Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

March 29, 2012 - Spring Break Grading Update

What did I bring with me, and what have I done so far?   :)

G3 W131 Critiques (Cyberspace unit) - Done.  Grades are in!

G1 English 9 Response to Lit essays for Night - Done.  Grades are in!

B3 English 9 Response to Lit essays for Night - Done.  Grades are in!

B4 English 9 Response to Lit essays for Night - Done.  Grades are in!  

B2 Honors English 9 Response to Lit essays for Night - Done.  Grades are in!

G2 Honors English 9 Response to Lit essays for Night  - Done.  Grades are in!

Now I can read a book for fun! :)

March 23, 2012 (Gold) SPRING BREAK BEGINS AT 3:15!!!!!!!!!

G1/G2 - Final Drafts of the Response to Literature Essay DUE.  Students took the Binder Quiz today.  Extra credit opportunity = Grade Record Sheet for 10 points extra credit.  For the rest of the block, we were able to watch (or finish) the Oprah interview with Elie Wiesel today.  Assignment:  Have an AWESOME Spring Break! :)  Blue classes are now ahead of my Gold classes and will be for the rest of the year. 

G3 - Checked double-entries for the Schectman article.  We spoke very briefly about it today.  I read a story called "I am Cinderella's Stepmother and I Know My Rights."  The last group presented their story, "Ashputtle."  We took a class vote on the movie for this paper, and the class has temporarily chosen Matilda.  I will watch it and get back to you with my thoughts.  At the end of the block, groups discussed global topics for their Trend papers.  Assignment:  Read "America's 'Cinderella'" by Jane Yolen and complete a double-entry for this article. 

March 22, 2012 (Blue)

B2/B3/B4 - Final Drafts of the Response to Literature Essay DUE.  Students took the Binder Quiz today.  Extra credit opportunity = Grade Record Sheet for 10 points extra credit.  For the rest of the block, we were able to watch part of the Oprah interview with Elie Wiesel today.  Assignment:  Have an AWESOME Spring Break! :)  Blue classes are now ahead of my Gold classes and will be for the rest of the year.  Please be prepared for that, especially if you have been checking this blog to get a preview of things to come.

 

March 21, 2012 (Gold)

G1/G2 - Went around the room to check typed draft #3 of the Response to Literature essay.  G1 watched the Elie Wiesel interview with Oprah today.  G2 spent most of the rest of the block self-editing and revising their papers.  Assignment:  The Final Draft of the Response to Literature essay is due on Friday.  Please have it printed and ready to go at the beginning of the block.  You will also have a Binder Quiz on Friday.

G3 - Cinderella presentations today.  We were able to get through 4 of the 5 groups... we'll finish these on Friday.  Assignment:  Read Jacqueline Schectman's article, "Cinderella and the Loss of Father-Love" in your textbook.  Complete a double-entry.  You will probably also want to write summarizing sentences for this article as you go... it is a difficult one to go back and summarize later (especially with Spring Break in the way).  In the meantime, I will be grading the Critique papers tonight and tomorrow so that you have those grades in PowerSchool before Break.

March 20, 2012 (Blue)

B2/B3/B4 - Went around the room to check typed draft #2 of the Response to Literature essay.  Students peer-edited and spent the rest of the block in the computer lab working on revisions.  Assignment:  The Final Draft of the Response to Literature essay is due on Thursday.  Please have it printed and ready to go at the beginning of the block.  You will also have a Binder Quiz on Thursday.

March 19, 2012 (Gold)

G1/G2 - Went around the room to check typed draft #2 of the Response to Literature essay.  Students peer-edited and spent the rest of the block working on revisions.  We will negotiate the Final Draft due date on Wednesday.  Some people are probably ready to turn them in now.  Others may need one more full block.  Assignment:  The Final Draft will either be due on Wednesday at the end of the block or Friday at the beginning of the block.  Binder Quiz on Friday.

G3 - Collected Final Drafts of the Critique paper.  Collected Binders.  Students were assigned a new, temporary group for their Cinderella presentations.  Groups worked together to read their assigned stories and to plan their presentations for Wednesday.  Assignment:  Handouts due to me by 3:15 tomorrow so I can photocopy them for you.  If you choose to make your own copies, please do not ask me for time to do that at the beginning of the block on Wednesday.  You should be ready to go when you walk in the room.  Presentations will be given on Wednesday.

 

March 16, 2012 (Blue)

B2/B3/B4 - Checked typed drafts of students' papers.  Students were taken to the computer lab for the entire block today to peer-edit and work on revising their papers.  Assignment:  Draft #2 due for peer-editing on Tuesday.

March 15, 2012 (Gold)

G1/G2 - Checked typed drafts of students' papers. Students were taken to the computer lab for the entire block today to peer-edit and work on revising their papers. Assignment: Draft #2 due for peer-editing on Monday.

G3 - After a 30 second "Cinderella" activity, I asked groups to brainstorm their ideas for a class list of elements that are necessary for any good "Cinderella" story. Once we had created our list, I distributed a list of 14 Variants for a "Cinderella" story. These are the 14 different ways authentic "Cinderella" stories may vary. I added two elements to the list. One is Cultural Specificity. This is what makes the story specific to the culture from which it came. For instance, what makes the Chinese Cinderella story specifically "Chinese"? The other element which was added was what we'll call Universality or Universal Elements. These are the images or archetypes that seem to show up again and again in "Cinderella" stories but don't necessarily show up on the list of 14 Variants. For instance, sometimes you will start to see animals or birds showing up frequently in "Cinderella" stories... these tend to be additional universal elements worth noting. Another image might be the shoe or something like it. After going through the 14 Variants, I asked groups to create their own version of a "Cinderella" story, paying attention to the list of elements we listed on the board. This was VERY interesting, and the two stories that were shared today were creative, unusual, "fresh," and DIFFERENT. We'll finish sharing these stories on Monday. Assignments: Binders due for assessment on Monday. Final Drafts of the Critique paper due on Monday, too. In addition to that, come in with creative minds on Monday... you'll be working on small group presentations for most of the block.

March 14, 2012 (Blue)

B2 - Students were taken to the computer lab to type their papers today using the outlines which were due in class last time.  Students also received a half-sheet of notes on citing and quoting borrowed material properly.  Assignment: Type your Rough Draft. Be ready to peer-edit in class on Friday.

B3/B4 - Students were taken to the computer lab to type their papers today. It took quite a while for some of them to get logged on. I walked around during this time and checked to see the rough drafts they were asked to complete on lined paper which was provided to them in class last time. Many students are still working on the packets that were due in class on Monday. Assignment: Type the Rough Draft. Be ready to peer-edit in class on Friday.

March 13, 2012 (Gold)

G1 - Students were taken to the computer lab to type their papers today. It took quite a while for some of them to get logged on. I walked around during this time and checked to see the rough drafts they were asked to complete on lined paper which was provided to them in class last time. Many students are still working on the packets that were due in class on Friday. Assignment: Type the Rough Draft. Be ready to peer-edit in class on Thursday.

G2 - Students were taken to the computer lab to type their papers today using the outlines which were due in class last time. It took quite a while for some of them to get logged on.  Students also received a half-sheet of notes on citing and quoting borrowed material properly.  Assignment: Type your Rough Draft. Be ready to peer-edit in class on Thursday.

G3 - Collected Rough Drafts of the Comparative Critique.  Checked double-entries for "Universality of the Folktale" and discussed the article and the concept of folktales for quite a while.  After lunch, I ran through the "big picture" for the Comparative Analysis paper.  Groups brainstormed a little bit about modern Cinderella stories, and I mentioned some global topics for groups to think about for the Trend paper.  Assignment:  Complete the Final Draft of the Critique paper.  These are due on Monday with your Binders.