Rumor has it that "The Masque of the Red Death" ("MRD") was a tad more difficult to read and comprehend than "Raymond's Run". Well, that's good because reading higher level texts is one of the goals of the class. As I mentioned today, a critical common core standard is your ability to read and comprehend literature at the highest end of the 8th grade literacy continuum. "MRD" definitely qualifies in that category. I might have also mentioned how PARCC, the incoming test being used to replace ISTEP, stresses how students actually need to be reading two years above grade level. What was considered an appropriate 8th grade text last year, is being used in 6th grade this year. That means we get to read texts that were aimed at tenth graders in the past. YIPPEE!!
We also discussed what constitutes acceptable reading of texts. It is to be considered a given that if I pass something out to be read, you will text code it/highlight it/annotate it/and basically mark it up in whatever way necessary to show that you have interacted with it in your attempt to understand it at the highest possible level. There is no such thing as a light, quick read when it comes to a piece we will be discussing. Kudos go out to several individuals who went above and beyond in their attempt to understand "MRD". Clare Frederick, however, exemplifies the effort it sometimes takes to comprehend a piece of literature. She worked with her father (thanks, Mr. Frederick) who took the time to read the piece with her and discuss it along the way. Armed with a better understanding, Clare then proceeded to reread the article on her own, further annotating and highlighting it. The effort paid off as she came to class fully prepared to discuss "MRD".
We introduced the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) chart today as well. It's a chart that breaks understanding down to four levels: recall, skill/concept, strategic thinking, and extended thinking. Each level builds upon the previous one, thus, getting more rigorous as we move up the chart. The goal of the enriched class is to spend most of our time at DOK levels three and four. You were assigned to groups of three today and are using the DOK chart to demonstrate your understanding of "MRD" at the various levels. This work, while started today, will carryover into tomorrow's class when we will meet in the IMC.
I want to take a moment to celebrate a few other students. Yesterday, I returned the Writer's Autobiographies. There were several individuals that warrant a shout out for the fine writing they submitted. The following individuals earned a perfect 6 score on the papers:
Peter Rutkowski
Spencer Kilmer
Anna Demel
Rachel Minne
Baker Nasser
Caroline Parker
Keegan Hurst
Hannah Keeler
Nuha Zackariya
Well done, writers! I look forward to future submissions.
One last thing. Passion is one of the most important things you can bring to class. I want to see it, feel it, sense it on every one of you everyday. Little of use has ever been accomplished without it. As Oliver Wendell Holmes says, "As life is action and passion, it is required of a man that he should share the passion and action of his time, at the peril of being not to have lived." Double Archer card signature if you copy the quote down in your language arts notebook and write me an interpretation of that paragraph in the writing section.
Be ready to do some analysis of "MRD" tomorrow!
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Standard 9-10-12
"So much to do, so much to see, so what's wrong with taking the back seat..." Well, for one, if you take the back seat you'll probably not have a very good view. That seemed to be a bit of a problem today in periods three and four. There was a significant amount of the Monday Blahs. We struggled through and saw three potential paper topics coming our way.
First topic could be on character analysis--we analyzed Squeaky and showed how important ample support can be.
Second topic could be author analysis--we looked at Toni Cade Bambara and tried to figure out what her traditions, heritage, beliefs or attitudes might be. I want to give a BIG shout out to Jasmine Leininger and Mackenzie Saar for coming up with the best claim about TCB all day--that's including the enriched class, girls. They both claimed that based on the story "Raymond's Run" Bambara believes that one of the most important ideals is to be true to yourself. WOW! Now that was a close, effective read. Way to go, girls.
Our third topic could be on the significance a paragraph plays in the development of a story. This is an area that will require a lot of work. I'm not sure we understand the idea yet, but since it is a huge critical first quarter standard, you can bet we will be coming back to it soon.
We didn't get to The T of LB (the next story we are going to read), but never fear. It'll be ready and waiting for us tomorrow. Be thinking about an item you treasure most of all. We'll be writing about it tomorrow.
Now here is a chance for you to have your Archer card signed. All you need to do is tell me who sang the song that contained the lyrics with which I opened up this post. Ask Mom or Dad; they might know.
See you tomorrow.
First topic could be on character analysis--we analyzed Squeaky and showed how important ample support can be.
Second topic could be author analysis--we looked at Toni Cade Bambara and tried to figure out what her traditions, heritage, beliefs or attitudes might be. I want to give a BIG shout out to Jasmine Leininger and Mackenzie Saar for coming up with the best claim about TCB all day--that's including the enriched class, girls. They both claimed that based on the story "Raymond's Run" Bambara believes that one of the most important ideals is to be true to yourself. WOW! Now that was a close, effective read. Way to go, girls.
Our third topic could be on the significance a paragraph plays in the development of a story. This is an area that will require a lot of work. I'm not sure we understand the idea yet, but since it is a huge critical first quarter standard, you can bet we will be coming back to it soon.
We didn't get to The T of LB (the next story we are going to read), but never fear. It'll be ready and waiting for us tomorrow. Be thinking about an item you treasure most of all. We'll be writing about it tomorrow.
Now here is a chance for you to have your Archer card signed. All you need to do is tell me who sang the song that contained the lyrics with which I opened up this post. Ask Mom or Dad; they might know.
See you tomorrow.
Enriched 09-10-12
Full day today as we reviewed the material covered during the two days I was in meetings last week.
We've been busy analyzing individual paragraphs and the roles they play in the development of a story. While we are able to identify the important elements of a paragraph we sometimes have struggled clarifying the role it plays in the context of the entire story.
We've made claims about an author (Toni Cade Bambara) based on the story she wrote ("Raymond's Run"). We've tried to discover what we can about her heritage, traditions, beliefs and attitudes based solely on the story we read. While almost all of our claims were effectively made, I stressed the need to go beyond the obvious (Bambara likes to run) and to dig deep into the story to uncover some gems (Bambara believes in the importance of being true to yourself).
Finally, we discussed the in class writing prompt from last Friday. You needed to explain what Bambara would say about two nonfiction articles you had read the night before. Any grumblings about the topic were quieted when I stressed how much more information the substitute, Mrs. Wenger, offered compared to what I was prepared to offer. I'll be scoring those over the next few days using a rubric similar to the one used to score ISTEP.
I did return the Writers' Autobiographies today. Papers were assessed on six traits of successful writing and received an initial score from 0-6. You either received the point for the trait or you did not. The 6 point scale was then translated into a 20 point scale as follows:
6=20/20
5=18/20
4=17/20
3=16/20
2=15/20
1=14/20
0=13/20
I stressed, upon return of the papers, the importance of focusing on the topic and responding to the prompt. The most important trait was descriptive sentences which allowed the reader to fully comprehend the points the author was trying to convey. This is the category that focuses on full development of the ideas. I can't stress enough the need for you to support whatever you say with evidence. Remember what Mr. Howard and Mrs. Randolph said all last year: "Show don't tell."
You then wrote a reflection which allowed you to take a closer look at your strengths and weaknesses. Remember, this is like the football player who goes home and watches game film after playing. It's the chance you get to realize the mistakes and avoid them for next time.
I'm terribly excited by the story you are reading tonight. "The Masque of the Red Death" is a Edgar Allan Poe classic. I know it's going to push you a little more than "Raymond's Run" did, and that's one of the reasons I selected it. Yet, even more important are the discussion points it offers. This is a heavily symbolic story that can be read on the surface and offer one interpretation, but then it can be read at a deeper level and open the door to a wide spectrum of ideas as varied as the colors of the seven rooms. (I'll sign your Archer card if you tell me the color of the rooms BEFORE class begins tomorrow). You'll be working in groups tomorrow to demonstrate the depth of your understanding. Read carefully tonight. I'm expecting some original insight tomorrow.
We've been busy analyzing individual paragraphs and the roles they play in the development of a story. While we are able to identify the important elements of a paragraph we sometimes have struggled clarifying the role it plays in the context of the entire story.
We've made claims about an author (Toni Cade Bambara) based on the story she wrote ("Raymond's Run"). We've tried to discover what we can about her heritage, traditions, beliefs and attitudes based solely on the story we read. While almost all of our claims were effectively made, I stressed the need to go beyond the obvious (Bambara likes to run) and to dig deep into the story to uncover some gems (Bambara believes in the importance of being true to yourself).
Finally, we discussed the in class writing prompt from last Friday. You needed to explain what Bambara would say about two nonfiction articles you had read the night before. Any grumblings about the topic were quieted when I stressed how much more information the substitute, Mrs. Wenger, offered compared to what I was prepared to offer. I'll be scoring those over the next few days using a rubric similar to the one used to score ISTEP.
I did return the Writers' Autobiographies today. Papers were assessed on six traits of successful writing and received an initial score from 0-6. You either received the point for the trait or you did not. The 6 point scale was then translated into a 20 point scale as follows:
6=20/20
5=18/20
4=17/20
3=16/20
2=15/20
1=14/20
0=13/20
I stressed, upon return of the papers, the importance of focusing on the topic and responding to the prompt. The most important trait was descriptive sentences which allowed the reader to fully comprehend the points the author was trying to convey. This is the category that focuses on full development of the ideas. I can't stress enough the need for you to support whatever you say with evidence. Remember what Mr. Howard and Mrs. Randolph said all last year: "Show don't tell."
You then wrote a reflection which allowed you to take a closer look at your strengths and weaknesses. Remember, this is like the football player who goes home and watches game film after playing. It's the chance you get to realize the mistakes and avoid them for next time.
I'm terribly excited by the story you are reading tonight. "The Masque of the Red Death" is a Edgar Allan Poe classic. I know it's going to push you a little more than "Raymond's Run" did, and that's one of the reasons I selected it. Yet, even more important are the discussion points it offers. This is a heavily symbolic story that can be read on the surface and offer one interpretation, but then it can be read at a deeper level and open the door to a wide spectrum of ideas as varied as the colors of the seven rooms. (I'll sign your Archer card if you tell me the color of the rooms BEFORE class begins tomorrow). You'll be working in groups tomorrow to demonstrate the depth of your understanding. Read carefully tonight. I'm expecting some original insight tomorrow.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Timed Writing Tips 9-06-2012
What do Keanu Reeves, Kurt Vonnegut and the novel Divergent have in common? You're going to find out soon. The connection between those three is just one of the things I was working on today at my meeting. Even though I wasn't with you in class, I was thinking about you, trying to create some units that will spark your interest and challenge your mind.
As you know, I'll be gone tomorrow as well, but I wanted to take this time to offer a few tips to the enriched students who will be engaged in a timed writing tomorrow in class.
*First of all, you need to come prepared. You have read "Raymond's Run", so you should be quite
familiar with that story. Today, you were assigned two other nonfiction pieces to actively read. If you didn't finish those reads in school, you need to be sure they are completed tonight for homework. The last thing you want to do is be forced to use some of your writing time to catch up on the reading.
*Speaking of writing time, you have a 55 minute class tomorrow, but you will only have 45 minutes to write your essay. Even if you come prepared, you want to use your time wisely. I'd spend a couple minutes reading the prompt, reading it again, underlining what it is asking you to do, and then planning your attack. You have three sources from which to draw. Which ones will you use? What points do they offer that will allow you to write the best essay? What support is available to strengthen your claim? Plan, but don't spend too much time planning.
*Perhaps you'll want to write a rough draft. That's fine, but if you do, be sure to calculate the time needed to rewrite the essay.
*Most of the time will undoubtedly be spent writing the essay. Great. But to stay focused on the topic, keep referring to the prompt. Be sure you are writing about what you need to write about.
*You'll also want to leave time to review it. Reread the essay when you are finished. I would want to be sure that I am working on my conclusion before the five minutes remaining mark. That way, I should have time to review the rest of the essay and make any small, last-minute changes.
*Above all, breathe. Relax. Do your best. This is the first of many timed prompts we will be doing. Yes, this will be assessed for points, but if you relax, focus on what the prompt is asking, and support with specific textual evidence, you should do fine.
Good luck!
As you know, I'll be gone tomorrow as well, but I wanted to take this time to offer a few tips to the enriched students who will be engaged in a timed writing tomorrow in class.
*First of all, you need to come prepared. You have read "Raymond's Run", so you should be quite
familiar with that story. Today, you were assigned two other nonfiction pieces to actively read. If you didn't finish those reads in school, you need to be sure they are completed tonight for homework. The last thing you want to do is be forced to use some of your writing time to catch up on the reading.
*Speaking of writing time, you have a 55 minute class tomorrow, but you will only have 45 minutes to write your essay. Even if you come prepared, you want to use your time wisely. I'd spend a couple minutes reading the prompt, reading it again, underlining what it is asking you to do, and then planning your attack. You have three sources from which to draw. Which ones will you use? What points do they offer that will allow you to write the best essay? What support is available to strengthen your claim? Plan, but don't spend too much time planning.
*Perhaps you'll want to write a rough draft. That's fine, but if you do, be sure to calculate the time needed to rewrite the essay.
*Most of the time will undoubtedly be spent writing the essay. Great. But to stay focused on the topic, keep referring to the prompt. Be sure you are writing about what you need to write about.
*You'll also want to leave time to review it. Reread the essay when you are finished. I would want to be sure that I am working on my conclusion before the five minutes remaining mark. That way, I should have time to review the rest of the essay and make any small, last-minute changes.
*Above all, breathe. Relax. Do your best. This is the first of many timed prompts we will be doing. Yes, this will be assessed for points, but if you relax, focus on what the prompt is asking, and support with specific textual evidence, you should do fine.
Good luck!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Busy Day 09-06-2012
Subordinate Conjunctions! AAAWWUBBIS! Complex sentences! Introductory clauses! Just a few of the things we covered today in the enriched classes. (I hope you're keeping them all straight. Hint! Hint!)
We reviewed introductory clauses and seemed to remember the need for the introductory clause (also known as a dependent clause or a subordinate clause) to have both a noun and a verb. Obviously it introduces the sentence and is set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma. We also leaned that the word used to introduce an introductory clause is called a subordinating conjunction. With the help of the mnemonic device AAAWWUBBIS, we learned a few examples of subordinating conjunctions.
A always
A although
A as
W while
W when
U until
B before
B because
I if
S since
Our main focus was in preparation for our academic dialogue taking place tomorrow during my absence. I want you to listen carefully to each other as you read your paragraph analysis. Then as the analysis is reread, I want you to stop the reader and discuss what you hear. If you hear a great line, fantastic support, a deep penetrating analysis, I want you to celebrate the writer. If you hear discombobulated writing, unsupported ideas, confusing interpretations, I want you to critique the writer and help him/her learn to write it better. This is your chance to listen and speak. I want you to LISTEN and SPEAK!
Take advantage of the time spent on this and then begin to prepare for FRIDAY! More to come tomorrow. Be sure to log on and read for tips.
In the standard class we also spent time on the introductory clauses. We'll keep at those for a bit as we seemed to struggle somewhat.
Our main focus was on the summary writing. Most of us completed the individual summary writing and have moved on to the partner portion of the activity. Take it seriously tomorrow as you complete the next few steps. I guarantee, in the near future, you'll be asked to write a summary of something you've read, and it will be assessed. This is the time to get some good practice in prior to the assessment.
Though I'll be away from you the next two days, I will be thinking about you fondly, patiently anticipating the rigorous work awaiting you upon my return.
We reviewed introductory clauses and seemed to remember the need for the introductory clause (also known as a dependent clause or a subordinate clause) to have both a noun and a verb. Obviously it introduces the sentence and is set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma. We also leaned that the word used to introduce an introductory clause is called a subordinating conjunction. With the help of the mnemonic device AAAWWUBBIS, we learned a few examples of subordinating conjunctions.
A always
A although
A as
W while
W when
U until
B before
B because
I if
S since
Our main focus was in preparation for our academic dialogue taking place tomorrow during my absence. I want you to listen carefully to each other as you read your paragraph analysis. Then as the analysis is reread, I want you to stop the reader and discuss what you hear. If you hear a great line, fantastic support, a deep penetrating analysis, I want you to celebrate the writer. If you hear discombobulated writing, unsupported ideas, confusing interpretations, I want you to critique the writer and help him/her learn to write it better. This is your chance to listen and speak. I want you to LISTEN and SPEAK!
Take advantage of the time spent on this and then begin to prepare for FRIDAY! More to come tomorrow. Be sure to log on and read for tips.
In the standard class we also spent time on the introductory clauses. We'll keep at those for a bit as we seemed to struggle somewhat.
Our main focus was on the summary writing. Most of us completed the individual summary writing and have moved on to the partner portion of the activity. Take it seriously tomorrow as you complete the next few steps. I guarantee, in the near future, you'll be asked to write a summary of something you've read, and it will be assessed. This is the time to get some good practice in prior to the assessment.
Though I'll be away from you the next two days, I will be thinking about you fondly, patiently anticipating the rigorous work awaiting you upon my return.
Enriched Homework for 9-05-2012
I want to make sure I clear up any possible confusion on the homework in the enriched classes tonight. It's pretty simple, but I want to make sure you have it completed. You are to make a claim about Toni Cade Bambara, the author of "Raymond's Run", based on the story she wrote. You've read "Raymond's Run" and based on that reading I want you to tell me something about Ms. Bambara. Do not go look her up on the internet and find something else about her. Instead, make a claim about what you think she is like (her heritage, traditions, beliefs, and attitudes) based on the story. This will meet the Indiana State Standard 8.3.7. Write this in the Writing section of your notebooks and bring it to class tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Preparation Is The Key 09-04-2012
A quarterback who doesn't properly prepare for his opponent will undoubtedly be pummeled by the defense.
A businessman who fails to prepare for a presentation to his boss might soon find himself without a job.
A student who does not complete the expected homework will soon find him/herself with a grade that neither the student nor the parents are pleased with.
I'll keep this rebuke short and sweet. Students should come to class prepared to learn. Being prepared means coming to class with the work completed at an acceptable level. One class (I'm talking to you, period six) let me down today. I was showered with promises that it would not happen again. I will take them at their word...this time.
All the enriched students should have a couple of paragraphs written in their notebooks for class tomorrow. This should not be something haphazardly or quickly completed. You are analyzing a paragraph and explaining the role it plays in conjunction with the rest of the story. You are meeting Common Core Standard 8.RI.5 by writing these paragraphs. Be sure to look at the paragraph you select deeply, offer copious examples (by which I mean quotes) from the text, and explain yourself clearly. We will be spending time tomorrow breaking down and will discuss your analyses. (For an Archer card signature rewrite the previous sentence using parallel structure. No, we haven't discussed this yet, but I'm curious to see what you know).
Simple sentences. Compound sentences. Complex sentences. We've now touched on all three and offered examples of the last one today in class. We learned that a sentence that starts with an introductory clause and which is then attached to an independent clause is a complex sentence. We know that introductory clauses meet four requirements:
*they are located at the beginning of the sentence
*they contain both a noun and a verb
*they are set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma
*they are dependent clauses
That's a lot to keep straight. Here's a little extra help on introductory clauses for you, courtesy of Pittsburg State University. Check it out. Take the quiz and let me know how you did.
I want you to get this info down. I smell an assessment coming soon!
We did a bit with summary in the enriched classes. Well, honestly, I can only discuss period five. I was out of the class period one (be ready to show me what you know tomorrow) and period six, well,...anyway.
Finally, we have some reading to complete tonight in the standard classes. You all need to complete the "Raymond's Run" reading and be text coding, highlighting, annotating, and marking up the text as you read. Lots to discuss tomorrow. You'll be explaining your annotations, working with summaries and probably a bit more.
Remember that it's IMC day tomorrow. Bring your books to return and be thinking about that next one you are going to be checking out. See you tomorrow.
Enriched Assignment Due 09-05-2012
Words for Periods One, Five, and Six
Writers have so many decisions to make. Should I use the phrase “give in” or the word “acquiesce”? Would a metaphor be effective here or should I keep it straight and simple? Is this paragraph necessary or is it superfluous to the plot? That last idea is of particular interest to me, and, as you will soon see, it is relevant to you as well.
Being able to identify why an author includes a sentence or an idea or a paragraph is an important step towards understanding the deeper points/messages/themes the author is trying to convey. You should see every word as a step toward the development of the sentence. Every sentence as a step toward the development of the paragraph. Every paragraph as a step toward the development of the story.
For instance, take a look at the decision director Josh Whedon made in this summer’s blockbuster film The Avengers. At one part of the story he pits Iron Man against Thor in an intergalactic battle of ego and strength. Visually, it was an amazing scene, but it also played a significant role in the development of the characters individually and of the Avengers as a team. Without that conflict between the two superheroes, their decisions to fight for each other, together, for the safety of the entire planet, would not have been dramatic. By adding the scene, Whedon shows that just because they are the “Good Guys” doesn’t mean that they are good guys who get along with other good guys automatically. It adds depth to their characters, tension to the plot, and a healthy dose of reality to the film. Type-A, big ego, competitive individuals often clash. Whedon showed that superheroes,at least in one way, are no different from regular humans.
Now we aren’t going to be examining The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises or even Battleship, but we are going to take a closer look at What Toni Cade Bambara did in “Raymond’s Run”. Since dialogue is scarce, this 11 page story has only 26 paragraphs. Yet each one plays a significant role. Let’s take a look at paragraph two. Go ahead, open your Interactive Readers to page 5 and look at paragraph number two. I’ll wait. By the way, it begins with “Sometimes I slip and say...”
Paragraph two is pretty important. It has multiple roles in the development of the tale. In the most obvious way, it introduces us to Raymond, the title character. We learn that he’s “bigger” and “older” than the narrator, even though in the previous paragraph we had learned that she looks after him. We soon find out why when she says that “he’s not quite right” and has a “big head”.
Yet aside from offering clarity on Raymond, the paragraph might be even more significant for the length it goes towards establishing the narrator. We learn about her nickname, Squeaky, courtesy of her “squeaky voice”. Physically, she’s a “little girl” with “skinny arms” but her attitude towards herself and others is anything but tiny. She shows that she is super protective of her brother when she says that anyone who makes fun of him has to “come by me”. Tough? Squeaky doesn’t do “a lot of talking...{she’d} much rather just knock you down”. Her ego matches that of those superheroes I wrote about a few paragraphs ago when she claims “anybody can tell you, I’m the fastest thing on two feet”. This last line opens the door to her passion: running. This defensive, proud, tough, cocky persona is further supported throughout the rest of the story, demonstrating the importance of paragraph two in developing Raymond’s disability, Squeaky’s personality, and the running storyline.
You see what I did there? That’s what I want you to do now. Pick a paragraph from the story. Clearly identify it. Read it carefully. Once. Twice. A third time. Be sure you understand the relationship it has with the rest of the story. Then mimic the approach I took when I analyzed paragraph two. Make a claim or two about the paragraph. Support it with specific quotes from the paragraph. Close the idea.
Now I know you are wise enough to avoid the one or two or three line paragraphs, so I won’t bother telling you not to choose them. Instead focus on a larger paragraph and thoroughly explain the ways the paragraph is important to the development of the story.
Write this in the Writing Section of your notebooks. Bring it to class completed tomorrow. I’ll be back, and I’ll be looking for it. See you then.
Monday, September 3, 2012
What an "Amazing" Book! 9-03-2012
Periodically, as I read books I feel are worthy of discussion, I'll take a bit of time and write about them on the blog. I just finished one that rates as my best read of 2012. While I don't tend to read as much as Mrs. Burnette, that's still saying something. The novel is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. While I hadn't read anything else by Flynn, I had managed to catch a couple rave reviews for the book in both Time and Entertainment Weekly. When I went to the library to check it out, I was informed that I was number 32 (!) on the wait list. Evidently, I wasn't the only one intrigued by the book. I finally started reading it the week before school began, and it didn't take me long to discover why it was in such high demand. Flynn has written a sharp-tongued, twisted adult novel, that delivers on all the praise showered upon it.
The language Flynn uses throughout the text is edgy and catchy. The sun comes through the morning blinds with an accusing "long, blaring finger aimed at (Nick)" (4). A nice line of personification but also a bit of foreshadowing for what's to come. When Nick's wife Amy is making breakfast, she is "banging wooden cupboards (rump-thump!), rattling containers of tin and glass (ding-ring!), and shuffling and sorting a collection of metal pots and iron pans (ruzz-shuzz!) (6). It's a "culinary orchestra" (6) with the word "orchestra" not being used lightly. Her characters speak like most of us. A conversation between Nick and his sister, Margo, ends with Margo advising Nick not to talk with the police like "myuhmyuhmyuh" (52). That was "the thick-tongued noise she always made to convey my indecisiveness" (52). Flynn manages to maintain that linguistic flair throughout all 415 pages.
The police do come into play, since quite early in the text Nick's wife goes missing, all evidence points to murder, and Nick is the most likely suspect. The indecisiveness Margo referred to earlier is plastered all over Nick, and he digs himself in deeper with every lie he tells and every secret he withholds. Things are not looking good for Nick as Flynn adroitly reveals new bits of info and evidence that slowly build to a huge twist in the story about half-way through. It's not the first or last, but it definitely is the biggest. Flynn's decision to tell the story by switching between Nick's present reactions to the events and Amy's diary entries from before was an effective way to share their unique perspectives on a marriage that was in tatters.
Now this is an adult novel. The language and themes are for mature audiences. Even Flynn tells her son in the Acknowledgements, "if you are reading this before 2024, you are too little. Put it down." So if it's an adult novel, then why share this with you? Well, for one I want you to see me as a reader and not just someone who assigns reading for you to do. I also want you to see the value in discussing what we read. If we read a book we enjoy or even a book we thoroughly dislike, our tendencies are to talk about that book with others either to be sure they read it and share your joy or to be certain they avoid it and escape your pain. Lastly, I want you to see how quotes go a long way towards strengthening your writing. Imagine the second paragraph without the quotes. Just not much to it. The quotes add depth, something I will be expecting to see from all of you.
So keep on reading and be thinking of sharing your thoughts with the rest of us.
The language Flynn uses throughout the text is edgy and catchy. The sun comes through the morning blinds with an accusing "long, blaring finger aimed at (Nick)" (4). A nice line of personification but also a bit of foreshadowing for what's to come. When Nick's wife Amy is making breakfast, she is "banging wooden cupboards (rump-thump!), rattling containers of tin and glass (ding-ring!), and shuffling and sorting a collection of metal pots and iron pans (ruzz-shuzz!) (6). It's a "culinary orchestra" (6) with the word "orchestra" not being used lightly. Her characters speak like most of us. A conversation between Nick and his sister, Margo, ends with Margo advising Nick not to talk with the police like "myuhmyuhmyuh" (52). That was "the thick-tongued noise she always made to convey my indecisiveness" (52). Flynn manages to maintain that linguistic flair throughout all 415 pages.
The police do come into play, since quite early in the text Nick's wife goes missing, all evidence points to murder, and Nick is the most likely suspect. The indecisiveness Margo referred to earlier is plastered all over Nick, and he digs himself in deeper with every lie he tells and every secret he withholds. Things are not looking good for Nick as Flynn adroitly reveals new bits of info and evidence that slowly build to a huge twist in the story about half-way through. It's not the first or last, but it definitely is the biggest. Flynn's decision to tell the story by switching between Nick's present reactions to the events and Amy's diary entries from before was an effective way to share their unique perspectives on a marriage that was in tatters.
Now this is an adult novel. The language and themes are for mature audiences. Even Flynn tells her son in the Acknowledgements, "if you are reading this before 2024, you are too little. Put it down." So if it's an adult novel, then why share this with you? Well, for one I want you to see me as a reader and not just someone who assigns reading for you to do. I also want you to see the value in discussing what we read. If we read a book we enjoy or even a book we thoroughly dislike, our tendencies are to talk about that book with others either to be sure they read it and share your joy or to be certain they avoid it and escape your pain. Lastly, I want you to see how quotes go a long way towards strengthening your writing. Imagine the second paragraph without the quotes. Just not much to it. The quotes add depth, something I will be expecting to see from all of you.
So keep on reading and be thinking of sharing your thoughts with the rest of us.
Enjoying the Extra Day 9-3-2012
It's Monday, but we're not in school; yet, if you are like me, school is never far from your mind. So let's take this time to remind you of a few school related elements for the coming week.
First, enriched students need to have actively read "Raymond's Run" (notice the quotation marks around the short story title). You have read the story, text coded, responded to the prompts in the margins, and will come prepared to discuss it on Tuesday (Items in a Series: take note of the three commas utilized with the four items in the previous sentence). Be sure to bring your Interactive Reader with you to class.
Those of you in the standard class should also bring your Interactive Readers to class. We will continue reading and text coding meta-cognitively; however, you will take on a much larger role in that task starting tomorrow.
As I told most of you, I will be out of the classroom in meetings for much of this week. Here's a schedule review.
Tuesday, September 4: I will miss periods 1 and 2 and part of period 3 analyzing Acuity data
Wednesday, September 5: I will be in the class the entire day
Thursday, September 6: I will be out the entire day working on incorporating the Common Core
Standards into the curriculum
Friday, September 7: I will be out the entire day working on writing effective Performance Tasks
An awkward week to be sure, but you will all be held to the same expectations (in behavior and academic rigor) as if I were still in the class.
I'll be in the building all day Tuesday. For an Archer card signature, tell me the two conjunctive adverbs I used in this posting. Enjoy the rest of the day off.
First, enriched students need to have actively read "Raymond's Run" (notice the quotation marks around the short story title). You have read the story, text coded, responded to the prompts in the margins, and will come prepared to discuss it on Tuesday (Items in a Series: take note of the three commas utilized with the four items in the previous sentence). Be sure to bring your Interactive Reader with you to class.
Those of you in the standard class should also bring your Interactive Readers to class. We will continue reading and text coding meta-cognitively; however, you will take on a much larger role in that task starting tomorrow.
As I told most of you, I will be out of the classroom in meetings for much of this week. Here's a schedule review.
Tuesday, September 4: I will miss periods 1 and 2 and part of period 3 analyzing Acuity data
Wednesday, September 5: I will be in the class the entire day
Thursday, September 6: I will be out the entire day working on incorporating the Common Core
Standards into the curriculum
Friday, September 7: I will be out the entire day working on writing effective Performance Tasks
An awkward week to be sure, but you will all be held to the same expectations (in behavior and academic rigor) as if I were still in the class.
I'll be in the building all day Tuesday. For an Archer card signature, tell me the two conjunctive adverbs I used in this posting. Enjoy the rest of the day off.
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