How'd it go?

I hope everyone's exams went well. I can't wait to take a look at them. How did you like those poems? I love them both -- they are both really good. Was one easier to analyze than the other? What sis you analyze?

We will talk more soon.

Exam Prep: Metaphors

I also found a great web site to learn about METAPHORS!

Click here if you want to learn about METAPHORS! HERE! RIGHT HERE!

Exam Prep: Analyzing Mood

If you want a great web site for how to analyze mood, look what I found while searching for some information for tomorrow's lesson:

WEB SITE ABOUT MOOD - CLICK ME!!

Monday Monday!

You have some things to give to me this week:

1 - 4 quote logs for the books you have read this semester

2 - poetry portfolio assignment (Tuesday - but I will also accept it Monday)

3 - anything you have been given that you would like to revise/make better to receive an additional grade toward your oral grade

Give it to me!

My job:

to teach you how to write commentary in 4 class periods. I accept the challenge.

Independent Reading on Monday!

Animated Poems

Woohoo! I am so excited I finally got to see some of the animated poems today. It was like a big reveal to see all your hard work.

I also can't wait to vote tomorrow after they have all been shown, so we can find out who the sinner is! Aren't you excited?

My two favorite moments from today's videos:

Basak spinning with her hair twirling and that wig on Eray. Did I say two? I meant 3 - I also loved Zeynep's dancing while Aysegul was staring. That makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Irem and Selin AND Deylem, Bugce, Buse, Elican and Deniz tomorrow! Good luck!

Animated Poetry!

Upload those projects by Monday! I can't wait to see them. Hopefully I will laugh, cry, and fall in love all at the same time.

If you are not already a member of the Animated Poetry group on facebook, you can view everyone's videos if you become one. I suggest it because watching the videos is so much fun. \
See you Monday!

Grades

Here is what you will be graded on when you present on the 25th:


Project: Animated Poetry

Copy of the poem
___ /5

List of Students in the Group with Responsibilities listed next to each student – editing, storyboard, oral presentation, written commentary (reciting the poem, presenting analysis of the video, presenting analysis of the language of the poem, etc.)
___ /10

Storyboard – final draft only
___ / 10 detailed/colored
___ / 10 filled out completely
total___ /20

Written Commentary – analysis of the poem (structure, metaphor, simile, personification, meter, alliteration, rhyme, mood/tone, diction, etc…and WHY they are used)
___ /10 – rough draft
___ /40 – final draft

total___ /50

Oral Commentary – discussing choices made in the film making and also analysis of the poem
___ /5 all group members take part in presenting
___ /5 intro – what the poem means generally/how it is shown in the film
Part I
___ /10 film analysis – why did you choose certain film techniques and angles to show different parts of the poem
- why did you use certain sounds in the background, why that music or those sound effects?
Part II
___ /10 poetic analysis – why did the author use certain literary techniques – why metaphor and simile? why rhyme? why alliteration? etc…
total___ / 30


Animated Poetry Video
___ /15 uploaded to facebook
___ /10 imagination is used to create the video
___ /10 sound is well mixed and timing is accurate
___ /15 overall the video demonstrates the effort students put in and shows a deep understanding of the poem
total___ /50




Group Evaluation

Attention during other people’s presentations – no talking/texting/whispering, no heads down
- showing appropriate respect to others while they are presenting
___ /10

Effort as a member of your own group (based on peer evaluation)
___ /20

Animated Poem Checklist

Writing a Commentary for a poem is hard, but that is why we are practicing. Whenever you have a writing assignment in class - don't waste time! Get to writing. I can only help you with your writing and ideas if you actually write something, so the more you write, the more I can help --- AND nothing you write is ever a waste of time.

The commentary is only one part of the animated poem checklist. Here are the rest of the things that are due on May 25th:

___ Copy of the 15-20 line Poem

___ List of Students in the Group with Responsibilities listed next to each student
– editing, storyboard, oral presentation (reciting the poem, presenting analysis of the video, presenting analysis of the language of the poem, etc.)

___ Storyboard

___ Written Commentary – analysis of the poem (structure, metaphor, simile, personification, meter, alliteration, rhyme, mood/tone, diction, etc…and WHY they are used) – rough draft and final draft

___ Animated Poetry Video (uploaded to facebook for presenting purposes)
- presentation includes oral defense of choices made in the video and oral commentary

Upload Upload Upload

Upload those scavenger hunt videos by Wednesday! I want to see them there and I want to show the best/funniest one to the class. Please work on getting them uploaded. I will not show yours unless it is there. It may take a while to upload it, but get it done.

Animated Poetry Requirements

Animated Poetry

Your task is to design and film a dramatic interpretation of a poem using a video camera. You will be in the same group that you are in for the scavenger hunt.

Requirements for the Project

• It must be a poem that is rich in imagery
• It must be approximately 15-20 lines long
• Your teacher needs to approve the poem
• You need to turn in a story board
• The poem must be recited and not only displayed on the screen
• You must do all of your own filming and editing
• You need to do an oral commentary for the animated poem once it is filmed (oral presentation). This can be live or recorded on the video at the end of the poem presentation.
• No more than 5 minutes in total for the poetic part (if you add the commentary – the commentary section will make it longer)
• You must post the video to facebook by class time, May 25th so we can view it in class on that day.
• The title of your animated poem, when uploaded, should be 9H plus all of the names of the people in your group. So for instance it should be "9H_Ayşegül, Zeynep, Benan, Lara, Eray" for the Queen Bee group.

Due date: MAY 25^th

Scavenger Hunt

For Monday -- upload the scavenger hunt to facebook! If you want to edit it and make it sound/look pretty, it is totally up to you. But make it good.

Make sure you join the groups:
The Koc School 2008-2009 Scavenger Hunt
AND
The Koc School 2008-2009 Animated Poetry Video Project

I will look at them on Monday and decide which one is good enough to show on Tuesday!

Reminders:
Bring Independent Reading books on Monday.

If you want your exam grades, please email me. I will distribute the exams on Monday so you can see the feedback on the exam.

For Tuesday --bring in one copy of your poem for each group member and one copy for me, on Tuesday.

Scavenger Hunt

Bring your cameras! Here are the items you have to choose from for tomorrow. Do the ones with the most points and you will be the winners!

Video Scavenger Hunt Tasks

1. Ask students what they want to do with their life 10

2. Impersonate your favorite rock star 15

3. Break dance on a cardboard box in public 15

4. Point at nothing and get a passerby to look at it 10 (doesn't count if you set it up -- you have to make them do it without knowing)

5. Video an animal 5

6. Get someone on your team to sing and act out the teapot song 15 (your teacher will tell you the lyrics and movements)

7. Comment on student behavior as if narrating a nature program 15

8. Take a nap in an inappropriate location 15

9. Re-enact the “King of the World” scene from the Titanic 15

10. Interview people coming out of a restroom (questions should not be related to the restroom) 20

11. Video a team member acting like a duck 15

12. Play an air table tennis game in public 15

13. Video team members playing leap frog 10 (your teacher will show you what this is)

14. Recite a poem publicly 10

15. Score an air goal with spectators cheering you on 10

16. Kiss a fish 10

17. Pay with foreign currency at the canteen 15

18. Capture team members lovingly running towards each other across a field 10

19. Travel the halls as if you were the crocodile hunter in the wild 10

20. Video an opposing team member 30

21. Do the halay 15

22. Talk with a stranger in the lunchroom or canteen 10

Make sure that you "sell" everything and make it really good. The funnier, the better. I will only show one in class, and I will only show the one that I think was done the best. So scavenge to impress!

Poetic Commentary

Remember - the poem that your groups chooses for their animated poem is one that you will have to complete a commentary for as a group. You will have to orally share the poem and video and talk about the poetic techniques that the poet is using and WHY the poet uses them -- so choose a poem that you understand as well as one that can be displayed visually.

Friday is coming soon! That means the scavenger hunt! Yipee! Get ready. Make sure you have fun and do the best you can in the time you have.

Animated Poem

Remember the authors that I suggested you choose from? I told you guys you can look at all the poems I gave you and search other poems that the same authors have written. Please do not choose translations of Turkish poems. I want these poems to come from English language authors.

Here are some you can choose from:
Nikki Giovanni
Gary Soto
Mark Strand
Emily Dickinson
Edgar Allen Poe
Shel Silverstein
Billy Collins
Elizabeth Bishop
William Shakespeare
Robert Frost
Carl Sandburg
e.e. cummings
May Swenson
Langston Hughes
Robert Browning
Walt Whitman
William Wordsworth
Robert Lowell

Use www.poets.org to help you find a GREAT one!

I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a little teapot, short and stout, (bounce up and down a little or rock from side to side)

Here is my handle (place one hand on corresponding hip to imitate handle),

here is my spout (position other hand in air to imitate spout).

When I get all steamed up hear me shout.

Tip me over and pour me out (lean to the right to imitate pouring tea from the spout).

Sicky Sick

As you know, I have been sick which is why the posts were a little slim last week. I will definitely beef things up this week and post every day.

Today, many of you came in without any options for poems -- this worries me since I have been asking for them for a week now. Please bring them in.

I will not remind you to give them to me, because it is now YOUR responsibility to bring the poem to me. You need to have at least one poem that you would like to do for you animated poem by Wednesday or your group will get a zero for the project. I want to see those poems!

Reminder: Get a poem to me by Wednesday.
Reminder: Friday is the scavenger hunt.
Reminder: Monday the scavenger hunt is due.
Reminder: Start working on the animated poem by Tuesday of next week.

Animtaed Poem Options

Bring in at least 3 poems (not just titles, but actual poems) for Tuesday's class. I want each group to have a selection of poems that they can choose from so you can start brainstorming ideas about how to create a dramatic interpretation of your poem.

We gotta make 'em good! So pick some poems that you can really "see" visually!

Animated Poem Groups

Current Groups:

Although many people were absent on Friday, we started creating our animated poetry groups. On Monday we will make sure that everyone is okay with the groups, but here they are for now...

The Sexy Bombs and the Slow One - Buğçe, Buse, Deniz T., Elican, and Deylem

Queen Bees - Ayşegül, Zeynep, Benan, Lara, Eray

Un-named Groups:

Deniz Ç., Başak, Selen, Irem Ş.

Doruk, Ahmet, Burak, Can

Kerem, Caner, Tolga, Selin, Irem E.

We can make sure this is what everyone wants on Monday. If you want something different, please let me know!

Review!

What are the meanings of these things (and do it from memory -- just pick one so others can give it a try):

simile
metaphor
alliteration
personification
hyperbole
onomatopoeia

Speaker vs. Author

A speaker and author are almost never the same. Be careful of that word "almost" I just wrote. Usually the author is not the speaker of his or her poem, so we don't refer to the speaker as the author ever. Err on the side of caution and assume that the speaker is separate from the author. It is important when demonstrating your understanding of the poem.

Why is it that we so often want the author to also be the speaker? Do we want to assume that every speaker of every poem is a poet? Then why would a poet write poems -- shouldn't they just give speeches?

Animated Poems!

Click here for a podcast of poems that you can listen to and think about using for your animated poem.

Listen and choose some that you like. Have at least 3 choices for next Monday.

Poetry

What feelings do you feel and what things does your body do when you hear the word poetry?

What do you already know about poetry? Tell all!

Poetry

We start the Poetry Unit on Wednesday! (YAY!) But first I want to share some ideas that this professor at MIT has. I will show you some video clips of his tomorrow and we will discuss what he has to say.

I was wondering though...what do you think these two terms might mean: "The Illusion of Choice" and/or "Manufacturing Consent"?

These are 2 things we will talk about tomorrow, but what do you think they mean?

Vary those Sentences!

Why is sentence variety so important?

Sentence variety is important because it is important. It is important so you don't always say the same thing over and over. Sentence variety is important so you don't sound like a broken record. It is boring if you use the same beginnings to sentences and the same sentence structure every time you write. People will just be waiting for that sentence that says something a little different and adds a little zest to your writing. See!

The paragraph above is an example of BAD sentence variety. This is why we should improve that part of our writing - otherwise, what we write becomes mush.

Here are some links to get you thinking! (and writing varied sentences)

And here!

Thesis and Structure

Click here for a PDF about writing thesis statements. This may give you an idea about how to revise the one in your essay if you think it is weak.

Click here for a web site about organization. You can also try this link for a web site on outlining your essay. This will help you to switch where your paragraphs are or where you think they should be. You may even want to move around the sentences in your paragraphs so that they make more sense or flow more smoothly. Think of an outline as a map for your structure.

Essay Writing - Exam Week

Let's get to essay writing! Today we are discussing some fine points of essay writing before I send you all to do it tomorrow. Tomorrow, you will be writing the entire period, refining and reworking your ideas INDEPENDENTLY.

After tomorrow's class, then we can rework what you have written and improve the writing for the final draft.

A few tips:

- Make sure you understand what the question is asking - read it through and reread it so that you answer it properly. There is nothing worse than writing an entire essay answering the question in the wrong way.

- Take your time. Even though sometimes we want to write everything all at once, take your time and really think about how you want to construct your idea. Don't take too much time though because then you will find it is the end of the period and you have nothing written. What ever you have at the end of the period on Tuesday is what you can work with from that point on, so make sure it is something substantial.

- Think. Think. Think. (as Pooh Bear says) Make sure you construct a good idea about what you are writing. Don't write what I expect, write about things that are "surprising" to you or that you think I will find interesting. Don't tell me what I know, tell me what you think.

- Most of all - do your best! That is all you can do, right? Your best may not be a five, but hopefully it is not a 1, but whatever it is, just do it!

Photo assignment

We are going to continue our discussion tomorrow about MEMORIES and the photographs and memories you guys have. Please bring in your pictures and your written down memories of them, so we can discuss them tomorrow.

I love pictures - don't you?

Color Blindness

Click on this and go to this cool web site that simulates color blindness!

Check out what you see. I almost feel like I might be color blind, but then I realize -- I can see all the differences, so that must mean that I am not color blind (duh). Try it out! Are any of you color blind? Do you know anyone who is? What is it like for them?

Reading and Thinking

I want you guys to read and think this weekend (I know - it takes a lot). Think about how what is going on in the novel fits together. We will be writing essays about the novel, so I need you guys to have some thoughts about what to write about when the time comes. We will be doing a practice essay this week, so prepare yourselves.

Make sure you have finished the novel by Tuesday! Also - report to the computer lab on Monday (Burak - you are responsible for getting everyone there).

AFTER POST: Reminder "NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY!" - have as much fun as you can!

PHOTOS

I need those photos! Please bring them in on Monday.

What do you guys think having photos in digital form vs. having photos in print form does for memories?

Auteur

Please tell me I didn't butcher the french word for author...is that it in the title?

Anyways -- if you were an author, what would your first book be about? It can be fiction or non-fiction and about anything you think you would write about. How many chapters would it have? What would it explore?

I would want to write a book about education analyzing the way kids learn and teaching teachers more effective ways of engaging students in learning. I would also want to write a book about my sister-in-law's experiences with breast cancer or my sister's experience with infertility and then giving birth to a premature baby. I also have dreams of writing about travel, but sometimes travel writing can get boring, so I am not sure about this one.

Memories... (you know this song too...I know you do)

Do you guys remember what you have learned about essay writing? What are some of the tips that you have gotten and retained or remembered over the years?

What are some things that make sense about essay writing and what are some things that you think you just don't get? (You need to be a humble learner for this one, so take off your coolness cloak and admit you don't know everything - okay?)

Essays? Really?

We have been told to teach you guys how to write an essay and that it will be the next Exam you take. My first question is WHY?

Why in the world do we have to write an essay? And why in the world does it have to be about The Giver?

Well, we don't and it doesn't, but we are going to write one and it will be about The Giver.

Click here for a web site about how essay writing came about and why in school we usually write about literature when we write about an essay in English class.

What I Like About YOU! (come on...you know the song)

What are some things you do that you do not have to be told to do -- for instance, things you like to do and do not mind accomplishing?

Individualism

What does the term mean in your own life?

Discussion Topics

I want to start spending the first 10 minutes of class with a discussion that has nothing to do with what we are doing in class, and I want YOU guys to come up with the topics. So suggest any topic you would like to talk about in class (in English) in the comments for this post!

Blogging - Why Write?

Keeping your own blog makes you think about all the things you are doing in story form. How can you create a story about...? When you find the answer or the end of that question, then you have a topic for your next blog post.

A story about blogging...
Once upon a time a girl started blogging and she had a family with 4 children and those children grew and she grew and loved her family. She stayed at home and raised her children and washed the dishes and cleaned the floors and made delicious dinners while listening to music. She was beautiful, this girl.

Then she bought her husband flight lessons for his birthday. And this girl's husband flew. He flew himself until he learned how to fly others. When he could fly others, he flew this girl to a spot where she could buy cute moccasins she liked. The children stayed at home while she and her husband went to get the moccasins. They returned, but not by plane. Instead they went by way of an ambulance and a burn unit. Their plane had crashed. Click here for her blog and the rest of her story (she is currently in treatment for her burns, but she has an amazing story).

Wednesday

So I am returning on Wednesday of this week. I am not sure what Ms. Sevimli told you guys, but I will only be returning to teach 9H for the rest of the year (sorry 9G). It makes me sad that I cannot give 9G a proper good bye, so here is the goodbye! I will miss you! If you need anything, please feel free to email me or post/comment on the blog.

I will still leave all the links up for the blogs, but only 9H is now responsible for keeping up to date with their blogs.

Diversity

If everyone was the same even though we are all born as individuals, would this make things easier or harder?

Color

How does color affect our lives? If everything was in Black and White, would we notice? Would we miss color?

How is this picture:

Different from this one:

Age

Why are years less important as time passes? Usually the celebration of a 16th birthday is treated differently than the celebration of a 52cnd birthday. Why do you think that is?

Not Important?

Sometimes we think our stories are not important enough to be heard. If everyone thought that we would have no TV, no movies, no newspapers or magazines and no books to read.

Everyone's story is important in some way, and they should all be recorded and shared. What are some ways you record and share stories of your own? How can people continue to share and record stories?

Ceremonies and Traditions

What are some ceremonies and traditions you have in your life or in your family? Try to list as many as you can - let's see who has the most!

A Perfect World

Many novels you will read are about what a perfect world or utopia possesses and how an absolute utopia is an impossibility.

What would a Utopian world be like for you? What would some of the rules be? Would there be rules?

Like Life

Literature is a lot like life. The stories we read in class are not only for learning how to pass the exam or for learning a language. The experiences characters have are experiences that are similar to the ones you have in life.

Although The Giver is fictional, there are many things that are similar to what we experience. There is so much more than language and vocabulary that we can learn from reading. I read sometimes so that I can learn about experiences I know I will never have. It teaches me how to react if something like the story happens in my life.

It is not that I am all of a sudden going to be in Jonas' world but that experiences he has are parallel to ones in the real world and that I can also learn from what he does, not only what I do or what my friends do.

Do you find this to be true?

Easy vs. Hard

Why is it important sometimes to do things that we don't want to do? What are some things that you have done that you did not enjoy doing, but after reflection, you have realized that it was something that you needed to do or experience?

Who experiences things they don't want to in the novel and why are these experiences important?

Memory

What is the importance of history? Is it important anymore?

Soo good

You guys have been getting so good at blogging! Your comments are getting smarter, you are paying attention to other people's comments more - way to go! Keep blogging yourselves and I will keep reading. Many of you have lots to write about - so keep thinking and keep writing. Nice job!

Another good thing -- I want you guys to do something nice for Ms. Sevimli before she goes. (shhh...don't tell her). Each class should get together and think of something they could do/buy/celebrate to thank her for all her hard work while I was away. Make sure it is unexpected though and something you all think she would like. I know I always like food, so start with that.

Things You Hate

What do you hate about reading?

A Good Reader

As you read you should always have a pen or pencil in hand and always be taking notes, underlining things and really having a written dialogue with the book as you read.

Start underlining all the words you are not sure of as you read. Then -- when you decide you can't read anymore, go to a dictionary and look those words up. Doing this type of exercise will really help with your vocabulary.

I did something similar to this the other day except I was reading a package instead of a book. I learned that "hassas" means damaged.

4 More Weeks!

Can anyone guess what will happen in 4 weeks?

Where are you?

Where are my students at? I think I will do 2 interviews a week when I return since I haven't been able to interview anyone lately. I will interview everyone, so if you want an interview via email, email me now -- otherwise we will do a face to face interview :). Your choice!

Reading

When you read, do you read faster as the pages turn?

I think I do. Make sure you read for at least 15 minutes before putting a book down until tomorrow. If you read only for 5 minutes, you will barely be able to become interested in the plot. Give it a chance! Think about how much TV you watch to "get" the story and really get into a show. Give a book at least half that.

Breaks

What are you guys up to for your holiday? The two week break is coming soon. I hope you have started looking at The Giver and reading some.

My first son starts pre-school tomorrow! I am very excited for him. We had a special dinner for his birthday and for the start of school. Do you have any traditions before the school year begins?

Exam Tip 6

After taking this set of exams, use your strengths and weaknesses as a learning tool. When you get the exams back, remember what you did well on and what you did poorly on. This way you can improve for the next exams. You will always be tested and evaluated in life, so there should always be a reflection after an evaluation of any kind. Take the feedback sincerely and make sure you take the time to take a good, honest look at yourself and your abilities. Don't stress out though -- your grades are not you, they are just a reflection of your work.

Exam Tip 5

BALANCE

Allow for balance in your life, even during exam time. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, and even exercise physically. This way your mind will be ready when it needs to be. If you study too much, your brain will be worn out and you will not perform the way you had hoped. All the studying will not help without a bit of balance.

Exam Tip 4

Answer Questions in a strategic order:

1- answer easy questions first

2- answer questions with the highest point value first

Exam Tip 3

Review your answers before deciding you have finished the exam. An exam period is intense and your mind is engaged in severely analytical thinking in a short period of time.

After you have decided you completed the exam and answered the questions, take a moment to review and look over the exam with a more relaxed mind. Yes, maybe you finished filling in all the answers, but have you answered them appropriately, did you think about them in the right way? Probably, but give it one more look before deciding you have finished.

Exam Tip 2

Eat "brain foods" while you study and during exam time (not while taking the exam, but during the common exam week).

The following foods are considered "brain foods":

Wild Salmon
Green Tea
Blueberries
Black coffee made from coffee beans (no cream or sugar)


Generally -- eat a good breakfast that makes you feel full and happy. Being comfortable during an exam could affect what your brain is thinking about.

Exams, Exams, Exams

Who knew I would be back in the classroom with you before March?!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the visit. I will be in one more day tomorrow and then I am sure I will not be back until March.

Since you are in the middle of exams, I am giving you another blog break (but just from the class blog). I will post some studying tips as you go and also ways to RELAX -- because I know you all struggle with this.

Exam Tip 1: Read the directions carefully! Sometimes the people who make the test do not always act or think like the ones taking it, so be sure you try to think of the directions and what the test maker means by them. The better you understand the directions, the easier it will be to respond to the questions.