10-29/10-30 Samurai Bookgroups

Lesson:
We took our first book quiz for Samurai's Garden. If absent, make this up ASAP.
We went over book groups and assigned projects and groups for the novel. If absent, please print off a book group packet from the assignments page. You will be given your group next class.
Homework:
Read pages 30-53
Complete assignment #1 in the Book Group packet. Due next class.

10-27/ 10-28 Zen Buddhism and The Samurai's Garden

Lesson:
We started raising money for Project Our Turn- to help benefit schools for former child soldiers in Uganda. Please bring whatever you can towards this cause as we continue our novel.
We then talked about Zen Buddhism influences the culture of Japan, specifically in the book Samurai's Garden. If you were absent go to the assignments page. Read the Zen parables. After reading these write one paragraph explaining what you can deduce about Zen Buddhism after reading these parables. Also, make sure you pick up a copy of The Samurai's Garden from the textbook window

Homework:
Read pgs 3-30
There will be a quiz next class so make sure you read!

10-23/10-26 2009 Intro to Shintoism

Lesson:
We went over comma rules and passed in our Shinto Storyboards
We acted out our Shinto myths and looked at Shintoism in Japan. If you were absent, write a half page explaining what Shintoism is using this website:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm

HMWK: None

10-21/10-22 On to Japan.......

Lesson:
Travel Vocab Test 2 (If you were absent please make up the test on the day you return)
We went over comma rules. HEre are the notes:
Commas after introductory clauses
Clause-- a group of words that’s not quite a sentence, though it often has a subject and a verb
Ex. After the rain started,
Ex. Before I finish dinner,
Ex. When Madonna sings,

When clauses like these introduce a sentence (Hey! That’s why they’re called introductory clauses; it ain’t rocket science), they require commas after them to reflect a pause in the reader’s voice.

Ex. After I finish typing, I’m going to my book club meeting.
Ex. Before I sat down to type this, I went to watch my daughter’s swim lesson.
Ex. Even after all this punctuation practice you do on introductory clauses, you’ll still need to practice some more! That’s the way the brain works!

Commas are used between words, phrases, or clauses in a series.
Example:
My favorite foods are pizza, hamburgers, and French fries. (Three nouns in a series)
I took her for walks, read her stories, and made up games for her to play. (Three verb phrases in a series)

A comma may be used between two independent clauses that are joined by coordinating conjunctions such as these: but, or, nor, for, yet, and, so
Examples:
I would like to speak to him, but I do not know what to say.

Our clothes had become dirty, and we had no other garments to wear.

We then watched a short film on Michael Palin traveling to Japan
I passed out Shinto stories to read and perform

Homework: Read a Shinto story. If you were absent, get a story from a classmate, read it, and fill out storyboard (found on the assignments page)

Projects:
Assignment #6 and #7

10-29/10-20 2009 Pico Iyer Philosophical discussion

Lesson:
Today we had a silent discussion about the question that were raised in the Pico Iyer reading.
If you were absent, choose 5 of these questions to answer:
1) "Corruption is in the eye of the beholder" What does this mean in relation to travel? Do you agree?
2) How much can we truly learn about another culture? What are some ways that we can maximize this learning?
3) Movement is only as valuable as your commitment to stillness. Do you agree?
4) Wy do we travel and how do we change through traveling?
5) There seems to be a double standard for most travelers in which they want the exotic and the familiar. Discuss this double standard.
6) How has traveling changed the course of history?
7) Our IHS mission statement reads: "As Global Citizens at Eugene International High School we aspire to value diversity, ambiguity, and discovery-and to act with responsibility, integrity, and compassion." How does this mission connect to travel? How can we do this here in our own community?

Literature Homework: Study for the vocabulary test

Projects Homework: Assignment #6 due next class

10-15/16 2009 The BIG turn in!

Lesson:
We turned in our travel story, all drafts, and all editing sheets. If you were absent make sure this is turned in next class.
Read "Fried eggs with chopsticks" By Polly Evans"
Began reading the Pico Iyer Interview
If you were absent, you will need to start the reading RIGHT AWAY! You have to answer some deep questions regarding the Pico Iyer interview. The questions can be found at the "Assignments" link and you can find the reading on-line.
New vocab words (can be found by clicking the "Assignments" link)

Here is an example of an "A-ha" moment and a reflection:

Example: “I’d love to write a travel article about my hometown of Santa Barbara and walk through it as if I were just arriving for the first time.”
I relate to this statement because I have never viewed my hometown as a very interesting place. It would be really interesting to walk around it and notice things that I normally just overlook. I think I’ll try this.
This taught me that people take their usual surroundings for granted a lot of the time, so then they think they have to go far away for excitement. Actually, it is more about a person’s attitude about a place than the place itself. Every place is interesting in its own way, if you are willing to see it that way.


Homework: Read Pico Iyer reading and find 5 Aha moments. Assignment (including the reading) can be found on the "assignments link"

Projects:
Assignment #6. You can find the readings you will need to do at the IHS website.

10/ 13-14 2009 Writing Workshop

Lesson:
Turned in "Paula" poem
Had second rough draft stamped
If you were absent make sure you turn these in and get a stamp next class.
Practiced grading CIM. If you want more practice go to:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?=527
Try grading an example. See how the state grades the imaginative papers.

In class we did peer editing on a peer edit sheet.
The sheets can be found at the "Assignments" link. If you were absent, you find three "trustworthy" people to read your story. This means adults with at least high school educations, classmates, or other students who have gone through this program.
The person grading will fill out the peer edit sheet for one of these categories:
Setting/ Style and Mechanics
Plot with conflict
Characters

Peer editors are allowed to write directly on this draft. They should ask questions to the writer, fix grammar, show where they are confused. Please have them do this clearly and neatly.

The peer edit forms are due, along with all drafts, self edits, and planning sheets next class.

Homework:
Final draft of travel story

Projects homework:
Assignment 5 due next class

10/8-12 Creating Voice

Lesson:
Self edit sheet (can be found on assignments blog)
Dialogue quiz (if absent you need to make up before next class
Went over CIM rubric for travel story (can be found on assignments blog)
Review of vivid descriptions
How to show and not tell
You can add detail to your writing by using descriptive adjectives. (The Flamenco dancer
Example:
Before

Then we saw a flamenco dancer perform in the town square. She was very good and we were glad to have had this great cultural show.
After

Then she appeared; our eyes were riveted to her black flamenco dress and the circling of its train as she wove her way through the musicians and singers on stage, acknowledging each of them individually. The fringe of her red embroidered shawl mirrored her movements; her red lips and hair ornaments were bright against her dark braided hair. When she finally looked at us, it was with just a hint of defiance in her eyes. With our mouths agape, Ian and I squeezed each other’s arms
She began her dance slowly, taking over the stage with large full steps. The hollow sound of the clappers rang out in unison with the clicking of her shoes. Her agile arms and swaying body amplified her presence. As the beat of the music quickened, her arms dropped to pick up the bottom layers of her dress, revealing her amazingly nimble feet. Then she stopped, sauntered around to one side of the stage, hesitated, then began again to a furious rhythm. Faster and faster she danced, reaching a magnificent crescendo, when suddenly she brought down one foot and…… the music stopped. A brief moment of quiet, a gasp; the applause exploded. (The Heat, the Moon, the Dance by Holly Smith)


You can add detail by writing through your senses (what does it taste, smell, feel, look, sound like?) (Vegemite, Pop Rocks, Licorice)

You can add detail by using metaphors and similes. (Eating vegemite is like……. The pop rocks are….)

You can add detail by using vivid verbs. (The children stampeded out of the classroom after trying Vegemite.

Slow it down!! (Justine Vs the snake, The adventure of Mega Chicken, Deep Fried Potato Bug)

Choose descriptive moments carefully (see “Detail” reading)

Use emotional and physical description

If you were absent, pick up a copy of “Paula” in the back of the room. (“Paula”- Isabel Allende)

Then ask: How does she create this mood?

Using the Paula” reading, create a found poem
First, go through “Paula” and find evocative lines that paint physical and emotional landscape.
What is this story about?
How is it shown through description?
Now, cut these back to their essence.
Write down the most vivid words to create poem. Aim for at least 20 lines.
It does not have to rhyme.

Homework:
* 2nd Rough Draft due next class. If absent, complete the self-edit for the first rough draft. Then go back and add details, descriptions, vivid verbs, etc for your second rough draft. There should be noticeably changes.

* If absent, pick up a copy of Paula and create a found poem


Projects: Assignment #5 due Thursday at Sheldon, Friday at South

10/6-7 Dialogue

Lesson:
We had our story planning sheet and rough drafts stamped for credit.
If absent, be sure these things get done.
Talked about dialogue in stories.
Dialogue rules
Dialogue is not conversation. Real conversation is dead boring to read. Create the illusion of real conversation.
Intersperse descriptive narration with your dialogue to give it detail and context.
In other words: show, don’t tell
Don’t overuse “he said” or “she said”
Don’t overuse the alternatives (for example “he shrieked”)
Don’t overuse dialogue tags
“Say, Joe, what is that you’re doing”
“Well, Sam, I’m fixing my car.”
“I didn’t know it was broken, Joe.”
“You know my car is always breaking down, Sam”

Here is a piece of dialogue that needs work:
“Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?” Jamie asked.
“Yeah, What’s up?” Samantha asked.
“I can’t believe it. I’m going to be the lead in the musical,” Jessica said.
“That’s great,” Jamie said.
“How in the world are you going to work that into your schedule?” Samantha asked.
“I’ll manage,” Jessica said. “Just don’t worry.”
Here is a way to fix it using the dialogue rules:
Jessica came bounding down the stairs with a smile on her face. She was going so fast that she practically ran in to Jamie and Samantha.
“Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?” Jamie asked, puzzled.
Samantha was just as confused as Jamie was. “Yeah. What’s up?” she asked impatiently.
Jessica’s heart leapt as she shared the news. “Oh! I just got the best news. I’m going to be the lead in the musical.”
“That’s great.” said Jamie, trying to summon up some enthusiasm. Deep down, she felt a stab of jealousy. She had wanted the part so badly, and now her best friend had gotten it. She tried to imagine what Jessica would look like on stage in the lead role, singing the songs she was supposed to have sung.
Samantha tapped on Jessica’s books impatiently. “How in the world are you going to work that into your schedule?” she asked. Samantha knew from experience that Jessica had trouble managing her time. She canceled their plans to study together twice in one week.
Jessica took a long look at her friends. Then she mentally reviewed her list of activities.
“I’ll manage,” she said, with a casual nod. “Just don’t worry.”

Can you see a big difference?
If you are absent, create a one page dialogue for the picture above. Look up correct punctuation on-line. Turn it in next class for credit.

HMWK:
Rough draft of the travel story is due next class (about three pages, typed, 12 point font, double spaced)
Dialogue test next class
EXTRA CREDIT!: One page of dialogue (if you were in class, it should be about Australia using Aussie slang. If you weren't in class, use the above picture.
Projects:
Assignment #4 due next class

Lesson:
Went over characterization.
Went over travel story assignment (on assignments page)
Fill out story planning sheet (on assignments page).

HMWK: Planning sheet and first paragraph of travel story: due Tuesday for Sheldon/ due Wednesday for South



Projects: Assignment #4