Monday, February 29, 2016

Solid Monday in Room 301 - Homework for 2/29/2016

Great day today everyone!  Definitely a fun start to the week.  Here are your reminders to take you to Wednesday.

AP English III

We did not discuss Chapter Ten at all today, so we will be having that discussion on Wednesday.  Make sure that your blog post is complete, your motif charts are complete, and that you have fully read and annotated in advance of a possible quiz on Chapter Ten.

Additionally, please read Brent Staples' "Just Walk On By..." - you can find it in 50 Essays or at this link.  Read and annotate the text heavily - focus on connections you see between Invisible Man and Staples.  Consider the disconnect between the two pieces by history, and the fact that there are so many similarities.  Especially think about the ideas of vision and power as they relate to visibility.  This is important in this piece too.

Lastly, we did a lot today on outlines and research writing.  Remember that this pays off as we deal with the synthesis timed writing on Friday and your rough drafts and conferences which begin next week.  Pay it forward and make it better.

Lastly, remember that tomorrow you're on a testing schedule.  Report directly to your ACT testing room.

English II

I appreciate the fact that many of you were able to get a lot done today in class related to our work on catch-up.  Make sure that for next class you submit any missing work that you worked on today in class so that I can update your grades.  You need to read Chapters Four and Five in The Stranger and complete your detail grabbers while you read.  We'll discuss these chapters next class and continue working on our in-class essay assignments.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Homework for the Weekend: 26 February 2016 - A Day

English II

We had a pretty great day today in class discussing Chapters Two and Three.  Next class we will have a bit of a catch-up day to work on our in-class essays, our tests, and to finish projects with a late penalty for anyone who needs to.

Remember that you need to read Chapters Four and Five for Thursday's class.  Make sure that you fill out your detail grabber for these chapters.  We're almost halfway done with the book!

Don't forget that I'll take projects today with no late penalty.  Just email it in.

Russian I

This weekend for homework I want you to spend time working with the three tables that we have made for Russian grammar.  You have your case table, your pronoun table, and your possessive pronoun table.  Use these to complete exercises 15 and 16 in Chapter Two.  They're located on pages 88 and 89.  Please do not just fill in the blanks but go through and rewrite the sentences with your answers filled in.

You will be having a quiz on this information on Monday the 7th.  Study and learn!

Russian II/III

This weekend you have a few things to settle as well.  You will have your unit exam on Monday the 7th.  We will have next week to review.  Make sure that for Tuesday's class you have:

  1. Rewritten your journal entry to correct mistakes.  
  2. Done research on your selected Moscow metro station.  Remember that you can pick a station on the ring line or within the ring.  Use www.metro.ru for research in Russian.  Wikipedia is also good.  You can find a lot about these stations.
  3. Make sure that you've gone through the reading and dialogues for your chapter.  You should be able to read, translate and discuss the dialogue and the reading as well as answer questions.
With that - I hope you all enjoy the weekend.  I'm off to work all weekend.

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Homework for B-Day Students: 25 February 2016

It was certainly good to have a normal day today.  Here are your reminders to take you through the weekend to Monday.

AP English III

I started looking at blogs and realized that we need to clarify a few things:  1, you don't need to do vocabulary for every post - just the first analysis post and 2, make sure that you're dividing and conquering the work as a group.  Just because one member of the group is sick doesn't mean that you have a pass on your obligations as a group.  Come together and get your work done.

For the weekend you have the reading of Chapter 10 - Liberty Paints.  This is a complex chapter; we'll spend a lot of time Monday working through it.  Remember the main ideas of the chapter:  the conflicts between the IM and the different people at the factory (boss, workers, Mr. Broadway), the importance of color symbolism in the chapter (white/black), and the allusions to government and power that are rife in the chapter.

There's a lot to think about in the chapter - keep building in the same way we did today in class.  That was such good work today!

Here's the new reading schedule for you all to take us through the rest of the book:

Chapter 10 - 2/25; 11-12 - 3/4; 13-15 - 3/8; 16-19 - 3/14; 20-22 - 3/22; 23 - 3/24.  Again make sure that you have the analysis post complete on the due date for the reading.

Don't forget your rough drafts - it may be a good idea to start writing this weekend before getting back your outlines.  We'll talk about those on Monday and you'll have Tuesday and Thursday to see me about them.

English II

Also very good conversation on the characters we meet in Chapters 2-3.  Keep paying attention to them throughout Part One.  I got a great report from Ms. T about your writing work.  Don't work on this over the weekend - we'll spend time on Monday looking at it.  For the weekend, make your priority finishing your project.  Remember that I can accept it tomorrow for no penalty.  After Friday it will lose five points.

Read Chapters 4-5.  Use your detail grabbers to collect details.  We'll have the whole sheet filled in by the end of Part One.  Feel free to get ahead on this.  Also, vocabulary.  We'll be stressing this next week.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Homework for A-Day Students - 24 February 2016

It's like the day that wasn't today.  Definitely threw me off my game.  Ugh.  I hate when things like today happen.

Here's what you need to do to move on to Friday:

Russian II/III

Using your new phrase кому идет/идут write a one page journal entry.  In your entry, practice with your grammar and vocabulary in this unit.  Russian III students should focus on using prefixed and non-prefixed verbs of motion as well as conditionals or hypotheticals.  Russian II students should focus on using multi- and uni- directional verbs.  Make sure to focus on the case usage after the verbs of motion.

I'll work with each of you individually for a writing workshop on Friday to look at this work.  Make sure it's done well and that you have questions for me if you have them.

Russian I

Your work for tonight is to keep working through Exercise 15.  Make sure to not only fill in the blanks but also be able to translate.  This work is key in understanding cases and pronoun shifts.  Work hard and learn.

Make sure that you are also looking at your new vocabulary in Chapter Two.

English II

Our very short class didn't get much done.  Many of you are still missing projects.  The zeroes will go in the gradebook at the end of the day on Friday.  Turn in your work and do it well.  You should continue reading The Stranger, though it's clear that many of you are not reading.  If I see from class discussion that you are not reading I will no longer allow you to buy your way out of quizzes.

You have Chapter Four and Five to read for next Tuesday.  Keep up with the reading as well as your vocabulary.

RUSSIA 2017! MOSCOW, ST. PETERSBURG, KOSTROMA

Students!

I am now organizing my trip to Russia in June of 2017.  We'll be adding three days to our tour of Moscow and St. Petersburg by traveling to Kostroma to be hosted by Russian families.  While in Kostroma we'll see the real Russia and learn who Russians are.

This trip can earn you high school or university credit too!  It's great if you're interested in studying foreign affairs, international relations, cultures, societies, really anything.

Visit this link to learn more about the trip!

I only have 10 spots remaining!  So if you want to go, sign up now.  Sign up soon to save $100 dollars.  I also have a fundraiser you can start once you sign up.





See you in Russia!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Homework for B-Day Classes: 23 February 2016

AP English III:

There's a lot for us to do tonight, but thankfully it's all centered on Invisible Man.  Make sure that you have read and annotated Chapters Seven through Nine.  Make sure that your motif charts reflect your reading.  Remember that your groupmates and you are working on this together - use each other to keep up with the reading.

Here are the websites for our groups.  I post them here because eventually you'll need to check in and read other blogs.

2B Blogs:

http://ralphellisous.blogspot.com
http://powerandoratoryim.blogspot.com
http://IM-violence.blogspot.com
http://invisiblemanpandp.blogspot.com
http://poweranddreamsnjh.blogspot.com
http://nerdsinvisibleman.blogspot.com
http://invisible-man-family-and-power.blogspot.com
http://thehiddenbloggers.blogspot.com
http://powerinsymbolism.blogspot.com

3B Blogs:

http://kmlbimmotifs.blogspot.com
http://impowerandfamily.blogspot.com
http://squadalupe.blogspot.com
http://lqm-immb.blogspot.com
http://immotifs.blogspot.com
http://invisiblewomendfm.blogspot.com
http://moeenaemi.blogspot.com
http://invisiblemanmotifs.blogspot.com
http://manateepands.blogspot.com

For Thursday, make sure that you have your analysis post complete for Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine.  This should be one post on its own.  Then you will complete the synthesis prompt for the Prologue through Chapter Nine.  Remember that the prompt for this synthesis post is:  What is the purpose of these motifs at this point in the novel?  Make sure that you have a clear thesis/main idea for your chapters and your motifs.  Remember to synthesize the opinions of your group and the information in the text.

English II

If you did not submit your project today make sure that it gets in to me ASAP.  For tonight, you need to focus on the reading of Chapters Two and Three in The Stranger.  Focus on the new characters you will meet in these chapters.  Also, as always, keep up with the vocabulary as you reading.

Make sure to review what we did today in class - the ideas in "Sisyphus" are important to The Stranger.



Monday, February 22, 2016

Homework for A-Day Students: 22 February 2016

Russian II/III

Next class we have our presentations of our travel guides.  For your project remember these requirements:

  • you must have a map of your city/neighborhoods
  • your map must indicate a path to travel to visit your sites
  • your map must have a list of all sites visited in order
  • you must provide information about what you can do at each of the sites
  • you must explain how to get from one site to the next
Remember as you write that the goal is to use verbs of motion with prefixes (III) or non-prefixed (II).  Keep in mind as well that you don't need to go into a lot of depth about the locations or sites - talk about why it's important/how it relates to the theme of your excursion/if there's anything in particular to see.

Lastly, don't use translators.  Check yourself with them, but don't do the work with them - do the work yourself.

Russian I

Tonight for homework you're going to work with the two tables that we created in class.  You need to take the information on the case table and pair it with the pronoun table to write eleven example sentences with the case functions we reviewed today.  Make sure that you can explain which case is being used and why.

English II

I will be collecting projects tomorrow.  Make sure that you have it completed.  I'm sorry about the issue with printing today - remember that you can email me the copy of your project and I can print it for you.  The project is a major test grade.

For tonight, make sure that you read Chapter Two and Three of The Stranger and complete your detail grabber.  As you read, take note of one example of each type of detail.  Write down the quote from the book and the page number in the appropriate box.

Also, continue to work on your vocabulary from "The Myth of Sisyphus" - a lot of those underlined words are ones that you should define and know.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Homework for the Weekend - B Day Students

AP English III

Even though we didn't have a real class today I wanted to remind you all that you have things to settle for the weekend.  Your research paper outlines are due on Tuesday.  You are expected to submit a document which states your argument, your topics, the specific pieces of evidence you will use to elaborate upon that topic, and your commentary on the evidence to clarify the way in which it reflects your argument.  All source material must be cited appropriately.  You must also submit a works cited page with all of your sources.  You must indicate which of the sources is your non-print source.

As you work, please use SIRS and PurdueOWL to help with citations.  I'll be available a bit on Monday.

Also, I need all groups to submit their blog URL.  Please post a comment to the blog post from the previous class - you'll see other comments there.  Your comment won't appear until I accept it.

Lastly, remember your reading, you are expected to read and annotate through the end of Chapter Nine and complete a blog post which covers Chapter Seven, Eight, and Nine with your motifs.

English II

Over the weekend your major task is your creative writing projects.  Make sure to follow the instructions on the sheet so that you can earn full credit.  I was especially happy that a few of you were able to get them turned in today - great work!  This is a major test grade, so make sure that it is going to help you.

Don't forget to keep reading The Stranger.  Your next reading checkpoint is Thursday.  You have to read Chapter Two and Three.  Keep track of your vocabulary.  Also, here's our video from class today to help you better understand one of our key philosophies in our book.

Enjoy the weekend!

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Homework for the Weekend - A Day - 18 February 2016

English II

Your next reading checkpoint is Wednesday when you have to be to the end of Chapter Three.  For the weekend, make sure that you've read through Chapter One and keep going on to Chapter Two and Three.  If you get into the book, keep going.  It's good to be ahead.  Keep looking for vocabulary.

Your main goal for the weekend is the creative writing project.  These are due no later than Tuesday at 3:00 for full credit.  Remember that you can present a part of your project for extra credit.

Russian I

Some of you have projects that you need to submit.  Please make sure that the work that you do is your own and that you are using the vocabulary in the textbook that you know.  Evidence of Google Translate will not only result in a bad grade, but it will also result in you not actually learning Russian.

You also have your review exercises to complete with adjectives.  You are expected to complete the homework in the packet and have it ready for Monday.  Remember that if you are late with the project but have the homework done I will waive the late penalty.  If you turned in the project today and have the homework done, I will give you extra credit.

Russian II and III

For the weekend we have the task of continuing to write on our verbs of motion projects.  Please spend time drafting your writing so that I can help you if you need it.  We'll present these projects on Wednesday.

For homework there are different things for the different classes:

Level II Students:  Complete Exercise 10 on page 252.  Begin to study and learn your other verbs of motion (flying, swimming, leading, running).

Level III Students:  Read the information on hypothetical and conditional statements on page 419-21.  Then complete the translation exercise, number 13.  Do the best you can with this as we will work through it on Monday in class.

Again, the expectation is that you will have written homework to show on Monday.  Don't let me down.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Homework for B-Day Students: 17 February 2016

AP English III

With the snow day on Monday we've had to make a few shifts to the calendar, so pay attention to the information below.

  • ACT PreAdministration will happen on Friday during 2B.  We will not have a normal class on Friday because of this.  3B students should bring resources to work on research outlines.
  • Research outlines are due on Tuesday.  In the outline you must have your argument, your topics, your research (quotations/paraphrases) with MLA citations and commentary which explains the importance of the evidence.  You must also have a final Works Cited page which includes all of your sources.
  • Any resubmissions of Huck Finn are due on Friday.  It doesn't matter that some of you won't have me on Friday.  Get it turned in if you want a new grade.
  • I need to check your blogs.  Please post a comment to this post in which you give me your blog URL.  This is a must for ALL groups.
  • Reading of Invisible Man has shifted a bit.  Your next reading goal is Chapters Seven, Eight, and Nine.  These are due on the 25th of February.  Your analysis post for these chapters will also be due on this day.
  • Right now I have your synthesis timed writing planned for the week of the 29th.
I'm available Thursday afternoon for extra help on outlines and research.  See me if you need to!

English II

I was so glad that so many of you had such strong reactions to Mersault today in class.  Keep this up as you keep reading.  For tonight, make sure that you have finished Chapter One and that you have collected your five vocabulary words.

Next class we will be finishing our Latin American Literature examinations and working on our projects as well as working through Chapter One of The Stranger.  Make sure that you are prepared to work on your projects - bring a rough draft if you have one.  Remember that projects are due from Thursday to Tuesday the 25th.  After Tuesday I will not accept creative writing projects for full credit.  Also remember that projects count the same as a test - this is a way to help your grade, not hurt it.

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Homework for A-Day Classes - 16 February 2016

English II

Today we started our work on The Stranger by Albert Camus.  An excellent philosophical book that will make you really think about choices, morals, and the difference between good and bad.  For tonight, make sure to read the rest of Chapter One.  As you read, pay attention to Mersault's character - What type of a guy is he?  How does he respond to the world and the people around him?  Find five good vocabulary words as you read.

Your projects on Latin American literature can be turned in Thursday to Tuesday.  We'll have a bit of class time on Thursday and Friday to work on the projects - if you can turn it in finished then, great!  If not, you will have until Tuesday to turn it in for full credit.

Russian I

Today we had our quiz on adjectives.  Remember to continue studying and preparing the information we learn so that you can keep it in your heads.  For tonight, you should complete your floor plan and writing projects.  Remember that these are due on Thursday.  You'll need your floor plan with five rooms labeled and three items labeled in each room.  You also need your paragraph which states the ownership of the room, describes the items in the room, and explains an action that happens in the room.

Russian II/III

Today we had our workshop for our projects which are due on Monday.  Next class you'll have your quiz on verbs of motion.  Know your conjugations, know your prefixes, know your cases and prepositions.  Be ready!

Monday, February 15, 2016

SNOW DAY #4 - 15 February 2016

I guess that Lincoln and Washington really wanted us to have today off.  Here we are on another snow day - I've not gone outside yet this morning, but it certainly does look slick on my street.  Here are your reminders going into our next class.

Russian II/III

We will have our quiz next class on verbs of motion.  Be prepared for that by doing the following:  know your conjugations of your eight basic verbs of motion, know the prepositions and cases paired with these verbs to indicate going to and coming from, know the English equivalents of these verbs. Russian III, make sure that you know the meaning of your prefixes and the way in which the prefix joins to the verb, especially with идти/ездить.

Russian I

You will also have a quiz next class on adjectives and agreement.  Make sure that you know your endings, your changes, and the meanings of these cases in terms of grammar.  You've plenty of exercises in your textbooks and there are some great ones online too.  I recommend:  this one  on the nominative and this one on accusative from UCLA.  Once you've gone there you can feel free to explore this site for more on Russian grammar and exercises.  A great resource!

English II

I'm spending my morning planning out our unit on Africa - we'll be reading our main novel of the year and several short stories, poems, and articles about the continent.  Next class we will begin on our novel and try to finish up our creative writing projects.  You should spend your day today doing two things to prepare for our next class:  first, make sure to review your notes since you'll have a few minutes to check your multiple choice section on the Latin American Literature exam; second, draft your creative writing project - have ideas down on paper and as much of your assignment done on paper or on the computer.  If you work on the computer, try to get an electronic copy by sharing in Google Docs or e-mailing the document to yourself.  Remember the importance of completing long-term assignments on time and well!

AP English III

I will see all of you on Wednesday, I hope, with your blogs completed up to Chapter Six.  I've seen a few blogs and I really like what I am seeing.  Remember that your entries don't have to be over complicated right now - this is a slight increase of the motif chart (with a bit more explanation).  We'll be coming up on our first synthesis posting soon, and I'll go over in class about those and the requirements (they'll be beefier).  For our next class make sure that you've completed the reading up to Chapter Six, that you have annotated thoroughly, and completed your motif charts for the reading.  I would also recommend going through and taking a look at some choice vocabulary.  You'll have a set of cards due soon.

Additionally, take a look over the information I gave you related to the synthesis prompt.  We'll be completing one of these soon.  Don't forget about your outlines for the research papers.  They're still due next week.  Use today to get ahead on those!

Friday, February 12, 2016

Homework for B-Day Students: 12 February 2016

English II

Today we had our examination on Latin American literature.  If you didn't finish your test, don't worry.  We'll have some time to make sure that everyone is done on Monday and Tuesday.  Feel free to come in before or after school or during lunch.

This weekend you should all spend time working on your projects since we will go to the computer lab on Tuesday to work on typing these projects.  Be sure that you have some work done so that you can be productive on Tuesday.  The projects are due on Thursday.

AP English III

This weekend you have the reading of Chapter Five and Chapter Six of Invisible Man.  Remember that in Chapter Five there are a few motifs that you will not see; however, in Chapter Six they are all present.  For Tuesday's class you should complete your first three blogging posts - the introduction post, the post covering the first three chapters with vocabulary, and then the post covering Chapters Two through Six.  After this, we will be caught up and the expectation is that you will have your post complete when the reading is due.

Make sure that you have shared your blog URL with me either via email, sharing, or via this post.  You can leave the URL as a comment so that I can find it.

Also, don't forget to look over your information on synthesis (both the AP prompt and the research paper assignment).  You should be completing the building of your argument and outline this week.  We'll go over what I want for the outline on Tuesday, but you already know what it is - remember your summer assignment redone outline.  Follow that format to get off to a good start with this assignment.

Lastly, don't forget about our upcoming ACT.  Study and prepare!

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Homework for A-Day Students: 11 February 2016

I hope that everything went well with the substitute.  Here are some reminders for you all this weekend.

Russian I, II, III

You'll all have your quizzes on Monday make sure that you are preparing yourself over the weekend.  Russian I Students, you should be focused on your adjectives in the masculine, feminine, and neuter genders for the nominative, accusative, prepositional, and genitive case.  You should also have a clear understanding of the meaning behind the cases and what jobs they perform in terms of grammar.  Also, complete your home projects.  You should have your plans done for your houses as well as your paragraphs for each room.

Russian II Students, your quiz will focus on the eight verbs of motion related to going by foot, going by vehicle, taking by foot, and taking by vehicle.  Learn your conjugations, know their uses, and pay attention to your exercises.  There are a lot of extra opportunities to review this topic online if you just search for the topic.

Russian III Students, you have the same idea for your quiz on Monday, but remember that you have to be able to add prefixes to the verbs and understand not only how to add the prefix but also what that addition does to the verb itself.

English II

If any of you did not finish your quiz today with the substitute, please see me tomorrow or Monday to finish.  Next week we will have the priority of finishing our creative writing projects and then moving on to our next unit in which we will study literature and non-fiction from Africa.  Over the weekend, spend your time trying to complete a rough draft of your creative writing work.  I will be trying to get us computer lab time on Monday to type up your work before I collect projects on Wednesday.  Remember the importance of meeting your deadlines this semester!

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Homework for B-Day Students: 10 February 2016

English II

We didn't have a chance to do our free response writing today, so we will have to push that to Friday's class.  This means that we will finish the entire test on Friday.  Make sure that you are prepared.  I'm glad that many of you checked out textbooks so that you can review the stories and be ready for Friday.

Any time you have left after you finish the exam on Friday will be spent on your creative writing projects.  Remember the importance of completing your major projects on time!

AP English III

I'm happy to have papers from those of you who needed to hit the first resubmission date.  Remember that these will be ready for you on Monday.  Come and see me to pick them up so that you can turn it around for the next resubmission if you so choose.

In terms of other work to complete you have the reading of Chapters Three and Four for our class on Friday.  We will work through a reading guide as a class.  If you will not be in class, use this link to access the reading guide so that you can complete it while you're skiing.

Remember that your blogs will be checked on Friday.  You'll need to have the introduction post, the analysis post for Prologue, Chapter One, and Chapter Two.  With the analysis post, remember to also have your vocabulary.  One word for each chapter.

Additionally, make sure that you are working regularly on your research papers and topics.  You should have a working argument statement that you can use to guide your research.  Begin to work through your sources and build the support for your argument.  This will ensure that you are working in a timely way to complete everything.  Remember your outlines are due on 2/22.  This is the day you have to lock in your topics!

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Homework for A Day Students: 9 February 2016

Russian I

Please take to heart the discussion we had today about the amount of work and what you need to do outside of class.  Remember, if you don't know what to do then come and ask me what you should do.

You will have your quiz on adjectives in the prepositional, nominative, accusative, and genitive case on Monday.  Your house projects are also due on Monday.  Remember that the house project is meant to help you get ready for the quiz.  Use your brains and your notes, don't rely on the translator.  You won't learn it if you don't do it.

Russian II/III

You all will also have a quiz on Monday focusing on verbs of motion and their uses.  To prepare, you should be working on your projects related to your excursion of a neighborhood or a few neighborhoods in Russian.  A lot of you got some good work done with these projects today in class.  Keep working on these and especially writing your sentences which discuss the different types of actions that are happening.

English II

On Thursday you will take the multiple-choice portion of your Latin American literature exam.  Today you had the free-response.  Study the review guides, especially the plot and character review, the vocabulary, and the literary devices.  You'll have questions on all of this as we go through the exam.

You'll also be visited by Guidance on Thursday for them to discuss registration for next year.

Monday, February 8, 2016

Homework for B-Day - 8 February 2016

English II

Tonight you have two major things to prepare as we move to Wednesday's class.  First, make sure that you are preparing yourself for the first part of your exam next class.  You're going to want to make sure that you study the literary devices portion of your review guide to prepare for your free response questions.  You'll be able to choose one of the three questions for your answer, so prepare for that.

Additionally, make sure that you are putting in some work each night on your writing project.  I'll collect them next week and we'll have time toward the end of this week to work on them in the computer lab.

AP English III

There is a lot to go over with all of you and I'll try to be as clear as I can.

  1. Motif Blogging Project - By Friday's class you should have your first two posts settled and they are documented for you in the instructions blog which is posted below.  Please send me a link to your blog once you have your posts done.  Don't forget that we are adding the vocabulary - one word per chapter.  You can include this in your analytical post for Friday.  For next week you will have your post on Chapters Three, Four, and Five due on the same day - the day that the Chapter Five reading is due.  After this we'll be all caught up and can keep using the reading schedule to set our posts.
  2. Reading Schedules - You should be to the end of Chapter Four by Friday's class.  Make sure that you keep up with your personal vocabulary and the motif charts as you are reading.
  3. Developing Your Topics - Hopefully our workshop went over what you need to do moving forward with your research paper topics.  Please come see me if you need more help.  Remember to resubmit your topic if you feel it necessary.
  4. Resubmitting Huck Finn Papers - First round of resubmissions are due for you all on Wednesday.  Second round is next week on Tuesday.  I will not accept any resubmissions past that date.  Accept the gift that this is and resubmit if you feel it necessary.  Remember that I need the original paper and rubric along with the new.

AP English III Motif Project

AP English Students -

Here is the link to the instructions and examples blog.

Make sure to keep up with the instructions blog - it'll be helpful as we move through this project.


Friday, February 5, 2016

A Day Homework - Weekend Edition - 5 February

English II

There's not too much for all of you to do this weekend; it mostly has to do with your projects and your exam.  You'll want to study the literary devices and the vocabulary we went over today in class.  Next class we will finish our review game and then have some serious time to work on projects in the computer lab.  So that you are able to use the computer lab time wisely next class, make sure that you put some work in on the planning and selecting of the project over the weekend.

Russian I

You all will have your quiz next class on adjectives and nouns in the nominative, accusative, prepositional, and genitive case.  You should be able to talk about ownership and possession (have/has), location, and you should be able to describe things.

For your vocabulary, focus on colors and the rooms and items located in a house.  Working on your project this weekend will definitely help you in preparing for your quiz.

Russian II/III

Your quiz is coming on Thursday since so many of you were taking the practice AP Exam today.  For next class spend time working on your verbs of motion exercises, especially the ones using the verbs ходить/идти, ездить/ехать, носить/нести, возить/везти.  For Russian III students you also need to keep track of your prefixes and the way in which these join in to verbs of motion.

Don't forget your projects too - you should be working on them regularly.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Homework for B-Day Students: 4 February 2016

English II

Great discussion and energy today in our work on doppelgangers and the story "Borges and I" as well as with Twilight Zone.  For tonight, I noticed a lot of you take your Marquez writing with you - please resubmit that with attention to the comments that I gave you on the assignment.  Further, make sure to pay attention to the creative writing project on Latin American writers.  You should pick one of these three projects so that we can have a productive workshop next class.

AP English III

Also a very great discussion today of the Battle Royal and chapter one.  As you continue into the weekend, there are a few things to settle.  First, make sure to keep up with your reading bookmark and your motif charts.  Chapter Two will have all of the motifs present, so keep this in mind as you are reading.  Furthermore, be on the lookout for good and meaty vocabulary that you would hope to investigate for a future set of vocabulary cards.

Read over the motif blogging project and consider the people with whom you would like to work in this assignment.  We'll begin on the project next week - make sure that your Google account is working!

If you have time, try to read and annotate Part Two of "Notes of a Native Son".  Here is a link to the text if you need it.  You'll need to scroll through the first article to find "Notes of a Native Son".

Lastly, don't forget to continue your research for your papers.  I will get you your topics back next class with feedback.  Make sure that you start to find and consider sources now so that you are ahead of the game when you receive your topics.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Homework for A Day - 3 February 2016

Russian II/III

There's no homework to be collected for next class, but you should continue to work through the exercises I gave you today to continue practicing your knowledge of aspect and conjugation.  Remember to focus on your verbs for walking, going by vehicle, carrying, and transporting.  These will be the main verbs on your assessment next week.

Your quiz will fall on Thursday next week - it will cover the verbs of motion and their uses.

Seniors - You'll have your practice exam on Friday.  Don't forget it begins at 2nd period!

Russian I

It's much the same for all of you in terms of what to do.  Make sure that for next class you have your floor plan done with your five rooms labeled in Russian and your pieces of furniture (three) labeled in Russian in each room.

As you do this, continue to review adjectives and nouns in the nominative, prepositional, genitive, and accusative cases.  Your quiz on Tuesday of next week will focus on these.  Next class we will work through some sample exercises to help you prepare.  Study your colors and know that vocabulary!

English II

Remember to select which of the three projects you will complete for our Latin America unit project.  We will start on them next class.  If you are going to redo your Marquez writing, please try to get that resubmitted for next class so that I can update your grades.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Homework for B-Day Classes: 2/2/2016

Here are your reminders for tonight everyone:

English II

There's nothing to complete tonight except for the writing about Marquez if you did not finish that today during class.  Make sure to take some time to review your notes today on Neruda and his sonnets and odes, remember the possibility of our daily quizzes!

Lastly, we will have our exam on Latin American literature next week.  We'll be reading one of our last texts next class and finishing up the unit in the next few days.  Start studying and reviewing in preparation for your test!

AP English III

There are two major tasks for you all to complete tonight.  First, make sure that you have completed your research topic assignment.  Make sure that you have done some of your preliminary research using SIRS or some other online sources so that you can start to specify your paper, topics, and your questions.  For this assignment, we don't need anything too specific -- remember that part of the process of research is to make the topic and assignment more specific.  Stay focused on the aspects of the DADS argument that you will have to prove in this assignment.

Secondly, take a look at your reading bookmark for Invisible Man and read Chapter One.  There are all of the motifs in this chapter, so make sure that your motif chart reflects all of that information.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Just another manic Monday...1 February 2016

Between covering a class this morning and coaching swim practice before school even started it has been a crazy day.  Phew.  Here are your reminders moving to tonight.

Russian II/III

Please make sure that you are nightly reviewing your conjugations of the verbs of motion.  This is key as we keep going through the unit since the verbs are the key goal we have within the unit.  Make sure that you can conjugate both prefixed and non-prefixed verbs of motion in both aspects/types.  For homework tonight there is a different assignment for each group:

Russian III - Make sure to finish the prefixed verb of motion assignment we began to review today in class.  Then, make sure to finish the selection exercise that I gave you today.

Russian II - Now that you know about the prefix по added to unidirectional verbs of motion you have an exercise where you must select the proper verb for a given situation.  Translate, look for key words, and remember that there are certain rules to follow when making your choice of verb - try to internalize these rules now.

Russian I

Continue to focus on learning your adjective and noun endings for Nominative, Accusative and Genitive cases.  These three are our first goal as we begin the adjective unit.  To help you do this we have our vocabulary project.  For tonight, do some planning work.  Select the five rooms from your vocabulary list that you would like to make in your floor plan and then make a list of the three items that are in that room.  Use adjectives to describe the items.

We'll start the writing and planning for this next class.

English II

There's no homework to complete tonight for a grade.  Make sure to review your notes on sonnets, odes, and Pablo Neruda in case we have a warm-up quiz next class.