Today I checked Natalie's homework: quotes she found from "The Crucible" to use in her essay. Next, we finished reading Act 4 of the play.

We divided our extra long class today into two parts. The first part focused on reading of "The Book Thief". We looked over the printed version of the text together and discussed the author's language and the power of words, his use of figurative language, present throughout, the omiscient voice of Death narrating, and tone. Hunter wrote down questons - Why did the brother die? During the second part of our class, we discussed his essay and how he can add two more paragraphs to it, do a final edit, and finish it for this marking period. He did some online research, looking to ESPN news and Trump comments, and wrote during class. We discussed different points of view and opposing arguments for additional paragraphs. HOMEWORK: Add two more paragraphs to essay and read more in the book.

Hunter and I worked together on some more edits to his essay. He will add to the essay tonight for HOMEWORK. We discussed possibilities for topics to add and looked to a YouTube video with news of Kaepernick's legal claim of collusion against the NFL from CNN. We read "Barrio Boy" by Ernesto Galarzo. We discussed why it is a personal essay and will read others to compare different types - narrative, persuasive, etc. and complete vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and reading strategy exercises after reading. ADDITIONAL HOMEWORK: read "The Book Thief".

Hunter began reading "The Book Thief". He seemed to really enjoy it and appeared interested in the story because he read more than I asked him to! We discussed the prologue and the beginning chapters leading up to Part One. We analyzed figurative language and distinguished between metaphors and personification. We discussed the theme of color and the author's tone. Hunter began completing graphic organizers related to these topics, We looked to specific quotes from the book to see how the author used figuarative language.

Today Hunter continued pre-reading activities related to "The Book Thief". We reviewed vocabulary and discussed the power of words by use of figurative language - similes, metaphors, hyperboles, personification, otamonapeia, alliteration, pun, and irony. We watched a YouTube video called Flocabulary that reviewed these by way of rap music and by example. Hunter started the Anticipation Guide and answered questions as to what he predicted might be discussed in the book. We learned how to identify and analyze tone and mood of the author. In the second hour, Hunter worked on typing edits to the rough draft of his essay. We discussed HOMEWORK for the weekend. He will add more to his essay to work towards a finished product in one week. He will also make an effort to start reading "The Book Thief" at home this weekend and be ready to discuss in class. Hunter asked a great question in our last class when we discussed the word "genocide" - whether it can happen again and/or be prevented. I printed the pyramid of hate that is produced by the Anti-Defamation League and we discussed how genocide can happen if the smaller acts are not prevented.

Hunter and I made study cards for vocabulary we encountered in reading Mark Twain's "Advice to Youth". We added new vocabulary for "The Book Thief" and looked at various pre-reading activities. We began vocabulary for the first section of the book and discussed personification and Death personified, the narrator of the story. We discussed events happening at the time of the story, World War II and Nazi Germany. We watched a short video from the National Holocaust Memorial about book burning by the Nazis in 1933 and added the word "genocide"" to our vocabulary list. I printed, and we discussed an Anticiipation Guide, which will direct Hunter and make him predict what he might read about in the book.

Hunter took the vocabulary quiz today, which was matching. I will grade it tonight. We discussed possbile choices for a novel to read for the literature portion of class and decided upon "The Book Thief". We edited the rough draft of Hunter's essay and discussed ways to add to it. Ideas included the subject of an op ed piece from the newspaper which compared Kaepernick to MLK Jr. and protests in American history which formed the basis of our nation - from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War and so on.... We also discussed Vice President Pence leaving the football game after the team "took the knee" during the National Anthem.

Hunter came to class today with an impressive first draft/start (homework) to his essay. I was very surprised, impressed and proud of him. Not only was it a good attempt, but it was organized, and of a decent quantity. He was admittedly embarrassed at Monday's submission. We rewrote the essay today and Hunter typed it onto a Word document on the computer. We discussed replacing words with better/stronger words and editing it in the next week to perfect it. We used the last few minutes of class to review vocabulary words to prepare for next Tuesday's Quiz.

Hunter and I started class by picking up on his reading in the book
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien.
We ended on page 68….. we also continued his essay he has been assigned on
"arguments" and researched his subject further through the computer and Youtube.

I looked over essay preparation with Hunter this morning. It was not acceptable in many ways, all of which I discussed with him. We went over the materials I gave him to take home and I suggested many ways to re-approach the essay and start again. He needs to make an effort to construct an essay and to handwrite the essay in an organized and legible way. If this still does not happen for our next class, we will do it in class from the beginning together. We finished reading Mark Twain's satire "Advice to Youth", defining terms from context clues, and pulling out meaning from satire and irony. We reviewed all vocabulary cards for repeat Quiz on Tuesday. HOMEWORK: (repeated) Begin writing essay, 3 paragraphs, if not more, support, thesis statement, etc., complete sentences.