Class Calendar: December 15th to December 23rd

Monday, December 15th (F)
• Due: Literature circle commercials and study guides.
• Class: Share literature circle projects (I’m really looking forward to these!).

Tuesday, December 16th (S)
• Due: Read Ch. 17-19 in The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Debrief last week’s big paper discussions; more music; discuss the audition.

Wednesday, December 17th (U)
• Due: Finish reading The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Socratic seminar on The Children of Willesden Lane. I will provide questions.

Thursday, December 18th (M)
• Due: Work on family story papers. I will collect your books today (please don’t forget; I need to mail these back to Facing History!).
• Class: The music of The Children of Willesden Lane.

Friday, December 19th (T)
• Class does not meet.

Monday, December 22nd (W)
• Due: Draft of family story paper. Remember, no late days on drafts.
• Class: Peer review and sharing.

Tuesday, December 23rd (H)
• Due: Final draft of family story paper.
• Class: Documentary: Into the Arms of Strangers.

Class Calendar: December 8th to December 15th

Monday, December 8th (U)
• Due: Work on literature circle projects and start reading The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Contemporary media literacy and the art of advertising.

Tuesday, December 9th (M)
• Due: Reading assignment #1 (Ch. 1-8) in The Children of Willesden Lane. Allow me to remind you of the high probability of reading quizzes throughout this unit.
• Class: Discussion of the reading; “universe of obligation” and the Kindertransport.

Wednesday, December 10th (W)
• Class does not meet.

Thursday, December 11th (W)
• Due: Bring materials to work on literature circle projects and keep reading Children.
• Class: Group work on literature circle projects.

Friday, December 12th (H)
• Due: Reading assignment #2 (Ch. 8-16) in The Children of Willesden Lane.
• Class: Discussion of the reading; Lisa’s music.

Monday, December 15th (F)
• Due: Literature circle projects are due today! Remember to bring five copies or bring me a “master” in the morning.
• Class: Sharing literature circle books with commercials and readers guides. I’m really looking forward to this!

Ticket to the Pollies

Thanks to Andy for this Daily Show clip on the "Pollies," an award show for and by the people who create political advertising. You can watch the two part coverage here and here.

Class Calendar: December 1st to December 8th

Monday, December 1st (T)
• Class does not meet. Final blog post due today.

Tuesday, December 2nd (W)
• Due: Literature circle books should be completed.
• Class: Propaganda in Nazi Germany.

Wednesday, December 3rd (H)
• Due: Start looking for an article related to your literature circle selection.
• Class: Log election responses; introduce literature circle projects; found poetry.

Thursday, December 4th (F)
• Due: Article to contribute to your literature circle (read and be ready to summarize).
• Class: Work on projects. Bring any materials you need to class.

Friday, December 5th (S)
• Due: Make appropriate progress on your projects and start on The Children of Willesden Lane assignment (due Monday).
• Class: Work on projects.

Monday, December 8th (U)
• Due: First reading assignment for The Children of Willesden Lane due today.
• Class: Discussion of reading and lesson on the Kindertransport.

The Laramie Project: Extra Credit

If you went to see (or worked on!) The Laramie Project and would like to earn extra credit in this class, write a one page (typed, double spaced) reflection on the show. What angle you take is up to you (potential connections to this class?), but I look forward to hearing your reactions ... there's a lot to process with this performance, and writing is a great way to do it.

Deadline is the end of the week: Friday, November 21st.

Kudos to everyone who worked on the show! I went Friday night and was blown away. Thanks for your hard work in bringing this important piece to Arlington High School.

Class Calendar: November 17th to November 26th

Monday, November 17th (M)
• Due: Blog post due at midnight tonight.
• Class: The “mix it up” breakfast with Ms. Konstandakis’s class.

Tuesday, November 18th (T)
• Class does not meet today.

Wednesday, November 19th (W)
• Due: Six more post-it notes in your literature circles; read to assigned point.
• Class: Literature circles meet; photography timeline (1933-1945).

Thursday, November 20th (H)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment.
• Class: Documentary: “Chaos and Consent.”

Friday, November 21st (F)
• Due: Blog post due at midnight tonight.
• Class: Town hall discussion: “The Nazis Come to Power.”

Monday, November 24th (S)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment.
• Class: Propaganda and media literacy.

Tuesday, November 25th (U)
• Due: Six more post-it notes in your literature circles; read to assigned point.
• Class: Literature circles meet.

Wednesday, November 26th (M)
• Due: Work on next literature circle assignment (blog post due midnight on Monday after the vacation, but there’s no need to wait until the last minute!).
• Class: Wrap up propaganda and media literacy.

Class Calendar: November 10th to November 17th

In class, we'll be alternating between literature circle meetings and a whole class study of the Nazi rise to power. Smaller homework assignments will be announced as needed, but your primary responsibility between now and Thanksgiving is to your literature circle book. You've set the specific assignments with your group, but I'll review the basic deadlines here:

• Monday, November 10th: Blog post #1 due by midnight tonight
• Wednesday, November 12th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class 
• Monday, November 17th: Blog post #2 due by midnight tonight
• Wednesday, November 19th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class
• Friday, November 21st: Blog post #3 due by midnight tonight
• Tuesday, November 25th: Six post-its spanning the assigned reading due in class; books should be finished unless your group has made other arrangements with me 
• Monday, December 1st: Blog post #4 due by midnight tonight

Click here to review the requirements for blog posts and sticky notes.