Summer Reading Assignment

I will be passing out the BPS summer reading assignment. This reading will be assessed next fall (for sure this time) by the city and will count towards your first quarter average. If you are not in attendance, or lose it, you can obtain another copy here: Buffalo Public Schools Summer Reading Program link.

Last Exit Response--Course Reflection

I have genuinely enjoyed spending the year with this group. I hope you will take what you learned in this room on to the next level. As a final response, I would just like to know what you really thought of the class. Here are a few points to ponder:
1. Do you believe this class helped you improve your reading and/or writing skills?
2. Do you believe I genuinely cared about your success in this room?
3. How do you feel your behavior/motivation has affected your grade in this class?
4. Do you feel the grading process was fair and clear to you?
5. What do you feel helped add or take away from your learning experience in this roon?
6. What was your favorite piece of lit. we read this year and why?
7. Any final thoughts for me, on your work this year, hopes for the future?

A Lesson Before Dying Movie Trailer....

I think it turned out great--Congratulations on a great year! Have a wonderful summer!

Controlling Idea Help

*A good format sheet

Literature We Have Read This Year/ Common Literary Elements and Techniques

1. Of Mice and Men , by John Steinbeck, (George and Lennie)
2. Stuck in Neutral, Terry Trueman, (Shawn)
3. Twelve Angry Men, Reginald Rose, (mainly jurors 8 and 3)
4. A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines, (Grant, Jefferson)

Conflict--meeting of opposing forces (mainly internal and man vs. man)
Setting--time and place of events
Characterization--how the author makes the character come to life (what he/she says and does, author/narrator's direct comments, what/how other characters act towards/ say about him/her)

Last Project (Hopefully).....

A Lesson Before Dying movie trailer

I would like to complete one last video project with the class before we leave for the year. As a group, we will attempt to make a movie trailer for A Lesson Before Dying. It will be difficult because there are over thirty of us, so we will have to break it down into parts. Each group will come up with a storyboard segment and I will piece them together. As a group we will choose music, and someone will have to volunteer to do the voice over..and act of course!

Final Novel Response:

Please try to give specific examples from the novel to support your answer.

1. How does Jefferson change Grant's life? How does Grant change Jefferson's life?
2. The definition of a hero is: a man/woman distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, and strength;one who in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice--for some greater good. Is Jefferson a hero? Is Grant?