Mansfield Literature for Thursday, May 21st, 2020

Good morning 8th graders,

Welcome to Thoughtful Thursday – a day to spread those random acts of kindness!

To kick it off, we have a video made by Lylah and Sophia, helping us understand the value of giving for Unbound. I know the care and kindness you are capable of on a regular day, so I can’t wait to see all of the thoughtful things you will do on this spirited Thursday! Have fun with it and remember to share your spirit with Mrs. Skokan.

For your Literature work, you are looking at a new poem today – “To This Day” by Shane Koyzcan.

WARNING: Be aware that this presentation does contain explicit language before the poem begins. In class, I would mute the screen and sound at that point, but that’s not possible right now. I tried to find a clean version of the TEDTalk, but it was not available. I apologize for the inconvenience and can offer two options for you:

  1. Watch the video and mute the sound and screen with 7:08 minutes left (4:40 in)
    • It’s tricky, but you get the whole introduction which provides some background for the poem
  2. Watch the last 7 minutes and 3 seconds of the video
    • Much easier option, but you miss some of the background for the poem. It’s not necessary, but it can make the poetry more compelling.

So, you have have two tasks for your Literature To Do List today:

  • “To This Day” assignment on Teams (20 – 30 minutes)
  • Daily reading (20 – 35 minutes)

Let’s go for it!

  1. “To This Day” assignment on Teams (20 – 30 minutes)
    • Carefully review and follow the directions on the assignment
    • You will be watching a performance, reading a poem, and answering four questions
    • Contact me with questions!
  2. Daily reading (20 – 35 minutes)
    • You have less than two weeks left of your reading log, so make it count!
    • Read for 15 to 30 minutes and then complete your reading log entry
    • As we discussed before, make sure you vary the type of evidence you use every day.

That’s all for today. Stay thoughtful and remember to reach out with questions or concerns!