Virtual Learning Assignments

Virtual Learning Assignments: 4/3/20

2nd Block: We do not have a new assignment today or over break. I want you to finish the novel by the time we get "back" (April 13th) and we'll prep for our Literary Analysis and moving on to Unit 4: Poetry.

3 & 4 A: As our last bit of poetry, I'd like you to find and share a poem that you enjoy. Post a link in the Question. Sites that might help you find poems based on poet, form, era, etc are: www.poetryoundation.org, www.poetryoutloud.org, and www.poets.org among many others. Use the rest of your time today and tomorrow to catch up on any missing work and we'll get started on Romeo & Juliet when we return from break.

Yesterday was a lot. We are still working out grades in terms of the governor's directives. I will try to answer any questions you may have, but may not have the answers yet. Please be patient with all of us during this truly unprecedented time. Take a break next week and enjoy yourself. Miss you all.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 4/2/20

2nd Block:Today we are focusing on the aftermath of the trial and the clearly unfair verdict. By the way, we don't see Tom in person again after he leaves the courtroom. No spoilers, just remember that Harper Lee used him as more of a prop in Scout's story than a real person whose life was on the line. Even in the aftermath, she focuses on the reactions from individual white residents and the African-American community as a whole, treating them as a flat monolith without agency of their own. When we talk about marginalization in literature, this is it. White author focusing attention away from the people truly affected by the situation. The controversy around Jeanine Cummins' book "American Dirt" shows us that this point of view of well-meaning white authors has changed little in the past 60 years.

At this point, we're on the downward slope of the novel's plot. The trial is over and life moves on in a new way. The trial and verdict fundamentally changed how Jem, Scout, and Dill see the town, their neighbors, and their family. That is the climax of any story: the moment where life changes. Now we are headed to a new normal. There are still important moments to come in the next few chapters, but they are on the slope of inevitability. Once Tom Robinson was convicted, everything after it must occur the way it does. We will not have a new assignment tomorrow or over break. I want you to finish the novel by the time we get "back" (April 13th) and we'll prep for our Literary Analysis and moving on to Unit 4: Poetry.

3 & 4 B: As our last bit of poetry, I'd like you to find and share a poem that you enjoy. Post a link in the Question. Sites that might help you find poems based on poet, form, era, etc are: www.poetryoundation.org, www.poetryoutloud.org, and www.poets.org among many others. Use the rest of your time today and tomorrow to catch up on any missing work and we'll get started on Romeo & Juliet when we return from break.

By now, you've heard that the governor has cancelled all school for the remainder of the semester. You probably saw the news before we did. We don't have any info on how grades are going to work or anything else. I want to reassure you and your parents that everything I have assigned and will assigned is worth your time and builds on the skills and standards we would focus on if we were working in person. I am going to miss seeing you every day but want to make sure that you and your family are as well as can be expected and that you have the things you need to help you succeed in this time of trial. Please reach out by e-mail or Remind if you have questions or need assistance. Talk with you after Spring Break!

Virtual Learning Assignments: 4/1/20

Welcome to April! This past month has been one heck of a year.

2nd Block: Today's activity focuses on Atticus' closing argument to the jury. I want you to watch the film clip of his closing argument because Gregory Peck embodies Atticus so clearly here. While he doesn't lose his coat and tie like in the book, his demeanor and vigor in how he defends Tom is palpable. He knows he's going to lose. He's sure of it. There's this shred of hope somewhere in him that thinks "maybe if I just say the right words, they'll acquit him." It's inspiring and sad all at the same time.

Complete "4/1 - TKaM Save the Last Word for Me" by choosing three quotes from Atticus' closing argument that strike you as especially powerful, impactful, or important. Read chapters 22-23 for Friday. Tomorrow we'll be working on some NoRedInk.

3 & 4 A & B: Complete any missing assignments and make sure to turn in your Poetry Anthology tonight to BOTH turnitin and GC. Record your new Flipgrid and respond to 2 others by Friday.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/31/20

How is it still MARCH??

2nd Block: Today I want you to continue completing the trial evidence chart based on the 4 witnesses. I'll be posting the video from yesterday and if you have any questions, please reach out. Make sure you've read through chapter 21 for tomorrow's assignment.

3 & 4 B: I appreciate all of your Flipgrid recordings. I'm going to try and respond to everyone's between today and tomorrow. This week we don't have anything new to add, just our Unit assignments to complete. By Wednesday at 11:59 pm (standard turn-in-time), you should submit the TEXT-ONLY version of your poems to turnitin.com and either the file or the link to the file of your Digital Anthology to the Google Classroom Assignment. By Friday you should record one of your own poems on Flipgrid. If anyone has any outstanding work, I need it turned in ASAP.

We have our 3rd block meeting this morning at 12:00 pm on Google Meet with the join code "clements3" and 4th block at 1:30 pm with the join code "clements4" We can take the full hour if we need it to discuss your poetry assignment, our schedule for the week, and how we'll be moving forward through April.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/30/20

2nd Block: Today we are focused on the trial of Tom Robinson. I'll talk about that more in our meeting. The assignment asks you to look at the testimony of Sheriff Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom himself. Some of the questions do not apply to all four people, so it's ok if you don't have an answer for every block. Heck is an impartial witness while the Ewells and Tom tell their sides of the story. It's up to you to determine who is telling the truth.

We have our meeting this morning at 10:30 am on Google Meet with the join code "clements2" We can take the full hour if we need it to discuss the book so far, our schedule for the week, and how we'll be moving forward through April. Read Chapters 20-21 tonight.

3 & 4 A: I appreciate all of your Flipgrid recordings. I'm going to try and respond to everyone's between today and tomorrow. This week we don't have anything new to add, just our Unit assignments to complete. By Wednesday at 11:59 pm (standard turn-in-time), you should submit the TEXT-ONLY version of your poems to turnitin.com and either the file or the link to the file of your Digital Anthology to the Google Classroom Assignment. By Friday you should record one of your own poems on Flipgrid. If anyone has any outstanding work, I need it turned in ASAP.

Meeting Update:

To comply with an e-mail sent out by Mr. Gillihan, changes to Meeting times on Monday & Tuesday:

Monday

2nd Block: 10:30 - 11:30

3rd A: 12:00 - 1:00

4th A: 1:30- 2:30

Tuesday

3rd B: 12:00 - 1:00

4th B: 1:30- 2:30

These block times are set for all classes now. I'll probably only need to go 30-45 minutes on these, but we can go to the full hour if ppl have questions that extend beyond. I'll be recording them and posting them to each Google Classroom for anyone who misses the meeting.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/27/20

2nd Block: Today I'd like you to catch up on any outstanding work (in my class or another). Be on the look out for messages through Google Classroom about missing work from the Before Time. Read Chapters 18-19 this weekend and we'll compare the testimony of the witnesses next week to see who is telling the truth and who is just the worst. Meeting on Monday at 10:00! Have a great weekend. Get outside and do something nice for your family.

3 & 4 B: Work on your Poetry Anthology and decide which poem you will recite for your final assignment next week. Complete the NearPod on Poe's "Annabelle Lea" to determine theme, motifs, and poetic devices. Be on the look out for messages through Google Classroom about missing work from the Before Time. Meetings on Tuesday at 10:45 (3rd) and 11:30 (4th). Have a great weekend. Get outside and do something nice for your family.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/26/20

2nd Block: Let's get a bit of vocabulary work in. Check out the assignment for Vocab Week #8 and complete 40 points worth of Choice Board activities using those words. Read Chapter 17 tonight. We've finally reached the actual trial!

3 & 4 A: Work on your Poetry Anthology and decide which poem you will recite for your final assignment next week. Complete the NearPod on Poe's "Annabelle Lea" to determine theme, motifs, and poetic devices.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Class Updates as of 3/26/20:

I'm working on getting us past this second week of containment right now - and this includes getting any and all outstanding grading done and in the system. I need tomorrow to send notices to people missing assignments from the Before Time (including a few missing MAJOR assignment grades) and plan for the continuation of Unit 3 with 2nd Block and moving into Shakespeare with 3rd & 4th blocks. Depending on what the 9th Lit team decides, we may modify Unit 5 from its original "let's read Romeo & Juliet live and in class" into something else. It will still involve Shakespeare and R&J, but may have a few other components.

Right now, for the NearPod lessons, if anything tells you to "work with a partner," you can bounce ideas off of whoever is nearby or give one of your classmates a call, FaceTime, SnappyChatty, or whatever you kids are into these days. I'm old. You can also just answer the questions on your own. I'd suggest working with someone remotely if only to gain some small bit of human contact.

Let's plan on having a Meet on Monday/Tuesday at the following times:

2nd Block: Meet Monday from 10:00-10:30

3rd Block A: Meet Monday from 10:45-11:15

4th Block A: Meet Monday from 11:30-12:00

3rd Block B: Meet Tuesday from 10:45-11:15

4th Block B: Meet Tuesday from 11:30-12:00

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/25/20

2nd Block: Today I would like to work on clarifying how to write a literary analysis, focusing on Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences. Complete the Nearpods linked below. Some of the slides ask you to work with a partner. If you've got someone at home you can talk it out with (they don't need to complete the assignment) or if you want to FaceTime one of your classmates (or whatever magic app you kids are using) that's fine. The goal here is to understand better how thesis statements and topic sentences can make your papers better. Complete the Thesis Statement Nearpod first. Read Chapter 16 tonight and we'll work tomorrow on Vocabulary.

3 & 4 B: Today you're going to work on a recitation of another poet's work. Watch the video below (with my dulcet narration) and choose a poem from the list. They are all in your digital Springboard book (located at the link below). Watch the included videos for some wonderful young poets reciting their own work. Language Warning: "Perfect" by Maia Mayor has some strong language. Turn on captions for Harry Baker, he's got a thick London accent and speaks quickly. The assignment is to record yourself reciting one of the poems from the text on Flipgrid at the link included below. You will also record/write comments on at least 2 of your classmate's recordings, offering specific praise and constructive remarks. All 4 skinny classes will record in the same "class" and be able to see and comment on each other's work.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/24/20

2nd Block: Work on “Literary Analysis - Thesis Writing Practice.” This will help build your skills towards writing a full Literary Analysis of a scene in TKaM. Read Chapter 15 tonight.

3 & 4 A: Today you're going to work on a recitation of another poet's work. Watch the video below (with my dulcet narration) and choose a poem from the list. They are all in your digital Springboard book (located at the link below). Watch the included videos for some wonderful young poets reciting their own work. Language Warning: "Perfect" by Maia Mayor has some strong language. Turn on captions for Harry Baker, he's got a thick London accent and speaks quickly. The assignment is to record yourself reciting one of the poems from the text on Flipgrid at the link included below. You will also record/write comments on at least 2 of your classmate's recordings, offering specific praise and constructive remarks. All 4 skinny classes will record in the same "class" and be able to see and comment on each other's work.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/23/20

2nd Block: Complete "3/23 - TKaM Whose Phone is This?" and submit to Google Classroom. You'll be demonstrating your understanding of character by creating a visual and written representation of one of the Finch family members' (including Cal) cell phone. Choose/draw a wallpaper, the last 2 texts/e-mails the person received, and 3 songs on their go-to playlist, and then explain why you chose each. We're slowing down the reading a bit this week as we get into the trial. Read Chapter 14 tonight.

3 & 4 B: Work on your poetry Anthology. Maybe write about our current situation and your reaction to what is happening in your own home, here in Marietta/Atlanta/GA, in the country, in the world...Reflect your own experiences in your writing.

I'm working on scheduling individual class Meets this week so we can talk about where we are, get questions answered, and have some time to hang out with people who aren't members of our immediate household.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/20/20

2nd Block: Take the time to catch up with your reading. Read Chapters 12-13 by Monday.

3 & 4 A: Work on your Poetry Anthology. Maybe write about our current situation. Take time for yourself this weekend.

It was wonderful to see so many of you this morning. We'll do it again next week.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/19/20

2nd Block: Complete "3/19 Writing on Courage and Perspective" and "3/19 Analyzing Symbols" and submit through Google Classroom. You'll need to read Chapter 10 to complete that last one. Tonight's reading assignment is Chapters 10-11. I'm going to upload a video later talking about Symbols vs Motifs and how Harper Lee beats us over the head with her symbolism. Let me know in the GC comments if you're able to keep up or are falling behind in your reading.

3 & 4 B: We're working on Poem #8 in your Anthology today and you get to choose the form of your final poem. It's like choosing the final form of Gozer in the original Ghostbusters. This is your Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. Anyway, check out the Slides presentation attached to the Google Classroom post for some current poets who started their professional careers on Instagram and examples and explanations of each suggested poetry form. After this, we'll be working on our Poetry Cafe presentations, which you'll do through Flipgrid.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

NOTE: Tomorrow at 10:00 am I'm going to be hosting a Google Meet to check in with any student that wants to jump on and just say hi, check on the status of assignments, get any questions answered, etc. I'll post a link in GC for each class. It's vital for our health and sanity that we check in with each other and make sure that we don't feel isolated during all of this. Let's not lose the "social" while we're socially distancing.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/18/20

2nd Block: Complete "3/18 Write a paragraph..." and submit through Google Classroom. We're looking at potential THEMES for TKaM and - guess what - "coming of age" is a major one. The odd thing about this book, though, is that Jem is the one truly making that transition, not the narrator, Scout. She's 6 or 7 at this point and barely knows how to tie her own shoes. That's not fair, but you get the point. Hey, how about that Miss Caroline, huh? I really miss dishing about this novel in person. Anyway, read Chapters 8-9 in TKaM and let me know in the comments in GC if you're keeping up or feel like you're behind in your reading. We're going to be doing essentially 2 chapters a day unless there's a major issue.

3 & 4 A: We're working on Poem #8 in your Anthology today and you get to choose the form of your final poem. It's like choosing the final form of Gozer in the original Ghostbusters. This is your Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. Anyway, check out the Slides presentation attached to the Google Classroom post for some current poets who started their professional careers on Instagram and examples and explanations of each suggested poetry form. After this, we'll be working on our Poetry Cafe presentations, which you'll do through Flipgrid.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/17/20 - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2nd Block: Complete "3/17 Paraphrase Atticus' speech about the Radley's" & "3/17 Character Bubble Map" and submit through Google Classroom. Read Chapters 6-7 in TKaM.

3 & 4 B: Complete "Poetry Workshop #7: Shakespearean Sonnets" starting by watching Crash Course Literature 304 (linked in assignment). Work on adding a Shakespearean Sonnet to your Poetry Anthology.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Assignments: 3/16/20

2nd Block: Complete "3/16 Conflict Chart" & "3/16 TKaM Essay Writing Practice" and submit through Google Classroom. Read Chapters 4-5 in TKaM.

3 & 4 A: Complete "Poetry Workshop #7: Shakespearean Sonnets" starting by watching Crash Course Literature 304 (linked in assignment). Work on adding a Shakespearean Sonnet to your Poetry Anthology.

Parents: To see your student's assignments, you'll need to log into Google Classroom using their Wheelerhigh.com address and password.

I'll be available for questions until 12:00 today and then intermittently by e-mail throughout the day.

Virtual Learning Update: 3/15/20

Hello everyone. T-1 days until virtual school begins. I'll be posting updated calendars and assignments as we go, hoping to get a full 2-3 week schedule up by the end of this week. I'm aiming at the 30 min per day rule, but that's not going to be everyday.

There are a few things coming up that I'll record lectures for, but certainly not everyday. Without me yapping constantly, I'm sure you'll enjoy completing your assignments in peace and quiet. My advice for maintaining some normalcy? Make a schedule for yourself and stick to it. I'm doing that for myself and my own kids, hoping to keep us all sane as we ride this out. Talk to you tomorrow.