To access audio of each act, click on the image above.
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
What is the correlation between a) written notes in the margins, b) worksheet assignments that require you to re-read, and c) results from the quizzes? Lecture on the importance of writing as a form of thinking.
In partners, reviewing your annotations and homework for books 13-18.
HW: Study for the quiz tomorrow. It will cover books 13-18, and will be twice as long as our previous quizzes.
No class for PSAT
Silent reading, a graphic novel on Athena:
Collecting your homework on Chapters 21 and 22
Checking your annotations on book 21.
Careful re-reading of book 21, and re-annotating of book 21, if needed.
Quiz on book 21.
HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
What is the correlation between a) written notes in the margins, b) worksheet assignments that require you to re-read, and c) results from the quizzes? Lecture on the importance of writing as a form of thinking.
In partners, reviewing your annotations and homework for books 13-18.
HW: Study for the quiz tomorrow. It will cover books 13-18, and will be twice as long as our previous quizzes.
Quiz on books 13-18
HW: Read and annotate book 19 in preparation for class tomorrow.
We’re starting with 20 minutes of review of book 19, re-reading it silently. That will be our SSR for the day.
Returning to partners
Ending class with our quiz on Book 19
HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!
We will start class today by watching the first 9 minutes of a cheesy documentary about grammar, and more specifically about SUBJECTS and PREDICATES, and more specifically what a PHRASE is. Your speaking notes may not include sentences, but only bullet points that are phrases. We will end at minute 9:00.
Writing talking points on a) the author, and b) the plot summary.
Turning to Homer’s Odyssey. We will read book 13 and 16 together, today in class (our edition skips books 14 and 15, and shortens 16).
Ending class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
HW: Finish reading the short version of book 16, and complete the plot summary worksheet for books 13 and 16. We will add notes for book 17 in class on Friday, when we read it together.
Returning to our practice with subject and predicate, this time completing two worksheets that will help you identify them. Remember, your oral presentation notes should ONLY consist of bulleted subjects, predicates, or phrases!
Working on writing talking points for the third part of your presentation: c) dramatic reading of an important passage (1+ page in length).
Turning to book 17 and 19 (book 18 is omitted). We will add notes to your worksheet.
SSR at end of class.
HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!
Starting with independent reading, SSR.
After collecting homework, quiz on book ten.
Watching a scene that depicts book 10. We will watch:
This clip from Assante’s The Odyssey: meeting Circe on Ogygia
Moving into book eleven, in which Odysseus journeys into the Underworld.
HW: Read the next four pages in book 11, up to and including Odysseus’ conversation with his mother, Anticlea.
Also watch this second clip: from Percy Jackson, the encounter with Charybdis.
Working on a “ghost” worksheet and completing a bit of research on the ghosts that Odysseus encounters. We will start by taking notes on Elpenor, Anticlea, and Achilles.
We will then listen to the end of book eleven, wherein Odysseus meets various women (ghosts).
HW: Finish reading book 11. In the last third of the chapter, Odysseus meets fellow soldiers who died either in battle at Troy, or at home returning from Troy. What lesson should Odysseus learn from these ghosts?
SSR.
After being assigned ONE dead, Greek hero to research, you will use the following resources to begin gathering information about your assigned ghost.
START HERE. The Encyclopedia Britannica will have solid background on all of these Greek ghosts.
The Gale in Context’s “World History” database is another good place to start. They have background information on each ghost.
The Theoi Project is a good resource for scholarly details (scroll down to find search feature on this one)
Myth Index has some basic background.
The Met has a collection of Greek and Roman art.
You can find more art on Artstor, and visual version of Jstor.
National Archeological Museum of Greece for statues and older art
Books. Yes, believe it or not, books still exist. And here’s a couple of resources that may help, including Arts & Humanities and The Encyclopedia of Religion
Finally, Tufts University has an excellent database that will include where your assigned figure appears in Greek sources.
HW: Reading book 12 for homework over the weekend.
Starting with independent reading, SSR.
After collecting homework, quiz on book eight.
Preparing for next oral presentation. This speech will be pre-written, but must then be “translated” into phrase-based notes that will then be used to describe “the interesting aspect” to the book you either most-recently finished or have been reading for some time.
After collecting homework, we will preview the book 9 homework.
Reading and annotating book nine together, modeling annotation technique.
HW: Finish reading book nine, and complete worksheet in preparation for tomorrow’s quiz.
Collecting “cyclops” homework.
Quiz on book 9.
Ending class with annotations on book 10.
HW: Read and annotate book 10.
SSR.
Analysis of book 10
Small group work on book 10 worksheet.
Film clips that illustrate books 9 and 10
HW: Finish the book 10 worksheet for class on Tuesday. Quiz on Tuesday. Read book 11 over the weekend. Each ghost that Odysseus meets teaches him some type of lesson. What should Odysseus learn? Keep marginal notes on that topic.
Starting with independent reading, SSR.
5 minutes of studying for quiz on book 5, followed by the 16 question quiz.
After collecting homework, we will preview the book 6 homework.
Reading and annotating book six together, modeling annotation technique.
HW: Study book six, completing the homework for class tomorrow in preparation for the quiz.
Before taking the quiz, we will review the resources available to you here, in class, elsewhere on the internet. USE THESE! They will help.
Quiz on book 6.
Ending class with SSR.
HW: Read the summary of book seven online (audio summary is in Lombardo files), and then read and annotate book eight.
There are four parts to this chapter: 1) Demodocus sings about how Hephaaestus’ wife, Aprodite, gets caught having an affair with Ares; 2) After a bath, Nausicaa and Odysseus have a private chat filled with innuendo; 3) Demodocus sings about the end of the Trojan War, causing Odysseus to cry; 4) King Alcinous stops the story-telling and sining, and tells a story about a prophecy that the island of Scheria would one day transport home a man hated by Poseidon, and as a result the sea-god would build mountains around the island, forever cutting them off from the sea.
SSR.
Mr. Easton’s recorded introduction to these film clips.
Watching some film clips of Chuck Noland (get it…NO LAND?), a man who becomes stranded on an island, who attempts to escape from it, just like Odysseus escapes from Ogygia island and Calypso:
Small group work on book eight, analyzing the chapters’ main theme: love interrupted! What should the reader realize about Odysseus, based on how he responds to these four parts in the poem?
HW: Complete the worksheet on book 8. We will have the quiz on Tuesday.
Starting with independent reading, SSR.
5 minutes of studying for quiz on book 5, followed by the 16 question quiz.
After collecting homework, we will preview the book 6 homework.
Reading and annotating book six together, modeling annotation technique.
HW: Study book six, completing the homework for class tomorrow in preparation for the quiz.
Before taking the quiz, we will review the resources available to you here, in class, elsewhere on the internet. USE THESE! They will help.
Quiz on book 6.
Watching some film clips of Chuck Noland (get it…NO LAND?), a man who becomes stranded on an island, who attempts to escape from it, just like Odysseus escapes from Ogygia island and Calypso.
HW: Read the summary of book seven online (audio summary is in Lombardo files), and then begin reading the first 8 pages of book eight.
Returning annotations of Haroun and discussing the importance of writing as a form of thinking. (write AS you read—it matters)
Importance of questions (wrong question=wrong answer(s)).
We’re reading through the second half of book 1, modeling annotation technique focused on questions. We will start on page 8 and will focus on Athena’s advice to Telemachus. Speaking of which, below is a clip we will watch about Athena.
HW: Finish the reading guide to book 1. We will collect it on Thursday!
SSR.
After, we will collect the line-by-line reading guide to book one.
We will then turn our attention to book four. We will listen to the abridged audio while reading the text, pausing it as needed to answer questions.
Link to the audio is here.
Link to the book four guide is here.
HW: First, if your class did NOT finish reading book four and the guide, finish both.
Then, review you annotations of book four. Make sure you have circled vocabulary. Go back through your annotations, and number the questions you’ve written out. Finally, add notes to “The Old Man of the Sea” story, specifically hero-journey notes. Where is the call to adventure? What threshold is crossed? How do the heroes go “into the unknown” world? Who is the mentor/helper, and how to they aid the hero of the story? What does the hero gain by accomplishing his journey? All these notes need to be handwritten into book 4 for class next Wednesday.
The worksheet for notes was distributed in class, and will be collected after finishing the video on Friday, 2/9.
Click on the image above to access the audio for the Lombardo. NOTE: If one chapter has multiple files, please access the one marked “ABRIDGED”—it’s been edited to match Lombardo’s “Essential Odyssey.”
Silent, sustained reading.
Lecture on organizing your paragraphs on Haroun & Sea of Stories
Careful re-reading of Sindbad for Campbell’s hero journey.
While reviewing Sindbad, Ms. T. will be meeting individually with students to discuss their Haroun paragraphs.
HW: Revise your two paragraphs, making sure you use the argumentative structure we’ve studied. Also, make sure your annotations of Haroun are finished. I will collect books on Friday.
No SSR today.
Working on a quote assignment, selecting quotes from the Sindbad reading that answer questions about Campbell’s monomyth. Due by end of class.
HW: Finish revising your Haroun paragraphs, and get them (re)posted to Canvas as soon as they’re finished.
Self-assessment of your annotations, and then collecting books (Haroun).
Revisiting the spreadsheet on independent reading.
Silent, sustained reading.
Lecture on reading Homer’s Odyssey, and key terms you’ll need to know for annotation.
HW: Reading book one of the Lombardo translation of Homer’s Odyssey.
Silent, sustained reading.
Re-reading chapter 11 and reading chapter 12, to the end of our novel.
Small group work on a worksheet on chapter eight.
HW: Finish reading chapter twelve, AND complete the worksheets on chapters 10, 11, and 12.
Silent, sustained reading.
Listening, reading about, and analyzing the Beatles song, “I am the Walrus.”
Creating a plot-line for Haroun’s hero journey, including the phases departure, initiation, and return.
HW: Complete the plot line for Haroun & the Sea of Stories. I’m collecting books on Monday and grading annotations next week.
Silent, sustained reading.
6th period: Working on the hero-journey assignment on Haroun.
Write a first draft of your paper connecting our reading with Campbell’s hero journey. How does the main character experience the hero journey? For this assignment, you will focus on ONE of the three aforementioned phases, giving an example of TWO steps within that ONE phase.
Starting the reading of Arabian Nights, covering the introduction.
HW: Reading the “Sindbad the Sailor” journey. As you read, annotate for Sindbad’s hero journey. Where do you see departure, initiation, and return? Where does he make allies? Where does he obtain advice from a mentor? Where is there a symbolic death and rebirth? How does Sindbad manage to survive his final battle and return home? What has Sindbad learned?
NEXT WEEK: We will explore one of the Arabian Nights (aka 1,001 Nights), specifically the third journey of Sindbad the Sailor. It’s these stories that Rushdie models his novel, and we will be able to make connections between Homer’s Odyssey and Haroun.
Silent, sustained reading.
Review of Freudian and Jungian psychology (covering the concepts of Freud’s ego, id and superego, and Jung’s self, persona, shadow, consciousness and unconsciousness).
Reading an essay, “Listening to Your Shadow.”
Small group work on a worksheet on chapter eight.
HW: Finish this chapter 8 study guide, due tomorrow.
Silent, sustained reading.
Reading chapters nine and ten in Haroun.
HW: Finish reading chapter ten for class on Friday.
Silent, sustained reading.
Small group work on chapters nine.
Listening to chapter 10 or 11, depending upon where your class is in the reading of Haroun.
HW: Finish reading the novel for class on Tuesday. I WILL collect annotations next week. Remember, you should have a) circled vocabulary, b) written out questions, and c) taken notes on where you see the hero journey in Rushdie’s novel.
Because of the cancelled school day, I’m shifting what we were going to do in class to homework.
First, read the following handout. It reviews chapter eight (plot summary), and then provides an overview of the Indian classical dance tradition of Abhinaya (a form of dance that incorporates careful movement of body with other aspects of emotional acting—this is my shortened, flawed definition). The handout ends with a NYT review of a performance of Abhinaya.
You can view the PDF worksheet by clicking here.
Second, watch the following video clips. The first is a very short ( >2 minutes long) definition of Abhinaya, the “language” that Mudra/shadow’s and the Guppies’ method of communicating in Rushdie’s novel..
Third, watch the first few minutes of the following workshop. In it, Dr. Arpana Ramaswamy gives a lecture about how to perform Abhinaya. You should NOT watch the entire video (unless you are inspired to do so)—just the first five minutes should suffice to give you a sense of what she’s teaching.
Finally, watch this short, five minute performance of Abhinaya. What is the performer trying to communicate? What is happening to this character? What situation is she in? See if you can identify the story behind what is happening in her performance (and in the story behind her performance).
We will discuss it when we return from the snow day.
Class is 20 minutes long today.
I will pass out and review grade reports relating to the final exam.
Updating your independent reading, adding strengths and weaknesses of your current choice (the positive reasons for recommending it, and reasons why you would NOT recommend it).
Returning to Rushdie’s Haroun & the Sea of Stories. Remember, I will re-collect and grade chapters 8 through 12 as your first annotation grade in semester two.
HW: Read and annotate chapter eight. How does the Shadow Warrior become a helper to Haroun on his hero-journey?
Close re-reading of “The Turtle”
Completing the STAR reading re-assessment. Here’s the link. Remember, you user name is your id, and your password is your birthdate—8 digits.
HW: Independent reading. Begin planning for your SECOND oral presentation, this one focusing on the book’s strengths and weaknesses (or why you WOULD or would NOT recommend it to peers). Do that by completing the new, two columns in the “Independent Reading: Book Next” google sheet (about your books positive and negative attributes).
Snow day!
HW: See “Snow Day Homework” post.
Independent reading.
In small groups, students will add details to their setting map for the novel (illustration of the moon of Kahlani on the front). This assignment will be collected and graded when we are finished with the novel, approx. two weeks into January.
HW: None.
FINALS: Both classes meet in room C-224. The final will begin at NOON, 12 pm.
Bring pens, a pencil, water and snack (as needed) and your independent reading (to read quietly when done).
The final is broken into three parts:
Reading and annotating a very short story (there will be audio);
Writing a paragraph about that same story (on paper)
10 multiple choice, reading comprehension questions.
When done with the final, students cannot leave the testing room. Bring something to read quietly when finished.
Students with extended time will finish that in the official “extended-time” room in D Building starting at 1:35, after the final ends.
FOR NEXT SEMESTER (OVER WINTER BREAK)
The next book we’re reading is the abridged epic poem, Homer’s Odyssey.
YOU MUST ORDER THIS VERSION: Stanley Lombardo’s translation of The Essential Odyssey by Homer, ISBN# 0872208990. Note: this version has gold bars at the top and bottom of the cover. You need this edition, the ESSENTIAL Odyssey. It looks like this:
Independent reading.
Returning to the paragraphs written about Haroun’s crossing the threshold. I’m extending the timeline to finish this revision to THURSDAY so that everyone can get into the AAC to get another pair of expert-eyes on your revision.
Re-re-annotating chapter five and six. Where do you see the hero journey? Haroun has completed departure, and is into the second stage, “Initiation,” wherein he will face obstacles, get advice from mentors, obtain aid from helpers.
HW: Paragraphs are due by the start of class ON THURSDAY.
Make sure you have chapter six annotated BEFORE class tomorrow.
I am collecting and grading your annotations on Chapters 1-6 today. You will hand in, AND get your book back, in class today.
While grading, students will read independently and/or have writing conferences with Ms. Tamvakis.
We will begin reading chapter seven together.
HW: Finish reading and annotating chapter seven for the hero journey. Pay attention to …
Independent reading.
Revising and then posting your paragraphs about Haroun crossing the threshold to Squarespace.
Lecture, reviewing stylistic issues and content problems with your paragraphs.
Reading chapter six in class.
HW: Read chapter six for homework for class on Tuesday.
Also, stop into the AAC and have a tutor review your body paragraph. Then, RESUBMIT a newly revised paragraph to Canvas, so I can issue a new grade.
Independent reading.
Lecture on final, and preparing for final.
WRITING ASSIGNMENT: draft an argumentative paragraph that explains how Haroun crosses a threshold in his hero journey in Rushdie’s novel.
HW: Paragraphs are due by the start of class tomorrow.
Independent reading.
Students that have NOT submitted their paragraphs to Canvas, will do so with Ms. Tamvakis.
Lecture on Chapter 4, “Iffs and Butts”
Time permitting, we will start listening to chapter five.
HW: Read and annotate chapter five for the hero journey. Pay attention to the difference between the Guppies and the Chuppwalas, and for tests that Haroun must face.
Independent reading.
Revising and then posting your paragraphs about Haroun crossing the threshold to Squarespace.
Lecture, reviewing stylistic issues and content problems with your paragraphs.
Reading chapter six in class.
HW: Read chapter six for homework for class on Tuesday.
Also, stop into the AAC and have a tutor review your body paragraph. Then, RESUBMIT a newly revised paragraph to Canvas, so I can issue a new grade.
Click on the image above to access audio files for each chapter of the novel.
