 Welcome to Ms. Chaga’s 11-1 English Class!
 Daily Question (#1): If you had to lose one of your senses,
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which would you choose? Why?
Vocab (#2)
Syllabus (#3)
SSR Choices (www.mschaga.pbwiki.com)
SSR Project Assignment Sheet (#4)
4 Truths and a Lie
Letter of Introduction (#5)
Crucible Project (#6)
HOMEWORK: 1. Letter of Introduction due TOMORROW 2.
Syllabus Signature and Binder due FRIDAY 3. SSR choice and
signature due FRIDAY 4. Things They Carried Summer Reading
Quiz THURSDAY 5. Things They Carried Summer Reading Essay
MONDAY IN CLASS (Bring your book!!) 6. Crucible Project due
TUESDAY
 Daily Question: How do O’Brien’s diction and structural choices relate
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to his purpose in the following passage? “War is hell, but that's not the
half of it, because war is also mystery and terror and adventure and
courage and discovery and holiness and pity and despair and longing
and love. War is nasty; war is fun. War is thrilling; war is drudgery. War
makes you a man; war makes you dead.”
Vocabulary
The Crucible Project Assignment Sheet (#6) Questions?
American Studies Themes Practice (#7)
TTTC Review (#8)
Terms for Literary Analysis in Groups (#9)
Closing Question: Which course theme do you find most interesting?
Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. Syllabus Signature and Binder due FRIDAY 2. SSR
choice and Signature due FRIDAY (Book WED) 3. TTTC Quiz
THURSDAY (bring a pencil!) 4. TTTC In-Class Essay MONDAY 5.
Crucible Project due TUESDAY
 Daily Question: Keeping in mind the setting of The Things They
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Carried, what is the irony in the following passage? “…fresh
watermelons and crates of ammunition and sunglasses and
woolen sweaters– the resources were stunning– sparklers for the
Fourth of July, colored eggs for Easter– it was the great American
war chest…” (15).
Vocabulary
TTTC Review (#8)
Terms for Literary Analysis (#9)
Closing Question: Which term do you struggle with most? Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. Syllabus and Binder due FRIDAY 2. TTTC Quiz
TOMORROW3. SSR choice and signature FRIDAY (Book for
WED) 4. Crucible project due TUESDAY 5. In-Class Essay
MONDAY
 Daily Question: The last line of the chapter “Ambush” is “I’ll watch him
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walk toward me, his shoulders slightly stooped, his head cocked to the
side, and he’ll pass within a few yards of me and suddenly smile at some
secret thought and then continue up the trail to where it bends back into
the fog” (134). What is the significance of this line and how might it relate
to O’Brien’s purpose in writing TTTC?
Vocab
Review Terms for Literary Analysis (#9)
TTTC OSCAR quiz
Essay prep– what makes a good thesis statement?
Conformity vs. Resistance or Morality/Religion
Closing Question: What do you think the most important WORD in the
text of TTTC? (If you use an article like “the” or “a” you better have a
FANTASTIC explanation)
HOMEWORK: 1. Syllabus and Binder due TOMORROW 2. SSR choice and
signature TOMORROW (Book for WED) 4. Crucible project due TUESDAY 5. InClass Essay MONDAY
 Daily Question: If happiness was the national
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currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
Vocab
The Crucible Film
Closing Question: In The Crucible, Mr. Hale is a
dynamic character. Based on the transformation he
undergoes, is Mr. Hale truly a good man? Why or why
not?
HOMEWORK: 1. TTTC In-Class Essay due 2. Crucible
project due TUESDAY (be prepared for short
presentations) 3. SSR begins WEDNESDAY
 In-Class Essay (Ms. Chaga Absent)
 Question of the Day: Correctly integrate and cite the
following quotation in a sentence (I suggest using a smaller
portion rather than the whole sentence): “…they carried it
on their backs and shoulders—and for all the ambiguities
of Vietnam, all the mysteries and the unknowns, there was
at least the single abiding certainty that they would never
be at a loss for things to carry.” Page 16 (this is NOT the
correct way to cite)
 Vocab
 Crucible project gallery walk
 “Rethinking the American Dream” – (#10)
 HOMEWORK: 1. SSR book TOMORROW
 SSR – 30 minutes!
 Daily Question: What is the American Dream? What is YOUR
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American Dream? Are they the same? Why or why not?
Vocab (2 words to make up for Monday)
Review “Rethinking American Dream” (#10)
American Dream Article Review (loose-leaf #11)
 Sentence that best represents main idea
 Interesting/thought-provoking quotation
 Agree/disagree with opinion?
 Be able to summarize for jigsaw group #2
Closing: Do you agree that the “concept of a shared national
ideal” is dying? Explain.
HOMEWORK: NONE! Be prepared to begin Gatsby TOMORROW
 Daily Question: Why do you think we try to look beyond
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simple plot summary when talking/thinking about
literature?
Vocab– 2 words
“Steps of Truth” (#12)
Gatsby Anticipation Guide (#13)
Hidden Rules of Class (#14)
Closing: What do you make of the quotation on the title
page? Explain your reflection.
HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby Ch. 1 due TOMORROW 2. Find
quotations showing character development for Nick, Daisy,
Tom, and Jordan
 SSR– 30 minutes (Reflection Prompt: Complete the steps of truth for a
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plot element in your SSR novel– plot, interpretation, analysis, and a
test for truth/evaluation.)
Daily Question: What skills do critical readers use when beginning a
new text and making inferences?
Vocab Review (Quiz Monday)
Discuss Gatsby Anticipation Guide (#13)
Ch. 1 Quiz
Background Lecture Notes (#15)
 Gloss for connection to chapter 1
 Closing:. The green light that Gatsby is staring at is mentioned several
more times and assumes symbolic significance. Where do you think
the green light might be? What can it mean?
 HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby Ch. 2 for MONDAY! 2. Vocab Quiz
MONDAY!
 Vocab Quiz
 Daily Question: On a literal level, what is the valley of
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the ashes? What might it represent on a symbolic
level?
Vocab
Discuss Background Notes (#15) and Ch. 1, 2
Gatsby Objectives (#16)
Marxism and Gatsby (#17)
Closing Question: Comment on Gatsby using a
Marxist lens.
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 3 due WEDNESDAY
 DAILY QUESTION.: Using a Marxist/Social-Class lens, what is the
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significance of the following passage? “My dear, I’m going to give you
this dress as soon as I’m through with it. I’ve got to get another one
tomorrow. I’m going to make a list of all the things I’ve got to get. A
massage and a wave, and a collar for the dog, and one of those cute
little ash-trays where you touch a spring, and a wreath with a black silk
bow for mother’s grave that’ll last all summer. I got to write down a list
so I won’t forget all the things I’ve got to do"(36).
Vocabulary
Character Inferencing (#18)
Marxism and Gatsby (#17) Continued
CLOSING: What do we gain from using different “lenses” for literary
analysis? (Example: Feminist, Marxist, Formalist, Historical…etc.)
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 3 due TOMORROW
 SSR – 30 minutes
 Daily Question: Interpret the following passage from chapter 3
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using a Marxist lens: “A wafer of the moon was shining over
Gatsby’s house, making the night fine as before and surviving
the laughter and the sound of his still glowing garden. A sudden
emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great
doors, endowing with complete isolation the figure of the host
who stood on the porch, his hand up in a formal gesture of
farewell” (60).
Vocab
Chapter 3 Quiz
Marxism and Gatsby discussion (#17)
Closing: Choose a color to describe each of the main characters
thus far. Include Nick, Daisy, Tom, Myrtle, Jordan, and Gatsby.
(no written explanation for your choices needed, but we will
discuss this tomorrow)
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 4 for FRIDAY
 Daily Question: Brainstorm a list of words for the color
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RED. Write at least 4. (These may be shades) Which
has the most positive connotation? Which as the most
negative? Explain.
Vocab
Formalist Criticism (#19)
Color Associations
Gatsby Color Journals (#20)
Closing Question: List 5 words that describe you. No
explanation needed, but chose your words carefully.
HOMEWORK: 1. CH. 4 due TOMORROW
 Orange: David and Justin
 Yellow: Brian and Maggie
 Green: Kim and Carla
 Brown: Christina and Shannon
 Purple: Reilly, Corey, and Tom
 Black: So and Alex
 White: Ryan and Andrew
 Gray: Ben and Brad
 Blue: Keenan and Sam
 Red: Annie and Emily
 On a piece of loose-leaf paper record
the following:
 Shades (our red example)
 Connotations/Associations
 Symbolism
 Phrases
 LOVE SONG that goes with the color!
 SSR– 30 minutes + reflection (Use Marxist/Social-Class criticism
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OR Formalism to reflect on your SSR book thus far)
Daily Question: Re-read the first 3 pages of chapter 4. Analyze
Fitzgerald’s use of names and their relation to the motif of
Geography (East Egg, West Egg…etc.). What commentary is he
making on these people?
Vocab
Review Colors/Formalist Reading
How to Connect Rhetorical Choices to Meaning (#21)
Gatsby Film?
Closing Question: Think back to the words you used to describe
yourself in yesterday’s closing question– what are the
connotations of some of those choices? (example: if I said
confident vs. courageous or kind vs. affectionate)
 HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 5 due MONDAY 2. Complete the
“Diction” example on a separate piece of paper using a quotation
from any of the first 5 chapters.
What is the significance of the connotation of the word
“Great” in the title, The Great Gatsby? Think how it might change if it
were instead, “Gigantic,” or “Fantastic” or “Wonderful.”
Denotation: the dictionary and literal meaning of a word.
Connotation: the emotional / contextual / cultural meaning attached
to a word; shades and degrees of meaning
Diction: word choice
Vocab
Chapter 5 Quiz
Connotation (#22)
Formalist Criticism (Connect Rhetorical Choices to Meaning) (#21)
In pairs– complete “imagery.”
Closing: Is Gatsby or Nick the protagonist? Explain your choice.
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 6 TOMORROW with imagery example 2.
Chapter 7 THURSDAY
 Daily Question:
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 The word “overpopulated” used to describe Gatsby’s
lawn at a party conveys extravagance because Gatsby
lives in excess. This is significant because
“overpopulated” not only represents the high number
of people at one of his parties but also Gatsby’s allconsuming goal in life to want more and have more.
Examples of this reflection include the gaudiness of
Gatsby’s mansion, the overabundance of food, and the
overall lack of real friendship; Gatsby attempts to fill
an empty void with empty excess.
 The phrase “great bursts of leaves growing on trees”
used to describe East Egg conveys the fast growth of
the community and America in general. Since the
leaves are growing in “great bursts,” Fitzgerald is
suggesting that East Egg is rapidly growing into a
beautiful community where everyone has a chance to
be something special. The “great bursts” are
something beautiful and special just like the
development of the country he’s in.
 “Gaudy” used to describe the halls, saloons and
verandas conveys the tasteless and bright colors,
having no taste. Because Fitzgerald uses the word
“gaudy” he is trying to say that they have no taste and
almost ugly. This is significant because it shows that
wealth doesn’t always come with style and class, you
can’t judge a book by it’s cover like you can’t judge
Gatsby by his mansion.
 The word “fool” used to describe/identify what Daisy
wishes her daughter to be conveys that she doesn’t
want her daughter to be too smart because she doesn’t
want her daughter to know the bad things that are
happening around her. This is significant because
Daisy doesn’t want her daughter knowing bad things
surrounding her like she knows about Tom’s affair.
 The phrase “swirls and eddies” used to describe the
people at Gatsby’s mansion party conveys the constant
change in the upper class because the “swirls and
eddies” represent the constant shifting in social
standing. Social transitions within the upper class are
always mixed. People in the upper class get so caught
up in the swirling and constant shifts that no one
actually gets to know one another. Though they are all
part of the upper class, no one knows anyone on the
inside because they only value the status of being
wealthy.
 The word “moths” used to describe those who attend
Gatsby’s parties conveys impersonality because moths
are insignificant, bland-looking, and flock dumbly to
light. This is significant because the guests who go to
Gatsby’s parties do not know him personally and
instead use him for his parties. They are characterized
as similar-looking and behaving, and they migrate to
Gatsby’s parties like moths to a light.
 The phrase “shadow of a garage” used to describe the
place where Myrtle and Mr. Wilson live conveys
emptiness and lack in a place that should be grander
because “shadow” implies that something is a mere
fragment of what it could be. This is significant
because it symbolizes how Myrtle feels that her life is a
shadow of what it could be, and it shows why she is so
eager to have an affair with Tom.
 The word “throbbing” used to describe New York
traffic conveys heightened excitement since the lanes
of the city street are overcrowded during rush hour.
This is significant because Fitzgerald is able to
illustrate the chaotic sense of city life; it tells the reader
about New York’s atmosphere in the 1920s.
 Focus on the WORD– what is throbbing like? How
could that be significant?
 The word “bloomed” used to describe the room
conveys an image of light embellishing the room,
opening and lighting up. This is significant because
the room is conveyed as “crimson,” which can be dark
and creepy, and having it “bloom with light” makes it
almost breathe with life and cheer.
 Why would Fitzgerald want to make the room appear
to “bloom” as opposed to light up? Who is he
describing?
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Daily Question: What purpose does the biblical allusion,
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“He was a son of God…and he must be about His Father’s
business”(104) serve?
Vocab
Who IS Jay Gatsby?
Formalism continued (Metaphor/simile)
Closing: Explain Gatsby’s expectations of Daisy. Are they
realistic? Why or why not?
HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby Ch. 7 due TOMORROW 2.
Complete DETAIL on a separate piece of paper for
TOMORROW
 The image of Dr. Eckleberg’s eyes on the billboard
represent sight or insight (and therefore blindness).
The characters have very little self-knowledge or
knowledge of one another. For example, Daisy does
not really know how to identify herself and how to
react to her husband’s affair. Even the “Great” Gatsby is
blind. He is blinded by dreams of seeing Daisy again
and the possibility of rekindling a relationship. The
only character who appears to see what is happening
around him is Nick; the eyes might also be God-like
because they see everything.
 The image Nick describes while at Gatsby’s party in which
he claims “…sometimes a shadow moved…gave way to
another shadow, an indefinite procession of shadows who
rouged and powdered in the invisible glass,” conveys a
sense of mystery and infinite obscurity and indistinctness
of the people attending…The attending guests being
described as “shadows” conveys a negative sense that they
are all the same and come and go. The depiction that the
shadows are “rouged and powdered” signifies that the
guests attending are masked, or fake, and hiding their true
identity, just as Gatsby keeps and hides secrets about
himself and his own identity. This also represents upper
class society in the masking of true identities in order to
yield to a social “standard.”
 The image of Gatby’s Rolls-Royce becoming an
“omnibus” conveys a picture of a low class man
because the reader realizes that even though Gatsby
outwardly appears to be a man of high class, it is
apparent that he is new money through his use of
expensive cars to transport people. This is significant
because the reader sees what’s underneath Gatsby’s
extravagant experience.
 OMNI = every
 Discussion of the bus imagery itself?
 The image of a “pink cloud” conveys a sense of Daisy’s
state of mind at the moment (What moment?)
because the reader realizes that Daisy was finally
reunited with Gatsby, who was gone because of the
war. The “pink cloud” and Daisy’s reunion with Gatsby
seem to show her finally being able to be free from the
tension of her house with Tom. This is significant
because the readers should question Daisy and
Gatsby’s previous relationship.
 Why PINK? Why CLOUD? Focus on the imagery of
that particular choice.
 When specifically is this used?
 “With his hands still in his coat pockets he stalked by me
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into the hall, turned sharply as if he were on a wire, and
disappeared into the living room” (91)
“Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an
overwound clock” (97)
“It has seemed as close as a star to the moon” (98)
“I think that voice held him most with its fluctuating,
feverish warmth because it couldn’t be over-dreamed—that
voice was a deathless song” (101)
“They were a satisfactory hint of the unreality of reality, a
promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on
a fairy’s wing” (105)
“At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and
the incarnation was complete” (117)
 Chapter 7 Quiz
 Daily Question: Do you believe Nick is a reliable or
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unreliable narrator? Explain using specific evidence from
the text.
Vocab
Nick or Gatsby as protagonist?
Whose Truth is True? (#23)
Closing: Write a good higher-order thinking question for
Gatsby thus far. (NOT yes/no, one right answer questions)
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 8 for TOMORROW (Finish book
for MONDAY) 2. Vocab quiz MONDAY
 SSR– 30 minutes+ reflection: Choose one of the characters from
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your SSR novel to describe. Then, explain why you do or do not
like the character.
Daily Question: Analyze Nick’s actions and remarks in the
following quotation: “’You’re worth the whole damn bunch put
together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only
compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from
beginning to end” (162).
Vocab
Review “Whose Truth is True?” (#23)
Gatsby Film
Closing: Would you rather be able to lie without getting caught
or always be able to tell when someone else is lying? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. Finish Gatsby for MONDAY 2. Vocab Quiz
MONDAY
 Vocab Quiz
 Daily Question: Summarize your understanding of the
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epilogue (the last page of the novel)
Vocab
End of Book Discussion Questions  (#24)
Gatsby Essay Prompt Choices  (#25)
Finish Gatsby film
Closing: Discuss the irony of the title, The Great Gatsby.
What might be a better title? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby Exam WEDNESDAY 2. Gatsby InClass Essay THURSDAY 3. Choose a prompt and write a
working thesis for TOMORROW
 Daily Question: Explain the process you went through when
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writing your thesis statement from last night’s homework.
Vocab
Finish Gatsby film
Gatsby Unit Exam Review Sheet  (#26)
Conferencing for thesis statements
Gloss all of the following for questions/comments:
Basics: Writing a Timed Essay  (#27)
How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay  (#28)
Forbidden Words and Phrases in Analytical Writing  (#29)
AP Scoring Models  (#30)
Closing: Write something you’ve learned from either #27 or #28
HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby Exam TOMORROW 2. Gatsby In-Class
Essay THURSDAY (you may bring a 3 by 5 card with thesis and
outline AND you will need your book)
 No Daily Question or Vocab (2 words tomorrow)
 Gatsby Review Sheet
 Exam Part I
 LUNCH
 Exam Part II
 SSR/Essay planning when finished!
 HOMEWORK: 1. Gatsby In-Class Essay TOMORROW
(3-by-5 card with thesis/outline and your book!)
 No Daily Question or Vocab
 What you need:
 Gatsby Book
 3-by-5 card with thesis/outline
 Pages 27-30 (if you want them)
 DON’T FORGET TO SKIP LINES! Good luck 
 Staple your rubric on top when handing in!
 If you finish early, re-read and revise before handing
in!
 SSR
 HOMEWORK: 1. NONE! SSR Tomorrow!
 SSR– 30 minutes (no reflection)
 Daily Question: **Fun Friday!** If you could have
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permanent possession of any single object in the
world, what would you want it to be?
3 vocab words
Closing: If one of your parents was to be a famous
person from any time in history, who would you want
them to be?
**BE SURE TO HAND IN YOUR QOD SHEETS
BEFORE YOU LEAVE!
HOMEWORK: 1. NONE! Enjoy your weekend!
 Daily Question: What is the most defining characteristic of
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identity: gender, sex, race, socio-economic status, culture,
language, nationality or something else? Explain.
Vocab
Collect Gatsby/ Hand out TEWWG
Soul of a People: Writing America’s Story
Closing: Write 5 interesting facts, observations, or
thoughts about the documentary.
Homework: 1. Chapter 1 for TOMORROW 2. Bring in photo
of yourself in a context that is significant for you. Be
prepared to tell the story of the photo to a partner. For
WEDNESDAY 3. Chapters 2-3 due THURSDAY!
 What forces contribute to the complexity of Janie’s
individual and cultural identity?
 How does Hurston (stylistically) convey the effects of
various internal and external forces on Janie’s identity
formation? How do these effects change throughout
the story?
 Daily Question: Are certain languages privileged over
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others? Why or why not? Explain.
Vocab
TEWWG Objectives (#31)
Lecture Notes (#32)
The Racial Mountain vs. Negro Art Hokum (#33)
Listen to selections from TEWWG
Dialect Ch. 1(#34)
Closing: What effect does language have on identity?
HOMEWORK: 1. Bring in photo of yourself in a context
that is significant– be ready to share the story for
THURSDAY 2. Chapter 2-3 due THURSDAY 3. Finish Ch. 1
Dialect for TOMORROW
 SSR– 20 minutes
 Daily Question: If you were given an hour shopping
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spree in any store in the world, which would you
choose and why?
Vocab
“Chaga Cup” Quizzo Tournament
Closing Question: NONE
HOMEWORK: 1. Bring your picture in tomorrow and
be prepared to tell the story behind it 2. Chapters 2-3
due TOMORROW
 TEWWG Chapter 1-3 quiz
 Daily Question: How are language and storytelling markers of
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culture? Identity? Explain.
Vocab
Write/Share photograph/story– respond to each other by
discussing the elements of storytelling that give you insight
about the teller.
Dialect  #34
Closing: List and explain an idiomatic phrase that either you, one
of your friends, or one of your family members uses. Explain its
meaning and why it might be helpful to show characterization of
that person.
HOMEWORK: 1. Finish #34 for TOMOROW. 2. Ch. 4 for
TOMORROW 3. Ch. 5-6 for MONDAY
 SSR– 30 minutes (Prompt: Evaluate the STYLE of your SSR book.
Include mention/judgment of diction, tone, sentence structures.
Does the style help the story line? Could it be improved? How?)
 Daily Question: While Hurston achieved success in so-called “white
publication” and received critical acclaim from white critics, her
black contemporaries harshly criticized her and her work. Why do
you think that was the case? Do you agree with them?
 Vocab
 Dialect Discussion  #34
 “How it Feels to be Colored Me”  #36
 Closing: In what ways does Hurston relate power to
language/speech in the book so far (think Jody and Janie’s
relationship, specifically)?
 HOMEWORK: 1. Interview a person from a different generation
than your own about a story that shaped his or her identity. At least
5 minutes of the interview must be included in a typed transcript–
for WEDNESDAY 2. 5-6 for MONDAY 3. Vocab quiz MONDAY
 Vocab Quiz
 Daily Question: In chapter 5, Janie and Joe arrive in Eatonville to find
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that it is not the town they’d hoped. Joe, however, sensing a business
opportunity, decides to open up a store. As a result, he is elected mayor of
the town, and becomes a force to be reckoned with. In essence, he begins
to demonstrate the full nature of his masculinity as his power and
influence grow. Select one passage that you feel illustrates this particularly
well and note in your answer with the page number.
Vocab
“How it Feels to Be Colored Me”  #36
“I Love My Hair”  #37
Closing: Janie was “irked...endlessly” (55) by the fact that “her hair was
NOT going to show in the store,” (55). What can we infer about her
relationship with Joe, based on the mention of this important symbol?
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 7 due TOMORROW 2. Ch. 8-9 for WEDNESDAY 3.
Identity Interview WEDNESDAY.
 Daily Question: Which of the following has placed the




most limits on Janie’s identity? What has defined her the
most: race, class, sex, gender, or attitudes of others?
Explain.
Vocabulary
Why Boys Don’t Play with Dolls – (#38)
Closing Question: Does Hurston glorify white people,
particularly her white patrons, by catering to their racist
notions of how and what fiction about blacks should be
written?
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 10-13 due FRIDAY 2. Interview due
FRIDAY (2 pages double-spaced, minimum)
 SSR – 30 minutes
 Daily Question: What is the purpose of choosing to use






direct quotations rather than paraphrasing? Is one or the
other always the “right” choice when writing a literary
analysis? Explain.
Vocabulary
Integrating Quotations  (#39) Notes
Sentence Variations with Essay  #40
Essay Revisions– Integrate quotations on separate paper,
staple with #40 and your essay and hand in.
Closing: What is your area of strength? What area needs
the most improvement? What is your plan for
improvement? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. 10-13 due FRIDAY
 TENSE– Literary essays are written in present tense.


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
The work lives on every time we read it. Ex: “Gatsby
waits for Daisy” rather than “Gatsby waited.”
Why do we omit “I” and “you”?
Analysis goes beyond the obvious. So what??
If you’re talking about setting, you need to actually
analyze the setting…
Quotations should be blended seamlessly with your
own words. It is as if YOU are speaking using the
author’s words.
 Daily Question: What’s the best story you’ve ever heard? Explain


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


what makes it the “best.”
Vocab
TEWWG Assessment #41
“Where I’m From”  #42
“Where I’m From” Template/Draft  #43
TEWWG Film
Closing: What does it mean to be “from” a place? Is a “place”
always a physical location or could it be something else? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 10-13 due TOMORROW 2. 14-17 due
MONDAY 3. 18-20 (end) WEDNESDAY 4. Exam THURSDAY 5.
Projects due TUESDAY after break (4/2) 6. Midterm THURSDAY
(4/4) 7. Midterm Essay (SSR book) FRIDAY (4/5)
 SSR—30 minutes
 Fun Friday Daily Question: Would you rather be able

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
to hear any conversation or be able to take back
anything you say? Why?
Vocab
TEWWG 10-13 Quiz
TEWWG Film
Closing: How does the film compare to what you have
imagined while reading the book? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. 14-17 due MONDAY
 Daily Question: Compare and contrast Tea Cake’s


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
leadership in the Everglades (“the muck”) with Joe Starks’
leadership in Eatonville.
Vocab
An Illustration of Janie’s World  (#44)
Film (Video Viewing Guide)  (#45)
Closing: Describe a character from your story (TEWWG
Creative Assessment) in detail. Try to include both indirect
and direct characterization.
HOMEWORK: 1. Read Ch. 18 to the end for WEDNESDAY
2. EXAM THURSDAY 3. SSR books need to be finished over
break.
 Daily Question: Do you agree or disagree with the following quotation?
Explain.

“For I am part of all that I have met.” –From Tennyson’s “Ulysses”
Vocab
Characterization and Identity  (#46)
Clustering  (#47)
Individual time to work
Vignette: brief but vivid and complete scenario of a certain time and
place. Short and simple but with a deeper meaning.
 Closing: You made it big! You are going to be a big celebrity, but your
agent has explained that you don’t have quite the superstar name. So,
what name will you choose? Can you be true to yourself and choose a
name that is more like the “real” you, or would you resist having to
choose another name?
 HOMEWORK: 1. TEWWG Ch. 18-end due TOMORROW 2. TEWWG
Unit Exam THURSDAY 3. TEWWG Creative Assignment due TUESDAY
4/2!! 4. Midterm and Vocab Midterm 4/4 5. SSR Midterm Essay 4/5

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 SSR – 30 minutes
 Daily Question: Hurston enhances her frame narrative with

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


the expert use of imagery. Relate the imagery with which
Hurston begins the novel with the imagery with which she
closes the novel.
Vocab
TEWWG End of Book Questions  (#48)
TEWWG Review for Exam  (#49)
Closing: Which of your questions do you think is the
“best”? Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. TEWWG Exam TOMORROW 2. TEWWG
Creative Assessment/Presentations TUESDAY April 2nd!
 No Daily Question or Vocab
 Practice Questions
 TEWWG Unit Exam (multiple-choice before lunch,
quotations after)
 Closing: Begin with one of the following words and
write at least 3 sentences with the word as your
prompt– Fairness, Love, Understanding, Forgiveness,
Humility, Honesty, Faith, Respect, Thinking, Learning
 HOMEWORK: 1. TEWWG Creative Assessment and
Presentations begin TUESDAY April, 2
 [Mrs. Turner] felt honored by Janie’s acquaintance and she quickly
forgave and forgot snubs in order to keep it. Anyone who looked more
white folkish than herself was better than she was in her criteria,
therefore it was right that they should be cruel to her at times, just as
she was cruel to those more negroid than herself in direct ration to
their negroness. Like the pecking-order in a chicken yard. Insensate
cruelty to those you can whip, and groveling submission to those you
can’t. Once having set up her idols and built altars to them it was
inevitable that she would worship there. It was inevitable that she
should accept any inconsistency and cruelty from her deity as all good
worshippers do from theirs. All gods who receive homage are cruel. All
gods dispense suffering without reason. Otherwise they would not be
worshipped. Through indiscriminate suffering men know fear is the
most divine emotion. It is the stones for altars and the beginning of
wisdom. Half gods are worshipped with wine and flowers. Real gods
require blood.
 Mrs. Turner like all other believers had built an altar to the
unattainable—Caucasian characteristics for all. Her god would smite
her, would hurl her from pinnacles and lose her in deserts, but she
would not forsake his altars…
L.F.1.3.1 What is explained in this passage?
A. Gods are sarcastic.
B. Gods are sadistic.
C. Gods are seraphim.
D. Gods are sincere.
L.F.2.3.5 How does the use of metaphor in the passage
help to communicate an idea?
A. It provides specific details about race.
B. It refers to gods at the central metaphor.
C. It emphasizes Mrs. Turner’s racial fanaticism.
D. It shows Janie’s animosity toward Mrs. Turner.
“Tea Cake, put down dat gun and go back tuh bed!” Janie yelled at him as
the gun wavered weakly in his hand.
He steadied himself against the jamb of the door and Janie thought to run
into him and grab his arm, but she saw the quick motion of taking aim
and heard the click. Saw the ferocious look in his eyes and went mad with
fear as she had done in the water that time. She threw up the barrel of the
rifle in frenzied hope and fear. Hope that he’d see it and run, desperate
fear for her life. But if Tea Cake could have counted costs he would not
have been there with the pistol in his hands. No knowledge of fear nor
rifles nor anything else was there. He paid no more attention to the
pointing gun than if it were Janie’s dog finger. She saw him stiffen himself
all over as he leveled and took aim. The fiend in him must kill and Janie
was the only living thing he saw…
It was the meanest moment of eternity. A minute before she was just a
scared human being fighting for its life. Now she was her sacrificing self
with Tea Cake’s head in her lap. She had wanted him to live so much and
he was dead. No hour is ever eternity, but it has its right to weep. Janie
held his head tightly in her breast and wept and thanked him wordlessly
for giving her the change for loving service….
L.F.2.14. Read the sentence from the passage: “It was the
meanest moment of eternity.” What feeling is being
suggested by the use of the word meanest?
A. Selfishness
B. Longevity
C. Eagerness
D. Agony
L.F.1.1.1 What is the author’s purpose for using the word
ferocious to describe the look in Tea Cake’s eyes?
A. To illustrate the imagery of the moment
B. To contrast Janie’s calm with Tea Cake’s anger
C. To juxtapose Tea Cake with the rabid dog
D. To portray human beings as savage in nature
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Daily Question: Would you rather lose all your old

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

memories or never be able to make new ones? Explain.
Vocab (2 words) **Remember– all vocab on the vocab
portion of the midterm exam
TEWWG Film
Closing Question: List a moment from the novel that was
left out of the film version. Explain the impact that this
subtraction has for the overall story.
HOMEWORK: 1. Projects Presentations will begin on
TUESDAY when we return! Don’t forget a 2-page
(minimum) double-spaced written version as well as your
creative aspect.
 Daily Question: What do you think best represents your story,
the written, oral, or creative portion? Why? Explain.
 Vocab practice– The addition of descriptive details to the basic
information serves to improve the _________ of the book by
producing a fuller account.




A. Aspersion
B. Cogency
C. Alacrity
D. Calumny
 Presentations
 Closing Question: Write a sentence about the presentations
using at least one vocab word from the midterm list.
 HOMEWORK: 1. Presentations continue tomorrow 2. Midterm
and Vocab THURSDAY 3. Midterm essay FRIDAY
 Daily Question: Read the common app essay prompts below.
Would your story from this project work for any? Which?
Would you use it? Why or why not?
 Vocab practice– He may think of himself as having
__________, but all of his decisions today have been wrong.



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A. credulity
B. acumen
C. blandishment
D. cupidity
 Presentations
 TEWWG Film (if time)
 Closing Question: Would you rather be able to visit 100 years
in the past or 100 years in the future? Why?
 HOMEWORK: 1. Midterm and Midterm Vocab
TOMORROW 2. In-Class Midterm Essay (BRING YOUR SSR
BOOK!) FRIDAY
1. Share a background or story that is so central to
your identity that your application would be
incomplete without it.
2. Recount an incident or time when you
experienced failure. How did it affect you, and
what lessons did you learn?
3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief
or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you
make the same decision again?
4. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or
informal, that marked your transition from
childhood to adulthood within your culture,
community, or family.
 Daily Question: Describe the most recent conflict you had

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
with your parent(s) or guardian(s). What does the conflict
reveal about your underlying desires versus your parents’
desires?
Vocab (2 words)
Finish presentations (Brandice, Kyra, Deanna M., Pete,
Gail, Matt, Katie L., anyone else?)
TEWWG film conclusion
Closing: Make a prediction about the play Death of a
Salesman (other than that a salesman will die) based on the
title, author (Arthur Miller), and date of publication (1948)
HOMEWORK: 1. Bring in a picture of the adult you feel
closest to for WEDNESDAY 2. SSR book due FRIDAY
 Daily Question: How do the dreams and aspirations of

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
your parents, grandparents, and ancestors impact
family relationships from generation to generation?
Vocab (2 words)
Finish Presentations
DOAS Intro Reading  (#50)
DOAS Speed Dating  (#51)
Begin read-aloud DOAS
HOMEWORK: 1. Act I due FRIDAY 2. Picture of the
closest adult in your life TOMORROW 3. SSR Book for
FRIDAY
 Daily Question: What is Miller’s thesis in “Tragedy and the






Common Man”? (See page 5 of #50) Do you agree or
disagree with his points overall? Explain.
Vocab
Block 3–- DOAS Intro Reading (#50) and Speed Dating
(#51) if time, Expectations (#52) DOAS Poem Packet (#53)
Block 4– Expectations (#52) DOAS Poem Packet (#53)
Begin Act I Reading
Closing Question: Which question from Speed Dating did
you find the most thought-provoking? Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. Act I due MONDAY 2. SSR book for
FRIDAY
 Daily Question: “Be liked and you will never want” (Miller
33). Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
 Vocab
 Free Write Expectations Questions  #52
 Side near door = A
 Side near windows = B
 DOAS Poem Packet  #53
 Act I
 Closing Question: With which character do you most
identify? Why?
 HOMEWORK: 1. Act I for TUESDAY (Quiz) 2. SSR book for
TOMORROW (speak to me if you haven’t already if you’re
using a book NOT on the list)
 SSR (30 minutes)
 Daily Question: What tone is set by the description in


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
the opening of the play? How is this tone established?
Vocab
DOAS Quote Assignments  (#54)
Continue reading/work on quotations
Closing Question: If you were given a yacht, what
would you name it? Why? (Mine= Galene; goddess of
calm seas)
HOMEWORK: 1. Act I TUESDAY (quiz) 2. Quotations
due FRIDAY 4/19
 Daily Question: Must a character rebel against authority

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
to be considered an American hero? Explain.
Vocab
Capitalism and Competition (#55) (“Shift Happens” 2012)
DOAS Project (#56)
Continue reading Act I/Time to work on quotations (#54)
Closing Question: Find a quotation that shows Willy’s
support for Capitalism or competition. Cite with page
number and explain the significance.
HOMEWORK: 1. Act I quiz TOMORROW 2. Act II due
FRIDAY 3. Essay (details tomorrow) due WEDNESDAY
4/2¢4. Project due 4/24 (classwork days on 4/22, 4/23)
So kim
 Daily Question: Is there any pressure on you to

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
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
succeed? If yes, where does it come from? Family?
Friends? The media? Yourself? Something else?
Explain.
Vocab (2 words)
Discuss “Capitalism and Pressure”
Act II
Closing Question: If you had to choose the best
advertising campaign ever created, which one would it
be? Explain.
HOMEWORK: 1. Quotations due WEDNESDAY
 Daily Question: This painting is
Called “The Old Salesman.” How does
the composition connect to themes/
issues in your reading of DOAS?
 Vocab
 DOAS Act II (continued)
 Work on DOAS quotations
 Closing Question: (Recycled) Record
and cite a passage showing Willy’s support for
Capitalism or competition.
 HOMEWORK: 1. DOAS quotes due
WEDNESDAY 2. SSR WEDNESDAY!
 SSR – 20 minutes
 NO Daily Question
 2 Vocab Words
 Act II
 Motifs/Symbols work in groups
 DOAS quotations work
 HOMEWORK: 1. Quotations due TOMORROW or
MONDAY 2. DOAS Creative Project due FRIDAY 11/30
3. DOAS In-class Essay TUESDAY 11/27
 Daily Question: Who or what is to blame for Willy’s

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destruction?
Vocab
DOAS Film Act II
Motif Work
PROMPT: Through the use of motifs, what basic truth
about identity formation does Arthur Miller establish in
Death of a Salesman?
Miller uses the motif of ____________ to do/show/explain
WHAT?
Closing Question: How does the film compare to your
understanding of the play from our reading in class?
HOMEWORK: 1. In-Class Essay TOMORROW 2. DOAS
Creative Project due FRIDAY 3. Vocab Quiz WEDNESDAY
 Miller uses the motif of advertising
to emphasize how the capitalistic
corruption of the American Dream
forces society to compromise
individual integrity.
 Willy tells Ben that his boys are fearless and that they
will go steal plywood from a local construction site in
order to build a new porch. Charley tells Willy that the
jails are full of “fearless characters” in order to point
out that what they’re doing is not a positive, it is
against the law. This is significant because it shows
that Willy always promoted the idea of doing whatever
it took, however illegal or unethical, to try to get
ahead. Willy even cheated on his wife in the hopes
that it would get him into the buyers. This points out a
huge difference in Charley and Willy’s identity and
their role as fathers.
 SSR– 20 minutes
 Vocabulary Quiz
 Daily Question: Is your life ruled by fate or free will?
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
Explain. How do you know the answer to this
question?
Vonnegut Background
Historical Background to Slaughterhouse Five
**for both, gloss and find (closing question): 3 facts, 2
questions, and 1 connection
HOMEWORK: 1. DOAS creative project due
TOMORROW 2. We will begin SH5 tomorrow
 SSR– 15 minutes (+5 with group)
 Daily Question: If you had to write a semi-true novel about
something in your life, what would you write and why?
 Vocab
 Books/Beginning Investigation
 How does the title page differ from a conventional book?
 What is suggested by the subtitle of the book: “The Children’s
Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death” ?
 Chapter 1 (What are allusions? What might be the pros and cons
of making allusions?)
 – take note of allusions, function for story
 Closing: If you could discover one item that belonged to
someone in history, whose would it be, and what would it be?
 HOMEWORK: Ch. 1 and 2 due MONDAY
 Daily Question: The last thing Vonnegut reads in his


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motel is the Gideon Bible, specifically the story of Lot.
Why do you suppose the author includes this text in
his developing “scrapbook” of allusions?
Vocab
SH5 and LOST comparison (compare/contrast)
Closing Question: How does Vonnegut describe the
Tralfamadorians? How is this description satiric?
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapters 3-4 due WEDNESDAY
 Daily Question: Slaughterhouse-Five presents a satiric

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
view of organized religion. Where in the second
chapter does that view begin to emerge? What can you
say about this view at this point in the novel?
Vocab
Ch. 2 Open-Book Quiz
Time to work on Ch. 3-4 and Repetition
Closing: Why does Vonnegut make use of repetition
throughout his novel?
HOMEWORK: Chapters 3-4 and repetition sheet due
TOMORROW
 SSR – 30 minutes
 Daily Question: Read the following quotation, said by the

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


late author Kurt Vonnegut: ‘Hello, babies. Welcome to
Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s
round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve
got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I
know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.’
What does this quotation mean to you? If you could rewrite
the last sentence, what would it be? What rule would you
give to future generations?
Vocab
Kurt Vonnegut Obituary Article
One-Pager
Closing: Why do you think Mr. Vonnegut set his novels in
alternate universes? What purpose did using these
fictitious settings serve?
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 5 due FRIDAY (continue
repetition page)
 Your one pager must include:
 A visual representation of something in the text
 A quotation from the article related to the visual
representation
 Two questions you’d like to ask someone
mentioned in the article– whether the reporter,
the subject, someone quoted…etc.
 On the back– how does the article influence
your reading of Slaughterhouse Five.
 Daily Question: On p. 74, Billy, while “slightly unstuck in

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


time,” watches a television movie about a WWII bombing
raid, only he views the movie in reverse. Explain the
meaning of this passage in the context of your developing
understanding of the book.
Vocab
10 minutes to work/finish “one-pager” and contest
SATIRE– definition, examples, SH5
Closing Question: Why do you think Vonnegut chose to
use satire to get his message across to readers rather than
other methods? Explain
HOMEWORK: 1. Finish satire if unfinished 2. Ch. 5 due
TOMORROW 3. Continue work on repetition sheet
 The use of irony, humor,
exaggeration, or ridicule to expose
and criticize people’s stupidity or
vices; satire is used in the interest
of improving mankind.
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Daily Question: How is the satiric treatment of religion,



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
specifically Christianity further developed in chapter 5?
(hint: “Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he
isn’t well connected” (108))
Vocab– 2 words
Satire (continued) homework
2012 or Timeline (maybe)
Closing Question: If you could have witnessed one event
from your family’s history, what would you want to see?
Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 5 (for real) due MONDAY,
Chapters 6 TUESDAY, 7-8 due THURDAY, 9-10 due FRIDAY
2. Satire in SH5 continued (have at least 3 examples for
MONDAY) 3. Repetition page continued 4. Satirical Doodle
due WEDNESDAY
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Daily Question: How is the satiric treatment of religion,





specifically Christianity further developed in chapter 5?
(hint: “Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he
isn’t well connected” (108))
Vocab– 2 words
Satire (continued) homework
2012 or Timeline (maybe)
Closing Question: If you could have witnessed one event
from your family’s history, what would you want to see?
Why?
HOMEWORK: 1. Chapter 5 (for real) due MONDAY,
Chapters 6 TUESDAY, 7-8 due THURDAY, 9-10 due FRIDAY
2. Satire in SH5 continued (have at least 3 examples for
MONDAY) 3. Repetition page continued 4. Satirical Doodle
due WEDNESDAY
 Daily Question: What is your opinion of the passage by

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


Howard W. Cambell (p 128-131)? Find evidence
in modern society to support or refute Campbell.
Vocab
Discuss Satire
2012– NOTES – keep track of man vs. self, man vs.
nature, and selfishness vs. altruism
Closing Question: Could SH5 be considered a dystopia
or a Utopia? Why or why not?
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 6 due TOMORROW 2.
Repetition page continued 3. Satirical Doodle due
WEDNESDAY!
 Daily Question: In satire, the reader can’t take characters and

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


events at face value, but must reach his or her own conclusions
about deeper meanings. Often, the writer intends the reader to
judge harshly. The unusual wrinkle in THIS novel is that
Vonnegut himself appears in the book and expresses a similar
outlook to that of the characters. Should we take Vonnegut at
face value? How should we judge, for instance, his “So it goes,”
indifference to death and war?
Vocab
2012– man vs. self, man vs. nature, selfishness vs. altruism
“Brief, Urgent Messages” (Loose Leaf ) in groups
Closing Question: Is the end of 2012 hopeful? Why or why not?
Do you share the director/producer/writers’ ideas on mankind?
HOMEWORK: 1. Ch. 7-8 due THURSDAY (quiz on 6, 7, 8) 2.
Satirical Doodle due TOMORROW 3. FRIDAY– OSCAR “skills”
common quiz
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Finish 2012
 Daily Question: Is the end of 2012 hopeful? Why or why not?
Do you share the director/producer/writers’ ideas on mankind?
 Satirical Doodle Presentations (briefly explain)
 “Brief, Urgent Messages” in Groups (loose leaf)
 Closing Question: In light of your growing understandings
of the book, what is the significance of the title,
Slaughterhouse Five?
 HOMEWORK: 1. Quiz on 6-8 TOMORROW 2. 9-10 due
FRIDAY 3. OSCAR quiz FRIDAY
 Daily Question: Using your repetition sheet, analyze


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


one of Vonnegut’s repeated motifs/symbols.
Vocab
Slaughterhouse Five Quiz (Ch. 6-8)
Finish Satirical Doodle sharing
“Brief, Urgent Messages” in groups (loose leaf)
Closing: List and cite an interesting or thoughtprovoking quotation from SH5 thus far. Either respond
to it or write a question relating to it.
HOMEWORK: 1. Finish the book for TOMORROW 2.
OSCAR quiz TOMORROW 3. SH5 exam MONDAY
 SSR– 30 minutes
 Daily Question: Does Slaughterhouse Five end on a





happy note? Why or why not? Explain.
Vocab
OSCAR quiz
“Brief, Urgent Message” Groups + share
Closing Question: What is your take home message
from this novel? (Not that it’s stupid; that’s a pretty
lame, infantile response to any literature)
HOMEWORK: 1. Slaughterhouse Five exam MONDAY
(repetition page may be used)
 SSR – 30 minutes (3 left)
 Daily Question: You are hanging out a basement with two of your

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


friends when some sort of “event” occurs leading to global devastation
(apocalypse). Somehow, the three of you survive intact. As leader of
your group, what are the first three things you would do and why?
Vocab (last 10 words will be on quiz on final day)
Literature Circle prep for The Road
Revolution?
Closing Question: What do you think society gains from imagining a
post-apocalyptic/dystopian future? How can you explain the recent
surge in popularity of texts such as The Hunger Games and The Uglies,
movies like I Am Legend and TV shows like Revolution?
HOMEWORK: Prepare for lit circles and roles– 5 sessions; test on
FRIDAY 1/11
 Daily Question: When the man and boy say they are
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“carrying the fire” they are referring to humanity and being
“the good guys.” If society is destroyed and our way of life
no longer exists, what purpose does humanity serve?
Vocab
Anticipation Guide
Literature Circle
In-Class Reading Time
Closing Question: Choose one of the Anticipation Guide
conversation starters and elaborate your answer.
HOMEWORK: 1. Lit Circle #3 TOMORROW 2. SSR Project
Presentations begin 1/15 3. Test FRIDAY
 Daily Question: McCarthy's work often dramatizes the
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opposition between good and evil, with evil sometimes
emerging triumphantly. What does The Road ultimately
suggest about good and evil? Which force seems to have
greater power in the novel? Provide examples from the
book.
Vocab
Literature Circle
In-Class Reading Time
The Road DVD
Closing Question: Does the movie do justice to Cormac
McCarthy’s words? Why or why not?
HOMEWORK: 1. Lit Circle #4 TOMORROW 2. The Road
Test FRIDAY
 Daily Question: The man and
the boy think of themselves as
the "good guys." In what ways are they like and unlike the
"bad guys" they encounter? What do you think Cormac is
suggesting in the scenes in which the boy begs his father to
be merciful to the strangers they encounter on the road?
Vocab
Literature Circles
Individual Reading
SSR Project Group Work
Closing Question: Choose one of the course themes and explain
its relevance to The Road.
 HOMEWORK: 1. LAST Lit Circle for The Road TOMORROW 2.
The Road Test FRIDAY 3. SSR Project Presentations begin
TUESDAY
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 Daily Question (to discuss): Do you think McCarthy ended
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the story with a hint of hope or, do you think he meant to
suggest that there was no hope left in the world?
Vocab
Last Lit Circle
SSR Group Project Work
Closing Question: What do you still need to accomplish
in order to complete your SSR project? What is your plan of
action for completing this for Tuesday’s project
presentations?
HOMEWORK: 1. The Road Test TOMORROW 2. SSR
Presentations