Blog Archives

Socratic Seminar Tomorrow!

4/30/2018

We will begin our in-class Socratic Seminars tomorrow! Please make sure that you come to class prepared to engage in discussion with all necessary materials.

IF YOU WERE ABSENT TODAY, please consult the handouts below. You can either:
A) Print them out and complete them at home or
B) Use them as a guideline to complete the work on a separate sheet of paper.

To get full credit for the Socratic Seminar, you will need to submit the following:

You Socratic Seminar Cover sheet (includes questions for discussion and the pre-seminar reflection question) (**PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR HANDOUT IF YOU WERE NOT IN CLASS TODAY**)
Your selected passage for close reading
Annotated Article #1 ("Chinua Achebe's Anti-colonial Novels are Still Relevant Today")
Annotated Article #2 ("An African Voice" Katie Bacon)
A completed Theme Tracker for your topic (10 quotes with analysis)
The assignment sheet with rubric

I can't wait to hear your discussions!

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Close Reading Protocol

4/25/2018

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Today we began working on a close reading of an excerpt from Things Fall Apart in preparation for our upcoming Socratic Seminars on our theme topics (please see below for handouts/instructions if you were absent today)

What is close reading?
Close reading is reading a passage and analyzing it in fine detail. It is important because it is the building block for larger analysis. In order to close read something you must RE-READ it multiple times!

For homework, select a passage from Things Fall Apart to conduct your own close reading on:

Choose a quote/excerpt that is related to your theme topic.
Be sure that the section you choose is one that you can analyze and discuss meaningfully.
This will be part of your Socratic Seminar packet, so choose wisely!

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Revise your drafts!

4/23/2018

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After conducting a Peer Review in class today, your essay was returned to you with feedback. Please take the feedback that you received from your classmates and update/revise your draft. Ensure that you have a strong draft to turn in to me tomorrow!

***NOTE: Because of SATs, PSATs, and the Mock Regents exams that are taking place tomorrow, if I do not see your class, you may put your revised drafts into my mailbox OR bring them to me during lunch or after school.

Drafts MUST be handed in tomorrow to count as being ON TIME!
No excuses or acceptions!

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Weekend HW 4/20/18

4/20/2018

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Your FIRST DRAFT of the thematic essay is due Monday 4/23!!!
First drafts can be typed or handwritten, but typed is preferred.
- Your draft should have ALL 5 paragraphs completed.
- There will be a timeliness grade associated with this assignment! Let’s start the new MP off right.

In addition, please finish the worksheet that we began today in class. Be sure to consider WHY Achebe chose to allude to the poem "The Second Coming" for his novel.

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Thematic Essay Drafting HW

4/13/2018

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Write the introduction paragraph and at least one body paragraph for your thematic essay! Sample paragraphs and graphic organizers are below.
In addition, please make sure that you have finished reading Chapter 21 over the weekend.

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Thematic Essay: Thesis Statements

4/11/2018

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Please review the original Mastery work assignment for your thematic essay on Things Fall Apart. You need to begin formulating your theme statements so that you may begin your essay! Ideally, you should come up with 2-3 potential theme statements that could work for your topic.

Gather evidence for your theme trackers that relate to some of the questions for consideration.
Review your theme trackers à What evidence exists that shows a message that Achebe is trying to relay to his readers?
Come up with a theme statement that will serve as the thesis for your essay.

Questions for Theme Analysis/Evidence Gathering

What do characters do that helps illustrate this idea?
What do characters say that helps to illustrate this idea?
What events take place in the work that help to illustrate this idea?
How does the author use literary devices and/or techniques to develop the theme?

THESIS STATEMENT: Based on your topic, clearly state what the theme of the novel is.

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Homework

Socratic Seminar Tomorrow!

Close Reading Protocol

Revise your drafts!

Weekend HW 4/20/18

Thematic Essay Drafting HW

Thematic Essay: Thesis Statements

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