Grade 8: Reaction to the preface and introduction (due before class Friday, March 4th)

Zlata wrote her preface as an adult, while her diary was written while she was still a child. How do you think her feelings about the Bosnian War might have changed between those times? Did anything surprise you about the introduction? What can you predict will be included in her diary?

Grade 8: Webquest! (Due before class Wednesday, March 2nd)

Explore the following websites:

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,56583,00.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jxfUpHLrd4
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/junior/news_briefs/index.asp?article=051208

After reviewing the websites, write a list of three new things you learned. Feel free to comment to your classmates!

Grade 8: Poetry Review! (Due before class Thursday, February 17th)

Read the two poems "Your World" and "Acquainted with the Night." Either on the paper with the poems or on a separate sheet of paper, answer our three big poetry questions: Who is the speaker? What is going on? What is unusual?

Then, here on the blog, share your analysis with the class! Write a one paragraph analysis explaining your understanding of the poem's meaning and the different figurative or stylistic elements that are present. Remember, when we are referring to figurative or stylistic elements, we are referring to any sound elements (alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhyme), repetition, framing, or comparisons (metaphors, similes, extended metaphors, personification).

Just in case, I am posting the poems here, too. If you lost your paper, make sure you have written your answers to our three big poetry questions (Who's the speaker? What's going on? What is unusual?) for each poem on a separate sheet of paper, as I will be collecting it!

Be sure to check back on the blog frequently to "virtually" study with everyone!

Grade 8: Literature Circle Reflection (Due before class Tuesday, February 15th)

Answer the following:

1. What is the most important conflict in your literature circle book? Why?

2. Is the protagonist in your literature circle book static or dynamic? Explain how!

Grade 8: Poetry Practice (Due before class Friday, February 11th)

Read the following poem. In a properly written, complete paragraph, present an explanation of the poem's meaning. In your explanation, be sure to consider who the speaker is, what is going on, and what is unusual. Pay careful attention to any sound elements, any important repetition, and any metaphors or personification.

Grade 10: Imagery (Due before class Wednesday, February 9th)

Read the following poem and respond in one paragraph. In your response, identify who the speaker is, what is going on, and what is unusual. In noting what is unusual, consider specifically any sound elements, similes or metaphors, and imagery (sensory language!).

Grade 12 IB: Interactive Oral Research

Remember, our interactive oral will be a debate held on Thursday, February 10th. Prepare yourself by reading the following articles/watching the videos! Our debate will be about changing family structures. All of the videos listed are short and so are almost all of the articles (many are about a page long). While I do not expect you to have any of this memorized, I expect you to have enough background knowledge to have an opinion!

Same Sex Marriage
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73oZ_pe1MZ8&feature=related

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7addd1-SY8&feature=related

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_marr.htm

http://couriernews.suntimes.com/news/3656077-418/marriage-elgin-sex-already-gay.html

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-02-06/news/bs-md-senate-gay-marriage-20110206_1_civil-unions-equality-maryland-klausmeier

International Adoption
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdBuDdloLQA

http://news.adoption.com/uni/frame.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prnewswire.com%2Fnews-releases%2Fnations-leading-adoption-agency-develops-hivaids-toolkit-to-educate-parents-115004504.html&name=Nation%27s+Leading+Adoption+Agency+Develops+HIV%2FAIDS+Toolkit+to+Educate+Parents+--+GRAND+RAPIDS%2C+Mich.%2C+Feb.+1%2C+2011+%2FPRNewswire%2F+--

http://news.adoption.com/uni/frame.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nwemail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Ftherapists-set-up-service-for-children-1.804688%3FreferrerPath%3Dhome&name=North+West+Evening+Mail+%7C+News+%7C+Therapists+set+up+service+for+children

http://www.internationaladoptionstories.com/guatemala-adoption-news.htm

Grandparents Raising Grandkids
VIDEO:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VpBcY2pWCE

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0FztEZzp30&feature=related

http://news.adoption.com/uni/frame.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanchronicle.com%2Farticles%2Fview%2F215355&name=American+Chronicle+%7C+Grandparent+is+set+to+change+the+laws+governing+the+legal+rights+for+grandparents+within+adoption

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/16876875/ns/today-money/

http://www.grandparentingblog.com/

Same Sex Adoption
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGhnDOQrq20

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QygPIIQ-eh4&feature=related

http://gaylife.about.com/od/gayparentingadoption/a/gaycoupleadopt.htm

http://articles.cnn.com/2007-06-25/us/gay.adoption_1_gay-adoption-straight-parents-williams-institute?_s=PM:US

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-06-21/us/samesex.parenting_1_gender-identity-jay-james-father?_s=PM:IREPORT

Divorce Rates
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nwm6_QzGhY

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-does-divorce-affect-the-family.html

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2000/06/the-effects-of-divorce-on-america

http://www.mdrc.org/publications/386/testimony.html

Grade 8: The Raven (due before class Monday, February 7th)

Make sure that you have completed your vocabulary homework! Be prepared for our quiz!

Read the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe. Please write two paragraphs about the poem. When you write your paragraphs, consider how we have practiced constructing paragraphs (opening sentence with thesis, details and explanation, closing sentence). In your first paragraph, explain the meaning or message (its SENSE) of the poem. In the second paragraph, explain what sound elements you notice in the poem and what effect you think they have.

Grade 10: The Drum (due before class Wednesday, February 2nd)

Read Nikki Giovanni's poem "The Drum." Please explain the meaning of the metaphor present in the poem. Write a proper paragraph like we have been practicing, using quotations from the poem in your explanation. Then, comment on someone else's explanation. Your comment should provide your classmate with several good things about the response and several things to improve.

Grade 8: The Drum (due before class Wednesday, February 2nd)

Read the poem "The Drum" by Nikki Giovanni. Explain how the speaker uses an extended metaphor to communicate the message. Please make sure you write a complete, well-written paragraph like we have been practicing!

After your paragraph, explain whether or not there is a character in your literature circle who reminds you of the speaker in "The Drum." If so, explain why!