“For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor so-licit belief. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not -- and very surely do I not dream. But tomorrow I die, and today

I would unburden my soul.

Edgar A. Poe Last week, I introduced the Common Core Standard RL8.7, which addresses film adaptations of texts, includ-ing how directors remain faithful to or depart from the original text as well as the director’s choices that strengthen or weaken a reenactment. On Monday, I had the students watch an animated version of “The Tell Tale Heart”; students then analyzed the film’s AESTHETICS, including the lighting, sound effects, color, cam-era focus and angles, and acting. Then, we watched Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video and analyzed the video for the above elements using a provided chart. With sufficient practice with this standard, students were more than prepared to take the Summative Assessment on RL8.7. They watched the film adaptation of the text “The Cask of Amontillado” and analyzed the video’s aesthetics. Overall, students did a fabulous job; I was so impressed with the analyses. We also started the short story “The Black Cat.” Like all Poe stories, we analyzed the text closely. We looked at the opening paragraph and discussed similarities amongst the text and other Poe stories, including such factors as the unreliable, defensive narrator and the claim that “I am not mad.” I introduced students to 20 new vocabulary words found within “The Black Cat.” I had planned for us to take the vocabulary quiz on the words on Friday, October 30, but I felt that we needed more practice with the words. The quiz will therefore be on Wednesday along with a 7m Study Session. Finally, students completed a Venn Diagram com-paring all three Poe stories that we have read. They are getting really good at determining the Gothic literature elements.

Next week, I will take the time to do some “prep” for the Stagg Explore Placement Exam on Satur-day, November 8. I have two practice tests that we will administer and review. Thank you,

Miss Sweiss

S t e l l a r S t u d e n t S p o t l i g h t :

Kudos to all classes on doing a superb job on

the Summative Assessment for Standard RL8.7, which is basically analyzing a film adap-tation. I was so impressed with their interpre-

tations of the film adaptation! And a special kudos to Cameron K. who observed the signifi-cance of Montressor’s blue ring in the opening

scene of the film.

Hanna E., Ethan W., Amal C., Isabelle N. Dia A., to name a few, shared their Gothic literature inspired stories on Friday! They all did a neat

job implementing elements of Gothc literature and I could even see that they were imple-

menting the vocabulary words we have learned this unit! Awesome!!

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O c t o b e r 2 0 1 4 V o l u m e I I , I s s u e 1 2

S w e i s s ’ C i r c l e C l a s s r o o m N e w s l e t t e r

S n a p s h o t s f r o m

W e e k o f O c t o b e r

2 7 :

R L 8 . 7 S u m m a t i v e A s s e s s m e n t

o n “ C a s k o f A m o n t i l l a d o ”

V i d e o ; A n a l y s i s o f A e s t h e t i c s

T e x t s R e a d / A n a l y z e d :

1 . “ T h e B l a c k C a t ” B y E d g a r A .

P o e

2 . S a m p l e A n a l y s i s R e s p o n s e f o r

A n i m a t e d “ T e l l T a l e

H e a r t ” ( F o c u s o n A e s t h e t i c s

o f F i l m A d a p t a t i o n )

A c t i v i t i e s :

“ T h e B l a c k C a t ” V o c a b u l a r y

C o n t e x t C l u e s W a r m - U p s

( P a r t 1 a n d 2 )

V e n n D i a g r a m c o m p a r i n g

“ T e l l T a l e H e a r t , ” “ T h e C a s k

o f A m o n t i l l a d o , ” a n d “ T h e

B l a c k C a t . ”

A n a l y s i s o f “ T h r i l l e r ” M u s i c

V i d e o u s i n g A e s t h e t i c s C h a r t

M a k i n g o f t h e V i d e o o f

“ T h r i l l e r ”

V o c a b u l a r y

S u c c i n c t , d o c i l e , s a g a c i o u s ,

i n d u l g e , b r u t e , c o n s p i c u o u s ,

f i d e l i t y , d i s p o s i t i o n , f i e n d ,

m a l t r e a t , i n t e m p e r a n c e ,

p e e v i s h , f u r y , a t r o c i o u s , u n -

f a t h o m a b l e , c o n f l a g r a t i o n ,

p e s t i l e n c e , a v e r s i o n , g a l -

l o w s , r e m o r s e

R e m i n d e r s :

November Reading Log

“The Black Cat” Vocabulary

Quiz on Thursday

Parent Teacher Conferences

November 24 and 25

C h a l l e n g e Y o u r K i d :

W e w a t c h e d a f i l m a d a p t a t i o n

o f “ T h e C a s k o f A m o n t i l l a d o ”

t h i s p a s t w e e k . A s k y o u r c h i l d

t o a n a l y z e t h e a e s t h e t i c s o f

t h e v i d e o ( l i g h t i n g , c o l o r s ,

s o u n d , c a m e r a f o c u s a n d

a n g l e s , a n d t h e a c t i n g ) .