Today in class we will:

1. go take pictures in the SCC!
2. work on finishing reading Books 6, 7, and 8 in the graphic novel.
3. listen to this podcast (it’s 20 minutes long) and answer these questions (The Odyssey and Color Podcast) — whatever you don’t finish is due for homework tomorrow.

Important Announcements/Reminders:

1. Please make sure that your parents have filled this form out.
2. Please make your selections for your hero research project here by Friday.
3. Movie day is back on! This Friday, come to my room after 7th period to watch the first half of the film version of the Odyssey for 5 points of extra credit on your summer reading essay. (I have triple-checked, and the film works on the SmartBoard this time!) We should be finished by 5:45.
4. Your summer reading essay is due to me in printed form on Monday. If you don’t have a printer at home, you can print in the library.

Happy Wednesday! Today in class, we will:

1. Go over your questions about Book 5 of the Odyssey that you should have finished last night.
2. Listen to this song about Calypso and consider her perspective on the whole episode.
3. Begin reading Books 6, 7, and 8 from the graphic novel (you will get 20 minutes of class time tomorrow as well).

Important Announcements/Reminders:

1. Picture day is TOMORROW! We will go down at the very beginning of class to take your picture. Give your orders and money to the photographer.
2. Friday after school movies are back on! I figured out the SmartBoard situation and triple-checked that this week’s film (the first half of the film version of the Odyssey) works. This will be worth five points of extra credit on your essay.
3. Speaking of which, your summer reading essay is due on Monday (printed out).
4. Please remember that you need to be thinking about which heroes you would be interested in doing your project over for this upcoming year. That form is linked in yesterday’s post!
5. If you have not yet had your parent complete the parent form, please have them click here to do that. This will be for a grade (it’s an easy 100!).

Welcome back to your second week of school! Today in class, we will:

1. Set up a seating chart.
2. Talk about the requirements for your year-long hero research project. (Multi-Genre Hero Project)   Click here to make your selection.
3. Turn in Hero’s Journey diagrams.
4. Finish reading the graphic novel for Books 2, 3, and 4 of the Odyssey.
5. Begin reading Book 5 of the Odyssey (3 – Book 5 and Book 5 Reading Guide). Whatever we don’t finish is for homework.
6. Please remember that picture day is Thursday!

We made it through the first week of school — congratulations!

Today in class, we continued to talk about Book 1 of the Odyssey. Then students answered some questions about Books 2, 3, and 4 from the graphic novel (if you didn’t finish, you will have some time on Tuesday to work on that). I checked in with everyone about their progress on their summer reading assignments — please remember that your Hero’s Journey diagram is due on Tuesday, September 3, and the essay will be due on Monday, September 9.

Again, I’m so sorry that the Smartboard wasn’t working and that we couldn’t see our after school movie! I have already ordered a cord that I think will fix things for next week. I gave everyone a copy of the questions for the movie Troy (along with the parts to skip to keep it at a PG-13 level) which you can do for extra credit, but that’s totally optional.

Finally, picture day is next Thursday (September 5)!

The SmartBoard is having trouble working, and it looks like we won’t be able to show the film after school today. Instead, I’ll give everyone a copy of the viewing guide to watch at home (still for extra credit) if you would like.

I’m so sorry for the inconvenience! If you have already made pick-up arrangements, you are welcome to stay in my room and hang out with your friends or have a study hall until 6:00 PM.

Today in class we finished our story of the Trojan War, and we began reading the Odyssey together. Homework for tonight is to read the rest of Book 1 (1 – Book 1) and complete the questions that we didn’t do in class on the reading guide (Book 1 Reading Guide).

I also gave out picture order forms — your picture day will be a week from today, Thursday, September 5, during English class.

A few important reminders:

1. We have an extra credit movie Friday afternoon until 6:00 PM — it will be worth five points on your Hero’s Journey diagram poster.
2. Your Hero’s Journey poster is due on Tuesday, September 3.
3. Your nonfiction essay is due on Monday, September 9.

Homework for tonight is another Flipgrid response. Go to your period listed under yesterday’s post and respond to the prompt about xenia/hospitality.

Your homework is also to have a parent respond to this form by Tuesday, September 3.

Today in class, we are going over the syllabus section of the website, and then we are talking about the Trojan War using this slide deck (The Odyssey Schema Guide)!

Welcome back! Here’s the rundown of what we’re doing today in class:

1. We’re going to start by watching this short video and answering some questions.

2. Next, as a reminder, we’re having an after school extra credit movie, the edited version of Troy, Friday from 4:00 to 6:00 PM. You are invited to join us in room 316. Attending will be worth five points of extra credit on your Hero’s Journey project (which is a major grade). There will be movie snacks for sale, benefiting Bellaire study abroad programs.

3. Also, as you are working on your two summer reading assignments, please check out the website for Bellaire’s Pre-AP English 1 summer reading.

4. Your homework for tonight is to respond to a quick prompt via Flipgrid. You can access your period’s Grid by clicking on the links below:

• Period 1
• Period 2
• Period 4
• Period 6
• Period 7

5. Here is the rubric for the essay over your nonfiction book, which will be due on Monday, September 9 (Nonfiction Summer Reading Essay Rubric). This will be worth a major grade.

6. And finally, we will be spending some time in class working on your fiction summer reading Hero’s Journey poster. That project will be due on Tuesday, September 3, and will be worth a major grade. Please make sure that you do your very best work on this!

Welcome to class! I’m so excited to have you this year.

This website is where I’ll be posting summaries of our activities each day along with electronic copies of assignment and additional resources.

We started today off with a lesson on the Hero’s Journey; we watched this video, and students began work on this (The Hero’s Journey Diagram Assignment) assignment.

We will continue to talk about summer reading assignments tomorrow!

Students will have a reading assignment over the summer before 10th grade; please see this sheet (Incoming 10th Grade Required Summer Reading 2019) for information about what that will be.

If you’re continuing on to Pre-AP English 2, you will need two books: 1) Catcher in the Rye and 2) This Boy’s Life. If you think that you might have some trouble getting your own copies of those, please send me an email (echapman@houstonisd.org) and let me know, and we’ll see what we can figure out.

Also — I will be coming in to see you all in person when you take your final exams next week! If you have any last-minute questions or issues, we should have an opportunity to handle them together then.

Suzanne is doing really well! Her pediatrician said that she was “perfect,” and I have to agree. 🙂