RW Class Recap and Homework--02/28/20

Class 18- 02/28/20

Objectives:

to free-write for Conference prep

to put knowledge of Word Forms into practice in small group work

to understand the role of certain parts of speech in the sentence

to practice identifying Subjects and Verbs

to create flashcards for the Vocabulary Test on Wednesday

Homework:

Study vocabulary flashcards for your vocabulary test

Be sure to finish drafting at least the intro paragraph for the L&T Reflection Essay. If you have not completed any of the responses, make sure to draft those as well.

Work on any missing assignments so you can have the strongest completion grade possible at Conferences.

Recommended Viewing: Black Panthers on the Power of Education

As you're working on your L&T essay on reading and writing, learning and thinking, black power, I thought you might be inspired by Chairman Fred Hampton of the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party (this is the one who was shot in his sleep by the police). Here he is on the importance of education.

Hampton: Basically, knowing my ideology and basically me knowing yours, you can support some of our programs, is that what you’re saying?

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/27/20

Class 17- 02/27/20

Objectives:

to discuss planning the thesis for the L&T Reflection Essay and draft the first paragraph

to review the structure of the rest of the L&T essay and understand how to revise your responses into the body paragraphs for the essay

to continue to develop an understanding of parts of speech, finishing the Parts of Speech packet
to notice patterns of Word Forms

Homework:
Finish CATW 2 on "How to Do One Thing at a Time" for tomorrow
Continue drafting your intro paragraph for the L&T Reflection Essay
Continue studying your Cohort K Vocabulary Study Sheet for the Vocabulary Test on Tuesday

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/26/20

Class 16- 02/26/20

Objectives:

to review the CATW structure, summary paragraph, response paragraph, personal experience paragraph, and conclusion

to review and label the sample disagreement Response paragraph to identify and understand the parts of the response paragraph as well as the first rule of disagreement

to work on drafting the response paragraph

to review questions for detailing the personal experience paragraph

Homework:

Work on finishing CATW # 2 due Friday

Work on any missing homework

Study your vocabulary words from the Cohort K Vocabulary Study Sheet for the test next Tuesday

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/25/20

Class 15- 02/25/20

Objectives:

to think about the overall themes of the literature in this unit: reading, writing, and power

to see how the history we've been tracing persists today, viewing the documentary 13th

to introduce the L&T Reflection Essay (on the second page of the linked document) and go over how to write the first paragraph

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

You may begin working on the L&T Reflection Essay

Remember you should have your summary and article map for "How to Do One Thing at a Time" complete by tomorrow
Start studying for the Vocabulary Test next week on these words

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/24/20

Class 14- 02/24/20

Objectives:

to decide on vocabulary from all three readings that we want to make part of our regular vocabulary.

to read aloud and discuss the Assata Shakur reading

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

Complete the Assata Shakur Comparative Response. This is like the Malcolm X comparative response, but you'll be making a connection to Richard Wright in one paragraph and to Malcolm X in another.

Recommended Reading: Women in Prison

Check out this article written by Assata Shakur for The Black Scholar in 1978 before her exile to Cuba. (Click picture to link to article)

Recommended Viewing: Eyes of the Rainbow

If you have a little free time this weekend, you should definitely check out this 1997 documentary by Cuban film director Gloria Rolanda about Assata Shakur.  You will hear Assata Shakur speak about her life, her activism, and her life in Cuba. It also includes interludes of Afro-Cuban music and artistic expression.  It's a tribute to women warriors and the African ancestors.  Check it out.

Announcement: Remembering Malcolm X

In remembrance of Malcolm X's assassination, find and share in the comments section a favorite quote of Malcolm X. It could be from our class reading or from outside reading. 

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/21/20

Class 13- 02/21/20

Objectives: 
to review the process of summary writing (read the article--PORC on the first read, annotate on the second, draw up an article map, and use it to fill out the Model Summary format)
independently practice the process to write a summary for CATW 2 "How to Do One Thing at a Time" on page 13 of the CATW Packet

to learn the rules of disagreeing with an article 

to go over forms of disagreeing with articles

Homework:
Complete the Vocab Study Sheet  for Assata Shakur
Reread Assata Shakur for discussion on Monday

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/20/20

Class 12- 02/20/20

Objectives:
to continue the process of building a relationship with Vocabulary with the Vocab Study Sheet for the Assata Shakur reading.
to work on Comprehension Questions for the Assata Shakur reading in small groups
to review "A Nation Distracted" article maps and write a class summary

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

Study for the Math test tomorrow.

For Monday:
Finish the Vocab Study Sheet for the Assata Shakur reading
Reread and add to your annotations on the Assata Shakur reading.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/19/20

Class 11- 02/19/20

Objectives:

to review 1960s Black Power activism and the background for Assata Shakur

to take our metacognition to the next level in fully process-focused metacognitive paragraphs

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

Continue to reread and annotate the Assata Shakur reading.  Make sure each paragraph has a variety of annotations.

Write 3 process-focused Metacognitive Paragraphs for the Assata Shakur reading. For a guide, review these Sample Metacognitive Paragraphs 

Examples 1 and 3: product-focused, less detailed (what you don't want to do)

Examples 2 and 4: process-focused, very detailed (what you want to do more of)
It would be good to have your answers to your CATW questions tomorrow. If you have not written a summary for "A Nation Distracted" yet, don't worry about it. We will do so together in class.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/18/20

Class 10- 02/18/20

Objectives:

to practice and strengthen responding to texts through discussion of the literature

to practice and strengthen making connections between texts.

to write a comparative response to Malcolm X

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

Finish your Comparative Response, 2 paragraphs.
Read the excerpt from Assata: An Autobiography (Chapter 10) Stop at page 159.

Recommended Reading: What do Malcolm X and Richard Wright have in common?--How a Japanese woman links the two

You might have been wondering whether Malcolm X had read Richard Wright or if they had crossed paths.  I haven't been able to verify if Malcolm X read Richard Wright's books but I did know of this one interesting article.  It tells the story of Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese American woman who was active in the Civil Rights movement and who had Malcolm X's head in her lap when he was assassinated.  She takes Richard Wright's grandson Malcolm on a Malcolm X tour of Harlem.  It's a really cool article.  You should check it out.

Harlem's Japanese Sister

Recommended Viewing: Malcolm X Dictionary Scene

Having read about this yourselves in the excerpt from the Autobiography of Malcolm X, what do you notice that's different? Do you notice any similarities? What is the impact of each version of the event?

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/14/20

Class 09- 02/14/20

Objectives:

to understand the historical context of Malcolm X
to review the CATW reading and summary and gain a deeper familiarity with the process through A Nation Distracted (page 12 in the CATW Packet)

Homework:

1. Using your group's article map (or a combination of your group's article maps and the other groups' maps) write a summary for "A Nation Distracted" following the Model Summary format that you copied into page 7 of your CATW Packet.

2. Finish your Malcolm X  Vocab Study Sheet.

3. Answer the questions asked on your returned CATW 1. This is due Thursday.

Recommended Viewing (Really, Listening): Malcolm X, After the Bombing Speech

I hope you will take the time to check out this clip of Malcolm X's "After the Bombing" speech.  It's the last completed speech before his assassination.  It resonates a lot with today as he talks about the Harlem riots of the 60s in response to police abuse of power, and you can hear about Malcolm X's beliefs about violent action.  For me this speech is particularly important for our class in terms of what he says about the press and how "they psycho you."  Remembering our class definition of what it means to be a reader and a writer, that awareness that what we read affects and is affected by who we are, we can take especially to heart Malcolm X's caution:

When you begin to start thinking for yourself, you frighten them, and they try and block your getting to the public, for fear that if the public listens to you, then the public won't listen to them anymore. And they've got certain Negroes whom they have to keep blowing up in the papers to make them look like leaders. So that the people will keep on following them, no matter how many knocks they get on their heads following him. This is how the man does it, and if you don't wake up and find out how he does it, I tell you, they'll be building gas chambers and gas ovens pretty soon -- I don't mean those kind you've got at home in your kitchen.

We are constantly receiving stories, narratives, texts, and having self-awareness, what that text is trying to do to you, you can decide if and how you want to receive that narrative, what you want to do with it.      This is something that will serve you way beyond college.

This is the full speech from which I took the clip above.  To read the full text of the speech click here. (This website, Malcolm-x.org, is a remarkable resource for exploring the life and thought of Malcolm X).  After the Bombing Speech

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/13/20

Class 8- 02/13/20

Objectives:

to understand parts of speech and practice identifying the three major parts of speech: noun, verb, and adjective

to continue work on vocabulary with the Vocab Study Sheet for Malcolm X, now guessing and studying parts of speech of the word and thinking about context clues after considering model sentences

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:

Finish the Vocab Study Sheet for the Malcolm X reading, due MONDAY. Underline your guess for the part of speech of the word and circle the part of speech you find in the dictionary for the word. Be sure to take time each day to work on writing your own sentence for the word.

If you did not look up a background and biography question for Malcolm X, try to do so for tomorrow when we will be discussing it.

Questions to look up:
Where was Malcolm X born? What was his given name?
Who were his parents? What did they do? How did he grow up?
When did Malcolm X go to prison? What did he go to prison for?
What is the nation of Islam?
Who is Elijah Muhammad?
When and how did Malcolm X die?

Recommended Reading And Viewing: Malcolm X on Lincoln's birthday

Tomorrow we celebrate the memory of Abraham Lincoln (the picture above, by the way, was taken right on campus. Have you seen this on campus?) but Malcolm X did not think so much of Lincoln.

Announcement: No Class Tomorrow

The college is closed tomorrow for Lincoln's birthday. There is no class. Enjoy the day off.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/11/20

Class 7- 02/11/20

Objectives:

to read and annotate the Malcolm X piece, bringing more variety to our annotations on each page
to practice the Steps for Returned Work on the returned Richard Wright Metacognitive boxes
to continue practicing metacognition moving from boxes to paragraphs for the Malcolm X metacognitive log
to complete the Malcolm X Comprehension Questions in groups

"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:
1. Continue annotating the Malcolm X until you have a variety of annotations on each page.

2. Choose four of the metacognitive boxes on the Metacognitive Log you received for Richard Wright. You're going to do the same thing now for Malcolm X, but instead of doing it in boxes, you will do it in paragraphs. Write a paragraph for each box, detailing your paragraphs with the kinds of details you saw I was asking for in the feedback on your Richard Wright metacognitive. 

If you were absent, make sure you answer the Malcolm X Comprehension Questions. You may contact a classmate for help.

Optional Bonus:

Look up one of the following questions about Malcolm X's life and times:

Where was Malcolm X born? What was his given name? 

Who were his parents? What did they do? How did he grow up?

When did Malcolm X go to prison? What did he go to prison for?

What is the nation of Islam?

Who is Elijah Muhammad?

When and how did Malcolm X die? 

Announcement: Check out the Comments Section

Please be sure to check out the comments section on the Richard Wright Recommended Reading and Viewing posts. One of your classmates has not only posted a most beautiful poem, but has also raised some great points about Richard Wright's quest for knowledge. Check it out and maybe write a poem of your own or join the discussion.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/10/20

Class 6- 02/10/20

Objectives:
to discuss conclusions and write the conclusion for CATW 1
to respond to texts with your own opinion and to back up with evidence by discussing the Richard Wright reading in circle discussion
to write a Response  to a literary text (Richard Wright) using Response paragraph format




"Concepts Of Text Fly From Text Book" by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee

Homework:
1. Finish Richard Wright Response.
2. Finish CATW 1 if you have not done so.

The following is optional as there will be time in class tomorrow to do it.
Read and annotate the Malcolm X piece.  Note that in your copies, some of the words got cut off. You can use the linked electronic version here to get the words that were cut off. As you read, try to bring more variety to your annotations using different types of annotations and include annotations making connections, especially to the Richard Wright text.

Recommending Reading: Richard Wright's Haiku poems

You know already that Richard Wright expatriated to France, where he died.  He spent his last year of life writing haikus.  The Haiku is a Japanese poetic form, a three-line poem where the first line contains 5 syllables, the second line contains 7 syllables, and the third line contains 5 syllables.  Check out these Richard Wright haikus and try writing some of your own.  Maybe submit one as a comment.

I am nobody:
A red sinking autumn sun
Took my name away.


From across the lake
Past the black winter trees
Faint sounds of a flute.


With a twitching nose
A dog reads a telegram
On a wet tree trunk.


Naked to the sky
A village without a name
In the setting sun.


A spring pond as calm
As the lips of the dead girl
Under its water.


A blacksmith’s hammer
Beating the silver moon thin
On a cool spring night.

Sun is glinting on
A washerwoman’s black arms
In cold creek water.


Burning autumn leaves,
I yearn to make the bonfire
Bigger and bigger.


I had long felt that
Those sprawling black railroad tracks
Would bring down this snow.


A sleepless spring night:
Yearning for what I never had
And for what never was.


Scarecrow, who starved you,
Set you in that icy wind,
And then forgot you?


Late one winter night
I saw a skinny scarecrow
Gobbling slabs of meat.

Recommended Viewing: Literature to Life--Richard Wright's Black Boy

The video below is from The American Place Theater's Literature to Life series, where Tarantino Smith does a dramatic reading of Richard Wright's Black Boy. In our excerpt called "Discovering Books," Richard Wright was 19 years old. In this dramatic reading, he describes life as a 5 year old who is always hungry and asking questions. In this way, he describes his earliest discovery of books.

I invite you to watch the video and it would be great if you wanted to start a discussion on it in the comments section below.

Some things you might think about (and talk about in the Comments section) are:
What might Richard Wright mean by "American hunger"?
How does Wright's mother respond to his hunger and questions? Why do you think she responds in this way?
What is the significance of the coal man teaching Richard Wright to count?
What does Richard Wright like so much about novels? Why doesn't his grandmother want him reading them? Why does she call them "devil stuff"?

Finally, think about Richard Wright's new hunger. React to his final lines:

"Since I had no power to make things happen outside of me, I made things happen within, and I kept asking my questions."
What is Richard Wright's new hunger? What causes it?
What is the relationship between hunger and questions?

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/07/20

Class 5- 02/07/20

Objectives:

to review the Response Paragraph and build it for CATW 1 on page 4 of the CATW Packet
to introduce the Personal Experience paragraph and take notes on page 11 of the CATW Packet
Complete Model Essay Analysis on page 4-5

Homework:

Finish the first three paragraphs of CATW 1 on "What Are Friends For?":
1. Summary Paragraph Intro: summary and thesis
2. Response paragraph (remember to choose a quote strongly connected to your thesis)
3. Personal Experience paragraph (remember to be detailed in telling the story: the 6 Ws)

Please have your three paragraphs complete by the beginning of class. We're going to talk about conclusions first thing and you'll have 10 minutes to write a short conclusion and submit your essay

Finally, reread the Richard Wright reading as we will be discussing it on Monday and you want to have it fresh in your memory.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/06/20

Class 4- 02/06/20

Objectives:

to introduce the CATW and some of its specifics
to begin work on the CATW through the CATW Packet, analyzing the Writing directions (pg. 1), introducing the CUNY Start CATW structure (pg. 2)
to understand what is a Summary (pg. 7)
to read and annotate a CATW article (PORC on the first read, annotate on the second) and perform an article map
to write the summary using our CATW Model Summary Format
to chart opinions on the article and discuss what is a thesis (pg. 8)

Homework:
Finish writing your summary for "What Are Friends For?" using the Model Summary format and our class article map. Add a thesis to your summary paragraph.

Optional Bonus: Rewrite your Intro/Summary paragraph in different words

Remember to complete the Class Blog Familiarization assignment at some point tomorrow.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/05/20

Class 3- 02/05/20



And the Pee Wee Herman secret word of the day is "context."

Objectives:
understand the importance of context (AHHH!!!) to understanding what things mean and responding to them
situate Richard Wright in context (AHHHH!!!) putting together a timeline of the historical background on the end of slavery and the history of Jim Crow and reviewing his life
use context (AHHHH!!!) clues to figure out the meaning of words
begin developing relationships with words through the Vocab Study Sheet

Homework:

Finish Vocab Study Sheet

BIG, LOUD note about plagiarism and online dictionaries, which often have sample sentences.**

Make sure the Richard Wright Background Sheet is annotated and that you have the timeline notes
Richard Wright annotations are due tomorrow so make sure you're complete

Math Homework--2/04/20

Extra Practice 1 due tomorrow, Wednesday, February 5. Will be graded. Late homework penalty-5pt. deduction per day.

RW Class Recap and Homework--02/04/20

Class 2- 02/04/20

Objectives:
refresh on names and review notes from yesterday
complete Comprehension Questions on Richard Wright
introduce MetacognitiveThinking activity
beginning metacognition

What really teaches man is not experience but observation. –H.L. Mencken

RW HOMEWORK:

1. Finish MetacognitiveThinking activity (4 boxes)

2. Minor Research:
Look up the answer to one of the following questions from each category.

Historical Background

1. When was slavery abolished in the United States?
2. How long had slavery been going on in the United States before it was abolished?
3. What was the Reconstruction period in American history?
4. During the Reconstruction period, what new rights did African-Americans have?
5. What were the Jim Crow laws and when did they exist in the U.S.?
6. What was/is the Ku Klux Klan? When was it started?


Biography

1. When and where was Richard Wright born?
2. What were Richard Wright’s parents’ jobs? Where did Richard Wright grow up?
3. What are some of the jobs Richard Wright had throughout his life?
4. What cities did Richard Wright live in throughout his life? When and where did Richard Wright die?
5. What were some of the topics Richard Wright wrote about?

You can Google or use History.com or Biography.com. Note the website where you got the information from.

Announcement: Carrot Cake Day

Today is national carrot cake day. Be sure to enjoy some today.

Supplemental Reading: H.L. Mencken

In case you wanted to know more about the man who so affected Richard Wright, here's a little on Mencken. Read the whole thing to find out what Mencken really thought about race.  (The definitions for the words in bold are at the end as well):



“So many young men get their likes and dislikes from Mencken,” Jake Barnes says in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel, The Sun Also Rises.

Recommended Viewing: Richard Wright in "Native Son"

Richard Wright is also the author of a novel "Native Son" that was made into a movie in 1951, and Richard Wright himself starred in the movie.  If you want to see Richard Wright in action, check out this clip.  Think about what connections you might make to the reading you read.