Tentative Semester Timeline
Spring 2008
Susan Henderson,
Freshman Gifted Language Arts
“DLP” stands for “Daily Language Practice,” a grammar program which involves editing ten sentences a week for errors.
First independent novel project choices—Life of Pi, Robinson Crusoe, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Kaffir Boy, and A Separate Peace
Museum project novel choices—Pride and Prejudice, Silas Marner, Brave New World, The Woman Warrior:
Memoirs of a Childhood Among Ghosts, A Tree Grows in
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Week |
Literature |
Grammar |
Composition |
Vocabulary |
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Jan. 3-4 |
Poetry based on or alluding to The Odyssey to review and connect to last semester Introduce first independent novel project of the semester—analyzing the novel using different literary criticisms |
Editing Skills (DLP weeks 14-15) |
Writing portfolio organization and reflection (what they learned, areas that need to be improved) |
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Jan. 7-11 (9th—4th period block schedule for GHSGT pilot science) |
Greek mythology play project—groups pick myth, create original script, and act out for class with costumes Friday—novel choice due |
Editing skills DLP weeks 16-17 |
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Unit 8 from Vocabulary Workshop book |
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Jan. 14-18 |
Present mythology skits World mythology comparison/contrast research activity—due Tuesday, 22nd Theme: teenage emotions Read: short story “Checkouts,” poem “Fifteen,” and nonfiction “The Talk” |
Editing skills DLP 18-19 |
Quickwrites: loss of innocence, infatuation |
Unit 9 |
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Jan. 21-25 (21st—holiday) |
Groups present findings from world mythology activity Read and discuss “Rules of the Game” (reviewing point of view, parts of the plot, and other first semester literary terms) Friday: “Reading Circles”—first 1/3 of independent novel |
Editing skills DLP 20-21 |
Creative writing assignment—town name origin story (use
list of funny town names, like Dead Horse, |
Unit 8-9 review |
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Jan. 28-Feb. 1 |
Read and discuss “Uncle Marcos” and “The Interlopers” (focus on surprise twists, irony, psychological crit.) |
Editing skills DLP 22-23 |
Review “Ms. Henderson’s Ten Commandments of Writing” Peer edit town name stories |
Unit 10—write vocab story using 15 words from units 8-10 |
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Feb. 4-8 |
Introduction to poetry—notes and musical association activity (play short clips of instrumental music and have students write what they imagine) Read “The Road Not Taken”, “To Be of Use”, and “New Directions” Friday: “Reading Circles”—2/3 of independent novel |
Editing skills DLP 24 |
Final draft of town name stories due Write response poems—choices (share originals with the class, either volunteers or read anonymously) |
Unit 11 |
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Feb. 11-15 |
Read “Slam, Dunk, and Hook,” “The Spearthrower,” “Shoulders,” “Combing,” “Women”, “Memory,” and Gifts” Also read “Dreams” and “Dream Deferred” |
Editing skills DLP 25 |
Write response poems—who you lean on and dreams |
Review units 10-11 |
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Feb. 18-22 (18th—holiday) |
Read “Sympathy,” “Caged Bird,” “We Never Knew How High,” “Astonishment”, “Macavity the Cat”, “The Problem with Hurricanes” Use Macavity song from Cats musical CD Friday--Turn in independent novel project |
Editing skills DLP 26 |
Write original poetry—obstacles |
Unit 12 |
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Feb. 25-29 |
Read “Fire and Ice,” “The Raven,” “There Will Come Soft Rains,” “The Horses,” “All Watched Over,” “Blackberry Eating,” “Eulogy for a Hermit Crab,” “Meciendo,” “Women’s Work,” “Uphill,” “Summer,” “The Bells” |
Editing skills DLP 27 |
Poetry portfolio—analyzing poems by a single author, examples of poetry devices from poems read as a class, and original poetry |
Unit 13 |
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March 3-7 |
Haikus Poetry wrap up—bring in special guest Dr. Karen Head, poet and professor, to read her own work Students share poetry portfolios |
Editing skills DPL 28 |
Write original haikus |
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March 10-14 (10th-staff development) |
Monday—introduce museum project and give novel choices Introduce Anthem—connect back to poetry we have read and to The Giver, which they read in middle school |
Editing Skills DLP 29 |
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Review 12-13 |
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March 17-21 (21st-holiday) |
Monday—novel choices due Read and discuss Anthem Friday—assign museum project groups and give project criteria |
Editing skills DLP 30 |
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Unit 14 |
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March 24-28 |
Finish Anthem Anti-utopian connection—“Harrison Bergeron” |
Editing skills DLP 31 |
In class analysis essay on Anthem |
Unit 15 |
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March 31-April 4 (GHSGT: M—1st block, T—2nd block, W—3rd block, Th—4th block) |
Time to work on museum projects in groups Sonnets and iambic pentameter |
Editing skills DLP 32 |
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April 14-18 |
Introduce Shakespeare and the Globe Theater Begin Romeo and Juliet—assign parts and walk through stage directions as we read; show movie clips after we have read each section |
Editing Skills DLP 33 |
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Review units 14-15 |
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April 21-25 (Gateway: Tu—1st block, Th—3rd block) |
Romeo and Juliet |
Editing skills DLP 34 |
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Review units 8-15 |
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April 28-May 2 |
Romeo and Juliet |
Editing skills DLP 35 |
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Root words from semester’s vocabulary |
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May 5-9 (performance exam?) |
Romeo and Juliet |
Editing skills DLP 36 |
Practice SAT writing—“Who’s to blame for the tragedy in Romeo and Juliet?” |
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May 12-16 (EOCT: M&Tu in lab) |
Museum project presentations |
Editing skills |
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May 19-21 Final exams M-W |
Post test on literary terms for year |
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