7.1 Intro to The Alchemist: Finding One's Path and Sense of Purpose

Tuesday March 17

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a literature-based prompt.

• 
  

Agenda Items

• Read & discuss "Here’s what science considers a path to a good life" by Richard Sima --> "psychological richness"

Assignments

• 7.1 Reading & Annotation

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7.2 The Alchemist Opening Paragraphs: Characterization & Setting

Wednesday March 18

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Identify and describe what specific textual details reveal about a character and that character’s perspective and motives.

• Explain the function of contrasting characters.

• Identify and describe specific textual details that convey or reveal a setting.

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.2 Opening Scene Image & Reading Notes - read and take notes on the opening paragraphs, due Tuesday January 14 

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7.3 The Alchemist Part 1: Symbolism 

Thursday March 19

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Explain how a character’s own choices, actions, and speech reveal complexities in that character, and explain the function of those complexities.

• Identify and explain the function of symbolic images and objects in The Alchemist.

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.2 Opening Scene Image & Reading Notes - read and take notes on the opening paragraphs, due Tuesday January 14 

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7.4 The Alchemist Part 1: Character Perspectives

Friday March 20

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Explain how a character’s own choices, actions, and speech reveal complexities in that character, and explain the function of those complexities.

• Identify and explain the function of symbolic images and objects in The Alchemist.

• Identify and describe details, diction, or syntax that reveal a character’s perspective.

• Explain how choices between first-person and third-person POV influence the details, information, and voice in the storytelling.

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.2 Opening Scene Image & Reading Notes - read and take notes on the opening paragraphs, due Tuesday January 14 

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7.5 The Alchemist Part 1: Personal Legend

Tuesday March 17

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a literature-based prompt.

• 
  

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.1 Reading Notes - read and take notes on Chapter 1-5, due Tuesday January 14 

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7.6 The Alchemist Part 1 & 2: Reading Notes

Wednesday March 24

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a literature-based prompt.

• 
  

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.X Reading Notes - read and take notes on the book, due Tuesday March 31 

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7.7 The Alchemist Part 2: The Journey

Thursday March 26

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a literature-based prompt.

• 
  

Agenda Items

Assignments

• 7.X Reading Notes - read and take notes on the book, due Tuesday March 31 

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7.8 The Alchemist: Resilience

Thursday March 26

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes in response to a literature-based prompt.

• 
  

Agenda Items

• Read:

  • “Nurture Your Resilience: Bouncing Back from Difficult Times” from NIH News in Health

  • “How To Be More Resilient: 8 Strategies for Difficult Times” by Kathy Katella in Yale Medicine

  • “5 Strategies for Becoming a More Resilient Person” from St. Luke’s Penn Foundation

• Discuss:

  • Why does resilience matter throughout the story?

  • What would happen if Santiago didn’t learn and practice resilience?

  • In what ways does Santiago learn and practice resilience throughout the novel? What are some of the things he does that help make him more resilient?

• Journal Writing:

  • How do you practice resilience? 

  • What skills, strategies, tools, and supports do you use?

  • What strategies do you want to try?

Assignments

• 7.X Reading Notes - read and take notes on the book, due Tuesday March 31 

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AP Exam Preparation: Novel FRQ Outline & Thesis

Tuesday March 31

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use scrap paper to capture and organize your ideas and text evidence.

• Write an outline and thesis statement for an essay in response to an AP Literature FRQ prompt.

  • Write an outline that presents your line of reasoning, including relevant claims and text evidence.

  • Write a one-sentence thesis statement that answers the prompt and presents a defensible interpretation of the novel.

Agenda Items

• Review AP Literature Exam format 

• Review Novel FRQ Rubric & example essay

• Review Novel FRQ Prompt formats

• Anatomy of an AP Literature FRQ prompt

• Using Your Scrap Paper

• Organizing your ideas --> line of reasoning / outline

• Writing your thesis statement

Assignments

• Practice: Novel FRQ Outline & Thesis

• Homework: Finish reading and taking notes on The Alchemist 

• 7.11 Novel FRQ in class on Wednesday April 1

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7.9 & 7.10 Short Film Adaptation

Tuesday March 31 

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• EXTRA CREDIT: Macbeth Video Reflection: Record a 1-2 minute video of you or your group discussing Macbeth. Be sure to include text evidence and explain your thinking. Choose one or more of the following questions to discuss:

  • Literary Techniques in Macbeth: Figurative Language (Juxtaposition, Symbols, Dramatic Irony, Motifs) Share an example and explain how it influenced meaning and interpretation in the story.

  • Character Changes: How does each character change over the course of the story?

  • Plot Development: How did Shakespeare build conflict, tension and suspense in the story?

  • Don't forget to introduce yourself and the play! Start out by telling us your name, the title of the play, and the author's name.

Assignments

• 7.10 Short Film Adaptation due Tuesday April 7

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7.11 Novel Interpretation FRQ

Wednesday April 1

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write five paragraph  literary interpretation essay essay that includes a thesis statement and presents a clear line of reasoning in body paragraphs with relevant claims, text evidence and commentary.

  • Write commentary that explains the relationship between the evidence and the claim.

  • Use relevant literary terminology in a literary interpretation essay.

  • Write using appropriate capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and transition phrases.

Agenda Items

• Literary Interpretation Essay in AP Classroom

Assignments

• 7.11 Literary Interpretation FRQ in AP Classroom due in class today 

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7.12 Essay Scoring

Thursday April 2

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use a rubric to discuss and evaluate your own literary interpretation essay to determine the score your essay should receive based on the thesis, line of reasoning (including claim, evidence and commentary), and sophistication.

Agenda Items

• FRQ Scoring Form

Assignments

• Practice: Use the rubric-based form to annotate & score your poetry interpretation essay

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7.13 Artist's Commentary

Wednesday April 8  & Thursday April 9

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• EXTRA CREDIT: Macbeth Video Reflection: Record a 1-2 minute video of you or your group discussing Macbeth. Be sure to include text evidence and explain your thinking. Choose one or more of the following questions to discuss:

  • Literary Techniques in Macbeth: Figurative Language (Juxtaposition, Symbols, Dramatic Irony, Motifs) Share an example and explain how it influenced meaning and interpretation in the story.

  • Character Changes: How does each character change over the course of the story?

  • Plot Development: How did Shakespeare build conflict, tension and suspense in the story?

  • Don't forget to introduce yourself and the play! Start out by telling us your name, the title of the play, and the author's name.

Assignments

• 7.10 Short Film Adaptation due Tuesday April 7

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7.14 Film Screening 🎞️🎉

Friday April 10

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Analyze and discuss the significance and impact of filmmaker choices in  short film adaptations of scenes from The Alchemist.

Agenda Items

• Viewer response feedback questions on artist choices, connection to the story & meaning/significance to guide discussion and feedback on short film adaptations of scenes from The Alchemist.

Assignments

• Practice: Use the rubric-based form to annotate & score your poetry interpretation essay

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7.14 Creating a Book List

Wednesday April 8

Welcome back! My plan for this unit is to guide you to:

• Identify and list at least 6 books that you are interested in reading. For each book include:

  • Book cover

  • Title

  • Author

  • 1 paragraph – Why are you interested in reading this book?

  • 1 paragraph – Summary (can be copied and pasted but must include quotation marks and a link to the webpage)

Agenda Items

• Book List

Assignments

• Book List

7.X Claims & Thesis Statements

TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Match critical questions with the corresponding literary theory (critical lens).

• Evaluate thesis statements based on whether they meet the following criteria:

  • present a defensible interpretation

  • use specific wording

  • insightful, reflecting deep thought

Agenda Items

• Literary Criticism & Thesis Quiz

• Claims & Thesis Statement Review

• Create Questions

  • Critical Lens Questions

  • Depth and Complexity Questions

• Gather text evidence and write commentary

• Exit Ticket: Thesis Statement Evaluation Quiz

Assignments

• 6.10 Literary Criticism & Thesis Quiz

• 6.11 Thesis Statement Evaluation Quiz

• Homework: Read Their Eyes Were Watching God Chapters 6-15 

• 6.12 Literature Seminar Discussion - critical questions due tomorrow

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7.X Introduction to Literary Criticism: Critical Lenses for Examining Literature

TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Use a dialectical journal format to manage text evidence and commentary related to character development, setting, significant events, conflict and a critical lens. 

• Identify and comment on patterns, themes and observations in 1984.

• Choose a critical lens for examining literary elements and themes in 1984.

• Brainstorm at least one question for examining 1984 through a critical lens.

• Generate questions related to character development, character perspectives and motivations, significant events, and themes in 1984.

• Write a 1-2 sentence thesis statement that addresses a question and presents a defensible interpretation of the novel.

• Present and discuss your interpretation, including your claim, text evidence and commentary.

Agenda Items

• Literary Criticism: 

  • Literary Theory & Critical Lenses

  • Examples of critical essays

• Review Literary Criticism Essay Guidelines & Steps

• Significance & Thesis Statement

• Silent Reading & Dialectical Journal

• Commentary & Line of Reasoning

• Create Questions

  • Critical Lens Questions

  • Depth and Complexity Questions

• Gather text evidence and write commentary

• Video Discussion - Critical Lenses

Assignments

• Homework: Read Their Eyes Were Watching God Ch 6-15 and take notes

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7.9 Exploration Audio Reflection

TBD

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• EXTRA CREDIT: Macbeth Video Reflection: Record a 1-2 minute video of you or your group discussing Macbeth. Be sure to include text evidence and explain your thinking. Choose one or more of the following questions to discuss:

  • Literary Techniques in Macbeth: Figurative Language (Juxtaposition, Symbols, Dramatic Irony, Motifs) Share an example and explain how it influenced meaning and interpretation in the story.

  • Character Changes: How does each character change over the course of the story?

  • Plot Development: How did Shakespeare build conflict, tension and suspense in the story?

  • Don't forget to introduce yourself and the play! Start out by telling us your name, the title of the play, and the author's name.

Assignments

• 7.9Macbeth Audio Recording due Sunday March 24 by 11:59pm

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7.10 Unit 7 Progress Check MCQ

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for this unit is to guide you to:

• Analyze an author's use of literary techniques in a poem or short fiction passage.

Agenda Items

• Unit 6 Progress Check MCQ - 4 passages, 27 questions, 35 minutes

  • 1st Period

  • 7th Period

Assignments

• 6.16 Unit 6 Progress Check MCQ

Plot Development in The Alchemist

Wednesday March 6

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Generate and discuss questions before, during and after reading Act 2 of  Macbeth. 

• Examine and discuss plot development, tension, suspense and narrative pacing in Macbeth.

• Examine literary devices in Macbeth to understand  character development and plot.

Agenda Items

• Watch & Read Macbeth Act 2 (pg. 16-28 of NoFear Shakespeare script)

• Literary Devices: simile, juxtaposition, motif, dramatic irony

• Small Group Discussion - Macbeth Questions - Depth & Complexity

• Class Discussion - Macbeth Questions share out and discuss

Assignments

• Macbeth Questions

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Character Change in The Alchemist 

Thursday March 7

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Generate and discuss questions before, during and after reading Act 3 of  Macbeth. 

• Discuss the character changes and transformations in Macbeth.

• Examine literary devices in Macbeth to understand  character development and plot.

• Write one paragraph that includes a relevant claim, evidence and commentary.

Agenda Items

• Read then watch Macbeth Act 3 (pg. 28-43 in NoFear Shakespeare script)

• Literary Devices: simile, juxtaposition, allusion, motif, dramatic irony

• Juxtapositions: Banquo & Macbeth, Macbeth & Lady Macbeth

• Motifs:

  • snake (Act 1, Scene 5 pg. 12; Act 3 Scene 2 pg. 33; Scene 4 pg. 37)

• Small group discussion - What do you think will happen?

Assignments

• Macbeth Notebook - Acts 3 & 4

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Review & Reflection

Friday February 10

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Review and discuss questions, options and answers in the multiple choice test. 

• List and explain insights and tips for success on future multiple choice questions.

Agenda 

• Review of MCQ #1 & #2

• Reflection / Share Insights

  • What did you notice as you were reviewing the questions and working on the corrections? 

  • What insights or interesting realizations did you have?

Assignments

• Reflection

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Reflection

Friday March 10

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

Agenda Items

• Individual conferences

• Reflection

Assignments

• Reflection

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Literary Terminology & Journal Writing

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Brainstorm and write about themes, styles and techniques you would like to explore in your creative writing.

  • What theme or idea would you like to explore? Why is this theme interesting to you? What other works (books, poems, movies, TV shows, videos, artwork, photographs, songs, etc.) explore this theme?

  • What books, poems, movies, TV shows, videos, artwork, photographs or songs can you use as inspiration? What style or techniques does the author/artist use that you would like to try?

Agenda Items

• Literary Techniques

• Brainstorming Themes & Techniques

• Journal Writing

Assignments

• Themes & Techniques (Padlet)

• Journal Writing - Example

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Creative Writing Workshop:
Microfiction & Plot Development

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read a book of your choice independently for at least 15 minutes.

• Continue drafting your short story, developing the plot and narrative structure and building suspense and tension. How does each detail and event influence the course of the story?

• In your writing, explore the theme, style and/or techniques you brainstormed earlier this week.

Agenda Items

• Share theme ideas on chalkboard board

• Narrative Structure & Pacing

• Short Story Draft

Assignments

• Short Story Draft & Annotations - example

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Creative Writing Workshop:
Character Change

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Continue drafting your short story, working on character development. What happens and how does your character change over the course of the story?

• In your writing, explore the theme, style and/or techniques you brainstormed last week.

Agenda Items

• Share ___ on chalkboard board

• Character Change - two ways to plan your story:

  • Plot-->Change: What happens next in the story? How do the events influence a change in your character? 

  • Change-->Plot: How will your character change? What happens to get your character to this change?

• Short Story Draft

Assignments

• Short Story Draft & Annotations - example

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Narrative Structure Video Reflection

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss plot development and character development in your story or in Macbeth using text evidence such as descriptive details, dialogue, and action.

• Describe how a character changes, and include specific details about the circumstances, context, and significant events.

• Identify and explain an example of how details created suspense or tension in a story.

Agenda Items

• Review elements of narrative structure: plot development, character changes, suspense, tension, conflict, dialogue, action

• Narrative Structure Video Reflection

Assignments

• Narrative Structure Video Reflection

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Writing Workshop: Sharing & Feedback

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Share and discuss your writing with a partner or small group.

• Give and receive specific, positive constructive feedback on classmates' writing.

Agenda Items

• Small group discussion - writing share and feedback, asking questions

• Individual Writing Conferences

• Writing workshop individual notes

Assignments

• Group discussion peer evaluation

• Writing workshop individual notes - as comments or in your Journal Writing document

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Reflection

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Revise and edit your piece based on feedback and notes from writing workshop.

• Reflect on your writing notes and the feedback you received from writing workshop.

Agenda Items

• Revise & Edit Creative Writing

• Individual writing conferences

• Reflection

Assignments

• Reflection:

  1. What do I want to work on in my writing?

  2. What words, phrases and sentences did people notice?

  3. What did people like about my piece? What did I do well?

  4. What questions did people have for me?

  5. What other questions do I have for myself?

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Revision & Reflection

DATE

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Share and discuss your writing with a partner or small group.

  • What helped you the most when writing your essay?

• Revise your literary interpretation essay using your rubric-based score and specific comments. 

• Correct errors in capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and transition phrases.

Agenda 

• Small group discussion

• Literary Interpretation Essay Revision & Editing

• Reflection / Share Insights - What did you notice as you were reviewing the questions and working on the corrections? What insights or interesting realizations did you have?

Assignments

• Reflection

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