Friday, October 17, 2025

Timeline

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Finish the English Journal
  2. Finish your chart on beauty
  3. Finish any quizzes you need to finish
  4. Choose a partner
    1. Use one of the larger papers in the back of the room and make a timeline of the events in the book so far. You should have 15-20 events, making sure you have at least one important event for each chapter. A good rule would be to have at least one event for every ten pages.
      1. Decorate your timeline to fit the Hobbit.
      2. Come up with a title.
      3. Add color.

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Hobbit Discussion

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Class discussion of chapters 6-8.

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Station Rotation Day 2

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Station Rotation
    1. Station 1: Lecture #2: Beauty
      1. Takes notes on the lecture video.
      2. Search The Hobbit for the word beauty or beautiful by clicking on this link..
        1. How is the word used in the novel?
        2. What things are described as beautiful?
        3. What pattern do you and your partner notice?
          1. Make a chart on a large piece of paper that has the uses of beauty in the novel and what patterns you see.
    2. Station 2: Making connections between The Hobbit and The Odyssey
      1. Here is a list of words from The Odyssey and The Hobbit.
      2. Make as many connections as you can between all of the words by drawing lines between them.
      3. On each line that connects one word to another, write why you are making that connection. Try to make more than one connection for each word. You must use all of the words on the list.
      4. If you finish early, add your own connections between the two journey narratives.
      5. List of words:
        1. Rivendell
        2. Hero
        3. Bilbo
        4. Odysseus
        5. Ithaca
        6. Gandalf
        7. Gollum's cave
        8. Hospitality
        9. Elrond
        10. Bag of Winds
        11. Goblins
        12. Gollum
        13. Polyphemus
        14. Land of the Dead
        15. Athena
        16. Bag End
        17. The Ring
    3. Station 3: Take quizzes on chapters 3-6 and English Journal
      1. Where is Bilbo at in his growth? What has he gotten better at? Where does he still need to grow? Where are you at in your Middle College journey? What have to improved on and where do you still need to grow?
    4. Station 4: Talking about class discussions - Mr. B

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Station Rotation Day 1

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Station Rotation
    1. Station 1: Lecture #2: Beauty
      1. Takes notes on the lecture video.
      2. Search The Hobbit for the word beauty or beautiful by clicking on this link..
        1. How is the word used in the novel?
        2. What things are described as beautiful?
        3. What pattern do you and your partner notice?
          1. Make a chart on a large piece of paper that has the uses of beauty in the novel and what patterns you see.
    2. Station 2: Making connections between The Hobbit and The Odyssey
      1. Here is a list of words from The Odyssey and The Hobbit.
      2. Make as many connections as you can between all of the words by drawing lines between them.
      3. On each line that connects one word to another, write why you are making that connection. Try to make more than one connection for each word. You must use all of the words on the list.
      4. If you finish early, add your own connections between the two journey narratives.
      5. List of words:
        1. Rivendell
        2. Hero
        3. Bilbo
        4. Odysseus
        5. Ithaca
        6. Gandalf
        7. Gollum's cave
        8. Hospitality
        9. Elrond
        10. Bag of Winds
        11. Goblins
        12. Gollum
        13. Polyphemus
        14. Land of the Dead
        15. Athena
        16. Bag End
        17. The Ring
    3. Station 3: Take quizzes on chapters 3-6 and English Journal
      1. Where is Bilbo at in his growth? What has he gotten better at? Where does he still need to grow? Where are you at in your Middle College journey? What have to improved on and where do you still need to grow?
    4. Station 4: Talking about class discussions - Mr. B

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Discussion for first section

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Class discussion

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Bilbo and Gollum

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Daily vocabulary
  2. Membean test
  3. Read for ten minutes
  4. English Journal about Hospitality and Courage.
  5. Quiz about the chapters we have read.
  6. Analyzing Bilbo's first solo challenge. 
    1. Make three columns: What? So what? and Now, what. 
      1. In the what column, list the challenges that Bilbo faces in his interaction with Gollum. 
      2. In the so what column, identify the effect each challenge has on Bilbo. How does he grow? 
      3. In the now what column, explain how this growth will help him in future challenges. 
  7. Zoom in on some passages for the discussion tomorrow.
  8. Reading Notes for The Hobbit
    1. Five notes for chapter 1
    2. Two for chapter 2
    3. One for chapter 3
    4. Three for chapter 4
    5. Four for chapter 5

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Testing today

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.


Agenda:

  1. PSAT/SAT testing today

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Monday, October 6, 2025

Courage and Hospitality

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.


Agenda:

  1. Daily vocabulary
  2. Read for ten minutes
  3. Courage
    1. Reckless ←------------→ Courage ←------------→ Coward
    2. Where would you place Bilbo's pickpocket attempt?
    3. Where would you place Gandalf's troll-trick?
    4. Choose a statement and provide a quote and explanation from the book.
      1. Strongly Agree: Bilbo's attempt was an act of true courage.
      2. Agree: Bilbo's attempt was a good first step, but not truly courageous.
      3. Disagree: Bilbo's attempt was foolish, not courageous.
      4. Strongly Disagree: Bilbo's attempt was an act of cowardice, as he only did it out of fear of the dwarves.
  4. Hospitality
    1. Draw two large overlapping circles on the board:
      1. Left circle: "TROLLS' CAVE"
      2. Right circle: "RIVENDELL"
      3. Middle: "BOTH"
    2. Now put the following information on the diagram?
      1. What food is offered/discussed?
      2. How are strangers greeted?
      3. What is said/heard?
      4. What is the atmosphere?
      5. What is gained/lost at each location?
      6. What do the inhabitants value?
    3. Which statement do you think the author agrees with? Which statement do you agree with?
      1. "Hospitality is a duty we owe to all travelers"
      2. "Hospitality is a gift we may choose to give"
    4. What connections can you make between this scene and hospitality in The Odyssey?

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Friday, October 3, 2025

One-Pager

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Daily vocabulary presentation
  2. One-pager about the lecture on adventure in The Hobbit.
    1. CLICK HERE for video instructions.

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Thursday, October 2, 2025

The Dwarves

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Daily vocabulary presentation
  2. The beginning of the adventure. Let's dive into chapter one.
    1. Collect quotes with page numbers of how Gandalf and the dwarves shake things up for Bilbo. Complete the following sentences: Gandalf promotes growth in __ by ___ in order to ___. 
    2. Write down the names of the dwarves mentioned so far in the book. Choose the four you think are most important. Create a symbol for each of the four dwarves and tell why it fits. For example, "Thorin is a ___ because___"
    3. The dwarves also shake things up for Bilbo by....Bilbo must decide whether to...
    4. Create a diagram of the quest that the dwarves present to Bilbo. Make sure you include all of the steps on the quest. What Tookish thing awakens in Bilbo?
  3. English Journal: The Odyssey and The Hobbit
    1. Use a Membean word
    2. Use sentence variety
    3. Make a comparison between Telemachus and Bilbo AND Gandalf and Athena.
    4. Telemachus is young and Bilbo is much older. Why might our lives need to be shaken up when we are young and when we are older?
  4. We will watch part of the movie to help you visualize what is happening in the book.
      1. Start at 13:00

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Gandalf Shakes Things Up

Big Idea: What does it mean to be human?

After today I should be able to: explain how someone can grow in virtue and wisdom.

Reading: We are currently reading The Hobbit.

Agenda:

  1. Daily vocabulary presentation
  2. Reading Notes for The Hobbit
    1. Five notes for chapter 1
    2. Two for chapter 2
    3. One for chapter 3
    4. Three for chapter 4
    5. Four for chapter 5
  3. English Journal
    1. What is your experience reading fantasy literature? Why do you like/dislike it? How was the reading of the first chapter? When you start a new book, what is your process for understanding it and getting into the narrative?
  4. The beginning of the adventure. Let's dive into chapter one.
    1. Collect quotes with page numbers of how Gandalf shakes things up for characters. Complete the following sentence: Gandalf promotes growth in __ by ___ in order to ___.
    2. Write down the names of the dwarves mentioned so far in the book. Choose the four you think are most important. Create a symbol for each of the four dwarves and tell why it fits. For example, "Thorin is a ___ because___"
    3. Create a diagram of the quest that the dwarves present to Bilbo. Make sure you include all of the steps on the quest. What Tookish thing awakens in Bilbo?

  1. The Hobbit Reading Schedule:

Homework:
  1. Membean. It is due by Sunday at 9PM.