23 January - Closing out Semester 1

AP Language

Wonderous work in AP Language as we're starting out the development of our research topics and questions. This week is all about this work so that we are ready to move forward when the second semester begins. Remember that your goal is to find five to seven sources which you can use to argue your position on the topic. If the issue is a debate or conversation, then what can you use to explain your position in the issue. One of your sources will be a counterargument - remember that this may be another approach to the idea or issue, and not just an opposite idea. Consider the nuance that many of the sources provide to your issue. One source will need to be a non-print source. One source will be your book.

You should use the Research Question document and the Research Write-Up document to track your progress and topic development. Talk to your group. Use your book! This will be due in approximately two weeks. Remember to have something made from each class to take you to the next.

AP Research

We're all continuing working on our end of quarter tasks in AP Research today. I'm working to read and review your work up to this point and provide feedback. Please check your documents for feedback. Remember that next class we'll have a Early Release - so we just have an hour together. We'll start our next unit on data collection. Be prepared to lay out your plan to move ahead and be ready to meet with your participants (if applicable) to generate your data! Be sure that your final two assignments are submitted to be reviewed!

18 January

English 10

A solid day in English 10 as we began our unit on letter writing and research. The first part of this assignment is your research topic. It's due at the end of class on Friday. For this, you'll want to respond to the discussion board. Be sure that you are specific in your problem. You need to answer questions like WHO? WHERE? and WHAT TYPE? as you look at your problem. The databases we have and the slides from today's lesson are helpful in this work.

Next class we're in the library to work with the librarians to refine and decide on our research topics. We'll also start to collect sources in our note taking document. You'll want a charged laptop for our work. We'll also have time next week to finish up assignments that need finishing. Be ready for an end of the semester catch-up day soon!

13 September - Tuesday

AP Language

Sorry to have had to abandon you in the photo line. Unfortunately the line was long and the class time was short. I will get you your student ID's next class. 

Class was lovely, but fast. We did a lot of work related to the rhetorical situation. It's a great framework for breaking down a text and understanding the way that the pieces work together to function and create meaning. We also worked on a method to analyze pieces of a text called DIDLS - remember that these two frameworks work together to help you read, write, and think. Use them.

For tonight remember that you should be working through your vocabulary regularly. Collect and work on words daily. If you haven't submitted your first five, be sure to do so. There's also our choice reading. Next class you'll need your laptop for our workshop day. You'll also need to bring your spiral notebook which you'll leave behind. Prepare accordingly.

AP Research

Lovely day in AP Research today as we took some time for what we needed and then gathered together to do some active reading and annotating. We'll continue to come back to this paper as we move through the year - it's our benchmark of a good paper. This one got a FIVE, and I think it's clear to see why.

Right now, we're focused on the introduction. It's important to recognize how the student uses sources and how the sources that the student uses are used to frame their work and lead to the research question. This is your paper - so annotate it and use it.

Keep working with your databases. Use new key words as you work with your research questions. Keep revising and paying your work forward. Try to fill new gaps daily and to continue using your sources and your databases to do that work. 

See you Thursday!

Hey September - Blue Day - 1 September

Happy Labor Day Weekend!! Remember there's no school on Friday and Monday. See you Tuesday and Wednesday!

AP English Language

Today was our day to discuss grading. I hope that you understand that this year you'll be graded in a different way than you have before. Grades reflect learning, and learning changes, so grades will change. Be sure to review the syllabus and the recording below as you work with your parents to complete the syllabus signature form (linked in the PDF). 

Our work in class looked at the FRQ rubrics and sample responses. I hope you found it helpful to understand the final goal of the course in terms of writing. Over the weekend, complete your vocabulary cards. Remember that you can use the texts posted in the Unit 2 folder to find vocabulary words if you haven't found any from the sample exam.

AP Research

Lots of great thinking and working today in AP Research as we understood the importance of the recursive process and revision. Keep using the qualities of a "good" research question as you continue to think and revise. Remember the process with the Disney research question. Keep asking yourself questions like, "Who cares?"; "What do you want to know?"; "How will you measure this?"; "Can you math?"

Over the weekend spend your time with the databases. Keep searching and hunting your rabbits. Remember to track your progress on the Reading Log. Keep revising your research question as you find papers that align with your interests. Keep reading and logging this weekend - next week I'll ask to see a reading log with fifteen sources logged. You also need to complete your second reflection question. See the document in Materials for this and the others as they populate.

30 August - Tuesday and Back to School Night

AP Language

Good day today in AP Language land. We went over the process and resources we have for completing vocabulary this year before having time to finish up what we needed - either the diagnostic exam or the vocabulary set. You'll have your exams back to you next week and we'll review the feedback. 

For tonight, the best thing to do is to complete your vocabulary cards. Next unit we'll have some articles to read and those will be posted for you to read and annotate. If you'd like to get ahead, feel free to pick one of those to read and consider.

AP Research

What a day! We are really getting in deep with our problem statements which are the foundation of our eventual research. I loved your conversations today related to the Nobel Prize winners and the realizations that you were able to make around their work and the work that we'll be doing in this classroom.

I want to remind you of one of the most important words of the class - recursive. The work we're doing right now is building on itself. As you spend time with the databases, keep going back to your problem statements - the data you find in the sources should help you to further refine your problem statement and eventual research question. I would recommend rewriting the problem statement as you find new information.

For tonight, continue to work with the databases. Log your articles and sources. Revise your problem statements. Consider your questions. I'll see you Thursday.

Kicking Off 2022-23. Monday, August 22

AP Language

Welcome everyone to the new school year! I'm very excited to be your English teacher and work with you all as you improve your skills as a writer, reader, thinker, and communicator. Today we did a quick overview of the class, but we spent the majority of the time working through our AP Examination Diagnostic. Next class you'll have time to finish another section of the MCQ and begin on your FRQ questions. We should have the diagnostic finished in three classes.

Continue to collect vocabulary from the exam - you'll need it for your next assessment, vocabulary cards. For tonight, there's not a lot to do. You can join AP Classroom by entering the code you can find on Schoology for this class. You can also check out our Course Resources and Materials. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out.

AP Research

Welcome researchers to the 2022-23 year. I'm very excited to work with all of you as you explore your interests and develop your skills as critical thinkers, readers, and writers. We'll be doing a lot of big work in this room this year, and I can't wait to see what you produce as we work. Today's class was a general overview, timeline, and some basic information. I'll have a formal syllabus for you once it's approved.

For tonight, you should join our AP Classroom space with the code found on Schoology. After you've done that, feel free to poke around a bit on Schoology. Eventually I'll want you to find the FHS Library Page and navigate to the databases. Select a database and start to do some looking related to the topics and interests we explored today in class. I want you to have TWO potential sources. You will want to download the PDF to your Google Drive. Remember where you found it - a citation helps!

See you all on Wednesday!