September 21-September 25

Monday

Review new literary terms list

Lit Terms Activity

Tuesday

Finish lit terms review

Introduction to Steinbeck and Of Mice and Men

Begin reading chapter 1 in class-finish as homework.  Chapters 1 assignment is homework for Thursday.

Thursday

Read chapters 2

Homework:  chapters 2 characterization assignment 

Friday

Read chapter 3.  Complete chapters 2-3 questions for Monday.  

September 14-September 18

Monday

Continue reading and taking notes on Out of the Dust. 

HWK:  Mimicking Karen Hesse’s style and voice, create alternative stories or endings to the stories she has already told.   You must do this for at least 3 chapters in the book.  Due Thursday. 

Tuesday

Finish with reading and journaling 

Thursday

Introduce Out of the Dust In-class Essay assignment:  Depict the ways in which this fictional work reveals life during the Great Depression. 

Friday

Finish In-class essay

September 8-September 11

Tuesday

Collect permission slips.  Check independent novels. 

Discussion, Reading, Journaling

-       large group discussion and individual reading/journaling 

Hwk:  Write a one to two paragraph characterization of Billie Jo detailing who she is, what she looks like, how others perceive her, how she perceives herself, etc. 

Thursday

Figurative Language Assignment:  

Working in groups or individually, make a list of 10 examples of figurative language.  Using these examples, write your own creative story.  Make sure to underline each example. 

Share story with class

Friday

Continue reading/journaling

August 31-September 4

Monday

Finish reading test (15 minutes)

Introduction to figurative language vocabulary

Assignment: Give one example of your own of each example of figurative language from the first page of the handout

Tuesday

Review second page of figurative language

Literary Terms Quiz #1 on Thursday

Begin Great Depression Introduction:  Powerpoint, article, clips

Thursday

Literary Terms Quiz #1

View clips of Roaring ‘20s, Great Depression, and Hooverville in Cinderella Man

Introduction to Out of the Dust  by Karen Hesse

Friday

Reading and Journaling from Out of the Dust

As you read the first several chapters of the book, keep a journal with one page devoted to each of the following: 

•  School life  •  Community life  • Family life • Government Assistance • Agriculture  •  figurative language

Weekend Assignment:  Have parents sign copy of goodreads.com permission slip and return to me on Tuesday.  Sign up for goodreads.com.  Bring free choice book to class on Tuesday. 

August 25-August 28

Day 1:

•  Introductions

•  Personal Survey (due by end of class period) 

•  Summer writing assignment:  anecdote about summer experience using two examples of hyperbole (due Thursday, August 27)

Day 2:

•  All 9th graders participate in diagnostic testing in reading and vocabulary

Day 3:

•  In-class writing prompt