First Week & Fences

Week One (Jan 21 - 24)

Tuesday Jan. 21:

  1. Syllabus Hunt/Go over syllabus
  2. Show Remind - first points are remind and syllabus getting signed
  3. Intro to Six Word Memoir (if there is time)

HW: Get syllabus signed and sign-up for Remind by Thursday. Six Word Memoir due on Friday. Reading Assessment in class on Thursday.


Wednesday Jan 22:

Warm-Up: It is the last ‘first week of class’ in high school. How are you feeling? What are your goals for the upcoming semester other than graduation?

  1. Review Expectations and First Circle
    • What is respect? responsibility? kindness?
  2. Time to work on six-word memoir Projects

HW: Get syllabus signed and sign-up for Remind, reading assessment, all tomorrow :)


Thursday Jan 23:

Warm-Up: What are your strengths from previous English classes? What is something that you want to improve? What is one thing you are really hoping to learn in this class?

  1. Reading Assessment (reading a short story and writing in class)
  2. Time to work on Six Word Memoirs in class (if finished with your assessment)

HW: Finish six-word memoir and be prepared to share tomorrow


Friday Jan 24:

Warm-Up: When you think about life after high school, what do you hope that you will do? This can be short term or long term goals/events :)

  1. Sharing six word memoirs in groups/class
  2. Poem: This is Just to Say
    • Analyze with a focus on perspective
  3. Beginning Reader Response Notes (if time)

HW: None - please bring your ID cards next week to check out our first text :D

Week Two (Jan 27 - 31)

Monday, Jan 27

Warm-Up: Which do you think is more important: what the author's says a text means, or what you as a reader think a text means? Explain your answer.

1. Review Reader Response Lense from Friday

2. Notes: New Critcism

3. Literary Terms Poster Projects (in partners)

HW: Finish Literary Term Poster if needed, bring Fences everyday


Tuesday Jan. 21:

Warm-Up: What do you know about plays? Have you seen any in the past? Movie versions? What do you know about their structure?

  1. Notes on Literary Term Posters
  2. Practice with "Gerardo No Last Name"
  3. Review Setting of Fences and begin notes

HW: None


Wednesday Jan 22:

Warm-Up: What is your favorite character 'relationship' and why? Think of things like "Jasmine and Aladdin", "Rose and jack" (Titanic), or something from a reality TV show. Why do these characters stand out to you?

  1. Read Scene 1.1 out-loud

-Taking notes on the characters, and our personal reactions

2. Watch the opening scene of Fences (if time)

HW: Fill in notes as needed about Scene 1


PDF OF THE PLAY: https://archive.org/stream/WilsonFences/Wilson%20Fences_djvu.txt


Thursday Jan 23:

Warm-Up: What are your first impressions of the play? Troy? Rose? Explain your answer with an example.

1. Read Act 1, Scene 2

2. Add to reader-response and new criticism notes

3. Watch Gabriel's scene

HW: None


Friday Jan 24:

Warm-Up: Have you ever felt afraid or intimidated to try/learn something new? Why or why not? Explain your answer with an example.

  1. Circle
  2. Group Norms Discussion: What does it take to have a good group discussion?
  3. Pre-reading Discussion

Due Today: Group discussion notes, warm-ups

HW: None

Week 3: Feb 3 - 7th

Monday, Feb. 3rd:

  1. Warm-Up: Why do you think sports are so important to people? Explain your answer with an example.
  2. Circle
  3. Read Act 1, Scene 3
  4. Watch James Earl Jones version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVZr6uzvYtA

HW: None - catch up on notes if needed


Tuesday, Feb 4:

  1. Warm-Up: How do you feel about the lenses so far? Are they influencing, or changing, how you are viewing the play? What is understandable through the lenses? What is still confusing?
  2. Read Act 1, Scene 4 and watch

Due Today: Act 1 Notes

HW: None


Wednesday, Feb 5th:

  1. Warm-Up: What's on your mind?
  2. Review Act 1: Small Group Discussion (reflection afterwards)
  3. Read Act 2, Scene 1: How to the same structures repeat?


HW: Finish up any notes, review scenes for group discussion tomorrow


Thursday, Feb 6th:

  1. Warm-Up: Think about the fence...why is it the title of the play? What could the fence symbolize?
  2. Read Scene 2. 2-4
  3. Watch Act 2 in the film

HW: Finish any notes leftover for the play


Friday, Feb 7th:

  1. Warm-Up: What are your final impression of the play? Did it end how you expected it too? Why might this be an important story to tell? (In other words, what can we learn from this family?)
  2. Small Group Discussion on Act 2, Scene 5
    • Discuss Troy’s death: how did he die? What does the manner of his death represent?
    • We debated how Rose should have reacted to Raynell (Troy’s new daughter). Does her monologue (pg. 97-98) change your opinions? Why or why not?
    • Has Cory become just like Troy? Or is he a different person than his father? Did he walk away with “the best” of Troy?
    • Does Troy deserve to be forgiven at his death? Does he deserve to ‘go to heaven’? Why or why not? Does your reaction differ from the playwright’s hints via the text?
    • Revisit those stage directions at the end...why are they there? What would that look like? What feeling does it give the end of this play?
  3. Watch Fences film taking notes (comparing your reaction to the play and the movie, as well as any visual symbols the movie adds)


HW: Start thinking of final 'themes' or 'meanings' for this play. It will be the topic of your first paper!

Week 4 (Feb. 10th - Feb. 14th)

Monday, Feb. 10th

Warm-Up: What are you final impressions of the play? Do you think this is an important text to read in class? Why or why not?

  1. Circle
  2. Group Discussion: Act 2, Scene 5
  3. Theme Brainstorming
  4. Review instructions for essay: find them here!

HW: Think about which essay prompt you would like to pick (either reader-response or new criticism)


Tuesday, Feb. 11th:

Warm-Up: Think about your best experience writing, ,and your worst experience writing in an English class: what made the difference? Describe those assignments/experiences.

1. Read Sample Fences Essay (look on google classroom)

2. Begin outline: found below


Wednesday, Feb. 12th:

Warm-Up:

1. Time to write a rough draft: all students will submit what they have by the end of class today! (either via paper or google classroom, google classroom is advised)

HW: Continue writing, Fences essays will be due Sunday night at 11:59pm


Thursday, Feb. 13th:

Warm-Up:

1. Partner Peer Review (you will have a discussion/read what you have written so far in your rough draft).

HW: Fences essay due via google classroom Sunday night at 11:59 pm

Friday, Feb. 14th: (Happy Valentine's Day!)

Warm-Up: What are your opinions about this school's spirit? If you were to increase the school's spirit overall, what do you think would help and why?

1. Writing time for Fence's essay: this is your last chance to ask for feedback from Ms. Finn! She will not review any essays past today's class :)

Due Today: Warm-Ups

HW: Fences essay due via google classroom Sunday night at 11:59 pm