Today, we took an opportunity to review story elements by listening to a Neil Gaiman science fiction short, “How to Talk to Girls at Parties.”

1. First, students drew a card to decide which topic they would listen for in the story. Topics included setting; characterization of Vic, Enn, or the girls; the symbolism of cheap wine, getting lost, and Coca-Cola; and plot diagram.

2. Next, students met in like-like groups to discuss their topic before listening. They discussed the definition of key terms so they would know what to look for in the story.

3. We began listening to the story. The text of the story can be found online at Gaiman’s blog here. You can listen to Gaiman read his work (as we are in class) here. If you are listening, the story starts at “Part 2.” As we read, students completed a visual representation of their topic on this worksheet: How to Talk Graphic Organizer. Comprehension questions we discussed in class can be found on the back page of the worksheet.

HW: Study for Short Story Test on Friday. Test format: Multiple choice questions on a new reading. Questions will test comprehension and understanding of the following terms: dynamic/static character, characterization, plot, exposition, COMPLICATION, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, setting. Short essay question applying one of the above terms to “The Dead” or “And of Clay Are We Created.”

Tomorrow we will finish the Neil Gaiman story.

Absentees: Listen to the story by following the link and read along through the end of the Part 3 clip.

Today, students discussed the similarities between “The Dead” and “And of Clay Are We Created.” Any students not prepared for class sat in the hall to complete their work.

1. Socratic Seminar. Students were graded on participation and notes taken during the discussion. Any students absent can download a copy of the notes here to see what we discussed: Intertextual Seminar.

HW: None. There will be a short story test on Friday that covers terminology and inference skills.

Today students met in their lit circles to discuss the first half of the story “The Dead” or “And of Clay Are We Created.”

1. Any students not prepared for discussion did their work silently in the hall.

2. Students prepared for the lit circles followed the lead of the Discussion Director.

HW: Finish reading the assigned story. Prepare your Literature Circle Notes worksheet. Finish the “Character in Transition” brochure.

Absentees: Finish reading the story and complete the following questions to make up for not being in class:

“And of Clay Are We Created” Questions:

1. List 10 words or phrases that suggest tragedy (p. 319, 1^st paragraph). Example: “odor of death”

2. Who is the narrator? (p. 320, 1^st paragraph)

3. Draw how Azucena is trapped (p. 322, 1^st paragraph).

4. Evaluate Rolf Carlé’s character based on this line: “buoyed by a premature optimism, [Rolf Carlé] was convinced that everything would end well” (p. 323, last paragraph).

5. Why do you think Rolf Carlé is trying so hard to rescue her? After all, his job is to report, not rescue (p. 324 at section break).

6. Evaluate the relationship between the narrator and Rolf Carlé (p. 325, 1^st paragraph).

7. How is Rolf Carlé changing? Why? (p. 325, 2^nd paragraph)

“The Dead” Questions:

1. “Never once had it fallen flat. For years and years it had gone off in splendid style…” (1, ¶ 2) How does this line foreshadow what will happen in the rest of the story?

2. Summarize Gabriel and Lily’s conversation on the right-hand column of page 1. Evaluate Lily’s view of romantic relationships.

3. Why does Gabriel blush at Lily’s answer, “as if he felt he had made a mistake” (p 1, bottom right-hand column)?

4. Draw Gabriel.

Today we set up our literature circle groups and ensured everyone knew what to read for Friday and Monday.

1. Quickwrite. Students wrote about one of three topics: how the media covered a natural disaster in the past, a person you can never live up to, or how a celebration went wrong. This prepared students for the stories “And of Clay Are We Created” by Isabel Allende and “The Dead” by James Joyce. Students shared their answers in their groups.

2. Intro to Lit Circles. Students chose which role they would take in the literature circle: discussion director, illuminator, illustrator, connector, or summarizer. Students then decided which pages in the assigned story they would read for tomorrow and which pages they would read for Monday.

3. Character notes: Dynamic vs. Static. Students took the following notes:

Dynamic character: A character who changes internally as a result of the events of the story. ex: Batman, Spiderman, the Barber, Roger, most protagonists.

Static character: A character who remains the same throughout the story. ex: Odysseus (?), any antagonist.

HW: Read assigned portion of story, either “The Dead” or “And of Clay Are We Created.” Your group should have assigned you about half of the story to read tonight. Prepare for your Literature Circle tomorrow by completely filling out one side of your “Literature Circle Notes” sheet. Also, begin filling out your Dynamic Character brochure.

Absentees: Copy the notes in #2 into the literature section of your binder. Honors, read half of “The Dead” online here. Standard, and anyone absent from 5th period, wait until tomorrow to get a copy of “And Of Clay Are We Created.” Those reading “The Dead,” begin filling out this sheet about the character Gabriel as you read: Those reading “And of Clay Are We Created,” pick up a character sheet on Rolf Carle before reading tomorrow. Tomorrow you will need to ask your group what role you have in the lit circle. I will give you a role sheet to complete for Monday.

Today, we took some time to review what symbols are and what they aren’t.

1. Students turned in homework and any New Yorkers.

2. Students worked in pairs to come up with symbols. In about three minutes, students listed as many sentences as they could using this formula: ____________ is NOT a symbol for ______________ but IS a symbol for ____________. For instance: A pillar is NOT a symbol for architecture but IS a symbol for strength. Students need to understand that symbolism involves a figurative relationship between the symbol and its meaning, not a literal one.

3. Students exchanged symbol sentences and evaluated whether or not their peers understood symbolism. We took about five minutes for this. Any disputes we discussed as a whole class.

4. If time, students exchanged what the symbol was in the story they read for homework.
HW: 1st period – Read half of the assigned story. 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th periods – None.

1. Return WordSkills 4 Tests.

2. Characterization Notes: Students took notes on characterization in preparation for our class discussion and for their homework. Here are the notes we took for anyone who was absent (or not paying attention!):

Characterization: How an author gives the reader information about a character’s motivations, beliefs, and personality. Includes:

• Physical appearance – body shape, face, what they wear, how they stand or walk, odor, voice
• Actions
• What other character say about them
• Where they’re from, where they live, the places they go
• Dialogue – how they talk

3. Read “Dream 80″ by Naguib Mafouz focusing on characterization. We discussed this story and filled out two charts on it that students will be doing for a different story for their homework.

4. Homework Assignment. I explained the students’ homework.

HW: STANDARD – Read “Thank You, Ma’m,” on p. 87 of the textbook. Fill out the Target Notes and the Think in Threes Notes for the story.

HONORS – Read the FICTION story in the issue of The New Yorker you were given in class. Fill out the Target Notes and the Think in Threes Notes for the story.

Absentees: If you are in Standard, you should read the story on p. 87 of your textbook. If you are in Honors, you should read the story here.

Download/copy target notes from here. In the center, write the main character’s name. In each center donut write lines from the story that reveal information about the character. On the outside donut write an explanation of what each quote tells about the character. Write a few sentences about your conclusions.

Then, write a separate list of characters. Write a list of difficult vocab words and questions you have about the story (at least 10). Then, write a list of 3 important symbols in the story and explain them. Write a few sentences about the message of the story.

Today students took the Unit 4 vocabulary test. We made a slight adjustment to the format so most of the test is now multiple choice, with different levels of difficulty for Standard and Honors enrollment.

HW: None!

Absentees: Come in during lunch, before school, or after school to take your test as soon as possible.