Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Chapter Summaries 6- 9

Chapter Six
Chapter six opens in winter. Amir loved the icy season because the school was shut down for its duration. But he loved winter even more because then he flew kites with Baba, the only activity that consistently brought them closer. The pinnacle of winter for every boy in Kabul was the yearly kite-fighting tournament. Every year, Amir and Hassan saved their allowances to buy materials to make their kites, but they were not very good craftsmen. When Baba realized this, he started taking them to Saifo's to buy their kites, always buying the boys equally good kites. In the tournament, contestants used their kites' glass strings to cut others' kite strings until only one triumphant kite remained in the sky. Hassan was Amir's assistant. When kites fell out of the sky, especially the last kite to fall, those not flying their own kites would chase them and try to catch them-they were called "kite runners." Hassan was an exceptionally good kite runner. Once, Hassan convinced Amir to run the opposite way that a fallen kite was floating and sit under a tree with him to wait. While they sat, Amir taunted Hassan a little. Amir was unsettled to see Hassan's face change the way it sometimes did, as though there was an unfamiliar, sinister, hidden face behind his usual expression. After that uncomfortable moment, however, Hassan's face changed back to normal and the coveted kite came floating into his open arms.
In the winter of 1975, Amir watched Hassan run his last kite. That year, there was to be the biggest kite tournament the boys had ever seen. Boys from several neighborhoods would be competing in Amir and Hassan's neighborhood, Wazir Akhbar Khan. One evening, Baba suggested that Amir would win the tournament this year. After that, Amir became determined to win so that he could finally prove to Baba that he was a winner and a worthy son. The night before the tournament, Hassan and Amir huddled under blankets playing cards while Baba, Rahim Khan, and Assef's father met in the next room. Upon hearing that Afghanistan might get television under president Daoud Khan, Amir promised to buy Hassan a television set one day. Hassan responded that he would put it on the table in his and Ali's hut. Amir was dismayed than Hassan had accepted his fate of always living in the hut and being a servant. As though he read Amir's mind, Hassan told him, "I like where I live."


Chapter Seven
The morning of the tournament, Hassan described his dream to Amir. In it, the two boys amazed the people of Kabul by swimming in a lake and proving it contained no monster. Then the boys were lauded as heroes and became the lake's owners. When Amir said he didn't want to fly a kite, Hassan told him, "no monster," and convinced him to proceed. Amir and Hassan were a great team and theirs was one of the last two kites left in the sky. Their hands were bloodied from holding the sharp string, but their hearts were filled with hope of winning the tournament. Amir focused hard and to his surprise, he cut the last, blue kite and won. The true victory for Amir was seeing Baba hollering with pride. Hassan took off to run the blue kite and Amir followed after bringing his kite home. A merchant told Amir that he had seen Hassan running by with the blue kite. He finally found Hassan facing Assef and his two friends, who were trying to steal the kite from him. Assef told Hassan that even Amir considered him worthless, but Hassan defended himself and Amir, saying that they were friends. Amir stood frozen in shock as the fight began.
The chapter is interrupted with Amir's memories, which appear in italics. The first is of Ali's words about his kinship with Hassan because they had the same nursemaid. The second is of Amir and Hassan visiting a fortune teller who gets a look of doom on his face while reading Hassan's fortune. Next is a dream, also in italics. Amir is lost in a snowstorm until he takes Hassan's outstretched hand in his. Suddenly the boys are in a bright, grassy field, looking up at colorful kites.
Amir transports us back to the moment when he hid in the alley, watching Assef and his friends seizing Hassan. He remembers the blue kite and Hassan's pants lying on the ground. Assef told both his friends to rape Hassan, but they refused. They consented to hold Hassan down while Assef raped him. Amir saw "the look of the lamb," the look of defeat, on Hassan's face.
The chapter is interrupted by another italicized memory. Baba, Ali, and their sons gathered in the yard to sacrifice a lamb for Eid-e-Qorban, in honor of the prophet Ibrahim's near sacrifice of his son. A mullah makes the meat halal and the tradition is to give one third to family, one third to friends, and one third to the poor. Baba's tradition is to give all the meat to the poor because he says, "The rich are fat enough already." Just before the mullah slaughtered the lamb, Amir saw its look of acceptance, as though it understood that its death was for "a higher purpose." The look would haunt him forever after.
We return to Hassan's rape. Amir turned away, weeping, still hearing Assef's grunts issuing from the alleyway. Instead of standing up for Hassan the way his friend had for him so many times, he fled. Amir tried to convince himself that he ran out of fear, but he knew that he felt Hassan to be his sacrificial lamb, the one to suffer for him so that he could live happily. In spite of himself, Amir thought, "He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?"
Some time later, Amir found Hassan walking down the streets, holding the blue kite. He pretended that he hadn't seen the rape, but he was terrified that Hassan would know or worse, would show him devotion despite knowing. Hassan said nothing about the rape even though he was bleeding through his pants. The boys returned home and proud Baba wrapped Amir in his arms. Amir was so overjoyed that he momentarily forgot that he had just betrayed Hassan.



Chapter Eight
After the rape, Hassan did not spend time with Amir although he still did his chores. A worried Ali asked Amir about Hassan's torn shirt and bloodied pants the night of the tournament, but Amir pretended not to know what happened. That night, he asked Baba if they could go to Jalalabad; ever since Amir won the tournament, Baba had not denied him anything. When Baba suggested they invite Hassan along, Amir told him that Hassan was sick. Amir looked forward to having Baba to himself, but Baba invited three vans' worth of relatives and friends along. As they drove along in the car, one friend's twin daughters recounted Amir's victory at the kite-fighting tournament. At this, Amir's carsickness overwhelmed him and he vomited. As they aired out the van on the roadside, Amir saw Hassan's bloodied pants in his head.


Finally, they reached Kaka Homayoun's house in Jalalabad. Even though Amir finally had the intimacy with Baba he had wanted all his life, his guilt made him feel emptier than ever. As Amir, Baba, and everyone else slept in the same room, Amir confessed to the darkness, "I watched Hassan get raped." No one heard him. He realized that he was the monster in Hassan's dream and had dragged Hassan to the bottom of the lake. That night, Amir's insomnia began.
A week later, Hassan asked Amir to climb the hill with him and read to him. When they reached their favorite spot, Amir changed his mind and the boys walked back down. After that incident, Amir's memories of the winter of 1975 are unclear. He could not wait for winter to end and school to begin, even though he had fun with Baba. He made sure to never be in the same room as Hassan, although his loyal friend kept trying to make things better between them. One day, after Amir refused to walk to the market with him, Hassan asked Amir what he had done wrong. Amir told Hassan that he should stop harassing him. After that, Hassan left him alone. One day as they were planting tulips, Amir asked Baba if he would get new servants. Baba was furious and threatened to strike Amir if he ever suggested it again. Ali and Hassan were their family, he said.


When school started, Amir was relieved to have homework to keep him busy. Then one day, he asked Hassan to climb the hill with him to hear a new story. Hassan joined him eagerly. After they picked pomegranates, Amir asked Hassan what he would do if he threw a pomegranate at him. When Hassan said nothing, he threw the fruit at him and demanded that Hassan throw one back. As Hassan refused to fight back, Amir threw countless pomegranates at him until he was stained in blood-red juice. Finally, Hassan smashed a pomegranate against his own forehead and asked, "Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?" before leaving.


That summer, Amir turned thirteen. Even though the coldness between him and Baba had returned, his father threw him a lavish birthday party with a guest list of four hundred people. Assef showed up with his parents and charmed Baba. He invited Amir to come play volleyball at his house and to bring along Hassan, but Amir refused. Then Assef offered Amir his gift, a book he picked out himself. After awkwardly excusing himself, he unwrapped the present alone; it was a biography of Hitler, which he threw into the bushes. Rahim Khan found him and told him a story. He had almost married a Hazara woman, but his family was outraged at the proposition and sent her and her family out of town. Then Rahim Khan told Amir that he could confide in him, but Amir could not bring himself to tell his friend what he had done. Rahim Khan gave him his present, a notebook for his stories. Then they hurried back to the party to watch the fireworks. In one flash of light, Amir saw Hassan serving drinks to Assef and Wali. He saw Assef playfully punch Hassan in the chest before, to his relief, the light faded.


Chapter Nine
The morning after his birthday party, Amir opened his presents joylessly. To him, each gift was tainted with Hassan's shed blood. He knew Baba never would have thrown him such an extravagant party if he had not won the tournament, and to him the victory was inseparable from Hassan's rape. Baba himself gave Amir a coveted Stingray bicycle and a fancy wristwatch, but they too felt like "blood money." The only gift Amir could stand to enjoy was the notebook from Rahim Khan. As he considered Rahim Khan's story about his Hazara fiancée, Amir decided that either he or Hassan had to leave their household in order for them to be happy.
When Amir took his new bike for a ride, Ali and Hassan were in the yard cleaning up the mess from the party. Ali stopped Amir to give him a present from himself and Hassan, a new copy of the Shahnamah, the book from which he had so often read to Hassan. When he got home, Amir buried the book at the bottom of his pile of presents so it would not torment him with guilt. Then he began scheming how to get rid of Hassan. Before he went to bed, he asked Baba if he had seen his new wristwatch.


The next morning, Amir hid his wristwatch and a bundle of cash under Hassan's bed. Then he told Baba that Hassan had stolen from him. Baba called a meeting with Ali and Hassan in his office. When they arrived, their eyes were red from crying. Hassan lied and said that he had stolen Amir's wristwatch and money. Amir felt a pang of guilt because he understood that Hassan was sacrificing himself for him as usual. He also understood that Hassan knew everything about the night he was raped, that Amir stood by and did nothing to help him. To his shock, Baba forgave Hassan, but Ali and Hassan had already resolved to leave. From Ali's cold glance, Amir understood that Hassan had told him about the rape and about Amir's nonaction. Despite Baba's begging, Ali and Hassan left. When they were gone, Amir saw Baba cry for the first time. As though echoing Baba's grief, the skies opened up and it stormed during the dry season in Kabul.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Assignment for Sat. School

1. Summarize each chapter between 1-5.

2. There should be 5 paragraphs.

3. Each paragraph should be no less than 10 sentences.


D. Coles
S. Carter
C. Winston
J. Toland
D. Dunbar
K. Duncan
J. Hodge
G. McLaughlin
A. Vanderbilt
K. White
K. Whitfield
M. Woods
D. Lucas
C. Townsend


Extra Credit Opportunity: ANY OTHER Student who wishes to do the above assignment for extra credit, may do so. (5pts)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Chapter's 4-5

Chapter Four
Chapter four opens with the story of how Ali became a part of Baba's family. In 1933, the same year Baba was born, two intoxicated young drivers struck and killed a Hazara couple. Only their five-year-old son, Ali, survived. Baba's father was asked to decide the young men's punishment. After sending the young men to serve in the army, he took Ali into his household. Baba and Ali grew up as quasi-brothers, just like Amir and Hassan a generation later. But despite their closeness, Baba never considered Ali his friend just as Amir never considered Hassan his. According to Amir, their ethnic and religious differences kept them from being true friends or family. At the same time, all these years later, Amir says Hassan is "the face of Afghanistan" to him. The boys played and got into mischief together like any other two boys, except that Hassan made Amir's breakfast, cleaned his room, and did all his other household chores. While Amir went to school, Hassan stayed home to do housework with Ali. After school, Amir would read to Hassan, who loved books despite his illiteracy.
One day, Amir pretended to read to Hassan from a book but made up his own story to trick Hassan. When Amir finished, Hassan clapped and told him it was the best story he had ever read him. Amir was so happy that he kissed Hassan on the cheek, and that night he wrote his first short story. It was about a man who had a cup that turned his tears into pearls. The man grew greedy and tried to find ways to make himself cry as much as possible. It ended with him sitting on top of a mountain of pearls, holding his wife's slain body. Amir took the story to Baba, but he refused to read it. Rahim Khan read the story and gave Amir a piece of paper on which he had written "Bravo." The rest of his note explained that Amir had achieved irony in his story, which is something many writers never manage to master. He encouraged Amir to put his talent to use. In the letter, he called Amir his friend, and for a moment Amir wished that Rahim Khan was his father instead of Baba. He was so overcome with guilt that he vomited.
Amir rushed down to where Hassan was sleeping on a mattress with Ali and woke up his friend. After hearing the story, Hassan proclaimed that Amir would be world-famous someday. However, he also pointed out a plot hole in the story. He asked why the protagonist did not just smell an onion to make himself cry instead of killing his wife. Amir was speechless.


Chapter Five
Before Amir could respond to Hassan's criticism of his story, gunfire erupted outside. The boys huddled together with Ali until Baba came home. For the first time, Amir saw fear on his father's face. He was even glad for the violence for a moment, because Baba held him and Hassan close. The events of that night, July 17, 1973, were a precursor to the end of life as Afghanis knew it. What would follow was the Communist coup d'etat of 1978, followed by the Russian occupation beginning in December of 1979. On that July night, the king's brother, Daoud Khan, had seized Zahir Shah's kingdom while he was away. Afghanistan had gone overnight from a monarchy to a republic. Tired of listening to the radio news, Amir and Hassan went to climb their favorite tree. On the way, a young "sociopath" named Assef and his friends confronted them. He taunted Hassan for being a Hazara; Assef also had a habit of taunting Ali, whom he called Babalu. He praised Hitler and then said that he wanted to finish what Hitler started and rid Afghanistan of Hazaras. He called Amir and Baba "a disgrace to Afghanistan" for taking in Hazaras. Just as Assef threatened to punch Amir with his brass knuckles, Hassan pointed his slingshot at the bully and threatened to take out his eye. Assef and his friends retreated, but promised to come back for Amir and Hassan later.
On Hassan's birthday, Baba summoned him to the house as usual to collect his present. To Hassan, Amir, and Ali's shock, Baba had hired a plastic surgeon to correct Hassan's harelip. Amir was jealous that Baba was giving Hassan such special attention. The surgery went well and Hassan could finally smile an unbroken smile. Ironically, Amir explains, it was soon after that Hassan stopped smiling for good.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Chapter 3 Summary

Chapter Three
Amir describes Baba as being a huge and intimidating man who stood six feet, five inches tall and was purported to have wrestled a bear because of the long scars on his back. Despite his huge size, Baba was softhearted. He even devoted three years to funding and building an orphanage. Amir was proud to have such a successful father. Together with Rahim Khan, Baba owned several successful businesses and he had also married well; Amir's mother, Sofia Akrami, was a highly respected and educated poetry professor of royal descent. However, Baba's successes took him away from home and from Amir most of the time. When he was present, he was usually aloof.
One day in school, a Mullah or Muslim teacher told Amir and his classmates that drinking was a sin. When he got home, Amir asked Baba, a frequent drinker, about what the teacher had said. Baba told Amir that ultra religious people were not only wrong in their convictions but dangerous. He said, prophetically, "God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands." Then he explained to Amir that the only sin is stealing, whether a piece of property or a life. Baba knew about having things stolen firsthand; his father's life was stolen by a thief who stabbed him to death while robbing his house. Amir was grateful that Baba spoke to him so personally, but felt a simultaneous guilt for not being more like his father. He always felt that Baba hated him a little for 'killing' his mother as he was born.
Because Baba was aloof and often absent, Amir turned his attention to books. By the age of eleven, he could recite more poetry than anyone in his class at school. Baba wanted Amir to be an athlete like him, but Amir was not talented at soccer and did not have an interest in Baba's choice sport. Once, Baba took Amir to the yearly Buzkashi tournament. Buzkashi is a traditional Afghani sport in which a "highly skilled horseman" called a chapandaz from one team must retrieve an animal carcass from inside the other team's stampede and drop it in a special scoring circle while being chased by chapandaz from the other team who try to steal the carcass from him. As they sat watching the tournament, Baba pointed out Henry Kissinger, who was sitting in the bleachers, to Amir. Before Amir had a chance to ask Baba who Henry Kissinger was, one chapandaz fell off his horse and was trampled to death. Amir cried all the way home while Baba tried unsuccessfully to hide his disgust at his son's weak disposition. Back at home, Amir overheard Baba complaining to Rahim Khan about how Amir was always lost in his books and did not stand up for himself. Rahim Khan told Baba that he was self-centered, but Baba maintained that Amir was "missing something." Amir heard him say, "If I hadn't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son."

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Kite Runner Chapter 1-2 Summary

Chapter One
The Kite Runner begins with our thus-far nameless protagonist explaining that the past cannot be forgotten. A single moment in time defined him and has been affecting him for the last twenty-six years. This moment was in 1975 when he was twelve years old and hid near a crumbling alleyway in his hometown of Kabul, Afghanistan. When the protagonist's friend, Rahim Khan, calls him out of the blue, he knows that his past sins are coming back to haunt him even in the new life he has built in San Francisco. He remembers Hassan, whom he calls "the harelipped kite runner," saying "For you, a thousand times over." Rahim's words also echo in his head, "There is a way to be good again." These two phrases will become focal points for the rest of the novel and our protagonist's story.


Chapter Two
The protagonist remembers sitting in trees with Hassan when they were boys and annoying the neighbors. Any mischief they perpetrated was the protagonist's idea, but even when Hassan's father, Ali, scolded Hassan, he never told on the protagonist. Hassan's father was a servant to the protagonist's father, Baba and lived in a small servant's house on his property. Baba's house was widely considered the most beautiful one in Kabul. There Baba held large dinner parties and entertained friends, including Rahim Khan, in his smoking room. Though the protagonist was often surrounded by adults, he never knew his mother because she died in childbirth. Hassan never knew his mother, either, because she eloped with a performance troupe a few days after his birth. The protagonist always felt a special affinity with Hassan because he too was motherless. It was not a surprise that Hassan's mother, Sanaubar, left Ali. The only things these first cousins had in common were being of the Hazara ethnicity and the Shi'a religion. Otherwise, Sanaubar was nineteen years younger than Ali, gorgeous, and reportedly promiscuous. Meanwhile Ali was a pious man afflicted by paralysis of the lower face muscles and a crippled leg. Rumor had it that Sanaubar taunted Ali for his disabilities just as cruelly as strangers and refused to even hold the infant Hassan because of his cleft lip.

One night, after hearing so many insults thrown at Hassan because he was Hazara, the protagonist secretly read a summary of Hazara history. He found out that the Hazara people were descended from Moguls, owing to their flattened, "Chinese-like" facial features. The Hazaras were brutally oppressed throughout their history for being Shi'a instead of Sunni Muslim. His own people, the Pashtun, oppressed the Hazaras. The protagonist wondered why Baba had never told him any of this. He pitied Hassan for being a hated minority because he was an unusually gentle and kind person, "incapable of hurting anyone." In lieu of the boys' mothers, a kindly woman nursed and sang to both of them. Ali used to remind the boys that they were bound together because they had "fed from the same breasts." The boys were indeed like brothers. The protagonist explains that his first word was "Baba" while Hassan's was his name, "Amir." He says that the event that transpired in 1975, to which he alluded in Chapter One, was "already laid in those first words."

Monday, November 17, 2008

•The Kite Runner Unit
•Presented By: Ms. D. Fuller M.A.Ed

•Goals For The Unit
•Each student will develop cultural sensitivity to cultures that that are not familiar with.
•Students will learn about Afghanistan’s history and cultures.
•Students will be able to connect the events in this novel to other works of literature that they have read.
•Students will learn new vocabulary words that derive from the English and Arabic languages.

•Themes Explored Within The Unit
•Bullying
•Role of books, literacy
•Friendship guilt and redemption
•Father’s and sons
•Coming of Age
•Resilience of the human spirit
•Man’s inhumanity to man
•Discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, class structure
•Master/ slave relationships: loyalty & devotion vs. duty.

•Project Ideas
•Write a Diary as one of the characters. Tell his/her secret thoughts, motivations, history, ideas for future and thoughts about others.
•Rewrite part of the novel in song or poem form.
•Pretend you’re one of the characters. It’s 20 years from the end of the novel. Write a letter to another character in the book about what you’ve been doing with your life.
•Write a series of letter between any two characters.
•Project Ideas Continued
•Based on research, write news articles or create a newspaper about a section of the novel. Create a timeline of world events.
•In a group select a chapter or scene to dramatize. Write a script, design costumes and props, and perform for the class.
•Write interview questions for the author and/ or for the main characters. Pretend you’re a talk show and have invited guest characters to speak. Stage the show before the class.
•Write a sequel (or next chapter) of the novel.

•Assigned Reading, Homework, and Quizzes
•You will have homework to complete daily.
•You are required to write in your journals about the topic assigned.
•Short quizzes concerning the assigned reading will be administered at the beginning of each class.
•Weekly homework is due every Friday.

•What Are Your Thoughts?
•What do you think this novel is going to be about?
–Take 5 minutes to record your thoughts in your English Binders.

•Words of Advice
•This is a 5 week unit that is packed with information, assignments, and quizzes. It would be wise for you to stay on task and not fall behind. I have expectations of excellence that all of you are capable of meeting. Those of you who may not have performed well 1st Quarter, have a chance to make a change for the better. J

Thursday, November 13, 2008

ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES

1. Revised Drafts- Typed and emailed to Ms. Fuller by 11:59pm FRIDAY NIGHT. (Ms. Fuller will make corrections and send them back to you)

2. Final Drafts turned in on MONDAY BEFORE 3:00PM November 17, 2008

3. The Kite Runner by K. Hossieni due IN CLASS

4. Unit 4 Vocabulary Test will be taken DURING CLASS MONDAY November 17, 2008.



Helpful hints:


Check the digital portfolio for help with the test!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Outlines
An outline is like a "skeleton" of an essay.
It shows the "bare bones" or main ideas of the essay structure.
You can use an outline when you are reading or when you are writing.
An outline helps you to organize ideas.

Sample Outline
I. Introduction: What is Y2K?
II. Why people were afraid
III. What really happened on January 1st 2000
IV. How did it affect you?
V.Conclusion: What people will do now.

Practicing Outlines
Outline Your Writing Assignment
Write an outline of the main ideas of the essay.


Practicing Outlines
Now take your own pre-writing notes and organize them into an outline.
From this outline, begin writing the paragraphs of your rough draft.



Tasks For Tonight

Study your Vocabulary Words
Complete Your Outline and Start Your Rough Draft- (5 paragraphs)
Bring Your handwritten Draft to class tomorrow so that you may participate in the peer review.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Extra Credit Assignment

Due to the urgency to post your grades for your report cards, I am giving one final extra credit opportunity. Also, all missing assignments must be in my midnight tonight. In the event that you decide not to submit your missing assignment, it will reflect in your grade.

The Obama paper and the Dead Poets Society Extra Credit will count for Semester 2.


Extra Credit Activity for the night:

Sarah Palin has run into some trouble with the Media. A group of people are smearing her, and making negative statments about her in the media.

Yout task....

What group of people are making the negative statements about her?

Find an article regarding the negative attacks on Palin since the Election Last Tuesday.

Email the link to me along with the answer to the question above.

Class Notes : November 10, 2008

The Writing Process

Pre Writing Techniques
Brainstorming
Discussing
Looping
Free Writing

Words for Today
comely (adj.) – having a nice appearance; pleasing
compensate (v.) – to make up for; to repay for services
dissolute (adj.) – loose in morals or behaviors

Brainstorming
"Brainstorming" means thinking of as many ideas as possible in a short amount of time.
Write down your ideas so that you don’t forget them.
Write down everything that comes to your mind; don’t worry about sorting out "good" and "bad" ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

Example of Brainstorming
Topic: What would I do with one million dollars?
Travel-Egypt, England and Mexico
Pay off student loans
Share--give a scholarship, donate to charities
Buy a lot of books!
Invest/save and let the interest grow

Topics for Practice
Take 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas about the following question:
What are some of the most memorable experiences of your life?

Discussing
Discussing" is similar to brainstorming, but you do it with a partner or group.
Assign one person to write down the ideas.
Write down everything that group members say related to the topic; don’t worry about sorting out "good" and "bad" ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar.

Free Writing
Free Writing" is like pouring all of your thoughts onto paper.
Don’t take your pen off the page; keep writing for the entire time.
If you don’t know what to write, write "I don’t know what to write" until you do.
Don’t try to sort "good" and "bad" ideas.
Don’t worry about spelling and grammar.

Example of Free Writing

Topic: How was your weekend?
I thought that this weekend would be really bad for me after losing Mary. The funeral was hard, but Aaron took me to the Casino and to Fishbones and I had a great time. I also met a lot of the Redwings fans while I was on the people mover. I had a great time and it was good to get out of the house for a while.


Your Turn

Free Write for 5 minutes.

Looping
Looping" begins with "free writing." It can help you narrow a topic.
Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what you wrote; underline or circle it.
Take that idea and begin free writing again.
Repeat the process at least one more time.
Follow all the rules for free writing.

Example of Looping
I thought that this weekend would be really bad for me after losing Mary. The funeral was hard, but Aaron took me to the Casino and to Fishbones and I had a great time. I also met a lot of the Redwings fans while I was on the people mover. I had a great time and it was good to get out of the house for a while.

Example of Looping After You Select the Best Text!
Initially when one passes in our families, we expect things will turn out for the worse. I had the chance to support my family members, and pay my respects to Mary. I know that she would want me to move on, so I tried not to be too sad. After the repast, I went out with Aaron. I had more fun, than I have had in months. I know that was Mary’s doing. Even though she is not here in the physical form, she is still looking out for me.

Topics for Practice
Look at what you wrote during the freewriting exercise. Choose the best idea, word, or phrase from what you wrote. Write about this for 5 more minutes.

Homework
Receive the vocabulary homework for this week.
Perform up to the "Looping Process" for your writing prompt.
Begin working on the ACT Vocabulary Words for this week.
Check the Humanities Blog for updates concerning the class.
Record your notes from class today (see above) in your binder.

Friday, November 7, 2008

—Task List 11-06-08
—View Obama’s Victory Speech and McCains concession Speech
—Review the formatting requirements for a friendly letter.
—Begin to compose a letter to Barack Obama
—Save partially completed letter to your flash drive or email it to yourself.

—Barack’s Acceptance Speech
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27546870/

—McCain’s Concession Speech
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27545964#27545964

—Homework For Tonight
—Journal Entry- How do you feel about the results of the election? How does it affect you?
—Review Unit Three’s Vocabulary Words

—Friday November 7, 2008
—Take the Unit 3 Assessment test.
—Weekend Journal Entry- Now that 1st Quarter has ended, what are some of the things you feel that you could improve upon?

Thursday, November 6, 2008


—Quote of the Day/ Word of the Day
James Buchanan said “I like the noise of democracy.”
—pace (PAY-see)

—MEANING:With due respect to. (used to express polite disagreement)



lFriendly letters have five parts:
lThe Heading
l The Salutation (greeting)
l The Body
lThe Closing
lThe Signature


lThe Heading
lThe heading can include your address and the date. In casual, friendly letters your address is not necessary.


lThe Salutation (greeting)
lDear_________. The blank is for the name of the person you are writing. After you write the person's name you put a comma ( , ) .


lThe Body
lThe body of the letter is the information you are writing in your letter.

lThe Closing
lThe Closing: In the closing the first word is capitalized and you put a comma after the last word.
Some examples of closings are: Sincerely, Your friend, Love, Very truly yours,


lYour Signature
lThis is your name. It goes under the closing.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

—Tasks For The Day
—Read and respond to the quote of the day, and record the word of the day.
—Retake the Unit 2 Assessment test.
—Quote of the Day/ Word of the Day
—John Quincy Adams said:
—“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
—maugre or mauger (MAW-guhr)
—MEANING: In spite of.