Did I Miss Anything?
Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

     Everything. I gave an exam worth
     40 percent of the grade for this term
     and assigned some reading due today
     on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
     worth 50 percent

Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose

     Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
     a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
     or other heavenly being appeared
     and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
     to attain divine wisdom in this life and
     the hereafter
     This is the last time the class will meet
     before we disperse to bring the good news to all people  on earth.

Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?

     Everything. Contained in this classroom
     is a microcosm of human experience
     assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
     This is not the only place such an opportunity has been gathered

     but it was one place

     And you weren’t here
—Tom Wayman

Monday 1/6

New Years Letters to Ourselves:

What do you want to tell yourself from the beginning of the year, and what do you want to tell yourself going into next year? Write two letters: One to your past self that just survived 2019 and one to your future self who will be living in 2020.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6olqsC9NVA8

Due at the end of class! 

Personal Narrative Unit Starts

Essential Question: Why is it important to tell our stories? 

What are the qualities of a personal narrative?

Students will be able to identify the identifying qualities of a personal narrative by reading and analyzing mentor texts. 

 *** This shouldn't just be a good story. It should SHOW something about WHO YOU ARE

The Power of Personal Narratives: Watch Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuCUgD3Si-M

• What three pieces of advice does he give his audience about writing a personal narrative?

Start with reading the "Perfectionism" chapter from Bird By Bird Brainstorming: Write down your life story starting at the top of one page. See GC for the powerpoint that has specific instructions for this activity. HW: Finish anything not done in class (brainstorm listing of life moments) Thursday/Friday 1/9-10 Google Classroom #019:

Read "Conquering my fear" and "facing my Fear"

With compare/contrast chart and conclusion questions

https://www.thoughtfulclassroom.com/PDFs/Personal%20Narratives%20Unit.pdf

HW: Bring in a photo that is important to you or shows something about your life. Or just a picture you like for Monday's class. Finish anything not done in class. Monday 1/13 Photo memoir: write a six word memoir based on your photo. See slides 8-11 on this PDF for instructions. HW: I want you to have at least 5 different six word sentences for your picture. They don't all need to be good, they just need to exist and show that you put in effort. Tuesday/Wednesday 1/14-15 Review from Monday: continue work on six word memoirs and slow motion writing Read "School Lunches" chapter in Bird by Bird (pages 38-41) Write about school lunches/food. Mrs. O'Connor's example. (It is messy, but it is a first draft, so that's okay!) Read "Ode to My Kitchen" -- notice the style, discuss the choices Woodson made, what is she writing about and how is she doing it. Write mimicking this form/style that she uses in this passage. HW: Finish any writing you did in class and want to continue. At this point in time, you should have in your notes: 1. List of life moments 2. One or two moments from list #1 detailing the specific moment 3. Slow motion writing 4. Name reflection and writing 5. Six word memoir 6. Food writing/memory 7. Ode to My Kitchen mimic writing Thursday/Friday 1/16-17 Grammar Party #6: Complete sentences, run-on sentences, and fragments. Notes and practice are on Google Classroom under Grammar Party Anchor text mentor writing on Grandma's Kitchen Table.pdf (Write about a specific place/object that holds a memory and go into detail on it) HW: Continue refining any pieces you've written that you enjoy and like. We'll go over the final assignment on Tuesday/Thursday No school Monday Tuesday/Wednesday 1/21-22 Class time to complete assignment #020 on Google Classroom about Grammar Party #6 Introduce final assignment for the personal narrative unit Go over the rubric and how to get an A. In a lot of depth. If you missed this day, PLEASE be sure to review the rubric and ask questions if you have them. Start to pick out our final three pieces for the final project. Work time to edit, write, and compile the writing. HW: If you haven't picked your three pieces you're going to use and the theme you've decided on, you need to have that on Thursday. Do assignment #020 if you didn't in class. Thursday/Friday 1/23-24 Work time for final project HW: Get to the point where you're just doing finishing touches during class on Monday Monday 1/27 Work time -- look at the rubric specifically to see where you land and add more/change things accordingly. HW: Final due next class period Tuesday/Wednesday 1/28-29 Turn in final memoir projects-- gallery walk to look at everyone's Start Call of the Wild unit - Get books - Watch Jack London video with guided notes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlzFwFq2Tc0) - Get vocab part 1 Read chapter 1 in class HW: Read chapter 2. 2 vocab activities due next class period. Thursday/Friday 1/30-31

Mini-Lesson: Instinct vs training- survival of the fittest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTftyFboC_M

Double bubble map-- What do you need to learn to survive vs what instincts will you have? 

Now connect-- what are the primitive instincts that Buck starts to use?

Read chapter 3 aloud

HW: Read chapter 4&5 Vocab test on Monday