Semester Exam Guide

Posted on May 11, 2015 by jculver

SECOND SEMESTER EXAM—CULVER

Works/information covered:

  • The Crucible and background info
  • “The Outcasts of Poker Flat” by Bret Harte (on-line)
  • “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (on-line)
  • Twelve Angry Men
  • A Raisin in the Sun
  • “Harlem” by Langston Hughes (on-line)
  • “Chicago” p 868
  • “Grass” p. 870
  • “Mending Wall” p 878
  •  “The First Seven Years” p 1028
  • “Everyday Use” p 1312
  • ACT information/skills (identify main idea, vocabulary in context, identify correct structure or punctuation, inference, pacing, etc.)
  • WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING BACK OVER THESE WORKS IN YOUR TEXTBOOK, PLEASE LOOK AT THE LITERARY TERMS IN BOLD (at beginning of the selection) AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THEM.

Terms:

  • Inference
  • Argument
  • Plagiarism
  • Denotation
  • Connotation
  • Theme
  • Satire
  • Irony
  • Evidence (primary source/secondary source)
  • Dialect
  • Characterization
  • Conflict
  • Repetition
  • Speaker
  • Plot Elements ( exposition, climax, resolution, etc.)
  • Foreshadowing

Essay Information

  • Your semester exam will feature 1 bonus essay.  In other words, you are NOT required to answer it.  You should only complete the essay if you feel that you have not done well on the final.  If you choose to answer the essay,   you will be asked to respond to a prompt using specific examples from the literature that has been covered in the second semester.
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HHS Lit Mag Staff Marks Strong First Year—from Shelby County Reporter

Posted on May 6, 2015 by jculver

We made the paper! Look at that!

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This Week’s Plans: Monday, May 4—Friday, May 8th

Posted on May 4, 2015 by jculver

Monday:

1. Bellringer 2: What are your opinions about each character in Raisin in the Sun so far?

2. All classes except 8th: Watch as much of movie as we can/Not past where we have read.

Tuesday:

1.Bellringer 3: Thoughts about the movie version vs. the play so far.

2. Review questions for Act 2, Scene 1 if haven’t already.

3. Read Act 2, scene 2, page 96-109

Wednesday:

1. Bellringer 4: TBA

2. Discuss/review Act 2, scene 2

3. Read Act 2, scene 3, pages 110-130

Get questions for scene 3 (#10 on table of contents) and do.

Thursday:

1. Bellringer 5: TBA

Turn in 5 bellringers

2. Discuss yesterday’s scene. Review questions for Act 2, scene 3

3. Read Act 3, pages 131-151

Friday:

1. No bellringer.

2. Finish the play if we haven’t, receive questions for Act 3, and watch movie version.

Test on A Raisin in the Sun and the table of contents on May 12th, next Tuesday.

 

 

 

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Lesson Plans for Monday, April 27 to May 1, 2015

Posted on April 30, 2015 by jculver

Monday, April 27:  We will review for ACT, which is tomorrow.

Tuesday, April 28: ACT administered to you.

Wednesday, April 29: Wrap up questions on Act I, scenes 1 and 2. Raisin in the Sun

Thursday, April 30: Quiz on Act I, Raisin in the Sun, begin reading Act 2, sc. 1

Friday, May 1: Act 2, scene 1 and 2

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Lesson Plans for the Week: April 20-April 24, 2015

Posted on April 20, 2015 by jculver

raisinMonday, April 20, 2015:

1. Bellringer: Imagine your family is about to get a check for $90,000.00.  What do you think each person in your family would want to do with it?

2. Discuss bellringer.

3. Quick folder quiz.

4. Notes on PowerPoint: Setting/Lit Terms/Themes/Symbols

5. Character sheets if you didn’t get on Friday.

6. Vocabulary in Context: Act I, Scene I vocab.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015:

1. Bellringer #2: Name/List as many songs about money as you can.

2. Distribute “Response Sheet for a Raisin in the Sun” and fill in as we read the play

3. Begin reading on page 23, Act I, scene 1 (23-53)

Wednesday, April 22, 2015:

1. Bellringer #3: Describe a crowded living situation you were in, either for an extended time period or for a short time period. What things were irritating about the situation?

2. Discuss

3. Second period: Did you read to the end of  Act 1, Sc. 1? (Only class reading to themselves.)  Discuss/Review.  Did they have any questions on the sticky notes to ask me and the class?

First, Fifth, Eighth: Finish Act 1, Sc. 1 and discuss.

Scenes from Act I, Sc. 1

“This is Business. Willie’s biz”/(“Walter Eat Yours Eggs”)

“Thee is Mad, Boy.”

4. Hand out copies of Act I, Scene 1 questions (page 6 in binder).

5. Hand out copies of Act I, Scene 2 Vocabulary in context (page 7 in binder)

Complete these 2 worksheets in class. Homework if not completed in class.

Thursday, April 23, 2015:

1. Bellringer #4:  What are your predictions for Act I, scene 2? Why?

2. Review the 2 worksheets from yesterday/answer questions

3. Read Act I, scene 2 (pages 54-75)

Friday, April 24, 2015: Substitute will be here.

1. No bellringer. Just turn in  your four bellringers from this week.

Do and turn in for 40 pts bronze.

2. Finish reading Act I, scene 2 if didn’t yesterday (quietly)

3. Worksheets with questions about Act I, scene 2. Complete

Next Monday we will read Act I, scene 2 out loud. Be caught up on everything.

Next Tuesday is ACT for juniors. Be ready for that and know that you cannot, under any circumstances, bring a cellphone into the ACT testing room. Teachers cannot do that either. 🙂

 

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Eureka! Published! And also…go see the HHS play this weekend!

Posted on April 17, 2015 by jculver

The first literary magazine for HHS has finally arrived!  Only 5.00!

The theme is EMBARK. Please come by and purchase a copy!

SPRING PLAY: HHS Theatre will be presenting Fools this Friday through Sunday, April 17-19; shows begin at 6:30 except for Sunday which starts at 3. House opens 30 minutes before the show starts. We’d love to have you join us for the show and bake sale! If you’re not familiar with the play, it’s set in Russia/Ukraine and about a teacher stuck in a town full of fools cursed to stupidity – a little bit Three Stooges, a little Marx Brothers, and throw in a surprise twist for the play that has been one of the most successful high school plays in the last 10 years. Ticket cost is $8 at the door. Park on the cafeteria side of the building. Warning: There is kissing and thunder in this show. For more information or to reserve tickets please contact Mr. Casey at jcasey@shelbyed.orgIMG_2317

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Dear Poet…

Posted on April 14, 2015 by jculver

As some of you know, it’s National Poetry Month.

Here are some poets reading their poems.  For extra credit, record yourself reading a poem and make it good!!! (I will be broadcasting it here, by the way.)

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Lesson plans for the week of April 13–17, 2015

Posted on April 13, 2015 by jculver

Monday, April 13, 2015

1. No bellringer. Go over work from Friday. Page 870 1-3 and 871 1-5. Goes in binder as #11.

2. Passing out prog reports. Are you missing something that you didn’t realize we turned in? Do it now.

3. Peer editing and re-writing short stories. Tomorrow we will begin typing in the computer lab. Due Thursday for gold grade.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015 and Wednesday, April 15, 2015:

We will be in computer lab typing the short stories that are due on Thursday for a gold grade. Edited or non-edited written rough drafts will now be extra credit. They are not a “have to.”

Thursday, April 16, 2015:

1. Before you turn in your stories today, let’s take some class time to read some of these out loud. I will not make anyone read their story if they don’t want to.

2. In addition, you will choose one person to quietly read your story and complete a Summarizing the Text Worksheet based on your short story (like the ones we did with “Everyday Use” an “The First Seven Years”)

3. Discuss your summary with the author of the story before you turn it in.

4. Turn in your short stories. If you have rough drafts, please staple these to the back. These will count as extra credit.

Friday, April 17, 2015
1. Bellringer

A copy of Langston Hughes’ poem “A Dream Deferred” is on each student’s desk, and desks are into small groups of three. Upon entering class, each group should complete the following assignment :

As a group, read and discuss the poem found on your desks.

Address the following questions:

***What does the first question mean?

***What does each of the six metaphors or similes used to answer the first question mean?

Students will share their group’s responses to the poem

 Discuss the following as a class: What do you think the “dream” in Hughes’ poem could be? Hughes lived from 1902 – 1967; how might the poem relate to his experiences as a black American living in those times? How might each of the six metaphors or similes that he uses to discuss a “dream deferred” be understood in terms of the black American experience?

2. usethisanticipationguideraisin<——————anticipation guide for Raisin in the Sun

Do and then we will discuss.

3. Introduction to Lorraine Hansberry

4. Plan who will play the parts in the play:

Narrator               Ruth              Walter      Travis     Beneatha    Mama     Asagai   George   Bobo                Mr. Lindner

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Creative Writing Classes

Posted on April 9, 2015 by jculver

If you are interested, this is a cool way to publish your short stories, children’s book, or novel.

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Video of “Chicago”

Posted on April 8, 2015 by jculver

Video of Chicago

 

 

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