Drama Class Silent Film Stage Fighting Video

In the last weeks, the Clayton Ridge High School drama class has been learning about and practicing stage fighting. As a cumulative project, students worked in groups of three to create a Charlie Chaplin-style silent film. The students were given the roles a store owner, a thief, and a policeman. The following video is one of the finished projects.

Fundamentals of Speech Document

Click HERE to access the handout. You will need to access this EVERY day.

Drama: Stage Quiz

Click HERE to be taken to the Google Form for your Stage Directions Quiz. Break a leg!

Oedipus the King, Part Two Vocab Quiz: English IV

Click HERE to enter the vocabulary quiz over Oedipus the King, Part Two. Remember you are held to the academic honesty policy found in the Clayton Ridge Student Handbook. Do not attempt to open another window. Do not use any other resources to aid you in completing the quiz. Punishments for cheating can result in removal from the course and a failing grade for the semester. Show what YOU know! Good Luck!

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar - QUIZ over Act II

Click HERE to take the quiz over Act II of Julius Caesar. Remember you are held to the honor code. Cheating can be punishable up to removal from class and a failing grade for the semester. Show what you know! Good luck!

Oedipus the King, Part I Vocabulary Quiz

Click HERE to take the quiz. Remember to fill in your full name and your period number. Finally, remember you are held to the honor code. If there is any suspicion you have cheated, you will not only receive a "0" but also be reported to the office. Plagiarism can result in a failing grade for the course. Show what you know! Good luck!

Katy Perry's @GMA's ROAR contest - Clayton Ridge CSD - #CRCSDeagleROAR

The students of Clayton Ridge show their "ROAR" in response to Katy Perry's @GMA ROAR contest. These two eighth grade students used 21st century skills throughout the process of creating this video. The students attended the Garnavillo City Council meeting to ask permission to spray paint on the former school building that is now city property planned to be torn down. The students then compiled this video as cumulative project for The Outsiders, in addition to the ROAR contest. The showcasing of Eagle Pride united the student body during our homecoming celebration last week. This is a true testament to the power technology has in our classrooms!

English IV Rocks out to Gilgamesh

The English IV classes culminated their Epic of Gilgamesh unit by creating music videos. These students used the information we discussed in class, independent research on Gilgamesh and Mesopotamia, and the epic itself to rewrite the lyrics to a song of their choice. Students then worked in groups to create the music videos that follow.

Gilgamesh to the tune of "Elvira" by The Oak Ridge Boys:

Gilgamesh to the tune of "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon:

Gilgamesh to the tune of "The Cup Song" by Anna Kendrick:

Gilgamesh to the tune of "The Cup Song" by Anna Kendrick:

Gilgamesh to the tune of "Eazy Does It" by Eazy-E:

 

Gilgamesh in the style of "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey

Intro to Drama off to a Flying Start

In the first week of Intro to Drama, students have learned drama basics and have researched the history of both Greek and Roman theatre. Students will be using this knowledge to propel their understanding of plays and productions they will view throughout the semester. Each student needs to either view or attend at least two productions each quarter. After viewing these productions, students will write critiques of the performances, analyzing set, characters, plot, etc.

Drama notes used in class can be found HERE. This is a Prezi presentation.

The Ancient Greek Theatre presentation created by Josie, Kelly, and Rebecca can be found HERE.

The Ancient Roman Theatre presentation created by Maysie, Dustin, and Faith can be found HERE.

Twenty-Percent Project Evolves at Clayton Ridge High School

After serious contemplation and research, I have decided to give some serious attention to this idea of self-direction and increasing student motivation through choice. If Fortune 500 companies are finding tremendous success with the idea of allowing employees free time "on the clock" to research and pursue their interests, then, it seems to follow that the world of academia needs to follow suit. That being said, one of a high school teacher's biggest fears is relinquishing that power and control that we deem as classroom management. I have decided to tackle my fear and allow some personal choice and promote the preservation and growth of creative thinking.

 Seniors in English IV will be conducting a year-long research project on a topic of their choice. The only restrictions placed on them are: 1. They have to use only credible sources and sites, 2. They have to format each 300-word post in MLA format, 3. Every post needs to be proofread by a partner before posting, and 4. They have to create a culminating project and presentation by the end of the term.

Students will be filling our a research proposal form and will conference with Ms. Shaw prior to beginning the actual research component.

Once student blogs have been established, they must also share their blog address in the Google Form. This will give Ms. Shaw an accurate record for progress-monitoring and grading.

Remember, every student is responsible for posting at least one 300-word post each week. Blogs will be checked each Monday.

To establish a blog, follow the directions within the following Google Presentation.

The Cool Cat Teacher - Vicki Davis: Flatten the Classroom

This week, Keystone AEA held the 3rd annual Technology in the Classroom conference in Dubuque, Iowa. The conference was full of tips, strategies, and inspiration. Vicki Davis, author of Reinventing Writing and coolcatteacher.blogspot.com, presented on flattening the classroom and truly engaging students.

7 Steps to Flatten Your Classroom #tic13 June 2013 from Vicki Davis

Beginning the Blogging Journey: TIC 2013

A presentation meant to help those wanting to learn to blog and provide some tips and tricks for those who may blog already.

Beginning the Blogging Journey

TIC 2013 Quiz to Demonstrate Flubaroo

Click HERE to enter the quiz over Beginning the Blogging Journey.

Adding Images to a Google Form

The new version of Google Forms is now available in Google Apps for Education. You can now add pictures to your forms. Here's how to do it. http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/06/the-new-version-of-google-forms-finally.html

365 Pictures Daily Photo Prompts Generated for Your Creative Inspiration! · Creativity-Portal.com

365 Pictures Daily Photo Prompts Generated for Your Creative Inspiration! · Creativity-Portal.com

Graduation and Inspirational Speeches

The Sophomore Speech classes ended the semester by writing motivational after-dinner speeches. They could choose from an inspiring person, a touching piece of art or literature, or a life-changing personal account. Students recorded the speech, added in effects, and then played them for their classmates in the last days of the semester.

Six-Word Memoir Videos - Composition - Spring Semester

Thesis Generator: Establishing a Base Point for Writing Your Thesis

We are going to use a thesis generator to help in writing an effective thesis statement for your research paper. This will only serve as a base point, however, and you will have to make some revisions.

Click HERE to move to the Thesis Generator.

Persuasive Speech Vocabulary

Click HERE to take the quiz over the persuasive speech terms. Good luck and have a great weekend!

Pronoun Pretest

Click here to take the Pronoun Pretest. Remember you will be taking the 50 point quiz tomorrow!

The Rhetorical Situation: Visual Arguments Pre-Test

Click HERE to enter a pre-test to check your understanding of the terminology associated with the rhetorical situation.

Wondersay: Showcasing Our Hint Fiction Stories

Below are links to individual student's hint fiction pieces. Students worked on the impact of certain words, manipulating the showcasing on wondersay.com. Students also used various fonts, colors, sizes, and transitions to help create impact for the 25 word or fewer stories. Click on the links below to see their creations.

First Period Composition

Ethan: The Crematorium
Nicole: Dumpster Diving
Hannah: Tornado
Alicia: Shaw
Olivia: Garden of Graves
Sydni: Falling Star
Carly: Under the Moonlight
Dustin: Evolution
Leighton: Thunder
Taylor R.: Sunken Treasure
Dayton: Prisoner
Taylor S.: Cannibal's Chicken Soup
Colin: Sleepwalker
Ciaira: The Electrocution
Sam: Mad to Live

Seventh Period Composition

Jasmine: Breaking Through
Christine: Memories
Chase: Time Served
Brandon: There's No Tomorrow
Isaac: The Rotten Finger
Tiffany: Plague
Dylan: Mirror, Mirror
Savannah: Crooked Smile
Alex: Buried Alive 
Sasha: Unbelievable
Derek:
Josh: Reloading

Fun in Composition: Hint Fiction and Wondersay.com

Students in composition are working on descriptive writing. One exercise we've used to provoke thought on the power of words is Hint Fiction. Ms. Shaw shared several examples of hint fiction from Robert Swartwood's  Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer. Students then drew random titles for their stories from a bizarre collection created by Ms. Shaw. Students were given guidelines for their stories, such as the stories had to hint at something much larger, the title could not be used in the story at all, and the story had to focus on descriptive language.

Students will be using wondersay.com to showcase their hint fiction stories.

The story below was written by Ms. Nicole Shaw and is showcased as a model for students in using Wondersay.

The Wastelands by Ms. Shaw

The Multi-Genre Research Project

Seniors will be creating digital multi-genre projects as a culminating project after The Kite Runner unit. Students will be choosing a topic based upon the question: How does a specific aspect presented in Hosseini’s The Kite Runner have relevance in today’s culture, political scene, society, etc?

The project outline can be seen in the following PowerPoint.

The Kite Runner - Jeopardy Review Game

Click here to practice your expertise on The Kite Runner.

As a reminder, you need to gather all handouts you feel might help you on the final exam. However, all handouts must be hand-written and original in nature...NO PHOTOCOPIES WILL BE ALLOWED!

Composition - Exceptional Storybirds

After studying the elements of short stories, students in Composition wrote their own creative stories using storybird.com. Students were instructed to fully develop the plot line, the characters, the setting, and the conflict, all while adhering to grammar and conventions of English. The stories featured below were exemplary in some manner.

Carly Andregg's "A Day at the Zoo"

Olivia Smith's "Candy Dreams"

Taylor Schaefers' "Learning to Let Go"

Alicia Otto's "A Wish Gone Bad"

Dustin Kelly's "The Haunting of the Evil Scientist"

Colin Connelly's "The Little Boy Wished"

Nicole Breitbach's "Mr. Cuddle's Adventure"

Savannah Plagman's "Steve's Adventure Around the World"

Jasmine Staebler's "Love Never Fails"

Josh Werges' "The Sneaky Leopard"

Dayton Einck's "Jimmy Spark, Kid Super Hero"

Personal Narratives: Spring 2013

The sophomores in speech class have created podcasts detailing personal narratives. The narratives are diverse and have had significant editing done to increase interest. Please take a minute to listen to a few of the samples below.

The Kite Runner Chapter 25 QUIZ

Click here to enter the quiz over Chapter 25 from The Kite Runner.

English IV: Critical Thinking Expression and Interpretation Essay

There are quite a few instances of deformity or scarring in the novel. To name a few: Ali's limp, Hassan's cleft lip, Amir's scar, Assef's crushed eye, and Soraya's birthmark. Why do you think Hosseini included so many deformities and scars in the novel? Think of metaphorical deformities and metaphorical scars. How does Hosseini reveal these and in which characters do we see these? Try to think of the underlying themes we've discussed, as well as your understanding of the human psyche. What roles do these things play in the novel? How have they proven to be important thus far in the novel? What sort of "justice" is there in these metaphors?

Think critically and brainstorm a list of the metaphors as well as evidence to support them. In a comment to this post, construct a list of your group's ideas and explanations. Be prepared to discuss these ideas in front of the large group. This will be a participation grade.

Then, individually, chose at least TWO of the ideas from the discussion and construct a well-written (pay attention to structure, grammatical rules, and usage) essay to support your understanding and assertions. Write a minimum of 3 paragraphs (5-7 sentences each).

Composition: Monkey's Paw Vocab Quiz

When you are cued, please click here to enter the quiz. Remember you are on the academic honesty policy. GOOD LUCK (but you won't need luck because you studied these, right?)!

USA TEST PREP

http://www.usatestprep.com 

Username: student

Password: trial

Composition: Bell Ringer – January 18, 2013

Try to remember your earliest memory. Who was there? Where were you? What was happening? What are some of the images you can recall? Brainstorm a list of these.

Write a DESCRIPTIVE 6-line poem detailing the memory. Be as thorough as possible, but also focus on writing in a poetic form.

Sign in in the upper right corner using your school email account. Once you see your name or email address, post your poem as a comment to this post. Copy your poem in the event that it is deleted before posting.

Composition Creative Writing Prompt

After hearing Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," write a story of similar genre based on the following prompt.

She was home alone when she heard an anxious knock on her front door. The rapping was loud and unending. She wasn't expecting company, so she peered through her peek hole. A brute of a man and a mousy woman stood just outside the door. The woman was holding a clipboard. The man continued to knock. As she opened the door...

Sign into your school email; use the sign-in link in the upper right corner. Please copy and paste the prompt into the comments and then begin your story.

What is Family? A Perspective Writing Activity

 "Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about."
– Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of South Park), as said by the character Kyle.  

Write at least 7 well-developed sentences expressing your views of family based upon the South Park quote above. Use examples and personal experiences to develop and support your assertions.

Due Tuesday, January 8. 

On Tuesday, you will be responding to at least one peer's assertions about the definition of family as he/she understands it.

This is a participation grade.