Tuesday, February 9

Students proofread 2 sentences of DOL 9-4 (B).

(Short) choice time reading/writing.

Corrected and rewrote DOL.

Charted sample literary analysis essay on page 346 of Elements of Writing on a Persuasion Map.

Began reading Gateway student literary analysis essay; discussed its thesis.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Monday, February 8

Silent reading.

Collected reading logs.

Finished PowerPoint notes on writing a Literary Analysis essay.

Read sample literary analysis essay on page 346 of Elements of Writing (Kinneavy and Warriner, Third Course) and began charting it on a Persuasion Map.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Friday, February 5

Ms. Bishop absent; Ms. Leis subbed today.

Of Mice and Men review with Jeopardy game.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Thursday, February 4

Discussed differences between novel and movie versions of Of Mice and Men, and some of the reasons for the director's changes.

Asked reading groups to brainstorm possible explanations for the title, Of Mice and Men.

Introduced Robert Burns' poem, "To a Mouse."

Discussed meaning of the poem, and possible tie-ins with the story of the novel. Why is the title allusion to the poem meaningful? Noted link to the theme around plans.

Students underlined lines from the poem that connect to the action or characters of the novel.

Began PowerPoint notes on writing a Literary Analysis essay.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Wednesday, February 3

Short choice time.

Reviewed requirements of the Theme and Foreshadowing handouts as prewriting; students who needed to add to or revise their work did so before turning to reading/writing.

Finished watching the movie version of Of Mice and Men.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Reminder: hand in yesterday's reading logs!

Review of Foreshadowing assignment and theme assignments. Groups continued to work toward completion of both.

Reviewed characteristics of a literary analysis paper (as opposed to a book report or book review) and reviewed example statements from Ex. 3 on p. 343 of Elements of Writing. Discussed reasons each was or was not appropriate for inclusion in a lit analysis essay.

Continued watching the movie version of Of Mice and Men.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.

Wednesday, January 27

Groups worked to collect examples and supporting quotes for each of four possible themes for Of Mice and Men listed on the Themes worksheet.

We began watching the film of Of Mice and Men.

DUE DATES

Mondays: Weekly reading logs due.

Fridays: Weekly writing due.