Outsiders Chapters1-2 & Vocabulary

Real quick…. I do not have enough time at the moment to record audio and examples for the words, but I have attached several versions of your notes. Complete 1-5 words at the moment (you can go ahead of the first 5). Please also check out the The Outsiders section under the Literature page for useful questions, summaries, and topics!

 

Vocabulary Unit- The Outsiders- Beadel

The Outsiders and Grammar

We completed Chapter 1 of the best book ever! This chapter was vital in explaining the characteristics of each greaser member. We learned about the differences and similarities among each of them, while also learning about what sets the greasers apart from the Socs (notice how one group is always capitalized in the book, versus the other).

Below are two videos. One features various clips of Paul Newman, one of the most famous actors between the 50′s and 80′s. The second speaks of his life and interviews him. Ponyboy probably walked out of the theater in 1967 watching one of Newman’s black and white films. Random fact: Paul Newman was the creator of Newman’s Own salad dressings and all profits go towards charity! (I made tacos last night and bought his salsa!!!)

Blog Comment: Why might Ponyboy have been thinking about Paul Newman on the way home? What does he resemble or have that Ponyboy wishes he had?

Grammar-

I’m pretty sure you all have your end marks packed down. But commas can be tricky. Remember: do not overuse commas. If you do not know why you need to put a comma within a sentence, don’t put it there. Especially on the test, if you cannot name the rule or reason why a comma is there, it’s probably incorrect.

Go to my Grammar page and click on the Punctuation, then Commas section (drop down). Embedded is a fabulous website to help you study along with quizzes and handouts. You might see some of those questions on the test.

Blog Comment HW- Post one sentence using a comma, and underneath it, write the rule you used. This will help others review as well! For example:

“Post one sentence using a comma, and underneath it, write the rule you used.”

The above sentence uses two rules: compound sentence and introductory phrase (this is very tricky, but don’t fret. Since the second independent clause acts like a sentence, “underneath it”, is in introductory phrase, introducing that part of the independent clause).

I will post notes as soon as I can. Otherwise, review as normal.

Grammar

Homework is up and online! It covers end punctuation and rules 1-5 for comma usage. You do need to know clauses, phrases, and parenthetical expressions…

 

See you tomorrow for our Thanksgiving feast! Don’t forget to bring The Outsiders.

Tomorrow’s Literature Test

Hello, Class!

I heard you won today’s game! Way to go!!!

Friday’s literature test will be based on the following topics:

-”The Tell-Tale Heart”
– The Hitchhiker
– “Lamb to the Slaughter” (just like you have seen on ITBS, HSPT, and your future SAT’s, Reading Comprehension tests are based on previously unread material. You will be allowed to have this story during your test. Please read it tonight).

– “The Raven” (very basic information)
– Background information on Edgar Allan Poe (review your quiz AND the timelines from my earlier blog posts and your webquest).
– Literary terms: (suspense, irony, inference, foreshadowing, flashback, and elements of fiction (setting, point of view, types of point of view, setting, conflict, etc.)
– Know the authors to each short story/ play
– Be able to explain how Poe uses his OWN suspense techniques in his stories.
– Explain how authors create suspense (this is a bit different from Poe’s technique… see notes and book).
– Notes from my previous blog entries on suspense
– Review worksheets and notes
– Be able to compare and contrast characters and events from all stories and apply the literary terms to them and new examples given on the test.
– Know the difference between mood and tone and explain how authors use it in their works.

HW- Please complete the Hitchhiker packet.

For 5 points extra credit, post one “Mrs. Beadel-type” question on this blog post. The question should reflect any of the above study topics and should serve as a review for your peers. Basic, 2nd grade-type questions will not count. Provide your full answer after your question… leave a few spaces).

The Hitchhiker!

Today, we began The Hitchhiker, a short radio play meant to be heard, not seen. Read page 87 from your text (also on Classzone.com) to understand the components of a radio play.

In this story, we are introduced to our protagonist, Ronald Adams, who is leaving his hometown to cross the country  to Hollywood, California. Along the way, he keeps seeing a hitchhiker. Is Ronald insane or is the hitchhiker a ghost? We will find out tomorrow!

Within this post awesome pictures of the famous Orson Welles recording these live radio plays. Notice how the other actors are preparing the sound effects! There are also two pictures of students and a family listening to a radio play.

A radio cast performing live with Orson Welles.

Group performing live.

Family gathered around the radio for their nightly entertainment.

Students gathered around radio at school.

Classwork: Took vocabulary quiz and discussed new words from The Hitchhiker (by the way, the title is not in quotation marks because it is not a short story. It’s a script to a radio play, which can stand alone. It is not part of a larger literary piece. “The Tell-Tale Heart” is).

– Catch up on your AR log (hint: it will be checked very soon). AR points are due November 10th.

– Review Rules 1-5 in grammar comma notes and difference between phrases and clauses… hinty, hinty!.

– Respond to this Post- Blog Comment HW- Post one sentence using a comma, and underneath it, write the rule you used. This will help others review as well! For example:

“Post one sentence using a comma, and underneath it, write the rule you used.”

The above sentence uses two rules: compound sentence and introductory phrase (this is very tricky, but don’t fret. Since the second independent clause acts liks a sentence, ” underneath it”, is in introductory phrase, introducing that part of the independent clause).

Vocabulary- Suspense

Hi Class!

I am having some major technical difficulties with the recording software for the vocabulary. Please define the last five words and include the part of speech on your cards. We will review in class together.

Remember to study for your spelling quiz and for the “Tell-Tale Heart” quiz. I will ask you basic comprehension questions as well as having you apply mood and tone (see your notes) to the elements of the story. Know Poe’s 3 suspense techniques and examples (from your notes handout).

End of “Tell-Tale Heart” & Descriptive Essay Criteria

What a beautifully horrific short story! We entered the mind of our narrator, The Narrator, who has no issues against the Old Man he takes care of. Yet, he despises his Evil Eye as he narrates the “brilliant” tactics he used to finish him off.

Watch the accompanying video below of famous actor, Vincent Price, who acts out the part of the narrator perfectly. The embedded video above includes more stories after “The Tell-Tale Heart”, so you don’t need to watch them all. Stop at the end of “Tell-Tale Heart” (unless you’re in the spooky spirit!!!).  I recommend watching the whole thing since Poe’s most famous short stories are chronicled here. By the way, the actor, Vincent Price, is also known for the creepy voice from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.

Below that is a 20 minute tour of this year’s Edgar Allan Poe Nevermore haunted house at Universal! The second room is the “Tell-Tale Heart” room. Pretty interesting!

Tomorrow, I will post the other adaptations of the other versions (animation and real movie) so we can compare and contrast them.

Here are our literature notes we will take tomorrow. If you print these out, you will not have to write them! Change your printer setting to grayscale so it doesn’t waste so much ink.

Here is the link to the interactive version of the story. You can annotate online. Play around with it.

HOMEWORK: Please watch the video on Lesson 3 in vocabulary on the Vocabulary/ Suspense Unit page. Your test will be next Wednesday. Bring your notes to tomorrow’s class.

Grammar- Please print notes on comma usage or handwrite them. We will continue this tomorrow.

– Complete the linked lesson below for a quick review on phrases and clauses to prepare for tomorrow’s comma lesson.

Class notes for today: We learned rules 1 and 2 for comma usage:

1. Use a comma AND a conjunction to set apart two independent clauses.

2. Use a comma to separate items in a series.

Check out my notes below. You can download the slides in two formats. Select the one that’s nest for you:

Comma Notes 1– Download the sides with lines in the margins to take additional notes.

Commas Rules- 1 and 2– Full Page Slides

Think you know the difference between phrases and clauses? Click the link below. Jot your answers on a sheet of paper, and then check your answers.

http://members.cox.net/lenco1/grammarpractice/preposition/clause.htm

***Respond to this post by Monday at 11: p.m. After viewing both films, which adaptation of the “Tell Tale Heart” would Edgar Allan Poe have praised the most? Please make at least two connections from the text to your choice, describing with vivid vocabulary and a writing style that will blow Mrs. Beadel away.