Poetry Project and The Odyssey 9th Lit

Happy Friday Everybody!

The extension for the Poetry Project was yesterday.  However, as I told the students in class, if they turn it in today, it is only one school day late--which is what Errand Passes are for.  Also, if they turn it in Sunday before midnight, it will still be one school day late.

If you want to see if your child turned their Project in, ask they to show you where they submitted it on Turnitin.com.  The Submit button will have turned into the View button.

Today we went through our Background information on The Odyssey (they should have a Literary Terms sheet to finish over the weekend--they can use google) and we'll begin reading The Odyssey in class on Monday.  At the beginning of the semester your child checked out a 9th Lit text book, so each day you should be able to look on the calendar of the blog, see what we read in class, and have your child be able to summarize the main events--have them tell you what was going on.

This unit we're going to seriously start pushing the students to become more independent readers, especially since we are so close to the EOC.  We'll read some chapters and sections together, but more and more ask them to read independently then be prepared to discuss and ask/answer questions.  Please support them at home in this endevour as well.  Several of the chapters will have to be read for homework if we want to finish the unit before Spring Break.  I don't want them to have to remember the material over the break if we can help it.

This means that we'll start reading Romeo and Juliet in April, finishing right around the time of the EOC, and hopefully have time to read Lord of the Flies the final few weeks of class.

While the library does have copies of Lord of the Flies for checkout, you may want to purchase a physical or digital copy of the book so that they can take notes on the pages themselves.  The final exam will be on this text.

We are less than 9 weeks away from the end of the semester--that is not a lot, but that is enough time to pass or fail.  Please make sure you're working with your child to stay strong until the end.  I know that we're pushing them hard in the classroom, but as always, it is up to them to do the work.

Have a great weekend!