Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read and heard by monitoring comprehension for understanding, reviewing the characteristics and determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener, making connections between works and self, drawing inferences, and taking an active role in small group collaboration.
Language Objective: Discuss similes and metaphors with a partner during the creation process.
Essential Question: What's the difference between similes and metaphors?
In today's class students again worked in partners. First, they listened to "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" while they read the lyrics and found and marked examples of similes and metaphors. Next, they rewrote the song and filled in their own similes and metaphors. When they were satisfied with their song, they transferred it to a small poster; this they decorated and presented to their peers.This activity had been planned for Thursday; however, today's activity, which was to involve a search for similes and metaphors in popular song lyrics, was cancelled due to a problem that occurred yesterday. It seems the site used to host student slideshows allowed access to inappropriate images. To avoid trouble arising from certain students' inability to resist the temptation to leave designated areas on the site, I found another venue to host and share student work. This site is private, and, while it doesn't have some of the nicer features of SlideShare, it has none of the bad. Once again, Google has the answer.
On a reflective note, it must be added that yesterday I was on the verge of sending out a mass email bragging about my classroom blog being a glimpse of the future of public education. In this vision, students would learn at home and work collaboratively with peers under the guidance of a teacher who perhaps was sitting at home eating a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel and listening to Diane Rehm. This new paradigm would have social ramifications as well. With no central schools to maintain and no need to provide costly transportation, the expense of education would shrink; tax burdens would be reduced. As a result, a parent could choose to stay home; families would become more self-sufficient and self-reliant. I was on the verge of an epiphany. Then the phone rang with a call from the media specialist telling me my lesson had been suspended because a student had been tempted by a word or an image, had gone astray, and with the click of a mouse had almost lurched toward moral turpitude.
In a desire to share an appreciation of irony, it is hoped the wayward student was immediately removed from the computer and sent to read a magazine likely extolling the accepted vices of narcissism and conspicuous consumption. Homework: SSR; prepare for simile/metaphor quiz.
