: You will need to send work done at school to an email address or save on a flashdrive, because we can not print at school now.
\We will be in the Writing Lab again tomorrow, so save it to your school ID number also. Follow the directions below for the essay.
Anthem Essay Contest |
More |
Anthem
17th Annual Essay Contest on Ayn Rand's Novelette Anthem
For 8th, 9th and 10th Graders
Entry Deadline: March 20, 2009
FIRST PRIZE: $2,000
5 SECOND PRIZES: $500
10 THIRD PRIZES: $200
45 FINALISTS: $50
175 SEMIFINALISTS: $30
Anthem—Topics
Select ONE of the following three topics:
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Equality 7-2521 states that it is very unusual for men to reach the age of 45 (Chapter 1). Consistent with the story and its meaning, offer several possible explanations as to why life expectancy is so short in his society.
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Anthem is a heroic and inspiring story about the triumph of the individual’s independent spirit. Even though, at the end of the novel, Equality is greatly outnumbered, and modern society lies in ruins, it is a story of liberation and hope—not despair. Discuss.
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In a single, unified essay, explain the meaning and wider significance of each of the following quotes in the story:
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“The glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us strength. We have lied to ourselves. We have not built this box for the good of our brothers” (Chapter 7).
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“I wished to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning” (Chapter 11).
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“I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them” (Chapter 11).
Anthem—Judging
Essays will be judged on both style and content. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Winning essays must demonstrate an outstanding grasp of the philosophic meaning of Anthem.
Essay submissions are evaluated in a fair and unbiased multi-round judging process. To ensure the anonymity of our participants, essays are graded without cover sheets. Winners’ names remain unknown to judges until after the essays have been ranked and the contest results finalized. ARI checks essays with Ithenticate plagiarism detection software.
Anthem—Rules
No application is required.
Entrant must be in the 8th, 9th or 10th grade.
Contest is open to students worldwide.
Essay must be no fewer than 600 and no more than 1,200 words in length and double-spaced. One entry per student, please.
Essay must be submitted online or postmarked by March 20, 2009, no later than 11:59 PM, PST.
Essay must be solely the work of the entrant. Plagiarism will result in disqualification.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Employees of the Ayn Rand Institute, its board of directors and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest. Past first-place winners are not eligible for this contest.
All entries become the property of the Ayn Rand Institute and will not be returned.
Winners, finalists, semifinalists and all other participants will be notified via e-mail and/or by mail by July 27, 2009.
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posted Feb 23, 2009 12:13 PM by Kim Gasaway
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updated Feb 27, 2009 12:32 PM
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Friday -
Test Review
Know the following:
Unspeakable word, great truth, unmentionable times, uncharted forest, evil ones, great rebirth, home of the useless, transgression of preference, light as a symbol, storyline, plot, author, setting, narrator, protagonist, characters, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion, themes, conflicts, euphemism, Prometheus, gaea, palace of corrective detention, world council of scholars, Equality's curse, Equality's discovery, house in the forest, Ego, I, summaries of all chapters.
BRING YOUR TINY BOOK FOR TEST MONDAY! you will need it.
Thursday
Wednesday
Tuesday - Reviewed Anthem basic facts. Discussed Prometheus and Gaea. Worked on tiny transfer books. No homework.
Monday - Assigned "sameness" names. Assigned vocations. Watched student created Anthem video. Worked on chapter summaries in tiny transfer book. HW: Finish chapter summaries in tiny book. BRING LARGE WHITE T-SHIRT for rest of week. |
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