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November 5-9, 2012: Welcome to Term 2!

Monday, November 5: No School (for Students)

  • Professional Development/DESK Day
  • This term you will learn...
  • ...to write a research-based argument.
  • ...to use parallel structure in your writing.
  • ...how to use commas correctly.
  • ...a lot about Greek mythology.
  • ...to read and understand epic poetry.
  • ...more word cells!
  • ...to close read, annotate, and analyze more complicated text.
  • ...how to acknowledge and rebut a counterclaim.
  • ...to use QAR to generate a claim of your own.
  • ...to read.
  • ...to write.
  • ...to repeat.
  • Word!

Tuesday, November 6: A Day
Wednesday, November 7: B Day

  • First Day of Second Term: Choices and Consequences
  • Poem o' the Day: "Gee, You're So Beautiful That It's Starting to Rain" by Richard Brautigan
  • Writing Notebook: First Term REflection & Second Term PREflection
    -flect-/-flex- = bend; -re- = back/again; -pre- = before
    First, REFLECT ("bend back" to look) on your first term of ninth grade. How did it go? What were the highlights and lowlights? Were there unexpected things that happened, or did it go about as you thought it would? (100+)
    Then, PREFLECT ("bend before" to look) on the coming term. What do you expect? What will you do differently? What are you looking forward to? Discuss your expectations. (100+)
    This entry should start at the top of a new page and contain at least 200 words in total!
  • Misplaced Modifiers Practice Worksheet
  • Homework: AoW Close Reading & Annotation of "The War With The Titans"


Thursday, November 8: ADay
Friday, November 9: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "November Night" by Adelaide Crapsey
  • Misplaced Modifiers Quiz
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -clud- / -fin-
  • 9th Grade Word Cell o' the Week: -pend- (-pens-)
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks!
    (Don't lose this handout!)
  • Summarizing: "The War With the Titans"
  • Writing Notebook: Using the article you close read (as homework), write a summary of no more than 50 words. Remember that a summary covers only the most important main ideas, no details. The best strategy is to review your close reading and then set the article aside so you will not be tempted to just copy parts of it. Not only would that not be summarizing, but it would end up being way too long. Tell the story in 50 words. That's all.
  • "Meet the Olympians": The Mythology Grid -- Fill in as many boxes as you can while we watch the world's cheesiest (but information-packed!) cartoon.


November 12-16, 2012

Monday, November 12: A Day (Library Research)
Tuesday, November 13: B Day (Library Research)


Wednesday, November 14: A Day (Writing Lab)
Thursday, November 15: B Day (Writing Lab)


Friday, November 16: A Day (Library Research & Writing)


November 19-23, 2012

Monday, November 19: B Day (Library Research & Writing)


Tuesday, November 20: A Day


November 26-30, 2012

Monday, November 26: B Day


Tuesday, November 27: A Day (Writing Lab)
Wednesday, November 28: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Snow" by David Berman
  • Works Cited Pages: All Together Now! (Turn in.)
  • Citation Builder
  • Write/Print a draft of Mythology Research Paper (Turn in.)
  • AoW Homework: Close read "Did This Really Happen?"
    Note: The copy you were given in class has tons of room in the margins for your commentary. There is a reason for that. Fill that space with your annotations, comments, questions, and arguments. Defend your generation...if you dare. Next time, come prepared for a SOAPStone quiz on this article.


Thursday, November 29: A Day
Friday, November 30: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Numbers" by Mary Cornish
  • Writing Notebook: New Rules
  • One entry per page.
  • Fill every page.
  • Starting now: Write a reflection on the AoW ("Did This Really Happen?")
  • SOAPStone quiz/discussion on the AoW
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -pel- / -puls- & -tract-
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -oper- / -labor- (labor)
  • Review Drafts of Research Papers
  • Write in parentethical documentation in appropriate spots. (We will add it officially next time in the lab.)
  • Review your own paper using the checklist (on overhead).
  • Assignment: Have a parent read your paper & complete (sign) the checklist.
  • For Zeus's sake, don't forget to bring all this back next time!


December 3-7, 2012

Monday, December 3: A Day (Writing Lab)
Tuesday, December 4: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Relearning Winter" by Mark Svenvold
  • Student Surveys: Log in to your school e-mail. Instructions have been mailed to you.
  • Lab Assignment: Using the comments from your editor/advisor, type a final draft of your mythology research agrument in Word. Include Parenthetical documentation. Spell check, grammar check, make sure it meets all the requirements, and make sure you have enough examples to support your claim.
  • Submit the final draft (but not the Works Cited) to Utah Write for a score. You may make changes and resubmit the essay to achieve a score you can live with, but make sure your changes involve significant revision, not just editing. Print the final, scored copy with the comments and grading info. from Utah Write.
  • Mythology Assignment - All the Steps (due by December 10th)
  • Turn in all these things (in this order) in a neat, stapled packet:
  • "War with the Titans" Close Read
  • Grammar Punk
  • Write a sentence that illustrates Comma Rule #1 and meets these dice requirements: AR 4 conjunction topic: mythology
  • Post your sentence on your wiki page!
  • Comma Rule #1: Use a comma between two independent clauses (complete thoughts) that are joined by a conjunction.
  • Example: Artemis carried many arrows, but she couldn't bear to spear the deer.


Wednesday, December 5: A Day
Thursday, December 6: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Hand Shadows" by Mary Cornish
  • AoW -- Intro to The Odyssey -- "Epic and Myth" (MPT, pp. 639-646)
  • Trojan War
  • The Olympians
  • Heroes & Monsters
  • Grammar Punk: Comma Rule #1 (for real)
  • Writing Notebook: What does it require for someone to be a hero? What qualities does a hero possess? Tell the story of a heroic act you have witnessed and explain why you thought it was heroic. Can anyone be a hero, or does it require something outside of our control (like size or strength)? Who is your hero? Why? Define and discuss heroes. Fill the page!
  • Mythology Assignment - All the Steps are due by December 10th!
  • Turn in all these things (in this order) in a neat, stapled packet:
  • "War with the Titans" Close Read


Friday, December 7: A Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Forgotten Planet" by Doug Dorph
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -ex- / -e- / -ec-
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -ama- / -ami- (love) & -phil-
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks! (We're on #4.)
  • Mythology Research Paper due Monday before school (both A & B day)!
  • The Odyssey: Homer's Prayer to the Muse (MPT, p. 651)
  • Homeric Similes (MPT, p. 688): Read the instructions and complete the assignment called "Practice 2," which includes explaining one of the Homeric similes in the text as well as writing three (3) Homeric similes of your own.
  • Calypso, The Sweet Nymph (pp. 651-654)
  • Writing Notebook: "Calypso" by Suzanne Vega (MPT, p. 665): Listen to the song "Calypso" by Suzanne Vega (lyrics on page 655). What is the tone of the song? Does it help you understand the story? What does it tell you that the song was inspired by a story that is more than 3000 years old? What timeless themes are addressed?



December 10-14, 2012

Monday, December 10: B Day: Midterm

  • Mythology Research Paper due TODAY before school!
    (both A & B day)!
  • Poem o' the Day: "Forgotten Planet" by Doug Dorph
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -ex- / -e- / -ec-
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -ama- / -ami- (love) & -phil-
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks! (We're on #4.)
  • The Odyssey: Homer's Prayer to the Muse (MPT, p. 651)
  • Calypso, The Sweet Nymph (pp. 651-654)
  • Writing Notebook: "Calypso" by Suzanne Vega (MPT, p. 665): Listen to the song "Calypso" by Suzanne Vega (lyrics on page 655). What is the tone of the song? Does it help you understand the story? What does it tell you that the song was inspired by a story that is more than 3000 years old? What timeless themes are addressed?
  • Homeric Similes (MPT, p. 688): In your Writing Notebook (same page as the above assignment), make a heading called Homeric Similes from The Odyssey of [Your Name]. Write a Homeric Simile of your own. More to come...


Tuesday, December 11: A Day (Writing Lab)
Wednesday, December 12: B (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Fragment 3: Come, Come, Thou Bleak December Wind" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  • Grammar Punk -- Comma Rule #2 (Write your sentence on your wiki page!)
  • I am Laertes' Son, The Lotus Eaters (pp. 655-659)
  • Utah Write: Odysseus introduces himself in the passage we just read. Analyze the character of Odysseus in this passage. What are your first impressions of him and why? Make a claim that you can warrant with evidence (specific quotes) from the text, and write an essay in which you develop that claim. What do you know about his skills, abilities, leadership, and self-esteem? Do you think he is a likable hero? Another important aspect of argumentation is the counterclaim. Imagine why others might think differently of Odysseus than you do, and address those differences. (Here's a sample that got a 30 from Utah Write. Can you see why?)
  • Here are suggestions on how to get a better score from Utah Write.
  • Homework: By FRIDAY, revise this essay and get the best score you can on Utah Write.
    (Do not print it!)


Thursday, December 13: A
Friday, December 14: B

  • Utah Write Essay Revisions due Friday!
  • Score it, but don't print it!
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Cyclops in the Ocean" by Nikki Giovanni (MPT, p. 672)
  • Share some Homeric Similes from last time.
    WN: Add a couple more to your Homeric Similes from The Odyssey of [Your Name].
  • The Cyclops (pp. 660-670)
  • WN (new page, today's date): Epithets: Read page 715 in The Massive Purple Text. In your Writing Notebook, write suitable descriptive epithets for ten people you know, including yourself.
  • The Enchantress Circe, pp.673-675
  • The Land of the Dead, pp. 675-677
  • AoW: Analyze these passages from The Odyssey using this worksheet.
    (Here's a model based on the Cyclops scene.)


December 17-21, 2012

Monday, December 17: A Day
Tuesday, December 18: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "December Notes" by Nancy McCleery
  • Writing Notebook: Something horrible happened last Friday. What are your thoughts?
  • Word Cell o' the Day: -re-
  • Word Cell o' the Week: -junct- (join)
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks! (We're on #5.)
  • The Sirens; Scylla and Charibdis, pp. 678-683
  • The Cattle of the Sun God, pp. 684-686
  • Analyze these passages using the other side of this worksheet.
  • The Odyssey: Quiz, Part I


Wednesday, December 19: A Day (Writing Lab)
Thursday, December 20: B Day (Writing Lab)


Friday, December 21: A Day (End of the World?)


December 31, 2012 - January 4, 2013

Monday, December 31, 2012: New Year's Eve


Tuesday, January 1, 2013: New Year's Day

  • Hey, we made it!


Wednesday, January 2: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
  • (B Day) Writing Notebook: "Happy New Year!" Write that at the top of the next blank page, then fill the page with your hopes for the new year and any "resolutions" you have. What do you resolve to do differently (or better or more), and how will this improve your life? If you are not one for resolutions, write some predictions about where you will be a year from now. You could also share some of your holiday highlights.
  • Review Grammar Punk on Wikis: Who's doing it right? (Yikes!)
  • AoW: Lunchroom Murder: Practicing Argument Skills
    (How is argument different than persuasion?)
  • Term Independent Reading Assignment: Due January 7/8
    • You have had all term to read a book of your choice.
    • If you haven't finished it yet, do so immediately.
    • Fill in (completely and thoughtfully) the Putting a Book on Trial Outline.
      (Include quotations and page numbers! Yes, I will check!)
    • Bring the completed outline and (if at all possible) a copy of the book to class next Monday/Tuesday.
    • Independent Reading is worth 20% of your term grade. You can't afford not to do this.
      DO NOT IGNORE THIS ASSIGNMENT!
      YES, YOU HAVE HOMEWORK!


Thursday, January 3: A Day
Friday, January 4: B Day

  • ***Term Independent Reading Assignment: Due Next Time (January 7/8)!***
    • You have had all term to read a book of your choice.
    • If you haven't finished it yet, do so immediately.
    • Fill in (completely and thoughtfully) the Putting a Book on Trial Outline.
      (Include quotations and page numbers! Yes, I will check!)
    • Bring the completed outline and (if at all possible) a copy of the book to class next Monday/Tuesday.
    • Independent Reading is worth 20% of your term grade. You can't afford not to do this.
      DO NOT IGNORE THIS ASSIGNMENT!
      YES, YOU HAVE HOMEWORK!
  • (A Day) Writing Notebook: "Happy New Year!" Write that at the top of the next blank page, then fill the page with your hopes for the new year and any "resolutions" you have. What do you resolve to do differently (or better or more), and how will this improve your life? If you are not one for resolutions, write some predictions about where you will be a year from now. You could also share some of your holiday highlights.
  • Poem o' the Day: "January" by John Updike
    • Writing Notebook: On the front of the next blank page, copy this short poem exactly as it is written, with lines and spacing as in the original.
    • Close read the poem, labeling the following poetic elements: Metaphors, Personification (or maybe it's cat-ification), Imagery (identify which senses the images appeal to), Alliteration
    • As part of your close reading, SOAPSTone the poem:
  • Speaker
  • Occasion
  • Audience
  • Purpose
  • Subject
  • TONE
  • Finally, on the back of the page, write a "January poem" of your own that includes imagery and metaphor.
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -ten- / -tain- / -tin-
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -fid-
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks! (We're on #6.)
  • The Odyssey: How much? (Only time will tell.)
  • "Coming Home," p. 690
  • The Meeting of Father and Son, pp. 691-694
  • The Beggar and the Faithful Dog, pp 694-695
  • Summary: The Epic Continues
  • The Test of the Great Bow, pp. 698-702
  • Death at the Palace, pp. 703-705
  • Odysseus and Penelope, pp. 706-709
  • YES, YOU HAVE HOMEWORK THAT IS DUE NEXT TIME!


January 7-11, 2013

Monday, January 7: A Day (Writing Lab)
Tuesday, January 8: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Bad Day" by Kay Ryan
  • Grammar Punk -- Comma Rule #6 (Quotation Marks)
    You're going to have to use this comma rule in what you are about to write, so pay attention!
  • Remember how few of you got the sentence correct last time we put one on the wiki? Well, let's try it again with this new comma rule. This time, no mercy! Public humiliation for all who fail! You've been warned.
  • Term Independent Reading Assignment: Put your book on trial.
  • Using the outline that is due today write your closing argument as an essay that addresses all the items on the outline form. Use Microsoft Word.
    (Remember last term's samples -- outline & essay? That's what you're doing with your book for this term.)
  • To illustrate your claims, include at least three carefully chosen quotations (each no more than two sentences long) from the book. Punctuate them properly. (Comma Rule #6!)
  • Your essay should not only illustrate that you have a clear understanding of and opinion about the book but also should be technically well-written so that Utah Write will give it a good score. We've reviewed this many times now, and all of you have practiced the writing skills necessary to get a good score on Utah Write. No excuses!
  • Enter your essay in Utah Write under the topic called "Book on Trial."
  • If you do not finish in class, you have until Friday (January 11th) to get this done.
  • Once you have achieved the best score you can, submit your final draft as a review on Goodreads and update your shelf to show what books you read this term as well as what you are planning to read next term.


Wednesday, January 9: A Day
Thursday, January 10: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "The Snow Man" by Wallace Stevens
  • Writing Notebook: Review Homeric Similes (you should have three) and epithets (you should have 10).
  • Finish The Odyssey: Every class ended up in a different place last time.
  • The Meeting of Father and Son, pp. 691-694 (2nd)
  • The Beggar and the Faithful Dog, pp 694-695 (4th)
  • Summary: The Epic Continues
  • The Test of the Great Bow, pp. 698-702 (6th & 7th)
  • Death at the Palace, pp. 703-705
  • Odysseus and Penelope, pp. 706-709
  • The Odyssey: Part 2 (open book) Quiz
  • Word Cells o' the Day (Numbers): -uni- / -mono- / -sol- / -bi- & -di- / -tri- / -poly- /
  • Word Cell o' the Week: -dom- (rule)
  • Neologolusion: One new word a week for seven weeks! (Last one!) Turn it in (complete!) next time!


Friday, January 11: A Day (School Cancelled)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Snow Day" by Billy Collins
  • Term Independent Reading Assignment due now!
  • Yes, I know that school was cancelled today, but since you were only going to be turning in the outline (which indicated that your essay was already done), I will still check Utah Write to see the essays...and they better be there!
  • Outlines and Neologolusion will be picked up next time!

  • Study your entire list of Word Cells for next week's Semester Exam!
  • And extra credit is still due Monday!


January 14-18, 2013

Monday, January 14: B Day (Extra Credit due Today!)

  • Term Independent Reading Assignment due now!
    Turning in your completed outline indicates you have submitted your argument to Utah Write.
    I checked 'em over the weekend.
  • Poem o' the Day: "Snow Day" by Billy Collins

  • Study your entire list of Word Cells for the Semester Exam!
  • The Odyssey Movie & Study Guide


Tuesday, January 15: A Day (Writing Lab -- 1/2)
Wednesday, January 16: B Day (Writing Lab -- 1/2)

  • Goodreads: Update your shelf with books for next term.
  • Copy/Paste your Book Review (from Utah Write) onto your Goodreads shelf. (Mark the book as read.)
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Certainty of Numbers" by Bruce Snider
  • Speaking of Numbers:
  • The Odyssey Movie & Study Guide


Thursday, January 17: A Day
Friday, January 18: B Day
Last Day of the Semester

  • Poem o' the Day: "Ithaca" by C. P. Cavafy (MPT, p. 711)
  • (Check out this video!)
  • Writing Notebook: What does Ithaca mean to you?
  • Semester Exam
  • Finish The Odyssey Movie & Study Guide
  • See you next semester!


"Did I miss anything?" This is the most annoying question students who have been absent can ask. My usual sarcastic reply is something like this: "Oh, heck no! We knew you were gone, so we just sat around all day and looked at each other. You don't really think I'm going to assign work on a day you're not here, do you?" So, in order to keep everyone (students and their parents) apprised of what exactly is going on each day in class, I am going to put it here. Check back often!

Despite the absence of any support from the school district, I have made every reasonable attempt to insure that this website is educationally sound and does not contain direct links to inappropriate material.
©2013 M. Wolfman Thompson - All rights reserved.
*<%^)