Dark Matter: October 11, 2016

Focus: What do Foer's characters fear? What do they do to feel safe?

1. Warming up with puzzling together the motif of "black"

Round 1: Put a sticky note on page 284. Hold it close. Hold it far away. What does it look like? Find a quotation from this chapter that you think explains somewhat why this page looks this way.

Round 2: Put a sticky note on page 305. Reread Stephen Hawking's letter. Use his letter to add to the answer from Round 1.

Round 3: Everyone Oskar visited on his quest had the last name "Black." Foer could have chosen any name in the universe, but he chose to repeat the name "Black." How does this connect to the answers for Rounds 1 and 2?

Round 4: Put a sticky note on page 318. Flip back and forth between page 284, page 305, and page 318. Read over the answers to Rounds 1, 2, and 3. Then make a thematic statement: What do you think Foer is up to with the concept of "Black"?

2. Enjoying our penultimate fishbowl discussion: ELIC, pages 260-306

3. Wrapping up with takeaways (for an extra challenge, work in a new tone word)

HW:
Finish the book. Finish your journal. Feel accomplished. 

Name that Tone: October 10, 2016

Focus: What complex tone does Foer develop throughout the novel? How?

1. Warming up with Name that Tone (click HERE for tone vocabulary)

• How are you feeling today? 
• Taking the Emoji Test.

2. Bringing it back to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

• Pick your favorite Oskar chapter. Highlight or type TEN words or phrases that reveal emotion. 
• Ex: "Reads in Dad's voice" "I could fall asleep" "it would sound like war" "I'm still wearing heavy boots" "a whole dead world could be underneath the living one" "things are extremely complicated" "if I could make him crack up, my boots would be a little lighter" "Is no clues a clue?" "What the?" "It was a message to me!" "I looked at the called ID and saw that it was him"

• Put them together like puzzle pieces to figure out the underlying tone: Which tone words most accurately capture this chapter?
• Tone words: Oskar shows candor, dismay, and ambition in the first chapter.

OR

• Pick your favorite Thomas chapter and do the same.

OR

• Pick your favorite Grandmother chapter ("My Feelings") and do the same.

3. Reading, journaling, and conferencing

4. Composing an exit ticket to reflect (which I will share with tomorrow's leaders)

HW:

Read through page 306 for tomorrow; FINISH the book and your journal by Thursday.

The Film Interpretation: October 7, 2016

Focus: What does the film adaptation help you understand differently?

Say hello to Mrs. Friis! During the film, please remember to use the yellow sheet to think through the choices the film makes in its treatment of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Also, movie rule #1: No talking during the movie. 

1. Attendance: Please make sure you are in your assigned seat.

2. Viewing the film and filling out the film interpretation form

3. Turning in your yellow forms to Mrs. Friis

HW: 
1. Read pages 260-306 in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; in your 30 minutes of journal time, start trying to put together larger patterns and themes (16 pages of tonight's reading are images or otherwise weird pages).

2. We will continue with journal conferences on Monday.

Oskar's Inventions: October 6, 2016

Focus: What do Oskar's inventions reveal about his quest?

1. Warming up with Oskar's inventions:

(a) Make a page in your journal to generate a list Oskar's inventions.

Pages I found with Oskar's inventions (I may have missed a few): 

1, 3, 35, 38, 72, 73-4, 217-223 (the "Sixth Borough is really Oskar's dad's invention, but it works), 235, 250, 258-9

Oskar tells the renter, "I want to stop inventing. If I could know how he died, exactly how he died, I wouldn't have to invent him dying inside an elevator that was stuck between floors, which happened to some people, and I wouldn't have to imagine him trying to crawl down the outside of the building, which I saw a video of one person doing on a Polish site, or trying to use a tablecloth as a parachute, like some of the people who were in Windows on the World actually did. There were so many different ways to die, and I just need to know which was his" 

(Foer 257).

(b) According to Oskar's statement above, why has Oskar been inventing? Why does he want to stop?

(c) Pick two or three of Oskar's inventions that interest you. How do they relate to your answer to question (b)?

2. Taking your second musical stroll of the week:

• Read what they wrote and say hello.
• Ask a Level 1, 2 or 3 question about something they wrote (something you'd genuinely like answered). 

AND/OR

• Offer a meaningful reflection on something they wrote.

3. Enjoying Fishbowl Discussion #4: Pages 208-259

FISHBOWL REMINDERS:

I have two note-takers assigned today. Please post notes on the class blog and give discussion map to Mrs. Hancock when you're done.

Four of you have specific outer circle roles. Do them justice!!!

Remember the idea is to leave with a stronger understanding of the chapter than you came in with. Bounce ideas back and forth on both circles (don't settle for the "one and done").

HW:

1. Your penultimate reading assignment, pages 260-306 is due Tuesday. Let's do this. (If you're feeling daunted by the # of pages, don't be--many of the pages are weird).

2. Reading conferences will continue next Monday and Wednesday.

NY Landmarks: October 5, 2016

Focus: What role does the New York landscape play in this part of the novel?

PLC: Shortened Class Today

Note to self: In 6th hour, assign note-takers and other fun fishbowl roles.

1. Warming up with a map of NY's boroughs, and image of Central Park, and a virtual tour of the Empire State building

The Boroughs

Central Park

Making Predictions:

• Why might Foer include a chapter about an imaginary 6th borough?

• Why might the Empire State Building symbolize in the story?

2. Reading, journaling, and conferencing

• What does the idea of the 6th borough represent to Oskar? (Revisit the image on pages 60 and 61 after you read that part)

• What symbolic role does the Empire State Building play in this part of the story?

3. Writing a quick exit ticket by clicking here

HW:

1. Read pages 208-259 for tomorrow in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; spend 30 minutes this week with your journal.

If you miss a Fishbowl or Socratic, you must make it up. Read over the syllabus and blog comments, then add an extended comment to the class blog. 

2. We will continue our READING JOURNAL CONFERENCES in class next week. Click HERE for the rubric. 

(Le)clarification: October 4, 2016

Focus: What mysteries are starting to reveal themselves, and which are still unsolved?

1. Warming up: Trying to discern what's becoming clearer and what's becoming cloudier

• Track some things you understand in a new way/you understand better from pages 174-207

• Track some things you feel confused about/would like to understand more clearly.

2. Strolling around in a gallery walk and silent clarification (or at least, empathy)

• What confusion can you clear up for other people?
• Which questions did you have, too?

3. Enjoying Fishbowl Discussion #5: Pages 174-207

HW:

1. Read pages 208-259 for Thursday in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; spend 30 minutes this week with your journal.

If you miss a Fishbowl or Socratic, you must make it up. Read over the syllabus and blog comments, then add an extended comment to the class blog. 

2. We will continue our READING JOURNAL CONFERENCES in class tomorrow and next week. Click HERE for the rubric. 

People Who Share the Last Name, "Black": October 3, 2016

Focus: What role do the minor characters play in Oskar's journey?

1. Warming up with some visits to everyone named "Black":

• Flip through Oskar's chapters and list everyone he's visited so far named "Black."

• For each person, write one word that indicates your initial perception or Oskar's first impression of this character.

• Then cross it out, and write down your final perception or Oskar's shifted impression of this character.

2. Combining partnerships to form groups of four and compare answers

• Why is each Black significant to Oskar's journey? What does each one help him question or understand differently?

• What do all of the Blacks have in common? 

3. Reading, journaling, and conferencing with Ms. Leclaire on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Possible journal focus (if you need one): Look at the new Blacks Oskar meets and consider what impact their encounters have on Oskar. How do they help him on his quest?

HW:

1. Read pages 174-207 for tomorrow in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; spend 30 minutes this week with your journal.

If you miss a Fishbowl or Socratic, you must make it up. Read over the syllabus and blog comments, then add an extended comment to the class blog. 

2. We will continue our READING JOURNAL CONFERENCES in class next Wednesday. Click HERE for the rubric.