15 and 16 November - Blue and Grey Updates

Happy Tuesday/Wednesday Everyone - I'm going ahead and posting this today for everyone since I'll be out tomorrow doing some follow-up from last week's appointments.

AP Language

Class is focused on Chapter 7. Everything comes to a head in Chapter 7 and we have several turning points in the text. Remember that we're reading this novel not just as a story about these characters, but also as an argument about ideas related to America. The thinking and questioning of the text in today's slides should help you to see how these ideas are moving to resolution and to see the statements that Fitzgerald is forming. Considering who "wins" and "loses" in this text and why is a great way to formalize arguments. 

Next class is your double timed writing. There are tips in the Weekly Exigence for how to prepare. The best thing to do is review your feedback from your most recent writing assessment and the feedback to the class. Focus on a few points (remember you can't fix everything at once) and consider how you'll do that differently on Thursday/Friday when you write. Bring a charged laptop - you'll be typing since the exam has gone digital. 

Outside of class, focus on finishing The Great Gatsby. Before Thanksgiving Break we'll work through Chapters 8 and 9. You should also be wrapping up your motif tracker and vocabulary. You'll have summatives coming due after Thanksgiving Break - so adequate preparation now will lead to great outcomes then. I'll be after school on Thursday if you need anything. As always, feel free to reach out.

AP Research

Today we kicked off our working week focused on our IRB Proposal and the tools related to completing our inquiry project for the year. The deadline for IRB submission is December 6. This is a firm deadline. By this date I need your completed proposal form as well as every tool related to your study including consent forms and surveys. The team will give you feedback to prompt revisions and then you will be free to move forward.

All of the work that we've done up to this point has been designed to create the structures you need to complete this work. Pull together your various threads. Formalize your ideas. Show your process. 

As a secondary task, be sure that you are also writing your introduction and literature review - slay many beasts at once in order to be successful. Next week we'll be taking a few checks to help us keep moving forward.

English 10

Today's class is a day with a substitute since I'm out dealing with some personal medical things. During class you're completing the assignment on Anton Chekhov's "A Problem". Open the assignment and the slides and work through them. The story is posted as a PDF and there's a recording of me reading the story with pause points. Be sure to submit your slides as your grade by the end of class - the work won't be accepted late since today is a substitute day. I hope that you enjoy the story about Sasha and the idea of what it means to be a "criminal".

Once you've finished the story, take time with Membean. Remember that you need to do TWO, fifteen minute sessions each week. Once you've met your goal, you're set. Enjoy the day, and I'll be back with you on Friday!

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!