Drama: 11/30/09

1. Clearly go over evaluation expectations for the improvisation assignment. Give examples and make sure students know what to look for and what will be looked for in their performance.
2. Assign that all student will do one complete evaluation on another team.
3. Give students 30 to 45 minutes more to prepare. The list of requirements and evaluation requirements will be posted on the projector.
4. Students will spend the rest of class performing projects and being graded.
5. The next chapters are assigned with their related projects.
   

English 4: 11/30-12/1/09

1. Frankenstein work for 20/30 minutes. Stiff reminder -- all journals and test are to be complete on or before 12/15/09. If it can't be finished in class, it must be finished at home. The journals need to represent, be spread through, the entire book, not just the beginning or end. Journals are to be one good paragraph each and analytical. Simple summaries will receive an "F" grade. Students have been given prompts and many examples and are not to fall back into doing what is most comfortable. The point of the journals is to manifest the reading strategies being taught for reading success.
2. Handout puzzle for FrankenVoc 2 list. Due next class.
3. Macbeth: read aloud and finish Act 1. Margin and end questions are due next class. Students will receive a quiz on Act I next class as well. The work must be completed at home if it can't be completed in class. Students need to remember to study and not assume they can multiple guess their way through. All tests have essays and some tests are all essays. Students need to be prepared to provide information from their own memories in their own words.
4. Students are sternly reminded that many are not making up missed work. Missed work is a zero until it is make up. After a reasonable time, the zero becomes permanent. I gave several tests recently and many have not made them up. This becomes extremely serious the closer we come to the end of the grading period. Absences require make up!
   

Drama: 11/23/09

1. Prepare, study, review, and take chapters 4/19 tests.
2. The rest of class will be spent playing the storyteller game "Once Upon a Time" to develop skills in improvisational thinking and story telling.
   

English 4: 11/23, 24/09

1. Take Schoolnet test
2. When test is completed, students can get computer and/or books to work on either of the following assignments: A. Frankenstein reading and journals (final deadline is December 15th); B. Macbeth margin and end questions, margin questions include the light blue questions as well as the lettered questions (M & E questions will be taken up at the end of each act. There will be a test at the end of each act as well.)
3. Preparation for the Cause and Effect Essay for this grading period: Students will take notes related to the 4 D's of writing preparation. Full explanations will be given with Q & A time. Models of the C & E chart will be provided from classzone.com and Inspiration 8 (the issue isn't a fancy computer generated chart -- the issue is creating a complete chart). Students are referred to the model and requirements pages 530 to 535 for their draft and final essay. The final report and all its parts is due on or before December 15.
4. Read Macbeth in class from "No Fear Shakespeare" at sparknotes.com because the play is in old and modern English. Try to read through Act 1: Scene 3.
   

Drama: 11/19/09

1. Half of class was an extended model of how to do the improvisation assignment. We chose the topic "Castle" and began to develop all the characters and details that would set a thorough background for the project. At the point of presentation, the teacher will provide a storyline that the group will have to improvise around.
2. The final pantomime was performed. Over half the students have not done the assigned evaluation. This is their last chance.
3. Students were given a fair amount of time to prepare for their chapter test and their improvisation presentation.
   

English 4: 11/19,20/09

1. Students will have 20/30 minutes to read/work on Frankenstein assignment
2. Cover note taking skills with a complete example. Assign students to take notes on pages 332-339 in the lit book in preparation for the next quiz. Note taking is critical to success, and students will probably be allowed to use their notes on the semester exam.
   
3. Students will continue to take short/extended answer tests until they become proficient.
4. Begin Macbeth, page 340. Students are assigned all margin and end questions which will be due at the end of each act. Students will also have a test at the end of each act.
5. Students will read the play in both old English and modern English, one to see the beauty of Shakespeare's language and one to assure understanding.
   

Drama: 11/17/09

1. Go over grades -- Yuck! It is one thing to take a test and do poorly, but to retake the exact same test and still do poorly?
2. Missing pantomime evaluations
3. Explanation: Three parts to every chapter. 1. Read, understand, and test over chapter. 2. Perform project and learn by doing. 3. Observe and evaluate others to establish understanding.
   
4. Assign next chapters. Next chapter test will be Monday, November 22.
   
5. Level 1's: Pick a group and a topic. Begin brainstorming and mapping ideas, events, and characters related to topic. On the day of the performance, teacher will give students a storyline related to their topic. Students will turn in all their preparatory brainstorming/idea lists and begin/improvise around the given storyline.
6. Level 2,3's: Group created a staging project last chapter. For this chapter, they will create a complete lighting plan for the staging project including all the details covered in their chapter.
7. Chapter presentations will begin on November 30. Students who are absent on the day of presentations will be skipped over (their group will go on without them) and/or they will be given a zero. We are dragging projects on far too long until they no longer fit with the class project due to absent students.
8. "Tell" items need to be honed to perfection. They will be performed and videotaped by the end of the grading period for a major class grade.
9. Students were given a long time to work on their chapters and projects.
   

English 4: 11/17,18/09

1. Prepare and review and take the following tests: A. History test over pages 286-197; B. Frankenstein vocabulary from specter to fluctuate; C. Pastoral poems test.
2. Remind and take up the following late work: A. Pastoral poems margin and end questions; B. Essay Smart assignment; C. History journal; D. Any other make up work
3. Make up work not turned in by this Friday will become permanent zeros
4. Begin page 332 - Shakespeare and Macbeth to be completed by Christmas.
5. Frankenstein must be completed, all journals and test by December 15th
   

Drama: 11/13/09

1. Begin the period with a retake of the exact same last test since they did so badly on it the first time.
2. The rest of the period was spent finishing performing chapter projects and performing "tell" projects.
3. Students assigned the next chapter for content. Begin to study and prepare for the next test. I suggest taking notes.
   

English 4: 11/13,16/09

1. 20/30 minutes to read Frankenstein and work on journals. Remind/go over journal requirements.
2. Go online to do EssaySmart at Classzone.com. Students assigned to write and submit descriptive prompt 2. Some students will have to provide activation code which is put on the board. The program has problems and will not accept every submission. Students who can't submit are to print and turn in their essay to print or to studentdocs.
3. Finish 304-309 in the lit book, the pastoral poems. Do all margin and end questions and be ready for a quiz next class.
4. There will be the first Frankenstein vocabulary quiz and a history quiz next class. The history quiz will cover pages 286-297 in the literature book.
5. Students are reminded to do their make up work. Many are not.
6. Students are reminded to come in with their vocabulary plan for Frankenstein.
   

Drama: 11/10/09

1. Clearly go over last test. Students did not study when given class time and they have books at home. No level 1 passed the test. They will be given this test again immediately upon entering next class. The second test will be averaged with the first to give them a final grade. This is a last warning that all assignments, especially the book assignments, are not optional to be done if or when they want!
2. Spent the next major section of class performing chapter projects, pantomimes. Students were reminded that each person has to evaluate at least one pantomime. The evaluation rubric was put on the board and gone over again.
3. The last portion of the class was spent working on tell item presentations and teaching story telling techniques.
   

English 4: 11/10,12/09

1. 20/30 minute time for Frankenstein work - don't forget the journals. There needs to be 12 to 15 journals spread from throughout the book. I don't want summaries. I want thinking journals. Students can use the Active Reading bookmark as a prompt. Many examples are given in class.
2. Complete reading history section, pages 292-297 and discuss. Assign a journal for the history section as we are requiring for Frankenstein. Model and discuss the journal in class.
3. Hand out first 200 words from the Frankenstein book. Assign the first test over the first 25 words on 11/13,16/09. Assign students to come in with a plan for a way to cover the words without requiring a test for each section of words.
4. Read 304 to 309, pastoral poems. Assign all margin and end questions. There will be a quiz over these poems when we finish working on them.
   

Drama: 11/6/09

1. Introduction of Jonathon Morriss, the director of the sesquicentennial play, "The Time Capsule."
2. Students perform "Tell" items. Each performance becomes a teaching tool to increase student understanding of items like relating to the audience, fighting nerves, getting into character, transitions, motions and gestures, teller's point of view, posture, and much more.
3. Student performances and related teaching/discussions took the entire period.
4. Students will return to completing chapter projects next class.
   

English 4: 11/6,9/09

1. 20/30 minutes reading/work on Frankenstein
2. Review for and take Unit 1 Vocabulary 3 test
3. Read and discuss Unit history pages 288-291 including the Elizabethan Period, The Rise of the Stuarts, The Deveat of the Monarchy, Cultural Influences, and Renaissance Literature.
4. Read and discuss "The Sonnet Form," pages 302-305.
5. Hand out Unit 2 vocabulary list. Next test will be on Academic Vocabulary, from censured through intricate.
   

Drama: 11/4/09

1. Students must be ready for "Tell" performance on Friday. We will have a visiting director to coach and evaluate. Students need to have props and/or costumes, as needed, for their performance.
2. Students perform chapter projects, pantomime. First team picked randomly. Then each team picks the next.
3. Each student is required to evaluate at least one presentation based on the following criteria: A. Planned, to what extent does the performance show thoughtful planning. B. Detailed, to what extent does the performance show detailed action, plot, and elements. C. Function, to what extent is the performance manifest believable elements and actions. D. Performance, to what extent is the performance believable with characterization and emotion. Students are required to write notes explaining the "to what extent" part and/or examples from performance that prove their evaluation/grade.
4. Performances that are not completed this class will be completed class after next due to the visiting director and the work on "Tell" items.
   

English 4: 11/4,5/09

1. Frankenstein: Students given choice how to do Frankenstein. No longer required to do margin and end questions. Students are required to do journals, about one per two chapters, one good paragraph -absolutely no longer than a half page each. One of my student aides will create a list of the vocabulary words for the tests. Give students the option of working through Frankenstein on Sparknotes.com or combining Sparknotes with their reading.
2. All students will be required to do vocab tests and AR test based on Frankenstein in addition to their journals.
   
3. Show slide show of diagramming to picture parts of sentence structure with related discussion and explanation.
4. Show students the grammar items and other resources that are posted on the intranet.
5. Begin literature book, page 286, history of British Renaissance to page 288.
   

Drama: 11/2/09

1. Review/prepare/give chapter 3/18 tests
2. Work on "tell" item. Students must be ready to perform by Friday. We will have a guest who will evaluate performances with Ms. Wilks and me. All props, costuming, or anything else needed, must be brought and ready on Friday.
3. Watch video of Marcel Marceau "My mask is stuck."
4. Talk about quality of believability for the mimest.
5. Watch section of Gone with the Wind. Discuss costume, events, word pronunciations, dialect, and the harsh reality of the time the actors needed to make believable.
6. We will begin class project presentations next class.
   

English 4: 11/2,3/09

1. Read Frankenstein, pages 9-26. Pages 1-8 should be complete by now. Do margin and end questions and turn in (label carefully). Keep underlined vocabulary list on separate paper. Vocabulary tests will come. Work on this for one hour.
   
2. Vocabulary test Friday on the unit 1 section three words beginning with "legislation." There will be 18 words on the test.
3. Introduction to parts of a sentence.
   
4. Grammar workbook, page 19, subjects and predicates, do all. Grade and turn in.
5. Review history slide show for unit 1 in class.