The Poetry of Langston Hughes

Good morning,
   I'm glad to be back.
   Today we are going to look at some of Langston Hughes' poetry. I will play each poem for you and then give you a few minutes to write your impressions in your English Journal. (Like we did when we read Walden.) Think about what the world was like when Hughes was writing these poems. Consider how his poetry reflects the times he lived in.

You need tabs for:

1. Your English Journal
2. The poems we will read
3. This blog

If you missed class: (Do not click these links if you are in class.)

The audio clips I played for you come from http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/langstonhughes/av.html

Which is part of this site: http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/langstonhughes/web.html

How it Feels to Be Colored Me By Zora Neal Huston

Good morning,
    I'm sorry I can't be with you today. You can still be learning, though. Please show Ms. Brandecker and Ms. Livingston the same respect you give me. (Actually more.)

Today you will read a work by another famous author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neal Hruston. (She is the woman whose picture I gave you in the slide show on Monday and you had to figure out her name.)

1. Read How it Feels to Be Colored Me
2. Use Awesome Highlighter to highlight parts you like in GREEN, things that confuse you in YELLOW.
3. Paste the URL from your highlights into your English Journal.
4. Also answer these questions about the text in your English Journal:
1. Describe the town Hruston grew up in.
2. What was she like as a little girl? How did she see herself?
3. How does she feel about slavery?
4. What does she think about people who are racist toward her?
5. Explain what Hruston is trying to say in the last paragraph.

Note: The grading period ends this FRIDAY. This will be one of the last English Journal entries you make before I grade English Journals. Make it good. Also finish and turn in any work you still need to do for this class and any other class.

Tuesday's Reading- When the Negro was in Vogue

Good afternoon,
   If you are reading this then you probably missed class today to take the CAHSEE. Because our in class activity involved a lot of moving around I decided we should do it without having a lot of laptops to knock over. You missed that, but you should still read the text. When the Negro was in Vogue by Langston Hughes.
  Note: Mrs. R will be out on Wednesday. You will get to use the computers because Ms. Brandecker can help you with that.

The Harlem Renaissance

Good morning,
   As you look through the presentation below with your partners you will notice that there are questions on each slide. Work with your partners to find answers to those questions. You will submit your answers through THIS FORM.
Suggestion: Have one partner work the form and the slides while the other two of you search out the answers. Submit only one form for your group please.


HINT: To see the slide show full screen click the little grey box next to the slide counter.

Writing Groups With Your Nature Papers.

Good morning,
  You are meeting with your writing groups today to read your nature papers. We will review the Writing Group Procedures and get started.

You may need to review the directions in for your Nature Writing Assignment.

EAP Day

If you are reading this then either you are absent or it is already Wednesday. Today we are taking the EAP. If you are missing it I will have you make it up when you get back.
The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is a test taken by all juniors to assess their readiness for college level writing. The test consists of an essay portion (today) and some additional multiple choice questions on the statewide CST tests students will take in April.

Articulation Day

Good morning,
  Today I need to take you all down to the counseling office to meet with your counselors about your classes for next year. If you are reading this you probably just got back from that. You should work on your Nature Assignment draft.

Nature Writing Drafting

Good morning,
  I'm sorry I can't be with you today, but I know you understand why I need to talk to the sophomores. 

1. Work on your Nature Assignment draft.
2. If your draft has a COMMENT on it from me then you know I got it!
3. If you DO NOT have a comment from me then get your document shared with me.
4. Draft grade happens Monday! (Your draft will get a grade on Monday. Get it done.)

To: Ms. B and Ms. S. Have every student present show you their Nature Assignment in GD on their computer. If the document does NOT have a comment from me at the top make sure that student shares their doc with me today. One student shared his doc with me as a viewer. He should fix that.

Next week:
Monday = Articulation (visits with counselors for everyone)
Tuesday = EAP test.
Wednesday = Writing Groups
Thursday = Polishing final drafts (probably)
Friday = Nature Papers due (let the grading begin)

Enjoy this lovely picture I took of seals in La Jolla.

Nature Writing Assignment

Good morning,
  How did you like that Paulsen piece I just read to you? Did you notice all of the sensory details?


Nature Writing Assignment
800-1000 words
Draft due Monday 3/8
Final Draft due Friday 3/12

A little more Muir

Good morning,
  1. A little quick comprehension check on our reading from yesterday. This quiz is easy. If you were here and breathing you should do fine.  TAKE THE QUIZ ON MUIR
  2. You can even go back and REVIEW THE TEXT OF THE EXCERPT if that helps you with the quiz.
  3. Now paste the text below into your English Journal and EXPLAIN what Muir is saying in your OWN WORDS.
"We all travel the milky way together, trees and men; but it never occurred to me until this storm-day, while swinging in the wind, that trees are travelers, in the ordinary sense. They make many journeys, not extensive ones, it is true; but our own little journeys, away and back again, are only little more than tree-wavings--many of them not so much."