FRIDAY: "You don' know what you're a-doin'."

Chapter 25: The Old Testament Plagues  What is Steinbeck's purpose is making this allusion to the bible?

Chapter 26:  Quotation Quiz and Groups decide significance--share out.

Are there any Biblical Allusions in chapter 26?

Homework:  Read 28 for Monday, 30 for Tuesday....and we're done!

Next week you will be asked to start work on two final pieces for our Grapes of Wrath unit:

• a rhetorical analysis of one intercalary chapter
• a style imitation

SAT RTI NOTES & HANDOUTS

COLLEGE BOARD WRITING TIPS

• PRACTICE WRITING PROMPTS--Remember to take 5 minutes at the start and plan your essay.  PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!
• Remember BEFORE YOU START: 
• circle keywords in the prompt
• paraphrase the prompt so you are sure you understand it
• choose a clear point of view (I agree/I disagree/ I agree & disagree)
• Answer "Why?"  and maybe even "How will be this implemented?"
• Write your thesis, combining your point of view with your reasoning.
• Consider the opposing side: what reasons might you concede or just flat-out refute?  (Although remember that concessions strengthen your logos and ethos.
• What CONCRETE EXAMPLES will you use to support  your reasoning?

Tips on beginning the essay: NPR story on the "new" SAT

Also, here is an example of how important it is to use both abstract and concrete language together in your essay: Abstract and Concrete Language together

How make concessions without making your argument seem wimpy: Graff Frames Page One and Graff frames page two.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  A piece that offers a critical perspective of the SAT essay: Is the SAT Creating A Generation of Bad Writers?

THURSDAY: My Eyes Have Seen the Glory...

Today we will finish reading Chapter 23 and look for places in the text where Steinbeck asks us to find the holy in the places where it isn't normally associated.

Then we will read Chapter 25 and answer multiple choice questions about it.  The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Tuesday: Chapter 22 lit groups report out

MAKING CONTEMPORARY CONNECTIONS:  Extra Virgin Suicide  NY TIMES

Students who were Summarizers and Passage Pickers shared out today.

Tomorrow we will tackle Chapter 23 (finally) and Chapter 25.  Read Chapter 25 tonight and 26 for Friday (it's another long one).

Monday's class: Setting up Literature Circles for chapter 22

Agenda

1. Quiz on Chapters 19 and 20 and 21

2. Discussion of the ending of chapter 20 in order to model the activity below. (see our shared google doc folder for the passage)

3. Students met in groups to assign roles and prepare for a discussion tomorrow on Chapter 22.

LITERATURE CIRCLES FOR CHAPTER 22

CONNECTOR:  This means connecting your reading to your own life, to happenings at school or in the community, to similar events at other times and places, to other people or problems that you are reminded of.  You might also see connections between this passage and other parts of the novel or other texts on this subject.

SUMMARIZER:  2-3 sentence summary that covers key points, main highlights, and general idea (“the gist”).

DISCUSSION DIRECTOR:  4 questions about chapter 22  (Why or How questions)

PASSAGE PICKER: Find 3 key passages to present to the class because they relate to big ideas, character development, effective rhetoric/persuasion.

Friday's class

Today we

1. Took vocabulary test on Lesson 8

2. reviewed stellar thesis statements from yesterday for Chapter 19. (you can find them in our shared folder in google docs under WRITING)

3. Read chapter 21 together and discussed Steinbeck's use of diction.

HOMEWORK:  Read chapter 22 for Monday

Chapter 19: Thursday's class

Please see my announcement below for information about my interventions next week.  There will be a sign up--enrollment stops at 30.

Rhetorical Analysis:  a marriage between content and form

Today we answered content questions about Chapter 19 in order to get at Steinbeck's purpose and message.  

Then, I asked students to consult their notes to pinpoint two rhetorical or stylistic ("voice") strategies that Steinbeck uses to achieve his purpose here.

Students constructed a thesis that follows the frame: 

Steinbeck uses (don't forget a good modifier here)________________ and ___________________ in order to emphasize/show/ persuade _________________________________________________________________________. 

Homework is to study Vocabulary for tomorrow.  Chapter 22 is homework for the weekend. 

ATTENTION: SAT ESSAY Interventions next week!

A few of you have come to me expressing some concern about the SAT 25 minute essay.  Next week on Thursday and Friday I am planning on offering two interventions related to that essay.

Thursday the 30th: How to approach a prompt and sample SAT prompts

Friday the 31st:  What each score point looks like: Examining student sample essays

Wednesday's class

Warm up: Chapter 18 multiple choice questions (16-20)

Learning targets today:  

To discuss intertextual connections in Chapter 18.

To identify elements of voice (and rhetorical strategies too) Steinbeck employs in Chapter 19:

VOICE (style):  diction, imagery, detail, syntax, figurative language, tone

RHETORICAL DEVICES: organization, rhetorical appeals, irony, mode, literary elements (plot, character, setting, dialogue)

Tuesday's class: Chapters 16 &17

Reminder: Please review two student papers in studysync.com this week.  Hit the "review" button on your account to do this.  You must leave comments and a rubric score.  

Discussion points from today's class:

GOW

Quiz

16

Identify speaker, context, and significance.

1.  “It’s a hard thing to be named a bum.  I ain’t afraid,” he said softly.  “I’ll go for you an’ your deputy with my mitts---here now, or jump Jesus.  But there ain’t no good in it.”

2.  “Me---I’m comin’ back.  I  been there.”

3. “He felt his way to the mattress on the floor, and he stretched out and cried in his bed, and the cars whizzing by on the highway only strengthened the walls of his loneliness.”

17

4. God gave the Israelites the 10 commandments during their desert exodus.  In chapter 17, the migrants develop “new laws” which the Joads are given at the government camp.  What were some of the “rights” which become laws?  Are they at all reminiscent of the law of Mt. Sinai?  How are they alike/different?

Great study apps: memrise.com

Check out this new app that Connor Hudak just showed me!  This should be a big help for the AP exam and the SAT:  http://www.memrise.com/course/49008/ap-english-language-terms/1/

It's free!  Give a try and let me know what you think!

Friday's class: STUDY SYNC on CHAPTER 15

On Thursday, we took a quick quiz on chapter 16 and finished discussing chapters 9-15 in brief.

On Thursday night, please try to watch the 15 minute video embedded in the assignment I have posted on http://studysync.com/ .  I am hoping that the discussion between the "students" will serve as a good inspiration for your writing, so listen carefully and take notes on what seems important.

On FRIDAY you will be working on an assignment on http://studysync.com/ in the computer lab.

You will have a choice between two prompts. 300 words.

Please write your essay and submit it to studysync before midnight on Monday.

HOMEWORK:  Read 17 and 18 by Tuesday as well.  Come prepared with highlighted or post-it passages.

Wednesday's class

VOCABULARY LESSON 8:  See my pages link for new set of flashcards!

Multiple choice "warm up": questions 6-10 in the packet on GOW

Share thoughts, discoveries, insights from your assigned chapter 8-14.

Notes:

Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 8-15 Discussion Groups

When you have a moment in the next few days, please update your gmail address on this linked form for me.  Thank you!

1. Today, we will start class with a reading of two letters from Steinbeck to his editors.  After you are done silently reading them, please write a response to them.  Specifically, what conclusions do you come to about Steinbeck or the novel after reading his correspondence?

2. GROUP DISCUSSIONS:  Using your books, review your assigned chapter and discuss your answer to the assigned question.  Prepare to present specific lines from the text in your answer to the class.

Tomorrow:  Bring your multiple choice AP packets to class!

Read the first half of chapter 16 in class tonight.  You should have it finished by Thursday.

Reflection and Self-evaluation

Here is a link to the student samples from the 2010 AP prompt that you were asked to write to for our final exam.

Today I would like you to examine your writing for the final and reflect on 5 elements:

Position
Evidence
Explanation/Analysis
Coherence & Development
Stylistic & Grammatical Control

On this form, please submit your responses.