Monday, April 25, 2011

"educated at Oxford," Chapter 4, The Great Gatsby

Good morning,

We will start with your chapter 3 quiz and then read chapter 4.

Read the Daily Bulletin
Paste these questions for chapter 4 into your EJ.

1. Who is Klipspringer?
2. What does Gatsby tell Nick about himself?
3. What "matter" did Gatsby have Jordan Baker discuss with Nick?
4. Who is Mr. Wolfshiem? What does Gatsby say he did?
5. What does Mr. Wolfshiem tell Nick about Gatsby?
6. What does Jordan tell Nick about Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom?


Link to Chapter 4

Friday, April 22, 2011

Did you get a phone call?

I used a district voice mail system to send out calls about how students are doing in my class. If you came to the blog because you got one of those calls THANK YOU!

The grading period ends next Friday. Students in my classes need to make sure they have:
  1. Completed all the work in their English Journals. (These are on-line in google-docs. Ask your student to show you theirs.) The scoring guide is permanently linked on the right side of the blog and also here.
  2. Make sure they have taken the quizzes related to The Great Gatsby. Pre-Gatsby Quiz, Chapter 1 Quiz, Chapter 2 Quiz.
  3. Study for the Chapter 3 Quiz. (Hint: The questions are in the post below this one.)
  4. You can check on the specifics of the grade through Parent Connect.

Getting back to the party...

Good morning,
   Great job on your answers yesterday. Today we get to get back to Gatsby.

Link to chapter 3 text.

You should already have these chapter 3 questions in your English Journal.
  1. How does Fitzgerald show us how rich Gatsby is?
  2. What kind of people come to Gatsby's parties?
  3. Why did Nick go to Gatsby's party?
  4. How does Nick meet Gatsby?
  5. What are all the stories about Gatsby?
  6. How are some ways you might describe Gatsby?
  7. Describe Nick's relationship with Jordan?

Thursday, April 21, 2011

If We Must Die...Poetry analysis

Good Morning,

Yesterday you did some research about the life of Claude Mckay. Today I am asking you to look very closely at one of his poems.  Please use the Poetry Analysis From to enter your responses. Please remember that the usual expectations for short answer questions apply here as well.

I will be grading English Journals Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Please make sure yours is up to date and includes all the work listed on the chart in our room.

Update your status on Goodreads.

We will continue reading The Great Gatsby tomorrow. Bring your book.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Claude Mckay Quick Research

We need to take a break from Gatsby and do a quick side project.  Needs to be finished today.
  1. Work with your writing group. 
  2. Create a new document for your answers to the questions below, (share it with each other and me.) 
  3. Divide up the questions as you search out the answers.
  4. Write about what you find in complete sentences so they will make sense to the other members of your group. 
  5. You should include a citation with EACH answer. Use Easybib or Citation machine.
  6. Copy this work for yourself into your English Journal.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

There was music... Chapter 3

Good morning,
   We are moving fast. Start with your chapter 2 quiz.

Link to chapter 3 text.

Then put your chapter 3 questions in your English Journal. There are only seven this time.
  1. How does Fitzgerald show us how rich Gatsby is?
  2. What kind of people come to Gatsby's parties?
  3. Why did Nick go to Gatsby's party?
  4. How does Nick meet Gatsby?
  5. What are all the stories about Gatsby?
  6. How are some ways you might describe Gatsby?
  7. Describe Nick's relationship with Jordan?

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Valley of Ashes: The Great Gatsby Chapter 2

Good morning,
Get started on your chapter 1 quiz.   Quiz for chapter 1


Also check out this cool book list Mrs. Sine made based on the things some of you were asking for.  Book List from Mrs Sine.

Put these questions about chapter 2 in your English Journal.  Link to chapter 2

  1. What is the valley of ashes?
  2. What are the "eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg"?
  3. Who did Tom take Nick to meet?
  4. Who are George and Myrtle Wilson?
  5. What did Mrs. Wilson buy while she was out with Nick and Tom?
  6. Where did they go? What was at 158th Street?
  7. Who are Catherine and Mr. and Mrs. McKee?
  8. What does Mr. McKee tell Nick about Gatsby?
  9. What reason does Myrtle give for marrying George Wilson?
  10. What did Tom do to Myrtle when she mentioned Daisy's name?
Homework: Read the end of chapter 2. (The more we read in class the less homework you have.) Then write a diary entry about the events of chapter 2 from another point of view. You can pretend you are any character but not Nick. (Write on paper, or type and print.) You must turn in a hard copy. 

Friday, April 15, 2011

"...the advantages that you've had..." The Great Gatsby: Chapter 1


The Great Gatsby takes place in the 1920's in a part of New York known as Long Island and also Manhattan. The map above shows a detailed view of the area. The map is also in your book on page 206.

The text is accessible online. Please click this link to go to Chapter 1. I will also link to the whole book in the Important Links section on the right.

Open your English Journal now and copy and paste the questions below into it. We will answer them as we read chapter one.

  1. How does the narrator describe Gatsby?
  2. From where does the narrator come and why?
  3. Describe the narrator's house.
  4. Describe the Buchannans' house.
  5. How does Nick know Tom and Daisy?
  6. Describe Tom. What is our impression of him in chapter 1?
And for those of you working on your homework: 1. Good job checking the blog. 2. Here are the last four questions from chapter 1 for your quiz on Monday.

7. What kind of person is Daisy?
8. What did Miss Baker tell Nick about Tom?
9. What did Daisy say about her daughter?
10. How is Gatsby introduced in the novel?

    Thursday, April 14, 2011

    Preparing for The Great Gatsby

    Good morning,
      By now you should have your very own (checked out) copy of The Great Gatsby. Please take it out and leave it on your desk while you work today. Also, bring it to class daily.
      Before we start reading you need to assure me (and yourself) that you have sufficient background knowledge to tackle this book.
       Please take the Pre Gatsby Quiz.  This is an "open net" quiz, meaning that if you don't already know an answer I encourage you to go find out. There are a few tricks on the quiz so read the directions and the questions carefully.

    ENGLISH JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT:
    After you finish your quiz I want you to do some deeper thinking about the questions we worked with on Monday.  Choose ONE of the questions below and add it to your English Journal. Write a three paragraph answer to the question you chose. (200+ words) Include examples, elaborate on your thinking. If the question you are answering has more than one 'side' write about why the other 'side' is wrong.

    Here are the questions. Remember to choose only ONE.
    1. Which is more important, love or money? Explain why.
    2. Do you think you would continue to love someone if you found out that person had lied to you about their past?
    3. Do rich people have a responsibility to the rest of society?
    4. How much money would you need to be rich?
    5. If your boyfriend or girlfriend cheats on you is it alright for you to cheat on them?
    6. Have you ever wanted something that you could not have?  Explain.
    7. How do rich people get rich?

    Wednesday, April 13, 2011

    Women of the 1920's -A Flappers's Appeal to Parents

    Good morning, I have something very cool I want you to read today, but before we get to that I want you to talk. Specifically, I want you and a partner to discuss the questions below.


    1. "Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new."  -Thoreau   What did Thoreau mean? What was he talking about? Is this only about clothing?

    2. Look carefully at this picture of a woman. It was taken about 1900. Your discussion questions are below the woman.

    What can you tell about her from her clothing and hairstyle? How old do you think she is? Would you say she follows the rules?  Flash forward 25 years; the woman has a daughter. What do you think her daughter would be like?

    Reading: A Flapper's Appeal to Parents   Read on your own or take turns, but everyone needs to have their own answers in their English Journal.
    1. What genre is this?
    2. What is her point?
    3. What advice does she give to parents?
    4. What surprised you?
    5. Can you make any personal connections to her point?

    Tuesday, April 12, 2011

    Library Day

    Good morning,
      Yesterday you worked off line on some thought provoking questions with a group. Today we are going to the library to check out books. You are also going to check out The Great Gatsby while we are there because we will begin reading it later this week.
    Expectations:
    1. Bring your id to check out a book or bring a book you are already reading.
    2. Do not sit in the library unless you are reading or told to sit by an adult.
    3. Spend you time actively looking at books or reading.
    4. Act your age not your shoe size.



    Helpful Sites:
    What Should I read Next?

    Point Loma Library Catalog





    Friday, April 1, 2011

    From the Harlem Herald

    First go to your English Journal and write to me about how things went yesterday while I was gone. Then read the article below and add your thoughts about the article to your English Journal entry.

    I was searching for more background about the Harlem Renaissance and I found this article I thought was really interesting.

    The article continues below...