10 February - Monday and Snow in the Forecast

English 11

Great day in English 11 today. I loved watching you all collaborate together as you discussed your books and the future presentations that you'll put together related to your novel study. Remember some of the major ideas of this project as you're working and planning:

1. The goal is to have ownership of the project, even if you're working as a group. Each person needs to have a particular portion. You can share an introduction and conclusion, but each person should have their own evidence.

2. Evidence can be shared. Even if you're working on your own, I would hope that you still collaborate with your group about the work you're doing.

3. Your presentation can be in a variety of formats. You can do a slide show, a TikTok video, a speech, or another option. Remember that you can also present to the whole class, to me, or to a small group. Consider what is the most achievable for you!

As we're now starting to wrap up our preparation for our writing test next week, we'll be focused more on this project. Coming in during Lion Time or after school is also a great way to make some forward momentum. 

The main focus for us today was beginning our projects, we also had reading time, and did our next five vocabulary words. Hopefully I'll see you on Wednesday, but if school is canceled because of the snow, then I'll see you on Friday. Be sure that if you missed your vocabulary quiz on List 4 or your practice letter (either one) that you see me to make this up! It's important that you get the letter practice and feedback before you write next week for the state.

4 February - Tuesday is for Writing

English 11

Pretty easy day for us on a Tuesday in English 11. We started the day with some time to read and then meet with our groups to discuss our novels. We updated our slides and discussed our research topics. Remember that right now the goal is for you to continue reading and to be ready to finish these book projects after we take our state writing test.

After that, we did some practice for that writing test with a mini-letter today. If you were absent, I'll want you to make up this assignment. You do not need to come to Lion Time, but you can if you'd like to. To end our day, we completed a reading and study of a poem - remember that you'll see poetry on your reading test, so we'll keep preparing for this eventuality.

For tonight, keep reading! We'll be working a lot with our books next class. We'll also take a look at another few poems to discuss the differences, challenges, and the beauty that poetry can provide. Please be in touch with any needs you may have. Your next Lion Time is Thursday, and I'm available to work with you.

17 January - End of the Week

English 11:

We had a really great day today in English 11 to finish out the week. It was a filled day where we worked on a few different skills. We also took some time for reading and group meetings. Some of you were absent today, and you were missed! Your groups will be waiting to submit the group contract until next class when you're with us.

We started the day with a bit of grammar and talked about combining sentences. We reviewed the ways in which we can combine sentences and the sticky bits about some pieces of punctuation and their usage: Remember that colons are only used when the second sentence directly adds on to the first. Try applying some of these strategies as you're writing. We'll keep working more on this soon. From there we did some review of narrative elements and then began to apply them to our books. These are the terms that you'll be asked about on your Virginia Reading SOL, so it's important that we learn them now!

I'm really enjoying watching you all collaborate and read in your groups. It warms my heart! Next class you'll have a quiz on your books, so the best thing to do is to read in order to prepare. Weekends, especially long ones like this, are great for us to read. At the very end of class, we finished our last five vocabulary words. We'll practice and review next class.

Remember that the end of the grading period is right around the corner. If you're missing your letter or reading test from Unit 2, please make a Lion Time pass to settle that up. You can submit your vocabulary project whenever you'd like. All grades will be finalized on January 29, so don't wait! 

15 January - Wacky Wednesday

English 11

Welcome to Wacky Wednesday, y'all! Today was a great day because we were collaborating, critically thinking, and communicating a lot about our books and elements of their rhetorical situation today. I really enjoyed seeing you all do your author research, read further into your books, and engage in some analysis of political cartoons. We did some feedback today as well on our recent writing assignments. If you would like to revise your letter, or if you need to complete it, please make an appointment for LT on Wednesday the 22nd. Remember that you have until the 28th to complete any redos or missing assignments.

We took a bit of time for reading before lunch and then kept going through our vocabulary for this list. We'll likely have a vocabulary quiz to open up Quarter 3, so be prepared! For tonight, keep reading so that you can meet your goals. I've posted audiobook versions in our unit folder, and I'm looking for more. Next class we'll be spending more time with our books so that we can start to understand how they do what they do and what narrative elements the authors are choosing to employ. See you on Friday!

20 December - Happy Break!

English 11

Great last day today, everyone! Thank you for your reflections on the year, advice to me about 2025, and your goals. I'm excited for what we have ahead of us next year. For today we went into our notebooks for reflection, then we did some book shopping to prepare for next year. If you weren't here for class, please make sure that you complete the book shopping form. I've also posted the recordings for the pitches on the books, if you'd like to listen.

We did some watching and reading and thinking today. It was a great day! I'm excited to see y'all in the new year. 

Updates for All Classes - 13 March - Before the Closure

AP Research

Welcome to crazy town everyone. Over the next few days (or weeks) I hope that all of you stay safe and secure. Remember to think and be smart. Don't panic. Plan! Don't freak out. Focus!

You should continue to move forward with your work for this class as it related to your Academic Paper and Presentation/Oral Defense. I have posted the reflection questions in the document to take you to the end of the quarter. Additionally, I have posted PREP Check 3.2 to outline what is due for your final PREP Check. Be aware that you will need to be creative in your approach to peer editing during this time, but I think that you can do it.


Once I have an idea of the expectation related to instruction, I'll let you know. Let's just keep moving forward with what we know we need to do. Remember, 46 days are left until we submit!

AP Literature

If you did not complete your sonnet group projects today and submit them, please be sure that they are submitted by the end of the day on Monday so that I can assess them and get them in the gradebook for you all. Remember that we will not be evaluating each other as members of the group. Since we are not able to present in person, I would like for you to submit a recording of what you would say to accompany your slide. You could also submit a video with your slides if you would like.

Outside of this be sure that you are finishing Twelfth Night in advance of our timed writing on this text. I'll post reading and analysis guides for you next week. The timed writing will likely be the final assessment for Q3. We will return and jump into our independent novels. Go ahead and get started on your pamphlet, heck, go ahead and read a few extra books if you can!


Stay safe during this time, I'll keep you all updated as I learn more.

Russian I

Today in class we took time to work on our floor plan projects to close out Quarter 3. If you did not finish and submit your floor plan project, there is a space for you to turn it in electronically on Google Classroom.

Advanced Russian

I hope to see all of you very soon. Stay tuned to this website as well as your Google Classroom pages as that's where I'll be posting my updates for our classes.

Homework for A-Day Students - 6 May 2019

Today we begin AP testing! Know where and when to be! If you're unsure, ask! Be well rested and well fed for your exams. Remember that you've done what there is to do, now you need to prove it!

AP English III

Due to the AP Environmental Science exam stealing many of our classmates today, we spent the class working on our motif projects. If you were absent, I will take the literary criticism work from you next class.

Next class we will begin our final in-class project, and we will have our final chapter presentations on The Grapes of Wrath. If you have not yet finished your presentation, next class is the last day to complete it.

The full motif project is due on Friday. Remember that there are three parts - the illustration, writing, and the motif chart. Follow the guidelines on the assignment sheet to submit good work. Be aware that our exam review will fall the day before - on the 14th.

English IV

Today in class we had a great workshop in the library devoted to our Author Biography and Related Books portions of our book pamphlets. From the work that you all did today in class I think that you'll have your book projects finished by Friday.

I gave you the senior surveys today as well as the study guide for your quiz on Friday. The quiz will cover your book and you will be able to use your study guide and your book. Be sure that you have read and prepared.