September 21, 2015 - September 25, 2015

Monday, September 21^st:

1^st Period:

BIC

8:15

Go to library for library orientation

Take test over library rules/protocols

Turn in test for credit.

3^{rd Period}:

Go to library for orientation

Take test over library rules/protocols
Turn in test for credit. 

Tuesday, September 22^nd: 

 First Period: 

BIC

Work on the vocabulary part of “The Most Dangerous Game” vocabulary packet. If you are finished with the sentences, then go to the last page of the packet and work on the grammar portion. This deals with adjectives.

Adjectives: Underline the adjectives in the sentences 1 – 4. On the fifth sentence write your own sentence using colorful and dramatic adjectives. On the last page, revise the paragraph using highly descriptive adjectives.

“The Most Dangerous Game” page

Please get out your notes on the short story and a pen. 

Reading Notes: 

Anselmo: “To strike a tartar.” To get more than one bargained for.

What are the rules of the game:

Dalicia: Rule #1: Rainsford gives his prisoner three hours head start.

Taylor: Rule #2: Rainsford gives them a hunting knife and a supply of food.

Anselmo: Rule #3: The hunt lasts for three days.

Arath: Rule #4: If the General catches the prisoner within the three days,  he dies.

Regina: Rule #5: If the prisoner wins then he will be placed on a boat and allowed to leave the island.

What happens if a prisoner refuses to be hunted?

Regina and Anselmo: The prisoner is handed over to Ivan, who will torture him. Ivan was a professional torturer of the Russian Czar or Tsar.

Foreshadowing: There are dogs – many HUGE dogs – down in the courtyard below Rainsford’s bedroom window.

Now the General wants to show Rainsford his heads!?

What did the general invite Rainsford to do the first night of his visit?

On the second night what did the general “invite” Rainsford to do?

What was the agreement if Rainsford won?

What was the General’s condition Rainsford refused to agree to? 

Vocabulary:

Opiate: anything which soothes or calms 

Ennui: boredom

Chablis: is a white wine

Stopped reading at the bottom of the left column on page 18. “….Crimson sash about his waist.

Period 3:

Your “Most Dangerous Game” packet will be due on Friday, September 25^th.

Open your book to page 22. Please get out your pen and writing notes. 

The Most Dangerous Game Reading Review:

Read pages 16 - 17 and write a description of Rainsford, Ivan and the General.

Rainsford: He is a renowned hunter and the author of many hunting books. 

How did the General know who Rainsford was? 

Ashley: He overheard Rainsford introduce himself to Ivan.  

The General: The general owns the island. The General is named Zaroff. He is Russian. He is old. He is handsome – for an old man. Is he rich – yes! Very rich!!!!

Ivan: he is the General’s assistant.

Ashley: The General is a very rich Cossack and owns the island.

Jonathan: Ivan is deaf and mute.

Johan: Ivan is huge!!!!

Asiah: He is a Cossack! 

Cossacks were noted horsemen and fierce fighters. They were known for their brutality. They were the soldiers used by the Czars to terrorize the people of Russia. Both Ivan and General Zaroff are Cossacks. 

Review:

Ashley: Whitney left Rainsford alone on the deck of the yacht. Rainsford heard gunshots coming from a creepy island with a notorious reputation called “Ship-Trap Island”. 

Asiah and Nicole: Rainsford was smoking a pipe late at night on the deck of a yacht on his way to South America to hunt jaguars. 

He and Whitney, a fellow hunter,  are discussing the unsavory reputation of a nearby island, called "Ship-Trap Island". Whitney eventually retires to his cabin, leaving Rainsford alone on deck. Suddenly, Rainsford hears gunshots. He gets up and climbs on top of the railing to get a better view. A rope from the yacht swings out and knocks the pipe out of his mouth. When he tries to grab the pipe, he loses his balance and falls into the deep waters of the Caribbean in the middle of the night. Rainsford sees the lights grow dim on the yacht as it sails on into the darkness without him. The closest island is "Ship-Trap Island" - the island with the unsavory reputation! 

Reread page 22 and write down the rules of the general’s game:

Cooper: Rule Number One: The prisoner is given food, hunting gear and a knife. The General has a gun.

Ashley: Rule Number Two: He gives the prisoner a three hour headstart.

Tyrone: Rule Number Three: If the General finds the prisoner within three days, the General wins. If he doesn’t find the prisoner, then the prisoner wins.”

What happens if the prisoner refuses to play the game?

Jonathan: The prisoner is turned over to Ivan!!!!!!

 Ivan is HUGE!!!!!! Ivan was the chief torturer for the Czar.   

The prisoner has to make a choice – run for your life in the jungle or be chased by the General!!! Or be beaten to death by Ivan!!!!

Wednesday,  September 23rd: 

No school today.

 

Thursday, September 24th: 

1st Period: 

 BIC: Work on your “The Most Dangerous Game” packet: the vocabulary and the grammar/adjective parts of the packet.

8:15:

Start reading “The Most Dangerous Game”

Vocabulary:

Uncanny: unusual; suggesting unusual, almost supernatural powers.

Quarry: prey

Precariously: in an unstable manner

Bough: (pronounced like bow) is a large tree branch

Reread what we  read and then write in your own words what has just happened.

From “Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours….” to “…the Cossack failed to see his quarry.”

Reread what we just read and then write in your own words what has just happened. You may also draw a picture of it to help you visualize it:

From “He slid down from the tree…..” to “…I shall be back….”

What is this device called?

The Malay Man-Catcher !

What was occurring in France during 1913 and 1917?

Jasmine: World War One

Rainsford was a soldier in the U.S. Army. During World War 1, trenches were used throughout Europe.  A trench is a long and deep ditch that can stretch for miles. Soldiers would live and fight in the trenches for weeks, if not months on end, and would frequently die in the trenches.  Rainsford’s digging the trenches in World War 1 was not as difficult and emotionally nerve wracking as digging the man-catcher on Ship-Trap Island.

Reread what we just read and then write in your own words what has just happened. You may also draw a picture to help you visualize it. Reread from:

 “Rainsford had dug himself in in France….” to “Thank you for a most amusing evening.”

What is this device called?

The Burmese Tiger Pit!

Period 3:

Page 23

1.    What was the creepy thing Rainsford discovered when he got up in the middle of the night?  Nicole: The door is locked!

2.    When Rainsford looked out his window what did he see in the courtyard many stories below?  Tyler: Dogs

3.    What did Rainsford hear at dawn? Kristina: He heard a pistol shot.

Vocabulary:

Ennui: boredom

Sloop: a small boat

Crimson: blood red

Uncanny: most unusual, suggestive of supernatural powers; eerie, creepy

Reread what we just read: From “’General, I wish to leave this island at once…’” to “a cocked revolver thrust in the crimson sash of his waist. Page 23 to page 24. Then answer the following questions:

1.     When does Rainsford figure out that the General means to hunt him? Catherin and Ashley:   “’You will find my idea of sport more diverting than Ivan’s?”

2.     What is the condition that must be met for Rainsford to win? Jaynice: If the general does not find Rainsford by the third midnight then he will not be killed.

3.     What does the General say he will do if Rainsford wins? Jaynice: The general says that he will have Rainsford  put on a sloop and taken to the main land.

4.     What is the condition Rainsford must follow if he is allowed to leave the island? Reyna: The condition is that Rainsford must never speak about what the General is doing on the island – which is KILLING PEOPLE FOR SPORT!!!!!

5.     Does Rainsford agree to the condition? Asiah: He does not agree with the conditions!

6.     Who was Lazarus? Paola: The General’s favorite dog!

7.     What happened to him? Kimberly: The dog fell into the quicksand and died!

8.     What is strange about the General’s feelings about Lazarus? Johan: The general obviously loved his dog far more than his fellow humans!

Read from page 24 to page 26; read from “’I’ll leave a trail for him to follow!’” to “Then it was that Rainsford knew the full meaning of terror.”

Answer the following questions:

1.     What did Rainsford do to elude the General?

2.     Was it successful?

3.     What did Rainsford see the General do?

4.     What terrifying thing did Rainsford realize?

5.    Do you think Rainsford has changed his mind about animals - that they have only instincts?

Friday, September 25^th:

BIC:

Holt Handbook; pages 151 – 152;

Exercises 1 and 2;

Exercise 1: If the word is in the present tense, then write the past form of the verb; if the word is in the past form then write the past participle form of the verb.

Example:

Do – did

Saw – have seen

Exercise 2: Write the sentence with the correct verb form.

Example: Mai’s parents told her about their journey in a boat from South Viet Nam to Malaysia.

The title should be “Holt Handbook; pages 151 – 152”.

The grammar homework will be due on Tuesday, September 29^th.

Read “The Most Dangerous Game”

Please answer the following questions:

1.     What sound did Rainsford hear that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear?

2.     What were the two possible alternatives Rainsford considered? What is the third alternative he came up with?

3.     What trick did Rainsford come up with? What was it called? Describe it.

4.     What happened as a result of this new trick of Rainsford?

5.     What were the two things bothering the general at dinner?

6.     Why was his reaction to one of his losses so strange?

7.     What is the surprise awaiting the general when he turns on his light?

8.     How does the story end?

9.     Do you think the survivor will continue hunting? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:

Repas: meal

Repast: meal

What do you think Rainsford will do now? Do you think he will give up hunting? Do you think he will release the prisoners? Do you think that he will take over the island and continue what the General was doing?

The packet for “The Most Dangerous Game” and the grammar homework, HOLT HANDBOOK; pages 151 – 152, exercises 1 and 2 will be due on Tuesday, September 29^th. 

Period 3:

Read “The Most Dangerous Game”; page 26 from “I will not lose my nerve!” (Dialogue between the third and the fourth paragraph in the left hand column.)

Vocabulary:

Precariously: unsteadily, in an unstable manner (adverb because it ends in ly)

Agility: the athletic ability to change directions quickly and easily

Bough: a large tree branch (pronounced like bow)

Tangible: the attribute of being easily detected by the senses.

Background Information:

Rainsford was a soldier in the U.S. Army. During World War 1, trenches were used throughout Europe.  A trench is a long and deep ditch that can stretch for miles. Soldiers would live and fight in the trenches for weeks, if not months on end, and would frequently die in the trenches.  Rainsford’s digging the trenches as a soldier in World War 1 was not as difficult and emotionally nerve wracking as digging the man-catcher on Ship-Trap Island.

 Read from page 26 (“I will not lose my nerve….”) to page 27 (Thank you for a most enjoyable evening!” Please answer the following questions:

1.     Describe the “Malay Mancatcher”. 

2.     What happened with General Zaroff and the Malay Mancatcher?

3.     What gave Rainsford the idea for the Burmese Tiger Pit?

4.     Describe the Burmese Tiger Pit.

5.     What happened at the Burmese Tiger Pit?

Read from page 27, from the fourth paragraph on the left side of the column to the end of the story.

Vocabulary:

Repast: meal

Please answer the following questions:

1.     What sound did Rainsford hear that made him know that he had new things to learn about fear? Kristina: It was a distant sound, faint and wavering. It was the sound of a pack of ravenous vicious hounds.

2.     What were the two possible alternatives Rainsford considered? What is the third alternative he came up with? Ashley: Stay where he was, which was suicide, or flee, which was postponing the inevitable. The third alternative was the Uganda knife trick.

3.     What trick did Rainsford come up with? What was it called? Describe it. Tyron: A knife is tied to a springy young sapling and tied back to another tree with some grapevine. This is a knife trick he learned in Uganda.

4.     What happened as a result of this new trick of Rainsford? Arturo and Johan: The Uganda knife trick killed Ivan.

5.     What were the two things bothering the general at dinner? Jonathan: How was he going to replace Ivan, and that the American had not really played the game fairly.

6.     Why was the general’s reaction to one of his losses so strange? Timerica: General Zaroff didn’t seem that upset over the death of Ivan.

7.     What is the surprise awaiting the general when he turns on his light?

8.     How does the story end?

9.     Do you think the survivor will continue hunting? Why or why not?

What do you think Rainsford will do now? Do you think he will give up hunting? Do you think he will release the prisoners? Do you think that he will take over the island and continue what the General was doing?

Do you think Rainsford will still agree with what he said at the beginning of the story:  that animals have no feelings, and that the world is divided into two classes – the hunter and the hunted?

Questions:

1.     What is suspense?

2.     What are techniques used by writers and film makers to create suspense?

3.     Show three specific examples how Richard Connell uses suspense to keep us guessing or wanting to know what is going to happen next.

Theme:

Theme is the main idea around which a writer builds a story, or a director builds a film or a play. The theme is a truth or an idea that the writer wishes to illustrate. She creates a story that tests the idea, or what she believes is a universal  truth, through the development of  plot and characters. As we follow the plot and the characters, the idea or universal truth is revealed and its validity tested.

A theme is always expressed as a sentence.  Love, or hate or any other single word cannot be a theme.  Love or hate are topics or subjects, not themes. A theme must express a central idea or truth about a topic or idea. For example, love is not the theme of Romeo and Juliet; love is, however, a topic the play deals with. One possible theme for Romeo and Juliet might be ignorant violent adults will destroy their children through their ignorance and violence,  or another theme for Romeo and Juliet might be reckless heedless love will destroy the young.

At the beginning of the story, “The Most Dangerous Game”, Rainsford and Whitney, a fellow hunter on the yacht, are discussing hunting and animals.

Rainsford expresses his disdain for animals:

“Great sport, hunting.”

“The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford.

“Not for the animal,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”

“Don’t talk rot, Whitney,” said Rainsford….”Who cares how a jaguar feels?...They have no understanding!”

“I rather think they understand one thing – fear! The fear of pain and the fear of death.” (Whitney)

“Nonsense!” laughed Rainsford…”The world is made up of two classes – the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are the hunters.”

Richard Connell, the writer of “The Most Dangerous Game”, sets up the theme at the very beginning of the story - that animals have no feelings or thoughts, or instincts, which was the prevailing scientific thought at the time regarding animals. The theme is immediately stated by the protagonist, Sanger Rainsford, who believes that animals have no feelings, and therefore,  it is perfectly fine that he hunts them. He proudly proclaims himself a member of the hunting class. Connell sets up this theme and immediately tests it by having Rainsford, through a series of events, becoming the hunted. 

Throughout the story, Connell uses animal imagery to describe Rainsford. Skim the short story, see if you can find them, and write them down.

By the end of the story, how has the central idea that animals have no feelings been tested? Was Rainsford, at the beginning of the story,  right all along? Has Rainsford’s ordeal changed him so that he has a better appreciation for the rights of animals,  and by extension,  those who belong to the class of the hunted?

September 15, 2015 - September 18, 2015 Weekly Schedule

Tuesday, September 15th: 

1st Period:

Write original sentences using words #16 – 20 from Unit One Vocabulary.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 16^th,  there will be a short test over the twenty vocabulary words from Unit One.

Presentations of Scenes:

“The Driver in the Armored Tank”

Jalani, Jayla, Eric, Jonathan

“The Soldier Killed in the Tank”

Michael, Stephanie, Taylor, Anselmo

In their scene they got the order of the killings in the wrong sequence

3^rd Period:

Study for the Unit One Vocabulary Test

Test

Presentations of the Scene:

“The Informant”

Jonathan, Ashley, Yulma, Kristina, Kimberly

Good Staging

Kristine – good, narrator, also playing the grandmother

Ashley – pharmacist

Cooper, Sharon, Lynn, Reyna, Josslyn

Good script, details, interesting take, a lot of good exposition, had connections

Good staging 

Wednesday, September 16^th:

BIC:

8:00 – 8:15

Fill out the parent form for tomorrow’s Back to School Night, take it home with you, and give it to your parents.

8:00 – 8:15

Unit One Vocabulary Test

Disregard 1. Pronunciation

ll. Part of Speech:

Identify the vocabulary words #5 - #7 according to which part of speech they are: noun, adverb, verb, adjective, interjection. Circle the correct letter.

lll. Spelling:

Circle the vocabulary word #8 – 10 that is incorrectly spelled

IV. Definition:

Write the correct vocabulary word #11 – 14 next to its definition.

V. Synonyms:

Circle the correct synonym for the vocabulary word #15 – 18

vi. Antonyms:

Circle the correct antonym for the vocabulary word #19 – 22

Vll. Completing the Sentence:

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary words #23 – 25.

8:45

Start reading "The Most Dangerous Game"; page 12

Please use a pen and paper for your class notes.

1.     Find evidence where the story is set (what is the setting). Find the quotations or several quotations which supplies the information where the story is set.

2.     Find evidence which supplies the information about the occupation of the men.

3.     According to Rainsford, into what two categories is the world divided?

Answers:

Awrath:
The setting: “…as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht.”

The ship is passing past “Ship-Trap Island”

They are sailing towards South America. How do we know this?

“It will be light in Rio.”

Ki:

“…through a moonless Caribbean night.”

Ki and Regina:

“The world is divided into two categories – those who hunt and those who don’t. And fortunately, we hunt.” The men are hunters.

Hunters:

Regina: Rainsford is going to wind up on the island.

Jasmine: He is going to wake up on the island.

Anselmo:

Rainsford heard gunshots from the island.

“Again, he heard the sound….someone had fired a gun.”

Awrath acts out how Rainsford lands in the water.

Read up to page 7, “….was blacked out entirely by the lights.”

Period 3:

Brief Study period for the Unit One Vocabulary Test

Take Unit One Test

Thursday, September 17^th:

BIC:

Correct your Unit One Vocabulary

Title your paper “Unit One Vocabulary Test Corrections

For those of you who made lower than an “A”, please rewrite each word you missed, write the part of speech, write the definition, write two synonyms, and an original sentence. This will raise your test one letter grade.

Example:

1.    Evolve (Verb): to develop gradually; to rise to a higher level.

Synonyms: Unfold, emerge

Original Sentence: We will apprise you of the story as it evolves.

Most scientists believe that higher life forms evolved from lower ones.

Begin reading “The Most Dangerous”; page 7

Vocabulary for “The Most Dangerous Game”

Opaqueness: solid, cannot be seen through it.

Perils: dangers

Lacerated: cut, scratched

Crimson: red

Stained crimson: implies that the weeds are stained with blood

Rainsford is finding the evidence of a hunt of a fairly large animal.

Palatial: having the characteristics of a palace

Chateau: a large luxurious country home.

Mirage: an illusion usually in a desert.

Gargoyle: a small statue of a frighteningly ugly demon usually found on churches to ward  off other demons.

Discern: to discover with one’s eyes, to see

Synopsis:

Rainsford has fallen over board and has to swim to “Ship-Trap Island”, a wild and desolate place. As Rainsford is swimming he hears a high pitch scream of a animal, perhaps wounded, in pain, and terrified, and then another scream which is cut short by another pistol shot. He is so exhausted  that when he at last stumbles on the rocky dangerous shore he falls immediately asleep.

When he awakens it is well into the afternoon. Rainsford sets forth to find another human, for he reasons where there are pistol shots there are humans. The path is ragged with over grown jungle, untamed and mysterious. There is trampled grass stained crimson, the site of some tortured animal’s death gasp, and a .22 cartridge nearby.  Rainsford continues his trek through the jungle and stumbles upon an incongruous sight – a chateau in the middle of a godforsaken jungle island. The chateau glitters like a village lit with many lights and Rainsford makes his way towards what is most certainly a mirage.  The chateau is massive, with a heavy door and a knocker in the shape of a gargoyle. Rainsford knocks. The door opens and a river of glaring gold light flows out. Standing framed by the door is a massive human being holding a revolver squarely at Rainsford’s chest. Rainsford stammers out an introduction. Just as the giant raises his thumb to cock the trigger, he suddenly strikes a salute with his free hand and clicks his heels. Descending down the stair is an elderly but strikingly handsome man in evening dress who has apparently called off with an unseen signal his body guard. The tall elegant man introduces himself as General Zaroff, a Cossack, who explains that the giant is deaf and mute, but is savage – like himself. And he smiles with his red lips and his very pointed teeth. Is he a vampire, this General Zaroff?

Period 3:

Passed back the Unit One Vocabulary Test

Went over how to make corrections

Gave them time to work  on it while I took roll.

This will be due tomorrow.

Began reading “The Most Dangerous Game”

Read to the bottom of page 7

Review notes on setting, etc.

Friday, September 18th: 

 

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BIC:

8:00 – 8:20:

Pass out the “The Most Dangerous Game” Vocabulary Packet.

Work on the vocabulary and grammar packet for “The Most Dangerous Game”.

Lore: Knowledge, including stories, myths and legends, about a particular occupation, or a place or location, or a group of people.

Examples:

The story of Davy Jones’ locker is part of sailors’ lore.

At Thanksgiving we love to sit around the dinner table and listen to stories about our family - about how our grandmother came to this country alone when she was sixteen, how our Aunt Maria started the family business on a dare, and other stories from  our family lore.

Our uncle falling into a mud puddle with hogs  is part of the family lore from my father's side. 

In stage lore, saying “MacBeth” aloud in a theatre is bad luck. Abraham Lincoln's  growing up in a lean-to shack in the forests of Illinois is an example of American lore from the history of our country. 

Perils: dangers. 

In Peril: in danger

Perilous is an adjective. It means dangerous. 

Example: We experienced a series of perils – a spider bite, mosquitoes, a bear visit, and a capsized boat – on our so-called “fun” camping trip.

The passengers on the Titanic were in peril when the ship hit the ice berg. 

The refugees had to make a perilous trek across the desert to get to safety. 

8:30 Read “The Most Dangerous Game” 

How do we know Zaroff is rich?

General Zaroff is very rich. His tailoring is done by a tailor in London who only sews for people who are dukes, princes, and  kings.

Zaroff owns a huge palatial chateau in the middle of an island. 

He dresses in evening clothes for diner. 

Zaroff dines on only the finest foods and champagnes brought in by boat from the outside.  

Medieval: It is the time period between 400 A.D. and 1300 A.D.

Amenities: Comforts and conveniences

Affable: friendly, genial, easy to get along with

Appraising: sizing up; trying to figure something out about someone.

Filet Mignon: an expensive cut of steak.

Debacle: Overwhelming defeat.

Zaroff is referring to the Russian Revolution of 1917, when the Russian Czar and the entire Russian nobility were overthrown and the communist system of government was installed. Rich people, like Zaraff, had their lands and money stripped from them and were plunged into poverty. Zaroff managed to avoid that by leaving the country with his money.

Quarry: prey

What does General Zaroff hunt? Men

Where do the men come from? From ships that founder on the rocks around the island.

How does General Zaroff get the men to the island?

General Zaroff has set up lights surrounding the island, so that on dark nights  the lights can be turned on, fooling the ship’s captain into thinking there is a channel there and a clear passage; but there is no channel there, only sharp rocks. The ship hits the sharp rocks, and the bottom of the ship is torn off, leaving the men stranded on the island.

Stopped at top of page 16; “Rainsford, with an effort, held his tongue in check.”

Period 3: 

Collected the corrections for the vocabulary test. 

Passed out the vocabulary packet for "The Most Dangerous Game". Assigned the first two words on the vocabulary portion in class. Went over the words lore and perils in class. Checked to make sure students are working. 

Read up to page 14, “Civilized? And you shoot men?!” Right column in the middle of the page.

Final event: Answer the three questions: What does Zaroff hunt? Where does he get the men?  How does he get the men onto the island?

Discussion.

 

September 8, 2015 - September 11, 2015 Weekly Agenda

  Tuesday, September 8th:

 

1st Period:

BIC:

 Use this time during BIC to work on rewriting those assignments on which you made lower than a “C”.

On a separate sheet of paper, rewrite the wrong or incomplete answer, using the corrections on your paper. Then, title the paper “Corrections for…..” , staple it to the original work and turn it in by tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9^th.

The grading period closes at 4 p.m. on Thursday, September 10^th.

For those who have nothing to do, please write five correct sentences using the following vocabulary words:

Be sure to use the following verbs in your sentences:

 Take, Leave, Hurt, Have, Come, Go, Do,

1.     adage: a wise saying, a proverb (a’ dage)

2.     bonanza: a very large amount of something of valuable; a sudden profit or gain.

3.     churlish: lacking politeness, being very rude and disrespectful

4.     Citadel: a very tall tower that acts like a fortress or a lookout to spot enemies.

5.     Collaborate: to work together

For homework tonight, please write one sentence per vocabulary word correctly using the vocabulary words listed above. One sentence per word. Please be sure to use one of the verbs listed above in the correct verb tense in the sentences. One  verb in its correct verb tense per sentence.

I take my brother to day care every day.

I took my brother to day care yesterday.

I have taken my brother to day care already.

I am leaving for Europe today!

David left home last night to drive to his first day of school at the university.

I left home at the age of eighteen to go to college.

I think Elizabeth hurt her arm.

Yesterday, Joanna hurt her leg skate boarding.

You are going to hurt yourself if you don’t slow down!

John came to school yesterday because he wasn’t aware it was Labor Day.

I come to school everyday prepared to learn.

We are coming to school tomorrow for the parent meeting.

We have come to speak with the principal.

Carol goes to dance class every day.

Anselmo went to ballet yesterday.

Anselmo went to the Hollywood Bowl to see the ABT perform.

Regina has gone to ballet class for many years.

Ki and Dalicia have studied karate for many years and now hold first degree black belts.

Finish for homework!

Conference with the Driver group (Jonathan and Jelani):

These are the things you need for your story:

The first page of your story needs to be a back story.

You need dialogue between the driver and the soldier who is killed.

The dialogue can help establish the back story.

We need to know the relationship between the driver and the soldier who later gets killed.  Are they good friends? Are they best friends? How long have they known each other? Since elementary school? Since boot camp?

Where are they coming from?  What do they think they are going to do after they get off from this tour? What do they want to be doing? What are they talking about as they are driving down the street?

What happens when they spot the informant? What leads to the decision to stop?

What is the driver thinking and doing while his friend is talking to the lady?

What is the driver’s reaction when he realizes his friend has been killed?

What leads to the driver’s decision to drive off with the body of his friend hanging out the door?

What is he thinking? Where is he going?

This should be two pages long, and include description as well as dialogue.

3rd Period: 

Passed work back to students. Reminded them of the procedure to correct work for a higher grade:

On a separate piece of paper, write the correction in its entirety. On the top line of the paper, write the title: “Corrections for “The Sniper” Vocabulary” or “Corrections for “The Sniper” Discussion Questions”, or “Corrections for Vocabulary Unit 1”. Then staple it to the original work and turn it into me no later than Wednesday, September 9^th.

Vocabulary:

Monks lead ascetic lives, which means that they live hard lives without comfort and wealth. 

David is studying to be a monk and is living in an unheated cell with a small cot and a light blanket.

One chooses to lead an ascetic life because one believes wealth and comfort can corrupt the soul.

One leads an ascetic life because of philosophical, religious or political beliefs. 

People who live ascetic lives – Amish people, monks, scholars,

Ascetic people may give up electricity, cars, nice clothes.

Break into groups to begin work on the short story.

Conference with the Driver group: Cateryn, Emily, Jaynice, Mutasim, Tyron

These are the things you need for your story:

The first page of your story needs to be a back story.

You need dialogue between the driver and the soldier who is killed.

The dialogue can help establish the back story.

We need to know the relationship between the driver and the soldier who later gets killed.  Are they good friends? Are they best friends? How long have they known each other? Since elementary school? Since boot camp?

Where are they coming from?  What do they think they are going to do after they get off from this tour? What do they want to be doing? What are they talking about as they are driving down the street?

What happens when they spot the informant? What leads to the decision to stop?

What is the driver thinking and doing while his friend is talking to the lady?

What is the driver’s reaction when he realizes his friend has been killed?

What leads to the driver’s decision to drive off with the body of his friend hanging out the door?

What is he thinking? Where is he going?

This should be two pages long - minimum, and include description as well as dialogue.

The soldier who is killed in the turret:

Arisbeth, Arturo, Nicole, Timerica, Tyler - not on task!

This short story/play needs to be a minimum of two pages. The first page needs to be a back story regarding the character, his relationship with the driver, and the situation in which he is currently involved.  (Check out what is written about the driver of the armored car.) The dialogue can help establish the back story.

We need to know the relationship between the driver and the soldier who later gets killed.  Are they good friends? Are they best friends? How long have they known each other? Since elementary school? Since boot camp?

Where are they coming from?  What do they think they are going to do after they get off from this tour? What do they want to be doing? What are they talking about as they are driving down the street?

What happens when they spot the informant? What leads to the decision to stop?

What does the informant say to the soldier? What does he say to her?  What happens to him after he is shot? 

The short story should include dialogue and description, and should be a MINIMUM of two pages.

Wednesday, September 9th: 

1st Period: 

BIC:

First thing  you have to do is

Write your name in the upper right hand corner – first name, last name

Date – Month, day, year

May 15, 2016

Period 1

On the top line please write the title

The Sniper Discussion Questions

Write five sentences from Unit One Vocabulary

1.     Decree – an order with the force of law (noun)

2.     Discordant – disagreeable in sound (adjective)

3.     Evolve – to develop gradually (verb; it can be used as an adjective but you have to add a “d” to it. Example: He was a very evolved man.

4.     Excerpt – a cutting or a short piece taken from a longer literary piece.

5.     Grope – (verb) to feel about blindly

Turn in for credit:

Conference with the “Killed Soldier in the Turret”

Stephanie, Anselmo, Taylor, Michael:

These are the things you need on the first page:

You need a back story

You need descriptive prose

You need dialogue

You need to develop a relationship between the two soldiers in the armored car.

How do they know each other? Do they like each other? Do they hang out together?

As they are driving down the street what are they talking about? 

How do they feel about being in the army and stationed in Ireland?

Be sure to include their reaction to seeing the elderly woman running down the street towards them.  How do they feel about that?

Why do you decide to stop for the elderly lady? It is dangerous to emerge from the car.  You are in a war zone.

Include dialogue between the two soldiers on deciding to stop.

Describe the soldier getting out of the tank.

Include the conversation between the soldier and the elderly lady. 

Describe the moment when the soldier gets hit. Where does he get hit?

How does he die?  Does he die?  What are his last thoughts as he is lying across the turret?

3rd Period:

The Sniper’s Brother: Cooper, Sharon,

For the Sniper’s Brother group:  Assigned a  typed two page draft due tomorrow. No exceptions!

On the first page you need a back story (exposition) – give us biographical information about the character’s past.

You can divulge information about the character through his thoughts. Use third person perspective.  You use the pronouns he, she, it, and they when you use 3^rd person perspective.

On the first page, you must include where the sniper’s brother has been for the past hour or so. You must include how and why he is on the roof. Has he been sent there by his commanding officer to take down a sniper? What is he thinking as he is lying there on the roof? Why did he take the British side of the civil war?  Reveal this through his thoughts.

You must include the moment when the sniper’s brother sees the other sniper stand up and light a cigarette, and what he is thinking when he draws his gun, aims and shoots the other sniper. You must include what he is thinking when he sees the top of the sniper’s cap, fires his gun at it, and then sees the rifle fall. You must include what the sniper’s brother is thinking when his brother shoots and kills the informant and the British soldier in the turret.

And finally, why does he stand up and gaze out over the cityscape after “killing” the other sniper.  What are his last thoughts as the bullet tears through his brains?

Conference with Omniscient:

Paola, Johan,

Omniscient: Which means we know what everyone is thinking!

In your version of the script you must have:

Dialogue

Description of the characters and their surroundings.

You may begin the story with a general description of the day and the information that a sniper is laying on a roof picking off people.

You can have a very brief paragraph describing the old woman and her reaction when she sees the tank rumbling down the street. You must state why she runs out to flag down the tank. Why would she take such a risk? Does she have a sick son? A sick grand daughter? Is her husband dying?

What are the two soldiers in the tank talking about moments before the woman runs out to stop them? Why do they stop? What do the two soldiers say to each other as the soldier prepares to go outside to talk to the woman.

Recount the dialogue – the conversation – between the soldier and the old woman. What does the driver think and do when he realizes his friend has been shot.

Now, focus on the other sniper. When did he get to the other building? Why is he there? What is he thinking? Describe his decision to shoot the sniper. Why is he fooled by the cap and rifle trick? What is he thinking when he stands up revealing himself just moments before he is killed? What are his final thoughts?

Thursday, September 10th: 

1st Period:

BIC:

During BIC, please write one sentence for each vocabulary word from #11 to #15. This will be due at 8:20 when BIC is finished.

Words 11 – 15 from Unit 1 Vocabulary:

Hover: to hang in the air; to be suspended in the air. This is a verb. It describes an action. Hovering can be a verb; it can also be an adjective.

Sentences:

The helicopter hovered in the air.

The hovering helicopter beat the air in an ominous drone.

Jostle: To make or force one’s way through a crowd. To push, bump, elbow one’s way through a crowd. This is a verb. It describes an action.

Sentence:

Jelani jostled his way to the front of the crowd to buy tickets to the One Direction concert.

Laggard: A person who moves slowly or falls behind. This is a noun.

The laggards at the back of the group of students clearly did not want to go to class.

Plaudits: Applause; praise or approval. This is a noun.

After Angie’s brilliant performance on stage, she received many plaudits from her admiring fans.

Preclude: To take prior steps to prevent something from happening; to prevent.

This a verb.

Studying would be one way to preclude (prevent) failing a class.

You are going to write grammatical sentences using the vocabulary words listed above.

Jasmine hurt her right leg when a boy hit her with his skate board.

Jasmine cannot dress for dance for two weeks because she has hurt her leg yesterday.

Review of Verbs:

Go             Went            Have gone

I go to school every day.

I went to school.

I have gone to school.

Break into groups to rewrite the short story “The Sniper”.

Conference with the “Sniper’s Brother”.

Period 3:

Turn in your rewrites today!

Collected rewrites

Passed back

Students work on the presentations of their short story rewrites.

Had another conference with the “Omniscient” group:

Asiah, Isabel, Johan, Paola

The "Omniscient" group's work will be due on Friday. 

Class will present their work on Friday.

Friday, September 11^th:

1^st Period:

BIC

Break into your groups and begin working on your presentation of the short story rewrite of “The Sniper”.

Everyone must participate in the presentation:

People in the group may take turns reading as the narrator.

The other members of the group should act out the roles of the characters, performing the actions of the characters as the narrator is reading them.

At 8:40 we will begin presenting.

Jalani, Jayla, Eric, Jonathan:  The Armored Car Driver

Jalani and Eric are acting upstage above the narrator, cannot be seen by the audience.

Cannot really see the actors.

The action with the old lady is unclear. Jayla comes out as the old lady laughing and screaming and does a back flip.

Anselmo, Taylor, Ki, Michael, and Stephanie

Stephanie is the narrator. Unfamiliar with Anselmo’s script

Anselmo clearly wrote the script. He is playing one of the soldiers and is attempting not a bad Irish accent.

Issue with when Michael, as the old lady, is supposed to come out.

In their version the old lady is killed first.

Taylor is cursing during the scene and screaming.

Finish on Tuesday, September 15^th.

3rd Period: 

Break into groups and begin rehearsing. Will begin presentations today.