Friday, February 26th

Angie Thomas- 

From her website bio: Angie Thomas was born, raised, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi as indicated by her accent. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was an article about her in Right-On Magazine. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Belhaven University and an unofficial degree in Hip Hop. Angie is an inaugural winner of the Walter Dean Myers Grant 2015, awarded by We Need Diverse Books. Her debut novel, The Hate U Give, started as a senior project in college. Ms. Thomas' books also include: On the Come Up and  Concrete Rose, a prequel to The Hate U Give. 

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Mrs. Reith's Agenda: Close Reading and Annotations of The Great Gatsby

1. Review of how to close read and annotate

2. Begin work on Gatsby Chapters 1-3 Close Reading

What does it mean to close read?

Close reading is a method of literary analysis that focuses on specific details of a text in order to find deeper meaning within it. Being able to close read effectively is important because it will help you become independent readers who can interpret a text and connect with it on a deeper level.

What does it mean to annotate?

To annotate means to underline or highlight key words or phrases- anything that strikes you as surprising or significant, or anything that raises questions- and making notes about these words or phrases in the margins. Responding to a text in this way forces the reader to pay close attention and really think about the text. This practice is the first step in moving from a reader to a writer.

When annotating, look for patterns in what you are noticing about a text. Look for contradictions, repetitions, and similarities. Look at the figurative language. Ask questions about patterns and figurative language. 

Thursday, February 25th

Dr. Yaba Blay-

From her website bio: Dr. Yaba Blay is an Ghanaian American professor, scholar-activist, public speaker, cultural worker, and consultant. whose scholarship, work and practice centers on the lived experiences of Black women and girls, with a particular focus on identity/body politics and beauty practices. Her most recent book, One Drop, callenges narrow perceptions of Blackness as both an identity and lived reality to understand the diversity of what it means to be Black in the US and around the world.

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Mrs. Reith's Agenda: 

Today we will be using Kahoot to do a review of Modernism/Modernity, historical context in The Great Gatsby, characterization, setting, and The American Dream. 

You need to have a solid foundation of these concepts before we move on to the next major assignment, which will be a close reading and annotation assignment. 

I will give you 10-15 minutes at the beginning of class to study your notes and other class materials before the Kahoot.

Tuesday, February 23rd

 

James Baldwin (1924-1987) 

Mr. Baldwin was an essayist, playwright, poet, and activist. His works address class, race, sex distinctions in Western Society during the twentieth Century. His works include: Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), Giovanni’s Room (1956),  Notes of a Native Son (1955),  Another Country (1962), and If Beale Street Could Talk (1974). After a stint of living in France, Baldwin returned to the United States in 1957 to be an active participant in the Civil Right's Movement. 

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Mrs. Reith's agenda- 

1. Gatsby quiz.

2. Work on setting/travel brochure (in Schoology) 

Monday, February 22nd

 

Black History Month

Elizabeth Alexander (1962-): A distinguished scholar and professor. Ms. Alexander is President of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation- one of the largest financial supporter of arts and humanities in higher education. Elizabeth Alexander wrote and delivered "Praise Song for the Day" at President Obama's 2009 Inauguration. Her works include, American Sublime, a book of poetry, and The Light of the World, a memoir.

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Mrs. Reith's Agenda: 

1. Video: The Importance of Setting in a Story

2. Short class discussion about the significance of setting in The Great Gatsby

3. Activity: Gatsby Chapters 1-3 Setting Contrasts. In this activity, we will not only be looking at the settings of chapters 1-3, but we also revisit the theme of The American Dream and how it looks in each chapter. 

TOMORROW we will be continuing with setting in The Great Gatsby through another activity. 

Friday, February 19th

 

 Black History Month

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883): An abolitionist, civil and women's right's activist. Ms. Truth was born into slavery, but ran away and successfully sued for the return of her son who was sold illegally into slavery. After moving to New York City, Truth was a charismatic preacher. Inspired by Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony, Truth became a powerful voice for the abolitionist and woman's suffrage movement. In 1851, Sojourner Truth delivered her most famous speech, "Ain't I a Woman," addressing the issues of gender and racial inequality.

Read Ms. Truth's speech here: "Ain't I a Woman"- https://www.thesojournertruthproject.com/

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Enrollment information: 

As seniors, you will have 3 options for an English class. Your choice is determined upon your future plans and needs. 

1. College Credit English. Applications are due on MONDAY to Counseling Office. 

2. English Honors 12. Media literacy. 

2. English 12. Media literacy. 

Mrs. Reith's Agenda: 

Happy Friday! 

The plan for today is as follows:

1. Symbolism Presentation (In Schoology). Read through and take notes. 

2. Open and save Gatsby Symbolism Log- Fill in what you are already able to. You will need to keep this log and fill it out as you identify evidence of symbolism in the novel. It will be submitted for points after we have finished reading the book.

3. Begin reading chapter 3 of Gatsby. 

4 Complete Discussion Board posted in Schoology. 

Homework for MONDAY: finish reading chapter 3 if not completed in class. If you have not turned in your groups Historical Context Research Summary & Response Assignment, that will be need to be completed for homework as well and turned in by tomorrow (Saturday) night. 

Thursday, February 18th

 Black History Month

Ibram X. Kendi (1982-)  Historian and author. Founding director of the AntiRacist Research and Policy Center. He is the author of The Black Campus Movement, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, Four Hundred Souls, and How to be an Antiracist.
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1. Black History Month- 

Mrs Reith’s Agenda for today:

1. Gatsby Chapter 2 Reading Check Quiz. This should only take about 5 minutes to complete at the beginning of class.

2.  Video: Direct and Indirect Characterization

3.  Gatsby Characterization Activity. The first page will be completed as a class, then you will break off into groups to complete the graphic organizers together. If your group does not finish before the end of class, it will be homework.

4.  Tomorrow (Friday), we will read chapter 3 as a class.

What is characterization, again?

CHARACTERIZATION DEFINITION: The manner in which the author creates the character. (Characters are vehicles for the author's purpose.)

Thursday, February 11th

 

Black History Month

Ta-Nehisi Coates (1975-): American author and journalist. His writings address cultural and social issues and the American experience. Coates' works include: Between the World and Me; Black Panther; The Beautiful Struggle. Mr. Coates is a "Genius Grant" recipient for the MacArthur Foundation.

Here is a link to articles written by Mr. Coates in The Atlantic: The Atlantic Author- Ta-Nehisi Coates

Here is a link to: 50 Amazing Books by Black Authors- Past 5 Years

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1. Black History Month

2. Harlem Renaissance and Modernism. 

3. Mrs. Reith's class agenda:

THIS IS AN ANTICIPATORY ACTIVITY DAY. 

The purpose of today is to prepare you for the upcoming unit over F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This gives you the opportunity to become familiar with themes and conflicts present in the novel. The activity will be done in conjunction with presenting the New York setting map, which will familiarize you with the setting of the novel, as well as a reading of an excerpt from Chapter 1 of the book. 

The Great Gatsby Anticipatory Activity. 

• As a class, we will go through each slide of the presentation. You will be encouraged to share whether you agree or disagree with the statement on the screen, and give your reasoning.
• Presentation of the New York Gatsby Setting Map. This is to familiarize you with the geopgrahical setting of the novel. It plays a subtle, yet important part of the story. 
• Gatsby Chapter 1 Excerpt. In groups of 2-3, you will read through the excerpt and answer the questions at the bottom. This assignment will be the bridge between what was previously learned about the American Dream and our upcoming reading of The Great Gatsby. 
• Assign The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Analysis Questions. We will briefly go over these questions as a class. Use this to your advantage to become familiar with the book and what kinds of questions you should be considering as you read. You will not be given anticipatory questions at the beginning of each chapter.
• If there is extra time in class, I will read to you the introduction to the novel. 
• No homework assigned for today! 

Monday/Tues., February 1st-2nd & Thurs./Friday, February 4th -5th

Black History Month
Jason Reynolds (1983-) is a American Poet and Novelist, and current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Being inspired by rap, Reynolds starting writing poetry at age 9. Reynolds works to create characters with authentic voices and experiences. His books include All American Boys, Long Way Down, Look Both Ways. 

Black History Month

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) was an American Author, Feminist, and Civil Rights Activist. Lorde's writings served as a call-to-action for issues such as inequality and sexism. #BlackHistoryMonth #LiteraryGiants   

Link to Audre Lorde Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde

Black History Month 
Alex Haley (1921-1992)- Mr. Haley served in the US Coast Guard for twenty years before pursuing writing. He is best known for his novels, Roots and The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

Black History Month 
Lorraine Hansberry (1930-1965)- Ms. Hansberry was the first African American female author to have a play on Broadway, A Raisin in the Sun.  As a journalist, Ms. Hansberry worked to promote the Civil Rights Movement, but also to expose global imperialism and colonialism.

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In-Class for Monday, February 1st and Thursday, February 4th: 

1. Review and small group discussion of Modernism. (Jamboard) Modernity/Modernism Jamboard

2. Expository writing- writing that seeks to explain, illuminate, or 'expose.' 

Types of Expository Writing... (or ways to 'explain,' 'illuminate,' or 'expose'): 

• Problem and Solution.
• Cause and Effect.
• Compare and Contrast.
• Definitions and Classification
• How-to/Process

Writing assignment: 

Describe the Modernist movement as you understand it, using concrete examples from T.S. Eliot’s ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.”

You will need to provide textual examples from the primary text ("Prufrock") AND support from one of your secondary sources (either over Modernism or "Prufrock"). 

3. "What Quotes?" brainstorming. Primary and Secondary source review. 

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In-Class for Tuesday, February 2nd and Friday, February 5th: 

4. Start drafting critical response. MLA formatting. 1-page written analysis. Works Cited page. 3 direct quotes. Due by Friday, February 5th (Group A) and Sunday, February 7th (Group B). 

Where to find:

• MLA formatting (under important links)
• MLA Works cited sample (writing links and/or Schoology assignment)
• Transition words (writing links).
• Citation of electronic sources (writing links and/or Schoology assignment)
• "Prufrock" citation (Schoology assignment)
• Correct integration of direct quotes (writing links)
• 3 quotes for writing in your "What Quotes" assignment (Schoology)
• Modernism notes/ideas- Check out yesterday's Jamboard. 

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