Finishing Up 2020 - Blue Day

AP Language and English 10

Today was our day to finish up our final projects/assignments in class. I hope that you were able to get to a good place with your work, and if you didn't submit today, then hopefully after some quick check-in you can get everything done and submitted. As a reminder, I'll be doing the majority of my grading and updating on Monday.

There's nothing assigned for you to complete over the break. Use this time to rest, relax, and enjoy time away from your computer. I'm looking forward to seeing you all and continuing to work together in 2021. Hopefully, we'll even get the chance to see each other, in-person, in class.

Wednesday - 16 December - Grey Day

AP Language and English 10 - Find your reminders and notes below. Keep in mind that we are currently working towards completing our major projects for this unit. Please reach out in any of the ways that we have in this virtual school world to do so, and I'll do my best to provide help and guidance. As always, use rubrics and exemplars of work to guide your work toward a result. Also, keep in mind that you can always resubmit or reassess in this classroom to show your growth and mastery of skills.

AP Research

Today was a great day! The discussions we had were fruitful and engaging as we reflected collectively, in teams, and with our guest star, the amazing Ms. Anne Nolan! Remember to continue to reach out to her and others (we'll bring up Expert Advisors on Friday, briefly) in ethical and honorable ways. The IRB will meet again in mid-January to review your edits/revisions to your proposals and tools. I would suggest making a copy of everything you have and then applying edits to the copies.

Log your conference today and be sure to do this regularly. I'll share a template for this when we meet quickly on Friday. Then we'll complete our Catch-up Day; I will be available through the entire meeting period on Meet.

We are almost there everyone...we are almost there! Happy first snow!

Week 15 - The End of 2020

AP Language

Good day all around today everyone! I was happy to see a lot of forward movement with our website task and to see the amazing amount of collaboration to improve your work and make each other better. Keep in mind that finishing this task is going to be our key focus for this week. Be sure that you take time to post your materials. If you need additional help, let me know. We'll meet together on Thursday and, possibly, quickly check out based on where we are and what we have to do.

As always, reach out with anything I can do to help!

English 10

Today we took time to read and analyze an important chapter for us as we consider how people and relationships change over time. Your PD Takeaways on Google Classroom have your notes. There are also the slides posted for the questions and key panels for analysis. In "The Horse" we looked at Marji and her mother as well as the irony at play in their developing relationship. 

From there, we took time at the end to work on and submit projects. Remember that projects need to be turned in this week. If you've finished your project, then you should watch the movie for Persepolis. Everything is posted for you in Google Classroom under Classwork.

Closing Week 14 - Friday the 11th

AP Research

Happy Friday! Today we used our return period to complete our quick assessment on ethical practices. Class time today is our final working session before submitting our IRB paperwork. The main task that you have ahead of yourselves at the moment is compiling and gathering your materials to submit for IRB approval.

There is a space on Google Classroom for you to submit your work. Be sure that you submit your proposal and any/all tools that you will use to gather data and complete your method. The team will meet on Monday afternoon, review your work, and give any feedback. We'll go through this on Wednesday as we continue moving forward.

Next week we'll also take a look at some PODs and become more familiar with the POD rubric. I've also posted a new reflection question for you - it relates to the work we're doing now on method development.

AP English and English 10

Keep in mind that we have final projects due next week. My goal in collecting them next week is so that you will have a break that actually is that - a break. Be focused on your tasks, check in on any missing assignments, and submit your work. I'm available on Monday during Office Hours for any support or help you may need.

Ending the Week - Thursday, 10 December

AP Language

Today was time to review the requirements and process for the group argumentative essay as part of the Satire Website project. As a group, you had time to generate an argument (or the beginning of an argument) so that you all know from which perspective and for what purpose to use your text now. Over the weekend, you should take time to work through this and anything else required with your project. I'll be available on Monday to review your work and conference in Office Hours.

Next class is devoted to the websites. You'll have nothing but time in your group to write, edit, revise, and construct. I'll be available throughout class for help. Don't forget that vocabulary cards are due, and the place to submit them is posted.

I'll have quizzes scored and returned to you by the end of the day on Monday. If you want to retake or apply extra credit points, let me know via email.

English 10

Today we took time to do some individual reading and study in Persepolis as well as a brief grammar review. Remember to submit your slide from your reading today - it's a small ten point assignment.

Over the weekend, you should finish your work on your comic book and turn that in. Use the recording on Google Classroom to review how to turn in pictures of your work for this project. If you need help, come see me on Monday during Office Hours. I'm looking forward to seeing your stories!

Wednesday - 9 December - Grey Day

AP Research

We'll meet as a group on Friday for a working day together. This will give me the chance to check-in and conference with each of you so that we can make sure that everything is going in a good direction for submitting proposals and tools. Don't forget that we'll also have a small assessment on Friday related to ethical practices. 

Keep developing your proposal and tools. A quick email or meeting can help save you a lot of time and energy. This is also a good time to check in with your reflection questions and Body of Knowledge - you've got a lot of answers and resources there as well. As always, let me know what you'll need, and I'll do my best to provide it.

AP Language

We got through the activity today! Thank you to the classes yesterday for struggling through it and giving me feedback to make changes for today. Remember that you have a quiz on Friday on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Prepare by reviewing your notes, our slides, and other resources. The quiz will focus on identifications, quotations, and short answer.

Don't lose your project work while this is going on. If you haven't drafted your rhetorical analysis - be sure that you do now. Remember that the goal is to show how the author makes their argument clear to you via the choices they make. Our next step is the group essay, which is very simple. You should be able to complete everything in advance of the due date.

English 10

Good working and thinking today as we began our work in Persepolis, Part 2. We'll keep seeing how Marji responds to her new life in Austria and the new potential she has. We'll finish this part of the book pretty quickly, as you'll see next class.

Beginning Week 14 - Tuesday the 8th

AP Language

Hey crew. I appreciate your efforts today. I'm taking what I learn from working with you all every day and applying it to our future lessons. I'm sorry that you all end up being my guinea pigs since you're the Blue Day group. Be sure that you have uploaded your work from today to the shared slide deck/FlipGrids so that you can get your points from today's activity. I think for tomorrow I'll be removing the recording part of the assignment; it seems like that's where the major speedbump is.

Review the other slides for today's class and from the other groups. There are some beginnings of sample short answer questions as yes/no samples - using those yes/no statements are a great way to prepare for short answer questions on your quiz on Thursday. There's an outline of the quiz and tips on how to prepare in the final slide.

Don't forget that you also have your rhetorical analysis for your project. It should be complete. I appreciate that so many of you met with me or set up times to meet with me later this week. Our next step is the group essay which we'll settle next class - it's pretty straightforward and should be a simple writing task.

English 10

Today's class was a reading day to get into Part 2 of Persepolis. As we read, we spoke a lot on cause and effect and the mixed bag that comes with immigrating to a new place - the way that the expectation doesn't usually line up with what we expect.

We finished the day with a bit of choice - looking at a lesson on NoRedInk and the requirements for our project. Be focused on finishing your project right now. It's due on Monday and is a lot of points. If you're unsatisfied with your quiz score, you can email me for a retake or to use rubles for extra credit.

Looking at the Weekend - Ending Week 13

Good Day Students! Welcome to the end of another wonderful and productive week.

English Students - This weekend is made for you to get mileage out of your projects. In AP Language a clear goal is to construct your analysis. I'm available all next week, and especially on Monday, to help you with this work. Vocabulary cards, finishing Huckleberry Finn, and preparing for our novel assessment are also key tasks. For English 10 it's clear that we need to be creating our content for our graphic novels. Start to write, draw, and create. If you still need to complete the brainstorming, be sure to get that done too!

AP Research - Today was all about ethical choices in research and method design. Remember that much of this is so individual to your own inquiry projects because of the design of your own individual methods. Ethical choices related to what we do and why we've done it as well as how we do it. Your job as a researcher is to make sure that your assessor is always aware of the ethical choices that you have made.

Focus this weekend on the TEDTalk about ethics in research and data. There are some great insights related to this conversation that I think will give you further information to ponder. Next week your goal is to complete your Inquiry Proposal form for the IRB meeting on December 14. You have to submit the proposal form as well as any/all forms, surveys, questionnaires, tools for your method. You should put everything in your PREP and share that folder with me to present on your behalf.

As I said today in class, this is a good time to use Mondays and our working days to get meetings with me. Next week you'll have Wednesday to work and Friday we'll be together for a quick check on ethics.

Ending Week 13 and Looking Ahead...

AP Language

Good day filled with collaboration and support for each other. I was happy to hear that you were able to work together and get goals accomplished. Keep in mind that this weekend is a key weekend for writing. Focus on completing your rhetorical analysis. Keep working with your peers. Remember that I'm available on Monday for help with individual editing and review if you need it.

Outside of finishing the draft of your analysis, be sure that you complete Vocabulary Cards #2 and your reading of Huckleberry Finn. We'll have a quick assessment on Thursday to see your understanding and knowledge of the text.

Keep in mind that we'll have everything due for this unit BEFORE we go out for break. That way the break will really be a break instead of a chance to do work. I've attached a video from today's class to help you with your process.

English 10

Today we took time for our first quiz and then to finish up any loose ends. Next week we'll be focused on finishing our projects and our study of Persepolis. We'll be reading some important chapters in Part Two before we take a look at the film version of Persepolis to compare and contrast the two. I hope that all of you felt prepared for today's quiz. I'll have them graded and returned to you ASAP. Remember that you can cash in rubles to raise your grade, or you can redo the quiz if you'd like to improve that way too. 

Make sure that you have finished the earlier parts of your project and that you are moving into the creation phase of this work. Next week you should be drawing and writing so that you can turn in your stories on Monday, December 14. Keep in mind that you'll turn in a photograph of your page(s). There's also a quick video that you'll post where you explain your work. When you turn it in your story, you'll see the link to record your response. 

Grey Day - 2 December 2020

AP Language - Thanks for getting things done during our Return Period today. I'll have scores updated for AP Classroom later this week. Remember that you should be coming to class on Friday with a good working draft/outline of your rhetorical analysis to work in some peer editing teams.

English 10 - Remember to review and prepare for your assessment. I hope you liked the Kahoot today as  a way to review the first part of Persepolis.

AP Research

Today was a day where we launched into method and Unit 3 - the design of our method and the implementation of it. Lots of new information today, so lots of me talking and presenting. Later in the unit you'll have long stretches of independent work, so I like to think that I get in all of my time at the beginning in this one.

Our focus today was on types of method and their connection to the research question approach and design. Keep in mind that your credibility comes through your supporting sources - using them to help you in the design and choice of your method is a great strategy to ensure you're making the best choices.

Next class we'll look at ethics and ethical choices in method design and implementation. This will help you to work through and complete most if not all of your research proposal. These are due on the 14th in the morning for the IRB meeting in the afternoon. 

For now, begin on the proposal. You've likely got the preliminary phases finished - so working through those areas now will save you time next week as you finalize your method and develop your tools.

Beginning Week 13 - Blue Day

AP Language

If you weren't able to finish the reading of Toni Morrison's piece of literary criticism, I highly suggest that you do. Remember that the main goal is to find ways to open up our own perspective on a piece of literature and see new things to consider. I appreciated seeing your own reflections on her article and what you were able to understand. 

Moving forward to Thursday, your focus should be on your individual analysis. Come to class with a good draft of that on Thursday so that you can work with your group through class to provide feedback and move into the final phase of the assignment.

Next week we'll be finishing TAoHF, so complete the reading of the final chapter set and your second set of cards. As a reminder you can choose words from Tan, Sedaris, Twain, and today's essay from Toni Morrison.

As always, reach out with any questions or concerns.

English 10

I included the link to our class review game on Google Classroom so that you can further review the questions before our quiz on Thursday. On Thursday for the quiz you'll be able to use your book, notes, and study guide from today's review game as you work. I hope that you enjoyed the chance to do something a little bit different today.

Outside of preparing for our quiz, it's a great time to finish any of your work with your project. Start drawing and putting the story together. Remember that you can use no more than two pages, so you might want to focus on the most important part of the moment/story. You'll turn in the project by December 14 by turning in photographs of your work to me. Be sure that any of our planning or earlier work is turned in so that you're ready to move forward.

Off to Thanksgiving Break

Dear Grey Day Students - Thanks for a great last class before our break next week. Keep in mind that we won't be meeting next week because of the holiday break. I'm not assigning anything to be completed over the break; however, if you have missing assignments you should submit them now so that you can be on a good footing when we return. I'll be sending progress reports on Monday.

AP Research

Today we discussed the literature review and its function within the introduction. Keep in mind that each section of the paper has a specific goal/purpose - as we keep moving through, we'll continue to build the plane while we're flying.

Remember that one of our main resources are our other sources - use them as models and exemplars for help to navigate your task. Keep in mind that your paper should, in the end, look like their papers, since you want to be filling the gap in current scholarship. Our AP Rubric and example high scoring paper can also help us here.

Keep writing, working, revising, thinking and reading. When we return from break, we're off to Unit 3 so that we can begin to construct our method and gain approval for our inquiry.

Ending Week 11 and Reminders for Next Week (Thanksgiving Break)

Blue Day Students - Remember that Tuesday of next week I won't be available since I'll be back in North Carolina celebrating Thanksgiving in a garage at a ten foot distance from others. Since I'm traveling, I set up an asynchronous day for you. When you log in to Google Classroom on Tuesday you'll see a form to complete. After you complete the form you should take time to work on your project or any missing assignments.

English 10

We had a really rich day working through the final chapter of the first part of Persepolis. I really liked the conversation that we were having around choices and the mixed outcomes that choices can have. I also really enjoyed all of the participation as we shared ideas and insights about the end of the novel. From there we took time to plan out our stories and some of us even began to draw.

Over the weekend be sure to finish your planning of your project and be sure to check in on any of your missing assignments. Tuesday will also give you time to finish up work before the break. Don't forget to log in to Google Classroom and complete the form.

AP Language

Today's PearDeck was student paced - so you can continue to access your work and continue with our discussion questions or project workshop. Keep in mind that there is nothing assigned over the break and Tuesday will be an asynchronous day.

Over the weekend, I would suggest working on your project to finalize your close reading and annotation of your chosen "text". The first step in the project will be the rhetorical analysis, followed by the team essay and then compiling the website. Use the thesis model to break down your text and focus on the essentials.

This is also a good time to check in on any missing assignments you may have. Don't forget about the FRQ practice on AP Classroom as well as the Sedaris discussion post.

As always, reach out with any questions or concerns. I'll be available on Monday for Office Hours.

Wednesday - 18 November - Grey Day

English Students:

I hope that you enjoyed the time to read and work today in class. Keep in mind that I won't be assigning anything additional next week during the Thanksgiving Break so that you'll have a chance to unplug and unwind from things. To be honest, I'm not even planning on bringing my computer with me anywhere. Take this time to get caught up and then to focus on our end of unit projects. Reach out with any questions or concerns that you may have.

AP Research

Today was a working day for you to focus on writing your Annotated Bibliography entries and to look back on your poster presentation and graphic organizer in order to find any places to tighten up your language or make clearly needed revisions before we move on. On Friday we'll transition out of Unit 2 by discussing the elements of the Introduction and Literature Review in order to bring together all of our loose threads so that we can move on to Unit 3 and begin to design our Inquiry Proposal and Method to Collect and Analyze Data.

Beginning Week 11 - 17 November 2020

Dear Students - In all of our classes today we opened the day with time to reassess and resubmit assignments, to get caught up on some assignments which may be missing, and to get ahead on assignments which are coming up. I hope that all of you were able to use today's class time to be productive and show your skills and knowledge. Reminders for the classes are below.

AP Language

Today we spent time in class going back to the idea of language, identity, and the skill of rhetorical analysis. I hope that as we are reading, thinking, and discussing, you are able to see the way in which you will accomplish the individual part of your group project - the rhetorical analysis. Keep in mind that as you are writing a rhetorical analysis, you're doing what we do in discussion. Picking out small details and finding the way in which they contribute to the author's argument. We're focusing our work on satire and social commentary, so hopefully this helps you to set a purpose and goal for your reading and notetaking.

Next class we'll be working through Chapters 29-33 in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and we'll have time to work in our groups on our project. Come prepared with your choice text and the beginnings of your notes/annotations. We'll review an outline structure you may find helpful to complete part one of your project.

English 10

Today we took time to settle up some of our missing assignments or to get ahead on the parts of the project yet to come. The most important things to make sure we submit (if missing) are the major point assignments: Day 16 Analysis, Unit Project Brainstorming, and the Teenage Rebellion quickwrite. Remember that you can always turn in assignments late and still get full credit.

After that we discussed and read "The Shabbat" and thought about how the death of her friend will affect Marji moving forward. Next class we'll be finishing Part One of Persepolis, so we'll see if we are right.

For tonight, stay focused on submitting any missing work from today. I won't be assigning anything over Thanksgiving break, and Tuesday will be an asynchronous day, so you'll have more chances to get caught up as we move forward.

Closing out Week 10

Dear Students - I hope that you're enjoying class and our study of some great pieces of literature, or our progression into the research process - as you find yourselves. This weekend AP Language and English 10 Students should focus on reading, making progress on our final unit project, and any missing assignments. Remember that you can also resubmit formerly submitted assignments - check your comments and be sure to highlight or clearly show your changes, especially if the comment resolves.

AP Research

We're quickly coming to the end of our second unit of the course in which we determine the elements of our introduction and finalize the foundation of our research paper and inquiry. Next week we'll be finishing this unit of study and moving into the third unit which will have us complete our Research Proposal and begin the process of learning about ethics and method as it relates to research. 

This weekend your goal should be to complete your Annotated Bibliography. Please submit this document next week in order to complete Unit 2 and move on into Unit 3. Additionally, you should consider drafting and/or outlining the introduction to your research paper, especially for those choices which you feel very confident. Don't forget your weekly reflection document - I've updated it for Week 10. 

Ending Week 10

English 10

Great work today in class everyone. We had a full day discussing rebellion and the way in which Marji and her parents are acting as rebels. Then we connected and thought about how music is used in the book as well as in our own lives.

We finished the day writing about a song (show or video game) that we use to escape and rebel - like Marji has Kim Wilde, we all have something too.

Be sure to check in on any missing work this weekend. If you haven't turned in the Scavenger Hunt, Day 16 Assignment, or Brainstorming for Project, then be sure to turn them in this weekend so I can update scores in SIS.

AP Language

Our presentations in class today were very rich and thorough - wonderful job groups on taking your first task and knocking it out of the park. I'd suggest going back to that document we created as a group to further refine and improve your own annotations.

Over the weekend you should focus on reading. We have our next chapter set in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as well as the selection of our text for our analysis project. Bring this text with you on Tuesday as we'll have time to do a close reading and annotating workshop to begin writing our analysis.

On Google Classroom, I've posted our video on building a website. If you need anything, please reach out or visit on Monday. If you have any missing assignments, please work to get them completed and submitted this weekend.

Grey Day / Veterans Day / Early Release - 11/11/2020

Reminders and homework for AP Lang and English 10 are the same as posted below. Continue reading, thinking, and contributing to the success of the group. Reach out with any questions or concerns. Also, do check in on missing assignments - there are a few of you who are missing vocabulary cards, written reflections, or in-class assignments.

AP Research

On Friday we'll be meeting another major milestone as we complete our first elevator pitches and present our research posters. Like I said today in our quick meeting - we're making choices now which we'll later need to defend with our proposal. All of these assignments work together and support each other - I hope that you can all see that. 

Keep in mind that as you work to complete your poster/pitch, there's also the Annotated Bibliography floating out in the miasma. Keep using the templates and go back to our slides related to constructing the AB. Use your source list and focus on essentials. As always, reach out with any questions or to ask for any help. I'll provide what I can.

Blue Day - Beginning Week 10

AP Language

Great day today in AP Lang as we worked for the most part in our groups. Due to the fact that we have a group task ahead, it's good for us to do a bit of a dry run to move through these chapters in this section of Huckleberry Finn. Continue to read and contribute to your group's work in order to prepare for Thursday's class. We'll begin by going through these chapters as a class, learning and sharing with each other.

If you did not submit your vocabulary cards or your Amy Tan/Mark Twain reflection, please do so. I'll be updating the gradebook later this week.

For tonight's homework - complete your reading and group teaching preparation for Thursday's class. You may also want to consider your choice of text for the project. I've included a list of possible texts for the Contemporary Essay. Most all of these can be found in PDF form via a Google search, some are in our textbook.

Looking forward to seeing your chapter presentations on Thursday!

English 10

Big things poppin' in English 10 and absolutely nothing stoppin' us! Today we had a great day full of brainstorming and planning for our final assignment with Persepolis as well as some team reading - many thanks to those of you who volunteered to read today.

As we read, we dealt with some discussion and analysis questions. I was happy to see so many of you really clearly discussing irony and other devices we learned last class.

Remember to submit your Brainstorming and work from last week (Scavenger Hunt and Day 16) if it's still missing. For tonight, you should try to read the next two chapters in Persepolis and complete the discussion board post in Google Classroom.

End of Week 9 - Grey Day - 6 November

Reminders and announcements for English 10 and AP Language are posted below. Be sure that this weekend you complete the asynchronous assignment from Day 16. There are also final projects you can begin to think about and plan, but remember we'll have more time on Wednesday to complete tasks such as the group contract (AP) or the brainstorming (English 10).

AP Research

Happy Friday/Working Day Researchers. Keep in mind that you should be focused on your three essential assessments in this unit. There's the Annotated Bibliography, the Poster, and the Pitch. These assignments are all connected to each other - so, I hope you can see the usefulness of working on all three at once. 

Remember that you have templates to help you with all three assessments as well as the rubric for the Annotated Bibliography. During today, I hope that you took time to work, collaborate, and practice pitching with Ms. Greeves or the librarians. 

I've posted your new reflection question in the document on Google Classroom. Be sure to take a look and answer this weekend in your PREP folder. This is also a great time to continue writing and planning. Our next step is to complete our proposal form!

Blue Day - 5 November - Hybrid Learning Begins

Dear Students! 

Thanks for being with me on this journey as we figure out what it is to learn in school and at home at the same time. If you watch the news, I hear that we'll be on Channel 4 today this evening, so keen an eye out for your English teacher tonight...notes and updates for classes are below.

English 10

What a great day today in English 10 focusing on literary devices. We focused today on six key devices which will all probably show up on your SOL Reading test next year. We then did a scavenger hunt in Persepolis to find these devices.

Over the weekend, be sure that your scavenger hunt is turned in as well as the Day 16 Assignment. If you've finished that, then go on to the brainstorm for the final project, but know that we'll spend time on that in class next week - so you don't need to get it done now.

Have a great weekend! Come to Office Hours on Monday if you need anything!

AP Language

Well - we survived our first hybrid class! I was glad to have you all along for the ride. Today we had a great discussion on symbols and discovered wonderful connections between four key symbols. Keep looking at the way in which these symbols interact and develop as we move through the text.

Over the weekend, focus on vocabulary cards and your next chunk of reading (all the way to Chapter 27). There will be more time for group contracts and group tasks next week. The next chapter set is an adventure called "The Grangerford Event" - there's a lot of satire here, so keep those eyes peeled. Look out for new characters too - lots of routes for satire coming into this text in this section.

As always, please reach out for any questions.

Kicking Off Q2 - Grey Day - 11/4

Since we didn't have a Blue Day yesterday, today is a bonus day for Grey Day English classes. I hope that you enjoyed the new class setup today. As always, I appreciate and welcome your feedback.

AP Language

Today we had an enrichment day to reflect on the quarter, talk about some test taking skills for future exams, and hopefully have some time to work with our classmates and get to know each other better.

Next class we'll be focused on our reading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. You've got Chapters 11-16 (a bit of a transitional section with some mini-adventures). Pay attention to symbols and big ideas as these will be the focus of our work on Friday. We'll also be discussing the final project for this unit and beginning our task with it. Don't forget that you should submit the Amy Tan Reflection (Day 16 work) and Vocabulary Cards.

English 10

Today in class we took some time to read in Persepolis, work as groups to learn more about each other, and reflect on our vocabulary and in general on Quarter 1 of the year. I know that there were some quirks to our first stations day; hopefully next time we do this it'll run a bit more smoothly.

Take a look at the asynchronous work from last class if you haven't yet. You may want to review the assignment tonight and do some reading to prepare to complete the work. We'll practice a bit with this skill next class as we examine several important scenes in Persepolis.

AP Research

Today in AP Research we had a quick lesson to review the components of the first research "poster" and pitch for class. Keep in mind that one of the key functions of this work is to check and ensure the ever important idea of alignment exists between all of the areas of our work. Go back into the work that you've done so far, especially as it relates to your research question and consider how you can repurpose some of that work for this new task. 

Next class you'll have a full day to work - spend it practicing your pitch with each other or Ms. Greeves. There's also AB Entry writing or developing the poster. Next week we'll present our work and review the elements of the Inquiry Proposal form in order to submit our proposals for review and authorization.

Ending the Week and Quarter - 29 and 30 October

Good Day Students and Families - Today is the final day of the quarter for the classes, and I wanted to post a quick overview for everyone as we move into the Election Day weekend.

All Classes

Note that Dr. Braband has extended the grading window for the first quarter of the year is now November 2nd at 5:00 PM. I will be able to continue accepting late work from quarter one until this date and time. I will also be able to accept resubmissions of work until this time and extra credit cash-in. Note that because of a School Planning Day on Monday, there will be no Office Hours.

Also, I will be participating in the in-person pilot program, so be on the look out for some changes next week! For those of you who are participating as well, I look forward to working with you in-person and welcoming you back to FHS!

AP Language

The only work that I see many people missing from Quarter 1 is the AP Multiple Choice Unit 1 on AP Classroom. Remember that you're getting points for completion of this task. Please log in and submit your work - I've reopened the assignment. All projects should be scored and in the gradebook by the end of the day, today.

Your work from the asynchronous day including reading in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the work with Amy Tan's "Mother Tongue", and vocabulary cards will be scored next week. There is also the lesson posted in NoRedInk on punctuating titles. Please reach out with any questions via email. 

English 10

Be sure to check in on any assignments that are missing, incomplete, or in need of resubmission. As noted above, I can continue to take work for some time. The work from today's asynchronous day will be scored and collected next week. Be sure to complete the reading in Persepolis and the lesson on punctuating titles on NoRedInk - I'll check in on this work next week. I'm glad to see that so many of you are enjoying our study of the book!

AP Research

We'll have quick conferences tomorrow - remember to have a rough draft of an Annotated Bibliography entry. This is an important time to be writing and generating content - remember the two step process in crafting an Annotated Bibliography - first go through the sources and consider their importance (remember our lesson in SMARTER annotating), then on your second pass, notice the connections and explore those. 

I hope you have found some use in the Lesson 6 Takeaways Document - I hope that it will guide some of our discussion tomorrow.

Grey Day - 28 October

English 10 and AP Language Students -

Remember that any missing or late work needs to be submitted ASAP in order to receive credit for the first quarter. If you're going to cash in rubles for extra credit, remember to email me with the amount of points you want to add and which assignment. I'll reply and let you know what you have left in the bank. Keep reading your books! Use this time to get ahead if you can. Next class will be mostly on your own - so pay attention to any and all postings in Google Classroom.

AP Research

Today we had a very important lesson on the importance of clarifying our definitions and being aware of our assumptions and hypotheses as we continue in this process of AP Research. It's also a good day for us to consider the usefulness of our source lists and the wealth of information that they'll provide as we do our work. A logical outgrowth of today's lesson is to work with the Lesson 6 Takeaways Document. Go through and consider your terms, find any assumptions and hypotheses you are aware of. Bring this to our conference on Friday as a common place for us to discuss.

It's also important that you begin to write your AB entries, use the templates and the rubric provided. We should expect that these will be called due in the next two weeks. As always, reach out with questions or concerns and we'll do what we can!

End of Quarter 1 - Week 8 - Blue Day

AP Language

Today's class involved some group work where we analyzed elements of Huck Finn (namely characters and settings) before doing some close reading practice and work on analysis thesis building. 

Be sure to reflect on your reading notes and annotations based on today's work in class. We pulled out a lot of big ideas that are going to help us as we keep moving through this book. Update your annotations and be sure that significant passages in the text are annotated to reflect the ideas on the covers.

For tonight, I would suggest checking in on any remaining work from Quarter 1 including the Unit 1 Multiple Choice practice. Next class you'll have time to read, consider connections to Twain, and complete work for Quarter 2. As always, please reach out with any questions you may have.

English 10

Today in class we focused on allusions and completed some small research on different figures from history in order to better understand "The Bicycle" and "The Water Cell" in Persepolis. Remember that when authors make a choice to allude to a particular moment or person that this is for a reason. I hope that today's class helped us with understanding the importance of investigating an author's choices.

The only homework for tonight is to check in on any missing assignments from Quarter 1, especially with our final project being due. It's very important that all final projects are turned in so that you can either add extra credit or resubmit them on time. Friday is the final day this week to turn in work to be scored. Next class will be a day on your own - there's a grammar lesson available for you in NoRedInk as well as some reading work related to Persepolis. All of the work that you do on Thursday will be scored next week and is all part of Quarter 2.

Grey Day - 23 October - End of the Week

Week 7 is now behind us everyone. AP Language and English 10 students should be focused on finalizing Unit 1 projects this weekend. As a reminder they are due at the end of the day on Monday. Keep in mind that the 30th is the end of the grading period. If you are submitting late work, resubmissions of work, or rubles for extra credit, you must have this submitted by the end of the day on Friday 10/30.

AP Research

Happy Friday Researchers! Today should be a day focused, I hope, on writing. Be sure that you've gone through your initial source list and filled or made a plan to fill any gaps. Consider especially method - as this gave some of you some pause as we read the Manzanar paper. What methods are done in the papers you've seen so far? Could those methods be feasible for your investigation? Why or why not? What modifications would you need to make?

Your final source list should be submitted on Monday by the end of the day. Try to have 35+ sources including open sources and peer-reviewed sources. Fill your gaps in your Body of Knowledge!

Use the templates as well as the Manzanar paper to begin writing. Begin with your most important sources and move from there into more tangential ones as you create the Annotated Bibliography. The rubric for the Annotated Bibliography is posted for your use. I've also posted your newest Reflection Question for your PREP.

Blue Day - 22 October - End of the Week

AP Language

Good analysis today with Equiano. I've left the documents there as a great example of tracing tone and active annotating around a shared purpose. This was a great practice toward rhetorical analysis - our writing skill for this unit. In this type of writing our focus is to trace the author's argument through the explanation of their choices. We focus on literary/rhetorical devices to organize ourselves and draw connections.

I've uploaded the recording on rhetorical analysis for you to review as needed. For this weekend, be sure to take fifteen minutes for your Multiple Choice Practice on AP Classroom. The main task is to read! Enjoy Huckleberry's adventures! Don't forget, there's the chance of an assessment based on your reading next class!

English 10

Today we had our guest speaker, Ms. Anne Nolan, who went over some of the nuts and bolts of graphic novels and elements of their construction and style. The notes and recording have all been uploaded. We put a lot of this into practice as we read and studied Chapter One of Persepolis - "The Veil". 

Over the weekend there's nothing to do except to finish and submit your Unit 1 Projects. If you have any other missing work, it should be turned in to be scored. 

Next class we'll be reading more of Persepolis and doing some research into the text. I'm looking forward to it!

Grey Day - 21 October 2020

English 10 and AP Language

See the post below as well as the reminders in Google Classroom related to your tasks/reminders tonight. Keep in mind that we are drawing to the end of our first unit as well as the end of the quarter, any missing work or resubmissions should be in to be scored. If you'd like to use extra credit on anything, please email me and let me know where I should apply your points.

AP Research

Today we took time to read our first sample paper - The Manzanar Paper - in order to understand the way in which the work we have done so far in this class will find its way into our introduction. Additionally, we reviewed the rubric in order to understand the way in which it is designed and how to best achieve a high score in our rows. Remember that there's a purpose behind what we do every day. I hope that this paper will serve as a model for you as we keep moving forward.

This week you should continue to read and update your source list. Focus on places in the first submission which were lacking (Research Method/Current Climate). Keep in mind that you will continue to add to your Body of Knowledge through the year. I think that this is also a useful time for writing our AB entries. Use the templates and see how in the Literature Review, there are elements of the Annotated Bibliography.

Next class is a day for conferencing and working and writing. I'll be available if you need to see me. Please submit your updated source lists on Monday. Your newest reflection question has been posted.

Kicking Off Week 7 - Blue Day - Starting New Units

AP Language

Today we had a good overview of the main topics we'll study and consider as we move through our study of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Use the slides to review our annotation anchors and the procedures for setting up your covers as well as what to look for as you read.

Our reading for next class is Equiano's "Narrative" - as you read, consider how he appeals to his audience of the time. Working through logos, pathos, and ethos will really guide your reading.

Next week we'll cover our first chunk of Huck Finn - be sure that you've read Chapters 1-10 for next week's classes. Follow the Unit Plan to see our reading deadlines.

Lastly, remember that your Unit 1 projects are due on Monday the 26th. This will be among the final grades for Quarter 1 - you can also email me to cash in your bonus points. Remember to tell me what assignment, and how many rubles to spend for extra credit.

English 10

Today was a really productive day! We spent time working through a poem by Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz before taking time to work on our projects or other assignments. I also shared your bonus points with you today. Remember that you can cash in your rubles for bonus points on assignments (10 rubles = 1 point). Just send me an email and let me know where to spend your cash.

Tonight you should focus on completing your projects and/or getting caught up on missing work. The first quarter will end on October 30th and no work will be scored after that date for Quarter 1. Let me know what I can do to help you to get what you need!

As always, let me know what I can do to help!

Happy Friday - 16 October - Grey Day

Reminders for AP Language and English 10 are the same as those listed below. Remember to submit any missing work this weekend from Unit 1 (since we're moving on) and especially the revised Writing Diagnostic. I'll update grades through the weekend and on Monday based on your submissions.

AP Research

Thank you for a productive day of conferencing based on your source list. I was very happy to see that you were immediately able to apply your findings from your Source List assignment to the further development of your research question. Remember that these sources may serve as models for you in a variety of ways - consider if their work is replicable for you in this course in any way, shape, or form.

Over the weekend you should continue to add to your source list - this should be a continuous process as we keep reading and working. Additionally, it is clear that many of you have found significant and important work which is guiding you. Apply our Lesson 4 work related to the Annotated Bibliography and begin to craft entries now. Remember that this Annotated Bibliography is one of our major assessments in this unit.

Next week we'll meet together to work through the reading of an AP Research paper and become familiar with the rubric used to score the paper. I think that you're ready to see the final product and understand the way in which this work we do now is going to find its way to that final product.

As always, reach out if you need me! Keep reading and adding - especially if you've found some gaps in your Source List.

End of Week 6 - Blue Day - 15 October

AP Language

Happy Thursday, all! We had a thorough day reviewing some of our main concepts related to rhetorical analysis, appeals, and situations. I was happy to see the way in which a lot of us have grown as readers and analyzers, even in this quick time we've had to start the year. I'm glad to see that so many of you enjoyed reading James Baldwin - we'll be seeing more of him through the year.

Over the weekend, be sure to complete your NoRedInk Diagnostic - you'll be getting full credit for completion. This will help to guide our grammar work through the year. Also remember that Writing Diagnostic resubmissions are due on Monday. Highlight changes/updates so that I can see your improvements more quickly.

Our next unit will focus on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. We'll be looking at some shorter pieces and essays to begin our work before jumping into the novel, but be sure that you're ready with a copy of the book soon!

English 10

Today in class we had our first workshop on our final project - My Personal Culture. Remember that the goal of this project is to learn more about your cultural background but also to find ways that you're different and have made yourself into an individual. This project is due on 10/26 at the end of the quarter. 

Remember that next week we'll begin our study of graphic novels and our first major book Persepolis. If you didn't get a copy from school and need one, I'll be there to help you from 1-3 on Monday at Fairfax High School.

This weekend is a great weekend to submit any and all missing work from Unit 1. Since we're moving on, I won't be able to take work for much longer. Be sure that anything which says "MISSING" on Google Classroom or SIS is complete and submitted. I'll get it rescored by the end of Monday. If you want a new grade on your essay, do be sure to submit those this weekend so that I can reread them and score them.

As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. I'm here to help, always!

14 October - Grey Day

We're all in the transition point between units in the classes, which means that most of us are working on final projects of some sort. Remember that final projects are an opportunity for you to show your skills and learning from your work in the unit. If you would like, sign up for an office hours conference - calendar link is in Google Classroom - so we can meet and discuss your work before submission.

Be sure that any resubmissions are in to be scored as quickly as possible. If you have any questions, please reach out via email to discuss. Reminders for AP Language and English 10 are the same today as below. Be focused on your final projects as well as any corrections to your writing diagnostics. I'll be grading this weekend and Monday to import new scores based on your resubmissions.

AP Research

Today we began the joy of Unit 2 - The Introduction Element of the Academic Paper - and began work on our first major assessment task in this unit, the Annotated Bibliography. As we discussed today, the AB is the second iteration of our source list. In this assignment we are working SMARTER to consider the usefulness of the sources for our eventual investigation in this course. A great thing to do tonight is to take one of the sources you feel to be highly significant, and to write an AB entry using your templates. This will give you your first entry completed, as well as something to share with your peers.

I'll review source lists this weekend and return them to you after scoring. On Friday, we'll have quick conferences to check in, but the day is designed for you to continue your searching and to begin your writing. As always, keep considering your research question as you work and reach out for any help you may need.

13 October - Blue Day - Beginning Week 6

Did you miss the opportunity to pick up your novels for the year yesterday? If so, no sweat! 

I'll be set up in the lobby of Fairfax High School on Monday, October 19 from 1-3 PM. Come on down and get your books! Remember that if you choose not to check out a book from school, then you can read on the screen via an eBook or PDF or purchase your own copies (hard copy or eBook).

AP Language

Today we had time to begin our reading and study of James Baldwin and to begin putting a bow on Unit 1 with our final projects.

Remember that all mini-project work should be submitted today to be scored. Additionally, Writing Diagnostic resubmissions are due on Monday the 19th. 

This final project is due on the 26th. Remember that you can meet with me in advance to review your work and conference. Reach out to schedule a time during Office Hours on Monday - if that doesn't work for you, let me know. I can be flexible.

Enjoy your reading tonight of Baldwin's letter based on the work we did with the introduction. Vocabulary cards can be created from this text - try to get three new words from this text.

English 10

Today was a day to focus on writing. We spent our time working through notes and feedback from our writing diagnostics before taking another diagnostic focused on our grammar. Remember that by finishing the diagnostic you'll get full credit. This will be a helpful tool for us this year as we develop our writing by improving our grammar skills.

For tonight, you should focus on submitting any missing work from last week and revising your essay. Focus on showing your growth and understanding by applying our notes from the writing workshop. Any rewrites of essays are due on 10/19.

Grey Day - 9 October 2020

And here we are at the end of another great week. AP Language students should be focused on finishing reassessments of writing diagnostics as well as the final reflection on the mini-project called "What's the Situation?" before moving on to our unit assessment, "This is (my) America." 

English 10 students should be focused on finishing their work related to South Africa and our questions and vocabulary tasks from today. There's no additional homework for this weekend in English 10 so that we can focus on getting caught up.

AP Research

Today we met briefly to review our CRAAP quiz and especially the College Board Policy on Plagiarism and Falsification. Be sure that this policy finds its way into your PREP. If you would like to resubmit your quiz, please do so via email.

The goal for right now is to continue developing our Body of Knowledge and by extension our Research Questions. Your next assignment to submit is your categorized source list - be sure to have that in by Wednesday. Next week we'll begin Unit 2! Be prepared to keep moving forward!

Don't forget that if you are coming to Fairfax High School on Monday to check out your novels for the year to remain in your car, pull up to Door 1, and wear a mask. Bring a piece of paper with your name, your English teacher's name, your class and period. That will help us to get you your books quickly!

End of Week 5 - Blue Day - 8 October 2020

Dear Students and Families - It's the end of another great week at Fairfax High School. We're reading, thinking, and creating, and it's all wonderful to see. This week we're really focused on our writing skills and revising our work as we are moving to the end of our first units. See below for reminders this weekend related to your classes.

Also, remember if you're coming to FHS on Monday to check-out your books for the year, I look forward to seeing you in-person (even though you'll be socially distant). Remember to stay in your car, wear a mask, and to have your information on a piece of paper (name, class period, teacher name) to give us to process your check-out faster.

AP Language

Today was our day to finish our first round of Writing Bootcamp where we focused on the essential elements of an argumentative essay as well as the smaller elements of effective paragraph structure. I've included a recording below to help review this information. This means that all Writing Diagnostic revisions can be completed - to be rescored, submit by 10/19.

We also began the end of our unit by beginning work with the final project - This is (my) America. In this assignment you are using texts to present your definition of our nation. Remember to follow the rubric and guidelines posted. This is your chance to show your knowledge and skill at argumentative writing, so all of our Bootcamp lessons should be applied. This project will be due 10/26.

Lastly, if you have anything remaining from Mini-Project 1 - What's the Situation? Be sure that it is submitted (or resubmitted) by 10/13.

English 10

Today we got a bit brainy as we broke down and thought about where our ideas come from and the way in which we're developing a personal culture or viewpoint. Our article by Neil Gaiman brought up a lot of big ideas related to culture clash and reflecting on ourselves and our ideas. The slam poetry during our journal also had us consider where our ideas come from and how we're affected by our past and our struggles.

Be sure that you've submitted all work from our weeks up to this point including any writing tasks, the work on South Africa, and today's questions. We'll be transitioning to our novel next week, so this first unit is ending. We'll take time to develop our projects before we move to Iran and learn about the culture and people of the country before reading Persepolis. 

7 October - Grey Day and Rotations

Good Day Students and non-Students,

Reminders for AP Language and English 10 are the same as those outlined below. Be sure that if you are showing as missing assignments in SIS or on Google Classroom that you complete these soon. The quarter will end at the end of the month and grades will be finalized.

AP Research

This week is full of tasks that will take you to the end of Unit 1. You have your assessment on CRAAP as well as the finishing touches for the submission of your Source List. Remember that your Source List should have anywhere from 20-30 entries and it should be categorized using the ideas in the slide deck on Google Classroom.

Take time this week to pitch your question and receive feedback from others. There's also our reflection question for the week. I'm available for you to drop-in this week and conference if you need me. 

Kicking Off Week 5 - Blue Day - 6 October

Welcome to a new week students, as we are drawing near to the close of our first quarter of school as well as the end of our first units. Be aware that we will start working on our final projects for this unit this week! Here are your reminders based on our work today in class.

Remember - if you stated that you want to check out a book from school for this year, you can come to Fairfax HS on Monday the 12th from 12-2 or 4-6. Make sure that you have a piece of paper with the student's name, teacher's name, class period, and class. I'll go over the procedures on Thursday for you all.

AP Language

Today was a day for our gallery walk. We interacted with each other by looking at our texts (via our shared slide deck) and by hearing each others thoughts (via our classroom FlipGrid). I hope that you enjoyed the chance to learn from each other and interact with each other in the ways that we can, right now. Remember to submit your reflection on this activity for your final points of the project. If you choose to resubmit your slides, please do so by the end of the week.

From there we moved into feminist theory and literary criticism. Be sure to complete your story and post to the discussion board when you finish. Later this week - be sure to reply to a post from the opposite story. Another chance for us to interact and learn from each other. 

English 10

Today we took some time to get caught up or ahead, based on where we find ourselves in class. Then we jumped to close reading and annotating. We reviewed our process of close reading and determined it's best to always start by stating a purpose for our reading. Remember - If you say you're looking for something, then you're likely to find it. We then applied our skill to different religious texts before submitting ideas to a class discussion.

For tonight, there's no homework assigned. If you're behind on other assignments, use this time to get caught up. We'll start talking about writing and revising on Thursday, so remember that you'll be able to rewrite your essays soon for a new score.

Closing the Week - Friday, October 2nd - Grey Day

Reminders below for AP Language and English 10 are the same as for today's classes. Remember that if you have decided to check out books from school, please let me know. You will be able to come to school on the 12th of October to retrieve your books for the year. I'll share more details about this next week. Over the weekend/Monday be sure to complete your assignments, especially if anything is missing. 

AP Research

Today we took time to conference and continue our development of our research questions and the supporting elements of those questions. Some of you may find it useful as your question develops to continue to go back and revise your problem statement. Consider how your evolving question will continue to send you back to your sources and databases to find more information that you need. There's always more to do, but we're making great strides.

Next week you'll have two assessments - first will be your quiz on our CRAAP method for testing sources. Second will be the submission of your source list. The magic number is twenty five. I'll have all of this uploaded next week for you! Remember that as you work on your own, I'll keep myself available for questions and check-ins.

Happy October! Blue Day - 10/1 - End of Week 4

Time certainly flies when you're busy and having fun! Congratulations on making it to the end of the first month of virtual school. We've been adjusting and supporting each other through it - and I'm a fan of all of that. Below are your reminders moving into the weekend.

Please, mark your calendars! Book collection for my classes will be on October 12 at Fairfax High School. Remember this is your time to collect your novels for the year. Please see the Book Form (Day 5) and register your preference if you haven't already!

AP Language

Today was a day to brush off our close reading and annotating skills as we investigated the conclusion of Occom's "Narrative". This was a great way for us to pair our work with rhetoric and the rhetorical situation as we were able to dig deep and explore his message to his audience. 

Over the weekend your priority is Mini-Project 1. If you have questions or need a review, feel free to email me/share a draft with me and ask for feedback/or attend Office Hours on Monday.

The other items hovering on us are our first vocabulary cards - use Google Slides and follow the template on Google Classroom. Our revisions of our diagnostics - next week we'll discuss structure and organization. 

Lastly, the reading which will be discussed next week is Vowell's "The Wordy Shipmates." It's available on page 267 in the textbook. This is low priority right now, but it's our next text to consider if you'd like to get ahead.

English 10

Today we had our timed writing in class to finish our writing diagnostic. Remember that you're getting four grades on this assignment - one for your argument/thesis, one for the examples, one for explanation, and one for style. I hope that you were able to use your planning and earlier work to be ready and feel prepared for our task today. If you were not able to complete the planning steps, you will be able to get partial credit based on your essay that you wrote today. Also remember that you can redo this essay if you're not happy with your score.

Our other task for class today and on to the weekend is to work with Desmond Tutu's speech from our textbook on forgiveness in South Africa. Remember that the questions and tasks in the textbook are there to help you but aren't required. To get credit, complete Homework Assignment 4. Interact with one of the two choice activities at the end of the speech - there's an interview and a Google Earth field trip. Then, submit the South Africa reflection.

Be sure that if you're missing anything from before that it's turned in. We're at our mid-point, and I don't want anyone to fall behind.

30 September - Grey Day

Good Afternoon Everyone - 

Reminders and takeaways for AP Language and English 10 are the same as listed below. We are all focused on reading and being critical readers who ask questions to find information in texts. Use the graphic organizers and the strategies we're learning in class to help you break down and find meaning in the works we study. I look forward to our essay next class (English 10) and our continued work with close reading and Native American literature (AP Language).

AP Research

Today was our day to begin giving and receiving feedback with our research questions. By next class you should complete the graphic organizer and give feedback to your peers to aid in the development of their work. Remember that this process is full of starts, stops, and redirections - especially now. Lean in to the messiness of it all. If you're feeling that there's a lack in a particular place, use that as a way to focus your reading of sources. If you can't think of variables, consider using sources in your Body of Knowledge as models. Then consider the feasibility of using a similar variable for your own investigation.

On Friday we'll have individual conferences. You'll also have time to continue revising, reading, and giving feedback to each other on your Research Questions v 1.0.

Kicking off Week 4 - Blue Day

AP Language

A great day in AP Language filled with reading, discussion, and reflecting. As always, I love seeing your thoughts and opinions related to our study.

Use your PearDeck notes or the slides in class to help you as you revise and continue to read the texts in our class. The approach to finding rhetorical appeals and considering the rhetorical situation is a great strategy for you to use as you read non-fiction and sort through the various ways that authors make their arguments complete.

For tonight, our reading is Samson Occom's From "A Short Narrative of My Life". It begins on page 226 in the textbook. As you read, consider his audience for the text and the way in which he appeals to them. Think about when this was written and who was buying books at that time. 

Don't forget about your mini-project due on October 5. If you have any questions, please let me know. Begin the revision process on your outlines - you have ample time to work on them and resubmit for a new score.

English 10

Today we began our study of South Africa by learning about its history and starting our reading of Nadine Gordimer's "The Train from Rhodesia".

Tonight, you should use your story map to finish reading and studying the story. Pay attention to the way that the woman and her husband get into an argument. Think about how the argument could be symbolic. What does the woman realize at the end of the story? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Don't forget that next class is our in-class essay. Be sure that Homework 2 and 3 are done to help you be ready - the topic of the essay is competition.

Please let me know if there are any questions or concerns - enjoy your afternoon!

Friday - 25 September - Grey Day

Hello All and Happy Friday!

Remember that next week we will start our Lion Time rotations. If you need help with a schedule or calendar of the days and where you should be, let me know.

Reminders for AP Language and English 10 are below. Remember to check-in on any missing work and get things submitted as quickly as possible. We're going to continue to learn and develop those writing skills, and I'll accept work for rescoring as you develop your skills.

AP Research

Today is your final day for reading and preparing before we meet again. Remember that there is a new reflection posted for you to answer in Google Classroom for this week. You should also spend time to work with the graphic organizer to develop the first iteration of your research question. Next week we will meet to give some feedback and develop our questions even further. We'll also be learning a method by which we can review and evaluate our sources - a great step in the development of our annotated bibliography and eventually our literature review.

Also, please remember, I will not be available on Monday. Please feel free to email me over the weekend with any questions or concerns you may have.

Thursday - 24 September - Blue Day

It's the end of Week 3, and we're moving on along. Lots of good things are happening in class as we develop our classroom culture and our skills for critical reading and writing. Below, there are a few notes to take you into the weekend.

English 10

I loved what we were able to do today in class. We collaborated really efficiently to build our class values and responsibilities before doing some work with vocabulary.

Make sure over the weekend to check on any missing assignments from this week or before. You can also finish your vocabulary notes as you build your word families with our roots.

The major assignment this weekend is to finish your essay planner. Use the question work you already did to do this work. Submit your slides so that you're ready to write!

AP Language

Great class today everyone as we began our analysis of Mario Cuomo's speech and applied some of our rhetorical elements in our approach. On Google Classroom you can find your takeaways/notes from the day. A few reminders for the weekend/Monday.

1 - Your mini-project is not due for a bit. Take time to consider your text. Make sure it's school appropriate. This is an opportunity to think about your favorite song or movie/tv show in a different way.

2 - Finish your work with the Cuomo speech as well as the final slides in the PearDeck for today to reflect on the speech. You may also find it helpful to draw connections between the various texts we've been working with so far.

3 - Be sure that any missing assignments are submitted ASAP. We'll begin the writing workshops (bootcamp) on Tuesday - so having your feedback in hand will help a lot.

Lastly, for everyone, Monday is Yom Kippur, and I'll be observing the fast, so I will not be available for Office Hours or to answer emails this coming Monday. Enjoy your weekend, and if you also observe the holiday, g'mar tov.

Week 3 Begins - Tuesday 22 September - Blue Day

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Today was a mostly asynchronous day for us in English as we were reading, thinking, and developing some connections to some major unit ideas. All of the materials from today are located on Google Classroom under Day 5. Below, I'll review the main takeaways for today.

English 10

We have three things to do today in class in order to complete everything. Complete the Book Form. Go to the Online Textbook and do the assignment called "Diane Sawyer Interviews Malala Yousafzai". Complete the Discussion Question.

If you have time, there's an additional assignment, but you don't need to get started on that now. It would be better to go back and make sure that missing work from Week 1 and 2 is turned in, especially the Writing Diagnostic.

Our next step will be doing our planning for the essay through a graphic organizer. Having HW2 done will make that a lot easier for you!

AP Language

Remember that there are three to-dos for today. Join AP Classroom. Complete the Book Form. Submit your discussion question on Anzaldua/Sedaris.

It's also a good day to check in on any previous assignments to make sure that work from Weeks 1 and 2 is submitted to be scored. I'm making my way through your outlines and hope to have them finished by the end of the week. As I said in class, we'll begin our Writing Bootcamp next week to focus on argumentative writing elements and organization to improve these pieces of writing. If you'd like to discuss your work in advance or in detail - Office Hours on Monday are a great time for that.

Asynchronous Monday - 21 September

Good Day Students and Families - 

Today is a day to get things done which may still be floating over us. I've been hard at work grading this morning and am happy to report that most everything from Week 1 and the summer has been updated in the gradebook. If you see that something is missing, go check Google Classroom - you may have not hit the submit button.

Assignments for today are anything from Week 2 - Especially the Homework Assignment 2. We'll begin to focus on writing skills, so these opening assignments are a good way for me to understand where we are in those skills.

As always, if there's anything I can do to assist, please let me know!

18 September - Happy Friday! - Grey Day

Happy Friday Students and Families -

We're getting off to a really great start as we're beginning to work with texts, think, discuss, and analyze key ideas. Next class will be an asynchronous day for everyone - the materials will be posted for you to access and work through at your own pace. I won't be available on Wednesday, due to the fact that I'll be helping with the SAT at Fairfax.

Reminders for AP Language and English 10 are the same as below. Be sure that work is submitted for Week 1 and that you're completing the assignments for Week 2 as well. Turn them in on Monday or sooner. I'll be grading a lot this weekend, and hope to have everything returned and grades updated by the end of the day on Monday.

AP Research

Today is the first of three days to work independently, with each other, and with other sources of support in the building for you. As you work over these days, continue to build your Body of Knowledge and use this as a means for your Gap, Problem Statement, and eventual Research Question. Over these next few days continue to think and drive forward - remember our dialogue between The Riddler and Batman, draw your focus in and begin to be more specific. I look forward to seeing the results of your work.

17 September - End of the Week - Blue Day

Good Afternoon Students and Adults!

Today was a day full of reading and thinking. We're also getting more acquainted with our classroom procedures like using our interactive notebooks for our journals and using PearDeck to take daily notes. I also really appreciate all of the help that you offer to each other with finding and accessing materials!

Over the weekend make sure that you have any missing work from Week 1 turned in. I know that getting oriented in online/virtual school is difficult, so I want to make sure that we get the support and time we need. I'll be grading on Sunday and Monday and changing scores. Further reminders are below.

AP Language

We have our Writing Diagnostic this weekend which is our main focus. The diagnostic should take you no more than 40 minutes. Time yourself. Remember that you're just submitting an outline, so don't write a whole essay for me.

Additionally, if you didn't submit your Close Looking Practice, please do so. This is just a simple completion activity so that I can see how you're processing non-print texts.

English 10

Be sure that you complete your Homework Assignment 2 this weekend. It's a document where we will look at our first essay question and break it down to understand it. The assignment is pretty simple, turn it in on Google Classroom. Also, be sure to play with your online textbook more since we'll really use it a lot next class.

Next week we'll start moving into the land of writing more, one of my favorite places to visit. Enjoy your weekend and let me know what I can do to help!

16 September - Grey Day

Today was a Grey Day, but it was a pretty great day in my guest room (aka A132, for now). The homework posted below for the Blue Day sections is pretty much the same for us today. Remember our discussion today on grading - I view this as a class where you should resubmit, and where you should turn in things late. Remember that I grade by standards, and that there is often much more to a piece of work than if it came in on time or not.

AP Research

The next few classes will find you working independently to build your Body of Knowledge. I'll be available in our meeting space if you need me for anything, but you've also got plenty of other support. Keep reading to build your reading log. Look for the elements of an effective research question that we discussed today. 

I've also posted your first weekly reflection. You will have a question every week. Be thorough and thoughtful in your answers - some of these will also be POD questions, so it gives us good practice for the future.

As always, everything is available for you in Google Classroom. If you've got a question or concern, feel free to email me. I'm continuing to score your assignments right now and hope to have your work from this week back to you by the end of Monday.

15 September - Blue Day

Good Afternoon Students and Grown-Ups,

Be sure to continue to check Google Classroom for daily updates and reminders. Please ensure that any work from Week 1 is turned in today, including the Homework Assignment 1. Also, remember that in this class I will grade on standards, not assignments, and you have the opportunity to resubmit work after it is scored to improve your grade. Here are your class specific reminders.

English 10

If you didn't submit your Homework Assignment 1 - "My Single Story" please do so. I'd love to take this opportunity to better know you and your story more. Be sure to follow the instructions on Google Classroom.

AP Language

Today we focused on visual rhetoric and the rhetorical situation. We practiced with a painting, and tonight you'll continue that practice with a prescient image. Use your online textbook to find Ana Juan's New Yorker Cover. Apply your strategy from class. Answer the three "READ" questions with this text. You can answer them quickly (no more than a paragraph for each question). Submit your work as a quick practice with our skill.

Also, be sure that you've submitted HW Assignment 1 and your Summer Assignment. If there are questions or concerns, please let me know.

Monday - September 14. Asynchronous Day.

Happy Monday and Good Morning!

Today is a day for independent working as well as submitting any assignments to be scored/marked as completed. Remember that there is a list below outlining what should be turned in for credit. If you see an error in your grades, wait until the end of the day, because I will be scoring and updating the gradebook through the day.

As a reminder you have a homework assignment which should be submitted before our next class meeting/at the end of today. Remember that Mondays are the official end of our week in this class - ironic, I know. 

I am available today for Office Hours as well as Back to School/Meet the Teacher Drop-Ins. I will have my Blackboard Collaborate Space as well as Google Meet (AP Research) available this morning from 9:30 to 12:00. Please visit or email if you have questions.

Don't forget to do your Google Form check-in for today's attendance!

End of Week 1 - Blue Day - 10 September

Good Afternoon Everyone -

Today was a great day in class - we all were engaged in some critical reading and thinking in all of our classes today as well as some getting to know each other activities. Our week in this class officially closes every Monday - so remember that assignments described below are due on Monday.

AP English Language

Today was a day to start our work on "What is America?" by looking at Thomas Jefferson's "Declaration of Independence" in order to understand the elements of and relationships between elements of the rhetorical situation. We'll be considering this with many of the texts we study this year.

For your first homework assignment, I've presented to you the "rough draft" of our document as well as a TEDEd video related to the revision of the document and Jefferson's writing process. Follow the instructions and submit your work via Google Classroom. If you have questions, please let me know via email or Office Hours.

Other graded assignments for this week are as follows: Notebook Cover + FlipGrid Recording. Tell Me About You Survey. You can also submit your Summer Assignment. It's due on Day 3 - Tuesday.

English 10

Today we investigated the idea of the "single story" by watching an EdPuzzle video and considering the connection between culture clash and stereotypes. I enjoyed our chat in the class and seeing your responses to the questions. Remember that if you didn't finish the video, or the survey, both are still available for you.

Your homework assignment is available in Google Classroom, and it will have you consider the idea of the single story in your own life. Follow the outline in the instructions to construct your slides. Be as creative as you'd like, but be sure to follow the outline. I'll be available for help via email or in Office Hours if you need me.

Other graded assignments for this week are as follows: Notebook Cover + FlipGrid Recording. Tell Me About You Survey. EdPuzzle - Single Story Questions

Also, as a final reminder for everyone, BTSN open office hours for parents will be next Monday, the 14th, from 11am to 12 pm, and next Wednesday, the 16th, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  Students will need to make sure that their parents have their teachers’ office hour links and that they need to share their school laptop with their parents.

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Day 2 - Grey Day - 9 September 2020

Good Afternoon Grey Day Students!

The major announcements and reminders are posted below for AP Language and English 10 students, since the lessons are basically the same between the two days. The important reminders for all classes are to complete your FlipGrid postings and to complete the sharing of your notebook covers. There is also information for parents to review - including a Google Form for signatures.

AP Research

Today was a great first day of our investigations. Your reminders are generally the same, but we don't have a FlipGrid since we're so few in number. I loved seeing your notebook covers and starting the process of getting to know you. Once you've finished your syllabus review, it would be best to start reading. Remember that you should cast your net wide as you're finding sources. You don't know right now what's going to be the best source, so grab it all.

As you read and review, use your interactive notebook. Slide 9 is where you can record your annotations and other important notes.Try to read a bit every day to keep the momentum up!

Day 1 - 2020 - Virtual Schooling

Good Evening Fairfax Families,

Today was a great day to kick off the 2020 school year. The virtual start provided some amusing missteps (like my forgetting to allow chat and audio/video permissions), but overall we had a great start. I've enjoyed watching your FlipGrid videos and seeing your interactive notebook covers. Here are a few notes from our first day of school.

All Classes (Especially Parents/Guardians)

The Blackboard space for class is pretty barren, because the course content is housed in Google Classroom. The main thing for you to draw your attention to is the syllabus and course policies document. This is available in FCPS 24-7 as well as in Google Classroom. I would highly recommend reviewing the document with your student and filling out the Google Form at the end of the document together.

If you did not share your Interactive Notebook or complete your FlipGrid video, be sure to do so. I've noticed that some people have submitted one or the other, in which case I've awarded partial credit. I'll check again tomorrow and correct any scores. Remember that homework should be complete by the end of Monday (in a perfect world), since Monday is your asynchronous/homework day.

AP Language (3rd and 5th)

Tonight you should get familiar with your online textbook for our class since we'll be using this in our next session. If you need the links for the FlipGrid or a reminder of the Interactive Notebook, check out our class slides which are in Google Classroom. As always, you can email me with questions/comments as well.

Further reflection on our key question of "What is America/an American?" is also warranted. We'll delve deeper next class and throughout the unit.

English 10 (7th)

I enjoyed our opening conversation on culture and our work with the poem "About School". We were hitting on some important themes related to culture clash and conformity today, and we'll carry those forward next time we meet. For tonight, I would reflect further on these ideas and how you've seen or experienced them in your life. Additionally, if you need to submit a video or share your Interactive Notebook, please do so. I'm looking forward to seeing your recordings and getting to know you better.

I hope that you had as good of a first day as I did. See you on Thursday!

Kicking Off 2020-2021

Good Morning Fairfax High School - 

Welcome to Tock the Dog - in Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth - Tock was a Watch Dog, who patrolled the entrance and gave helpful advice to those entering beyond the tollbooth. I hope that you will find this blog to be a place where you can find such advice and help.

All of our classroom content will be housed in Google Classroom. We will use Blackboard Collaborate Ultra for our live meeting sessions. You should have received a link to Collaborate in your FCPSSchools email account. If you navigate to Blackboard (FCPS 24-7 Learn) you can find our course there, and there is a link to our Google Classroom space for you to use.

Parents - I hope that this space will be helpful for you so that you don't have to log in to Google Classroom every day. This is a space for you to find helpful information about due dates, course content, and general updates. Please see this as a resource for you as well as your student.

Closing the Year

Dear Students -

I don't know if there are those of you who check this and don't check Google Classroom - but if there are, please go check out the updates on Google Classroom. There's a course evaluation form for the end of the year as well as a video message from me for the end of the year as well.

If you are in grades 9-11, you have time to improve your scores in our classes. Please reach out if you haven't done so and you're interested in work opportunities. Many of these are already posted for you in Google Classroom.

We'll be collecting textbooks at Jordan on the 28th from 10 AM - 2 PM. I've got a roster with a lot of seniors who have novels signed out (The Stranger, Frankenstein, Their Eyes Were Watching G-d, Twelfth Night) and copies of Perrine's Literature. Be sure to look under your beds and in your bags for books. I know that the sometimes find themselves under car seats. Russian students don't need to worry about returning books unless you are a senior - please bring back books that you will no longer need.

With that - I'll say happy summer! Hopefully we get ourselves back to some semblance of life before COVID-19 and find time to be with people and on beaches or wherever it is we want to be. All my best, always.

End of the Week - 8 May 2020

It's the end of the week! Next week we will begin AP Exams for all classes (except Russian which will occur in the first week of June). Remember to go to myap.collegeboard.org in order to access your demo, check your email address, and ensure that you are ready to test.

If you are a ninth, tenth, or eleventh grader, remember that you have the opportunity to decide how your spring semester grade will be shown on your transcript. You can either get the grade (factored into GPA) or you can get a PC19 (a pass, but no GPA). If you are trying to improve your grade be sure that you complete assignments here and when you submit, let me know if you want to improve your Semester 1 or Quarter 3 score.

Next week I will be working at school on Monday to distribute signs for graduating seniors - assignments for the week will be posted on Sunday afternoon. I will not be available for Office Hours on Monday, but I will be free on Tuesday for extra time if you need me.

Special Announcement - Freshmen through Juniors

Dear Underclassmen (Russian, AP Research),

You have the opportunity to now improve your academic standing by completing work assigned via remote instruction. You can add points to your S1 or Q3 grade by completing assignments. All of you are currently passing, so this is just gravy to improve academic standing and improve your GPA.

Any work must be submitted by May 25. You can email me, submit on Google Classroom or DuoLingo, or you can send me screenshots of your work. Just be sure that you tell me where you want me to put the points.

I'll continue to post assignments next week and the week after to give you opportunities to improve your Russian skills and academic standing. There are plenty of assignments already available on Google Classroom/DuoLingo to begin this process.

As always, let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Opening May!

Good Morning Students!

Happy May! The weather is beautiful, the birds are singing, and soon I'm going to go for a run. But before I do that, I wanted to post an overview of what you can find on Google Classroom.

Russian Students - This is a great time to be in Russia (usually) because of the May Holidays. For this week's assignment we have some language and cultural skills to work on. See the details on Google Classroom.

AP Literature - The final round of practice prompts are posted for you to peruse. (See what I did there?) Feel free to turn in your essays for my scoring and feedback. Exams begin NEXT WEEK! Be sure that you are ready by following the College Board guidelines. I'll have a recorded lesson later this week on Zoom about final tips for the exam.

AP Research - The last three weeks are upon us before papers are submitted. I look forward to reviewing your paper with you before you submit. Please reach out for any and all assistance you may need.

Lastly - If you've signed up for my texting service, please let your friends who are in our classes know as well. Shoot me a message with your name, and I'll get you signed up for my class reminders via text!

Texting Notifications - Text to Enroll!

Dear Students -

I've set up a number for texting communication and announcements for the rest of the school year. I messaged some of you already today. If you got a message from: 919-864-0294 that's me. If you didn't get a text and would like to enroll, just text your name to that number and I'll reply.

I'm available at this number Monday-Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm (and maybe a bit outside of those times too).

All the best!

End of the Week - May 1, 2020 - Updates/Announcements

Dear Students,

As we begin the month of May, I wanted to reach out with one of my weekly updates. As always, I hope that you are doing well mentally and physically. Remember to try to spend time each day making yourself glad and reflecting on what you find to be thankful for in your life right now.

AP Examinations are coming this month. I've posted a video in Google Classroom for those of you who want a bit of help navigating the new process for this year. Remember that you need your "AP E-Ticket" for each examination, and you need to be logged in thirty minutes before the exam begins. The AP English Literature examination will be held on May 13 at 2:00 PM. I'll continue to review any work that you submit on AP or Google Classroom to prepare you for the examination. AP Research papers are due to Digital Portfolio by the 26th of May.

Russian students - With this week, and the assignments and information I've posted, we have completed the work in our courses for Russian I, II, III, and IV. In the following weeks I will continue to post assignments and tasks for you in order to reinforce your skills with Russian. We'll also be interacting with more Russian texts (songs, stories, poems, videos) in order to stretch ourselves a bit. I will also keep posting lessons for you in DuoLingo.

This week I've started a new book (already about halfway done with it), and I've realized that my coffee consumption has gone WAY up while I've been at home. There's nothing stopping me from just making another pot of coffee these days. I'm also enjoying my runs or mini-workouts on days when it rains.

Continue to take care of yourselves and others. I miss you all! Grades have been finalized for Q3 at this point and all grade changes have been made.

End of Phase 2 - Week Four - 27 April 2020

Good Morning Students,

Welcome to the final week of Phase 2 and the end of April. It certainly has been an interesting month. Who would have been able to guess back in August that this is how we would be ending our school year. Below, I've outlined the assignments that I've posted for you all to complete this week. As in previous weeks I'm available for you all from 1-3 PM for Office Hours as well as from 10-11 AM for AP Research Office Hours.

AP Research

We should be finishing our academic paper at this time and building a plan for final submission by the deadline. I've posted a great video on Google Classroom related to justifying your new argument or understanding. There are other plenty of great videos given by College Board to help you finish up too.

I'm available during Office Hours for you all week. Be sure that if you're ready to do a final review of your paper, that you schedule time with me so that we can read it over together.

AP Literature

I'll be making a lot of grade changes today to your S1 grades. You should see these in PowerSchool once I make them, and I already emailed most of you to let you know of the changes to your scores. This week, I thought we should do something a bit on the fun side. I love that so many of you have been reading on your own over this time away from school. I'm getting emails saying that some of you have read two or three books so far, so let's share some book art.

On Google Classroom you'll find the assignment to complete. It's the same idea as the Book Pamphlets which we discussed before leaving. I've reposted the assignment in Google Classroom and welcome your submissions.

Russian I

I've posted the Unit Assessment for Unit 3 on Google Classroom. This assessment will review the use and creation of adverbs as well as plurals in the nominative case. There are also some DuoLingo assignments that have been unlocked for you which relate to vocabulary skills that have been covered in our textbook so far. Please submit all work via Google Classroom or DuoLingo

Advanced Russian

In Google Classroom I have posted Unit Assessments for Russian II (Chapter Seven) and Russian III (Chapter Nine). There is no assessment for Unit 12 as the assessment is usually covered in the Final Examination for the year. In addition, on DuoLingo there are several additional exercises unlocked for you which deal with related grammar and vocabulary topics. Assignments can be submitted via Google Classroom as well as DuoLingo.

AP Students - Don't forget to login and check your College Board account information. Be sure that your email address is accurate as well your phone number. Exams will begin soon and you need to be sure that you are getting the most accurate information to access your at-home exams.