English 4 & 4H: 8/27,28/12

Guiding Q:

• Why do we study English lit?
• What's the importance of "context"?
• How and why do we study vocabulary?

Bell Ringer

• Do annotation and dialectic response on the handout "A retired English teacher was bored."

Activities

1. Decision about summer reading
• Vote on how the class will read and how a book will be determined.
• I will create a list of books to choose from.
2. Discuss/follow through on Friday's assignment
• Prep for days I will be out
3. Introduction to vocabulary plans
• Handout Unit 1 vocabulary and go over.
• Date for first test is September 6 and 7
• Assign homework which is due on the day of the test
• Pass out word parts handout and go over.
4. Discussion and preparation for not taking
5. Review and have open Q and A over anything we have covered to date.

Drama: 8/27,28/12

Guiding Q:

• Why study literature in drama?
• How do you apply literary skills to drama?
• What are the rules and processes of improvisation?

Bell Ringer: 2 improvs

• The human machine
• The question game/competition

Activities:

1. Improvisation discussion
• The point and purpose
• The three major rules: commit, shared success, say yes
• How it works out in life and drama
2. Follow through on "Ransom" assignment from last Friday and preparation for the days I'll be out this week.
3. Follow through on stunts from last week and ask for journals/notes to be turned in
4. Improv examples and stories.
5. Begin to focus on relationship between literature and drama: storytelling
• The story "How to start a rock band"

English 4 & 4H:

Following are the sub plans for the class as the teacher was unavailable.

1. Assignment is in the literature book on the back shelf. Students will have to share, but no more than two students per book.
2. Read Beowulf and related stories from page 38 to page 67.
1. This assignment should be more than they can complete in one hour, but I do expect them to get at least through page 50 as a minimum.
2. Answer all margin questions labeled "A" through "Y." These questions are in the margin to the right of the text with the definitions.
3. Answer all end questions on pages 50, 57, and 67.
3. Stop 5 to 10 minutes before the end of class.
1. Have students write an exit journal explaining why they believe Beowulf was so important that it was told orally for hundreds of years before it was written down, and why it is still important enough to be put in a literature book today.
1. This is a "best guess" journal. However, I expect students to give good reasons to support their guess.
4. Have students turn in all their work before they leave.

Drama: 8/24/12

Classes were covered by substitutes because I was unavailable. Following were the plans:

1. Level 3 and 4 students are to break the class into groups of 4 or 5.
2. Each group is given a copy of the story: "The Ransom of Red Chief"
1. Students are to read the story out loud in their group
2. Each student should have some chance to read, keeping the volume low so other groups can work uninterrupted.
3. While students listen and read the story, they are to
1. Create a list of characters in the story
2. List the qualities of each character: dress, size, attitude, personality, . . . . etc.
3. Create a list of basic events of the story
4. Make sure their name is on the paper
5. Each student is to do their own work, but they can be helped by others in their group
6. We will probably have the students turn this into an in-class play/skit soon.
4. I expect this assignment to take more than one class
5. Make sure students turn in their work as far as they get.

English 4 &4H: 8/22,23/12

Guiding Q

• What is the purpose and function of a group?
• How can we cover the summer reading assignment?

Bellringer:

• Break into groups of 2, 3. or 4
• Each person in the group is to have an assignment
• Create a chart for what is appropriate during group work including the following
• Amount of conversation; how to get help; movement; and participation
• Be ready to present
• After the above is complete, each student is to individually write their own observations regarding this activity
• ** The teacher will interrupt the chaos and confusion at points to guide this individual interpretation assignment to a successful end. This is an experiential experiment for students and an effort to push self determination.

Activities:

• Check syllabus for grades
• Discuss and explain the bellringer experiment. Compare it to CHAMPs that teachers wrote. Complete the related guided Q.
• Discuss and list student suggestions for overcoming the lack of completing the summer reading assignment. Include the issues of purpose, point of assignment, and excuses and reasons for non compliance. A final decision will be made later.

Exit journal

• Have students write their individual answers to the guiding Q above.

Drama 8/22, 23/12

Guiding Q

• What does community interaction mean in drama?
• How important are others in what you want to do?

Bellringer

• Creative writing assignment: I know something was dreadfully wrong by the way he/she . . . . (Be very detailed in your descriptions)

Activities:

• Check syllabus for points
• Discuss community and group work and the interactions between yourself in others.
• Discuss observing others and the challenges that creates
• Per 7 stunt: something strange
• Write a list or journal monitoring others response to you and your response to them and doing the stunt.
• Period 4 stunt: Who, what, why is "it," the mystery.
• Level's 3/4 plan the daily reading and the audition and explain the plan to students
• This will begin next week.

English 4 and 4H: 8/20, 21/12

Bellringer

• What have you heard about this course or about me?
• What do you need to know about this course or me to be able to be successful in this class?
• What problems or challenges do you think will hinder or slow your success?
• What questions do you need to ask that you might be to shy to ask?

Cover all bellringer questions and discuss/answer them in class for the students
Take role

• Correct rosters
• Learn pronunciations

Syllabus

• Rules
• Processes
• Overview

Summer reading requirement

• Assign, bring your best ideas about how to resolve the assignment issue to next class.

Employability skills
Exit journals

Drama: 8/20, 21/12

Bellringer:

1. What have you heard about this course and me?
2. What do you need to know about this course and me to be successful?
3. What problems or challenges do you think will hinder or slow your success?
4. What questions do you need to ask that you might be too shy to ask?

Take role, correct role and learn pronunciations
Cover syllabus

• Class processes
• Rules
• Overview

Level 3's and 4's

• Find a book or play we can use to read in class for 10 to 20 minutes every day. Must be drama related.
• Create an audition plan that will allow us to assess the new student, identify strengths and weaknesses, and create teams.

Level 2's, 3's, and 4's

• Begin introductions, examples, and stories.