Homework for the Weekend: 11/17 and 11/18

First of all A-day students, I want to thank you for a great day.  I think that in all of the classes today we were productive and had some fun too, which is always good.  Over the weekend there are a few things for all of you to accomplish, and here they are.

AP English III:

I bet you never thought you'd read an analysis of Rebecca Black's "Friday" - but, lo and behold, there it is.  I'm putting the link to that piece here.  So that you can revisit it and share with your friends.  As you look at it and remember our conversation in class today, remember the things that a good analysis does.  It finds the original author's argument and then shows the way in which that argument is proved and supported.  This is much the same thing that we saw in our sample prompt and sample essay.  We've been doing all of this work on analysis due to the fact that you will have your second timed writing on Monday/Tuesday and it will be an analysis.  To prepare for this I would do the following:

1. Review the sample prompt and sample essay.  Look at what the writer does well, and things to avoid.
2. Review the questions I gave you last class on "Crafting an Analysis" - these will provide you some ideas to consider as you construct your own analysis.
3. Write a practice essay on the sample prompt and then compare it to the sample essay.  Is it the same (a seven)?  Better (an eight or nine)?  Or worse (six an below)?
4. You should also begin on your analysis of your piece for the satire project.  All of this stuff we're doing now is a means toward that end.

Speaking of your projects, on Monday you will have time to meet in your groups for about twenty minutes to check in and ask for help.  Thanksgiving Break will require you to work on your projects and finish reading Huck Finn.  BE SURE THAT YOU'RE DONE WITH THE BOOK AND ANNOTATING WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM BREAK!  I don't think I need to tell you what that means...

English I:

I hope that you all enjoyed our opening of Animal Farm.  If you didn't mark vocabulary on your bookmark as we read today in class, be sure that you do that tonight for chapter one.  Over the weekend you will need to be sure that your presentation is ready for Monday/Tuesday and that you have prepared for the District Test.  If you want to get ahead in Animal Farm that's perfectly okay - but you can't bring up anything in class that we haven't gotten to as a group.

Have a lovely afternoon and weekend!