Hunter and I read in the Prentice Hall Literature text "A Glow in the Dark from Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen and the poem "Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath. We read pre-reading material and compared and contrasted, looking for tone and vocabulary in context. Afterwards, Hunter answered Review and Assessment questions. He continued and finished writing his alternate ending for "The Book Thief" in response to a prompt and did a great job!
Hunter read aloud today in "Of Mice and Men." We stopped to analyze along the way. During the last part of our class, Hunter completed grammar practice exercises and did a decent job!
Hunter and I reviewed new vocabulary. He used each in a sentence. He wrote an alternate ending to "The Book Thief" as part of a culminating activity. He also identified themes. We analyzed his written response from "Short Takes" from yesterday's class. Hunter rewrote a sentence and realized he was much better with sentence structure and spelling when he takes the time to consider it. He referenced the book in order to begin his written alternate ending. He did a great job at writing like the narrator, death! I was impressed.
Hunter started reading "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck with Mr. Andy. We continued today. Hunter seems interested. We discussed the setting and the time in history. We also discussed the themes in the book. Hunter learned the word "misogyny." Hunter read aloud.
Hunter learned new vocabulary words today - allude, smitten, encroach, entropy, captivated, complacent. We read in "Short Takes: Model Essays for Composition" by Elizabeth Penfield, specifically "Sweatin' for Nothin'" by Michael Barlow. We read about the author in advance and some pre-reading strategies. The reading expressed the difficulty in writing an introduction and a conclusion, a problem Hunter encountered in his last essay. Hunter answered questions after the reading, wrote in response to prompts, and then began writing a problem-solution essay. He identified the problem with school shootings today. He will write about several solutions he is aware of because of his considerations in writing legislation on this subject.
We completed our brief poetry unit . We discussed the use of rhyme and rhythm in Emily Dickinson's work, and compared it to the blank verse of Edgar Masters. Impressively, Hunter was also able to define and recognize alliteration. To introduce Of Mice and Men, we read the portion of Burns' poem from which the novel derives its title and discussed its implications. We started to read the novel in class.
Homework - complete reading Ch 1 of novel
Hunter and I finished watching the movie today. At its conclusion he said that he would have been mad if we had watched the movie before first reading the book! (I am glad!) :)
