Showing posts with label discussion board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discussion board. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

28 August - End of Week 2

English 11

A pretty chill end of the week in English class this week. We started off by having our classroom circle to discuss our values and principles for our norms. I'll work on these this weekend and share them with you next week for approval. It's important to me that everyone has a space and a voice in the classroom. I appreciate everyone's attention to that work today.

From there we did some computer based tasks today. First, there was our getting to know each other form and we shared some facts about ourselves. Then, we got into our reading diagnostic for today's class. This test isn't for a grade, but it does help me to understand what I need to focus on as your teacher. At the end, we discussed the WebQuest and Discussion Board post. This isn't due for a while, so you have time to respond.

Over the weekend, consider the question, "What makes a good story?" Think about some of your favorite stories, and yes, video games do count! So do movies and television shows. A rap song or two could also be a story, I suppose. Next class we'll start getting into reading more intensely to discuss what makes a good story.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

20 March - Working Day and Chapter 24

AP Language

Really productive day in AP Language as we spent a good amount of time completing essential graded tasks for the end of the quarter. We focused primarily on our annotated bibliography assignment in which we process sources and begin to plan out our final presentation of our argument. Keep in mind that you MUST use three sources in your final presentation, so your final annotated bibliography should have at least three entries. 

We also spent some time today discussing Chapter 24 and the discussion board post. Remember that you can complete these at your leisure, read this book over break and finish it when you have the time. Or even into April or May if needed. 

I'll be entering grades for essays today. Then I'll get into your MCQ. The last grade for this quarter is the annotated bibliography. Please reach out with any questions about your grades in the course.

Friday, March 8, 2024

8 March - Happy International Women's Day!

AP Language

Great day in AP Language today as we went into and out of Plato's cave in our study of "The Allegory of the Cave." After reading and studying this text, you're not going to see things the same way again. This text helps us to consider ideas like perception, reality, and if what we are seeing or perceiving is really real. I was glad to see the various connections that you all were able to make between this text and our novel, Invisible Man. These connections will be incredibly huge as we work through the final section of the novel and TIM's conclusion on his quest for truth.

Over the weekend, focus on reading and research. You should be working through Chapters 16-19. Don't forget your discussion board post. It's also important that you're taking time daily to review your research. Continue to use the Research Write-Up Document. Collect sources and process them through an Annotated Bibliography - if you can see use in a source, go ahead and write about it and put a key excerpt in your sourcepack. I'll look forward to seeing you on Tuesday for some feedback on our last essay and some more discussion around Invisible Man.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

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.

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

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.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Homework for the Weekend - B Day Students - 12/13/2013

Honors English II

Your homework over the weekend is to finish reading Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis.  As you finish reading you should continue to finish your notes on the family members and the different changes you've seen from each of them.  Remember that by taking notes you are much more active as a reader and thus you will remember more of the reading.  After you finish your reading, please respond to the prompt below.  Remember that you may submit your response on paper, via e-mail, or by completing a comment on this post.

What preconception about Iran has this text helped you to disprove?  How has the text done that?  Does this relate to one of Satrapi's larger purposes in this text?  Why or why not?

Please make sure to make specific references to the text as you compose your reflection.

In addition, you should continue working on your essays.  You will get your argument statements back from me on Tuesday with feedback.  Use the framing strategy we did today in class to begin your research of the specific frames that you will use in your essay.  Remember to focus on detail within the frames (language and graphics) and how these details relate to your overall argument.

ESL English III

No homework for the weekend, but do spend time reviewing your writing notes.  I'm happy to see so much growth in your writing as we've been spending a lot of time working on writing skills.  Continue to improve and develop your skills!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Homework for B-Day Students: September 23, 2013

One day down and just four more to go this week.  Here are your reminders for Wednesday's class.

Honors English II

Tonight you have an online reflection due for class.  Please either e-mail your response to me, complete it as a comment on this post, or complete a written response on paper and turn it in at the beginning of class on Wednesday.  Here is the prompt -

What is one element of upper class Russian culture which you understand from reading "A Problem" by Anton Chekhov?  Is this element of the culture important or unimportant?  How do you know?

Furthermore, if you did not turn in your vocabulary today at the end of class you MUST submit it for a grade on Wednesday.

ESL English III

Tonight for homework you should continue working on your vocabulary and your reading skills.  I would suggest that you practice your skills of annotating by applying them to another text you are reading right now. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

B-Day Flannery O'Connor Discussion Board

Please respond to the following prompt by attaching a comment signed with your name. Responses received before 4:00 on Friday afternoon will be considered for extra credit on a previous assignment of either one, two, or three points.



As discussed during the reading of the story, Flannery O'Connor is an expert when it comes to creating and using irony within her stories.  In your opinion, which element is the most ironic in the body of the story?  What is this element's greater purpose in the context of the story?  How does irony help Flannery O'Connor to communicate her greater message?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

A-Day Flannery O'Connor Discussion Board

Please respond to the following prompt by attaching a comment signed with your name.  Responses received before 4:00 on Thursday afternoon will be considered for extra credit on a previous assignment of either one, two, or three points.


Flannery O'Connor is celebrated as being one of the foremost authors of the Southern Gothic style.  This style relies especially on the use of the grotesque in either characters or situations to clarify O'Connor's greater purpose in the story.  Given that knowledge, what element of the grotesque do you think has the most impact on the story?  What is that impact?  Why is this element of the grotesque and its impact important to the story as a whole?

Thursday, April 11, 2013

B-Day Discussion Board

Please post your responses to the following question below.  Use refrences to Invisible Man and "Allegory of the Cave" where applicable.  Make sure that you answer all parts of the prompt.  Posts will be graded after class on Monday.  No late posts will be accepted.

Throughout the text of Invisible Man we see that the narrator continues to oscilate between his own reality and the reality of society.  Plato would perhaps say that he's traveling between real truth and false truth.  This text complicates the idea of society because there are two socities within the text, African American society and White society.  There are, of course, multiple socities within these larger socities as well - complicating this overall question.  However, according to Plato's allegory, which society that we have seen within the pages of our novel is the one more responsible for keeping the Invisible Man within the cave and constricting his vision?  Has the Invisible Man broken free from this bondage and loosed the chain attached to the cave wall?  Has he not started to exit at all?  Does he think that he has?  How does our role as readers in this text further this question.

As you answer, make sure that your response is your own.  Do not submit something similar to a previous post or it will not be considered for credit.  Come up with an argument and prove it.

Other reminders about homework and tasks to complete can be found two posts below in the A-day discussion board.  There's also a link to the Plato text there too.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A-Day AP English III Discussion Board and Homework

AP English III

Tonight you need to finish reading Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" as well as move toward your next reading goal of being to the end of Chapter Twenty-Two of Invisible Man.  Also, don't forget to sign up and attend your writing conferences.  The sheets are on my door.

A day students.  Please post a comment to respond to the following prompt.  Draw on your knowledge of Invisible Man as well as your understanding of Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" to answer the following questions.  Use textual references where necessary.  Plato is available at this link.

Plato raises the idea in paragraph forty of transitioning between the world of light and the cave and that these transitions each affect the vision of the human.  Plato says as well that these "bewilderments...from coming out of the light or from going into...[are] true of the mind's eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye."  I would argue that the Invisible Man has suffered from these bewilderments multiple times throughout the text.

Which moment of the text do you think is the has provided the most significant bewilderment to the Invisible Man?  Is this a moment of going out of the light or going into it?  Which of his eyes is this effecting?  What is the overall importance?

Be thorough but concise in your answer.  Show me that you've read the book and tell me something coherent - edit before you hit submit.  Make sure you're focusing on the prompt. Be sure that your name is in your response so that I can assign credit.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

AP English IV Discussion and Homework

You all get your own post for the weekend since you have a discussion board here.  First, let me remind you about your homework for the weekend and to prepare for our last class of the nine weeks on Wednesday.

Remember that for Wednesday you should all be walking in to class with your outlines for your papers on Twelfth Night.  After we get through Act V, Scene 1 and finish the play we will do some individual conferences on your outlines.  Come prepared with questions.

For this weekend you'll need to read the Montegut criticism and respond to the following prompt in the comments section.  You should be able to comment no matter what - though the program may ask you to sign in for security.  Make sure to post your name at the end of your comment so that you can get credit for your response.  Here is your prompt:

In Montegut's criticism of the play he begins to develop the idea of the carnivalesque and apply it to Twelfth Night.  Why does Montegut think that the carnivalesque is so important to the play?  Do you agree or disagree with his assertion?  Why?  Be sure to use evidence from the play to support your assertions.

Be sure that your post is done by the end of the school day on Monday - I will grade these for not just completion but mastery, show me that you're literary scholars.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Notes and Reminders 10/17 and 10/18

Freshman Focus

Tonight for homework I'd like for you to finish your future success sketches.  I'll be checking these on Friday/Monday.  Pay special attention to the boxes for twenty or thirty years from now.  I want to make sure that you've thought about what career or job you'd have in your idea of success.  We'll then talk about what one needs to do to reach that point in terms of education.

AP English III

I'm extending the deadline on the conversation board until Friday/Monday for all classes.  Please make sure that you find the proper post for your class and post your response in the comment thread.  Don't forget your name at the end.  Be aware that I'm giving you this extension because this is the first time we've done this type of assignment - this extension will not be given again.

For tonight, be sure that you've read chapter five of The Great Gatsby and annotated it heavily.  Also, you will want to review your writing notes - we will be doing a copious amount of writing on Friday/Monday; make sure that you have your favorite pen.

English IV

With the presentations today and the test corrections I don't need you all doing any more work for me tonight.  If you did not get your project turned in today you're going to want to make sure that's done for our very next class.  Remember that you're losing points every day that the project is late.

All classes will get new progress reports next week.  Be aware of this.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

B Day Discussion Board

B-day AP English III Students,

Please respond to the following question in a comment. Be sure to sign your name at the end of the comment to ensure you get credit.

Identify examples of informal language in this essay.  Is it appropriate and effective to her purpose or is it distracting?

Be sure that as you craft your response you use appropriate and convincing examples and explanation. This response will count as a homework grade.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Homework for 15 and 16 October

There's a lot to get through for this Monday's posting.  Pay close attention to the instructions for each class.

Freshman Focus

Tonight I would like for you to sit down and talk with someone older than you about their high school or educational experiences.  Generate five questions about high school or education and then conduct an interview.  Remember that the person should be someone from your parent's generation or older.  No asking older siblings or cousins for thier feedback.  Write down your questions and the interview answers.  We'll begin by discussing our findings on Wednesday/Thursday.

AP English III

With the PSAT gracing our presence on Wednesday things are going to be a bit out of place.  Consider the assignments below due for Friday/Monday with the exception of the blog post which is due Wednesday/Thursday.

First, I would like for you to find your favorite pen.  It can be an ink pen, ball point, whichever you prefer, a fountain pen would work too.  Whichever type of pen you like to use, find it and bring it to class with you on Friday/Monday.  Additionally, be sure that you've read to the end of chapter four and five by Friday/Monday's class.  I know we didn't get through as much as I wanted today, but we will continue to get through more as we work through the text.  I think that even in our limited conversation we still hit on a lot of major ideas that work themselves out throughout the text.  Continue to pay attention to the different questions we raised, and how these questions are answered.  Additionally, now that you have your vocabulary assignment, be working on that.  I would like to collect your first bookmarks on 10/23 and 10/24.

Finally, in the post below this there is a discussion thread for A-day students and one for B-day students (coming after class on Tuesday).  Please respond to the thread question in a comment.  When you finish your comment, be sure to leave your name so that I can assign credit.  Only responses posted before class begins will be eligable for credit.

English IV

Next class you'll be getting up and presenting your Propaganda projects.  For tonight, I would like for you to spend some time finishing these projects so that they show your best work.  Be sure that you have completed all of the steps on the back and that you have completed a writing assignment which follows the guidelines given to you on the assignment sheet.  As part of your grade you will present your poster, explain your message, and take questions from the audience.  Be sure that you're ready.

A-Day AP English III Discussion Board

Students,

Please respond to the following question in a comment.  Be sure to sign your name at the end of the comment to ensure you get credit.

Ericsson uses her personal experience to illustrate some but not all of her categories of lying.  Is her allotment of personal reference effective, or does it fragment the essay?

Be sure that as you craft your response you use appropriate and convincing examples and explanation.  This response will count as a homework grade.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Seniors: Discussion Board 2 is Posted

One of the biggest hang-ups that I have as a reader is with endings of
books. If a book has a bad ending then I think that the whole experience of
reading the novel can be ruined. So, here's the discussion board posting
for this weekend:

Are you satisfied with the ending of 1984? Why or why not?

Of course, be specific in your answer. Use quotes if you feel it necessary
to prove your point. Remember that if you use a quote then you should
provide a page number.

I look forward to your responses!


If you choose not to respond to the discussion board posting, then I will collect a response via this website or on paper in class on Tuesday.

Friday, September 3, 2010

9/3 - English IV Homework

Seniors:

This weekend I'd like for you to spend some time and reflect on what we've gone over so far in 1984. Please respond to one of the following prompts either in the google group discussion board or on paper. Make sure that you have responded before class on Tuesday! I will collect any paper responses then. The prompts are given for you below:


1. In "Welcome to North Korea" it is possible to see many connections between the society and culture in 1984 and that of North Korea. What do you think is the most interesting similarity? Why is this similarity important? What does reading a text like 1984 do to help readers understand life in a totalitarian society?

2. Throughout book one of 1984 the reader is introduced to the world of Winston through a distinct third person narrator. There are several areas in the text where the narrator presents seemingly shocking events as if they were completely normal. However, there are also several places where the narrator presents very everyday scenes in a way that makes the event seem abnormal. Find an example of this in the text and comment not only on the scene presented, but also the way that Orwell uses tone and diction to send a subtle message to the reader about the world presented in 1984.

3. Many readers argue that Orwell's use of irony is one of the most important elements of this text, that without the irony in this story, the novel would not function. Find a scene or moment in the text that is particularly ironic and comment on the importance not only of the scene but also on the importance of irony in this scene. What effect does Orwell's use of irony have on this text as a whole up to this point?

Finally - you will have a quiz/test on Book One on WEDNESDAY! Use the opportunity over the weekend to collect any questions that you may have so that you can get some clarification on Tuesday in class. If you have any problems completing the homework assignment, let me know as soon as possible so that we can try to work that out.