Final Post 2010-2011

It's Finals Week and another school year is drawing to a close.

It's been said that a picture's worth a thousand words. Here is a word cloud of this year's blog:

eng 2 blog word cloud apr2011




As I watch students bring in the food they made with love and put the finishing touches on their presentations,

food made with love


I am reminded of the words a teacher once handed me on the last day of school:

I wish to begin this summer well;
to do something in it worthy of it and me;
to transcend my daily routine and that of my townsmen...
I pray that the life of this spring and summer
may ever lie fair in my memory.
May I dare as I have never done!
May I persevere as I have never done!
-Henry David Thoreau

Wishing you good things to read and think about,
Dr. Preston

June 3

JOURNAL TOPIC:
[n/a]

AGENDA:
1. Essay Final

HW:
1. Group presentation (due finals week by period as follows: p.3&4 on Tuesday, June 7; p.5 on Wednesday, June 8)
2. Course evaluation (please print and complete the form below and bring it to your period's final)

COURSE EVALUATION
Please print and complete the following two forms this weekend, and bring them with you on the day of your final.

Evaluation Journal 1


FINAL JOURNAL evaluation

June 2

JOURNAL TOPIC:
The third part of that original journal topic asked, "How far are you prepared to go to achieve your goals?" Did you go far enough this year? Can you go farther?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Discuss final two chapters of Like Water for Chocolate
3. More about tomorrow's essay final
4. More about the group presentation

EXIT TICKET: group names, meals, significance, ingredients, requirements

HW: Study for tomorrow's essay final

June 1

JOURNAL TOPIC:
The second part of that first journal topic in August asked, "What do you expect of the class and of yourself this year?" Did the class meet your expectations? Did you meet your expectations? Explain.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "Immigrants in Our Own Land"
3. Return vocabulary finals
4. Review for essay final
5. Group presentation requirements

HW:
1. Study for essay final
2. Begin working on presentation

May 31

JOURNAL TOPIC:
This is the beginning of the last week of your 2010-2011 journal. The first question this year asked you, "Who are you and what are you doing in this class?" Nearly ten months later, are you the same person who came to this class last August? Are you here for the same reasons? How have you and your motivations changed, and how have they stayed the same?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "Immigrants": victims and volunteers

HW:
1. Go through your materials from the year and make a list of everything you read in this course, including the books you chose for literature analyses.

May 27

JOURNAL TOPIC:
***[no journal today due to final]***

AGENDA:
1. Vocabulary final

HW:
1. Finish memorizing "Immigrants in Our Own Land" (due Tuesday, 5/31)
2. Complete reading/active reading notes on Like Water for Chocolate (due Wednesday, 6/1)

May 26

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a time when cooperation enabled you to survive or succeed in a way you couldn't have on your own. Use as many vocabulary words as you can!

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Discuss LWFC chapters August-October
3. Vocabulary final review

HW: Study for tomorrow's vocabulary final.

May 25

JOURNAL TOPIC:
On Thursday at lunch I will host an orientation for students who are taking my class next year. Based on your experience, what should I tell them that will make them successful?

AGENDA:
This week's classes are working periods in preparation for finals. Evaluate your own priorities and invest your time in one or more of the following:

*Study for vocabulary final
*Memorize "Immigrants in Our Own Land"
*Finish literature analyses
*Read/take notes on LWFC chapters August, September and October

HW: Continue your work in these four areas.

May 24

JOURNAL TOPIC:
What are you doing to prepare yourself for finals? What grades are you hoping for/aiming for this semester?

AGENDA:
This week's classes are working periods in preparation for finals. Evaluate your own priorities and invest your time in one or more of the following:

*Study for vocabulary final
*Memorize "Immigrants in Our Own Land"
*Finish literature analyses
*Read/take notes on LWFC chapters August, September and October

HW: Continue your work in these four areas.

May 23

***REMINDER: ALL LITERATURE ANALYSES DUE FRIDAY 5/27 NO EXCEPTIONS***

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Write a brief narrative to go with the following picture/caption, and challenge yourself to avoid any direct characterization:

burdick this time she'd gone too far



AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "August" quiz
3. Vocab review feedback and how to study for Friday's (5/27) final

HW:
1. Study vocabulary
2. Work on "Immigrants"

May 20

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Tita's magical meals are way for her to express emotion, creativity, and connections to other people. How do you express these things?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Vocabulary: final review quiz

HW:
1. Read/take notes on "August" (possible quiz Monday 5/23)

May 19

JOURNAL TOPIC:
In the spirit of this week's multimedia journal review/revue, here is another musical sample. This time, however, instead of merely analyzing literary elements, you will create your own. Write a short biographical story in which the singer is the protagonist; explain his song or presence on the show in a narrative plot that includes exposition, rising action, a climax, and falling action/resolution/denouement.




AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Discuss "July"
3. Vocabulary review

HW: Study for vocabulary review quiz tomorrow (format described in class, ask a friend if you're not here today)

May 18

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Earlier in the year a journal topic asked you to describe your favorite music to a deaf person. Well, in this case, a deaf person COMPOSED the music. Listen to Beethoven's 9th Symphony and describe the author's tone and the mood he creates through his music.




AGENDA:
1. Journal/return "May" questions and notes
2. Discuss "Grilled Cheese" article and the relationship between Love and Quality
3. "June" quiz

HW: Read/take notes on "July"

May 17

JOURNAL TOPIC:
In order to get full credit for today's extended journal topic, you must demonstrate your understanding of irony and satire (it's been a while, so consult your notes if necessary). Is the song/video "Because I'm Awesome" ironic? Is it satirical? Answer each question clearly and give at least one reason with three examples for each.




AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. LWFC
*correct "May" quiz
*discuss "June"

HW:
1. Finish "June" reading/notes
2. Read "For These Sandwich Lovers, the Cheese Stands Alone"

Immigrants in Our Own Land

Our last poem this year is a powerful reminder that we don't need to go further than our own land to study world literature and culture. In fact, when it comes to Jimmy Santiago Baca, even magical realism hits close to home. According to the September 2008 National Council of Teachers of English magazine, "Chicano poet Jimmy Santiago Baca was born with rattlesnake poison in his blood. In January, 1952, just before his mother gave birth, she was bitten by a rattler. The healer who tended to her wound and then brought Baca into the world said that because of the venom Baca would be able to see in the dark and that he would change many times throughout his life, just as a snake sloughs its skin. And change many times he did."

After you memorize this poem we'll discuss how reading Baca changes us. Due May 31.

Immigrants in Our Own Land

May 16

JOURNAL TOPIC:
People often say, "I wish I had this" or "I wish I had that"-- but we don't know how our lives would change if we actually got everything we wished for. Describe something you wanted-- and got-- that made your life harder. What do you wish you DIDN'T have?

AGENDA:
1. Journal/update your calendar (see below)
2. "May" LWFC reading quiz
3. Vocab quiz this Friday (5/20): final review

CALENDAR/IMPORTANT DATES:
Please make a note of these as we head down the home stretch.

5/27 Last day to turn in Literature Analyses
5/27 Vocabulary Final
5/31 Recite "Immigrants in Our Own Land"
6/3 Essay Final
6/6-9 Final Presentations

May 13

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Do you think Friday the 13th is bad luck? Why/why not? Do you remember when/how you first heard about it? Why do you think superstitions are so important to so many people?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Vocabulary quiz
3. Discussion: family traditions and "April"

HW:
1. Read/active reading notes on "May"

May 12

JOURNAL TOPIC:
It's been written that, "Scars tell you where you've been, but they shouldn't tell you where you're going." Do you agree? To what extent should past actions/experiences/ traumas guide our choices? Explain.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Use last night's HW to compare family traditions
*Outward rituals/performance
*Inner messages, expectations & emotions
*Similarities
*Differences

HW: Review "April" quiz and notes for discussion tomorrow (Thurs. 5/12)

May 11

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Two days ago our journal topic was about prejudice (i.e., pre-judging)-- so today let's try an experiment. STEP 1: listen to the song featured in the video below WITHOUT watching the video. Picture the singer and describe him based solely on how he sounds. STEP 2: Watch the video; add detail and/or change your description. How did having more information enable you to accurately describe the singer?



AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. "April" quiz & discussion
3. Writing with vocabulary: describe a family tradition from your own family, and use at least ten of this week's vocabulary words in the process. Finish for HW.

May 10

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Describe a recent event/episode in your life-- in magical realism.

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Return "March" quiz & look up textual support
3. Active reading notes
4. "April"


HW: Finish reading/notes on "April"