Week of Jan. 29-Feb. 1

Due Tuesday, 1/29	Ch. 3 Questions, etc.
Due Wednesday, 1/30	Ch. 4 Questions, etc.
Due Thursday, 1/31
Due Friday, 2/1

Ch. 1 OMAM Overview

Chapter 1 Overview

If you want to buy your very own OMAM...

Make sure the ISBN (look for it on the back of the title page) is the same as the one listed below. Otherwise, the paging may be different.

ISBN:  978-0-14-017739-8  (If the last number is different than -6, it's ok.)

John Steinbeck Video & Important Website

Short Bio of John Steinbeck 
If you can't view this, here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r02N-SM4atE


You are responsible for:

• vocab (s & d)
• allusions
• idioms
• Q's: Please write in complete sentences under the flippy, not on the sheet.

This website is your key to success. Bookmark it immediately! 

Survival Guide to OMAM:

http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Belmont_HS/mice/

Week of Jan. 22-25

Tues, 1/22	·        Blogwork is due ·        In class, we discussed "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns. ·        If you were absent, please print out the worksheets below. Also, listen to the reading below. ·        Paraphrase each stanza of the poem (write it in your own words), using the glossary to help you.
Due Wed., 1/23	·        Write a FD of your #2 from blogwork about losing the family farm. ·        Feel free to revise what you previously wrote. Write at least 150 words; double-space. ·        Be ready to present your Mousie stanza.
Due Thurs., 1/24	Watch Steinbeck video on blog.
Due Fri., 1/25	OMAM Ch. 1 work: Q's Vocab. Allusions Idioms                  Don't forget to do Character Chart and Events Grid.

Introduction to Of Mice and Men

In answer to Nolan's question:

 From the Online Etymology Dictionary:

hobo (n.) 1889, Western U.S., of unknown origin. Barnhart compares early 19c. English dialectal hawbuck "lout, clumsy fellow, country bumpkin." Or possibly from ho, boy, a workers' call on late 19c. western U.S. railroads. Facetious formation hobohemia, "community or life of hobos," is from 1923 (see bohemian).

Of Mice and Men:
Blogwork due in JE #41/left and right on Tuesday, Jan. 22

In order to prepare for our unit on John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, please complete the webquest below so you'll have a sense of the historical context of the book.  Answer the questions associated with each website in your journal.  If you can't access a video, click the link. to answer

Please email me if you notice any errors or have any problems. Thanks!  

Please write all your responses the to questions below in JE #41 left and right.

1. "Mass Exodus from the Plains" 

Read the article (click on link). Respond to the bulleted items in complete sentences. You don't have to copy the questions.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/dustbowl-mass-exodus-plains/

• What does "exodus" mean?
• Describe the "bum brigade."
• How much was rent for a tar-paper shack? 
• What's the name of the novel by John Steinbeck mentioned in this article?
• Describe how the migrant workers were received when they reached California.
• What were two of the nicknames these migrant workers from other states were called?
• Read this article for more information (optional):  http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_06.html

2. Surviving the Dust Bowl (documentary):

Watch both videos below (Chapters 2 and 3 of the video, Surviving the Dust Bowl.). 
If you can't play the videos here, click on this link to watch the whole film.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/dustbowl/player/

After watching the videos, respond to the prompt below:

• It's 1936. You've lost the family farm due to severe dust storms. Will you stay and tried to rebuild your life, or will you join the thousands of others packing up for California? Why (or why not)? Write in first person, either as the parent of this family or a child in the family. Please write at least 150 words. If you like, you can write as if you were writing a letter to a friend in another state not affected by the dust storms.

Chapter 2: 


Chapter 3: 

Watch Surviving the Dust Bowl on PBS. See more from American Experience.

Watch Surviving the Dust Bowl on PBS. See more from American Experience.

3. Dorothea Lange (click on link)
Read this article:  http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=d_lange
Respond to the bulleted items in complete sentences. You don't have to copy the questions. 

• Who was Dorothea Lange, and what effect did her Dust Bowl photographs have on the people she photographed? 
• Click on this link to one of her most famous photos:  http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/water_06.html
• The large image is her iconic photo, "Migrant Mother."
• Make a quick, brief sketch of the photo. 
• Click on the text right below the picture. A box should pop up with information about Florence Thompson, the subject of the photo. Read "biography" and list three facts about her life. See if you're able to listen to her interview. You need Quicktime.

4. Woody Guthrie
Explore this site for your answers to these questions:
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/biography/biography1.htm

• What's Woody's  musical connection to the Dust Bowl?
• Click on several dates on the timeline. On each page, in the upper right corner, there's a song by Woody. Listen to three songs, and list their titles.

This is one of the two existing film clips of Woody Guthrie singing.

5  Riding the Rails
If you missed any of the video in class, here it is. 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/rails/player/

Writing Conclusions

SCROLL DOWN FOR JOURNAL #4 TABLE OF CONTENTS!


Your conclusion should achieve three goals:

1.  Refer back to the hook, if possible, to bring the essay full circle. 
2.  Reinforce the thesis statement without repeating it exactly.
3. Leave a strong impression on the reader.

Example of how NOT to write a conclusion:

In my hook, I talked about what love is. In Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour," three essential quotes told you all about love. You should love your family and tell them every day. What do you think?

What's wrong here?

• The use of I/You
• The last sentence is preachy and tells your reader how to act.
• For the purposes of this essay, avoid ending with a question (especially this one). It's the easy way out, and it sounds seventh grady.

Better example:

(Assume the hook mentioned ambivalence, and the thesis statement was: Three essential quotes in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" reveal how Louise's suppression of her true feelings led to both physical and emotional pain.)

Ambivlance of any kind is never easy to deal with, and Louise's struggle is not unique. As the quotes illustrate, keeping ambivalence inside and avoiding it can lead to emotional pain as well as physical pain. Perhaps looking deep within and facing one's problems head on is a healthier way to live.

For more help, try this link:
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/conclude.html

Hooks for Introductory Paragraphs

Dramatic Statement (can be a fact or not)	The dramatic statement about your topic is designed to elicit  an emotional response from the reader. Take care to keep it connected to your topic; don't just use this for shock value. Example: Twenty years from now, artificial intelligence could dominate human intelligence.
Definition	Open with a definition of a word strongly related to the topic you are discussing. It can be your own or come from a dictionary or textbook. If you take it from a dictionary or textbook, be sure to use quotation marks and give credit to the source. Example: According to Webster's Dictionary, a government is the authority that serves the people and acts on their behalf. .
Well Known Quotation or Quotation from a Famous Person	Open with a quotation that is well known or from a famous person. Be sure to put quotations around the quotation and give credit to the person who said it. Of course, the quotation must be directly related to your topic. Example: President John F. Kennedy once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Figurative Language	Begin with one of these that relates to your topic: ·        metaphor                      ·        simile ·        hyperbole ·        personification ·        idiom ·        alliteration
Three Single Words	Use three strong words related to your topic. Example: Friendship. Love. Family. Without them, a person is lost in the world.

Week of Jan. 14-18; Journal #4

Due Tues., Jan. 15	Prewriting Chart and RD of "FFA" Essay
Due Wed., Jan. 16	Work on Journals/FD Essay
Due Thurs., Jan. 17	Journal Grading
Due Fri., Jan. 18	FD Essay

Due Tuesday, Jan. 22

All Blogwork (Intro to Of Mice and Men)

Journal #4 Checklist and Table of Contents

• Is each item where it's supposed to be according to the table of contents?
• Is my table of contents neat and complete?
• Is each page titled?
• Is my table of contents EXACTLY like the one below?
• Is every assignment complete?
• Is every single page  numbered (1L/1R, 2L/2R, etc.?
• Did I make corrections and edits in a bright color?
• Does my journal reflect pride of ownership? In other words, am I proud of the work I've done in my journal?

JE	Left	Right
31	List of 10: 10 Q's for Smart Charlie	TBA
32	FFA Character Piece Info RD	cont'd
33	Open Mind (color)	This year I will … 13 sentences/13 words each sentence
34	Thesis Statement: What is it? Why is it important?	Dear Egore…
35	Proofreading Practice for Partner (Must be edited in color)	cont'd
36	Lit Letter Info RD Letter	cont'd
37	FFA Prompts	Prewriting Sheet
38	RD Essay	cont'd
39	Sample Intro Paragraph; 4 improvements you'd make

Eighth Grade Exit Exam: 1912

Test yourself. Could you have graduated from eighth grade in 1912?
Can you find the typo in the spelling list? If so, email me at cware@ojaiusd.org with 1912 in the subject line.

FFA Essay

If you were absent, please print out the following handouts.
Prewriting for essay due: Monday, Jan. 14.

Luke, Alden, and anyone else interested in writing about Emotional Intelligence, please scroll way down for more info.







Possible prompt for Emotional Intelligence (not on pink sheet):

Charlie's emotional intelligence was affected by the surgery, as well as his academic intelligence. Which is more important, emotional or academic intelligence? Do you think a person needs emotional intelligence in order to be successful? Why or why not?

Article on Emotinal Intelligence:

Emotional Intelligence

In a 1994 report on the current state of emotional literacy in the U.S., author Daniel Goleman stated:

"...in navigating our lives, it is our fears and envies, our rages and depressions, our worries and anxieties that steer us day to day. Even the most academically brilliant among us are vulnerable to being undone by unruly emotions. The price we pay for emotional literacy is in failed marriages and troubled families, in stunted social and work lives, in deteriorating physical health and mental anguish and, as a society, in tragedies such as killings..."
Goleman attests that the best remedy for battling our emotional shortcomings is preventive medicine. In other words, we need to place as much importance on teaching our children the essential skills of Emotional Intelligence as we do on more traditional measures like IQ and GPA.
Exactly what is Emotional Intelligence? The term encompasses the following five characteristics and abilities:

1. Self-awareness--knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them
2. Mood management--handling feelings so they're relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately
3. Self-motivation--"gathering up" your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness
4. Empathy--recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues
5. Managing relationships--handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations

Why Do We Need Emotional Intelligence?
Research in brain-based learning suggests that emotional health is fundamental to effective learning. According to a report from the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, the most critical element for a student's success in school is an understanding of how to learn. (Emotional Intelligence, p. 193.) The key ingredients for this understanding are:

• Confidence
• Curiosity
• Intentionality
• Self-control
• Relatedness
• Capacity to communicate
• Ability to cooperate

These traits are all aspects of Emotional Intelligence. Basically, a student who learns to learn is much more apt to succeed. Emotional Intelligence has proven a better predictor of future success than traditional methods like the GPA, IQ, and standardized test scores.
Hence, the great interest in Emotional Intelligence on the part of corporations, universities, and schools nationwide. The idea of Emotional Intelligence has inspired research and curriculum development throughout these facilities. Researchers have concluded that people who manage their own feelings well and deal effectively with others are more likely to live content lives. Plus, happy people are more apt to  dissatisfied people. Building one's Emotional Intelligence has a lifelong impact. Many parents and educators, alarmed by increasing levels of conflict in young schoolchildren--from low self-esteem to early  students the skills necessary for Emotional Intelligence. And in corporations, the inclusion of Emotional Intelligence in training programs has helped employees cooperate better and motivate more, thereby increasing productivity and profits.
"Emotional Intelligence is a master aptitude, a capacity that profoundly affects all other abilities, either facilitating or interfering with them."--Daniel Goleman,
Emotional Intelligence, p. 80.
http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/gallery/young/emotion.htm

Week of Jan. 7 - Jan. 11

Due Tuesday, Jan. 8	In JE #34/right, rewrite the love letter from Zelda to Egore (below, in blue) correctly. There aren't any spelling errors, just punctuation problems.
Due Wednesday, Jan. 9	JE #35/left: Proofreading Practice for a Partner: write  a minimum 100 words paragraph of any topic leave out caps & punctuation but don't misspell words
Due Thursday, Jan. 10	JE #36/Left & Right: RD Lit letter to a Classmate (If you're absent from class on Wed., write the letter to me.)
Due Friday, Jan. 11	FD Lit Letter

Lit Letter to a Classmate:

At least 25o words

1. Write a letter to _______ about the book you’re reading. Include the following info:
2. Tell me the following about your book: --title --author --# of pgs. --genre
3. Write a one-sentence summary of the plot.
4. Describe the main conflict of the story.
5. Describe the main character and tell me:                                                                                              

           --three character traits
           --physical appearance

           --age

           --Would you want this person for a friend? Why or why not?

           --Draw him/her

dear egore i want a boyfriend who knows what love is all about you are generous kind and thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being silly and  immature you have ruined me for other boyfriends I miss for you I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart I can be forever happy will you let me be yours zelda

HW for Thursday, 1/3/12

Thesis Statments:

In JE #34/Left, answer these questions in complete sentences. Feel free to use the internet to help you, but put the information you find in your own words (paraphrase it). If you don't, you not only run the danger of plagaiarizing, but you may not understand what you copy. 

1. What is a thesis statement? 

2. Why is a thesis statement so important in an essay?