Beginning the Week - 2 March 2021

AP Language

Today was our day to begin the study and analysis of Invisible Man. This is going to be a long slog, but it's well worth it. In my opinion, this is one of the most important novels written in the last 100 years in the United States. It will give you new perspectives on old and contemporary issues in our society. It's not an easy read to be sure, but it is rewarding. 

As you read, continue to use the tools you've been given. Annotate. Use your motif charts. Collect vocabulary. Be active and think as you read. We won't figure everything out, but together we can figure out more.

Next class will be our final day to submit essays, conference on the writing process, or complete the AP Classroom FRQ. I'll be available on Wednesday during Lion Time for any needed conversations.

Next week we'll focus on Chapters 2-4. Use the YouTube videos to help you make sense of these difficult chapters. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

English 10

Today in class we took time to discuss some issues related to grammar before jumping in to the last task in our unit - the final interpretation. I know that the outline for this document is complicated - that's because we're working with a complex skill. The goal is always the same though: creating clear claims which are supported with evidence. I was very happy to get the chance to conference with you today - if we didn't meet today, then we will next class.

As you are working today, the main task is the outline. Completing your outline will give you a lot of great work to help you put together your final interpretation. We'll chat about outlines next class if we didn't today - work through it as much as you can so that we can have a productive conference. We can also meet on Wednesday during Lion Time if needed.

Beginning the Week - 23 February

AP Language

Today was our day to get caught up on our research paper unit. Since we didn't have class last week, we took today for writing conferences. For those of you who didn't complete the conference today, we'll meet on Monday during Office Hours or on Tuesday/Thursday next week during class.

Thursday will be asynchronous. Use that time to complete your AP Classroom FRQ and/or the drafting of your paper. I've uploaded the template for MLA formatting your document here as well as the recording. Keep in mind that the place to submit your paper is live and the final rubric is posted there for you to use.

English 10

Today was also our catch-up day on our museum and research unit. The main goal for today was to complete our supporting work so that we can focus on the final part of this unit next week - the final interpretation of the piece. Be sure that all of your tasks on Google Classroom are submitted and marked complete. If you're not sure what to do, reach out for help via email or in a private comment. 

Thursday's class is an asynchronous one. I've already uploaded the outline assignment as well as a recording to help you complete that assignment. The outline will make sure you have a clear claim that you will then finalize next week in your final assignment in the unit. Our next unit is one of my favorites - we'll be looking at literature from Eastern Europe and Russia - I'm excited to show you all one of my favorite parts of the world and one of my favorite books. 

Week 21 - Tuesday the 9th of February

AP Language

Today was our kick-off into Invisible Man. We read the Prologue together and completed our motif chart together. Remember that this section of the novel is actually the end - as he says, "the end is in the beginning" - so as you move into Chapter 1, you'll notice big differences in his voice, style, and attitude. One of our main questions is "How did he end up this way?" The novel will help us answer that.

One suggestion as you read this novel is to build connections to other texts we have read. Seeing how DuBois's ideas are brought into the chapter - especially with this idea of distorted vision - may help you interpret the text.

Next class is asynchronous. There will be a Google Form posted for you to complete for your work. You'll also have access to your returned research paper tasks and the final rubric, focus on drafting to prepare for submission at the end of the month. Reach out for help - I'll do what I can.

English 10

This week our goal is to decide on a piece in the museum/space we've been studying which will be our focus for the final step of our project. Next class, you'll have time to finish any of the previous steps that you missed, and move forward with your research on your chosen piece.

I hope that you all appreciated the time to meet with each other and share your findings so far. If you're not so interested in what you're looking at so far, maybe the work of a peer can take us in a new direction to help us find an interest we didn't know we had. Use the recordings to resubmit your Drag and Drop or other assignments for this unit so far.

Remember that Thursday/Friday will be asynchronous. There will be a Google Form posted for you to log your attendance and do your work for class. Use the class time as you need to - get caught up or get ahead, but no matter what, keep moving forward.

Beginning Week 20

AP Language

Today we began our study of the Harlem Renaissance and eventually our reading of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Keep in mind that as we are beginning this unit, we are also finishing our research papers. Your next step is due on February 8th - the Synthesis SourcePack assignment. See the template document to complete that work.

Tonight you will need to read Chapter 1 from The Souls of Black Folk by WEB DuBois. There's a reading guide to help you prepare for our class on Thursday/Friday where we'll do some close reading and focus on key ideas in the text which will show throughout the unit. It's a good idea to start collecting vocabulary now, as you will have a set of cards due eventually.

I hope that you enjoyed today's class. I'm looking forward to seeing your thoughts and questions on DuBois's text.

English 10

Today in class was our working day to kick off Week 20. This week our task is to complete Part 2 of our Museum Unit, which is the research on our choice museum. We'll be putting together a tourist information reference on the museum for someone who would visit. We'll be using resources and information from the Internet to complete this work, so citing our information and using proper format will be one of our goals this week.

Access the lesson on NoRedInk to review citations and get more practice. You'll be getting a grade on citations in the second assignment this week, so your knowledge will be assessed in the project. Be sure that work from last week is complete before moving on.

Ending the Week - Thursday the 28th

AP Language

Today was our final day for researching and the building of outlines in class. The recording posted on Google Classroom goes over the template documents for the outline and sourcepack assignment as well as the requirements of the rubric for the outline. I hope you find it helpful. I'm available on Monday during Office Hours to review or conference before you submit your outlines.

We will start reading very soon, likely next week. If you need to secure a copy of Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, let me know via email. If you've not started reading, it's recommended you do so that you can begin to get ahead.

Enjoy the weekend! I'm looking forward to reading and discussing texts with you all again.

English 10

Today was a really exciting day, and I hope that you were able to use this time as a chance to explore and travel to various museums around the world. Remember that our goal is to find a museum which appeals to us first, then we'll find a piece in that museum which really draws our attention and makes us want to dig deeper. This can really be any item in the museum - based on what it is will direct the work that we will do in the rest of the unit. 

One of the main skills we'll be working with through this unit is developing our use of specific examples in our writing. Today we did a mini-lesson on citations to guide our work and practice moving forward. The recording is posted for you to access as you need it.

By the end of this week you should have submitted two tasks - the Semester 1 Reflection and the Perfect Paragraph - Museum Choice. Keep using our class time to produce and focus on your tasks. If you need additional time this weekend to finish anything, take it and submit your work before due dates on Monday.