19 March - Another Wacky Wednesday

English 11

A great day in English 11 as we started our conclusion with poetry and with our third quarter tasks. We did a quick grammar review at the beginning of class - mostly focused on commas and sentence structure - before going into our review for our poetry exam on Friday. 

The most important thing to focus on learning before Friday are the literary devices. Reviewing our slides and our recordings will help with this. I would also recommend reviewing your theme checklist. Remember that theme is the message or whole statement about the topic. What does the author want the audience to know about the topic? What is the author's opinion on the topic? My best advice to prepare is to review your devices from our unit, read more poetry, and consider the topics and messages. 

The end of class was all about our final tasks - presentations and book projects. I'm glad that each day more and more final tasks are submitted for me to review. Remember that the final day for presentations is next week on Tuesday. We'll be transitioning to our new unit on Thursday. I'll have all grades updated next week for you. As always, reach out with any questions or concerns. I'll be available Thursday (March 20) after school if you need that.

5 March - Happy Spring!

English 11

Happy Wednesday Everyone! It was great to be back with you all today. Today was a bit of an everything class, but we were focused on assessment of learning and improving our skills for the future. We started things off by completing our vocabulary review and studying before our quiz. I've updated the grades in the gradebook based on your most recent demonstration of your skill. Remember, if you didn't complete the review activity then the quiz will count for both. If you missed today's quiz or you'd like a retake, just make an appointment for Friday, and we'll settle it up.

After the quiz we rolled into some feedback and review on our upcoming presentations. We did a great lesson on the different types of argument because I see a lot of you needing to extend your skill to meet a new need. Think about the flavor of argument that you're presenting and be sure to include key language related to that. We also focused on the idea of defining key words and phrases with specificity and the important distinction between EFFECT and AFFECT. 

At the end of class, we took time as we needed for questions and concerns and to develop the ideas of our project. I'll begin presentations starting March 17. You can come during lunch, Lion Time, or we can do it during class. When you're ready, we'll complete the task. Remember you're getting writing grades and oral communication. Next week we'll be focused on our creative book projects - this is your reading score. If you're missing your quiz, please get that turned in by Friday to avoid a zero. The last major grade we have for this quarter is our Poetry Test. This will happen in the last weeks of the quarter. We'll do a bit more study and review before.

Let's keep crushing our goals as we move to the end of the quarter. Come visit at Lion Time for the extras you may need.

Tuesday the 25th - See Ya Next Week

English 11

Today was a busy day in English 11. We were starting a few tasks which we'll continue to work on and finish over the next few days. Remember that I'll be out for the next two classes, so today you started some of the tasks that you'll be finishing up. Let's review what we did and talk about what we have coming up.

We started the day by doing some vocabulary review. Your quiz will be next week on Wednesday. Your review assignment is due on the day of the quiz. It's a formative grade, the quiz will be a summative one. After our vocabulary time, we worked on analyzing non-print texts. I really liked the outcomes that you all were getting to related to the images, the way to draw details from them, and the connections that can be built. After that, we went to the work on our presentations.

The presentation work will be the main work for you on Thursday and into next week. It's time for you to find sources, finalize your research question, and consider your argument. If you're working in a group, each person needs to have ownership of a part. On Thursday and Monday you'll continue to find and process sources to contribute to your final presentation. You'll also be focused on reading so that you can get finished with your books. 

I'll keep up with you the best I can while I'm away. Be respectful stewards of our space and welcoming to our guest. I look forward to seeing where your presentations are going and to wrapping up our unit in the coming weeks.

19 February - WorkKeys, Done!

English 11

Great work today, everyone! We did the WorkKeys test. I'm so happy from looking at the data that so many of you felt prepared from our practice and focus on writing over the last few weeks and the year so far. If you were absent, don't worry, there's a retest opportunity. I should know your results soon, and I'll communicate them with you as soon as possible. 

After our WorkKeys test today, we took time for ourselves. There was our reflection form (you can't do it if you were absent because it relies on the test), and then we cleaned out notebooks or just relaxed a bit. Next class we'll be focusing solely on our books and research based presentations related to the books. Be ready to do some work related to your book on Friday, so read in order to prepare. We'll have our presentations in mid-March, which isn't too far away. Looking forward to seeing you on Friday, unless of course this snow that's falling has other plans for us.

10 February - Monday and Snow in the Forecast

English 11

Great day in English 11 today. I loved watching you all collaborate together as you discussed your books and the future presentations that you'll put together related to your novel study. Remember some of the major ideas of this project as you're working and planning:

1. The goal is to have ownership of the project, even if you're working as a group. Each person needs to have a particular portion. You can share an introduction and conclusion, but each person should have their own evidence.

2. Evidence can be shared. Even if you're working on your own, I would hope that you still collaborate with your group about the work you're doing.

3. Your presentation can be in a variety of formats. You can do a slide show, a TikTok video, a speech, or another option. Remember that you can also present to the whole class, to me, or to a small group. Consider what is the most achievable for you!

As we're now starting to wrap up our preparation for our writing test next week, we'll be focused more on this project. Coming in during Lion Time or after school is also a great way to make some forward momentum. 

The main focus for us today was beginning our projects, we also had reading time, and did our next five vocabulary words. Hopefully I'll see you on Wednesday, but if school is canceled because of the snow, then I'll see you on Friday. Be sure that if you missed your vocabulary quiz on List 4 or your practice letter (either one) that you see me to make this up! It's important that you get the letter practice and feedback before you write next week for the state.

Sorry for the Delay - 8 April

FCPS updated its software, and I lost access to the blog. Here's the update for today.

AP Language and Composition

Pretty easy day to start our week this week in AP Language as we focused on setting some loose ends, finishing assignments, and working through our exam preparation tasks. Let's review. We started today by looking at our notebooks, grades, and feedback so far. These documents and artifacts are so helpful for you as you're preparing for the end of the year. I look forward to seeing your reflections. You should get a copy in your email of your answers.

From there we went into our research work and independent tasks. Your sourcepack is due next class, no matter if you're writing on this prompt or the one I choose for you. This is easy. Follow the examples and avoid overthinking! Submit when ready. The space to submit documents related to your presentation is also available. If you're doing the timed write, you'll see that on Monday. 

Reach out with questions! I'm here to help!

12 March - Writing, Feedback, and Invisible Man

AP Language and Composition

Pretty simple and straightforward day today in AP Language with a day focused on our research and our writing. We started off class with some time to dig into sources and our research write-up document. This document is super important as you are farming your sources and constructing your final synthesis sourcepack to support your presentation. Remember that part of working with the sources is to write about them in order to determine their possible use in your work. If you think that you can use the source, then put it in your sourcepack. We'll be checking on reading skills soon, this Annotated Bibliography is designed to help you develop those skills.

We also spent time today discussing our writing skills. Some of us are showing some growth, others maybe are still hitting speedbumps. Let's make sure that we're focused on pushing forward and solving problems. Use your class time and Lion Time effectively. A writing conference is key! Let's set a goal and accomplish it together. Remember, we have just nine weeks until the AP Examination!

Don't forget your reading and discussion board posts for Invisible Man. Next class we're looking at Chapters 20-22. This is a really important section of the novel. Trigger Warning: There is police violence in this section. Read, annotate, and think. I'll look forward to seeing you on Thursday. 

26 May - Into the Weekend

AP Language

Really fantastic day today in AP Language. College essays are one of my favorite things to teach, read, and advise on, so today's lesson hit me in all of my happy places. I hope that you enjoyed. Please submit your Active Reading Task before we see each other next class. Next class we'll be writing about ourselves and taking a foray into personal statements and college essays. This is the second part of your final exam tasks. We'll also look at the instructions for the last part.

AP Research

Hooray for the last day of class. Make sure that any items that you need to submit for Wednesday's presentation are in on Schoology. Your presentation on Wednesday is a pitch of one of your item. Your goal in your presentation is to sell your item to me to be used in next year's class. Remember that you'll have a maximum of five minutes. Bring snacks! I'm excited to see what you do!

30 March - End of the Unit

AP Language

Great final working day for Quarter 3. Remember that we will be returning to class after Spring Break to our double timed writing - you'll be writing on Question 2 and 3 followed by the MCQ. This is a total reset on your grades for the beginning of the Fourth Quarter - so be prepared in the best way that you can.

If you would like to/need to submit a revision of your Annotated Bibliography, please do so. I'll accept these until April 13 to be reviewed. Submit your assignment that's due before you begin your break, you won't have time after we return.

I'm very excited to take you all into the end of the course, let's finish with style!

AP Research

Today was a fantastic day to end the unit in AP Research since we're doing another round of peer review. We've got access to revision guides, sample papers, each other, the rubric, and earlier lessons so that we can put together an accurate and high scoring representation of our work this year. 

The final reflection questions have been posted. These are due on April 13 to Schoology to end the quarter. You will have nothing but time to work, revise, and prepare for presentations when we return. Note, there are just two classes before we begin PODs on April 17. Work hard, be ready. Remember, we're basically done by May 1.

Monday and Tuesday - 28 and 29 March

Sorry for the oversight with the post yesterday, the meeting we had after school took the wind out of my sails.

English 10

Today was the beginning of our final assessment week for Latin America. This week we're focused on writing a letter to a Latin American leader that presents our argument about a problem or issue in their country. I loved the seriousness that I saw today. We were engaged in the task and working hard. Keep that up and we'll have a great last week before break.

Next class we'll look at an example letter to prepare for our writing workshop. We'll also have a Membean vocabulary test next class - so be sure to prepare a bit for that. Friday is the day we'll write our letter. I'll grade them after I get back from my trip and we'll have the time when we return to complete any revisions that we need to raise our grades.

AP Language

Timed Writing Day! Timed Writing Day!

Today we went through the process of writing our synthesis essays. I am looking forward to reading and scoring your responses. If you were absent, be sure to schedule a make-up session. I can see you Wednesday or Thursday after school or we can do it after Spring Break at the very latest.

All scores have been entered for the Annotated Bibliography. If you would like to resubmit the assignment, please do so. Resubmissions will be accepted until the 13th of April. There are comments to guide you in the process of revising. If you are missing this assignment, it will still be accepted.

Next class we're focused on Jargon/Vocabulary. The goal will be to submit that assignment to cap off this unit. I'll have your work scored to guide any resubmissions when we return from break. See you for the last class!

AP Research

Great work today as we watched our final POD to prepare for our examination season to begin. This final POD is a great example of a rule of thumb I like to follow, "The more complext the topic, the simpler the slides." Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Most all of you can build the slides you saw today, so you should.

Next class we will have our next round of Peer Review. You should have four sections of your paper read to be shared with a classmate. Be sure that you've done your revisions to update your existing sections. Check for alignment!

Be sure that Spring Break pushes you forward. I hope you'll find time to relax, but if you're finding a need to use that time, please do so. PODs BEGIN ON APRIL 17.

End of Week 28 - Friday the 9th

AP Research

Today was our day to meet very quickly and discuss the sections we're focused on creating right now - the Findings and the Analysis of the Data. Keep in mind that the section guide views this as one section, but we should really see it as two. The majority of our day was spent on Peer Review to give feedback and suggestions for improvement moving forward.

Next week we'll look at the conclusion section of the paper as we end Unit 5. By the end of next week, you should find yourself with a full draft of the Academic Paper. It's a beast coming in at 4000-5000 words. I hope you recognize your achievement here - it's a big deal.

Focus now on editing, revising and finalizing your report. Remember that it is a good time to also begin the construction of your slides. Unit Six will focus on the POD and we will also complete our presentations in the next unit to be scored. Mark your calendars for May 10th. This will be our presentation week. Remember that everything is due to Digital Portfolio by May 20 at 11:59 PM. You may want to access your Digital Portfolio now and review the requirements for submission.

AP Language and English 10

See the post below for your reminders over the weekend. Be focused on the reading of your novels as well as turning in assignments from this week. As a reminder, I'll be in BBCU on Monday from 10-11:15 for Office Hours if you need me.

Closing Week 19

AP Research

Great work today everyone! I hope that you enjoyed the TEDTalk on data visualization. As I was saying in class, I think that it's important to think about our data and what we're trying to show through the data before we get too far into our investigation. This will allow us to plan as we go and have procedures in place for what we have ahead of us.

Today we created some skeleton slides for our POD based on what we've seen in the rubric as requirements. Next week we'll be presenting and pitching a bit to finish out this unit. I look forward to seeing what you'll come up with, as always. Remember that we'll meet for class on Friday. Wednesday will be available for you to work.

Homework for A-Day - 16 December

It's the last week of school this decade! Be sure that you're completing your major milestones so that your break can be restful and relaxing!

AP Research

Today in class we had our first POD viewing session - Big Hero 6 and Cultural Hybridization. I think that watching the POD helps to really demystify the experience and the task that we have ahead of us. With the fire drill, we didn't have enough time for individual work, but that will find us on Wednesday.

On Google Classroom I posted the slides for today's class. The most important slide is probably the final slide where I outline what I'll be looking for in your PREP folders. Be sure that if you have any edits for your project that you have made them. Wednesday will be a day for working. Be prepared!

Russian I

Today in class we did a lot of case review today in order to understand how the cases are used and how to change words to show the cases.


Be sure that this week you are working to complete your work related to learning the cases. You'll have a small quiz on these on Friday. There's also always vocabulary to study and review. There are also exercises to help you with your studying. Remember that you can't do all of the second exercise - avoid talking about playing!

Advanced Russian

Today was a class for reviewing key grammar and vocabulary skills related to our most recent quiz. I hope that the review of the topics was helpful, the notes are posted. Remember that if you need additional support you can make quiz corrections and also check the exercises that you were given today.

Tonight focus on completing your projects and having them submitted before Wednesday's presentations. Russian III and IV only have FIVE MINUTES to present. You have your rubric, be sure to be prepared.


Friday is our New Year celebration! Be ready to have some fun and bring snacks if you'd like.

Homework for the Weekend - B Day - 11 October

AP Literature

Here we go into philosophy which may make you pull your hair out. Or you may just realize that nothing really matters and hair is just a social construct. Anyway, here we go into Unit 2. Remember that we'll start reading The Stranger by Albert Camus on Thursday - please secure a copy by then. We have some in class you can use if needed.

Over the weekend you should finish your visual representation related to your oppression work. These visuals are due on Tuesday. You can present to the class, or to your teachers privately. We are also reading a short story this weekend - Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers". As you read pay attention to the three philosophies at play in the story as well as the way that dialogue is used. Try and apply the philosophies as you read.

By this point, everything from Unit 1 should be complete. If you have questions or concerns, see us.

AP Research

Your work is the same as your colleagues in A-Day. The main goal is your annotated bibliography entries by Sunday. There's also your sixth reflection question. Remember that next week we'll be moving on into pitches and poster projects, the work in the Annotated Bibliography will really help you here. There are going to be many workshop days ahead, which will be helpful for us all!

Homework for B-Day Classes (and reminders for AP) - 2 April 2019

AP Seminar

As one of my favorite singers says, "Well I guess that push has come to this, so I guess this must be shove..." That's where we are in AP Seminar. We should regularly be checking things off and moving forward. I hope that today's workshop was helpful in that regard.

Revise and write and craft your IWA. Be sure that you are also designing your slides. Practice your Oral Defense questions with each other. Keep moving forward and ask for the help that you may need. If you were absent today, be sure that you find a partner to complete a First Submission workshop form - available on Google Classroom.

Advanced Russian

I'll be creating the space on Google Classroom for your projects on Thursday morning. Remember that Russian III is due this week and Russian II is due next week. Follow the guidelines for your project (recipe/weather) and ask for the help you may need. Remember that we are actively working on using our language to review the skills.

Today in class we began on new information - adverbs of quantity and count versus non-count nouns for Russian II - imperatives for first and third person for Russian III. There are exercises to review these concepts. Please complete exercises in Chapter 7 and 9 as needed focused on these concepts. The list of exercises is in the slides on Google Classroom.

Russian I

Today I gave you the study guide for your Unit 2 Exam which will fall next Friday. This exam will focus on the essential skills of cases (all six - nouns and adjectives) as well as verb conjugation. It will be very similar to the Unit 1 exam with more (seeing as you didn't know about adjectives before). Be sure to use your study guide and prioritize where you need to.

Additionally, we will begin on one of our last culture projects on Thursday - the former Soviet Union. Be sure that you have selected your top FIVE former republics (Russia is not an option). Do some preliminary research. We'll be choosing and starting on Thursday after we finish Office Romance.

AP English III

Be ready for your quiz on The Grapes of Wrath and be sure that if you have your chapter presentation tomorrow that you have shared your materials with me before class begins. We will have presentations and then the quiz.

Homework for A-Day Students: 28 January

Welcome to Quarter 3 and Semester 2! Our next major stops include Spring Break, AP Exams, Finals, and then Summer! Wahoo!!!!

AP English III

Tonight your main task is to complete the final independent reading of Beloved - Chapter 26, in Part Three. As you are reading, keep in mind the two key questions for this chapter:

1. What is happening both literally and figuratively between Beloved and Sethe in this chapter?
2. Why is this chapter mostly about Denver?

Continue reading and annotating. Remember that your final annotations will be due when we finish the book next week.

In terms of our projects, we did not have the chance to present in 1A due to the Lockdown Drill. So, please see me at lunch, before or after school for your presentations. Your projects are due at the end of the week via an electronic submission. Remember our key takeaways in class - this is not meant to be an essay presented in another format. Consider what text is essential and what is not. Consider where the text can be altered to display its meaning or where imagery can be used to emphasize key takeaways.

Lastly, our next novel will be The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. We'll begin this book in about three weeks, so you may want to get your copies now.

English IV

Tonight we should all be focused on studying our word parts for our Lesson 16 Quiz. The quiz will be next week. You should be focused on knowing the meaning of the sixteen main word parts that we have learned as well as the key words. Try to think of other words that share these roots and meanings. Next class we'll have an activity to help us with remembering our word parts better!

Homework for the Weekend - A Day

AP English III

We all got to the same place today, but 4A didn't have the opportunity to read the introduction aloud so that we had a handle on some of the bigger ideas that DuBois is presenting in his text. I've uploaded the slides from 1A where we had some of these discussions to help you make sense of the article.

Be sure that you look at the slides as you are reading to get an understanding of ideas like "double consciousness" as well as "the veil". These are going to be major ideas in African American literature that many authors will approach - it's important that we see them from their beginning with DuBois. Read and annotate this text in advance of our discussion on Tuesday.

Additionally, be ready to have your websites graded on Monday. Any changes should be made to the site before 5:00 so that those changes can be assessed. I enjoyed your presentations today.

English IV

Today in class we did a lot to focus on vocabulary as well as finish our study of "Showdown with Big Eva". I'll have your graphic organizers graded in just a bit. Next class we'll finish our test corrections and we'll also get started on our final project with A Doll's House. I'm hoping that we will finish this play and most of the unit before we leave for Thanksgiving break. Remember that if you didn't take the quiz on Act I, then you should see me to get that settled.

Homework for 7 February 2018 - A Day

Russian I

Today in class we started learning about how Russians live and the types of houses that they enjoy. I think that this is a very important thing for us to learn as we are working on our own house projects. For tonight, continue to work on your projects. Start writing your sentences about your rooms so that next class I can check them. Remember that for each room you want to:

1. describe the room
2. state what furniture is in the room (describe the furniture too)
3. state what action happens in the room

Make sure that you are using adjectives and cases (nominative, prepositional, and genitive) to accomplish this project.

Next class you will have a quiz on nouns, possessive pronouns, and adjectives in nominative, genitive, and prepositional cases.

Advanced Russian

Today we did a lot of good work related to our projects as well as understanding a bit more about when and how to use perfective verbs of motion. Tonight gives you a chance to continue working on your projects as well as practicing with your language before our quiz next week. Be sure that you have taken time tonight to fully understand your conjugations and cases connected to the verbs. Next class will be our last chance to work on the projects in class before they come due.

English IV

From looking at the work you all did today it seems as though you are ready to present your projects on Friday. Make sure that you have prepared for your presentation by having your information ready related to your answer and that you can explain one of the pictures related to your topic and answer as well.

Homework for A-Day Students - 12 December 2017

English IV

Today we had a great class watching The Globe Theatre's production of Twelfth Night for scenes four and five in Act II. With that, we finished our study of Act II. I was happy to see so many of you actively watching and engaging with the play today - it showed when you caught the jokes and laughed out loud. We did some great analysis today of the play as well.

Next class we will go over our takeaways from Act II and start watching She's the Man - the modern adaptation of Twelfth Night. Be sure that for now you are working to prepare to make corrections to old tests and that you have looked over PowerSchool for any missing work or assignments - those assignments need to be turned in by Friday.

Advanced Russian

Today was a very productive class in which we reviewed our use of time expressions and prepositions as well as preparing for presentations and writings soon. Be sure that you are ready for your timed writing on Thursday (Russian II) or for your in class Russian presentation (Russian III).

Russian III - Be sure that you have your permission slips and notes for tomorrow and that you meet in my room no later than 8:30. We will complete the visual before we head over to UNC Chapel Hill for the day. Have your vocabulary cards ready. We'll have a good chance to finish preparing tomorrow morning. I'll have extra copies of the essay for us.

Next week is an assessment week for all of you. On Monday we will have the field test, and on Wednesday you will have your unit exams. We will finish preparing for the unit examinations on Thursday.

Russian I

Lots of fun today hearing about my misadventures as a nineteen year old in St. Petersburg. Ugh, if you all could have seen me then. The main thing that we reviewed today is where and why to use our three cases in Russian - NOMINATIVE/ACCUSATIVE/PREPOSITIONAL. Remember that there are key words (in, at, on, about) and key locations (before or after the verb) that help us to make these choices. This is all important for you all as we complete our exercises and get ready for Thursday.

Make sure that you've finished exercises 1, 2, 7, and 8 in the packet as best you can. Be sure that you have worked on your sentences about yourself and your friends (one male, one female). On Thursday we will go to the computer lab and put together our sentences and paragraphs so far and you will earn a project grade for this work.

As always, if you need additional help outside of class be sure that you are using your resources wisely to accomplish your goals. I am always here and can give suggestions of what you can do to improve.

Homework for the Weekend - A Day - 8 December 2017

It snowed today! Yay! Hopefully it'll keep snowing more! Here are your reminders and tasks for the weekend.

Russian I

Some of you were able to get some good work done today in class and some of you were not. I remind you all that Russian is difficult; it's even more difficult when you don't try to learn it. This weekend you should be able to accomplish the following:

1. Work through your exercise pack which I gave you today. Complete page one to review verb conjugation. Complete the other pages to review the use of accusative and prepositional case.
2. Prepare for your reassessment on conjugation of Chapter One verbs (first and second conjugation). In order to study, see the above suggestion.
3. Continue to work on your project about you and your friends. We will have part of this due formally before Winter Break - you will be expected to write several sentences about your friends and start to construct your PowerPoint. This will help you prepare for your test on our first three cases (nominative, accusative, and prepositional).

I am available on Monday morning and during lunch on Monday if you need additional help.

Russian II/III

Over the weekend you should all be actively preparing for your unit exam as well as your performance task. Hopefully you are using your study guide to determine where you need to focus your efforts. I think that a good place to stay focused is on time expressions and numbers.

Russian II - You should continue to work through preparing for your timed writing. Remember that you cannot write the letter in advance and bring it, but you can bring vocabulary that you've developed to help you. Remember that in this task you are talking about your life in school and out of school - you can do this by talking about a day or by talking about a week or even a year - it's up to you.

Russian III - You should be completing your elements of your visuals so that you can construct your visual on Tuesday and finish preparing for your presentation on Wednesday at UNC. Please ask for my assistance if you need it as you work through the construction of the visual.

English IV

We had some fun today working through Act II, Scene 4 of Twelfth Night. If you have any missing assignments to complete (the Acting a Fool project or take-home test) be sure that you get that work in to us next week. Next class you should be ready to work through the remainder of Act II as well as engage your acting talents to read through the text even more.