Today we will do our finale from last week (we missed it due to the reading exam).  We will be reading the poem "Invictus" and watching the clip from the film "Invictus". We will discuss poetry attack skills and how this poem relates to our main theme of "Arming the Spirit".  We will also watch a clip from Shawshank Redemption and discuss the idea

Writing our Reading diagnostic today.  IF there is time we will do our final grammar gambit...if not this will be on Monday.

Surprise!  Buses ran today!  So we are doing our grammar gambit and vocabulary building.  We then will review the main ideas of "Arming the Spirit" and "Homemade Education".  We will be discussing the Black Panther Party and watching a short clip from Forrest Gump.  Finally, we will go over the marking criteria for the personal responses.  These responses are due tomorrow.

Okay so no buses running today.  This means that you should be working from home.  I expect that you should all take a look at the personal response to text assignment on the assignments page of Arming the Spirit and complete the assignment.  Use the page with your figure on it and the brainstorming we started yesterday.

You should consider different ways that you can show your ideas and attempt to highlight your best writing.  If you have a philosophic heart, then write from it.  If you are a creative genius, then write like one.  If you have a personal mindset, then write from there.  It's up to you.  You will be marked according to the rubric that you can find on the marking guides page.  This writing should take you about an hour and should be around two pages in length.  

Once you have completed your personal response, read the essay "Homemade Education" by Malcolm X (under readings for Arming the Spirit).  Consider what he is saying and come prepared to discuss it tomorrow.

Have a great snow day!!

Wednesday Feb. 5 - Grammar show down - Completing fragment sentences.  Vocab continued. Discussion on "Arming the Spirit"  - forces that subvert our spirit,  consider different ways to prove an idea - illustrate it, create a metaphor or an analogy of it, explain it, show many examples of it, etc.  Read "Homemade Education" Malcolm X.  Writing assignment (see personal response to texts - arming the spirit.)

Tuesday Feb. 4 - Grammar show down - fragment sentences due to subordinating and coordinating conjunctions.  Vocab continued.  Discussion on concentration camps and other hardships.  Read silently "Arming the Spirit" by George Faludy (high light our vocabulary words) Homework - Think about things in our own lives that subvert our spirit.

Monday Feb. 3 - Introduction to Literary Teams - First grammar show down - identifying complete sentences. Vocabulary words introduction - Vocabulary showdown will be Friday.  This week's vocabulary words - pragmatism, reluctant, platonic, ideology, bleak, jeer, avid, merciless, analogous, deficiency.  Introductory power point (see introduction for copy of the power point).  Personal response writing "why we write".  Brief review of course outline and website.