Weekly Reflections

Jan. 10 - Jan. 13
Throughout this week, we primarily focused on two projects, The Zebra, the Lioness, and
the Vulture and the memoir books. At first, we read the short story of The Zebra, the Lioness,
and the Vulture. Afterwards, we then made our own version of the story, but in different
perspectives of the characters. Personally, I was assigned writing the short story in the lionesss
perspective. Since I really excited and inspired to do this activity, I was able to compose a
well-thought out short story without difficulty. Once we were done, we shared our short stories
in a group discussion with our table. Following this project, we had an activity to learn more
about the memoir books. Our activity was sampling each memoir book for 5-7 minutes long.
From doing this, it allowed us to choose our reading preferences for the memoir books. Lastly, at
the end of the week, we had our first writing workshop. I decided to compose ideas on what I
should write for my narrative non-fictional short story, which was one of the required writing
assignments.

Jan. 16 - Jan. 20
Throughout this week, we digressed from our usual classroom pursuits to visit the SSHS
library and learn more about what it has to offer to the students. This library experience included
listening to power points on the rules and regulations of the library, information on the librarys
website, and other student-essential tools and programs offered. In addition, we were given daily
scavenger hunts. Using the information we had learned in the power points, we had to complete
each scavenger hunt activity and then turn it in as a packet at the end of the week.

Jan. 23 - Jan. 27
Throughout this week, we mainly focused on our memoir books. At the start of the week,
we were finally assigned our memoir book that we were going to be reading. Personally, I was
assigned Tina Feys autobiography, Bossypants. I was actually thrilled to be reading this book
for our memoir project because this had been my first preference. Assigned our books, we were
given time to read them. Following the next day, we went into our memoir groups to research
background information on the author and our novels. By doing this, we were able to obtain
information that we can use to start our first Learning Log. Afterwards, during the last twenty
minutes of class, we were given time to set up our document to take notes during our lit circles.
Our first lit circle would be on Monday of next week. Lastly, on the final day of the week, we
had our second writing workshop. I decided to work on Learning Log #1 because I wanted to get
that done and out of the way.
Jan. 30 - Feb. 3
Throughout this week, we focused on our memoir books as well. At the start of the week,
we had our first lit circle. In this lit circle, I took the role of the note taker. For my group, we
discussed the beginning events of the story and noted down what was our favorite parts.
Following this, we were given time to read our memoir books. On the next day, the whole period
was dedicated to reading in our memoir books since our teacher was not present in class. On
block period, we had our second lit circle. For this lit circle, I had the position as the summarizer.
For my group, we discussed the events most of us had read so far in the story. Afterwards, we
were given time to work on our Learning Log #2. Finally, on the last day of the week, we had
our third writing workshop. I decided to work on Learning Log #2 because I wanted to finish it,
so that I would not have to worry about it during the weekend.

Feb. 6 - Feb. 10
Throughout this week, it was dedicated to reading to our memoir book. At this point,
everyone worked on finishing their books and if they finished then they could start thinking of
ideas for the group project and paper. Luckily, at the end of this week, I was able to finish my
memoir book, Bossypants by Tina Fey, and I was able to help my group get started by outlining
our project.

Feb. 13 - Feb. 17
Throughout this whole week, it was dedicated to working on our memoir group paper and
projects. In this process, I felt that I was a key contributor and had done my equal share of work.
For our memoir group paper, I took the initiative to get a poster for my group mates and finish
what needed to be done at home. In addition to this, I contributed to majority of the drawings and
visuals of the poster. For the memoir group paper, I was a diligent worker who was focused on
doing their assigned role for the essay. I was the first one to finished my assigned part of writing
the third body paragraph out of whole my group. Due to this, I was able to help my other group
members who were struggling with their paragraphs by giving them ideas and quotes that they
could use.

Feb. 21 - Feb. 24
Throughout this week, we took a turn towards learning the art of poetry. After taking our
VA 2.2 quiz and presenting our memoir projects in class, we started taking notes on poetic
devices such as alliteration, imagery, simile, metaphor, and rhyme. From learning these types of
figurative language, we were then given poetry handouts and group exercises, so that we could
test our knowledge in interpreting poems. Personally for me, I was able to analyze some of the
poems like lightning speed, but for some of the poems, they were a little challenging for me due
to the authors choice of diction. However, once my class had gone over assigned poems that we
had to read, I was able to check my work and understand the poems that did not make sense to
me at first. Following these activities, we were given our first poetry assignment called Where
Im From where we had to write at least ten or more lines describing significant things that
have made us unique and diverse in our own way.

Feb. 27 - Mar. 3
Throughout this week, we continued on with our poetry lesson; starting the week off by
reading the poem, Oranges by Gary Soto. After reading the poem, we then made our first
TPFASTT chart. This chart is basically an outline that readers can make to help them analyze
and further grasp the message/theme that the author is trying to get through to the audience.
Using this chart for my first time, I felt that it was extremely helpful in helping me draw out the
key points from the story. It allowed me to use a much higher level of thinking to establish the
significant most significant theme/message that was illustrated throughout the poem. Following
this exercise, we were then given our second poetry assignment, where we had to write at least
ten or more lines using the poetic device of imagery to create a scene or image. For this
assignment, I was very excited because I wanted to try out writing in a more gloomy style of
writing since I have a tendency to write more optimistically and humoredly. That being the case,
I decided to write about one of my personal fears, which is stage fright. In my writing, I tried to
capture the scene of a girl who has the possibility of making it at a chance of a lifetime but her
fear of stage fright weighs her down in the process.

March. 6 - Mar. 10
Throughout this week, we worked on analyzing poetry by starting off the week with the
poem, The Caged Bird. After reading the story as a whole class, individually we worked on
TPFASTT-ing the whole poem. However, this time, we were told to focus more on the authors
uses of simile and metaphor in her writing. By doing this, it allowed us to get ready for our next
assignments. These included a quick write explaining the authors point of contrasting the free
bird to the caged bird and a ten or more lined poem using similes and metaphors. Once we had
completed these assignments, we shared them to our table groups and then began reading our
next poem of Annabel Lee.

Mar. 13 - Mar. 17
Throughout this week, we continued where we had left off while reading Annabel Lee
and began TPFASTT-ing it, focusing more on Poes choice of diction and how it affects his
writing. By practicing how to point out the diction a writer uses in his or her work, this helped us
with our next quick write. For our assigned quick write, we had to explain how Poes diction that
he uses in his poem creates shifts in mood. After this given assignment, our class was then
introduced to the world of slam poetry, as part of our poetry assignments we need to compose for
our poetry journals. That being the case, we watched and made a TPFASTT of a popular slam
poem, Lost Count: A Love Story, which underlines the issue of gang violence in Chicago.

Mar. 20 - Mar. 24
This week, we concluded our Poetry Unit. On Tuesday, we brought in our finished poetry
journals to class for the event that we have all been waiting, the Poetry Cafe. In this event,
students got into groups, to present their original poetry work. In addition to this, students were
allowed to perform their Slam Poem in front of the class. From being involved in this event, I
have to say that my classmates poetry writings were absolutely amazing. I loved how each of
their lines and stanzas flowed together in a complete sequence. Also, I liked how their poems
seemed to be very personal and connected to them, as individual writers. It allowed for the
audience like me to really connect with what they were saying. On Wednesday, we had our
Poetry Test. This test consisted of a ten-question multiple choice and a timed write. On the
multiple-choice portion, I felt that it was pretty simple since all I needed to do was apply my
knowledge of poetry devices and figurative language. However, on the timed write, it was a bit
more challenging. We were given a poem that we had never read before and was expected to
complete the given prompt. Although the idea seemed scary at first, I was able to understand
what I was asked to do by analyzing the poem and reading the prompt a few times. I was able to
finish the timed write by the end of the period.

April 3 - April 7
This week was the start of our new lesson, Problems with Hubris. To begin this lesson, our
class reviewed our own knowledge of Greek mythology. At our tables, we filled out a document
called Whos Who, where we had to note down information about all the Greek Gods and
Goddesses. After this activity, we were given a quick write to do as homework. In this quick
write we had to choose a character from TV shows, movies, books, etc., and explain how they fit
the image as an Epic Hero. Following these two activities, we were given our new project in our
table groups. We had to make a podcast for one of the Odyssey books our teacher assigned us to
read. My table group was assigned The Odyssey Book 12: Sea Perils and Defeat. With the
remainder of our week, my group tried to make the most out of it by reading our book.
Successfully, we were able to finish it during the week, and before the deadline of April 12.

April 10 - April 14
Since my group had finished our assigned Odyssey book the week before, we set out to work on
our podcast script during this week. Personally for me, writing the script seemed pretty simple,
because I had understood the story. However, some of my group members were a little confused
by the story. On the account of this, before we had started creating our draft of the script, I had
made a Google document, summarizing our whole story. I figured that this would help those in
my group who may need a basic synopsis in order to understand it. By doing this, those group
members were able to gain the same concept as those who understood it. We were able to
quickly speed through our script writing and finish before our deadline of April 18.

April 17 - April 21
Throughout this whole week, it was recording sessions. Since my group had finished writing our
script the week before, we had a head start on recording our finalized podcast. Due to this, our
group went outside to record. However, since we did not want to have any background noise
such as wind or cars in our podcast, we went to the counselors office to ask for permission to
use the room next door as a recording studio. Receiving their permission, my group quickly set
out to record our podcast. Overall, the process of recording our podcast was really fun since we
incorporated amusing/roasting improvisation between our speakers. Basically, just listening to
what we had wrote for our script was simply entertaining. In spite of this, with all the ups, there
are also downs. Our group had a few minor problems when recording. For instance, one of our
speakers kept on messing up his lines. Additionally, one of our group members spoke out during
the recording, trying to stop our speakers argument, not realizing that it was all part of the
script. Regardless of these problems, my team was able to get through them and finish the
recording before the weekend.

April 24 - April 28
This week was a closing to our lesson of Problems with Hubris. During this week, we got to
listen to our finalized podcasts, and we were later given our last timed write of the year. Between
these two activities, I thought that the podcast one was my favorite. We got to listen to the other
podcasts made by our classmates and answer their given discussion questions. Personally, I
loved this, because the other podcasts were really creative and funny. I got a chance learn more
about the Odyssey and also gain new ideas if I were to do another podcast in the future. On the
other hand, the timed write was not exactly my favorite experience. During the timed write, I
understood the prompt and quickly got started, making a brainstorming chart with all the
evidence and examples I was going to use. However, when it came to writing the finalized draft,
I had writers block. I did not know why or what happened, but I could not bring myself to write.
As a result, when the time came to submit our timed writes, I had only written two paragraphs,
which was less than the required number of five paragraphs. Looking back at this experience, I
think that it may have been that I spent too much time on brainstorming than the actual timed
write. I should have created a balance between these two tasks, so that I wouldnt have to worry
about writing my timed write in a short amount of time, and end up with writers block.
Understand this now, I will take what I have learned to use for future time writes.
May 1 - May 5
This week was a new chapter into our lesson of Trials of Love. In class, we started reading Act
I of Romeo and Juliet. However, since our class was still getting into the mode for this new
lesson, we did not get to finish Act I. Regardless of this, however, our usual assignments were
still in action, and we had our last verbal advantage quiz on Friday.

May 8 - May 12
At the start of this week, we finished Act I of Romeo and Juliet in class. We were then able to
continue reading our story with Act II. During these class-reading sessions, we were also given
additional assignments, which followed, along our story. Our first activity was a quick write,
where we had to create a text message conversation either between Romeo and Mercutio or
Romeo and Juliet. Personally, I thought that this assignment was very fun, because we could
incorporate our own creativity in this project. We did not have any restrictions that limited our
own ideas. Additionally, I liked that this assignment was not an essay since it was something
different for a change. Having a preference for this activity at the start, I found myself already
doing the project, with the words flowing out of my head and onto the keyboard. Without a
doubt, I finished the activity early without having writers block. After this fun assignment, our
things took a turn for our second assignment. Our task was to answer the discussion questions for
Act I and II. Despite that it was nothing new, being our usual reviewer in English. I still thought
that it was helpful, because I got a chance to analyze the story of Romeo and Juliet even
further and learn additional information that I did not know. This was very beneficial since
reading the story is fairly hard to understand due to the Shakespearean language used.

May 15 - May 19
Throughout this week, it was dedicated to Romeo and Juliet. At the start of this week, we
reviewed our discussion questions for Act I and II, which was given as homework from the week
before. After this, our time in English soon became a continuation of where we had left off from
our reading. At the end of this week, we were able to finish reading Act III and IV of Romeo
and Juliet.

May 22 - May 26
At the beginning of this week, we finished reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
We were then given our final project prompt, so that we can get started on it. For this
assignment, students were to develop their own creative project that relates to one of the
numerous themes from the story. Students had the choice to either collaborate in a group or to
work alone. Personally, I chose to work alone, because I knew that I probably wouldnt have
been the best team player at the moment. The reason for this is because I have been stressing out
for the past weeks on other assignments and projects that I needed to complete. Nevertheless, for
my project, I decided to make an album with a collection of songs that portrayed how fate brings
out the hastiness of others, pressuring them to meet that perceived picture.

May 30 - June 2
Throughout this week, we focused on working on our Romeo and Juliet final projects.
Having somewhat of a week to work, due to Memorial Day weekend, I still thought that it was
extremely helpful to have this time to on our projects in class. Since my other classes had
overloaded me with their final projects and last assignments, I hadnt been able to work on my
project for English at home. Therefore, I tried to make the most at of this week on completing
my project. After the course of this week, I was able to make the playlist for my Romeo and
Juliet CD album. Now, during the weekend, I will have to burn my music onto a CD and also
make a design for the album.