Tuesday and Wednesday; September 30 and October 1, 2014

We spent time in the computer labs today.

"Coming to America" papers are due on turnitin.com by Thursday before midnight.

We still have an assignment over Crevecouer's "What is an American?" We didn't get to it today, so we will handle it next class. It was a chart that needed to be filled out on the traits of an American.


Hey, want a way to get some participation points? Watch these videos "America in 4 minutes" and . Respond intelligently on this blog about these videos or about someone else's comment about one of these two videos.. You can earn two participation points for this. Don't say I didn't try to help you!

Thursday & Monday; September 25 & 29

 we will grade conventions pre-test

 What is an American? Crevecoeur: Watch the second video  above.

Peer Edit our papers Next Tuesday/ Wednesday we have some computer time Dates 9-25 & 9-29
Coming to America story due. 10-2 at midnight, turnitin.com paper due.

Tues & Wed; September 23 & 24

We took a conventions pre-test today. We will grade it next class.

Colossus papers were handed back. Keep them until you see the grade on Synergy.

For the last sixty minutes, we worked in the library, creating an account for turnitin.com

The following are the class IDs and Passwords.
2A     8742583     2A_Rocks

3A     8742598      3A_Rules

4A      8742607      4A_Rocks

1B      8742612      1B_Rocks

2B       8742628      2B_Rocks

Once the account is created, you will not need these numbers again. You will enter by using your email account and password.

The remainder of the period was spent researching or writing "Coming to America". A full draft is required for next class. October 2 is the date to have your paper uploaded to turnitin.com.  You have until midnight to get it in.

Wednesday & Thursday; September 17 & 18

Thanks to back to school night, and an involved parent, check out this short video trailer about people dying in an attempt to cross the southwest border of this country.
http://vimeo.com/50991067




Handout: telling your own story. Go through the points and think of questions one should ask.

Sample: number 2, Rachel’s story. We discussed each paragraph and what it added to the story.

The Coming to America writing assignment Coming to America writing assignment



Dates

9-19 & 9-22 Bonus points New Colossus.



9-25 & 9-29 Coming to America story due, passes, tardies.

Monday & Tuesday, September 15 & 16

From the movie "The Jazz Singer," Neil Diamond gives one perspective of immigration to the United States.




In contrast, we read from "The Devil's Highway" a story about the loss of human life of those crossing the U.S. / Mexico border.

Below are two pictures of the "Devil's Highway".


We are now assigned a project, to write our own "Coming to America" story. This is a great opportunity for you to discuss with a friend or family member his story about coming to this country. You may also create your own fictional story, or base yours on a true story and add fictional elements.




Dates

9-19 & 9-22 Bonus points New Colossus.



9-25 & 9-29 Coming to America draft of the story due.

Thursday & Friday, September 11 & 12

Discuss the story from last class. Students read their questions or comments over "Equiano" and "Stewart Wickham".



Go through four stories of immigration. So far we have had the following:
"The New Colossus"

"Equiano"

"Stewart Wickham"

"Lee Chew"

Loe, Vi

Hernandez and "wet foot/ dry foot?

Claudius Stewart/ Rafael Peralta

A worksheet was handed out to talk about the immigration stories. I will give some time to finish up the worksheet in the next meeting we have. 

9-19 & 9-22 Bonus points New Colossus.

Tuesday & Wednesday, September 9 & 10

Hand in assignments over "The New Colossus."

 Class discussion about what the poem is about; then if the poem is true, or not.

Want to see a video?
To get another view of America in a current context, watch the opening of the HBO series "Newsroom:.

Newsroom

 Textbook page 54-61.

 At home read Stewart Wickham story. Come to class armed with questions or comments. You  need at least three questions or comments that are worthy to be read to the class. The questions or comments may be about either the Equiano or Stewart W. stories. The question or comment could also be related to the video of "Newsroom" or the poem  "The New Colossus".

Friday & Monday; September 5 & 8

Reminders: Food, phone, passes, tardies.


Check definitions for words on “Colossus”

Lit term review: use board. We described and explained the following:

  allusion

   alliteration.

     rhyme scheme

      hyperbole

Choral read practice



For next class: 1 page:

What kind of place, according to the poem, is America?

Discuss: Is this poem true about America?



Use facts, stories, statistics