Signing Off

Well, as LeAlan and Lloyd would say "This is [Ms. Hughes], signing off." I am so proud of the work you guys did this summer. I will be honest and say that this was one of my favorite experiences teaching. This is for two reasons: First, the content and subject matter was so different than what I teach during the school year. Second, while all of you are very different scholars with very different likes and dislikes, you were all enthusiastic and willing, as Lupe put it, to do "silly" things and to engage with some material that might have been unfamiliar to you. As I said, you made my job really easy the last three weeks and really fun! I am excited to start the school year with some new ideas for activities. More importantly though, remembering how much fun you can have in a classroom (even if you're in it for 4 hours)!

Thanks, guys.

Optional Post: Classroom Library

Hi All- While we are waiting for all of the students to catch up. What books or kinds of books do you think we should order for the new revamped freshman library?! If you're giving me a title or titles-be sure that they have an author so I can look them up. Feel free to give genre suggestions or series suggestions if you've got them! We want to get as many freshman reading (and loving it) as possible. Better books should help us to do that!

Thanks for your input, guys!

Assignment #22: That's All Folks...

Looney Tunes cartoons always close with "That's all folks..." And it's true. Today marks the end of our three weeks together. Good students (and humans), as we know, reflect upon themselves. They think about how they can improve and grow. I see, as I have said, so much growth in many of you from the beginning of your freshman year to now! It is truly awesome. Take a second right now, to think about summer school and yourself as a student.

1. What did you do very well this summer that you'd like to bring into the school year?
2. What is something you know you still need to work on in the school year? (behavior, participation, grammar, reading aloud, etc.)
3. What is the thing you are most proud of this summer about your performance?

Assignment #21: Thinking Back

Three weeks goes by very very quickly! This is my first time teaching the course and there are definitly things I will do differently next time around. Take a second to think about the class as a whole. In DETAIL (3 or more sentences for each), explain what you liked about the class--what worked, what you would change about the class--what didnt work, and finally the most important take-away or thing you learned--what was most valuable to you?

Assignment #20: A Way to Be Good Again

In the Kite Runner, they talk extensively about "a way to be good again." Can Tykeece and Jessie (Tyrone and Johnny) change their future? Or are they stuck in this vicious cycle for the rest of their lives.

Assignment #19: What the Future Holds...

After reading the text, where do you think the main character are now? Choose 2 people in the book and tell me where you think they are TODAY! Later we will read a Chicago Tribune article that follows up with the individuals. (LeAlan, Lloyd, Derrick, Tyrone, Johnny)

Assignment #18: Why do you think they wrote this book?

After reading Our America, what was the purpose of the book? Reread the final two pages. Why did LeAlan and Lloyd want to tell their story? Identify one quote that supports your point.

Assignment #17: Starbucks with Obama

During her interview, Janell is asked what she would say if you she could talk to the president at the time. If you could sit down with President Obama and tell him one thing you think he needs to know about in order to change--what would it be? What is an issue you care deeply about that you would want to bring to his attention.

Assignment #15:

What is the most important/interesting comment made during discussion. What did you talk about that was worth-while? Be sure to be specific.

Assignment #15: Unspeakable.

The expression unspeakable literally means "not to be spoken." In the second half of Our America, the boys examine a crime that is labeled by many within their community and within the nation as truly heinous (horrible, awful). What do you think the most unspeakable crime is? What is the worst thing a person can do?

Assignment #13: Initial Thoughts

Our America is a book about strong truths and the experiences of children living in the city. After reading Chapters 1-3, what stood out to you. Choose a quote and explain why you think this quote is important. What does it say? What does that mean? Why does it matter?

Ex.
LeAlan describes Lloyd by saying, "He's got a head like a martian." He means by this that Lloyd has an awkwardly shaped body. I think this quote matters because it helps the reader to see their relationship. LeAlan and Lloyd are clearly best friends who have a loving and playful relationship. They have shared some very difficult experiences, like frequent violence, but they know that they can depend on one another and still joke with eachother.

Assignment #12: Field Trip Reflection

Good Morning! Think very far back to last Thursday and our field trip! Imagine that this morning an announcement has been made that the Chicago History Museum will be closed until further notice because of budget cuts. IN COMPLETE sentences and no less than 4 sentences--explain what the importance of this museum is. Is it worth the money to keep it open? Why or why not?

Assignment #11

One crucially important part of learning is reflection. Before we head out on our field trip--let's take a moment to reflect.

1. What is the most interesting thing you have learned this week?
2. What is something you are enjoying about class?
3. How would you rate yourself and your academic performance this week? (1 is ugh! Im not demonstrating scholarly behavior and 10 is I am a rockstar scholar who is soaking in all this new knowledge!)
4. What are you going to change about YOUR performance for next week?
5. What would you like to see Ms. Hughes change for next week? (more time to respond, more videos/pictures of what we are studying, more/less group time?)

Assignment #10: Inventions!

Below are a list of inventions from the World's Fair. Choose one invention and using the internet and your fantastic research skills (remember to use strong sources!) answer the questions on your handout.

Respond to this post with what you will be researching. Only one student may do each. So...be quick!

Hershey's Chocolate Bar
Wrigley's Gum
Cracker Jack's
Aunt Jemima Instant Pancake Mix
The Automatic Dishwasher
The Zipper
The Ferris Wheel
Shredded Wheat
The First Skyscraper (built in preparation for the fair)

Assignment #9: World's Fair Reflection

After seeing the pictures and going to the virtual presentations, what do you think? If you could have travelled back in time, would you have wanted to go to the World's Fair? Be sure to explain yourself. Why or why not? What is the most amazing thing that you saw in the photos? What surprised you about these pictures? This information?

Take a Look

Use the following link to check out some of the simulations of the world's fair

http://www.ust.ucla.edu/ustweb/Projects/columbian_expo.htm

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/1893fair.html

Assignment #8: Would You Rather...

There is a game that I like to play with my brothers called "Would you rather." The idea behind the game is that you pick two things that are both pretty awful and then everyone must decide which they would rather do. (Example: Would you rather sit in detention for 30 hours straight copying the handbook or have to walk across hot coals?)

So, here's one for you. We talked about the labor problems at the time. People worked endless hours and could barely afford to live. Living conditions were awful and cramped but they were all people had. Pullman built a city for his workers with larger housing and what he considered to be better living conditions. Sounds great? The catch was that he controlled how they lived their lives.

Would you rather work in terrible conditions and be free to do what you want or work in better conditions and have better housing and be controlled by your boss?

Assignment #7: Chicago: City of the Pheonix

In mythology, the Pheonix is a bird that rises from the ashes. It cannot be killed or crushed. It simply puts itself back together again. After the Great Chicago Fire, there was an attitude that Chicago would just come back bigger and better. One Historian said, "We are the city that believes. We just bounce right back."

Think of Chicago today, as you know it. Do you think this is true? Are we the city that cannot be kept down? Do we simply rise above conflict and problems? Be sure to explain yourself.

Assignment #6: Population Overload

The population of Chicago boomed between 1837, when it became a city and 1848 when the railroad was built. In fact, it is cited as one of the fastest population booms in history!

1. Why do you think this happened? What allowed people to come to the area? Why might they have wanted to come to the area?
2. Imagine our school. If all of a sudden 500 more kids showed up and moved into class--what would happen?
3. Think about question 2. How do you think that impacts a city? What good and bad things might have happened as a result?

Assignment #5: This Land is MY Land

There is a very popular song you may remember from your childhood called "This Land is Your Land." One of the lyrics to the song is "This land is your land. This land is my land...This land was made for you and me." It's a really nice idea. As we know, though, that is not how it worked.

As we learned yesterday, the history books tell us that the first people in the area now called Chicago were Joliet and Marquette who were exploring. What about the native people who already lived here?

How did Native Americans respond to the new settlers in the "Chicago" area? If you were a Native American living at the time, would you have coexisted peacefully seeing the benefit of sharing your land? Or would you have violently fight back?

Assignment #4: City Knowledge

This afternoon, as I was reading through your posts, one of them caught my eye. LupeFiasco wrote "If there's a low average (on the Chicago knowledge test) it's because people don't know their city like they should."

1. Is it important for you to know about your city? Why or why not? You're no tourist, so why does it matter?

2. Whose responsibility is it to make sure you are educated about your city? Is it the job of schools? Parents? Individuals? By what age should people know about where they live? Be sure to explain what you think what you do.

Remember the rubric rules!

Assignment #3: So You Think You Know Chicago?

How well do you really know Early Chicago History (1600-1900)? Before we watch Part II of the film "Chicago: City of the Century", take a short quiz about "back in the day" Chicago.

Note: The expression "back in the day", "way back when", "in the olden times", etc. are about as historically inaccurate as it gets! Pick a time period, please!

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/chicago/sfeature/sf_quiz.html

Let's see who our expert is...Post your score below when you finish.

Assignment #2: KW (not so much L...just yet)

You live here. Most of you were born here and have lived here for your entire life. What do you know about this city? It's famous people? It's famous places? It's parks, sky scrapers, politics, schools? serial killers? What do you want to know?

Respond with 3 things you know about the city.
Respond with 3 things you WANT to know and hope to learn during this course about the city.

Assignment #1: Picking a Penname

Many great writers have great pseudonyms or pen names. They choose these names so that they can have an opportunity to freely share their thoughts and opinions. We are going to use pseudonyms as well. Ours, however, will be names of famous Chicagoans. This will allow us to share freely and openly. Keep in mind, however, I will know your penname. Your blog posts should be honest, appropriate and academic in nature!

Click on the link below--You are going to borrow the name of a famous Chicagoan to use this summer. Click the hyperlink and read about the person. When you have selected your anonymous name--post a blurb in response to this about who the person is and why you have "borrowed" their name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Chicago


Happy Writing!

Welcome!

Dear Summer English Students,
Welcome to English I/II Summer School! Over the course of the next few weeks we will be writing, reading and learning about the history of Chicago, as we read Our America. We will be conducting our own research into the history of the city and the personal narratives of it's residents. Blogging and Independent Reading will also be large parts of this class. So we can get started, once you have logged into your gmail account, please respond below with the name of a book you recommend that your peers read and explain why!

Looking forward to a great summer session!
Ms. H