I will be out today, Friday, April 11 for a professional development training. Here is what I would like for you to work on during the day’s class:

1. Read Nimona, a long webcomic (it should take you about half an hour to get through everything that has been published so far) here:

http://gingerhaze.com/nimona/comic/page-1 

On a sheet of notebook paper, answer the question “Is Blackheart really a villian?” in SAR style.

2. Continue working on your graphic novel review.

3. Work on memorizing your poem.

Do not give the substitute your poem or try to sign up for a date! You can only sign up with me on Monday.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend!

Today students had time to continue working on their graphic novel reviews and their poems. Homework for tonight was to make a comic based on one of the works of literature that we have read this year. Here are those instructions:

Draw a comic about one of the works of literature we have read this year. Your comic must include:

• Frames of different sizes and gutters
• A shift in perspective (not the same scene in every panel)
• One of the following: captions or sound effects

Your comic will be graded on:

• Humor: Is there a punchline?
• Relevance to the literary work
• Detail and development (you don’t have to be a great artist, but you do need to elaborate and make an effort, just as you do when writing)

English 1 Pre-AP Works (So Far):

• The Hunger Games
• The Most Dangerous Game
• The Cask of Amontillado
• St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
• The Pearl
• Malcolm Gladwell books
• The Odyssey
• The Count of Monte Cristo
• In Cold Blood
• The Glass Castle

Today we talked about your poetry performance assignment in celebration of National Poetry Month. Students will be memorizing and reciting a poem to the class over the next three weeks. Here is the assignment sheet:

Poetry Presentation Rubric

Make sure to bring me a paper copy of your poem so that you can sign up for a date!

Homework tonight is to find a webcomic and write a paragraph analyzing it. Here are those instructions:

Webcomic Homework Assignment

Today we talked about our project for your free choice graphic novels. Here are those instructions:

Graphic Novel Terms and Concepts Handout

Writing a Review of a Graphic Novel Project

Many of you also set up Goodreads accounts to find new book recommendations and keep track of your reading. Remember, if you post your review of your graphic novel on Goodreads, you will earn 10 points of extra credit on that assignment.

Today in class, we will take some introductory notes on graphic novels as a genre. Here is an electronic copy of the questions you will need:

Graphic Novels – Introductory Notes

And here are the sources from which you can find answers to the questions:

A. Graphic Novel – Mrs. Christopher PowerPoint

B. An Introduction to the Graphic Novel Presentation by Vicky Maloy

C. How to Read a Graphic Novel TED Talk by Michael Chaney

D. The Visual Magic of Comics TED Talk by Scott McCloud

Your notes are due on Tuesday. I’m going to extend the deadline for your essay on hunger in America until Wednesday.

Also, you will need to go to the library during lunch or before/after school sometime early this week to check out a free choice graphic novel. You can choose anything so long as you haven’t read it before. I highly recommend you do this on Monday, because 1) the sooner you get there, the better your chances of checking out something that you like, and 2) we’re going to start a project with these on Tuesday, and if you have your book by the time you come to class, you can begin using the time to work.

Hunger in America Essay

We used the day on Friday for brainstorming about an essay on hunger in America (due Tuesday).

Today we relaxed a bit and watched a documentary on hunger in America, called A Place at the Table. Students completed a viewing guide as we watched it (see me for a paper copy tomorrow if you weren’t here). I want you to especially consider the film as it related to The Glass Castle and Jeannette Walls’ family’s poverty.

No homework for tonight!