I checked around and the computer labs are pretty busy tomorrow so we will be using Monday next week as a labbing/reading/working-on-project day. The more you have read the better off you will be on Monday when we start working. Bring whatever you have completed or are working on so that you can perfect it Monday.
Good job today with the analysis of "The Dinner Party" and "Barbara Frietchie". Most of you caught on that the two women were brave (and, perhaps, braver than men) in the face of dangerous situations. That is the type of reading and analyzing and writing that will be expected of you on ISTEP, on all those other standardized tests you'll be taking and the next several years in high school and college. ISTEP in twelve days. Are you ready?
Time for a little more typical ISTEP practice tomorrow. If we practice and do well now, we will do well in twelve days.
See you soon.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Honors 02-27-2014
We introduced hubris today. Do you remember what it is? I hope so. Bad trait to have because it often leads to an individual's downfall. The person can't imagine he would fail in any way, so he doesn't prepare as if it is possible and soon enough, the inevitable happens. Just look at Ozymandias and Justin Bieber, two of our in class examples. Their excessive pride and self-confidence lead to their crashing and burning.
We started reading "The Bet" today. We thought aloud and I found it interesting to see what was going through some of your minds as you were reading. Good stuff. Some of you could be thinking a little more, or at least talking a little more about what you are thinking. You are going to have a good chance to think and talk about "The Bet" tomorrow on the following topics:
See you soon.
We started reading "The Bet" today. We thought aloud and I found it interesting to see what was going through some of your minds as you were reading. Good stuff. Some of you could be thinking a little more, or at least talking a little more about what you are thinking. You are going to have a good chance to think and talk about "The Bet" tomorrow on the following topics:
- Would you take the bet? Explain why or why not?
- Was the bet fair? Explain.
- Identify the conflicts and the types of conflict in the story.
- Identify some irony in the story. There are plenty of examples.
- How do the lawyer's reading interests shift over the 15 years. Why do you think they follow the course they do?
- What happens during the fifth year the lawyer is locked up? Why do you think this occurs?
- Why does the lawyer spend so much time on the New Testament? Explain.
- Does the lawyer change over the course of the story? Explain your answer.
- Does the banker change over the course of the story? Explain your answer.
See you soon.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Standard 02-26-2014
We powered through the timed writing today. Good to see so many of you had read the blog yesterday.
You came to class prepared and you had a plan for what to write. Great work. Can't wait to read the results.
Over 75% of you have completed your reading. Super! But don't let this time pass you by. Be sure you are summarizing your book, identifying the ways your protagonist is dynamic, selecting a theme and grouping up your figurative language. Have a plan for your presentation too.
Tomorrow we will look at a short story, we will read a poem and you will make a connection through writing.
See you soon.
You came to class prepared and you had a plan for what to write. Great work. Can't wait to read the results.
Over 75% of you have completed your reading. Super! But don't let this time pass you by. Be sure you are summarizing your book, identifying the ways your protagonist is dynamic, selecting a theme and grouping up your figurative language. Have a plan for your presentation too.
Tomorrow we will look at a short story, we will read a poem and you will make a connection through writing.
See you soon.
Honors 02-26-2014
I was in love with the discussion that took place today in each of the classes. You had a poem placed in front of you and a task to accomplish and you broke into groups and completed it well. Thanks for the focus. As I read the timed writings, it's clear that the discussions paid off. Great work.
Keep reading the book and writing the interview. I updated my example a bit--no it is not finished yet, but you can see more of what I expect you to do as well. Initial due date is one week from tomorrow!
Tomorrow we will discuss an important term in literature and life. We will then have a group think-aloud. It might get a bit messy at first but I'm interested to see what we learn.
By the way, how much is a life worth?
See you soon.
Keep reading the book and writing the interview. I updated my example a bit--no it is not finished yet, but you can see more of what I expect you to do as well. Initial due date is one week from tomorrow!
Tomorrow we will discuss an important term in literature and life. We will then have a group think-aloud. It might get a bit messy at first but I'm interested to see what we learn.
By the way, how much is a life worth?
See you soon.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Honors 02-25-2014
A good day of work today. Obviously, some of us need to pick up the pace on our reading. Nine days will come and go rapidly from this point forward.
I shared the IWAP rubric and an example paper today. Be sure to take a look at both and ask me questions on either one. I want to stress that I am not completed with my interview paper. Look for updated versions to come.
I asked that you read the blog tonight. Thanks for coming. You lucky ones who are here will know what is coming your way tomorrow: a timed writing. I have included a link to a poem called "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Read it. Listen to it. It will be your primary source for tomorrow's writing. In addition you will need to have your "There Will Come Soft Rains" material. There's a connection there somewhere.
We will read the poem together tomorrow. I also have a special guest reader tomorrow for a more nuanced interpretation. You and your mates will have a definitive period of time to discuss the poem. I will not be assisting you in this endeavor just as I will be unable to help you in two weeks when you write your ISTEP prompts. Once the time has elapsed, I will share the official prompt with you. You will have 30 minutes.
I'm looking forward to your writings.
See you soon.
I shared the IWAP rubric and an example paper today. Be sure to take a look at both and ask me questions on either one. I want to stress that I am not completed with my interview paper. Look for updated versions to come.
I asked that you read the blog tonight. Thanks for coming. You lucky ones who are here will know what is coming your way tomorrow: a timed writing. I have included a link to a poem called "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Read it. Listen to it. It will be your primary source for tomorrow's writing. In addition you will need to have your "There Will Come Soft Rains" material. There's a connection there somewhere.
We will read the poem together tomorrow. I also have a special guest reader tomorrow for a more nuanced interpretation. You and your mates will have a definitive period of time to discuss the poem. I will not be assisting you in this endeavor just as I will be unable to help you in two weeks when you write your ISTEP prompts. Once the time has elapsed, I will share the official prompt with you. You will have 30 minutes.
I'm looking forward to your writings.
See you soon.
Standard 02-25-2014
Some good work time today for most of us. The number of readers finished with their books is impressive. That allows for more time to be working on the project. Be sure to check out the expectations on the link I shared with you yesterday. Heck, here it is again today. This should work as a quick reminder for what you need to focus on.
A couple observations from today's work time:
1) Some of us are having trouble finding figurative language. That's probably because you are so focused on the story while you are reading and you are not thinking about figurative language. Take time to enjoy the book. Once you are finished reading, it will be easier for you to go back and identify examples. If you need help, you can always ask.
2) Don't be so consumed with offering a creative presentation that your information suffers. You need to take care of the information. Make sure it is accurate. Make sure it is supported. Make sure it is developed and explained. Then start worrying about the way you are going to present it. The bulk of your time on this project should be spent on writing up the information. Focus on the part that is going to be a majority of the assessment. The creative presentation is just the icing on the cake.
3) When summarizing, make sure you only identify the most important ideas. Keep it general. Specifics, aside from the protagonist's name, should be few and far between.
4) Theme needs to be a sentence. If you are having trouble remember two things we have discussed: look at the title; look at the protagonist. The title might be a big hint. The protagonist will undoubtedly play a big role in the theme.
5) Speaking of the protagonist, be sure to show how the character was portrayed in the beginning of the novel and then show how the character changes (is dynamic) over the rest of the novel. Back it all up with evidence from the text.
Tomorrow you will have a timed writing. Here is your prompt:
A couple observations from today's work time:
1) Some of us are having trouble finding figurative language. That's probably because you are so focused on the story while you are reading and you are not thinking about figurative language. Take time to enjoy the book. Once you are finished reading, it will be easier for you to go back and identify examples. If you need help, you can always ask.
2) Don't be so consumed with offering a creative presentation that your information suffers. You need to take care of the information. Make sure it is accurate. Make sure it is supported. Make sure it is developed and explained. Then start worrying about the way you are going to present it. The bulk of your time on this project should be spent on writing up the information. Focus on the part that is going to be a majority of the assessment. The creative presentation is just the icing on the cake.
3) When summarizing, make sure you only identify the most important ideas. Keep it general. Specifics, aside from the protagonist's name, should be few and far between.
4) Theme needs to be a sentence. If you are having trouble remember two things we have discussed: look at the title; look at the protagonist. The title might be a big hint. The protagonist will undoubtedly play a big role in the theme.
5) Speaking of the protagonist, be sure to show how the character was portrayed in the beginning of the novel and then show how the character changes (is dynamic) over the rest of the novel. Back it all up with evidence from the text.
Tomorrow you will have a timed writing. Here is your prompt:
Lemon Brown once said, “Every man has a treasure.”
If that is true than Mary Maloney from the short story “Lamb to the
Slaughter” must have a treasure as well. What is it that she
treasures? In a well written essay, identify what Mrs. Maloney
treasures and then back it up with evidence from the text.
If you want to be successful you should be sure to:
-have a one or two sentence intro
-offer a clear claim that identifies what she treasures
-back up your argument using evidence from the text
-offer a conclusion sentence to wrap it up
In addition, you should plan what you are going to write about. Don't walk in cold tomorrow. Know what evidence you are going to use for support. You will have 30 minutes. This will be worth 20 points.
See you soon.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Standard 02-24-2014
You were introduced to your third form of irony today: verbal irony. I believe Kyle Parmeter said it well when he stated, "Verbal irony is a euphemism for sarcasm." That's pretty accurate. Verbal irony is when you say or write one thing but mean something else.
Q: "How's the weather outside?"
A: "Oh, I just love standing at the bus stop in -10 degree temperatures with a wind chill of -34 degrees."
Verbal irony.
We completed our discussion of "Lamb to the Slaughter". Good job breaking down the title and realizing that the lamb was symbolic of Mary and the slaughter she was avoiding was her own at the hands of the police and the justice system. We had a little difficulty identifying the main conflict but a good discussion ensued which cleared it all up. Mary's goal was to save her unborn child, and she was willing to do anything to accomplish it.
Timed writing was supposed to be today, but we'll just have to push it to Wednesday. I'll put the prompt on the blog Tuesday night so you can get a peak at it. Be sure to check back.
We'll be in Lab B tomorrow for a work day. If you 'd like to see another one of these, be sure you use your time wisely. Read if you must, but otherwise, you should be finding and organizing your information and asking me questions.
Read that book!
See you soon.
Here's the link I mentioned a few minutes ago.
Q: "How's the weather outside?"
A: "Oh, I just love standing at the bus stop in -10 degree temperatures with a wind chill of -34 degrees."
Verbal irony.
We completed our discussion of "Lamb to the Slaughter". Good job breaking down the title and realizing that the lamb was symbolic of Mary and the slaughter she was avoiding was her own at the hands of the police and the justice system. We had a little difficulty identifying the main conflict but a good discussion ensued which cleared it all up. Mary's goal was to save her unborn child, and she was willing to do anything to accomplish it.
Timed writing was supposed to be today, but we'll just have to push it to Wednesday. I'll put the prompt on the blog Tuesday night so you can get a peak at it. Be sure to check back.
We'll be in Lab B tomorrow for a work day. If you 'd like to see another one of these, be sure you use your time wisely. Read if you must, but otherwise, you should be finding and organizing your information and asking me questions.
Read that book!
See you soon.
Here's the link I mentioned a few minutes ago.
Honors 02-24-2014
We finished our discussion of the short story "There Will Come Soft Rains" today. We then watched a video called "There Will Come Soft Rains". Click on the title to watch it again. Creepy seemed to be the overwhelming sentiment. Was that the tone of the poem? Was that the tone of the story? After reading and viewing the three pieces with the same title, we had a brief discussion on the three genres and how the message they shared was altered and delivered. There are some dramatic differences between the three. Were they appropriate? Is it right to make those changes?
Our next reading will be a poem. A writing will come attached with it. We'll read the poem and then have brief table top discussions on it before heading into the writing. It will all be done on the same day...Wednesday. The writing will tie in "There Will Come Soft Rains" (short story). Time to synthesize!
Tomorrow will be a work day. Any chance on duplicating this will be dependent on how well you use your time. Read your book, write up some questions and responses, ask me questions, look at the rubric and the sample IWAP. The time is yours but use it wisely. Here is a link to the rubric for the Interview With A Protagonist paper. The link to the IWAP example will come tomorrow.
And now it is tomorrow! Here is the link to the sample paper.
Read that book!
Here's a link to the writing contest I mentioned in class today. Any takers?
See you soon.
Our next reading will be a poem. A writing will come attached with it. We'll read the poem and then have brief table top discussions on it before heading into the writing. It will all be done on the same day...Wednesday. The writing will tie in "There Will Come Soft Rains" (short story). Time to synthesize!
Tomorrow will be a work day. Any chance on duplicating this will be dependent on how well you use your time. Read your book, write up some questions and responses, ask me questions, look at the rubric and the sample IWAP. The time is yours but use it wisely. Here is a link to the rubric for the Interview With A Protagonist paper. The link to the IWAP example will come tomorrow.
And now it is tomorrow! Here is the link to the sample paper.
Read that book!
Here's a link to the writing contest I mentioned in class today. Any takers?
See you soon.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Standard 02-20-2014
Acuity Predictive C testing today so we could not advance our discussion of the short story "Lamb to the Slaughter". Don't worry, we will take care of that tomorrow. Be sure you are prepared by completing the prompts you were working on in class. If you can't remember what they are, look at yesterday's post.
We'll go over dramatic irony tomorrow and that to our knowledge of situational irony. Take good notes!
Then we will discuss the story "Lamb to the Slaughter". We will look at your summaries, Mrs. Maloney's character and the figurative language examples, but I am really looking forward to our theme discussion as well as your thoughts about the title. Be ready!
Now...if time permits tomorrow, we will also be having a timed writing. I have a few options, so if time is escaping, we might have to do one of the shorter ones. What does that mean for your tonight and tomorrow? Know the story as well as you can and pay attention and get involved in the class discussion in class.
Read that fiction book! Work on the project. One week down and two weeks to go.
See you soon.
We'll go over dramatic irony tomorrow and that to our knowledge of situational irony. Take good notes!
Then we will discuss the story "Lamb to the Slaughter". We will look at your summaries, Mrs. Maloney's character and the figurative language examples, but I am really looking forward to our theme discussion as well as your thoughts about the title. Be ready!
Now...if time permits tomorrow, we will also be having a timed writing. I have a few options, so if time is escaping, we might have to do one of the shorter ones. What does that mean for your tonight and tomorrow? Know the story as well as you can and pay attention and get involved in the class discussion in class.
Read that fiction book! Work on the project. One week down and two weeks to go.
See you soon.
Honors 02-20-2014
Acuity Predictive C today. The scores were not quite where I'd hoped they'd be, but I'll see what problem areas you had and then we will address them starting next week.
I returned last Friday's timed writings today so that they could be identified and recorded. I will return them to you again tomorrow. You will have a chance to hear an exemplary paper--or at least a strong one--on the topic you wrote about. I also want you to spend a few minutes discussing what the strengths of the strong papers were. Why were they successful?
Tonight, be sure to read and text code "There Will Come Soft Rains" (the short story) for class tomorrow. After we conclude our discussion of the poem 'There Will Come Soft Rains", I have several prompts on the story I'm looking forward to discussing with you. What happened? Personification? Mood? Theme? Irony? How do the poem and story connect? Be sure you are prepared to discuss. We will do some form of a Socratic seminar tomorrow in class. It will be assessed. That means you need to participate! The more prepared you are the better you will discuss.
Don't forget to keep reading your fiction book. How many questions do you have for your interview? Do you have ideas for responses? Are you taking notes for supporting information? Don't procrastinate.
See you soon.
I returned last Friday's timed writings today so that they could be identified and recorded. I will return them to you again tomorrow. You will have a chance to hear an exemplary paper--or at least a strong one--on the topic you wrote about. I also want you to spend a few minutes discussing what the strengths of the strong papers were. Why were they successful?
Tonight, be sure to read and text code "There Will Come Soft Rains" (the short story) for class tomorrow. After we conclude our discussion of the poem 'There Will Come Soft Rains", I have several prompts on the story I'm looking forward to discussing with you. What happened? Personification? Mood? Theme? Irony? How do the poem and story connect? Be sure you are prepared to discuss. We will do some form of a Socratic seminar tomorrow in class. It will be assessed. That means you need to participate! The more prepared you are the better you will discuss.
Don't forget to keep reading your fiction book. How many questions do you have for your interview? Do you have ideas for responses? Are you taking notes for supporting information? Don't procrastinate.
See you soon.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Honors 02-19-2014
We took a good look at Renee's paper today to see what she did to make her paper so strong. The ability to take a complex topic and break it down to a level where most readers can comprehend it is rare, but Renee was able to do that as she argued for Hippocrates to have a seat at the Table of Influence. she not only had to exhibit a strong understanding of the somewhat difficult and at times dense material, but she wrote about it in a way that made it easier to digest. That was impressive.
You wrote reflections today. There is no better way to learn and improve then to reflect on the work we have done. A serious, honest reflection allows for personal insight into the strengths and weaknesses of our writing or of any task we undertake. A time for reflection is always a good idea.
We read and started to look at the first of two pieces we'll be studying called "There Will Come Soft Rains". The first is a poem by Sara Teasdale (here is a link). Based on our quick look at the poem, you seemed to have grasped the meaning easily after a little discussion. Maddie Brown summed up her view of the piece by saying, "Humans need nature but nature doesn't need us." Pretty concise summation. I still want to nail down how Teasdale uses personification, clarify a theme and discuss any irony to the poem before moving on to Ray Bradbury's short story called..."There Will Come Soft Rains". I passed the story out at the end of class and asked that you read and text code the story for Friday's class. We'll start out Friday with the poem, but we will quickly transition to the story. Perhaps an assessed Socratic seminar? Perhaps another timed writing? Perhaps...both?
ACUITY Predictive C is tomorrow. Bring your ACUITY A game!
See you soon.
You wrote reflections today. There is no better way to learn and improve then to reflect on the work we have done. A serious, honest reflection allows for personal insight into the strengths and weaknesses of our writing or of any task we undertake. A time for reflection is always a good idea.
We read and started to look at the first of two pieces we'll be studying called "There Will Come Soft Rains". The first is a poem by Sara Teasdale (here is a link). Based on our quick look at the poem, you seemed to have grasped the meaning easily after a little discussion. Maddie Brown summed up her view of the piece by saying, "Humans need nature but nature doesn't need us." Pretty concise summation. I still want to nail down how Teasdale uses personification, clarify a theme and discuss any irony to the poem before moving on to Ray Bradbury's short story called..."There Will Come Soft Rains". I passed the story out at the end of class and asked that you read and text code the story for Friday's class. We'll start out Friday with the poem, but we will quickly transition to the story. Perhaps an assessed Socratic seminar? Perhaps another timed writing? Perhaps...both?
ACUITY Predictive C is tomorrow. Bring your ACUITY A game!
See you soon.
Standard 02-19-2014
The reading for the fiction books seems to be sailing along for most of you. If you haven't been doing any reading beyond the minimum, you are probably falling behind. Don't be that student!
We talked a bit about the presentation of the information from our fiction books today. As a reminder you will need to share information on the following topics:
-story summary
-characterization of the protagonist complete with evidence for support
-identification of figurative language examples grouped together by theme
-identification of theme complete with evidence for support
Now that we have discussed what a dynamic character is, I am going to tweak the expectations for the characterization section. I want you to identify what the protagonist is like at the start of the novel (and back it up with support) and then document the change the protagonist undergoes through the course of the novel (and back it up with support). I'll explain that further in class tomorrow or Friday.
Today we were all over situational irony during Tool Time. We defined the term, talked through some good examples and watched a commercial loaded with the stuff. I am sharing the irony slide show with you today too. Feel free to look it up for a refresher.
"Lamb to the Slaughter" took precedence for the last part of class. You have three questions I want you to have answered--individually or as a group--by class on Friday. Here they are again:
Identify
a theme to the story and defend it with evidence from the text.
You can skip the figurative language question for now. Just be sure the other three questions are answered by the start of class Friday.
In addition to discussing these prompts, we will also look at the title and some irony. If all goes well, we will have a chance for timed writing over the story in the second half of class on Friday.
Tomorrow is ACUITY Predictive C testing. Bring your ACUITY A game!
See you soon.
We talked a bit about the presentation of the information from our fiction books today. As a reminder you will need to share information on the following topics:
-story summary
-characterization of the protagonist complete with evidence for support
-identification of figurative language examples grouped together by theme
-identification of theme complete with evidence for support
Now that we have discussed what a dynamic character is, I am going to tweak the expectations for the characterization section. I want you to identify what the protagonist is like at the start of the novel (and back it up with support) and then document the change the protagonist undergoes through the course of the novel (and back it up with support). I'll explain that further in class tomorrow or Friday.
Today we were all over situational irony during Tool Time. We defined the term, talked through some good examples and watched a commercial loaded with the stuff. I am sharing the irony slide show with you today too. Feel free to look it up for a refresher.
"Lamb to the Slaughter" took precedence for the last part of class. You have three questions I want you to have answered--individually or as a group--by class on Friday. Here they are again:
Offer
a summary of the story. Try to identify 15 key points to include
BEFORE attempting to write the summary.
Clearly
identify, explain, and support with quotes from the text the changes
in character that Mary undergoes over the course of the story.
How
does the author use figurative language in this story?
You can skip the figurative language question for now. Just be sure the other three questions are answered by the start of class Friday.
In addition to discussing these prompts, we will also look at the title and some irony. If all goes well, we will have a chance for timed writing over the story in the second half of class on Friday.
Tomorrow is ACUITY Predictive C testing. Bring your ACUITY A game!
See you soon.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Standard 02-18-2014
Short class today so we looked at our "Lemon Brown" theme papers quickly and saw the importance of using the protagonist when trying to explain the theme. We also emphasized the need to use parallel episodes to explain and support the theme you decide upon. Just like Greg had a relationship with his father, Lemon Brown had a relationship with his son Jesse. So while the "treasure" of Lemon Brown were supposedly the newspaper clippings and the harmonica, those of you with a keen insight realized that the real treasure for Lemon was his son ( and vice versa) and the real treasure for Greg was his father (and vice versa).
We watched the "Lamb to the Slaughter" video today and highlighted some significant similarities and differences between the short video of the story and Roald Dahl's version. With the story fresh in our heads, we should be able to respond to the prompts well tomorrow and generate some good discussion. Be prepared.
Keep reading those fiction books. I have had several people tell me that they have already completed the reading. Great! Get busy on the project information then and see me soon with questions, concerns, problems, or just for some advice.
See you soon.
We watched the "Lamb to the Slaughter" video today and highlighted some significant similarities and differences between the short video of the story and Roald Dahl's version. With the story fresh in our heads, we should be able to respond to the prompts well tomorrow and generate some good discussion. Be prepared.
Keep reading those fiction books. I have had several people tell me that they have already completed the reading. Great! Get busy on the project information then and see me soon with questions, concerns, problems, or just for some advice.
See you soon.
Honors 02-18-2014
That sure was a quick class today. We weren't able to accomplish much but we did get the TIPP papers back and prior to that we took a good look at an exemplary paper written by Meghan Corwin. Exceptional work, Meghan! Not only did she write a well-researched, fluid piece that clearly supported her argument, but she made sure to personalize it with bits of voice sprinkled throughout. We got a glimpse at Renee Yaseen's paper too--we'll take a closer look tomorrow--and if nothing else we saw she wrote a killer introduction complete with a well-developed extended metaphor. As I mentioned, we'll take another look at Renee's piece, write reflections on the paper and then answer any lingering questions.
I'm still assessing the in-class writings over "The Interlopers". Those should be completed by Thursday. Some good ones so far. I wonder who Freddie Mercury, Bob Larry and Demothses Wiggin are? good papers.
Thanks to a statement made by Maggie Brenneman last Friday, I selected our next poem and story to analyze. The poem is a quick twelve lines ( and, yes, it does rhyme) written by Sara Teasdale. The story shares a title with Teasdale's poem. We'll look at the poem tomorrow, and after our Acuity Predictive C tests on Thursday, we will get to the story.
Keep reading those fiction books. Be thinking about questions along the way as well.
See you soon.
I'm still assessing the in-class writings over "The Interlopers". Those should be completed by Thursday. Some good ones so far. I wonder who Freddie Mercury, Bob Larry and Demothses Wiggin are? good papers.
Thanks to a statement made by Maggie Brenneman last Friday, I selected our next poem and story to analyze. The poem is a quick twelve lines ( and, yes, it does rhyme) written by Sara Teasdale. The story shares a title with Teasdale's poem. We'll look at the poem tomorrow, and after our Acuity Predictive C tests on Thursday, we will get to the story.
Keep reading those fiction books. Be thinking about questions along the way as well.
See you soon.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Standard 02-13-2014
Hope you liked that story today. Mary Maloney is definitely an old school type of woman. She did everything for her husband including waiting on him hand and foot. She clearly loves the man, but it didn't take too long for you perceptive readers to notice that something was amiss. What's up with the husband? What's bugging him so much? It seems like we have set the scene for a big announcement. What will he say? What will she do when she finds out? How good a job did Roald Dahl do creating suspense?
We also discussed static and dynamic characters today. I want you to remember that static characters don't change and dynamic characters do change. You could use that information when reading your fiction books. Follow how your protagonist changes over the course of the novel and then discuss that change when you present his/her three traits.
We'll finish up that story and do a little something with irony tomorrow.
See you soon.
We also discussed static and dynamic characters today. I want you to remember that static characters don't change and dynamic characters do change. You could use that information when reading your fiction books. Follow how your protagonist changes over the course of the novel and then discuss that change when you present his/her three traits.
We'll finish up that story and do a little something with irony tomorrow.
See you soon.
Honors 02-13-2014
Good work identifying the theme of "A Poison Tree" today. You are a clever bunch. I also liked all the examples of irony you were able to identify in the poem, including a couple I hadn't thought of.
It is a good poem to look at since it fits in so well with the short story we started looking at today, "The Interlopers". Do you see any connections? I hope so. We will be discussing some of those tomorrow.
Today we looked at effectively summarizing the tale. Five key points in three sentences and most of you handled that smoothly. We discussed the similarities between Georg and Ulrich which segued seamlessly into a discussion of whether or not their friendship would last if they had survived their dangerous situation. There was some disagreement but both sides supported their claims with textual evidence. That's good to see. Some classes even spoke about the title and how it fits with the story. Everyone agreed it was a fitting title.
Tomorrow I still want to talk about the theme of the story and its connection to the poem. We might do a timed writing where we look at a few quotes and write about how they connect to the story. I also think it is about time to return the TIPPs. I want to celebrate Meghan Corwin and Renee Yaseen for their brilliant writings. I will not have all of the papers assessed yet, but most of them will be completed.
It's gonna be a full day tomorrow.
See you soon.
It is a good poem to look at since it fits in so well with the short story we started looking at today, "The Interlopers". Do you see any connections? I hope so. We will be discussing some of those tomorrow.
Today we looked at effectively summarizing the tale. Five key points in three sentences and most of you handled that smoothly. We discussed the similarities between Georg and Ulrich which segued seamlessly into a discussion of whether or not their friendship would last if they had survived their dangerous situation. There was some disagreement but both sides supported their claims with textual evidence. That's good to see. Some classes even spoke about the title and how it fits with the story. Everyone agreed it was a fitting title.
Tomorrow I still want to talk about the theme of the story and its connection to the poem. We might do a timed writing where we look at a few quotes and write about how they connect to the story. I also think it is about time to return the TIPPs. I want to celebrate Meghan Corwin and Renee Yaseen for their brilliant writings. I will not have all of the papers assessed yet, but most of them will be completed.
It's gonna be a full day tomorrow.
See you soon.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Standard 02-12-2014
We had a good race to see who could find and correctly identify the figurative language in a story. Congrats to Caleb North, Ali Sualeh, Nathan Gerwels, Garrett Deakin, Jacob Thompson, Conner Allen, A.J. Antonelli and Max Chaffee. Good work, men.
We will be looking at the short story 'Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl tomorrow. Good tale. But it is not what you would expect form Roald Dahl, the man who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG and a host of other fun stories. This one is a murder mystery. But what is so ironic about it? We'll find out.
As we read and discuss the story, we will be looking at characters and themes. We will spend a bit of time summarizing the main plot points and we'll keep an eye open for some figurative language as well. This will be good practice for next week's Acuity test, the ISTEP test you will be taking in a few weeks and your own project you are completing with your fiction book.
I'll be collecting everyone's reading plan tomorrow and posting them on the board. Be sure you are reading your book.
See you soon.
We will be looking at the short story 'Lamb to the Slaughter" by Roald Dahl tomorrow. Good tale. But it is not what you would expect form Roald Dahl, the man who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The BFG and a host of other fun stories. This one is a murder mystery. But what is so ironic about it? We'll find out.
As we read and discuss the story, we will be looking at characters and themes. We will spend a bit of time summarizing the main plot points and we'll keep an eye open for some figurative language as well. This will be good practice for next week's Acuity test, the ISTEP test you will be taking in a few weeks and your own project you are completing with your fiction book.
I'll be collecting everyone's reading plan tomorrow and posting them on the board. Be sure you are reading your book.
See you soon.
Honors 02-12-2014
Static and dynamic and now flat and round. That's a lot of ideas to remember, especially when you start combining them:
Harry Potter is a round, dynamic character.
Sponge Bob is a round, static character.
Asher from The Giver is a flat, static character.
Is a flat, dynamic character even possible? Let me know if you think of one?
We also looked at "A Poison Tree" today. Great poem by William Blake. A rather strong revenge idea running through it. We began to look at the theme of the poem as class was coming to an end, so we will pick it up tomorrow. Remember, the title, first line and last line are good places to start when considering a theme. For Blake's poem, understanding the importance of the first two lines of the poem (which seem incongruous with the meaning of the rest of the poem) will help a sharp reader identify the theme. When considering theme, be sure not to discount a key idea. We'll finish our discussion on that idea and then touch on how the poem is ironic before...
...transitioning to our story "The Interlopers". Lots to think about with that one. Be sure you know what an interloper is. Be sure to have text coded your copy of the story. Be sure to come with questions and thoughts on the tale. Be sure you are ready to discuss as well. We'll be looking at characters, conflict, theme and irony just for starters.
Keep reading your fiction book. Start writing down questions for your interview as well. Keep a log you update as you read.
See you soon.
Harry Potter is a round, dynamic character.
Sponge Bob is a round, static character.
Asher from The Giver is a flat, static character.
Is a flat, dynamic character even possible? Let me know if you think of one?
We also looked at "A Poison Tree" today. Great poem by William Blake. A rather strong revenge idea running through it. We began to look at the theme of the poem as class was coming to an end, so we will pick it up tomorrow. Remember, the title, first line and last line are good places to start when considering a theme. For Blake's poem, understanding the importance of the first two lines of the poem (which seem incongruous with the meaning of the rest of the poem) will help a sharp reader identify the theme. When considering theme, be sure not to discount a key idea. We'll finish our discussion on that idea and then touch on how the poem is ironic before...
...transitioning to our story "The Interlopers". Lots to think about with that one. Be sure you know what an interloper is. Be sure to have text coded your copy of the story. Be sure to come with questions and thoughts on the tale. Be sure you are ready to discuss as well. We'll be looking at characters, conflict, theme and irony just for starters.
Keep reading your fiction book. Start writing down questions for your interview as well. Keep a log you update as you read.
See you soon.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Standard 02-11-2014
We took the theme quiz over "Lemon Brown" today. Most of us went with a basic response similar to our themes from "Gil's Furniture" and the poem "Friendship". Yet a few people looked a little deeper and found a stronger possible theme. Nice job Hanna Chae, Connor Allen, A.J. Antonelli, and Levi White in period three and Sam Catrell, Caleb North, Kate Feurst, Nathan Gerwels and Ali Sualeh in period four. I'll look at the responses over the next few days and report back as soon as I can. Hopefully the explanations of the themes are as strong as the themes.
We should all have a fiction book by now to read for our project. Fill out your reading plan card and then hand it in to me. We'll post them up tomorrow and the update them daily. Make up a spot in your notebook to keep notes too. Summary info, figurative language info, character traits and evidence and support as well as themes and support for those. Lots to keep track of.
What does the phrase lamb to the slaughter mean? We'll be talking about that tomorrow.
See you soon.
We should all have a fiction book by now to read for our project. Fill out your reading plan card and then hand it in to me. We'll post them up tomorrow and the update them daily. Make up a spot in your notebook to keep notes too. Summary info, figurative language info, character traits and evidence and support as well as themes and support for those. Lots to keep track of.
What does the phrase lamb to the slaughter mean? We'll be talking about that tomorrow.
See you soon.
Honors 02-11-2014
For some it was a quick review. For a surprising amount, our Tool Time notes today involved something new. We went over static and dynamic characters. We defined them as follows:
Static Characters-characters that basically stay the same over the course of the story
Our class examples included Sponge Bob, Yoda, Voldemort, Asher from The Giver, Swiper from Dora, Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and Josephine from "The Story of an Hour"
Dynamic Characters-characters who have a significant change in personality or outlook over the course of the story
Our class examples included Annakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Neville Longbottom, Jonas from The Giver, Ebeneezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol and Mrs. Mallard from The Story of an Hour"
This will be good to know as we discuss our short stories and novels, but especially when you start thinking about questions to ask your protagonist for the IWAP paper. Think about the transformation that your protagonist underwent and try to pry deeper into the whys and hows of the change.
We all picked our books today, or we are pretty darn close to all having them selected. Lots of good reads and a few surprises. Start reading right away. We will be using the next three weeks to read and organize our ideas for the paper. Don't wait until you are finished reading your book to start coming up with questions and responses.
I passed out a new story today (sorry period two, I forgot to give it to you) called "The Interlopers" by Saki. If you have a chance, read it tonight and come in with some general questions about vocabulary and plot points. Then really analyze the text Wednesday night--being sure to annotate it--so we can have a solid discussion on Thursday. We will touch on the story tomorrow but any serious discussion will take place Thursday.
What's an interloper?
Do you know of any famous feuds?
Is revenge part of the healing process?
See you soon.
Static Characters-characters that basically stay the same over the course of the story
Our class examples included Sponge Bob, Yoda, Voldemort, Asher from The Giver, Swiper from Dora, Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and Josephine from "The Story of an Hour"
Dynamic Characters-characters who have a significant change in personality or outlook over the course of the story
Our class examples included Annakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Neville Longbottom, Jonas from The Giver, Ebeneezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol and Mrs. Mallard from The Story of an Hour"
This will be good to know as we discuss our short stories and novels, but especially when you start thinking about questions to ask your protagonist for the IWAP paper. Think about the transformation that your protagonist underwent and try to pry deeper into the whys and hows of the change.
We all picked our books today, or we are pretty darn close to all having them selected. Lots of good reads and a few surprises. Start reading right away. We will be using the next three weeks to read and organize our ideas for the paper. Don't wait until you are finished reading your book to start coming up with questions and responses.
I passed out a new story today (sorry period two, I forgot to give it to you) called "The Interlopers" by Saki. If you have a chance, read it tonight and come in with some general questions about vocabulary and plot points. Then really analyze the text Wednesday night--being sure to annotate it--so we can have a solid discussion on Thursday. We will touch on the story tomorrow but any serious discussion will take place Thursday.
What's an interloper?
Do you know of any famous feuds?
Is revenge part of the healing process?
See you soon.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Standard 02-10-2014
Theme! Theme! Theme!
That is what you need to be aware of tonight and at the beginning of class tomorrow. What is the theme of "The Treasure of Lemon Brown"? You will write down the theme--in one complete sentence--and then you will find evidence in the text to support your theme. If I were you, I would be spending some time tonight knowing what theme I am going to write down and knowing how I am going to support it. Don't wait. Do it tonight.
Once that is completed, we will return to the IMC for a chance to find a fiction book. You will be writing out your reading plan which will be in your agenda or notebook and on a 4x6 index card which will be posted in the room. You will be responsible for updating your progress daily. I also want you to find a spot in your notebook to take the notes you need to prepare for the project. I want to see that from everyone. Depending on how easily you locate a fiction book and complete the expectations, you might have a little reading time too to get you started. We'll talk about having another day to read and demonstrate your progress next week.
We will be finished reading "Lemon Brown" after the quiz tomorrow. That means we will be moving on to another short story. I think I have one that will pique your interest. Does anyone like to eat lamb?
See you soon.
That is what you need to be aware of tonight and at the beginning of class tomorrow. What is the theme of "The Treasure of Lemon Brown"? You will write down the theme--in one complete sentence--and then you will find evidence in the text to support your theme. If I were you, I would be spending some time tonight knowing what theme I am going to write down and knowing how I am going to support it. Don't wait. Do it tonight.
Once that is completed, we will return to the IMC for a chance to find a fiction book. You will be writing out your reading plan which will be in your agenda or notebook and on a 4x6 index card which will be posted in the room. You will be responsible for updating your progress daily. I also want you to find a spot in your notebook to take the notes you need to prepare for the project. I want to see that from everyone. Depending on how easily you locate a fiction book and complete the expectations, you might have a little reading time too to get you started. We'll talk about having another day to read and demonstrate your progress next week.
We will be finished reading "Lemon Brown" after the quiz tomorrow. That means we will be moving on to another short story. I think I have one that will pique your interest. Does anyone like to eat lamb?
See you soon.
Honors 02-10-2014
What are the chances that we will have a full week of school this week? I'm hoping we do. Tough to get in a flow when we miss every other day.
Some strong irony examples came in today. Always good for a laugh. Just s few stragglers left and then we will be complete with that assignment.
Today we focused our upcoming fiction paper: the Interview with a Protagonist (IWAP). I shared with you what I am expecting and not expecting. I also shared a Google document of the expectations with you (or at least I will when I get home tonight). If you have questions or concerns, be sure to ask. We then finally made it to the IMC, although we still did not have enough time to satisfy our needs so we will be returning tomorrow for final selections.
I tossed and turned about the books and have come to a decision that you should be selecting a classic novel for this assignment. I want you to challenge yourself, up your lexile level and get out of your safe, little box. By eighth grade I had read a plethora of classic novels and was always on the lookout for more. You need to be doing the same, especially if you plan on continuing in the honors track in the high school. Here's a list you can peruse for a possible title selection. The list is not all-inclusive, and not every book on the list will automatically get a pass, but it is a good place to start. Not satisfied? Here is another list for you. Good luck.
Tomorrow, in addition to spending some time in the IMC, we will finalize our look at "The Story of an Hour". Yes, I know, we've been using this story for a few days now. If not for the snow days, we would have been well past it. We'll look at theme, prison and any other ideas that pop up before transitioning to a new story. To what lengths would you go to seek revenge on another human being?
See you soon.
Some strong irony examples came in today. Always good for a laugh. Just s few stragglers left and then we will be complete with that assignment.
Today we focused our upcoming fiction paper: the Interview with a Protagonist (IWAP). I shared with you what I am expecting and not expecting. I also shared a Google document of the expectations with you (or at least I will when I get home tonight). If you have questions or concerns, be sure to ask. We then finally made it to the IMC, although we still did not have enough time to satisfy our needs so we will be returning tomorrow for final selections.
I tossed and turned about the books and have come to a decision that you should be selecting a classic novel for this assignment. I want you to challenge yourself, up your lexile level and get out of your safe, little box. By eighth grade I had read a plethora of classic novels and was always on the lookout for more. You need to be doing the same, especially if you plan on continuing in the honors track in the high school. Here's a list you can peruse for a possible title selection. The list is not all-inclusive, and not every book on the list will automatically get a pass, but it is a good place to start. Not satisfied? Here is another list for you. Good luck.
Tomorrow, in addition to spending some time in the IMC, we will finalize our look at "The Story of an Hour". Yes, I know, we've been using this story for a few days now. If not for the snow days, we would have been well past it. We'll look at theme, prison and any other ideas that pop up before transitioning to a new story. To what lengths would you go to seek revenge on another human being?
See you soon.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Standard 02-06-2014
Evidence! Evidence! Evidence! Everything we do comes back to your ability to find evidence to support your claim. When I say "everything we do" I'm not talking about us in language arts class. I'm talking about everyone in the world and what we are trying to accomplish.
You want a new car? You need to give Dad evidence as to why you deserve one.
You want to spend the night at a friend's? You need to give evidence as to why you should be allowed.
You want to go to college in California instead of in Bloomington? You better have good supporting reasons.
You want a girl to go out with you? You better have give her good reasons to agree.
You want to convince me that a character in a story is ambitious? You better have evidence.
That's what we spent today doing with"The Treasure of Lemon Brown" and Lemon Brown and Greg. That's what you will be doing tomorrow as you discuss the theme of the story. Not all evidence works. Find the right evidence.
Tomorrow we will travel to the IMC for fiction books after you find out about your new project. Can't wait to share.
See you soon.
You want a new car? You need to give Dad evidence as to why you deserve one.
You want to spend the night at a friend's? You need to give evidence as to why you should be allowed.
You want to go to college in California instead of in Bloomington? You better have good supporting reasons.
You want a girl to go out with you? You better have give her good reasons to agree.
You want to convince me that a character in a story is ambitious? You better have evidence.
That's what we spent today doing with"The Treasure of Lemon Brown" and Lemon Brown and Greg. That's what you will be doing tomorrow as you discuss the theme of the story. Not all evidence works. Find the right evidence.
Tomorrow we will travel to the IMC for fiction books after you find out about your new project. Can't wait to share.
See you soon.
Honors 02-06-2014
Yet another snow day has come and gone. I can't remember what it's like to go to school for a full week. I'll be exhausted once it finally happens. Until then, let's talk about...
IRONY! Several industrious students have already submitted their irony examples and they are hanging up around the room as I type this. They are clever and fun and colorful (most of the time). One of my favorites has got to be the fire hydrant on fire. Shocking and hilarious at the same time! You have until Monday to turn it in and earn 10/10. Remember that whatever is up in the classroom at this point is off limits. Here's a link to a fun website on irony. I had seen it before, but Chris Hamilton brought it to my attention and reminded me of its brilliance. Thanks, Chris.
We started to look at "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin (Not pronounced CHOP'-IN) today. Short story but a good one. It wasn't the easiest to comprehend (as some of those summaries demonstrated) but we had a good discussion about it. Through our summaries we uncovered the basic plot line and came to an understanding of the ambiguous conclusion. We also looked at how Chopin utilized symbolism to share the epiphany Mrs. Louise Mallard goes through. Good work identifying the locked door, the open window and the spring season as important elements to the story. I had you discuss theme in small groups and write down a potential theme. We'll look a little closer at those tomorrow. I also asked that you consider the word "prison" when constructing your own theme tonight. How does "The Story of an Hour" say anything about prison? Think about it.
Tomorrow we will be headed to the IMC for a fiction book, but only after I pass out an assignment to you. Can't wait to share! It's not the one I was initially thinking about (that one has been postponed until later in the quarter) but it is still undoubtedly challenging and fun. Of course, I'm biased...
See you soon.
IRONY! Several industrious students have already submitted their irony examples and they are hanging up around the room as I type this. They are clever and fun and colorful (most of the time). One of my favorites has got to be the fire hydrant on fire. Shocking and hilarious at the same time! You have until Monday to turn it in and earn 10/10. Remember that whatever is up in the classroom at this point is off limits. Here's a link to a fun website on irony. I had seen it before, but Chris Hamilton brought it to my attention and reminded me of its brilliance. Thanks, Chris.
We started to look at "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin (Not pronounced CHOP'-IN) today. Short story but a good one. It wasn't the easiest to comprehend (as some of those summaries demonstrated) but we had a good discussion about it. Through our summaries we uncovered the basic plot line and came to an understanding of the ambiguous conclusion. We also looked at how Chopin utilized symbolism to share the epiphany Mrs. Louise Mallard goes through. Good work identifying the locked door, the open window and the spring season as important elements to the story. I had you discuss theme in small groups and write down a potential theme. We'll look a little closer at those tomorrow. I also asked that you consider the word "prison" when constructing your own theme tonight. How does "The Story of an Hour" say anything about prison? Think about it.
Tomorrow we will be headed to the IMC for a fiction book, but only after I pass out an assignment to you. Can't wait to share! It's not the one I was initially thinking about (that one has been postponed until later in the quarter) but it is still undoubtedly challenging and fun. Of course, I'm biased...
See you soon.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Standard 02-04-2014
Items we hit today:
*Do your homework. I don't give a ton of homework so be sure you complete what is assigned so that class can run smoothly.
*Summaries are important. Be sure to highlight the important ideas of the story and avoid excessive details.
*Even though we are switching our focus from nonfiction texts to fiction books, evidence is needed. You need to support your characterizations. You need to support your themes. You need to support your analysis of the text. Just finding a quote is not enough. Does the quote support what you are trying to say? If so, then it is a good quote to use. Be careful when selecting your support.
*We need to hunker down and get through our "Lemon Brown" discussion. Be ready to hit the ground running on that tomorrow.
*We need to hunker down and get through our "Lemon Brown" discussion. Be ready to hit the ground running on that tomorrow.
*To the IMC tomorrow! You will be finding a fiction book. Be ready to read!
See you soon.
Honors 02-04-2014
Four things tonight.
1) Be sure you are thinking about and working on that irony assignment. Find a picture and offer a thorough explanation as to why it is irony. No repeats allowed. First come, first serve. Due by Monday, February 10th.
2) Read "The Story of an Hour". Be sure to annotate it carefully as you read. We will be discussing it tomorrow in class with an emphasis on theme. An annotated copy will be your ticket in.
3) Speaking of theme, remember that a theme is a general statement about life that tries to convey the point/ message/moral the author is presenting in one sentence. What message is Kate Chopin trying to convey in her short story?
4) IMC tomorrow for a fiction book and an assessment that goes with it.
See you soon.
1) Be sure you are thinking about and working on that irony assignment. Find a picture and offer a thorough explanation as to why it is irony. No repeats allowed. First come, first serve. Due by Monday, February 10th.
2) Read "The Story of an Hour". Be sure to annotate it carefully as you read. We will be discussing it tomorrow in class with an emphasis on theme. An annotated copy will be your ticket in.
3) Speaking of theme, remember that a theme is a general statement about life that tries to convey the point/ message/moral the author is presenting in one sentence. What message is Kate Chopin trying to convey in her short story?
4) IMC tomorrow for a fiction book and an assessment that goes with it.
See you soon.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Standard 02-03-2014
SRI testing today gave many of you a second chance to complete the "Lemon Brown" homework. Don't blow this opportunity. Be sure to read pages 170-178 in the text book and then complete a good chart on the characterizations of Greg, Father and Lemon Brown.
Tomorrow we will discuss the characters from the story, examine Walter Dean Myers' use of figurative language, and nail down a theme. We'll also take a good look at how Myers establishes the setting.
Some of you also have a second chance at the parallel structure example assignment. If you received a question mark over 10 than take the time to read and understand the notes on the paper and make the appropriate corrections. 10/10 is still within reach for some of you.
See you soon.
Tomorrow we will discuss the characters from the story, examine Walter Dean Myers' use of figurative language, and nail down a theme. We'll also take a good look at how Myers establishes the setting.
Some of you also have a second chance at the parallel structure example assignment. If you received a question mark over 10 than take the time to read and understand the notes on the paper and make the appropriate corrections. 10/10 is still within reach for some of you.
See you soon.
Honors 02-03-2014
It's time for TIPP. Okay, it's time for TIPP to be handed in. Can't wait to read about all these influential people. Be sure you have your typed final copy, your works cited, and any drafts you've written all stapled together. No printing during class so come in early or during lunch to get it finished before class begins.
You complete one assignment, so it's time for another one. This one will be on the lighter side. It deals with irony. I'll fill you in on it tomorrow.
The fiction unit can officially start tomorrow as well. I have several stories lined up, and we'll jump right in on one tomorrow. You will also be going to the IMC on Wednesday to select a book. But it isn't just any book. Yes, it has to be fictional (sorry all you nonfiction lovers), but there is more to it. I'll fill you in on that soon as well.
Some things we will be looking at during the next few weeks include:
-how authors build themes into their stories
-how similar themes appear in extremely different works
-how to identify themes
-the relevance of the stories of the Bible and Greek mythology today
-the power of good characterizations
-the importance of well written dialogue
-point-of-view
and of course
-irony in stories
Get ready to read! A lot!
See you soon.
You complete one assignment, so it's time for another one. This one will be on the lighter side. It deals with irony. I'll fill you in on it tomorrow.
The fiction unit can officially start tomorrow as well. I have several stories lined up, and we'll jump right in on one tomorrow. You will also be going to the IMC on Wednesday to select a book. But it isn't just any book. Yes, it has to be fictional (sorry all you nonfiction lovers), but there is more to it. I'll fill you in on that soon as well.
Some things we will be looking at during the next few weeks include:
-how authors build themes into their stories
-how similar themes appear in extremely different works
-how to identify themes
-the relevance of the stories of the Bible and Greek mythology today
-the power of good characterizations
-the importance of well written dialogue
-point-of-view
and of course
-irony in stories
Get ready to read! A lot!
See you soon.
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