Of Seminars and Subtitles...

This week, we are continuing our exploration of the hero's journey--what it entails, and how protagonists deal with failure, rejection, and fear along the way.

Yesterday, after finishing our screening of the film Rudy, we had Socratic Seminar in which we explored what bravery looks like, whether it is something different for everything, and which our of characters from the year displayed bravery. Among the many great ideas I heard, I very much appreciated how you found that bravery can be either large or small--and it can be seen by others or completely unseen, under the surface. You also noted that bravery and heroism are relative--depending on what protagonists struggle with and against.

Today, we are working in groups to brainstorm and narrow down our choice for the title and subtitle of our class anthology, as well as discuss what title pages, front matter, and back matter are in a book.

Our word of the day yesterday was AUSPICIOUS, our word of the day from two days ago was INVOKE, and our word of the day for today is CHURLISH. I love hearing your sentences and stories using our words!

Excited!

Mr. R

Your Own Definition of Heroism!

Today in class, we crafted thesis statements that reveal our stance about the similarities and differences between the novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and its respective film version. We had a thesis statement on the board and we revised it from an average to a stellar thesis statement, by making sure that it:

1) Is specific!

2) Holds an opinion or presents a case with which another reader can argue! (remember, a thesis statement is not just a re-statement of facts, but a fresh, original, NEW idea that needs support and evidence--film clip of A Few Good Men from September!)

3) References the title and author to which we are referring!

4) Creates a map for the essay!

Then, you each crafted your own thesis statements with these qualities in mind.

Afterwards, we acted out the start of Chapter 12--the final chapter--of our novel.

For tonight, be sure to finishing reading Chapter 12. Tomorrow, we will explore what it means to be heroic. We will think about characters from ROTHMC and also from our other reading and conversation this year.

Here is the guide we'll be using as we work to create our very own definitions of what it means to be heroic. 

I am excited!

Peace,

Mr. R

What Does It Mean to be Heroic?

On Friday, we explored the similarities and differences between Mildred D. Taylor's novel and selected scenes from the 1978 film version of ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY.

We eloped tiny details and big plots points, conflating characters and characteristics. You all did a great job sharing your observations, and this week we'll craft thesis statements and also consider the essential question: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HEROIC?

As we finish the novel by Tuesday (we'll act out the start of Chapter 12 in class tomorrow), we wil begin to explore what heroism really is. Does being a hero always mean lack of fear? Does it necessitate success?

Can failure be heroic?

Can insignificance be heroic?

Can humor and hope and happiness be heroic?

We will talk about the poignant characters from the novel, Papa's remarkable act of heroism, and more this week. And we will explore one of Mr. Reynolds's all-tome favorite heroes. Ever.

Revisions are coming back to you, one by one, on your Google Documents for your anthology contribution. Keep an eye on your e-mail and you'll see my comments within your piece when you get an e-mail notifying you about it.

Excited to see you all soon!

Peace,

Mr. Reynolds

If Uncle Hammer Came to Bromfield...

I really enjoyed our class today as we began to work on creating scripts around characters from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We brainstormed all of the characters we could recollect from the novel thus far, and then began to reflect on their traits and actions.

Here (link!) is the screenplay / script project that we began today. We are focusing on one of the characters to imagine how their attributes, personality, and moral reasoning would fit if that character spent a day here at our school. What kinds of interactions would the character have? Would they agree with the cultural and moral values they find here? Why or why not? How would your character respond to certain ideas about success, perseverance, and friendship?

Be sure to also read through Chapter 8 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Tomorrow in class, we will discuss the riveting scene towards the end of chapter 8, as well as continue to craft our scripts.

Our word of the day was VEHEMENT (adjective, which means showing great force or emotion).

Your Life as a Novel?

Today, we explored how Midlred D. Taylor's biography shapes her writing in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We discussed how authors use their own life experiences, their ideas, and their relationships to help them craft novels. Fiction indeed can come from fact!

You also tried your hands at writing the opening scene of your own life, were it to become a novel. You wrote with great focus and I loved seeing the questions you asked, the themes you explored, and the ways you tried to re-imagine your life as a novel.

Tonight, be sure to review our vocabulary words for our quiz tomorrow: SUFFRAGE, REGISTRAR, INERTIA, TEMERITY, and DISCOURSE. And our extra word: ALOOF!

Also, we are reading up through the end of Chapter 7 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Have an awesome evening! I loved hanging out and talking about writing, tone, and life with you all today!

Peace,

Mr. R

PS--And here is our board from today in case you need the notes on how authors use their lives in their fiction--especially in opening scenes!

All Kinds of Courage

Today, we took a "Gallery Walk" through the voting rights posters we crafted in class yesterday. To protest the literacy tests many states gave during the early and mid 20th century, we talked about how activists rose up to defend voting rights for ALL people.

And I loved hearing the connections you all made to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

After our Gallery Walk, we watched a short clip about the Freedom Riders, and how their impact arose from a bold, brave decision to show the kinds of discrimination and injustice experienced by so many people who didn't identify as "white."

Then, we read aloud, in pairs, an article about practices at the Denny's restaurant franchises throughout the 1970's, 80's, and 90's. You all offered insightful comments about the lawsuits and the documentation we explored.

Tonight, be sure to read through the end of Chapter 6 in our novel, and tomorrow's we'll look closely at Mama's talk with Cassie about injustice. 

Our word for the day today was TEMERITY, which means "reckless boldness," and our word for the day from yesterday was INERTIA, which means "the property of remaining exactly where one / an object is, unless acted upon by an external force."

our WODs from last week were SUFFRAGE (the right to vote) and REGISTRAR (one who keeps records, like a registrar of voters). 

Have a wonderful evening.

Anthology Project: Charities and Covers

Today, we'll explore two other facets of our classroom anthology: the charity to which we'd like to donate the proceeds, and the cover design that moves and engages us.

First, to begin to explore some possible organizations to which we could donate finds, do some searches on the website CHARITY NAVIGATOR. This website lists any organization which operates as a non-profit charity, and looks at how the organization spends money, what its mission is, and what it accomplishes.

As you look at charities, open up a blank document, and find one charity that you really think would be a good cause to support. Write the name of that charity, and then list three reasons why you want to support this cause.

Now, keep your document open, but switch to explore possible book cover designs. Use this link, at BARNES AND NOBLE, to explore possible cover designs for previously published anthologies. When you reach the bottom of the page, click "next" to explore more cover designs. After you've seen many, choose one that you really love, then copy and paste that image onto your document. Then, list three reasons this particular cover design sticks out to you, and why you think it works.

Before leaving the library, save your document as LASTNAME_AnthologyIdeas, and be sure to e-mail or share it with Mr. Reynolds.

Thanks--and I am very excited to see what inspires and engages you!

Anthology Revisions!

As we are in the library today, we will work on revisions on our anthology writing. I am so excited to see this book coming together, and the harder we work now on revisions, the better our final book will be. Remember that ALL GOOD WRITING IS REWRITING. Remember that Ernest Hemingway (who won the Nobel Prize for Literature!) rewrote the ends of one of his novels 34 times!

Remember that every single writer who ever has a book, or a poem, or a story published has revised that book, or story, or poem many, MANY, MANY times!

So, let's revise! Follow the list of steps below to work through revisions today...

1. Open up your anthology writing in your Google Docs.

2. Read through your piece, and change any errors that jump out at you right away on this first read-through. If you see a need for a comma, that IT'S COMMA TIME! If you see a Comma-Splice Run-On sentence (remember CSRO?) than change that comma to a semi-colon! Or break it into two sentences! Yes! Huzzah! Or, if you hear parts of your piece that sound awkward, rewrite them for clarity.

3. Now, open up our List of Writing Rules and have a quick read-through of our rules once again. (We used these with our synthesis essays.)

4. Go through your anthology writing again with this list of rules open in another window. Check your piece for each of these rules, and make revisions with these Rules in mind.

5. Now, once you've done these two rounds of edits, find a partner who is also finished, and share your Google Doc with them (write their e-mail address in the "Share" space, and they will now be able to open up your Google Doc, and you will be able to open up theirs).

6. Go through your partner's anthology writing with our Writing Rules in mind.

And...YES! You now have three rounds of revisions on your writing. Remarkable. Amazing. Perspicaciously awesome.

Let me know if you've finished all of these steps, and then it's time for a conference with Mr. R.

Excited!

Handfuls of Mud

Today, our word of the day was RESOLVE, which (in its verb form) means to decide with great force; to commit with determination as in this line: Little Man resolves to fight against the injustice of the school bus that guns down the kids each morning.

We did our Quick Write today on areas in which we want to resolve to do something, or be a certain way. After our Quick Write, we acted out the opening scenes of Chapter 3 from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, in which we see Little Man rage against the injustice of racism. Symbolized by the all-white school bus for the Jefferson County School, racism seems unstoppable. Relentless. A fact.

And yet!

After the school bus guns down the Logan kids and sends them flopping into the muddy gulley, Little Man grabs a handful of mud and chases after them, screaming out in anger and frustration. Against the machinery of racism, Little Man can do nothing but throw a handful of mud.

Yet his big brother, Stacey, has a different idea...

As we acted out these scenes today, running around our classroom and roaring out these lines, I hope we began to feel a tiny bit of what it is like to fight against something so seemingly big, vast, and impossible to defeat. And yet the Logan kids keep fighting! Even a handful of mud can go a long way, sometimes.

In your life, have you ever felt like Little Man? Have you ever felt like you were facing a problem so big with only a handful of mud? What was it? What did you do about it? Or, if you have not felt like that before, can you think of any other scenes from other books, or a film, or from history that are like this? What is that scene?

Share your ideas below, and I look forward to reading your wisdom and insights!

Peace,

Mr. R

Little Man, Standing Big...

Today, we finished up Chapter 1 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and we watched as Little Man stood tall against Miss Crocker. In your reading pairs, you responded to why Little Man is so upset about the textbooks Great Faith Elementary School is given (those in terrible condition, after the white white schools are done using them).

We are beginning to see the world through Little Man's six-year old eyes, and to him it makes very little sense why some students should be afforded certain rights, while others are not simply because of skin color.

Our word of the day today was TRAVERSE, which is a verb that means to cross, as in We traversed the swamp and managed to find the lost giraffe. 

Tomorrow, we have our Vocab quiz on the following five words: Transpire, Concession, Dubious, Inception, and Relentless.

Have an awesome evening!

Mr. R

Time Travel...

Today, we explored racism in 2015 and discussed how society has changed from 1966 until today. Many of you shared powerful contemporary examples, as well as connections back to our film GLORY ROAD, and then commented on the ways various institutions respond to claims about racism.

Your fruitful discussion today sets us up to travel even further back in time, all the way to 1933, as we begin Mildred D. Taylor's powerful novel, ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY.

We met Cassie Logan today, and her three brothers, and we will continue to see the obstacles the Logan famil faces, and how they respond to these obstacles.

Thanks for your insightful and honest reflections today.

Our word of the day was CONCESSION, which is defined as the act of admitting someone else is right, or has a deeper understanding of what may be occurring.

Tonight, consider the article your read about the 1966 West Texas Miners, and what we discussed in class today, and respond with your reflections to this question: how can people learn to see beyond the surface? Think of our class iceberg. And what helps us get to the 90% beneath? Is it really ever possible? Why or why not?

Barriers, Decisions, and Dreams

Over the past few days in English, we've explored ways thinking, writing, and connecting challenge us and grow us.

On Friday, you each worked with your peers to overcome the "rock wall" barrier without falling into the dreaded lava pits or being consumed by dragons. Holding hands, your entire classes had to find a way to cross the barrier without breaking the tape. You used teamwork, encouragement, creative and critical thinking, and a few people's backs...and did it!

Yesterday, we explored the Boston Photographs of 1975, and the decision of the Boston Herald to print or not print the photos. You each pretended to be in the shoes of the editors, and you defended your decisions with critical and creative problem solving.

And today, we began to explore the civil rights' movement in America, as we prepare for our new novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. You each taught one another what you know already about the movement, then we discussed connections, and then watched and discussed Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream Speech. 

Our word of the day yesterday was INCEPTION, which means the beginning, and today our word was RELENTLESS, which means not lessening in intensity or strength.

For tonight, share your ideas regarding this question: What do you think are effective ways to fight against injustice? Why? Can you connect to any personal experiences, books, or films you may have read or seen?