Tuesday, December 11, 2018


The LA GT Dec. 2018 exam will have 50 questions – most are multiple choice and matching, but a few are short answer.

There are:
·       three Classical and Traditional stories to read and analyze. 
·       a poem to read and analyze.
·       some questions about The Children’s Homer as an example of a Hero’s Journey. 
·        a writing sample that needs revising and editing help.
T
here is not A review sheet, but multiple practice activates and papers we will do each day to prepare you. Below you will find term/concepts you need to know:

·       Grammar and Writing
o   Word Crimes
o   Capitalization
o   Paragraphing
o   Quotations – dialogue and quote
·       Story Elements
o   Plot  (including drama)
o   Characterization
o   Conflict
o   Setting
o   POV
o   Foreshadowing
·      Literary Devices/Techniques
o   Figurative language
o   Irony
o   repetition
·       Literary Analysis
o   Author’s purpose
o   Theme
o   Mood/tone
·       Classical and Traditional Stories
o   Archetypes/Hero's Journey
o   Cultural values
o   Stylistic Elements

Monday, December 3, 2018

Iliad Sort for Study - 1/2 test tomorrow


1. Aphrodite                 
 2. Hera                                    
3. Apollo                                  
4. Athena                                
5. Zeus                           
6. Hephaestus

7. Ares

8. Hermes

9. Eris

1. Bribed Paris to give her the golden apple with a promise to make him the most handsome man in the world.

2. Queen of the gods.  Thought she should get the golden apple because of her position over family and marriage.

3. Shot plague-infected arrows at the Greek army because they kidnapped the daughter of one of his priests.

4. Wisest of the gods, admired Odysseus for his wisdom and accordingly helped him and his son on their journeys.

5. In support of his wife who was insulted by not receiving the golden apple, this god helped the Greeks several times during the war, such as giving magic horses to Achilles.

6. Armor and weapon maker to the gods and select mortals.  Who to call if you need some god-worthy armor!

7. God of war – instead of picking a side of the conflict, he does whatever make the conflict worse.

8. This god who is known for his traveling shoes (winged sandals) and messenger hat, delivers a message to King Priam so he can safely get Hector’s body home.

9. This goddess causes problems wherever she goes.  She showed up at a wedding she wasn’t invited to, tossed out a golden apple that eventually led to a 10 year war!

10. Odysseus

11. Telemachus

12. Penelope

13. Pheimus

14. Mentor

15. Menelaus

16. Helen

17. Agamemnon


10. Wisest, most respected of the Greek kings.  Takes him 20 years to get home after the Trojan war – a war he didn’t even want to fight.  Still MIA during the Iliad.

11. Respectful and brave son of Odysseus who goes on a journey to find news of his father at the urging of Athena.

12. Odysseus’s faithful and clever wife who is trying to buy time and not marry anyone else in his absence.


13. Minstrel/story- teller for Odysseus’s court. Travels with Telemachus to see what has happened to Odysseus.

14. One of the forms that Athena takes to help Telemachus find his father and rid Ithaca of the unwanted wooers.

15. Helen’s husband.  Goes to Troy to get her back.  When they refuse, he gets his brother, Agamemnon, to organize all the Greek kings and go to war. 

16. The most beautiful woman in the world.  Married to Menelaus. Kidnapped by Paris who thinks he deserves her since he’s the most beautiful man in the world.

17. Top king of the Greek kingdoms/city states. Brother of Menelaus. Sends for Odysseus and the other kings to form an army against the Trojans. Causes problems for the Greeks with his jealousy.

18. Nestor

19. Achilles

20. Patroklos

21. Priam

22. Hector

23. Paris
  

18. Oldest of the Greek kings.  Well respected and reasonable. Friends with Odysseus.  Sends his son and transportation to help Telemachus find word of his father when T. shows up in his kingdom looking for information.


19. This famous demi-god hero’s mother is the goddess, Thetis.  Odysseus finds him in hiding at his mother’s request and happily takes his BFF, Potroklos, - along with his father’s undefeated warriors, the Myrmidons and immortal horses to war. Invincible to weapons except for his ankle.

20.Achilles’ BFF.  An accomplished warrior who takes Achilles armor to build the Greek’s moral and scare the Trojans.  Ends up getting killed.


21. King of Troy.  Honorable and noble king who wanted to return Helen to her husband.  Loves and appreciates his son, Hector.

22. Eldest and most responsible prince of Troy.  Heads up their army. Battles Achilles knowing he will probably die rather than allow the Greeks to get inside the gates of Troy.

23. Problem child of Troy.  Foolishly judges who is the fairest between Hera, Athena and Aphrodite when Eris throws the golden apple. Kidnaps Helen from Sparta and Menelaus.  Refuses to return her along with the Trojan counsel. Kills Achilles with a well-placed arrow to the heel.


Friday, November 9, 2018

The Children's Homer Reading Plan +

Right now, this is the reading plan for Part One of The Children's Homer.  I will add dates for the rest of the book and assignments after Thanksgiving.  We will read each day in class, but anything we don't finish in class each day is homework.


You need to read these chapters and do the
questions for those chapters by B.O.C. on...                      ...this day

Chapters 1-6 (I-VI)                                                         Tue. 11/13

Chapters 7-12 (VII-XII)                                                  Wed. 11/14

Chapters 13-19  (XIII-XIX)                                            Thu.  11/15

Chapters 20-23  (XX-XXIII)                                           Fri. 11/16         Wed. 11/28, EOC               

Friday, October 19, 2018

Major Dates for the Second Nine Weeks

This post will be a regularly updated list of major grades and events for the second nine weeks.    I will revise and add to the list as dates firm up. 😀

Thur., 11/1 - First Independent Reading Book Due, BOC - free choice
Mon., 11/5 - Start Reading The Children's Homer - if you want a book to write in, bring it. Otherwise, I have copies you may borrow.
Between Nov. 7 and 16, we will have the first draft of their original stories due, group revising, and a writing conference.
November 19-23 - Thanksgiving Holiday
The week of Nov. 26-29, we will do the final edit and turn in the final copy of their original stories. -FINAL COPY due Nov. 28, BOC
The Children's Homer test
Part One - Tuesday, 12/4 over god and goddesses and the "Iliad"
Part Two -  Thursday, 12/13, EOC over the "Odyssey"
Thur., 12/6 - Second Independent Reading Book Due, BOC - free choice
Tues. - Fri., Dec. 18-21 - Fall Semester Exams  - We will take the exam for LA during the 8th period exam time on Tuesday.  During the 7th period exam time, we will go over the graded exams and update portfolios.  They will not take two exams for my LA class.

Membean:

  • For the first second weeks, the kids will have three daily grades for Membean.  That will be the 90 minutes of practice with 80% accuracy over the course of 3 instructional weeks.
  • We will have a quiz towards the end of each window. Each quiz grade will go into an average so that there is one Membean quizz grade for the 2nd Nine Weeks.    
  • Practice windows for the rest of the semester are: 10/1 - 10/21, 10/22 - 11/11, and 11/12 - 12/9. Each window is 3 instructional weeks.  
  • A week runs from 12:01 am on Monday to 12 midnight the following Sunday.

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Nine Week Test OverREview 10/11/18


Test OverREview

  • The test will have 25 questions.  Most are multiple choice, but a few are short answer. 
  • There is one, (probably) new (to you), fairy tale to read and answer questions about.  Then, there are some stand-alone literary devices to identify and analyze.
  • If the term is on your Literary Lexicon, it might be on the test with the following exceptions: symbol, motif, epiphany, suspense, idiom, and oxymoron.  (We’ll add those in before the semester exam J.)
  • We are reviewing in class by applying and practicing all these terms to stories in class.  I suggest looking back over the Literary Devices and Story Elements Quiz, making sure you know all the terms on your Literary Lexicon, and READING CAREFULLY on the test. J


Writing Contests and Information

Look here for more information about the three writing opportunities we are discussing this week and next in LA class.

PTA Reflections - Final date for entry is October 31.  Please follow this link for details:

http://mmspta.com/files/2018/09/reflections_20182019_heroes_around_me_flyer_8.5x11.pdf



Do the Write Thing - This is a national contest that publishes student writing yearly.  We've had students from the district as national winners before.  The entry process is multi-level and has firm dates starting in March.

http://www.dtwt.org/the-challenge/instructions




NANOWRIMO - National Novel Writing Month - this is for my serious authors!  Ms. Smith is administering this opportunity to write the first draft of your novel during the month of November! If you are interested, see me and I will send you to Ms. Smith during Activity to get signed up!