This Week

Tuesday: Beowulf
1- Beowulf summaries - reading from web sites and sharing information
2 - reader response letters
3 - Beowulf - video
4 - words -
5- Savitri and Satyavan - Crossroads

Norse Essay Assignment

Grade 9 Essay Assignment

Your assignment is to write an expository essay to answer the following question:

Using specific examples from our unit, Norse and Indigenous Narratives, what is the purpose of storytelling?

Your essay must consist of at least five paragraphs, the first will be the introduction, the middle paragraphs will be the body paragraphs (the three specific references to selections) and the last paragraph will be the conclusion.

You will be graded on the following:

/3            outline (pre-writing) 

/4            rough copies with editing and TWO signatures

/2            title page with original title

/3            introductory paragraph with the unit title

/9            body paragraphs

/2            use of at least one quote to support the essay

/2            concluding paragraph

Total:     /25

Beowulf

Introduction:
http://historymedren.about.com/od/beowulf/p/beowulf.htm

http://www.beowulfepic.com/

Plot Summary:

http://www.shmoop.com/beowulf/summary.html

http://historymedren.about.com/od/beowulf/a/beowulf_story.htm

http://www.shmoop.com/beowulf/summary.html

Epic Poem:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-h/16328-h.htm

Youtube Video Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0MrPNVj9qw

Book Report Video

Grade Nine

Book Report/Video Assignment

Due:  January 27, 2012

Your assignment is to read a book of your choice, minimum of 150 pages.  When you are finished reading, you must prepare a news report in the form of a video.  You must outline the entire plot, and convince/persuade someone to read the novel.

You will be graded on the following:

/1        book choice (150 pages)

/2        introduction (including title, setting, other books by the same author)

/2        Characters and description

/5        plot outline/summary

/2        conclusion

             /5       persuasiveness

           

Video:

            /2        fluency/rate

            /2        volume

            /2        clarity

            /2        expression

            /5        Video - creativity, background, pictures, etc

            /30      Total

Norse and Greek Gods

We can compare the Norse and Greek Gods:
http://socyberty.com/history/greek-vs-norse-mythology/

Tomorrow we will answer a few questions on the movie Percy Jackson.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

1. Explain each Greek God and who each was in the story?

(a)               Hades

(b)               Poseidon

(c)               Demigod

(d)               Zeus

(e)               Persephone

(f)                 Athena

(g)               Hermes

(h)              Medusa

2. Why did Percy have so much trouble at his “regular” school?
3. How did Percy, Annabeth and Grover find their way to the Underworld?
4. Why did Percy, Annabeth and Grover travel to the Underworld and how did they get out?
5. Explain who Luke is and what happens to him?
6. Explain what happened with Percy and his father at the end of the story?
7. Explain how Percy felt about his mother?
8. What kinds of things can people learn from this particular movie?
9. What is the purpose of the Norse and Greek God stories? 
10. What is the difference between Norse and Greek myths?

We will also read the second version of Balder and compare the two versions of the narratives.

This Week

Yesterday we wrote a quiz on the story Thor, and then we read Balder.  Today we worked  writing a personal narrative for Mrs. Delorme, Miss Rachul and Mrs. Hiltz - for the Learning Improvement Team.

Thor

Thor

Today we watched a fifteen minute episode of "Thor and Loki: Blood Brothers" and read the selection "Thor's Visit to Utgard".  Students have a graphic organizer to complete.    We read, discussed and took notes on the "Beginning of Things".
We listed to two narrative stories and the rest will present tomorrow.

Norse and Indigenous Narratives

Today, we went over reader response letters, "White Stone Canoe" questions, exams and notes.  We also worked on typing the drafts of our grandparent/parent narratives. Tomrrow we will continue/finish the stories and we will read more narratives.

Story Assignment

After reading "Gift of Stories, the Gift of Breath" we discussed the importance of story telling.  Each student must find a parent/grand parent to share a story.  Each student must write the narrative, in first or third person and then read/share the story with the class.
Written Story
/1     Title Page
/2     Jot notes from person
/2     Rough copy with editing
/5     Story - well organized story/plot
/2     Setting
/3     Grammar
/3     Voice - can we hear the feeling?
Oral Reading
/2     Volume
/2     Eye Contact/fluency
/2     Expression
Picture(s)
/2     Picture relating to story

Total  /26

Welcome Back

Welcome back to school!
This week:
Wednesday - Start Indigenous and Norse Narratives - our last unit in Semester One
Thursday - Test on Conflicts, Challenges and Issues and January Reader Response Letter is due
Friday - continue with unit introduction and story writing