By a group of FCPS teachers:

“Obsolete”

Obsolete is so yesterday . . .

Outdated, discarded, unused, unavailable.

rotary phones,                       

record players,

VCR’s,

chalk boards,

letters by mail,

floppy disks.

Excuse me while I update my Facebook page!

From Michael Salinger’s Well Defined Vocabulary in Rhyme

“Fiasco”

Fiasco is an utter disaster

If something could go wrong it has

A train off its track

A dam that has burst

A play in which every actor

Has forgotten his lines

You would assume that things

Couldn’t get worse

Except the train was carrying poisonous snakes

There was lava behind the dam

And once those actors turn into werewolves

Well, you’ve got a fiasco on your hands

Your personal responses for each chapter may include any of the following:

• opinions
• predictions
• connections
• feelings
• high-level questions

Go to the following links, and read to build up your background knowledge about frame stories and Angel’s Camp, the setting of the story.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/215717/frame-story

http://www.angelscamp.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=10&Itemid=14

Classwork

Now open Stanza, go to the online catalog, select Feedbooks, click on the magnifying glass at the top right of the screen, and type “jumping” in the text box.  “The Jumping Frog” should appear.  Download it.

In your groups, read and discuss the literature.  As you read “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” keep track of the main events, and document any words you don’t know in your personal dictionary.   

Alternative view of the story:

http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/projects/price/frog.htm

Homework

Respond to the following questions.  Be sure to support your responses with evidence from the story.  You may use italk or notes to record your responses. 

• Provide evidence that the narrator is characterized as clever in some ways, but ignorant in others.
• What is the climax of the story within the frame?
• What is the theme of the story within the frame?
• What do you feel the theme of the whole story is? 

The Update

Objective

Compose a fictional narrative using specific vocabulary and information to accurately exhibit the character of Charlie Gordon.

Directions

Pretend you are Charlie Gordon.  You wrote your last progress report on July 28, 1965, which has long passed.  Explain what you are doing with your life now.  Where do you live?  How do you feel?  Who are your friends?  What are your future plans?  Be sure to accurately portray the character of Charlie based on “Flowers for Algernon.”  In other words, be creative, but be reasonable. 

Once you have revised your work, record your progress report on your iPod using the iTalk application.  Save your file as your last name, followed by FFA (for example, RodriguezFFA). 

Objective

Expand your personal vocabulary through reading experiences.   

Description

While piloting the iPod touch, you are required to keep a personal dictionary through the notes application.  From now on, whenever you read, have your iPod touch handy.  When you begin a new text, start a new page of notes for unfamiliar vocabulary words from the text.  Label each new notes page with the title of the text you are reading, and document unfamiliar words, their parts of speech, and definitions on the page.  When reading books using Stanza, you may use the Stanza dictionary.  When reading paperback books, use the dictionary application.  At the end of the pilot, you will be expected to complete an assignment based on your personal dictionary.   

Daily Expectations

Document unfamiliar words, their parts of speech, and definitions.

Review/study the words in your personal dictionary.

This story was made into a movie in 2008. You can read the full story online by clicking here. Or, you can read the story through the Stanza application on your iTouch.

As we read the story, we will post activities on this website.

ACTIVITY 1

Directions: Watch the preview below before you read the story. Think about the following questions.

Questions:

1) Where and when does the story take place?

2) What is different about Benjamin Button?

3) How do you think Benjamin’s unique condition will affect his relationships with other people?

After you have watched the preview and thought about the questions, begin reading the story. As you read the story, you will use your iPod Touch to:

1) Define unknown vocabulary words.

2) View additional podcasts about story themes and content.

3) Create an “audio journal” by making podcasts about your thoughts and reactions to the story.

Stay Tuned!

NOTE: To watch the preview using your iPOD Touch, click on “Play in new window” or “Download” . If you are using an Internet browser simply click on the play button.

This website is a collaboration between Mr. Jarosz, English teacher, Mr. Ledesma, School Based Technology Specialist, and Mrs. Carmenates, Librarian.

We created this site so we can post multimedia content that is easily and quickly accessible on the iPod Touch.  This site is for teacher use only. All student created work will be displayed within our Blackboard course.

Thanks for visiting.

-Mr. Jarosz
-Mr. Ledesma
-Mrs. Carmenates