After listening to “Old Soul Song,” choose one image (a moment where the writer tries to get you to see a picture in your mind) and briefly explain what feeling or emotion it caused you to have.

Charlotte Bronte's novel "Jane Eyre" is about a female character who is made to feel "less than" or inferior anywhere she goes. In the first few chapters of the novel she is mistreated by her step aunt and her cousins. Then, she is sent away to a religious school where she is mistreated and embarrassed by the man who leads the school, Mr. Brocklehurst.

At this point in the novel, chapter 13, Jane who is now an adult is working as a private teacher to a French girl named Adele in a house called Thornfield Mansion. Mr. Rochester, the owner of the house and someone whose status is far superior to Jane's, calls on her to have a conversation. The two had first met outdoors the night before, when Mr. Rochester fell from his horse and hurt his ankle.

This is maybe my favorite chapter of the book, because in this conversation Jane gets to show her power, once again, even when she is inferior or expected to be inferior. She shows intelligence, creativity, and reservation, more so I think than Mr. Rochester, in a time when wealthy men were seen to be the smartest and most powerful.

What I would like you to do is, after reading the chapter, write an essay (2-3 pages) in which you explain how the author's use of dialogue and other writing strategies/ literary devices help to develop a complex relationship between Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Keep in mind that a complex relationship is one that has more than one side to it, and often those sides are against or in conflict with one another.

Good luck :)  You can earn a lot of points for this essay, depending on the length and quality of your response!

Over the course of this year we have tried several different ways to give you guys feedback on your writing. For this last writing assignment (argument essay), use this form to let us know how you'd like to get your feedback to improve :)

With your partner, prepare a 2-3 minute live presentation (will take place on Friday) in which you do the following-


1. Identify and define key terms that your classmates will need to know to successfully respond to YOUR assigned question.


2. Explain in your own words what the question is asking students to find, interpret, or decide.


3. Describe the steps that you and your partner took to respond to the question, and how you reached your final answer.


Please see my sample presentation about question #1 to see what a high scoring presentation will look and sound like!

On page 1, include specific evidence to show the qualities/ characteristics of the living humans in the text. Please provide either direct quotations or paraphrases with line numbers.



On page 2, include specific evidence to show the qualities/ characteristics of the dead ancestors or "mirror people" from the text. Please provide either direct quotations or paraphrases with line numbers.


Remember that this story is kind of weird- the members of this family see and interact with their dead ancestors in the mirrors of their home. These ancestors also lived in the home when they were alive.


Finally, see my sample posts on page one to know what your own posts should look like :)

Use evidence from the class jam board from earlier today to write a well-supported paragraph in which you:

Infer or predict why the author might have chosen to create such a strange set of events in the text. Or, what message was she trying to send us about family?

Link to the text and our class period's jam board below!

Use this form to help reflect about the planning and writing of your argument essay, and to help us plan for next year's argument projects :)

Fill out this form to make sure that you get credit for the digital comments you made your partner's argument essay! 

Remember that your comments should make specific suggestions on how your partner can use the three strategies we spoke about in class. Please see the attached video for a short review of these strategies :)

If you are struggling to make the comments, you can also check out my sample comments and sentence starters, both attached to the assignment! Good luck with your commenting!

Sentence Stems for Giving Feedback:

Pink Strategy (adding an additional example)-
1. I think your argument would be more convincing if you added another example about...
2. Text _ has some really good examples of... Can you add one to this paragraph?

Blue Strategy (clarifying a statement or idea from before)
1. Your statement about __ is a little hard to understand, can you be more clear in this section?
2. Can you clarify your idea about __ by discussing...

Green Strategy (providing a real life example or situation)
1. One group of people who are really affected by this issue are __ . Can you write about their perspective in this paragraph?
2. It would be really powerful if you told a brief story about __ in this moment in your essay.

Using evidence from at least TWO of the three texts about your topic, write a well-developed argument essay in which you respond to the prompt/ question related to your topic.

Make sure to clearly establish your claim/ position, distinguish your claim from alternate or opposing claims (counterclaims), and use specific, relevant, and sufficient evidence from at least TWO of the texts to develop your argument.

Don't forget to organize your ideas in a cohesive and coherent manner by including TOPIC SENTENCES at the beginning of each paragraph. Finally, identify each source that you reference by text number and page number(s) (for example, Text 1, page 2).

Check out the digital rubric to know how you can get a 6/6 on this major writing assignment! And don't forget to use evidence/ analysis from your JAM BOARDS and OUTLINES/ ORGANIZERS. We did those so that writing the essay itself can be easy :)

Finally, don't forget to check out the high scoring sample argument essay about pets in the work place, and the sentence stems for introducing text evidence. Good luck everyone!!


Argument Prompts/ Questions:

SMART HOMES ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the pro's of voice assistants and/or other smart home technologies outweigh the cons? Or, should more people include these kinds of technologies in their homes?

PAYING FOR COLLEGES ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the opportunities students have to pay for college balance out the challenges? Or, is the current system of paying for college fair for students in the US?

RENEWABLE ENERGY ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the benefits of using renewable energy sources outweigh the disadvantages? Or, should mroe countries change from nonrenewable sources to renewable ones?

Hello Tenth Graders, I have some exciting news! The due date for the argument essay has been pushed ahead one week to next Thursday, May 13. Why, you might ask? Because this is the final week of the marking period, and we'd like to give you the chance to make up missing work, complete NX projects, and/or submit extra credit.

Please use this form to tell us how you'd like to spend this time today. If you select that you are willing to help a classmate with their missing work from the argument unit or with NX projects, we will pair you with someone :)

Podcasts are an amazing way to relax, unwind, and learn something new! The students who are a part of the National Honor Society at MAST High School started one just for you, and for Wellness Wednesday this week, we'd like you to choose one of the episodes to watch (the first three are posted) and write just a few sentences about what you learned! The topics are as follows:



Episode 1: Social Media
Episode 2: Online School vs. In-Person Learning
Episode 3: Finding Inspiration and Motivation


Prompt/ Question: What are some new things that you learned from the episode you watched? How will you apply them in your life?

One of the most valuable things you can do for your writing as a tenth grader is to find ways to say more, or to expand on your ideas/ analysis. Luckily for us, there are a few good ways to do that while writing an argument essay :)  
Please see the chart and complete the examples with your partner below!

Use the document attached here to outline (plan) an argument essay based on the argument question related to your topic. You will use evidence from at least two of the three texts in your text set folder (please use your jam board/ evidence tracker) to create the outline. 

Also, I created an entire outline using articles and a topic that is interested to me. Please check this out before you start your own outline :) 

Good luck!

SMART HOMES ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the pro's of voice assistants and/or other smart home technologies outweigh the cons? Or, should more people include these kinds of technologies in their homes?

PAYING FOR COLLEGES ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the opportunities students have to pay for college balance out the challenges? Or, is the current system of paying for college fair for students in the US?

RENEWABLE ENERGY ARGUMENT QUESTION: Do the benefits of using renewable energy sources outweigh the disadvantages? Or, should mroe countries change from nonrenewable sources to renewable ones?

Use this form to let us know if you'd like to meet with one of your English teachers today (Wednesday) or tomorrow (Thursday) during the second half of class (final 20 minutes) to talk about your argument outline.


Don't forget that the outline is due on Thursday at midnight! One point out of six will be taken out for each day late. On Friday, we will share some tips and begin writing the actual essays, and you will have plenty of time next week to write :)

Please fill out this short form after presenting to let us know how to plan for future projects :)

Instructions: Use this form to score/ rate your classmates who created presentations based on their argument topicsk. Then, make a choice as to which presentation was the most interesting and engaging, and briefly explain why.

Over the next few weeks, you will be reading articles and creating an argument based on ONE of THREE different topics (Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy, Paying for College, and Smart Homes). The purpose of this activity is for you to get a preview of each of the three topics, and then choose which one you'd like to explore during this unit!


After reading each of the three articles attached to this assignment, make a choice as to which was most interesting to you and explain your choice in 2-3 sentences.

Instructions: Use this form to score/ rate your classmates who created presentations based on chapter one of Brave New World before the break. Then, make a choice as to which presentation was the most interesting and engaging, and briefly explain why.

This assignment may be completed in place of the "Brave New World" Team Presentation Activity.

Important Note: Any student completing this option will be required to meet one-on-one with a teacher on Thursday or Friday to discuss the following:
1. Your ideas/ direction for this essay response
2. Your previous writing responses and what you might improve on
3. Grammatical issues appearing in your writing

Instructions: Write a well-developed, text-based response of two to three paragraphs. In your response, identify a central idea in the chapter called "Fiesta 1980" from Drown, and analyze how the author’s use of one writing strategy develops this central idea. Use strong and thorough evidence from the text to support your analysis. Do not simply summarize the text.

Struggling to get going with a central idea? Consider using evidence from pages 23-30 to support a central idea (author's message to us) about family relationships. The last seven pages (starting with pg. 36) is a little more difficult, but has a lot to do with how people communicate with one another. How about finding a central idea related to communicating?

Struggling to identify a writing strategy? Certain writing strategies are just more common in a text. For example, this story features many examples of DIALOGUE (conversation between characters) and CONTRAST (when the author creates a difference between two characters / things / events). Can you write about one of these strategies in your response?

Respond to the following two prompts after reading one of the technology articles in the attached folder. You may choose the article (there are three) that is most interesting to you, and the reading level that you are most comfortable with!

*Mild Version Read Alouds and Sentence Starters*
In the article, “Title of Article Here”, the new technology of _______________ is described. The purpose of this technology is to….
My attitude about technology is ____________. I think it will improve society in the future by…. The effects of technology are mostly positive/negative because...

Good Morning Tenth Graders! Instead of meeting on Zoom today and tomorrow during these half days (Monday schedule), I would like you to use this time to complete one or more of the following tasks. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST SAYING "HERE" SO THAT I KNOW YOU'VE LOGGED ON. I will be using these comments for today's and tomorrow's attendance :)

(mild) Make up missing or low-scoring assignments on Google Classroom. All grades/ averages are up to date in Google Classroom and Pupil Path! The two assignments that count the most for this marking period are the Text Messaging Creative Project and Two Kinds Central Idea Writing Activity, so if your average is lower than you'd like it to be, please start with those two activities!

(medium) Write a well-supported response of 1-2 paragraphs in which you discuss how Tia’s dialogue in the last seven pages of the story helps to support the central idea that we don’t always say what we really mean in our conversations. For this option, please refer to the attached rubric to make sure you are providing quality analysis! (extra credit).

(spicy) Write a short story of 1-2 pages (or more) featuring a family of characters (2 or more) who, just like the family members in Drown, often fail to communicate honestly with one another. All of the remaining details of your story are up to you! (extra credit)

Finally, please join office hours today at 2:00 or send me or Ms. Kane Moran an email if you have any questions!

- Mr. Mazzoli

Step 1: Include qualities/ characteristics about Yunior’s mother that we learned from pages 23-34 on the left side of the chart. Include 1-2 specific pieces of evidence for these characteristics (a direct quote or paraphrase with the page number).

Step 2: Read from the very bottom of page 34 to the bottom of page 36 and include qualities/ characteristics about the Puerto Rican woman on the right side of the chart. Include 1-2 specific pieces of evidence for these characteristics (a direct quote or paraphrase with the page number).

Step 3: Craft a response in the space below in which you and your partner compare the two women and explain why you think the author chose not to include the Puerto Rican woman’s name in the story.

Hello Class! To make up for not having tutoring as frequently as I did during the Fall, here is an extra credit opportunity for you. We hope this helps solidify your understanding of paraphrasing for steps 1 and 2 of your "Joy Luck Club Text Messaging Creative Project" which is due at the beginning of class on Monday.

Read from page 30 ("Tio Miguel was about seven feet tall") to page 34 ("You nearly got your ass kicked"), and describe how Yunior is treated at his family's gathering. Use relevant evidence (direct quote or paraphrase) from pages 30-34 in your response. Thank you!

Sentence Starters:
The way Yunior is treated at his family gathering is…. An example of this is....
At his family’s gathering, Yunior is treated... This is best illustrated in the text when...

Refer to pages 27-29 of the chapter "Fiesta 1980" (linked in assignment) to answer the following questions. Good luck with your quiz!!

Some terms you will need:
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE is when an author causes you to see, hear, or experience something, instead of simply telling you about the thing. The terms imagery and figurative language are often used to mean the same thing.

TONE is the attitude / feeling / emotion of the story.

A CONFLICT is a disagreement between two characters, a character and something else, or a character and his or herself.

A CONTRAST is a sharp / clear difference between two characters, events, or things. Authors create contrasts all the time to make their central ideas more powerful.

*A breakout room with Ms. Kane Moran is available*

Instructions: Use this form to perform a close reading or careful interpretation of pages 23 (beginning) to 27 (up to “every time I left the house”) of Drown by Junot Diaz (attached in Google Classroom). By the time you finish with step three, you should understand some of the deeper meanings of the text! Please see the sample that I created using a section of The Joy Luck Club, the instructional video for how to do a close reading and Ms. Kane's read aloud of these pages.

In the following short video and article, Juno Diaz, the author of our next book, "Drown", discusses ideas like immigration, Dominican identify, masculinity, and faith that appear throughout his stories. Watch the short video, then include 1-3 noticings (anything that stood out from the video) and 1-3 wonderings (questions that you have about the book and/or author) onto the Jam Board. Feel free to read the article as well to learn more!

Use this form to rate/ evaluate your classmates’ projects using the assignment rubric. Then, explain which of the fictional conversations you think is the most creative or unique :) You can find the projects in a folder attached to the assignment on Google Classroom.

Instructions: Use this form and the Google Slides template attached to create a fictional (imaginary) text message conversation between Waverly Jong and Jing-mei Woo, the narrators from the two chapters of The Joy Luck Club that we studied in class. In this conversation, Waverly and Jing-mei, who are cousins, should talk about one or more of the following topics:

1. Their experiences with trying to live up to their mothers’ expectations (chess for Waverly and piano for Jing-mei).

2. Their ideas about American and Chinese culture, and what it means to live in the United States.

To get full credit, please make sure to fill out both sections of this form, include at least four messages from each character, and follow the instructions on the rubric below!

Finally, check out the youtube video linked below for more tips/ information on how to paraphrase information from a text!

Please see instructions in the document :)

**For the youtube audiobook, start at 8:03**

What does the argument between Jing-mei and her mother on page 3 suggest about how Jing-mei understands her mother’s expectations? What might the argument suggest about how Jing-mei’s mother understands these expectations?

*Direct message Ms. Kane Moran for a sentence starter*

According to the first three paragraphs on page 1, what does Jing-mei’s mother want her daughter to be and what does she believe about America?

Use this form to perform a close reading or careful interpretation of the following passage/ excerpt, taken from pages 1-2 of "Two Kinds", the chapter from The Joy Luck Club about Jing-Mei Woo.

In this passage, Jing-Mei describes her feelings about the high expectations that her mother has for her as a child in the United States.

By the time you finish with step three, you should understand some of the deeper meanings of the text!
*Youtube read aloud: start at 1:02 and stop at 7:37*

Instructions: Use this graphic organizer to track relationships between characters in the chapter of the Joy Luck Club about Jing-Mei Woo (“Two Kinds”). This assignment must be completed over the break (by February 22) to participate and earn a score for the next project. That is because you will need to share some passages from this document for the project. Thank you for understanding! Finally, you must complete five entries! My sample entry from the previous chapter does not count toward the five. Sorry!

Use this form to perform a close reading or careful interpretation of the following three paragraphs, taken from "Rules of the Game", the chapter from The Joy Luck Club about Waverly Jong.

In this passage, Waverly and her family (mother and brother) discuss Christmas presents given to the family by members of their community.

By the time you finish with step three, you should understand some of the deeper meanings of the text!

Instructions: Use this form to score your classmates’ presentations about The Joy Luck Club out of three. Don’t forget to explain your ratings in the final column!

Complete the following steps together in a team of three. Some of the teams will give their presentations at the end of class on Friday (teams who volunteer will receive extra credit), while the remaining teams present on Monday. Finally, each team member must share at least 1-2 ideas during the presentation to earn points.

Please see the documents below for help with finding relevant quotes from the chapter, as well as new and exciting words for describing relationships. Good luck!


STEP 1: Select one quote or interaction that best reflects the relationship between Waverly and her mother during the first half of the chapter (pages 1-4)

STEP 2: Select a second one that best reflects the relationship during the second half of the chapter (pages 5-8)

STEP 3: Prepare a short (2-3 minute) presentation in which you explain how and why the relationship between Waverly and her mother changes over the course of the chapter. Refer to the evidence from steps 1 and 2 to make your claims :)

What do Waverly’s interactions with her mother while shopping (top of page 7) suggest about their relationship?

This will count for two classwork points - 1 point for writing clearly, and 1 point for supporting your ideas with relevant evidence (a quote or paraphrase) from the top of page 7.

Instructions: Use this graphic organizer to track relationships between characters in the chapter of the Joy Luck Club about Waverly Jong (“Rules of the Game”). This assignment must be completed (at least five entries) by class time on Thursday, February 4 to receive credit. Because you will be discussing the reading with some of your classmates on Thursday and planning presentations, no credit will be given for turning in this assignment late. Thank you for understanding!

Additional Resources Below to Help You:
1. Audio book reading of the chapter
2. Story Board (events with pictures)
3. Clips from the Joy Luck Club Movie (2 clips)

What does the information in the first three paragraphs of “Waverly Jong (Rules of the Game)” suggest about what “strength” means to Waverly’s (the narrator) mother?

Greetings Tenth Graders! Next week, we will be starting off the second half of the year with a new book, and new unit :)

Our goal for this week, which was supposed to be Regents week, is to give you the best chance to make up any NX CREDITS (credits that you missed during the spring/ summer).

Students who are strong in ELA and do not have any NX work to complete, please use this form to tell me if you're willing to help one of your classmates with their NX work (or other missing ELA assignments).

Students who need help with ELA and have NX work to complete (NX work is due by Wednesday), please use this form to tell me so that I can pair you with one of your classmates who is willing to help with your project!

By next Monday, you are required to complete TWO of the THREE Student Choice Week options. If you complete and pass all three, the third will be counted as extra credit. This is the first option!

The four stories and poems in the folder below are taken from a book about the experiences of young people called "You Don't Even Know Me." After reading the stories and poems, write a 2-3 paragraph response OR prepare a 2-3 minute spoken presentation to the class in response to the prompt below. If you choose to make a presentation, you should have 3-4 slides prepare with key information, evidence, and images (NOT sentences/ paragraphs that you will be reading from the screen).

PROMPT: How do at least two of the four excerpts from "You Don't Even Know Me" help to develop ONE central idea or overall message about growing up?

By next Monday, you are required to complete TWO of the THREE Student Choice Week options. If you complete and pass all three, the third will be counted as extra credit. This is the second option!

Over the last week you have read and discussed several poems that use imagery and metaphor to communicate ideas about relationships. For this option, you will write your own poem (at least 16 lines or 80 words, whichever comes first) in response to one of the three prompts below. I am also attaching the latest edition of the school's literary magazine (summer 2020). We will be publishing a new issue in a couple months, and so you will have the chance to include your poem in the magazine :)

PROMPT 1: Some poets write from the perspective of something nonhuman like an animal, in order to say something about their own lives or the world around them. For instance, the author of the poem “Safety” uses a bird’s perspective to demonstrate how she wants to care for the person she is writing to. She isn’t going to make an actual nest for this person, but the idea of a bird making a nest for their mate creates a message/ central idea about how much she cares. Can you write a poem from the perspective of an animal or something else that is nonhuman?

PROMPT 2: People and events can be complicated.. And a lot of times a poet will write about two separate perspectives or opinions. For example, the author of the poem “Faults” shows that while one person might dislike an individual for the things that are wrong with them, another person might love that individual for those same faults. Can you write a poem that showcases or contains two separate perspectives about a person or an event?

PROMPT 3: Are you an experienced writer? Maybe you’ve been writing poems for a while, or maybe you started this year. If you have another strategy that you’d like to use or try out, let us know. We’d love to see what you write!

By next Monday, you are required to complete TWO of the THREE Student Choice Week options. If you complete and pass all three, the third will be counted as extra credit. This is the third option!

On Wednesday, January 6, supporters of President Trump breached or violated the United States capitol in Washington D.C. (the place where Congress meets). To reflect about this event, the ideas behind it, and what it means for our Country, read the attached opinion article and write a 2-3 paragraph response in which you respond to at least two of the following questions/ prompts:

PROMPT 1: The writers of the article state, “The lineage between the slaveholding secessionists and the modern insurrectionists could not have been more clear: Both groups were willing to destroy the union and both used violence to deflect their own racial fantasies of power and privilege slipping away.” What do you think they mean by this? What are the connections between the white supremicist beliefs of the Confederacy and the ideology of the insurrection on January 6, 2021?

PROMPT 2: In the article there is a widely shared photograph of a man carrying a Confederate flag in the United States Capitol building, something that has never happened in history, even during the Civil War. Behind the man are portraits of Charles Sumner and John C. Calhoun. What is the significance of these two pre-Civil War politicians to this photograph and to the argument that the historians are making in this article?

PROMPT 3: The article concludes with a quote from the politician Thaddeus Stevens at the beginning of Reconstruction, "If we fail in this great duty now, when we have the power, we shall deserve and receive the execration of history and of all future ages." What is he saying about what needs to happen following the Civil War? How is this 155 year old quote a challenge for us at present?

Good Morning Tenth Graders! As you know, your poetry jam boards are due today (Thursday). Some of you asked, "What if we finish early? What do we do??" If you're interested, you can complete this activity as extra credit (two points on your third MP average) and to practice analyzing images and metaphors :)

I am going to attach a song with lyrics (you may not like the music, that is not the point!!) and I would like you to listen/ follow along. Then, write a well-supported paragraph (6-8 sentences) in which you identify ONE central idea in the lyrics, and explain how at least two lines help to introduce that central idea. Please see the rubric to know how to get the full two points.

Pro Tip: A central idea, also called a theme in some classes, is not the topic of the story (for example, freedom), but the author’s message about that topic. In other words, what does the author want us to know after reading or hearing their story/ article?

Have a nice weekend everyone! We will be spending most of next week on our first essay writing assignment, so you may want to review our two stories before Monday :)

Complete this form during the first 15 minutes of class before we debate and vote about which poem wins the POETRY WAR.

**Sentence Starter: The poem, “_______________” is the most universal because it’s message about relationships is… For example, in line ___ it states…. This example of imagery/metaphor conveys...**

Welcome back tenth graders!! I hope that you had a nice and restful break!

Now that we are done with our second unit (dealing with stress), it is time to go on to my favorite unit of the year- POETRY WARS. What does that mean? In the next few days you and one partner will examine four of my favorite poems together. Later, at the end of the week, you will make a decision (on your own) about which of the poems you like best.

Between now and Wednesday, you and your partner will use a Jam Board (you will each have your own, but can work together) to track evidence and ideas from the four poems. Please look at my example below that I created using a separate poem :)

Finally, these four poets REALLY like to use two writing strategies- imagery and metaphors. We are going to talk on Tuesday in the first few minutes about how to really analyze these strategies, and I will record our conversation to re-post right here on Tuesday!

Please review the "refresher" documents to strengthen your understanding of imagery and metaphors. There is also an example Jamboard based on a poem we will discuss in class called, "My Brother".

#poetrywars #whyispoetrysolit #2021allpoetryallyear #mastliterarymagazine

Happy Wednesday Tenth Graders! I chose two Instagram projects from each class (it was very hard to do, especially for period 7. There were so many good ones!) and I would like you to vote on the one you connected with the most! The winner will be featured on the school website and Instagram :)

The eight finalists can be found in a folder attached to this quiz assignment. Make sure to hit "view" and then "present" after opening the files so that you can see each project nice and big!

Use the rubric attached to grade your argument essay from this week OUT OF 18 POINTS. Please explain your ratings for each of the three categories in 1-2 sentences for the full three points. Also, please see Zola's self-assessment activity from the short story analysis essays last month- He did a really nice job of reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of his essay :)

Use this document to create and introduce a thoughtful claim about athletes and stress, using evidence from your assigned section of the text. Remember that a thoughtful claim is more than just an opinion- it explains why or how your claim is true!

Remember, each person in your group was assigned a different section of the article, so you are responsible for reporting on your specific section. Don’t let your group mates down!

Use this form to grade and give helpful feedback to the groups and individuals who present today :)

After reading the 800 level version of the athletes and stress article called "Breathe and give it all you've got: How mindful athletes raise their game", respond to these questions to let us know that you understand what you've read :)

Write a response of two to three paragraphs in which you:

1. Identify a central idea in "Story of an Hour" OR "Hills Like White Elephants"
2. Analyze how the author uses DIALOGUE or another writing strategy to develop that central idea

Make sure to use strong and thorough evidence from the text to support your analysis/ argument.

You have a lot of tools that will help you on this assignment- your graphic organizer from last week will be the most helpful, as it has a ton of central ideas and evidence to choose from. Also, please see the document below for suggestions on how you can use evidence from the story in your response.

Finally, don't forget to check out the rubric to know how you can earn an 8/8 on this major assignment (\:-0)

p.s. Interested in a challenge AND the chance to earn extra points for marking period 2? Include an extra paragraph in which you COMPARE how the same central idea is communicated in both of the stories. A hard task, but some of you will be up for it no doubt.

Good Morning! Today you and two other classmates will plan and/or record a short (2-3 minute) presentation on ONE of the following topics that will be assigned to you. Please pay special attention to the rubric, as you will need to speak CLEARLY, CONCISELY, and LOGICALLY in your presentations in order to receive the full 3 classwork points. Finally, you may choose to record your presentation on Zoom and submit a video (with cameras on), or deliver your presentation live at the end of class on WEDNESDAY. Here are your four topics :)

TOPIC A: The drink ordered in the story has symbolic undertones. Examine the definition below and speculate on its symbolism- Absinthe: A green liqueur having a bitter licorice flavor and a high alcohol content, prepared from absinthe and other herbs, and now prohibited in many countries because of its toxicity.

TOPIC B- The ending is classic Hemingway ambiguity. The girl smiles and says she is “fine.” Has she decided to do as the man requests, or has she decided to leave him forever? Is she really fine, or is she masking her feelings? Explain.

TOPIC C- This story demonstrates, perhaps more than any of his other works, Hemingway’s famous “iceberg principle.” Hemingway reveals only the tip of the iceberg, and we are left to deduce the remainder through context clues. What other pieces of the iceberg would you like to see; or in other words, what extra information would you like to have?

TOPIC D- At first glance, the title seems to have little to do with the story, and it is only thorough contemplation that we can grasp Hemingway’s cleverness. Examine the title and read the definition of “white elephant.” In what ways is the white elephant Jig sees in the hills symbolic of her situational feelings? How do the multiple meanings of “white elephant” relate to the story?

White Elephant:
1. A rare form of Asian elephant, whitish in color, regarded with special adoration.
2. A rare and expensive possession that is financially a burden to maintain.
3. An article or ornament of dubious value that is not wanted by its owner.

After reading and listening to "Hills Like White Elephants" (text and audio versions below), respond to these questions on the Google form/ quiz to demonstrate your understanding of events in the story! USE SNAP AND READ TO TRANSLATE THE STORY

Don't forget to check out the video, which is a MODERN FILM VERSION OF THE STORY. Watching this video after reading the story will absolutely help your understanding and help with the quiz.

You can also read through the " Hills Like White Elephants- Reading Guide" to find out what the story is about as well as vocabulary in the story.

p.s. This is worth FIVE points (the second and third questions are worth 2 points each)! Once submitted I will send the correct answers.

Step 1: Choose a tone/ feeling/ emotion that best describes each of the following paragraphs: 9, 10, and 11 from the "Story of An Hour" (on page 2 of the story- paragraph 9 starts with "Now her bosom".

Step 2: Use the Snapchat Story Template below to create 3 snaps, each representing a different paragraph.

Step 3: Time your slides like I do in my video to make a story!

Tip: Your snaps can include characters from the story like mine, or they can simply include you! #youisenough

Also tip: See my example AND video tutorial on how to add pictures and videos to your story.

After reading and listening to "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, respond to these questions on the Google form/ quiz to demonstrate your understanding of events in the story!

Don't forget to check out the video, which is a read aloud of the story ALONG WITH PICTURES. You can turn on captions and even slow down the speed! How cool!

p.s. This is worth FIVE points! Once submitted I will send the correct answers.

View your classmates' high-scoring creative projects in the folder below.

Then, use the chart to provide feedback on at least 4 of the 5 projects.

Turn in by midnight for the full point!

Over the next few days, you will either create a spoken word poem (solo project) or scene (work in pairs). You will not be required to record a video for this project. However, it is highly encouraged! What is the purpose of this project? To give you the space to communicate something exciting and authentic about our themes from the last two weeks.

(Spoken Word Poem Specific Instructions) Spoken word is any kind of poetry that is performed out loud. Spoken word poems typically deal with sensitive and important topics, and performers use tools like emotion and movement to connect with their audience. The best ones will create images or pictures for their audience to see in their minds. Can you create a spoken word poem to say something about social justice and/or your own identity?

Use these sentence frames to help you get started if you need to!
- My first experience in the United States was when...
- Living in this country, I feel...
- My relationship with America is one that is...
- Being here makes me...
- My identity is...

(Skit Specific Instructions) Scenes are short moments or sequences where characters engage in actions and/or dialogue. Scenes can be funny, serious, dramatic, or anything else, depending on what it is they are meant to communicate. The best scene writers use dialogue to show detailed relationships between their characters. Can you create a scene to say something about social justice and/or your own identity?

Use these suggested scenarios to help you get started if you need to!
- One character coming into a school for the first time and meeting another character
- A conversation between two family member characters
- Two friend characters who have different opinions about something that happened
- One character helping a sibling character to figure something out
- Two characters in a relationship trying to accomplish something together

Please see below:
1. Example of a new spoken word performance (video)
2. Link to Power Poetry page about imagery to use in your poem (website)
3. Example of a scene (video)
4. Link to a Reedsy Blog page about creating natural dialogue in a scene (website)

Now that we have heard from two very talented individuals, it is time for you to write your own reflection!

In 1-3 paragraphs, describe your own relationships with the United States, using examples from your life experiences.

Finally, to earn the full point make sure to look at the rubric/ criteria attached to this assignment!


Help for your writing:

How would you describe your relationship with the United states?

I would describe my relationship with America as...

Why do you describe your relationship this way ?

My relationship with America is ________ because….

Greetings! Today I would like you to explore the second edition of the MAST Literary Magazine, which was completed in August and contains stories, poems, and arguments exclusively from students here at MAST. How exciting! Will you submit a poem or story for our winter edition??

Anyway, once you have explored the works in the magazine (some will connect with you and some won't), I would like you to choose two of the works and briefly explain (3-4 sentences for each work) what it is that the writer wanted to communicate with us (a.k.a. the CENTRAL IDEA).

TEAL Sentence Starters:
T- In the piece titled "(WRITE TITLE HERE)", the writer communicates that (WRITE CENTRAL IDEA HERE).
E- For example, the author writes "(EVIDENCE FROM TEXT HERE)" on line/paragraph #__.
A- This quote shows... (EXPLAIN THE QUOTE IN YOUR OWN WORDS HERE)
L- This reveals the central idea of (WRITE CENTRAL IDEA HERE) by...

We will spend the majority of our class time today on this activity :)

Watch the video performance once or twice. Then, use the chart OR a fresh document to identify three lines, words, or phrases from the performance that stood out to you and explain why. Do not skip the part about why! I'm looking out for that part especially!

Please don't forget to view the document with key vocabulary terms, and use the Youtube setting to slow down the video if it makes it easier to follow along :)

Write a well-supported paragraph to describe which of the poem's six stanzas best reveals the speaker's attitude toward the United States of America.

Your score will be determined by the two statements on the rubric, so please check it out before you start to write. Happy writing!

*If you'd like a challenge, you can also discuss how the speaker's attitude is a complex one, or one that has multiple sides.

View your classmates' PSA projects (link below)

Use the chart to comment on the projects.

Don't forget to respond to the reflection at the end. The PSA with the most votes will go onto our school website :)

You and two of your classmates will create a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSA) about one of our core values and why it matters to YOU.

Your PSA can take one of the following forms:
a. a video podcast (see Mr. Mazzoli's and Mr. Knox's sample below)
b. a blog post (written on a shared Google Doc)

Important Rules:
1. ​Each member of the group will play a role by speaking for equal time in the podcast, or writing an equal section of the blog post.

2. Wondering how to get points for creativity? Try adding pictures and/or designs to your blog post to make it personalized, ​or using tools like humor and emotion in your podcast to reach the audience.

The best PSA's will be added to the school website :)

Look at all of the different visuals that were created by your classmates (see folder in link below).

Complete the chart by filling in things that you learned about ten different classmates.

Turn it in!

*if you haven't yet completed the visual mind map activity, please use this time to do so!

Use images and short explanations to create a visual mind map. Your mind map should reflect the following areas of identity:

Relationships – What different relationship roles do you have?
Cultural – What cultural aspects of your life are important? (religion / faith, ethnicity, language, nationality, etc.)
Likes – What are your favorite activities, hobbies, music, sports, and/or TV shows?
Dislikes –What activities, hobbies, music, sports, and/or TV shows do you not care for?
Hopes – What do you want to do in the future (careers, family, adventures, experiences, etc.)

Please watch the video instructions and see Ms. Whitehall's and Mr. Mazzoli's examples. Then, use the attached template to start your own!