19 October - Grey Wednesday

English 10

We almost finished Spirited Away but got caught by the last ten minutes, oh well. We'll finish it up on Friday. Friday is going to be a working day for us - there's going to be time for finishing the viewing guide and then we've got two online assessments to take care of - vocabulary and grammar. These two assignments are completion based, so get them done and get your A. These are also going to likely be the final grades for the quarter. Finish strong, raise your grades, show your skills!

17 October - Beginning the Week

English 10

Today we started our viewing of our major text for this unit Spirited Away. It's a great film from Studio Ghibli which really brought Japanese animation to America. We focused on the characters of Haku and Chihiro and the establishment of the plot and conflicts that will drive the film.

Next class we'll be viewing to finish the film. We have a bit more than an hour left in the movie. The viewing guide is going to be a major assignment for you - so be ready to finish strong. We'll do some writing about the movie after we finish it and start next quarter with our final project on the unit. Be ready for a strong finish!

13 October - End of the Week

English 10

Great day today everyone as we spent our class in Japan. We focused on poetry and art today - and this class was our final class before we start our film next week. Remember that the film is the major work for this unit and the last thing that we'll study. 

Over the weekend, focus on any missing assignments that you may have. Most of us are doing fine in the gradebook, but a few could do better. You'll have your final assignment for this unit coming up soon, and those will be your final grades for this quarter. Keep pushing to the end!

Remember that next week is the last full week of the quarter.

AP English Language 

Due to the PSAT and the loss of yesterday's classes - we had a bonus workday today. I hope that you found the time useful. I saw a lot of work on vocabulary and on projects. Use the video below, Mr. Friedman and I are trying to do what we can to provide you support. 

Submit your end of unit tasks as soon as you can. Have the first chapter of The Great Gatsby read for Monday. We have a lot to discuss on Monday related to this wonderful book.

Thursday the 6th - Grey Day

English 10

In class we were focused on Japan and the concept of Zen. This concept we saw at action in several Zen parables today in class. We discussed irony and paradoxes as well as the difference between topic and theme. We read in order to understand and completed a short analysis activity related to the reading.

I won't see you again until Tuesday. On Tuesday, we hopefully won't have any more power outages, and will look at some other religious texts from across Asia. Have a lovely weekend!

17 and 18 May

AP Language

Today was another of our independent working days to complete our novel tasks. Remember that this week you should submit your FIVE reading reflections and your first major project. If you submit the project on paper, great! Just mark the electronic space complete. 

If you were not in class, be sure to complete the Character Bone Structure Activity. I've attached it here. There are hard copies in the classroom. Once you've selected your character for the party, fill this form out as them. Complete all the questions - it's your entry ticket to the party on the 23rd.

Submit your final tasks! Finish the year in style! See you around the way!

English 10

Today was our day for our Demonstration of Learning in our Japanese art and culture unit. I was glad to see you all delving deep into the content we studied in this unit. I'm looking forward to watching your recordings, interacting with your work, and reviewing your written work. I'm always excited about days like today because it allows you to do exactly what you want to do to show your skills.

Don't forget your vocabulary or any other tasks that are hanging over you. The last four classes of our year will be focused on our End of Year Portfolio. We'll walk through the requirements to finish the year on Thursday/Friday. Be ready for a quick finish to the end! It'll be here sooner than you think!

11 and 12 May (Also the End of the Week)

I'll be out this week on Thursday and Friday for some medical appointments and personal recuperation. I'll be back on campus on Monday if you need anything.

AP Language

And here we are on the other side of the examination. We are officially OVER the hump. I hope that your letter gave you the opportunity to get your feelings about the examination out of you so that you can move on. You'll have your scores in July and then you can make next steps as you need to.

Time in class is now focused on finishing up our novel tasks. You have six classes remaining and most of them are working days for your novel tasks. Use the templates and the resources provided to help you complete your work. I'm looking forward to a strong finish with all of you!

English 10

Today was our day to finish Spirited Away and our viewing guides on the film. As I watch the movie, I'm struck by how many similarities there are between this and so many other stories throughout time and cultures. You may want to explore some of these similarities as you complete your Demonstration of Learning, but more on that next week.

Next class I will be away recovering from my medical appointments tomorrow. The class will be a catch-up day for you. Remember that you do have vocabulary due for this unit, so next class is a perfect day to pull that together and turn it in. If you have missing work from earlier in the quarter, this is your last catch-up day to get it in. I'll update the gradebook next week and let you know where you stand as we approach the final classes of the year and our last unit - our year end portfolio.

9 and 10 May 2022

AP Language

Tomorrow, May 10, 2022 is your AP Examination for English Language and Composition. Your homework for tonight is to take care of yourself and revel in your preparation up to this point. This is not an exam you can cram for - so there's no point in trying! 

If you're going to do anything, review your notebooks, your tone words, and rhetorical devices. Listen to the news to have current events to use in your essays. Review your favorite readings of the years and hopefully find a way to use them tomorrow. Think of some favorite words you've learned this year and use them in your essays tomorrow. Find me or Mr. Friedman tomorrow morning at the front doors to get your gift bags!

We'll have time next class to reflect on the exam and begin to move toward the end of our year together.

English 10

Today was the beginning of our major text study. We're watching the film Spirited Away for a few reasons right now. One, it's a great film! Two, it is highly connected to some of our Japanese cultural ideas like Zen, imagery, heroism, and cultural traditions. Third, it's a great opportunity for us to cap off our unit by not studying a major written text. Being able to interpret and analyze a film is an important skill set!

Next class we'll finish the film and the day after that will be our unit catch-up day. Some of you may need to use the catch-up day for this unit to complete work from last unit, and that's okay. Be sure that any things that need to be scored get turned in as soon as possible.

Your Japanese Culture Unit assessment will be on May 17/18. You have the chance to display your learning in a variety of ways, you can also take the test if you'd like. As always, reach out with any questions!

5 and 6 May - Off to the Weekend!

AP Language

We're solidly in examination time, so class is a space to work and have time as you need to accomplish your goals. The recording goes over the final projects in a bit more detail and some resources you'll need related to that. Check the unit folder for access to the templates and rubrics for the final projects.

Note that the final day to submit work for Quarter 4 is June 3. After this, only the final exam will be accepted to be scored. As always, please let me know if you have questions or concerns.

English 10

Today's class was our opportunity to complete our study of Japanese art and the poetry styles of haiku and tanka. I love a haiku. I think that the simplicity of their style belies the complexity of their meaning. The smallest things can be the most complex, and it's that paradox which really exists at the center of a lot of Japanese culture. 

If you are missing assignments take this weekend to complete and submit them. I've been contacting parents of people who are in danger for the quarter. With only eight classes left in the year, it's important that you get caught up if you've fallen behind. No work for the quarter will be accepted after 3 June. Exams begin on 3 June and only the final will be scored at that point.

Next week we'll begin with our major text in this unit - Spirited Away. I'm looking forward to sharing this wonderful film with all of you!

3 and 4 May

AP Language

Today was one of our final examination review days. We took a look at several years worth of AP Examination FRQ prompt packs and high scoring samples. We focused our work around finding the speedbump prompt, noticing sophistication in the student responses, and any final strategies for the FRQ. You are READY! Be confident in your skills. Take care of yourself over the next few weeks as you are working through your exams.

Be sure that you're focused on finishing any of your novel tasks. Check out the review of the final projects and keep in mind that your first project is due soon! I would suggest completing the creative project first and the research second.

English 10

Today was a day to get a bit ZEN as we focused on learning about Zen philosophy and its practice. Zen focuses on losing ourselves in the moment, mindfulness, and an attention to detail to focus on living in the moment. We watched a brief video, engaged in some discussion, and read some Zen parables for our activity around theme.

We ended the day with test corrections. If you have not finished your test for any reason, be sure to do so ASAP. There are also several missing projects from Unit 5. If you have missing work it is important to complete that task quickly. There are only NINE (810 minutes) classes left in this semester before we reach final exams. Do not miss the chance to raise your grade before the closing of the quarter on June 3.

End of April and Beginning of May - Hooray!

AP Language

Great day today as we reviewed our most recent and last MCQ of the year and took a look at the synthesis prompt. We'll have a few other reviews related to the AP Examination, but at this point, we've seen it all. Keep in mind your wellness strategies as you work through the next few weeks - it's a slog and a half, but it will end!

The next few weeks are time to work through our projects related to our novel and other finishing tasks. You'll have ample time in class to work through projects. The MCQ Bonus will lock soon. If you want to complete that, be sure to do so quickly. You must complete the full thing for the bonus. See you in May!

English 10

Great day today in English 10 as we began our unit on Japan. We took time to understand the unit as a whole, our goals for the unit, and our essential questions. From there, we went into our beginning investigation of Japanese culture. I was happy to see your collaboration and sharing today as you learned from each other. Keep these notes! They may be helpful to you as you move through the unit and get to your final project.

Next class we're going to be looking at sacred texts key to Japanese religion. Your projects are due on Sunday. Be sure to get your work in and avoid the late penalty! Enjoy the weekend!

Homework for B-Day Students: Tuesday, 2nd of May

AP English III

Next class we will have our last AP Multiple Choice practice to prepare for the examination. It'll be another full-length test from a previous year. To prepare for this make sure that you have reviewed your previous multiple choice practices and begun to fully learn some of the vocabulary that may have caused you to stumble before.

Additionally, you may want to continue working on your research/close reading of your amendments to the US Constitution. We will be closing that assignment on Thursday and I'll be checking your work to prepare for your timed writing.

English II

Good work today finishing up Spirited Away.  Next class we will continue to read "Rama and Ravana in Battle" as well as get started on our final writing assignment - a character analysis!

Homework for A-Day Students: 17 April 2017

And after a wonderful break, we're back to it! Keep pushing hard to the end of the year. We've only got 14 A days left.

Advanced Russian: Don't miss your scheduled Oral Proficiency Interview with Mrs. Sudderth, Dr. Oyediran, or Ms. Verdone. Be early! Speak clearly and understand.

Russian IV - Complete the reading of White Nights and continue tracking the relationship between the characters through quotations. Make sure to record one quotation from/about each for each section (this takes you to seven for each of them). Try to interpret and analyze as you work through them. We'll finish the story on Wednesday.

Russian III - In your textbooks, read the information on GERUNDS (pages 475-477) and take notes as you read. Understand how they are translated and how they are formed. Don't forget to complete the earlier exercises on participles (long and short form).

Russian II - After today's workshop you should be able to finish your drafts on the weather in Durham and in your Russian city. Type or finish writing these sentences so that on Wednesday we can pull together our final drafts. Also, work through more of your plural declensions.

Russian I:

You have a quiz on Friday which will focus on forming plurals as well as vocabulary (reassessment). Make sure that you are studying and reviewing nightly in order to learn this content. On Wednesday we will be learning about Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan. On Friday we will learn about Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Be prepared to present. Make sure that your PowerPoint has been submitted through Google Classroom.

English II:

Very good class today - I'm about to sit down and read your paragraphs. Make sure that you're reviewing the new vocabulary; you'll see it on Wednesday when we read some Zen parables.