25 and 28 February

If you're looking for ways to support Ukraine during this time, let me know. I can give you leads to Ukrainian organizations and NGOs who are working to support Ukraine and Ukrainians during this time.

AP Language

Today was the beginning of our writing days. Over the next three classes you'll have ample time to work in class to complete your research paper. Use the time and resources that I've given you wisely and you'll find a lot of success. As you're working through the process, you have a partner to check in with. Work with that person to complete your checks and develop your drafts. 

Don't forget that you have a writing conference over the next two weeks with me for a grade. Share your draft in advance of your conference, come and ask questions, get an A - it's really simple. I'll be opening a lot more conference spots next week - so don't worry if you haven't signed up yet.

English 10

Today we dipped our feet into the land of absurdism as we read "The Guillotine" by Teffi. Teffi was a female Russian humorist who escaped Russia after the revolution and eventually settled in France. The story is chock full of irony and presents an interesting message to us about apathy and what that can do to us as a society. This story is the last thing that we will read as a class - next time we'll have some choices for what to read as we close the unit.

Your quizzes have been released to you on Google Forms - check your email. We'll do test corrections next class, finish our reading, and begin to take a look at our final project. There won't be a final test in the unit, just the final project. If you were absent, be sure to see the recording and get a copy of the story next time you're on campus.

23 and 24 February

AP Language

And now we move forward into the drafting phase! Today's class was about feedback on our outlines in our cohort groupings followed by time to finalize the Synthesis Prompt building assignment. Remember that this is due today! It's very easy, just a lot of copying and pasting.

Outlines have been returned with feedback! The biggest thing that I saw across the board were big blocks of quotations and lacking commentary in places. Be sure that the line of reasoning is clear throughout the assertions, argument, and the commentary. It's got to line up. Remember that part of the process of writing will involve a resubmission of the outline. If it's missing, I need it immediately. Sign up for your conference and be ready for workshop days across the coming classes.

English 10

Today we took our time to finish Escape from Sobibor - a true story of the only successful prisoner revolt during World War 2 in a death camp. It's only because of the survivors that we know what happened. I look forward to reviewing your viewing guides and getting those back to you soon.

Be aware that we're finishing the unit soon. Next class we'll take a look at a short story as we consider reactions to tragedies. The week following will be our week to begin our final projects, tie up loose ends, and begin to move on to Latin America (our next unit of the year). If you haven't yet taken your test from the first part of the unit, you'll need to do that ASAP to avoid a missing score. Test corrections will happen next class.

Presidents' Day Weekend (18 and 22 February)

English 10

Movie day! Movie day! I hope you enjoy the movie - it's a good one, and the ending is fantastic. I know you didn't finish, so we'll take care of that next week. Be sure that as you watch, you are completing your viewing guide! This is going to be your grade for this film. If you missed anything, the movie is posted in Schoology for you.

AP Language

If you've received an extension on your outline for the weekend, be sure that your work is in as soon as possible. I'd like to finish all of the outlines on Tuesday to get you your feedback to begin drafting. Today is a timed writing day! I'm not with you, so it's a timed writing day. I hope you enjoy the prompt - it's a bit perfect for Fairfax High School students, if you think about it. This is a good time for this essay because it'll help us as we develop our drafts in our own research papers. Don't forget about your next assignment - the template is there to help you complete it easily. Just use a page for each of your five sources and only give five sources - I know some of you have more.

I'll be back with all of you on Wednesday, Delta Airlines willing, I suppose!

16 and 17 February

AP Language

Today was our full on library day to focus on the completion of our outlines. The better the outline, the easier the paper. We began by reviewing the requirements of MLA formatting and setting up our outline documents. We also reviewed the rubric in order to understand how to earn full credit for this assignment.

Keep in mind that an outline is a picture of your thinking. You don't have to use all of this as you move to the draft, but you'll find it easier to put together with a thorough and complete outline. Be sure to review the samples posted as you complete this task - they're very instructive.

English 10

A good day in English 10 today with some poetry, some focus on major ideas, and a bit of movie time at the end to relate to our themes that we're exploring in this unit. I also enjoyed seeing you all work through the silent conversation - I think that's a fun and interesting way to share our thoughts and see what people think, even anonymously.

Next class will be our full movie day for Escape from Sobibor. You'll get your viewing guide back to finish as you watch the film. Be sure that it's complete. If you don't finish the movie, then we'll finish it up next week. If you haven't done your vocabulary, do so now from the things we've read so far this unit. We'll be ending the unit in a few weeks, so be ready for another quiz and your end of the unit project.

14 and 15 February

Happy Valentine's Day! Remember everyone, "If you can't love yourself, then how in the heck are you going to love somebody else?" Be sure to always take time to love yourself and your amazingness! I love all of you and am so happy to be your teacher. Now, on to the business.

AP Language

Today's class was a bit of a set-up and then delivery as we discussed some of the requirements and suggestions around building your eventual paper. The important thing is to realize that this paper is very different from what you've done in the past, even though it looks similar. Beware the temptation to turn this into a body of quotes and paraphrases with a bit of context - this isn't a report, it's an argument. The evidence is here for YOU to present and prove YOUR argument as valid.

We discussed ways to revise the argument, the goal of using evidence in the body, and some other suggestions - put these forward as you work through your outline. The next step of the process is also part of today's lesson. This is a very simple assignment - basically just a copy and paste job. See the template and the samples posted.

As always - let me know if you need me. Lion Time can be very useful right now!

English 10

Today we had a solid day where we took a bit of a thematic diversion away from Russia and Eastern Europe to investigate Burma. The line to connect the two areas is unfortunately not a very good one - the connection betwen authoritarianism and the limiting of personal freedom and expression. Our author Aung San Suu Kyi is a victim of these same policies today - an important reminder that the ideas we explore in class are more than ideas for some people in this world.

Class focused on our law and justice seminar and then we read and analyzed her speech "Misrule of Law" - see the recording if you were absent. Next class we'll make some more connections back to our unit and take time for test corrections. If you haven't yet finished your test, come and see me tomorrow during LT to finish that.

English 10 Update

Sorry about yesterday, y'all. I guess with my appointments my brain was a bit distracted. Instead of a movie, we had the continuation of low-key days in English 10 with our course registration meetings in the Career Center today. Junior year is a very important year in your high school trajectory, so I am glad that you had the opportunity to sit down and speak with your counselors about where you want to go and how you're going to get there. I also appreciated having the opportunity to speak with a few of you about your plans and goals moving forward.

Be sure that you complete any of the assignments that may be lingering over you right now. Some of you need to finish/make-up the test. Some of you need to finish your adaptations of "A Problem". If you have any questions about where you stand in class, be sure to ask ASAP. Next week we'll be watching our film, doing test corrections, and studying the 20th Century in Russia and Eastern European literature and culture.

10 and 11 February

AP Language

Today was a basic day - a day for an FRQ and MCQ on AP Classroom. As a reminder, this is the last time you'll be scored on the easier FRQ scale. From here on out the translation of the six point rubric to the 4.0 grading scale will be a bit more stringent. Why? Because it's second semester, the exam is three months away, and you've done each of the tasks already. Welcome to the big leagues.

The goal for other remaining class time is the work on our outlines. I've included two examples of high achieving outlines as models for you. Feel free to ask me questions and conference as you're doing this work, it's very helpful. As you build your outlines, find your vocabulary words, the end of the unit will be here soon!

English 10

Today's class was our movie day. We're currently watching Escape from Sobibor a true story about how a group of prisoners at a Nazi concentration camp called Sobibor united together to escape their prison. It's a great story of resistance and relates well to our unit. 

If you weren't in class today, the movie and the viewing guide is posted in Materials. We'll finish the film next class. This remains a fantastic time to pull together your vocabulary for the unit so far. I'll have quizzes returned to you next week and we'll have time to do some revisions of those as well.

8 and 9 February

English 10

Today was a quiz day for us - so it was a pretty simple day. The quiz asked you about all of the things that we've studied so far in this unit including fairy tales, poetry reading, our short story "A Problem" and some of the historical and cultural context we reviewed to open the unit.

After the time for the assessment, there was time available to complete any remaining tasks and begin with your vocabulary for this unit. Remember that you are responsible for ten words each unit we read texts together. You can submit your work electronically or on paper, as long as it's complete - we're good! Remember to give me the text, the word, the definition, and two synonyms.

AP Language

Today was our first full-on library day. Huzzah. You know how to access the databases, how to find resources, and how to outline, so now it's time to do it. As you are working and researching and finding, you should also be revising. Remember, this is a recursive process - it builds on itself. Your outlines are due next week - you have ample time to build this boat, but stay on your grind.

Next class we'll take time for our AP Classroom MCQ and FRQ followed by time in class for researching and outlining. See you then!

4 and 7 February

English 10

Good times today in English 10. We took our class time to finish our work on Anton Chekhov's "A Problem" by reimagining the story in a more modern context - we changed the setting and the parameters, but we kept the story the same. This allows us to really understand the themes and the conflicts in a very real way.

Next class we'll be taking a brief quiz on the first section of Russian literature. Be sure to review your notes, slides, and previous lessons so far in the unit. The quiz will be a mix of multiple choice, true or false, short answer, and matching. This also gives you a great chance to pull your vocabulary together, too! 

AP English Language

Today's class was all about moving forward to our next steps - the outline! First, you have to revise your question. We discussed today in class the importance of reasons. As you do research, you'll probably find more reasons to support your argument, but it's important to have an idea of what you're looking for. Also it's important to define your concepts clearly. What does "effective" mean in the scope of your investigation? Pin down your terms so that your argument is clear.

We'll be back in the library next class to complete revisions and work toward our outlines. Use the rubric posted as you create your outline. 

2 and 3 February

AP Language

Wow! What a day! We did a lot of great work today as we really collaborated to make each other better researchers. We reflected on our questions, found some of their glitches, and then began the process of revision with our cohorts. Now - it's time to put the pedal to the metal and revise!

Your next step is to submit your revised research question (version 2.0). Use the same document, it's returned to you, make a copy and put it in your folder for this assignment. When you have finished your revision and written your argument, resubmit the document at the Step 2 assignment space. 

We'll be in the library next class, and we'll discuss the next steps of the project which involve the source pack and the outline.

English 10

It was a wonderful Wednesday for Anton Chekhov. We read "A Problem" today and discussed characterization, irony, symbols, and themes. I really love this story and the ending, especially. Seeing what Sasha does at the end to Ivan is a great example of an ending that works on a lot of levels. If you enjoyed today's reading, then you'll want to take a look at some of Chekhov's plays - I think they're even better.

Tonight is a great night to pull together vocabulary if you haven't already done so. Between our poems and our story, you can probably find ten words. Next class we'll be doing an activity with today's story and next week we'll have our quiz on the first part of our unit. Be sure that you're reviewing regularly so that you're prepared!