Homework - 10 January

Freshmen:

In looking at your warm-up checks today, it seems like some of you either aren't reading or you aren't reading as closely as you need to. Tonight, for homework you'll need to read chapter eight of A Separate Peace. It may be a good idea for some of you to go back and reread chapter seven before moving on to chapter eight. Make sure that you pay attention to vocabulary and keep up with your bookmarks as you're reading.

Seniors:

Tonight for homework I would like for you to listen to this episode of This American Life. As you listen, make note of things that are interesting to you. I'd like to start class on Tuesday by discussing this piece with you. If we don't have class until Wednesday, then we'll just have the Pub activity.

With this post, I'd like for you to comment with what you're bringing for the Pub activity. I'm bringing cups, plates, and napkins as well as tea for everyone to drink. If you'd like something other than tea, bring some soda for the group. When you're cooking/shopping, remember that you need to bring enough for 34 people.

Keep up with this to know what the schedule is. As of now, it looks like we'll have school tomorrow. But who knows...

A teaser for Monday night's homework.

Seniors,

A small teaser for you. Happy work on the Hamlet papers...Come and see me Monday afternoon for help. 3:00-4:00 pm. Assuming the weather cooperates. Wednesday afternoon works too.

Homework for the Weekend - 1/7

Seniors:

Over the weekend I expect that each of you will use this time to put together a full rough draft on Hamlet. Then, you can come and see me next week either after school or during 4th period or A lunch to have me review it before the final drafts are due. Please remember what I said last week, this is your last paper of your high school English career, thus I expect it to be the best. Also, this weekend, you'll want to spend some time preparing for our British Pub activity next Wednesday. If you weren't in class today, come see me on Monday to get ready for the Pub activity.

On Monday we will finish our study of Hamlet. The bodies are going to start hitting the floor.

Freshmen:

Over the weekend you all will read chapter seven of A Separate Peace. Pay very close attention to the way that the school is organized socially. We're going to start seeing a new side of the Devon School in these chapters. Further, remember that if you didn't turn in your essay on the first due date, it will need to be handed in to me on Monday/Tuesday to avoid late penalties.

If you've got questions, please ask!

Last Minute Stuff...

Make sure that you have done what you need to have done for tomorrow.

Seniors: Be sure that you've read Act IV of Hamlet - and by read it, I mean it. This may mean that you read it twice or three times with a high degree of annotation. Also, I hope that you spent some time working/thinking about your final papers. Things will move fast in these last few days of class. Don't fall off the wagon...

Freshmen: Tomorrow is a B-DAY. B-Day students should have their completed drafts for a workshop in class. A-day students, read chapter six and revise those essays. Essays will be due NEXT WEEK for all students. If you want to see me this week, find a time to do that!

Weekend Homework - 12/10

Seniors:

I'm not giving you any reading this weekend in the hopes that you will use this time to get a lot done with your Great Expectations websites. I'll be checking in on these over the weekend - watching just like Big Brother. Please let me know of any problems or concerns as soon as they occur so that we can deal with them.

Next week we will finish Act III of Hamlet. I'll be giving you a lot of work back on Monday including your paper topics and your Act I tests. There are a lot of interesting ideas floating around in the malestrom that is Honors English IV - I'm happy to see you all really wrestling with these.

Freshmen:

On Tuesday/Wednesday you will have your exam on the first five chapters of A Separate Peace. Don't forget also that your rough drafts of your essays are due on Thursday/Friday. Use the feedback that I gave you on your first paragraphs to complete the rest of your papers. If you need help, please come and see me Monday afternoon during study hall.

Quick note: The chapter five worksheet asks about the conversation between Gene and Finny on page fifty-seven. This is the conversation that the two boys have while they are in the hospital, before Finny leaves Devon School.

Homework - 9 December

Seniors:

Tomorrow in class I will be collecting your paper topics. This will allow me to see what you're thinking for your final paper and give me some ideas as to how I can assist you. In my mind, I've already given you all the tools that you will need to accomplish these papers. This second round will be very hands off - I ask that you work hard and ask for any help you may need. I will have these topics back to you on Monday with commentary. Also, I will be handing back your Hamlet Act I tests on Monday as well.

The last thing that I should see from all groups is your Group Overview section. This should be completed by 6:00 on Friday evening. In the overview, be sure that you state what chapters you are studying in your group, what each person is doing in the group, and all of the members of your group. I especially want to know who is responsible for what content.

Looking forward to tomorrow's class as we move deeper into Act III.

Homework - 8 December

Seniors:

Tomorrow we will begin by finishing our discussion of "WAYG? WHYB?" - we're going to focus on the musical qualities and talk a bit more about the character names and the numbers. Be ready for that. We're also going to finish watching II.2 of Hamlet and begin our study of the third act. Please remember that paper topics are due to me on Friday. Also, I would like for you to finish the group overview section of your website by Friday.

Freshmen:

Be sure that your chapter five worksheets and your copy of the script get to the box on Friday/Monday morning. Next class we will begin by presenting our scenes, going through chapter five, and then reviewing for your exam on chapters one through five. Also, don't forget that your essays due on the last day of class before break are now ROUGH DRAFTS, not final drafts. I will read these over the break and give you feedback to prepare for your final drafts.

Let me know if you've got questions!

Homework for 12/6

Only NINE more days until Winter Break begins!

Freshmen:

Those of you that I did not have a chance to meet with today will get your first paragraphs back on Wednesday/Thursday. The biggest issue that I am seeing in your writing is that you are not explaining everything thoroughly AND/OR you are not really connecting your ideas back to your thesis. Remember to be clear in your writing. The idea here is that you want me to understand the story in the same way that you do. Continue working on these essays. Final drafts will be due on 12/16 and 12/17.

For reading homework tonight you have to read chapter five of A Separate Peace as well as complete the worksheet. The worksheet should go to the box by Friday/Monday morning. Make sure that it's complete.

Lastly, don't forget about your websites. The next deadline will be Thursday! By Thursday you should have the Group Overview for your page done.

Seniors:

Tonight you should finish your reading of Act II. Be sure that you're using the annotation guide which I gave out last week to understand the goings on of Act II. Tomorrow we will discuss Act II in a lot of depth before moving on to one of my favorite short stories ever written. There are a lot of interesting connections between the short story, Hamlet, and a few books of the Bible. Some strange things are going on here - and I look forward to investigating them with you all.

Let me know if you've got any questions or concerns.

Weekend Post - Seniors

I wanted to start off by sharing a really funny grammar link with you. It's the story of "ALOT" - I think it's hilarious. I invite you to read it.

Seniors:

Your mock-up is due by Sunday. There doesn't need to be content, but you should have the frame up; also, be sure that I and your group can edit the site. You should be done reading Great Expectations - I invite those of you mulling over the end of this book to see me and discuss. There are a lot of really good papers in there and interesting ideas to work out. On Monday you will have your test on Act I of Hamlet. The test will focus on characters, the introductory notes, motifs, and you will be asked to read and analyze an excerpt. The excerpt is one that we have discussed in class. You even saw one of them today in the film.

Today in class I gave you a reading/annotation guide for Act II. Use this to guide you to some of the larger ideas that are being worked out in the play. Feel free to add your own annotations. I do enjoy when you all bring me new points to consider when discussing the text. We will not discuss Act II until Tuesday. But I thought that some of you may want to start now.

Lastly, as we begin moving toward the end of the year I remind you that you will have a final paper on Hamlet. It will be from the ABC option sheet. Remember that you cannot repeat the same project from our study of 1984. I'll be asking you for paper topics before we leave for Winter Break. Those of you graduating early, this is required of you.

Reminders

I don't really see the point of posting the homework for tonight. I'm just going to remind everyone that you all have something major coming up.

Seniors, you have your Great Expectations websites. As of now I've seen two mock-ups. This is one of your last major grades in the class. Make sure that it gets the time and attention that it deserves. Please see me for any help with this. The last major grade that you will have is your Hamlet paper. You may want to begin thinking about a topic and planning now. Some of you were interested in the eight to ten page option - you will want to especially come see me in developing a topic.

I'm in the midst of your poetry explications. I'll have these back to you on Monday. We will be having a Act I test on Monday. Think about characters - this will be a large portion of the exam. Also, go back and review the opening notes; that content will also be there. You will also have an annotation/writing portion based on a passage from Act I. Some important hints about which passages will be revealed tomorrow in class as we watch the film. We will first finish Act I, Scene 5 and discuss some of the big ideas that Shakespeare is establishing - motifs, symbols, themes, and such...

Freshmen, you've got your first essays. Progress reports will go out next week; once I have your Benchmark scores. As you are working on your essay assignment, please come and see me to look at drafts or for extra help. I've got time on Friday afternoon as well as Monday.

Lastly, I get the feeling that some of you may be behind in your reading. Let me be clear and state that by Monday/Tuesday - I expect that you will have read to the end of chapter four and kept up with your vocabulary bookmark assignment.

That's all - one week down, two to go til Winter Break.

Homework - Welcome back!

Today is the 29th of November - we have fourteen more days of school until Winter Break! Things will move pretty quickly before break, make sure that you're keeping up with EVERYTHING that we have going on. There will be a lot of deadlines for you to meet.

So, let's review.

Seniors:

You will want to be sure that you finish Great Expectations by the end of this coming weekend. I would actually suggest that you finish it by Friday. You will not have any Hamlet reading this week, but this weekend and next week, you will. You will not have vocabulary cards due this week.

Now, don't forget that you have that website project due before we leave for Winter Break. First check-in on this is coming. I want there to be a mock-up shared with me and all group members live by this Sunday. Your group has a task. Today, at the end of class when we had free time - I hope that you were speaking to your group members about this.

Lastly, your poetry explications are due on Wednesday of this week. Remember what I said about taking things late with this project. I have a rubric and will share it with you tomorrow. Feel free to see me before or after class with drafts.

Freshmen:

For Wednesday/Thursday - You will want to be sure that you have read chapters one through three. Keep up with your notes, and keep thinking about some of these big ideas that we're bringing up. Those of you with your own books should take notes in your book as you read. Be sure that you also have your vocabulary bookmarks done. Don't forget the page number and definitions.

We have Benchmarks coming up on Thursday/Friday. For Thursday/Friday - just come to class with pencils. You can read when you're done with the test, but you have to remain quiet.

On Wednesday/Thursday, we will be taking the next step forward with our essay assignments. These will be due before Winter Break! If you need help, see me as soon as you realize the problem.

Onward!