McKillip English 9 2008-9

She's The Man

2009-06-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

The movie we are watching in class this week is based on the Shakespeare play The Twelth Night. Research the play (spark notes is a good place to start) and make a list of 10 parallels to the movie. Include anything concerning characters, plot, setting, etc. Your list needs 10 things! Due Friday, June 12th.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

2009-05-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite part in the movie? Write at least a paragraph on something you thought was funny or interesting. Post and comment by Friday, May 29.

Post a Power Point to your Blog using Slideshare

2009-04-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Here's an analogy for you: Slideshare is to power point as You Tube is to video. You can post your power point on slideshare and then link to it on your blog. Go the the following link and follow the directions:

http://www.slideshare.net/guest66ae43/how-to-add-power-point-presentations-to-blogger

Here are the directions. I followed them and it worked for me...if I can do it, you can do it!

How To Add Power Point Presentations To Blogger

How to add PowerPoint presentations to www.blogger.com via SlideShare.net

Steps to Success  Create your Presentation  Upload it to SlideShare.net  Get “Embed in Web Page” address information  Post to Blogger.com
Step 1: Go to www.slideshare.net
Step 2: Go to ‘login’ (if you already have an account) or ‘signup’ for a new account
Step 3: Click ‘upload’
Step 4: Click on ‘single upload’. Select the powerpoint you want to upload and add the information.
Step 5: After it is done uploading, go to ‘My Slideshow’ and click on your powerpoint
Step 6: Once you see the powerpoint, open a new tab or window and go to www.blogger.com
Step 7: Sign in or register for a new account
Step 8: Click on ‘New Post’
Step 9: Once you get to the screen below, go back to the window with slideshare.
Step 10: Copy the text from the ‘Embed in your blog’

Project Checkpoint

2009-04-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Begin working on your Of Mice and Men project. If you're making a power point, begin researching and planning your slides. Remember, you must cite all sources in MLA format. If you're making a movie trailer, begin planning when you will film and edit your movie. Begin planning who will be in it and which scenes you will include.

Write at least two paragraphs about your progress on your project. Discuss any problems or setbacks that might occur. Due Friday, April 24.

Of Mice and Men Unit

2009-04-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is the final novel we will read in freshman English. It is a short novel with only six chapters and we will read the book in class. To prove how much you've learned this year you will write three five part paragraphs during this unit. Here's an out line of topics and due dates:

Chapters 1 & 2: foreshadowing, due Monday, April 20
Chapters 3 & 4: loneliness, due Friday, April 24
Chapters 5 & 6: your choice, due Wednesday, April 29

One of these will be revised for a final draft due Friday, May 1.

You will also be working on a project on your own that you will post on your blog and present to the class: this is the research power point or movie trailer.

Surprise! We're blogging in class on Friday...

2009-03-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

This week we will be blogging in class on Friday. There will be no required blog for homework this week, however, you may post on your blog for extra credit - due Thursday night.

Extra Credit Blog: Write about Romeo and Juliet: what do you think of the final scene? Title the extra credit R and J Final Scene. What were your favorite parts? What influence has this play had on pop culture throughout the ages? Write at least two paragraphs discussing your own reactions to the play. You can post a video or photograph if you'd like for even more extra credit.

Due Thursday, April 2. Post and comments are extra credit.

Glogster

2009-03-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

Mrs. McKillip's Example Video

2009-03-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

The video is the prologue with Disney Love characters. It relates because...

Romeo and Juliet: Video Post

2009-03-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

The photo post was a hit! Let's see what else creative we can do!

Find and post a video related in some way to Romeo and Juliet. Explain where and how you found the video and write a paragraph about how it relates. Be creative! The video does not have to be specific to Romeo and Juliet, but make sure you are able to explain how it relates.

To embed a YouTube video into your post:

Find a video you want to add to your post.
Copy the embed code from the box to the right of the video.
Create a new post on your blog.
Click the 'Edit HTML' tab at the top of your post editing window.
Paste in the embed code you copied from YouTube.
Click back on the "Compose" tab. Write your paragraph.
Publish your post.

Extra credit for making your own video! Due Friday, March 27.

We will watch some of the videos in class on Monday, March 30.

Romeo and Juliet Photo Post

2009-03-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

Post a photograph to your blog and relate it to Romeo and Juliet. 5 points extra credit if you post an original photograph taken by you. Please cite your source; either give credit to the website where you found the photograph or provide the date and location where you shot your original photo. Blog post and comment due Friday March 20.

Romeo and Juliet: Act Two

2009-03-11T21:13:00.000-07:00

Write about something that happens in Act Two of Romeo and Juliet that you found interesting for whatever reason. Explain what happens, including the characters involved and explain why you chose to write about it. Include how you think this event will effect the future of the title characters. Also, include a personal reaction: compare it to something from your own life or explain how would you have reacted in this situation: would you have done the same thing as the characters involved? Have you ever been in a similar situation?

Write two paragraphs in which you explain the event you are writing about, how you think it will effect the future of Romeo and Juliet, and include your personal reaction. Post and comment by Friday, March 13.

Characters in Romeo and Juliet

2009-03-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

Choose a character in Romeo and Juliet and describe what type of person he or she is based on his/her words and actions in Act One. Describe this character as vividly as you can: what do you think he/she would look like? What do you think he/she would be like if you met him/her in your everyday life?

Also, think of someone you know that is similar to this character and describe what personality traits they have in common. Use examples from the play as support for you character analysis. Write at least two paragraphs. Post and comment by Friday, March 6.

Romeo and Juliet: Premonitions

2009-02-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

Premonition is defined as a presentiment of the future; foreboding. It's a feeling that something bad is going to happen. In Romeo and Juliet, both of the title characters have premonitions but do not act on them. They go along with their actions without altering them based on their intuition.

Have you ever had a premonition, or a dream, that something bad would happen and then have that premonition come true to an extent? In retrospect, what could you have done to prevent the negative consequences when you first sensed something was amiss?

If you can't think of a time when this has happened to you, you can write about this happening to someone you know or in a book or movie. Write two paragraphs in which you describe the premonition, why or how you neglected to act on it, and how it played out. Post and comment by Friday, February 27.

Shakespearean Stories

2009-02-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

This week you will be writing your own Shakespearean comic strip using one or more of the following plot ideas: mistaken identity, star-crossed lovers, and love triangle. These ideas that Shakespeare is famous for are used again and again in popular movies. Some of Shakespeare's plays have even been adapted to a modern high school setting, such as 10 Things I Hate About You and She's the Man.

Think of a movie you are familiar with that centers on one of the three plot ideas and explain how it fits the criteria. To what degree do you think the creators of the movie were influenced by Shakespeare. What Shakespeare play is most similar to the movie? (You may have to research this a bit!)

Write two paragraphs in which you discuss Shakespeare's influence on modern cinema. Post and comment by Friday, February 20.

Anticipating Shakespeare

2009-02-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

We are getting ready to begin Romeo and Juliet next week by watching A Midsummer Night's Dream. React to watching Shakespeare on screen: are you able to understand what you see and hear? Is the language becoming easier to understand with increased viewing? Discuss your perception of Shakespeare so far; react to the language, setting, plot and character of the film.

Also discuss your feelings about beginning Romeo and Juliet in class next week. We will read the play aloud in class. You have surely heard something about it - what prior knowledge are you bringing to this unit? How do you think you will like it - will you be enjoying the next two months in class as much as I will?

Please respond with at least two well-developed paragraphs addressing the the topics described above by Friday, February 13.

Freewrite/Insight: Animal Farm

2009-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

Freewrite on Animal Farm. What do you like about this book so far? What are your thoughts on the meaning behind the characters and action? Write something insightful! Give me some original ideas that only you would think of.

Write two complete paragraphs. Post and comment by Saturday, January 17 at noon.

Winter Break Extra Credit

2008-12-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

Write about something interesting you did over winter break. This can include our three snow days! Be descriptive. Tell a story. Use elements of short story studied in class: plot, setting, character, irony, foreshadowing.

Write a complete story - the better your story, the more extra credit you will receive.
Due Monday, January 7, 2009.

My Expectations for High School

2008-12-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

A lot is expected of you over the course of your four years in high school. You are expected to pass your classes, do your homework, pass the WASL, complete a Culminating Project, and come to school every day prepared to work and get along with other students and teachers. While all of these expectations are placed on you, you probably have some expectations of your own that may or may not align with those mentioned.

What do you expect to get out of high school? What expectations do you have for the next four years? What do you expect to gain/learn/experience by the time you graduate? Write two full paragraphs in response. Think carefully. Post and comment by Friday, December 5.

Poetry Out Loud

2008-11-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

Write about your poem for Poetry Out Loud. Why did you initially choose this poem and how do you feel about it now that you are preparing for the classroom competition. What does this poem mean to you? What personal significance does it hold? Describe your connection with the poem.

Write two paragraphs in which you address your process in preparing for the competition and your personal connections to the poem, including what the poem means to you.

Optional: Write about your thoughts on the upcoming classroom competition - do you think you have a shot at winning or at least making it in the top ten? Why?

Post and comment by Friday, November 21.

Three Poems by Robert Frost

2008-11-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

This week we are beginning a poetry unit. Monday we memorized Robert Frost's "Fire and Ice" and later in the week we will study his poems "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken." Choose one of these three poems and discuss its theme, or meaning. Write two paragraphs: one paragraph should discuss in detail your interpretation of the meaning and the other should include why you chose this poem and how the meaning is important or relevant to your life - compare its theme to something you have experienced or thought about.

Use a quote from the poem in your response. Both "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "The Road Not Taken" can be found on the Poetry Out Loud website, which is poetryoutloud.org.

Be sure to write two complete, well-developed paragraphs and comment on a classmate's blog by Friday, November 7.

The Movie

2008-10-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

We are watching the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird in class beginning this Wednesday. While you are watching the film, choose a specific scene to write about. This may be a scene that stands out to you because it was exactly how you imagined it while reading or was very different from what you pictured while you were reading. Or maybe the scene stands out because of the acting or set design.

Write two paragraphs on one specific scene from the movie in which you clearly describe the scene in the book and compare/contrast it with what you imagined while reading. Comment on the actors portraying the characters and how they compared with your previous mental image. Also comment on the visual impact of the scene: the setting, costumes, lighting, etc. You do not need to quote the novel on this one, but use specific details from the reading as support for your comparison. Try to write something that reflects your own personal interpretation of the novel - be unique.

Post and comment on a classmate's blog by Saturday, November 1.

TKAM Chapter 32

2008-10-20T16:15:00.000-07:00

Well, our book is over....but not quite! Some of us were disappointed in the ending, others of us loved it. I would like all of you to write a new ending for the book. You can rewrite Chapter 31, or you can write Chapter 32. Think creatively and write figuratively. Be sure you write it as if you were looking through Harper Lee's eyes. Your finished product should be at least 3 paragraphs in length. Have some fun, make it interesting and get creative.

Due Thursday, October 23, 2008.

SPECIAL DIRECTIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS

2008-10-20T16:05:00.001-07:00

Here are a few tips for all of you so you will get 100% of the points. You seem so know the answers to the blogs, you are just missing the little things.

Most importantly....DO YOUR ASSIGNMENT.

Be sure to answer the all of the blog and do not get side tracked.

Be sure all quotes are embedded in a sentence.

Be sure all quotes have a page number.

Be sure the quotes relate to the topic you are writing about.

Be sure all of your grammar and punctuation is correct.

I want to give all of you the max points, so help me out!!

Life Lessons

2008-10-15T21:08:00.000-07:00

As the book nears its close, Scout and Jem continue to learn important life lessons from the adults around them. Write about a lesson Scout or Jem learns in chapters 22-28. Describe who and what teach this lesson and what Scout or Jem learns about life as a result. Also describe why this is an important lesson to learn and relate it to your own experience growing up.

Write two complete paragraphs with at least one embedded quote from the novel. Post and comment by Sunday, October 19.

EXTRA CREDIT

2008-10-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

You've been in English for nearly six weeks now. Write two paragraphs about your reactions to the class. Make it interesting and creative to receive extra credit for your first six weeks grade.

I want to hear some of your unique personality coming through and I love reading original metaphors, similes, and other types of figurative language.

Write at least two paragraphs, or you can write this in poem form. A series of haiku would be nice, a sonnet lovely, or even some imaginative free verse.

Wow me. Inspire me to award you extra credit.

Due Sunday October 12, 2008

Teacher Notes for Student

2008-10-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

The only post I want you to comment on for Thursday is "Atticus as a Father". DO NOT DO ANY OTHER POST FOR THURSDAY. Thanks.

Atticus as a Father

2008-10-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Discuss Atticus as a father. What type of parent is he? Choose a specific example of his parenting from the novel: describe the situation with Scout and/or Jem and how he dealt with it. What does this tell you about his parenting style? What type of lessons does he teach his children and what qualities and values is he trying to instill in them?

Compare Atticus with your own parents. How is he similar or different? Would you like to have a father like Atticus?

Embed a quote in your writing to support your ideas. This should be at least two full paragraphs in length and reflect a careful reading of the novel. Post and comment by Thursday, 10/9.

Changing Perceptions of Boo Radley

2008-10-06T12:54:00.001-07:00

In chapters 4-8, several mysterious occurrences can be traced back to Boo Radley. What are some of these things and how do they change your perception of this mysterious character? How do they give clues as to what Boo Radley is really like, his true nature?

Also, how does Scout's discussion of Boo Radley with Miss Maudie and the reactions of Atticus to the children's play add to your perception of his character?

Write at least two full paragraphs in response and include your changing perception of Boo Radley. Embed a quote in your writing to enhance your discussion of this topic.

After you post on your blog, comment on a classmate's. Make sure your comment speaks to the original post and is at least a paragraph in length.