Over the last few weeks, you all have been doing a great job analyzing poetry from different perspectives across America. This week, we will start with one more analysis of a Langston Hughes poem before diving in to Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun. Moving forward and especially between now and the February break, please do your best to be on time and present each day. It is particularly difficult to read a play and get caught up by yourself. We will also be discussing a great deal, and you won’t want to miss out!

Click here for a copy of the play.

Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together: 

Monday, January 25	M.U.G. Monday Warm-up Annotate and analyze: “Harlem,” by Langston Hughes What is a SIFT Analysis? Assignment: SIFT Analysis for “Harlem” (scroll past the calendar to download)
Tuesday. January 26	Please note that the schedules for Tuesday and Wednesday are flipped for ALL Cobb County Students today. The ONLY students on campus will be those who have registered to take the PSAT at Pebblebrook.  Asynchronous Learning Day: No live classes Assignment: Before Wednesday’s class, please complete the “A Raisin in the Sun Anticipation Guide” in CTLS (scroll past the calendar to download and view my explanation video!).
Wednesday, January 27	Lit. Term Tuesday: situational, dramatic, and verbal irony (see video below, past calendar) Anticipation Guide class debate Background on Lorraine Hansberry and historical context of the play Lorraine Hansberry Bio The Autobiographical Roots of A Raisin in the Sun The History of Redlining in America Start reading A Raisin in the Sun A copy of the full text can be found in “Resources” or on my blog above.
Thursday, January 28	Test Prep Thursday: Assessment: Unit 1 Mid-assessment via CommonLit Continue reading A Raisin in the Sun ​A copy of the full text can be found in “Resources” or on my blog above. Ongoing Assignment: A Raisin in the Sun Study Questions (scroll past the calendar to download)
Friday, January 29	Free Friday: Free Write! Continue reading A Raisin in the Sun ​A copy of the full text can be found in “Resources” or on my blog above. Ongoing Assignment: A Raisin in the Sun Study Questions

 

Welcome to week three! Last week, we analyzed poetry describing America from different perspectives. This week, we continue our work with poetry and practice our first RACE response. We will close the week with an analysis of non-text using the OPTIC strategy. Don’t forget that ALL students are virtual this week! Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together:

Monday, January 18	No school — Happy MLK Day! “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tuesday. January 19	Lit. Term Tuesday: Imagery and Allusion Please make sure to grab the warm-up log from “Assignments” in CTLS or download below! What is a RACE response? Prompt analysis and breakdown How to pull and cite text in MLA format Thesis statements and evidence
Wednesday, January 20	Don’t forget that we have shortened class on Wednesdays, starting this week! Review poetry terms Finish Hughes/Alvarez poetry compare/contrast
Thursday, January 21	Test Prep Thursday Writing Workshop   RACE Response Checklist
Friday, January 22	Free Friday: How are we doing so far? Padlet How do you analyze non-text? Assignment: American Dream OPTIC Analysis This assignment can be found in “Lesson Assignments” on CTLS, or below.

Click here to download the Week 2 Virtual Learning Warm-up Log!

Click here for the Figurative Language RACE Response Planning Document.

Click here for the OPTIC Graphic Organizer!

 

(For Friday’s Class) Political Cartoon Options (please number on your paper):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to our first full week! We will work with poetry this week, with a focus on different perspectives on America and the American Dream. Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together:

Monday, January 11	1. Warm-up: M.U.G. Monday (scroll past the calendar to download) 2. Sign up for USA Test Prep (scroll down for directions) 3. Assessment: Pre-course assessment in CTLS Assess If you finish early, please complete the Student Survey and the “Attitudes on English” assignment.
Tuesday. January 12	1. Warm-up: Lit. Term Tuesday (Tone and Theme) 2. “What is the tone of America?” Mentimeter 3. Whitman poetry analysis: “America” and “I Hear America Singing” (scroll past the calendar to download) 4. Assignment: Whitman analysis Padlet
Wednesday, January 13	Please note that Wednesdays are reserved for independent work time, tutoring, and small group learning. Click here to sign up for a check-in and/or tutoring session with Ms. Antonacci! “Attitudes on English” assignment due by 11:59 pm in CTLS!
Thursday, January 14	1. Warm-up: Test Prep Thursday 2. Compare and Contrast: “I, Too,” by Langston Hughes and “I, Too, Sing America,” by Julia Alvarez 3. Crafting theme statements and practice
Friday, January 15	1. Warm-up: Free Friday and How are we doing NOW? Padlet 2. Poetic Techniques Review 3. Compare and Contrast: “I, Too,” by Langston Hughes and “I, Too, Sing America,” by Julia Alvarez 4. Assignment: American Perspectives Poetry Compare and Contrast

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Sign up for USA Test Prep!

Outside of class, we will have weekly enrichment activities for you to complete. Every week, you will have a USA Test Prep assignment to complete, and it will go in the gradebook as a grade!

Follow the steps below to create an account and add our class. If you know you’ve made a USA Test Prep account at Pebblebrook but don’t remember your password, Ms. Antonacci can look it up for you.

1. Go to http://www.usatestprep.com
   • Access ID: pebblebrook (all lowercase)
   • Student activation code: stu1223 (all lowercase)
2. Once you have entered this information, create your personal user ID and password. Make sure you remember this information – write it down!
3. Once you log in, click “Join a Class” (orange button on home page – NOT class party!).
4. Find my name: Mariko Antonacci and add yourself to your class. Make sure you’re adding the correct class period!
5. Once you have been added to the class, you’re done! Your first USA Test Prep assignment will be posted on Monday, January 11th.

All USA Test Prep assignments are due by 11:59pm every Sunday. I would recommend scheduling one day (Wednesdays are a good idea!) for yourself to complete these so that you don’t get overwhelmed on Sunday night. Go ahead and put it in your iCal, planner, reminders list, whatever works for you!

Welcome to another semester and welcome to Ms. Antonacci and Ms. Lowe’s American Literature course! Things certainly look and feel very different this year, but we look forward to having you in our class! This blog will be updated daily with what we do in class, as well as additional resources. Please be sure to bookmark this page so you can access it easily throughout the semester.

A few things you must do in order to set yourself up for success this semester:

1. Visit CTLS Learn and this blog daily, especially if you miss class – getting missed work due to absences is the responsibility of the student (you)!
2. Sign up for Remind! PLEASE! Life gets busy and we all need reminders. Download the app or text the following code (including @) to 810-10
   1. First period: @msaamlit1
   2. Fourth period: @msaamlit
3. Come to school! Seriously. According to the Indiana Partnerships Center, missing only two days of school per month lowers both your test scores and your chances of graduating high school. In a virtual setting, this is even more important!

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Below is a brief schedule for our first week together:

Wednesday, January 6	1. Welcome to American Literature!  2. Informal Meet and Greet Ms. A. and Ms. Lowe  3. Teacher Welcome Videos 4. Sign up for Remind and bookmark this blog 5. Student Q&A 6. Student Survey
Thursday, January 7	1. How are we doing? Padlet 2. American Literature Intro Prezi 3. American Literature in Five Senses (Padlet) 4. Student Survey (for those who did not attend class on Wednesday)
Friday, January 8	1. Last semester reflection and goal-setting 2. Assignment: Attitudes on English Please complete this assignment in CTLS over the weekend if you did not do so in class!

I look forward to a great semester of reading, writing, learning, and fun! Don’t forget – you have until Friday, February 26th to turn in your summer reading assignments. Check the PHS website for details.