Bell-ringer, Lyric Analysis

April 30, 2018

Bell-ringer: Write the following sentences. Define the underlined words using context clues and prior knowledge.

1.       When my fish floated to the top, my mother tried to resuscitate it.

2.       Once the spinners came out, classrooms were rife with them.

3.       Though the student thought his essay was logical, it was really just a bunch of rigmarole.

4.       Because of her great wisdom, many people went to my grandmother for her sagacious counsel.

5.       After traveling for 48 hours, the teacher was extremely somnolent.

Poetry Analysis Chart

Title: What predictions can you make from the title?  What are your initial thoughts about the poem?  What might be the theme of the poem?
Paraphrase: Summarize the poem in your own words.
Connotation: What is the connotative (non-literal) meaning of the poem?  Find examples of imagery, metaphors, similes, etc. and elaborate on their connotative meanings.
Attitude: What attitude does the poet have toward the subject of the poem?  Find and list examples that illustrate the tone and mood of the poem.
Audience: Who is the intended audience? How did you get that answer?
Speaker:  Who is the speaker of this poem? (Remember: the speaker and the author are not the same.) Your description of the speaker should start “The speaker of this poem is a person who…”

Pumped Up Kicks

Foster The People

Robert's got a quick hand
He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan
He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid
Yeah found a six shooter gun
In his dad's closet hidden oh in a box of fun things, I don't even know what
But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

Daddy works a long day
He be coming home late, he's coming home late
And he's bringing me a surprise
'Cause dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice
I've waited for a long time
Yeah the slight of my hand is now a quick pull trigger
I reason with my cigarette
And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, out run my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

Poetry Project Menu

Poetry Project Menu

Directions: Below are options for your poetry project. You will be required to create at least one original poem and at least one analysis of a piece of published poetry. Options of varying difficulties will be worth different amounts of points. Total, you will complete at least 80 points worth of work. Anything over 80 points can be converted to bonus points (at Mr. Spivy’s discretion). Read the directions of each option before making your selections.

Poetry Analysis: Must have at least one from this section.

#1. Lyric Analysis: Complete an analysis chart on a popular song of your choosing. You will need to attach the lyrics to the song to your completed analysis chart. This song should be appropriate. Remember the three-tier process of determining if something is appropriate (if Ms. Mewshaw, your grandma, and Jesus approve…).               

20 pts.

#2. Poem Analysis: Complete an analysis chart on a classic poem (Shakespeare, Poe, Longfellow, Keats, Whitman, Dickinson, Frost, Eliot, Hemingway, Angelou are all permissible poets). If you find a poem that is written by a poet not listed, Mr. Spivy must approve it. Googling and/or google-imaging a poem will probably not cut it. Attach a copy of the poem to a completed analysis chart.

30 pts.

Poetry Creation: Must have at least one from this section. At least one of your poems must be about an aspect of yourself—this is part of your identity project.

#1. Traditional Poem: Write an original poem in a traditional form (limerick, sonnet, cinquains, acrostic, blank verse, or free verse). Your poems can be on any appropriate topic.   You must identify the type of poem at the top of the paper beside the title of your poem. Follow the specific rules of each form (you may research this online). Each poem should have at least one analogy (metaphor/simile) and one example of figurative language/literary device (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyme, allusion, or hyperbole).  The poem does not need to be typed, but it must be legible. Note: two cinquains are necessary to receive full credit.  Blank verse, free verse, and acrostic poems must be at least ten lines long.

30 pts

#2. Spoken Word: Perform an original spoken word poem. This poem should rely heavily on rhythm and imagery. There should be several examples of alliteration and rhyme as well as at least two examples of onomatopoeia, allusion, or hyperbole. Model your spoken word off of the ones that we listened to in class. It should be interesting to listen to; it should be presented with confidence. It does not have to be memorized, but it should be practiced ad nauseam before your performance. You will be graded not only on the content of your poem, but also your performance of the poem. You will be required to turn in the text of your spoken word poem the day of the performance. Suggestion: find spoken word poems on YouTube and use them as examples of what to do. This is, not however, an invitation to plagiarize someone else’s work.

50 pts.

Artistic Response:

#1. Visual Art: Read a classic poem (see the list of acceptable poets in #2 of analysis). After reading the poem, draw or paint a picture that represents the poem. You could create a visual representation of the imagery in the poem or create something completely original that somehow reflects the mood or theme of the poem. Your artwork should be on professional paper (printer paper at minimum) that is no smaller than a regular sheet of paper. Part of the grading for this will be based on artistic ability, so if you are not an artist, this is not the option for you. You will also need to write a paragraph explaining how your artwork relates to the poem. Also, attach a copy of the poem to the artwork and explanatory paragraph.

30 pts.

#2. Short Story: Find and read a narrative poem (a poem that tells a story). After reading the poem, transform it from a poem to a short story. This short story should include dialogue, plot elements, setting, and characters. It should be at least five hundred words. You can take some liberties with the creative details, but you cannot completely change the story. Conversely, you cannot copy and paste sections of the poem into your story—all of it must be original writing. The story does not have to be typed, but it must be legible. The story must be at least 300 words. Attach a copy of the original poem to the short story.

30 pts.

If you think of another artistic response to poetry you would like to do, speak with Mr. Spivy to figure out the specific details.

Following Directions

CAN YOU FOLLOW DIRECTIONS?

Directions: Read everything carefully before doing anything. Put your answers on your own sheet of paper.

1.    Put your name in the upper right-hand corner of this paper.

2.    Quietly say your first name.

3.    Write your name backwards underneath where you first wrote your name.

4.    Say your first name backwards.

5.    Circle all of the vowels in your name.

6.    If you have followed directions carefully to this point, call out "I have.”

7.    Draw five small squares in the upper left-hand corner.

8.    Put an "X" in each square.

9.    In your normal speaking voice, count from ten to one backwards.

10. In a quiet speaking voice, count to ten in another language (if you do not know another language, make one up!)

11. Put a circle around each square.

12. Sign your name under the squares.

13. Write down the answer to this question: can you follow directions?

14. Put a circle completely around number seven.

15. When you reach this point, call out, “I AM THE LEADER IN FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS."

16. Put an "X" in the lower left-hand corner of this paper.

17. Draw a triangle around the "X" you just put down.

18. On the back of this paper, multiply 703 by 66.

19. Divide that number by two.

20. In the best sign language you can create, sign “I am nearly finished with this activity.”

21. Draw a rectangle around the word “square” in number eight.

22. On the reverse side of this paper, add 8950 and 9805.

23. Put a circle around your answer, and put a square around the circle.

24. Punch three small holes in the top of this paper with your pencil point.

25. Underline all even numbers on the left side of this paper.

26. Congrats! You made it to 26. Do not do #1-25. Do not do #27-29, either.

27. Add the ages of all of the people in the classroom. If you do not know someone’s age, estimate what it is.

28. Rewrite and correct the following sentence: Why is it so improtant to follow directtions?

29. Write the answer to the question you corrected in number 28.

Night: Ch. 7-9 Questions

Wiesel includes another incident in the train that is used as a foil to show the relationship between father and son. Describe this event. 

2.      What is ironic about the Parisian woman’s words when she said, “I like to give charity”?

3.      For whose benefit does Eliezer insist that his father cannot sit in the snow when they arrive to Buchenwald? The easy answer is that it only benefits his father—how might it also benefit Eliezer?

4.      Describe the role that guilt plays in Eliezer life at Buchenwald before his father dies. 

5.      Wiesel builds up his father’s death for many pages—it seemed like the poor guy would never die! However, Eliezer’s father’s death was quick and nondescript. Explain why Wiesel would create such buildup and then have it end so quickly. 

6.      What does Eliezer mean when he writes that he feels free after his father’s death? Is he free of responsibility? Or is he free to go under, to drift into death?

7. The book ends with a haunting sense of hollowness. Why do you think the author ends with this tone?

Anne Frank Journal Entry #3

Option A: Respond to the following quote from Anne Frank’s diary. “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Why is it astounding that Anne would write this? Would you be able to write this if you were put into her shoes? In your own life and circumstances, do you agree with this statement?

Option B: You have probably studied something about the Holocaust multiple years throughout your schooling. Why do you believe it is important for students in middle school to study about the Frank family, the plight of the Jewish people, and the atrocities of the Holocaust? How can learning about these horrific events make you a better world citizen?

4.19-Grammar Exercises

Apostrophes
Pronoun Agreement
Misplaced/Dangling Modifiers
Comma Splices/Fused Sentences

Bell-ringer: 4.18

Bell-ringer: Write the following sentences and define the underlined words using context clues and prior knowledge.

1.      Erie is the name of one of the great lochs in the United States.

2.      Mrs. Thomas, the oldest person in the state, will not reveal her secret to longevity.

3.      Now that my niece knows how to talk, she has become quite loquacious.

4.      Though she has lost her mind, Aunt Dot still has moments of lucidity.

5.      Chinchilla farming is not as lucrative of a business as we had thought.

4.17-Bell-ringer

Bell-ringer: Write the following sentences and define the underlined words using context clues and prior knowledge.

1.      Erie is the name of one of the great lochs in the United States.

2.      Mrs. Thomas, the oldest person in the state, will not reveal her secret to longevity.

3.      Now that my niece knows how to talk, she has become quite loquacious.

4.      Though she has lost her mind, Aunt Dot still has moments of lucidity.

5.      Chinchilla farming is not as lucrative of a business as we had thought.

Night: Ch 4-6

Night: Discussion Questions Chapters 4 and 5

Directions: With a partner(s), discuss these questions thoroughly. After an ample discussion, write down your answer. Your answers should be complete sentences.

1.    In chapter 4, Eliezer and his father arrive at Buna, the work camp. Compare and contrast Buna to Birkenau/Auschwitz.

2.    Describe the Frenchwoman who worked in the factory. At first, Eliezer thought that she did not speak German. After he is brutally beaten by Idek, she speaks perfect German to him. Why did she decide to speak to him after he was beaten?

3.    To get Eliezer’s fake tooth, Franek utilizes Eliezer’s weakness. What is his weakness? How does Franek take advantage of it?

4.    The author describes two different instances of hangings. After the first, Eliezer’s food tasted delicious. After the second, though, Elie describes the food as tasting like corpses. Detail the differences between these two hangings. Why did they affect the spectators differently?

5.    On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, over 10,000 Jews gather for prayers. Describe Eliezer’s thoughts as the prayer is recited. How does he twist the words of the recitation?

6.    Wiesel writes that “[t]he SS offered us a beautiful present for the New Year.” What is the irony of this statement? What was the “beautiful” present?

7.    Why does the head of the block attempt to assure the ten that were selected to stay in the camp that they would be fine? Once again, honesty does not seem like the best option.

8.    What was Eliezer’s inheritance from his father? How does the use of the word “inheritance” in the chapter compare to how most people use this word. Give another example of how a common word is used differently in Night because of the speaker’s experiences.

9.    When the reader is first introduced to Akiba Drumer, he is a deeply religious man; what has happened to Drumer? What did he ask for from his friends at the end of his life? Did they give it to him? Why or why not?

10.  The last section of this chapter begins, “At six o’clock the bell rang. The death knell. The funeral. The procession was beginnings its march.”
Describe the figurative language being used here. What is the speaker foreshadowing?

11.      While creating this book, Wiesel had to decide which memories he would include and which he would exclude. The account of Zalman could seem to be out of context and unnecessary to include. Why do you believe Wiesel included this anecdote?

12. Many times, authors will include a foil. A foil is typically a character that, when in contrast to another character, highlights a characteristic or aspect of the character. In what way could Rabbi Eliahou’s son be a foil to Eliezer? What aspects or characteristics of Eliezer are highlighted when compared to the rabbi’s son?

13.      Why does Juliek play his violin in the midst of such desperation? Why does he play Beethoven? Why did Wiesel include this in his memoir?

4.16-Bell-ringer, Journal Entry

Night Journal Entry #3 (only for 3/8 and 5)

Journal Entry #3
Write a response to one of the following prompts. This should be kept separate from your bell-ringers.

Option A: Like any teenager, the speaker’s relationships with each of his parents are complex. Choose one of your parents and discuss the complexity of your relationship with him/her. Maybe the expectations that are set for you are too high; perhaps this parent is absent or uninvolved with your life. Hopefully, there are some positive aspects of the relationship.

Option B: Eliezer poses a profound question: “How was it possible that men, women, and children were being burned and that the world kept silent?” If confronted with this question, how would you answer?

Option C: Elie tells a lie to his relative, Stein, because he believed it was more helpful to lie than to cause Stein pain with the truth. Is lying ever acceptable? How does one judge when a lie is beneficial?

Bell-ringer (1/7, 2/6)

 Answer the prompt below. Write at least two sentences.

Peter believed that the Star of David was a brand that should be burned. Anne thought that the Star of David was a religious symbol. If you were put in the same situation, would you agree with Anne or Peter? Why?

Bell-ringer (3/8)

1.      The talent of the gifted student transcended the talents of others.

2.      Her plaintive weeping caused sadness in all who heard her.

3.      What was most frightening about the murderer was his apathy; he had no remorse.

4.      The vitality of the weightlifter was shown as he lifted the school bus over his head.

5.      Paul fell prostrate, hitting his face on the unforgiving concrete.

4.13-Infinitive Notes

•An infinitive is a verbal consisting of the word “to” plus a verb (in its simplest "stem" form) and functioning as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

•

• The infinitive phrase includes the infinitive and any objects, complements, or modifiers

An infinitive phrase that acts like a noun will take on the functions of a noun (sub., DO, IO, OP).

Adjective infinitive phrases will come directly after a noun and modify it by answering “which?” or “what kind?.”

Adverb infinitive phrases usually answer “why?” or “how?.”

Infinitive Tips:
1. Can you replace the infinitive phrase with the word it? Then it is a noun. 
2. Is there a noun in front of the infinitive phrase? AND Does the infinitive phrase answer "which one" or "what kind"? Then it is an adjective.
3. Does the infinitive phrase answer "why" or "how"? Then it is an adverb. 

4.11-Bell-ringer, Etymology Activity, Spelling Words, Anne Frank Vocab 2

April 11, 2018

Bell-ringer: Write the verbal or verbal phrase in each sentence. Then identify it as a participle or a gerund.

1. Please take the distributed document home to your parents.
2. The woman tried to soothe the baby fussing in his crib.
3. Heather is immensely scared of driving over bridges.

Create an original sentence using the provided participial phrases.

4. Waving in the breeze
5. Burned to a crisp

1.       a word, phrase, image, or the like having a complex of associated meanings

2.       Synonym of the word perspicacity

3.       A cultivated variety of muskmelon

4.       Shares the same root word as the word “nil.”

5.       In physics, this word means the persistence of sound after the source has stopped.

6.       This adverb can be conclusively or irrevocably.

7.       The adjective form of this verb is concessible.

8.       A conclave plate of brass

9.       The word derives from the Anglo-Latin word meaning a stage for a play.

10.   The first one of these was made in 1902; it is named for a cloak worn by shepherds in a particular part of France

11.   An opaque mineral

12.   A synonym for one use of this word is “souvenir.”

13.   From the same root word as “journal” or “journey.”

14.   Possibly from the Arabic word “al-zahr” meaning “the die (as in singular dice); antonym of safety

15.   _______can be a hard concept to get a handle on,especially for those who are immersed in it and reaping the benefits.

1.    adjourn

2.    finally

3.    hazard

4.    limousine

5.    symbol

6.    cymbal

7.    cantaloupe

8.    pageant

9.    remembrance

10.  judgment

11.  concede

12.  privilege

13.  annihilate

14.  reverberation

15.  turquoise

Anne Frank: Vocabulary Illustrated Dictionary

Directions: Create an illustrated dictionary that includes the vocabulary word, an original sentence that includes the word, and a picture that represents the word. These can be created like a dictionary—not in vocabulary squares. You do not need a synonym or antonym. Due Monday, 16. 

1.     Inarticulate- adj. unable to express oneself

2.     Apprehension- noun a fearful feeling about what will happen next

3.     Intuition- noun ability to sense immediately, without reasoning

4.     Indignant- adj. filled with anger at meanness or injustice

5.     Stealthily- adv. in a secretive way

6.     Ineffectually- adv. without producing the desired results