Friday, October 2nd

• Good afternoon class and Happy Friday!

• Please take out last night’s homework so it can be checked

• While I am checking your homework, please respond to the following warm-up prompt: You are officially done with your first month of middle school…Congrats! I am very interested in how it has been going for you, so please list two things you have learned thus far during your middle school experience.

By the end of today, you should be able to say:

• I reviewed the elements of plot

• I can apply the elements of plot to the classic children’s story, “Green Eggs and Ham”

• I reviewed and can define the vocabulary from “Seventh Grade”

• I can define the vocabulary words for “The War of the Wall”

Today’s Enduring Understanding and Essential Questions

EU: Many stories, from children’s stories and fairy tales to short stories and novels, follow a very standard plot outline.

EQs: What are the elements of plot?How are the elements of plot applied to “Green Eggs and Ham?”

EQ associated with end of the class activity/homework: What are ways that we can study vocabulary?

A Brief Review (please take out your Elements of Fiction notes from last Friday)

• Exposition

• Rising Action

• Climax

• Resolution

• Two new additions: The initial incident and falling action

A Brief Review

• Exposition- background information that introduces the setting, characters and prepares us for the story

• The initial incident- an event that starts the action of the story; signals the beginning of the conflict

• Rising Action- the plot develops and gets more complicated; leads up to the climax

• Climax-the point of highest interest or suspense in a story; the turning point; things go one way or the other

• Falling Action- the events between the climax and the resolution; story is ending

• Resolution-the loose ends are tied up and the story comes to a close

Application of Elements of Plot to “Green Eggs and Ham”

• Exposition

• Initial Incident

• Rising Action

• Climax

• Falling Action

• Resolution

Application of Elements of Plot to “Green Eggs and Ham”

• Exposition- Introduction of Daniel and Sam; Daniel dislikes Sam

• Initial Incident- “Do you like Green Eggs and Ham?”

• Rising Action- All the places Daniel will not eat Green Eggs and Ham

• Climax- Daniel tries the Green Eggs and Ham

• Falling Action- All the places he will eat Green Eggs and Ham

• Resolution- Thank you, thank you, Sam-I Am

Monday:

• We will apply these elements of plot to “The War of the Wall”

• Closure on elements of plot- What are those elements exactly?

“Seventh Grade” Vocabulary

• Conviction- a strong belief

• Elective- a school subject chosen by the student

• Ferocity- extreme fierceness

• Linger- to continue to stay

• Scowl- to look angry by frowning

“The War of the Wall” Vocabulary

• Beckon

• Drawl

• Inscription

• Liberation

• Scheme

“The War of the Wall” Vocabulary

• Beckon- to summon by a gesture

• Drawl- to speak in a slow manner

• Inscription- a brief engraved message

• Liberation- freedom after a struggle

• Scheme- to plot or plan in secret

Tonight for Homework

• You will complete a vocabulary study activity that will help you learn new words and better prepare you for our unit assessment

• THREE OPTIONS

Create ten flashcards, with the words on one side and the definition on the otherCreate ten original sentences that demonstrate you understand the meaning of the word

Today in Class

• THREE OPTIONS

Create ten flashcards, with the word on one side and the definition on the otherCreate ten original sentences that demonstrate you understand the meaning of the word- “He beckoned.” “Using his right hand, he beckoned the boy to come closer.”

Create ten flashcards with the word on one side and an illustration that helps you learn on the other

Monday, October 5th

• Good afternoon and Happy Monday!

• EU: Many stories, from children’s stories and fairy tales to short stories and novels, follow a very standard plot outline.

• EQ:How are the elements of plot applied to “The War of the Wall”?

• Notebook Warm-Up: Are there any areas in your neighborhood that seem to belong to the young people? If so, briefly describe this place.

By the end of today’s class period, you should be able to say to yourself…

• I understand new words used in a dialect different from my own

• I read and understood the short story “The War of the Wall”, as seen in my responses to reading comprehension questions

• I applied my understanding of the elements of plot to “War of the Wall”

Period 2- By the end of this period, you should be able to say to yourself…

• I can define all ten vocabulary words from this unit thus far

• I understand new words used in a dialect different from my own

• I read and understood the short story “War of the Wall”

Setting the Scene: “War of the Wall” (Oct 2nd)

• Takes place in an inner city

• Late 60s-early 70s

• Most characters in this story are African American

• Told from the perspective and through the voice of a boy that is probably around the same age as you

Dialect- particular type of language spoken in a particular place by a particular group of people

• pot likker- liquid left after meat and/or vegetables have cooked

• full of sky- as if in another world

• fix her wagon- tell her off

• hunching each other- bumping someone with a shoulder or elbow

• laying down a heavy rap- saying something important

• sounded very tall- sounded proud

Reading Focus: Elements of Plot

• While reading, think about how the story fits into Freytag’s Pyramid

Reading Bonus Points

Any time we read in class, you have the chance to earn yourself some bonus points for this class.

• Whenever we read a story as I class, I will begin the reading.

• After that, I will ask for volunteers to read different sections (the length of the sections will vary, depending on what we are reading)

• Any student who is chosen to read will earn a bonus point for that class.

• You can earn as many as FIVE bonus points a marking period

Reading Focus: Elements of Plot

• While reading, think about how the story fits into Freytag’s Pyramid

Reading Comprehension Questions

• What was the painter lady preparing to do at the beginning of the story?

• Why did this upset the narrator and Lou?

• In what ways did the painter seem rude to the Morris twins and to Mama?

• How did the narrator and Lou plan to recapture the wall?

• What changed their mind?

Elements of plot activity

• In your randomly assigned groups, you will work together to fill in Freytag’s Pyramid using elements from “The War of the Wall”

• The pyramid should include:ExpositionInitial IncidentRising ActionClimaxFalling ActionResolution

Closure

• On the back of your pyramid, your group should state what you think the theme of this story is…