Lesson Plan: Analysis of Brutus' and Antony's Funeral Speeches

Dear Students of Ms. Louder than Most,

Keep scrolling until you see my example from the smart board. That is where you will find what you are looking for on your academic journey. The initial stuff is important teacher junk.

I know this doesn't quite go with The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, but...

Ozymandias

When I was an intern, I sat with a teacher who was conducting a lesson on “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

She was attempting to draw the infamous "vast and trunkless legs" on the white board for her students. They began laughing hysterically because her drawing did not look like legs, but rather two examples of something very inappropriate.

This was a complete accident on her part and she was mortified. Because I was a witness to this event, I choose to draw jeans instead of legs for my students that need the visual aid to understand the meaning of trunkless.

I have no talent for visual arts, which is apparent with my drawing. My students laughed at me and make jokes about the owner of the pants buying them at warehouse sales or only doing work out for one leg. I had to laugh because those are the most lopsided pants in the history of SmartBoard art.

I do love my SmartBoard. It is the best thing that every happened to me as a teacher.

Prior to using any piece of poetry, including musical lyrics, I have my students begin with a TP-CASTT  graphic organizer.

While working on reinforcing annotated reading (marking the text), I thought this would also be a good opportunity to reintroduce the Petrarchan sonnet. English teachers spend so much time with Shakespeare, that other pieces of literature often get ignored.

For this part of annotation, I have the students:

1. Number the lines
2. Label the Rhyme Scheme
3. Divide and label the stanzas.
4. Highlight words with which the students are unfamilar.

I normally have the students make the intial lines to determine the metrical line (rhythm), but in this case, the students identified iambic pentameter rather easily.  

This is an example of how the students interacted with the poem

Here is where it really starts to get messy and fun. 

After the students paraphrase the poem and identify new vocabulary to enhance understanding, we begin to evaluate and analyze the text. In this case, we focused on poetic and other literary devices. 

Although I am able to discuss some interesting things about Pharoah Rameses II and Percy Bysshe Shelley, I am limited due to appropriate discussions in a school setting. The kids will have to talk to their parents or wait for college to get into the nitty-gritty. 

Of course, they have Google. 

Until Next Time, 



LEARN LOUDLY!!!
.

Teaching Tuesday: Fall Semester Study Guide for 2014

Fall Study Guide 2014

The majority of your exam will be formatted in the PARCC format. You will have passages to analyze. Each question will be in two parts. The first part will pertain to a literary device listed below and the second part will consist of four options to best justify your answer for the first part.

You will need to be able to understand the following words as they will appear in the prompts:

ü LITERARY DEVICES (also known as literary terms and literary techniques)

ü ANALYZE

ü COMPARE

ü CONTRAST

ü CRITICIZE

ü DEFINE

ü DESCRIBE

ü DISCUSS

ü EVALUATE

ü IDENTIFY

ü ILLUSTRATE (Not the drawing definition)

ü INTERPRET

ü OUTLINE

ü PERSUADE

ü PROVE

ü STATE

ü SUMMARIZE

ü PARAPHRASE

ü CITE

ü JUSTIFY

ü TEXTUAL SUPPORT

ü ANNOTATE (ANNOTATION OR CLOSE READING STRATEGIES)

You must be able to identify, define, interpret, and support your argument for each of the following terms (pages 979 – 991):

Ø ALLITERATION

Ø ALLUSION

Ø ASSONANCE

Ø AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Ø CHARACTER

o   DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

o   INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

Ø CONFLICT

o   INTERNAL

o   EXTERNAL

Ø CONNOTATION

Ø DENOTATION

Ø DIALECT

Ø DIALOGUE

Ø DICTION

Ø FORMAL ESSAY

Ø FIGURE OF SPEECH (ALSO KNOWN AS FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE)

Ø FLASHBACK

Ø FLASH-FORWARD

Ø FOIL

Ø FORESHADOWING

Ø GENRE

Ø HYPERBOLE

Ø IDIOM

Ø IMAGERY

Ø IRONY

o   VERBAL IRONY

o   SITUATIONAL IRONY

o   DRAMATIC IRONY

Ø METAPHOR

Ø MOOD

Ø NARRATION

Ø NARRATOR

Ø NONFICTION

Ø NOVEL

Ø ONOMATOPOEIA

Ø PERSONIFICATION

Ø PLOT

o   EXPOSITION

o   RISING ACTION

o   CLIMAX

o   FALLING ACTION

o   RESOLUTION

Ø POINT OF VIEW

o   OMNISCIENT

o   THIRD-PERSON-LIMITED

o   FIRST-PERSON

o   CREDIBLE/RELIABLE

o   UNRELIABLE

Ø PROTAGONIST

Ø ANTAGONIST

Ø PUN

Ø SETTING

Ø SHORT STORY

Ø SIMILE

Ø SPEAKER

Ø STYLE

Ø SUSPENSE

Ø SYMBOL

Ø THEME

Ø TONE

Ø VOICE

You will be writing two essays. You will need to be able to demonstrate your knowledge of basic components of an essay. You will need to be able to discuss literary elements from the literary pieces and cite textual support in MLA format to justify your argument.  You must be very mindful to use a formal voice with correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, and conventions.

§  GRABBER/HOOK

§  FOCUS STATEMENT/BACKGROUND INFORMATION

§  THESIS STATEMENT/ARGUMENT/CLAIM = PROMPT + CLAIM + PROOF OF CLAIM (3)

§  TOPIC SENTENCE

§  EVIDENCE

§  EXPLANATION

§  MODIFIED THESIS/ARGUMENT/CLAIM

§  MODIFIED FOCUS STATEMENT/CLOSING INFORMATION

§  CHALLENGE

Essay Questions (written in MLA format with a Works Cited Page)

1.     Determine what mood and tone are created through use of imagery in Elie Wiesel’s Night. Explain the importance of mood and tone in a non-fiction novel. Justify your claim with textual support.

2.     Examine the symbolism of fire, technology, and books in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Interpret each symbol and analyze how the symbols collectively represent an oppressive government and dystopian society.

ARGUMENT   (9-10)
Description	5 Exceptional	4 Skilled	3 Proficient	2 Developing	1 Inadequate
Claim: The text introduces a clear, arguable claim that can be supported by reasons and evidence.	The text introduces a compelling claim that is clearly arguable and takes a purposeful position on an issue. The text has a structure and organization that is carefully crafted to support the claim.	The text introduces a precise claim that is clearly arguable and takes an identifiable position on an issue. The text has an effective structure and organization that is aligned with the claim.	The text introduces a claim that is arguable and takes a position. The text has a structure and organization that is aligned with the claim.	The text contains an unclear or emerging claim that suggests a vague position. The text attempts a structure and organization to support the position.	The text contains an unidentifiable claim or vague position. The text has limited structure and organization.
Development: The text provides sufficient data and evidence to back up the claim as well as a conclusion that supports the argument.	The text provides convincing and relevant data and evidence to back up the claim and effectively addresses counterclaims. The conclusion strengthens the claim and evidence.	The text provides sufficient and relevant data and evidence to back up the claim and addresses counterclaims fairly. The conclusion effectively reinforces the claim and evidence.	The text provides sufficient data and evidence to back up the claim and addresses counterclaims. The conclusion ties to the claim and evidence.	The text provides data and evidence that attempts to back up the claim and unclearly addresses counterclaims or lacks counterclaims. The conclusion merely restates the position.	The text contains limited data and evidence related to the claim and counterclaims or lacks counter-claims. The text may fail to conclude the argument or position.
Audience: The text anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns about the claim. The text addresses the specific audience’s needs.	The text consistently addresses the audience’s knowledge level and concerns about the claim. The text addresses the specific needs of the audience.	The text anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns about the claim. The text addresses the specific needs of the audience.	The text considers the audience’s knowledge level and concerns about the claim. The text addresses the needs of the audience.	The text illustrates an inconsistent awareness of the audience’s knowledge level and needs.	The text lacks an awareness of the audience’s knowledge level and needs.
Cohesion: The text uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, creates cohesion, and clarifies the relationships between the claim and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claims and counterclaims.	The text strategically uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. The text explains the relationships between the claim and reasons as well as the evidence. The text strategically links the counterclaims to the claim.	The text skillfully uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. The text identifies the relationship between the claim and reasons as well as the evidence. The text effectively links the counterclaims to the claim.	The text uses words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. The text connects the claim and reasons. The text links the counterclaims to the claim.	The text contains limited words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text. The text attempts to connect the claim and reasons.	The text contains few, if any, words, phrases and clauses to link the major sections of the text. The text does not connect the claims and reasons.
Style and Conventions: The text presents a formal, objective tone that demonstrates standard English conventions of usage and mechanics along with discipline- specific requirements (i.e. MLA, APA, etc.).	The text presents an engaging, formal and objective tone. The text intention- ally uses standard English conventions of usage and mechanics along with discipline-specific requirements (i.e. MLA, APA, etc.).	The text presents an appropriate and formal, objective tone. The text demonstrates standard English conventions of usage and mechanics along with discipline specific requirements (i.e. MLA, APA, etc.).	The text presents a formal, objective tone. The text demonstrates standard English conventions of usage and mechanics along with discipline specific requirements (i.e. MLA, APA, etc.).	The text illustrates a limited awareness of formal tone. The text demonstrates some accuracy in standard English conventions of usage and mechanics.	The text illustrates a limited awareness or inconsistent tone. The text illustrates inaccuracy in standard English conventions of usage and mechanics.

Exam Schedule

Fall Semester Exam Schedule 2014-2015
Tuesday	December 16, 2014	A-Day
			1st Block	8:45 - 10:45
			Break/Study Time	10:45 -11:00
			2nd Block	11:00 - 1:00
			Lunch	1:00 – 1:20
			Buses	1:25
Wednesday	December 17, 2014	B-Day
			1st Block	8:45 - 10:45
			Break/Study Time	10:45 -11:00
			2nd Block	11:00 - 1:00
			Lunch	1:00 – 1:20
			Buses	1:25
Thursday	December 18, 2014	A-Day
			3rd Block	8:45 - 10:45
			Break/Study Time	10:45 -11:00
			4th Block	11:00 – 1:00
			Lunch	1:00 – 1:20
			Buses	1:25
Friday	December 19, 2014	B-Day
			3rd Block	8:45 - 10:45
			Break/Study Time	10:45 -11:00
			4th Block	11:00 - 1:00
			Lunch	1:00 – 1:20
			Buses	1:25