Ms. Roberts

Welcome Back!

KHS- BRANDED FOR SUCCESS!!

Welcome to all the incoming ninth graders and welcome back to all you upperclass men and women.

  I am very excited about beginning this semester of the school year-our tenth at Kell High School!!! 

Thank you for checking out my blog.  We will be using this blog as just one of many tools to help you succeed this semester. I will be using it for many purposes: to post assignments, review what we covered in class, provide additional supports and links, remind you of important upcoming due dates-whatever we need to ensure that you have a successful year. You will be accessing this blog in class and out, especially if you miss class for any reason, this is the place to find out what you missed!

EXTRA HELP: I am available for tutoring and make-up work, both before and after school. I am regularly available Tuesday and Thursday after school 3:30-4:30pm, (and most days before school if you want to schedule with me beforehand). Please make sure that I know to expect you and what we need to review. I can also be available other times, depending on your needs-just ask!!! 

CONTACT INFO: If you need to email me, please use my school email address: debra.roberts@cobbk12.org. You can call the school phone number (678-494-7844) and leave me a voice message, but email is more direct and efficient.

MY SCHEDULE: Here's my NEW schedule (as of 09/23/11).  If you have a question or need to see me before school starts or after school, please contact my email address above to let me know to expect you or just drop by my classroom (Room 2203) or the Special Ed Department Office (I have an office there). If you want to get to the general education teacher's blog in my teamed classes with Coach Hunt or Mrs. Stacey, just click on the his/her name in the schedule below to be linked.

Period	Class	Room
1st	10th Lit w/ Coach Hunt	1214
2nd	9th Lit	2203
3rd	PPO Duty/Planning	PPO/2203/SpEd Office
4th	9th Lit w/Coach Hunt	1214
5th	10th Lit	2203
6th	9th Lit w/Ms.Stacey	2209
7th	Planning	2203/SpEd Office

 

"Cask of Amontillado"

Here is the link to the ppt created by Erin Salona at Carmel High School.  It's a great intro to our next short story by Edgar Allan Poe. Cask of Amontillado ppt

Here is a link to the text of the story. Cask of Amontillado text   It is a specialized version of the text, where the actual story is on the left side of the webpage, and comments written to help you understand the story (think critically about it) are on the right.  You don't need to answer all of them in your head, but do try a few on each page.  We will be reviewing the "Discussion Questions," so take a look at them-make sure that you can answer them.  (Go back to the text if you are having trouble.)

"Cask of Amontillado"

Here is a link to the complete text of our next short story.  In this version, you can click on the words in blue to get the defintion, if you are struggling with the vocabulary. Link: Cask of Amontillado

If you would like to listen to this story in an adapted/abridged version, here is a link: Adapted story  It is shorter, but you can get the main facts of the story to help you understand the actual text.

Terms that we will be focusing on include: Setting, Mood, Unreliable Narrator (Point of View), Irony

Don't forget to be studying your short story unit terms-try out the quizlet flashcards on my earlier blog!

 

 

Most Dangerous Game

Here is a link to an old time radio version of the story that we read and are analyzing in class, "The Most Dangerous Game." It has been dramatized; it is NOT exactly the same version that is written in the book. (You will only be held responsible for the original story by Richard Connell, as it is written in the book. This site is for support and enrichment purposes.  Do NOT use this version to answer the questions in class!  See the website in my earlier post for a link to the correct text.)

You may find this radio drama version helpful in understanding the story. This is an example of "genre switching"- They took a short story and turned it into a radio play. (BTW, there have been at least two filmed versions (movies) of the story, too. How do you visualize this story?)

**Click on the link at the end of blog to reach the site.

Background: Radio drama enjoyed widespread popularity within a decade of its initial development in the 1920's. BY the 1940's, it was a leading international popular entertainment. In the 1950's, the introduction of television caused a rapid decline in the popularity of radio plays.

Hopefully, you will enjoy this performance. Old radio plays were a very (very, very) dramatic style of storytelling.  Sanger Rainsford is played by Orson Welles, a very well-known and respected actor of his time. Notice how the elements of music, sound effects, and voice are used to hold your attention and keep you listening (without the benefit of video)...Consider how the story was altered from the print version-why?

  You have the advantage of being able to use your computers to capture some of that "lost" magic...old radioplays are available for free on many sites on the internet. If you enjoyed this story, you might want to look for other available formats. There are comedies, suspense stories, thrillers, classics, 5 minute mysteries, serials....Ask your grandparents about them. (Maybe they can suggest one of their favorites!)

Click here: http://nomig.net/radiodrama/otr.php?series=Suspense. Once you are linked to the page, click on the story itself (on the right) to get to the proper page. Click to listen.

"Most Dangerous Game"

In this short story, we are focusing on several skills:

1. Recognizing and applying the short story unit terms: conflict (internal and external), suspense, foreshadowing, plot (and each element of plot), setting, character

2. Describing why setting is so essential to this story. (Your illustration/paragraph one pager)

3. Reading Skills:Handout of questions at literal, inferential, and evaluative levels AND "Using Context Clues" work

4. Grammar skills: Pronoun and Antecedents

5. Plot: Sequencing and elements of plot

6. Character Analysis: a venn diagram, graphic organizer, a four paragraph essay

You have adequate time in class to complete all your work, but if you do not finish, here is one (of many available) websites you can use to access the text of the story: "The Most Dangerous Game" text  (If this site doesn't work for you, you can just google it or use your favorite search engine.)

Studying this Unit's Terms....

We had the prequiz (as always) before the unit began...and we are learning to recognize, recall, apply, and create examples of the terms in class...but you should also be practicing at home.  I have created flashcards at Quizlet for the different unit terms.  Please click on the applicable site for your class's unit.  Please don't limit yourself to the cards that I created...try out some of the other flashcards created by other participants...it will help you to generalize the definitions of the terms!  Get back to me on which ones you found the most helpful...maybe their definitions are better (more clear and understandable than mine)........or you can create your own set of cards!

Remember that you can take practice tests or play games on this site and that you can click on the sound icon to have anything read to you.  (I got to Level 6 on the Space Race game...can you beat me?)

9th Lit:  Click here:9th Lit Short Story Terms

10th Lit: Poetry Unit terms, click on the appropriate section:

Types of Poetry

Sounds of Poetry

Figurative Language

Don't forget that our class goal is 80% Mastery of the terms...but your personal goal may be higher!!! Keep working on these as we study the unit...and share your successful study strategies with the class.

 

 

9th Lit End of Semester Grade Opportunities and Study Guide

You received a study guide in class, but here is one to download at home:Download 9th Lit Study Guide Final 2011   Remember that completion of this study guide is mandatory; it is part of your final grade. Please complete it so that we can go over it in class together.

Please don't forget that Monday is the day that your final essay on Romeo and Juliet is due.  Please turn in your brainstorming web, your outline, rough draft, and final draft. 

Additionally, all outstanding class work and any extra credit work are due on Monday.    All must be turned in that day to receive any credit.

If you did not do well on the Drama Terms quiz, you may also retake it on Monday.

10th Lit End of Semester-Grade Opportunities and Study Guide

Don't forget that your big final essay project on "A Good Man is Hard to Fin" is due on Monday!  Include in your packet the rough draft and final draft of the essay, along with the work that you did in preparation for writing (the character analysis handouts).

Everyone received a grade report last week.  Bring in your signed grade report to drop the lowest Reading Warm-Up grade, if you haven't done so already.

Also, don't forget that Monday is your LAST chance to turn in any extra credit work.

If you did not do well on the last Short Story Terms Quiz, you may retake it Monday.

You did receive a copy of the study guide in class, but here is one to download. Download 10th Lit Final Study Guide 2011 Don't forget that completion of this study guide is mandatory-it will count towards your final! Please complete it by Monday so that we can review together!

 

The Most Dangerous Game

There are many versions of this story, printed,  read aloud, and dramatized as radio plays available online.  Here is just one site, with a link to the text version, and two versions of the story broadcast as vintage radioplays, that you might find interesting: The Most Dangerous Game Radioplay

Here is a site with a more modern retelling of the tale: The Most Dangerous Game Audio

There is also an old movie version of the story available.  What makes this story so compelling?  Why do you think that it was so popular?  Is it still relevant today?

 

 

Antigone Links

Here is a link to a Fitts and Fitzgerald translation from the Greek for the play we are reading in class, Antigone. There is some interesting and helpful background information at this site.  You can either go to this site: Antigone website or download the text here: Download Antigone--text  (It's eighteen pages, so I don't think I'd print it, but it's your choice.)

You can also google "Antigone" for other supports, translations, etc.  Please remember to bring your book to class as we read, but also please feel free to read ahead to help you with understanding the play as we go.  See me for more specific supports and clarification, if you need them.

Next story..."The Monkey's Paw"

Our next story..."The Monkey's Paw" was written in 1902 by W.W. Jacobs. It's a dark brooding tale which promises from the start that the light you see at the end of the tunnel is actually an oncoming train. Mr and Mrs White of Laburnum Villas step out toward that light by taking up the three wishes granted to the owner of the Monkey's Paw. Terrible things have happened to previous owners of this artifact but surely the Whites will fare better than those who have gone before... (Summary by Jim Mowatt, provided at: LIbrivox )  At this site, you can listen (for free) to an excellent audioplay of the tale.

We will vote to either listen to the audioplay or read one ourselves.  Here's the link for an adaptation of the story into a play: Download Monkey's Paw Script 

Our literary analysis focus will be on foreshadowing, but we will review and apply other Short Story Unit terms: plot, characters (flat/round/static/dynamic), theme, setting, conflict, point of view, and theme.  Make sure that you continue to practice the terms on Quizlet. We will also work on predicting the outcome.  In grammar, we will follow up work on personal pronouns (and pov) with establishing antecedents.

You will have a quiz on the story, as well as an opportunity to amaze us with your group's efforts to produce a Monkey's Paw Marketing Development project.  The product box will come with a warning label, as well as an instruction manual.