Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Heracles Essay: More Info
The assignment for the Heracles essay is as follows:
Write a 2 page response agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: “Heracles is a hero for the ages.”
Some important questions to consider:
- How did the ancient Greeks seem to define the term hero?
- How do you define hero today?
- In what ways does he fit or not fit into these definitions?
Remember that you can argue that Heracles both is and isn't a hero for the ages, but be specific about that in your thesis.
Your essay should include:
- A clear intro focusing on heroism, then and now, with a clear, easily identifiable thesis
- 2-3 paragraphs with specific supporting ideas that use examples to prove your thesis
- a clear conclusion
Other tips:
- This is a formal essay, so avoid the use of personal pronouns (I, me my, your...) and informal language
- Be sure to use strong verbs and nouns (Rather than writing "Another thing to think about..." try something like "Another aspect to consider..." instead)
- Proofread and revise!
- Ask questions if you've got them ahead of time (either at school of via email: tgrattan@manhattancountryschool.org)
Write a 2 page response agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: “Heracles is a hero for the ages.”
Some important questions to consider:
- How did the ancient Greeks seem to define the term hero?
- How do you define hero today?
- In what ways does he fit or not fit into these definitions?
Remember that you can argue that Heracles both is and isn't a hero for the ages, but be specific about that in your thesis.
Your essay should include:
- A clear intro focusing on heroism, then and now, with a clear, easily identifiable thesis
- 2-3 paragraphs with specific supporting ideas that use examples to prove your thesis
- a clear conclusion
Other tips:
- This is a formal essay, so avoid the use of personal pronouns (I, me my, your...) and informal language
- Be sure to use strong verbs and nouns (Rather than writing "Another thing to think about..." try something like "Another aspect to consider..." instead)
- Proofread and revise!
- Ask questions if you've got them ahead of time (either at school of via email: tgrattan@manhattancountryschool.org)
Greek Gods Final Project
Greeks God Final Project
For the end of our unit on Greek Myths, you will complete a two-part final project, including a day in which you portray a Greek god, and brief presentation where you will teach your triplet about the particulars of a particular god. You are responsible for the following:
Part 1—Handout
• Read the section in the Mythology: Greek and Roman (Carpenter and Gula) about your particular god, along with two other sources (either from books or reputable internet sources). Bring your two additional sources to class on Monday, 1/26
• Take formal notes on all of your sources, formal notes must be completed by Thursday, 1/29
• Turn the information about your god into a handout, about a page long. The handout must include the following information:
o Specifics on his or her power(s). What was he or she the god of?
o Temperament and character traits
o Physical characteristics, including tools and symbols associated with them
o Relationship to other gods
o Significant children
o Relationship to mortals
o Most important myths about the god
o 1-2 little known facts
• Handout and a 2-3 minute presentation about your god will be due on Monday, 2/2. Please make enough copies for your entire triplet!!
Part 2—Monologue
• Create a 3-5 minute monologue from the perspective of your god focusing on one or more of the following topics:
o His or her relationship with a god or a mortal
o A way in which he or she is misunderstood
o The psychology of your god (why they do the things they do)
o A contradiction in character and/or roles (Hermes, for example both the god of traders and thieves)
o Something she or he could feel conflicted about
o A take on a famous story about them
o A regret
o Take on a specific relationship she or he has with a mortal or another god
• You will also spend an entire triplet interacting with everyone (the other gods) as if you are your particular Mount Olympian, so come up with at least five questions to ask different gods in attendance
• On the day you present your monologues, you must not only take on the persona of your god, but the look of them too. This means props and costumes!
• Monologues will be performed in class on Greek God Day, Thursday, 2/5
Grading
You will receive two grades, one for the handout and its presentation and one for the monologue. The grading criteria are:
For the handout:
• Clarity of information
• Use of detail
• Adherence to the assignment
• Proofreading/Editing
• Presentation
For the monologue:
• Clarity and organization
• Use of relevant detail
• Creativity
• Proofreading/Editing
• Performance
• Costumes & Props
Be creative with this project and have fun!!
For the end of our unit on Greek Myths, you will complete a two-part final project, including a day in which you portray a Greek god, and brief presentation where you will teach your triplet about the particulars of a particular god. You are responsible for the following:
Part 1—Handout
• Read the section in the Mythology: Greek and Roman (Carpenter and Gula) about your particular god, along with two other sources (either from books or reputable internet sources). Bring your two additional sources to class on Monday, 1/26
• Take formal notes on all of your sources, formal notes must be completed by Thursday, 1/29
• Turn the information about your god into a handout, about a page long. The handout must include the following information:
o Specifics on his or her power(s). What was he or she the god of?
o Temperament and character traits
o Physical characteristics, including tools and symbols associated with them
o Relationship to other gods
o Significant children
o Relationship to mortals
o Most important myths about the god
o 1-2 little known facts
• Handout and a 2-3 minute presentation about your god will be due on Monday, 2/2. Please make enough copies for your entire triplet!!
Part 2—Monologue
• Create a 3-5 minute monologue from the perspective of your god focusing on one or more of the following topics:
o His or her relationship with a god or a mortal
o A way in which he or she is misunderstood
o The psychology of your god (why they do the things they do)
o A contradiction in character and/or roles (Hermes, for example both the god of traders and thieves)
o Something she or he could feel conflicted about
o A take on a famous story about them
o A regret
o Take on a specific relationship she or he has with a mortal or another god
• You will also spend an entire triplet interacting with everyone (the other gods) as if you are your particular Mount Olympian, so come up with at least five questions to ask different gods in attendance
• On the day you present your monologues, you must not only take on the persona of your god, but the look of them too. This means props and costumes!
• Monologues will be performed in class on Greek God Day, Thursday, 2/5
Grading
You will receive two grades, one for the handout and its presentation and one for the monologue. The grading criteria are:
For the handout:
• Clarity of information
• Use of detail
• Adherence to the assignment
• Proofreading/Editing
• Presentation
For the monologue:
• Clarity and organization
• Use of relevant detail
• Creativity
• Proofreading/Editing
• Performance
• Costumes & Props
Be creative with this project and have fun!!
Homework for Week of 1/26
MONDAY 1/26
- Worldy Wise 1-5 Unit Test
- Bring all articles/sources for your Greek God Final Project to class
TUESDAY 1/27
- Heracles Questions
THURSDAY 1/29
- Heracles the Hero Essay
FRIDAY 1/30
- 7th Grade Parts of Speech Retest
- Bring Nonfiction Independent Reading Book choice to class
- Worldy Wise 1-5 Unit Test
- Bring all articles/sources for your Greek God Final Project to class
TUESDAY 1/27
- Heracles Questions
THURSDAY 1/29
- Heracles the Hero Essay
FRIDAY 1/30
- 7th Grade Parts of Speech Retest
- Bring Nonfiction Independent Reading Book choice to class
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Autobiography Timeline (Tentative)
Autobiography Timeline (Tentative)
Each chapter should be at least 3 pages long, but can be longer. All blank spaces denote free choice chapters. Please keep up with the deadlines!!
February 4th (Wednesday) 1st Chapter: Family
February 11th (Wednesday) 2nd Chapter: Hobbies and Passions
February 25th (Wednesday) 3rd Chapter: _________________
March 2nd (Monday) REWRITE: Family
March 4th (Wednesday) 4th Chapter: A Day in My Life
March 9th (Monday) REWRITE: Hobbies and Passions
March 12th (Thursday) 5th Chapter: Lesson Learned
REWRITE: Chapter 3 & A Day in My Life
March 24th (Tuesday) 6th Chapter: ______________
7th Chapter: ______________
8th Chapter: Who Am I?
March 27th (Friday) REWRITE: Lesson Learned
April 1st (Wednesday) 9th Chapter: _____________
April 15th (Wednesday) REWRITE: Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Who Am I?
April 20th (Monday) REWRITE: Chapter 9
April 22nd (Wednesday) Personal Action Poem
April 24th (Friday) Six-Word Memoir
May 1st (Friday) 10th Chapter: 20 Years From Now
REWRITES: Personal Action Poem, Six-Word Memoir
Week of May 11th Beginning layout (Bring book, chapters, photos)
May 13th (Wednesday) Final Autobiographies Due (Reading Practice)
May 18th (Monday) Autobiography Share!!!!!
Each chapter should be at least 3 pages long, but can be longer. All blank spaces denote free choice chapters. Please keep up with the deadlines!!
February 4th (Wednesday) 1st Chapter: Family
February 11th (Wednesday) 2nd Chapter: Hobbies and Passions
February 25th (Wednesday) 3rd Chapter: _________________
March 2nd (Monday) REWRITE: Family
March 4th (Wednesday) 4th Chapter: A Day in My Life
March 9th (Monday) REWRITE: Hobbies and Passions
March 12th (Thursday) 5th Chapter: Lesson Learned
REWRITE: Chapter 3 & A Day in My Life
March 24th (Tuesday) 6th Chapter: ______________
7th Chapter: ______________
8th Chapter: Who Am I?
March 27th (Friday) REWRITE: Lesson Learned
April 1st (Wednesday) 9th Chapter: _____________
April 15th (Wednesday) REWRITE: Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Who Am I?
April 20th (Monday) REWRITE: Chapter 9
April 22nd (Wednesday) Personal Action Poem
April 24th (Friday) Six-Word Memoir
May 1st (Friday) 10th Chapter: 20 Years From Now
REWRITES: Personal Action Poem, Six-Word Memoir
Week of May 11th Beginning layout (Bring book, chapters, photos)
May 13th (Wednesday) Final Autobiographies Due (Reading Practice)
May 18th (Monday) Autobiography Share!!!!!
7th Grade Parts of Speech Retest
All 7th grade students who received a 70% or lower on the Parts of Speech Test, must take the retest on Friday, January 30th. They must also attend one of the review sessions for the test, either on Friday, 1/23 or Wednesday, 1/28, no exceptions!!!
Independent Reading Assignment #4 - Nonfiction
Independent Reading Assignment #4
For the next Independent Reading Assignment, you will be reading a nonfiction book. Choose from the list below or talk with me if you have a nonfiction book you'd like to read that is not on the list. After completing the book, answer the following questions in a 2-3 page essay:
Would you recommend this book to another 7th or 8th grade reader? Why or why not? What elements were the most/least successful (voice, plot development, character, humor, suspense, etc)?
Due Tuesday, March 3rd
Albrecht, Kathy The Lost Pet Detective
Bergreen, Laurence Over the Edge of the World
Binney, Marcus The Women Who Lived for Danger: Behind Enemy Lines During WWII
Bissinger, H.G. Friday Night Lights
Bryson, Bill A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Buck, Rinker Flight of Passage
Capote, Truman In Cold Blood
Chang, Jeff Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
Croke, Vicki The Lady and the Panda
Curtis, Christopher Paul The Watsons go to Birmingham
Ehrenreich, Barbara Nickel and Dimed
Frank, Anne The Diary of a Young Girl
Gleik, James Isaac Newton
Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare
Hakakian, Roya Journey From the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran
Hillenbrand, Laura Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Hopkinson, Deborah Shutting Out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York
Kalush, William The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero
Krakauer, Jon Into Thin Air
Larson, Erik The Devil in the White City
Mealer, Bryan All Things Must Fight to Live
Montgomery, Sy The Good Good Pig
Nuzum, Erik Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America
Pollan, Michael The Botany of Desire
Ralston, Aron Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Roach, Mary Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers
Rybczynski, Witold One Good Turn: The Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw
Salzman, Mark True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year in Juvenile Hall
Satrapi, Marjane Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Sullivan, Robert Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants
Traig, Jennifer Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
For the next Independent Reading Assignment, you will be reading a nonfiction book. Choose from the list below or talk with me if you have a nonfiction book you'd like to read that is not on the list. After completing the book, answer the following questions in a 2-3 page essay:
Would you recommend this book to another 7th or 8th grade reader? Why or why not? What elements were the most/least successful (voice, plot development, character, humor, suspense, etc)?
Due Tuesday, March 3rd
Albrecht, Kathy The Lost Pet Detective
Bergreen, Laurence Over the Edge of the World
Binney, Marcus The Women Who Lived for Danger: Behind Enemy Lines During WWII
Bissinger, H.G. Friday Night Lights
Bryson, Bill A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Buck, Rinker Flight of Passage
Capote, Truman In Cold Blood
Chang, Jeff Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation
Croke, Vicki The Lady and the Panda
Curtis, Christopher Paul The Watsons go to Birmingham
Ehrenreich, Barbara Nickel and Dimed
Frank, Anne The Diary of a Young Girl
Gleik, James Isaac Newton
Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare
Hakakian, Roya Journey From the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran
Hillenbrand, Laura Seabiscuit: An American Legend
Hopkinson, Deborah Shutting Out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York
Kalush, William The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero
Krakauer, Jon Into Thin Air
Larson, Erik The Devil in the White City
Mealer, Bryan All Things Must Fight to Live
Montgomery, Sy The Good Good Pig
Nuzum, Erik Parental Advisory: Music Censorship in America
Pollan, Michael The Botany of Desire
Ralston, Aron Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Roach, Mary Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers
Rybczynski, Witold One Good Turn: The Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw
Salzman, Mark True Notebooks: A Writer’s Year in Juvenile Hall
Satrapi, Marjane Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Sullivan, Robert Rats: Observations on the History and Habitat of the City’s Most Unwanted Inhabitants
Traig, Jennifer Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Winter Farm Weeks Work
Winter Farm Weeks
The following work should be completed over the course of the winter farm trips.
1. Read Chapters 8-14 in Tales of Greek Heroes. Due Tuesday, 1/20
2. Create a timeline of the Life and Adventures of Hercules. Due Tuesday, 1/20
3. Independent Reading Book Review. Due Wednesday. 1/21
4. Review for your Wordly Wise Lessons 1-5 Unit Test. Monday, 1/26
5. Write a 2 page response agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: “Hercules is a hero for the ages.” Due Tuesday, 1/27
The following work should be completed over the course of the winter farm trips.
1. Read Chapters 8-14 in Tales of Greek Heroes. Due Tuesday, 1/20
2. Create a timeline of the Life and Adventures of Hercules. Due Tuesday, 1/20
3. Independent Reading Book Review. Due Wednesday. 1/21
4. Review for your Wordly Wise Lessons 1-5 Unit Test. Monday, 1/26
5. Write a 2 page response agreeing or disagreeing with the following statement: “Hercules is a hero for the ages.” Due Tuesday, 1/27
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