Thursday, February 26, 2015

Comparing the film and the storyboard

(Update: She did.)
We have internet! There should be a meme for that. Maybe Ms. Black will make us one.

Goals: Watching the film version of Cask of Amontillado and then comparing it to the story board you made.

  1. Read
  2. Open your English Journal, take notes as we watch the film. FILM LINK
  3. Write a compare contrast paragraph about the film and the storyboard you made with your partner. 
  4. Here is the prompt for your compare contrast paragraph. Write it in your English Journal. 

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Update from my phone

We will visit the counseling office today. You need a book to read while you wait. 

Yesterday we still had no Internet. You finished your story boards and we watched a short film version of "Cask of Amontillado." Then you compared your storyboard to the film. 

Cross your fingers that we get some internet access for tomorrow. 

Monday, February 23, 2015

The Day Without Internet: A horror story (Actually we survived just fine.)

The wi-fi was very poor today, but we got a lot done anyway.

We reviewed the language of film with a slide show of examples and then began working on our own story board versions of Cask of Amontillado.

Book reviews due next week.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Writing about "Cask of Amontillado"

Goal: Write an analytical paragraph about the use of literary devices in Cask of Amontillado.

  1. Read
  2. Analytical Writing: Write your response to the PROMPT in your English Journal. You will need your copy of Cask of Amontillado to support your writing process. 
  3. When you have finished your writing please explore this site about Poe. What else can you learn about him? How would this site be useful? 


Thursday, February 19, 2015

Finding evidence of irony, mood and theme

Goal: Find evidence of irony, mood and theme in Cask of Amontillado.

  1. Read
  2. You will complete your work today with your partner.
  3. Together you will find evidence (quotes) in Cask of Amontillado that show irony, mood and theme. 
  4. Use THIS FORM to collect your evidence. 
  5. You must explain WHY that quote is a good evidence for the way Poe uses irony, mood or theme. 
  6. Write in complete sentences. (Do not start with, Because...)
  7. You submit ONE form with both of your names on it. 
Homework: Reading your independent reading book. You should have completed one book review by now. Both book reviews are due on March 4th. That is less than two weeks from now. (See count down timer.)

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Mood and Theme in Cask of Amontillado

Goal: Develop our understanding of the mood and theme in Cask of Amontillado.

  1. Read
  2. Go to Socrative.com and enter our room number, 6867
  3. Open your copy of Cask of Amontillado.

Mood: The feeling a writer creates in a piece of literature.  Calm, suspenseful, tense, happy, creepy, and lonely are all examples of moods writers can create. More about mood.

Theme: The main idea or meaning of a work of literature. Theme is different from subject or topic. A theme can be stated directly or indirectly. Themes often convey a universal message. More about theme.

Today we will work with Socrative to practice identifying mood and theme in Cask of Amontillado.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

More on Plot and Character

Happy Tuesday,

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend. (Mine was great, thanks for asking.)

Goal: Develop a deeper understanding of Cask of Amontillado by looking closer at the plot and characters.


  1. Read
  2. Make a choice. You and your partner may choose one of two tasks. You may create a PLOT PROFILE of Cask of Amontillado. OR Compare the two characters in the story. 
  3. Work with your partner to accomplish your choice. 
  4. Share your work with me. Be sure both of your names are on it. 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Catch Up Day



Goal: Workshop day to catch up on work, reading, and getting ahead. 
  1. Read
  2. Workshop time
  3. Read aloud


Workshop options:

  1. Book review (Today would be a great day to write one.)
  2. Finish your reading of Cask of Amontillado
  3. Individual make-up work
  4. Read your own book


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Close read of Cask

Goal: Develop a deeper understanding of the characters in "Cask of Amontillado" by doing a close reading of the first three paragraphs.

  1. Read
  2. Open your copy of Cask of Amontillado.
  3. If you didn't make your own copy yesterday you can get a copy of the text here. Use File/Make a Copy to get a version you can annotate. 
Homework: Read your book for 30 minutes. 

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Cask of Amontillado First Reading

Goal: First reading of Cask of Amontillado with predictions.


  1. Read your book while you wait for your computer to boot up. 
  2. Open your Google Drive and find the new document shared with you called "Cask of Amontillado Predictions"
  3. Open the document and use the link at the top to get the text of the story. (You can make your own copy of the story.)
  4. Follow the directions in the predictions document to read and predict as you go. 
Homework: Finish reading and predicting on Cask of Amontillado. 
Read your independent book for at least 30 minutes. You should be almost done with it by now. 

Monday, February 9, 2015

Probable Passage Reprise

Happy Monday

Goal: A second probable passage activity to get us ready for our next reading. It will help you get to know some of the words from the story and get you thinking about what might happen.


  1. Read (You read this weekend right.)
  2. Work with your partner to complete the probable passage. Get the view only version HERE and make your own copy. 
  3. Look up any words you don't know as you work. 
  4. Discuss your reasoning as you go.
  5. Use as many of the words as you can in your gist statement. 
  6. Write your gist statement on the postit I will give you. 
  7. Also write your gist statement in your English Journal. 
Homework: Read your independent book for at least 30 minutes. You should be almost done with it by now. 

Friday, February 6, 2015

On Demand Writing

Today we will be writing about The Possibility of Evil.
You can write on paper or at the top of your English Journal.
You can use your document of quotes and analysis that you created yesterday and you can use the story too of course.
When you finish you can read your book some more.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Finding Examples of Irony and Evidence of Theme

Goal: Finding examples of irony and evidence of theme in "The Possibility of Evil".

Get your own copy of this document and use it to help you gather examples of irony and evidence about the theme in "The Possibility of Evil". Be sure you include your thinking about why that quote shows irony or theme.

You will need this document for our writing assignment tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Counseling Presentations Today

Today one of the counselors will be coming to our class to present information to you about your course options for 10th grade. 

Be sure to take your articulation cards home, get them signed by your parents and return them to school. (I think that's going to be the process. I'll update this if I hear something different.)

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Keep on reading

Happy Tuesday

Our goal today is to finish reading  “The Possibility of Evil” By Shirley Jackson.
You can pick up where you left off yesterday.
Remember to follow the directions on the organizer document.

On Wednesday:
One of the counselors will be visiting our class to explain about your course choices for next year.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Reading for evidence

Goal: Read the beginning of The possibility of Evil while gathering evidence to support your thinking. Complete the reading organizer as you go.


  1. Read (you choice book. You are almost half way through it right?)
  2. Open your Google Drive and Check "Shared with me" or "incoming" for a new document called Reading Organizer. 
  3. Click the link at the top of the reading organizer to download the PDF of the reading. (Unless you brought your textbook. Then go to page 186.)
  4. Follow the directions on the reading organizer to stop and answer the questions as you go. Be sure to include the quotations from the story (evidence) that supports your thinking.