SBAC testing continues, which means we have one more week of the modified block before things return to our traditional schedule. We finished Romeo & Juliet last week (sniff), and, as I feared, I’ve run short of time to fit in a second scoop of Shakespeare. I had hoped to take my classes on a quick spin through A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but that’s not gonna happen. The calendar’s just too tight and I need to fit in some other things before I say farewell to my freshies.
Here’s my new plan:
Monday (Odd classes, two-hour block – periods 1, 3, 5)
Open with a five-minute M.U.G. Shot (Mechanics, Usage, Grammar) mini-lecture/bell-ringer.
Review the answers to the practice S.A.T. section that students completed as weekend homework.
Students will have the remaining time to take their 50-question Romeo & Juliet exam and complete an in-class essay.
For HW, students should keep reading their S.S.R. books, which are due to me by Friday, June 3.
Tuesday (Even classes, two-hour block – periods 2, 4, 6)
Repeat of yesterday but with different exam questions and essay prompt to help minimize cheating.
Wednesday (All classes meet for 50 minutes)
Open with a ten-minute Words on Wednesday vocabulary mini-lecture/bell-ringer.
Use Steve Jobs’ commencement address at Stanford University to reinforce the rhetorical tools of ethos, pathos, and logos.
For HW, our third group of 20Time presenters need to be ready to go tomorrow (odd classes) or Friday (even classes). All visual aid links must be emailed to me today by 5 p.m. (I’ll preload all of their slides onto my laptop tonight to minimize the tech wrinkles in class.)
Thursday (Odd classes, two-hour block – periods 1, 3, 5)
Third round of the 20Time “what I did/what I learned” speeches.
After the speakers are finished, we’ll use this Trophy Syndrome non-fiction lesson to view a well-known graduation address by David McCullough Jr., answer questions in small groups, and then participate in a full-class discussion of the issues raised by the material.
For HW, students will complete a Greek and Latin roots worksheet. Also, the final group of 20Time speakers need to be ready to present next Thursday.
Friday (Even classes, two-hour block – periods 2, 4, 6)
Again, just repeat yesterday’s class.
This’ll take us to the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Bring on the watermelon! Teach on, everyone.