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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:16:10 GMT

I was out looking at my giant plant in the backyard (one of many; this is the one *I* planted, though) when I saw that it had a fruit on it. I snapped off a large, smooth, perfectly green zucchini! It's seven or eight inches long (they recommend you harvest them at four inches, but I didn't see the thing until now!). Its flower was still attached to the butt and was curly and moist. It reminded me of an umbilical cord in a squeamish sort of way just because I'd never encountered such a thing before. I finished the birthing process and brought it lovingly inside for a bath. Then he posed for a picture. He sat next to a pair of scissors to compare size, and then I sent digital images to brother, husband, mother, and best college friend with picture phone So exciting!

To celebrate... I mowed the front lawn and finished my Chipotle burrito - beans, green pepper, onion - yum!

I think there's only one more after this :-)

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:52:22 GMT

I've read this book several times. This last time through, I finally made notes in the margins (in pencil) and highlighted and the like. It's a bit of sacrilege, but ah well. You know the drill....

The Giver Lesson Plan

I. Overview: This is an “into” lesson of Lois Lowry’s The Giver for sixth or seventh graders. The book clearly has some deep themes (identity, freedom and liberty, censorship, etc.), but as an into lesson, we’ll focus on language – how and why it’s used the way it is. We will look at malapropisms (precise but incorrect language) and euphemisms (imprecise but “correct).

II. Objectives and Skills Acquired (from Ohio Standards and Bloom):

A. Use context clues & text structures to determine the meaning of new vocabulary.

B. Infer word meaning through identification and analysis of analogies and other word relationships.

C. Demonstrate how figurative language expresses ideas and conveys moods by modifying an example text.

D. Use revision strategies to improve the clarity of ideas/select more effective vocabulary when editing.

E. Demonstrate command of established writing conventions.

III. Lesson

A. Warm-up – Journaling (5 minutes): Correct use of language is very important to the culture described in this book. It is important that people speak precisely and say exactly what they mean. Children as young as three are physically reprimanded for improper usage of a word (p. 54). What is the role of precise language in your life?

B. Explain what a malapropism is. Have students try to decipher the following on their own, then come together as a class to talk about the truth or humor in each example, come up with examples in their own lives, and even create some. (This could tie in really well with a vocabulary lesson.)

i. Venus has a reprobate orbit.

ii. I have to consecrate on studying for this test.

iii. We heard the ocean is infatuated with sharks.

iv. Honesty’s the best politics.

v. Use The Force. It is your density.

vi. I can’t even phantom how you must feel!

vii. I resemble that remark! (one of my family’s favorites)

viii. For all intensive purposes…

ix. You’re just a pigment of my affiliation!

C. In contrast to malapropisms, there are euphemisms, “the substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener also specific words that when used correctly are still imprecise or unclear” (from Webster, a la wikipedia). Talk about the term “release” in the book – how it’s perceived by the society, how it’s misleading, etc. Bring in outside examples, like military language or current event buzzwords like “War on Terror,” PTSD, etc., and discuss.

D. If class discussion goes well, this will be a take home assignment. If there’s extra time, they can start in class and polish it at home:

i. Read the following excerpt from page 58: “He hunched his shoulders and tried to make himself smaller in his seat. He wanted to disappear, to fade away, not to exist. He didn’t dare to turn and find his parents in the crowd. He couldn’t bear to see their faces darkened in shame.”

ii. First, write down how Jonas feels during this passage. What are his emotions? This answer does not have to be written in a complete sentence.

iii. Now imagine that Jonas feels a different way – you can pick from “proud,” “curious,” “bored,” or another emotion that makes sense. Rewrite the paragraph to show that Jonas feels this way. Use different details about the way he is acting and what he is feeling inside. Do not use the word “proud,” “curious,” “bored,” or whatever else you picked.

IV. Assessment

A. Completed journal assignment

B. Class participation in discussions

C. Written assignment:

i. Give points for comprehension of Dii.

ii. Give points for not using the same adjective in Diii.

iii. Give points for creativity of language. In providing feedback, praise students for particularly specific phrases. Offer suggestions when appropriate (without taking off points).

V. Related Works

A. The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (malapropisms)

B. 1984 by George Orwell

C. Anthem by Ayn Rand (individuality)

D. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

E. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (controlled language, soma/drugs)

F. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (stifling sexuality)

VI. Interdisciplinary Links

A. current events

B. history (Holocaust, China, Afghanistan, etc.)

C. science (chromatics/color)

Another Lesson Plan :-)

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:08:52 GMT

Happy Monday, all. I'm sorry if you're not as into the YA insanity as I am, but I hope you enjoy. Also, I'm sorry if the formatting becomes evil on your computer. So far, it's okay on *this* screen. Any teachers, future teachers, librarians, or other like folk: feel free to critique this or borrow/use it.

Godless Lesson Plan

I. Overview: Godless by Peter Hautman is a book that explores and challenges the concept of the hero, relationships and religious faith. Because Jason, the main character, is fifteen years old, and Jason’s voice is so strong and (to me) authentic in the book, I recommend this lesson for tenth graders. This through lesson will address the text and the curriculum itself and will cover vocabulary, characterization, and bigger themes in the novel. The lesson could be adapted to cover several days or even weeks. The journal activities, vocabulary words, and discussion questions are in groups of ten (so it could take one or two weeks). I recommend a small journaling exercise, a short focus on vocabulary, and a longer focus on the discussion questions each day. During discussion time some days, students should have their take-home essay prompts and drafts out for brainstorming and, later, peer review. Many of the questions and vocabulary terms of this lesson plan are borrowed from or inspired by Grant T. Smith from Viterbo University in Wisconsin: http://www.viterbo.edu/personalpages/faculty/GSmith/Godless.doc.htm

II. Objectives and Skills Attained (from the Ohio Academic Content Standards):

a. “Use context clues and text structures to determine the meaning of new vocabulary.”

b. “Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions.”

c. “Analyze interactions between characters in literary text and how the interactions affect the plot.”

III. The Lesson:

a. Warm-Up: Journaling (5 minutes) This book has a lot of good quotations in it and has the potential to be taught for a week or two. Students should journal each day, responding to a different one of the following quotations/questions:

1. “But there are something like ten thousand religions in the world. What makes them think that they happen to have been born into the right one?” (34). What is the role of religion in your life?

2. “Being the leader of a growing religion is not all power and glory. For one thing, there is way too much politics. In other words, you have to lie a lot” (83). Do you think there are links between religion and politics? Or… do you think that politicians all lie? Why or why not?

3. “Chutengodianism is important to me. But that doesn’t mean I think that a big steel tank propped up on a few I-beams is omnipotent. I might be a religious zealot, but I’m not crazy” (90). Do you have to believe in every aspect of a religion to be part of it?

4. “You live to be a hundred, you’re gonna remember it like it was yesterday. It was probably one of the great moments of your life. Sure, maybe they’ll send you to ding-dong school, take away your DVD player, whatever. That’s nothing” (135). Describe one of the most memorable experiences of your life or describe a time in your life when you got in trouble for something you did. Was it worth it? Why or why not?

5. Have you ever had a “religious experience”? If so, describe it. If not, would you want to? What do you think it would be like?

6. “You have to realize, Jason, that your friends listen to what you say” (142). Describe the role of peer pressure in your life or talk about how you influence your friends or vice versa. What is the power of the individual?

7. “I envy everyone who has a religion they can believe in” (198).

8. What good things have you seen religion do for the world? What are the negative impacts of religion on the world?

9. Free-write about water towers. Is there one near where you live?

10. If you were to organize your own religion, how would it look? What would be the requirements for membership? Would you have commandments? What would be your basic beliefs? Would you have rituals?

b. Class Activity: Vocabulary Part 1 (5 minutes): During the reading of the book, students should write down words they don’t understand. Ideally, students would look up these words before coming to class, but in either case, they should make a list of words they don’t understand by writing them on the chalkboard. The teacher will stress that there is no shame in vocabulary levels and will try to keep the students’ lists anonymous (even though some kids will be recognized by handwriting).

c. Small Group Activity: Vocabulary Part 2 (10-15 minutes) In groups of two or three, use context clues, prior personal knowledge, or (if necessary) the dictionary to define the following terms and/or the terms on the board and use them in a sentence:

1. Kahuna 2. Shuriken (p. 79)

3. Esoteric (p. 79) 4. Cabal (p. 79)

5. Gestapo (p. 167) 6. Quantify (p. 27)

7. Agnostic 8. Atheist

9 Brainwashing 10. Gastropod

d. Individual Activity: Vocabulary Part 3 (5 minutes): What do the following words mean to you?

1. Faith 2. Religion

3. Knowledge 4. Myth

5. Trinity 6. Ritual

7. Miracle 8. Evil

9. Church 10. Leader

e. Pre-Writing Discussion (20 minutes/rest of class): As a class, we’ll discuss and explore some of the following discussion questions to get some ideas and prepare for the take-home writing assignment. These are big questions and it may take several days to get through all of them:

1. What are the following characters passionate about? What is their religion?

1. Jason’s mom

2. Jason’s dad

3. Schinner

4. Henry

5. Magda

6. Dan

7. Jason

2. How do these characters evolve? Do they change in positive ways?

3. What do the members of the Church of the Ten-legged God have in common? Why do they join the church?

4. Is the tone of the book sacrilegious? Did it offend you? Is the book anti-religion?

5. Is Shin crazy? Is anyone in the book “crazy”?

6. Are the characters believable?

7. What role does humor play in the book?

8. What does this quotation mean?: “You can’t really understand something until you believe in it.”

9. What is the central argument in this book? The central tension?

10. How does this work as a coming of age story?

f. Take-Home Writing Assignments: Make a short paper on each of these due every couple of days during the unit (e.g. Wednesday, Friday, Tuesday, and the big paper Friday). At the end of two weeks, when students have had time to think more deeply about each question in light of class discussion and possibly outside research, have students turn in a longer paper on one of the prompts of their choice:

1. Look up the term “anti-hero.” Do a character analysis of Jason. Does he fit the definition of an anti-hero? What are his strengths and weaknesses as a person? Is he the cause of the harm that comes to others? Cite examples from the novel.

2. This book is about relationships. Write about one relationship in the novel that intrigues you. Discuss the dynamics of the relationship and how the relationship functioned in the book. Again, cite the actual text.

3. What role does water play in major religions, cultures, societies? Many things have been done in the name of “God.” Do some research and write a report on one such act.

IV. Assessment: 400 points total

a. Make sure journal is done (5 points per day x 10 days = 50)

b. Vocabulary words must be defined accurately but not all copied from one source (5 points per day x 10 days = 50)

c. Determine by walking around the room that group work is done evenly, students are getting along and contributing, etc.

d. Make sure students are participating in class discussion (5 points per day x 10 = 50 points)

e. For each short take-home writing assignment:

20 points for original, thoughtful, coherent content

10 points for quality outside research and in-text citation

10 points for accurate citation of research

10 points for MUGS

50 points per assignment x 3 assignments = 150 points

f. For longer take-home writing assignment:

40 points for original, thoughtful, coherent content

20 points for quality outside research and in-text citation

15 points for accurate citation of research

25 points for other MUGS

100 points total

V. Suggested related works:

a. Equus by Peter Shaffer (comparing Jason and Schinner to Dysart and Alan, respectively)

b. That 70s Show (teenage relationships, relationships with parents, water tower)

c. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (I’ve only read the first book of the trilogy, but the questioning of religion is definitely there throughout.)

VI. Interdisciplinary Links:

a. Mythology (learn about other cultures’ myths… and create your own)

b. Ecology (water stuff)

c. Civics/City Planning

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:52:59 GMT

Call me simple, but this is the poem that inspired me to start writing poetry over 10 years ago:

HOW do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,	5
Till I can see so wide,
Rivers and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside—

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown—	10
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

I love Robert Louis Stevenson - his poetry and his novels for children. I haven't read Jekyl and Hyde, but I enjoyed Treasure Island and Kidnapped. Hmm, Stevenson and Avi may also be responsible for attempting to write a play in fifth grade - about a girl who was kidnapped by her evil uncle and put in the stow of a ship, where she befriends the kindly, handsome sailor (who protects her from the older, harder, less couth sailors).

Yesterday I walked through air you could swim through to the library to turn in a book and to drop a letter off in the blue mailbox. In front of the library is a small playground, so I sat on a swing and did the swing thing for a few minutes. It creaked and made awful noises, rusty and wet and probably not equipped to hold my weight. It required arm muscles to hold myself up when I went flying down and leg muscles to pump myself back up again. We should be like children more often.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:38:37 GMT

Yesterday was a good day. We went and got Steve a haircut, bought a steam cleaner for the carpet, and went to Outback for dinner. There I saw one of my favorite students. I'm not a teacher, but she's still one of my kids. It's kind of crazy that she's going to be a senior in college this year. After dinner, we went grocery shopping and picked up some stuff for chili and some decadent and on-sale pints of ice cream. To my credit, I've taken only one spoonful out of mine. I made chili and Steve steam-cleaned the basement carpet. We both did laundry and hung out for a while. We watched the movie A Scanner Darkly, which is fun, but the guy who wrote the movie decided to blame the government for the drug addictions of friends of his. While the government sure doesn't do much to help, I still maintain that we all have free will. Steve and I exercised free will by finally turning on the AC. It's the hottest day of the year so far, I think, and it's boiling. I wanted to mow the lawn today, but it's just too damn hot. The library closed half an hour ago, but I plan on walking up there when it cools down a little so I can turn in a couple of books. For all cat lovers, lovers of fables, and people who enjoy children's books, I recommend this little gem by Lloyd Alexander. Pick it up at your local library. Better yet, sit in the library and read it while you're there.

I decided not to go to my parents' house today. I'll save that treat for tomorrow, though I'll surely miss the Sunday morning shows. I just watched a clip of Hardball from Leonidas's site. Jim Cramer and Pat Buchanan were shouting at each other about the economy. Clips from McCain and Obama were interesting and telling. When Obama is more Reaganesque than McCain, you know that this neoconservatism has gone way too far. Discuss

Today: I put the chili away, made the rest of the cookies, and I'm enjoying some herbal tea. I plan to get off this machine for a while and read my homework for Monday. When I'm done, we'll see how the weather is and I'll go for a walk - in the yard or not - don't know which yet, and MAYBE I'll turn one of our spare ooms into a puzzling palace. We have a 5000 piece "Creation of Man" puzzle that begs to be completed. Then I may just invest in some puzzle glue and display it either in the basement... or possibly on the large wall above the couch in the living room upstairs. More smiles

Friday, July 11, 2008

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:36:01 GMT

"If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize." - Muhammad Ali

Man, I love this stuff:

I haven't heard back about a job that I applied for and interviewed for - twice. At least one of the decision makers is on vacation. However it turns out, I know I was in the top three. Even if I don't get it, I will be meeting with the new dean of our section of the school next week. Of course I'll talk about the stuff I do in my two positions, but I also want to discuss how I often have free time in my position. Instead of twiddling my thumbs and feeling undervalued, I would like to help meet our accreditation standards by helping students write better. How that's gonna work - I don't know. That's why I'll be talking to the dean

Tomorrow I may go downtown to watch a friend of mine bellydance, but... Barack Obama will be in town. That's a wonderful thing, but it means that traffic is going to be insane! Depending on how things go, though, I'll do that and spend a few hours at the office. Then we get Steve a haircut and buy a carpet/steam cleaner thingie.

Happy Friday, all!

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:07:13 GMT

P.S. If you like witty writing, and if you think you'd like my good real life friends from what you know of me via this blog, vote for my Cowboy, King_of_the_worker-Monkeys!

Three clicks and you've made me a happy girl.

P.P.S. I really like lightning bugs (of which there are no good pictures).
((There are, however, some decent pictures of Fireflys.))

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:21:28 GMT

Maybe next time I won't blog about school. But there are plenty of other blogs I recommend if you don't want to read my confused ramblings about young adult lit

There were so many possibilities for the lesson plan for Holes that I don't even want to share the finished product of what I came up with. I read this book several years ago and was not impressed. The film adaptation was pretty good, but you know those tend to go. Last night I reread the book and liked it a whole lot more. Especially for younger readers, it is exciting to follow clues about people's names, different artifacts, etc. Almost every detail carries through from beginning to end. Most of the main characters are connected throughout history; things like sploosh (honestly, what kid doesn't love that word?) and tennis shoes and lizards show up multiple times; and most of the loose ends are tied up by the novel's finish. Then there are the themes - friendship, sacrifice, growing up, digging figurative holes, growing happy with yourself. And there are the potential Biblical allegories: Madame Zeroni and Elya make a covenant in the beginning, Zero and Stanley make sacrifices for each other (Zero even bleeds for Stanley), Noah's ark is mentioned. There are curses, promises, funny nicknames, and extraordinary events.

The big activity I proposed for the students is to create their own holes. Figuratively, you can Stanley's holes as bad times from his past - embarrassing moments with his classmates, insecurities about his weight, a poor, unsuccessful, unlucky, stinky family, and the mystery of why Stanley was arrested. He works through these issues under the awful, torturous conditions of digging almost meaningless holes. Using discarded material, paper scraps, and trusty markers, scissors, and glue, students in my imaginary class get to create their own artifacts of what they would dig out of their own holes. Next class period each of them would pull those artifacts out of big black trash bags (holes) and talk about them (as much as they are comfortable doing) in front of the class. There's also a short list of questions I assign for homework in which students engage specific passages from the texts and answer questions about the treatment of specific characters, the role of race in the book, the role of hope, and the role of religion.