1. A Long Way Gone novel plan
2. The Color of Water novel plan
3. Skeeter novel plan

These are the novel study questions that are due on the quiz day. Remember to answer these in complete, meaningful sentences on looseleaf paper.

A Long Way Gone:
1. A Long Way Gone study questions: ch. 1-4
2. A Long Way Gone study questions: ch. 5-9

The Color of Water:
1. The Color of Water study questions: ch. 1-6
2. The Color of Water study questions: ch. 7-10

Skeeter:
1. Skeeter study questions: ch. 1-2
2. Skeeter study questions: ch. 3-4

I’ll add more as we go through the rest of our novel studies.

The topic is New York Times reporting on violence in hockey. And our guest is a sports reporter, John Branch, who will be taking questions from student readers about the role of hockey “enforcer” and what he learned in reporting a series of articles about the late hockey player Derek Boogaard, as well as about the way he developed the series.

Here’s the link to the details: Please Join Us: Student Facebook Chat With a Times Reporter – NYTimes.com

I can see definite credit potential for participating and writing a reflection of it afterward.

PROMPT: Write from the point of view of someone who sees these slippers while waiting to checkout at Walmart, thinks they are pure genius, and can’t wait to try them out when they get home.

AD English 9 – January 9-13
English 10 – January 9-13

We’re settling into our new year back in C106, reflecting on the past and looking forward to a successful 2012.

During each of the last three grading periods, all my sophomores and freshmen will be adding memorization to their oral-communications skills.

We’ve been doing dramatic presentations, which focused on verbal and nonverbal techniques (like gestures and expression), and we’re not completely forsaking this. With Memory Work, students will still be expected to do more than merely speak the correct words correctly. Expressing those words in a way that helps listeners hear, understand, and feel them is also crucial.

Memory Work is a long-standing practice here at GWHS for all seniors, who memorize and present during each of the six grading periods, so this will be good practice for everyone for what’s to come.

Plus, memorization can open us up to new words, patterns, and modes of expression we’ve never experienced, helping us develop into better writers and readers.

Consider this excerpt from Michael Knox Beran’s piece called “In Defense of Memorization” from the Summer 2004 City Journal:

“…Memorizing poetry turns on kids’ language capability. It not only teaches them to articulate English words; it heightens their feel for the intricacies and complexities of the English language—an indispensable attainment if they are to go on to speak, write, and read English with ease. Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had, argues that memorization ‘builds into children’s minds an ability to use complex English syntax.’ The student ‘who memorizes poetry will internalize’ the ‘rhythmic, beautiful patterns’ of the English language. These patterns then become ‘part of the student’s ‘language store,’ those wells that we all use every day in writing and speaking.’ Without memorization, the student’s ‘language store,’ Bauer says, will be limited: memorization stocks ‘the language store with a whole new set of language patterns.’”

Wow. That’s what I’m talking ’bout.

Today’s video corresponds to a lesson in life goals, in which we will analyze (and be COMPLETELY AMAZED by) John Goddard’s Life List, which he created as a teenager, and create a list of our own.

Here are handouts of John Goddard’s original Life List and a sheet called “My Life List” that will help you make your own.

You can also visit Mr. Goddard’s website to see the video, the list, and find out additional information about him and his accomplishments.

It was around 1996, and my old friend Mike was showing me the website he had put up for our rock band, The Flaming Blue Iguanas (don’t hate ).

We were looking through some comments and he said the parenthesis and colon formed a smiley face. “Turn your head sideways and look at it.”

And the rest, as they say, was history.

Students: Tell us about the new emoticons, or emoji, you think the world might need, and describe what they might look like. For instance, what messages do you often find yourself texting your friends or your parents that could be simplified somehow into punchy cartoons? What emotions do you sometimes feel that might make useful emoticons? What places, events or activities would be handy to have as in your phone as emoticon shorthand?

LINK: Student Opinion | Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? NYTimes.com .

Instructions for posting:

To participate, follow the link above to the NY Times website, read the article, and respond in the comments there. (Remember to use your first name only at the NY Times website.)

After your comment is posted, click on the “Link” link under the date, copy the URL, and paste it into the comment box below. (Remember to use only your first name and last initial on this page below.)

P.S. 5 points EXTRA for the first English 10 student who finds and posts this week’s vocabulary word that’s on the NY Times page!!!

Students: Tell us what you think about the question of identity online. What, to you, are the most compelling arguments for or against real-name policies? How and why does it matter whether you are identified authentically online? Do you participate in online networks, Web sites and activities where you are identified? Do you participate in any where you can be anonymous? What’s the difference?

LINK: Student Opinion | Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? NYTimes.com .

Instructions for posting:

To participate, follow the link above to the NY Times website, read the article, and respond in the comments there. (Remember to use your first name only at the NY Times website.)

After your comment is posted, click on the “Link” link under the date, copy the URL, and paste it into the comment box below. (Remember to use only your first name and last initial on this page below.)

Hmm…I think something’s gone awry…

This New York Times student opinion question is about good manners:

Students: Tell us how you’d define “good manners.” Is it knowing proper etiquette when you’re in a restaurant? Saying “please” and “thank you”? Being kind and thoughtful of others? Do you think having good manners is important? How would you rate your own manners? Do you think our society in general is becoming less civil and more rude? Why or why not?

LINK: Student Opinion | Do You Have Good Manners? NYTimes.com

Instructions for posting:

To participate, follow the link above to the NY Times website, read the article, and respond in the comments there. (Remember to use your first name only at the NY Times website.)

After your comment is posted, click on the “Link” link under the date, copy the URL, and paste it into the comment box below. (Remember to use only your first name and last initial on this page below.)

Here are the questions:

Tell us about your role models. Is Kelly Clarkson, or Steve Jobs, among them? How have your role models influenced your life? Have you ever been disappointed by news about a person you admire? Are there people who view you as a role model? If so, does this honor bring extra responsibilities or affect your actions? Do you want to be a role model? If so, for whom?

To participate, follow the link above to the NY Times website, read the article, and respond in the comments there. (Remember to use your first name only at the NY Times website.)

After your comment is posted, click on the “Link” link under the date, copy the URL, and paste it into the comment box below. (Remember to use only your first name and last initial on this page below.)