20 September - Grey Tuesday

English 10

Today was a lovely start to our week together as we wrapped up our work on South Africa. We did some grammar to review titles and punctuation, worked to complete our AECS South Africa reflection, and then reviewed our project requirements for the end of the unit as well as resources to help us do this work.

Next class we'll be reading our last text for the unit and having time to focus on our projects. I'll have your paragraphs graded and back to you next week and we'll do some revising work if needed. Remember to talk to your families tonight for your project work - they're kinda the experts in a few places. 

14 September - Grey Wednesday

English 10

We started our work with Desmond Tutu's speech and will finish our work with it next class. We'll also be saying good bye to South Africa next class, so be ready for that too. Our work in class today focused on the idea of identifying claims and the evidence that supports that claim. I like that we were able to find some key claims and the support for them that Tutu uses. It's great to see the way that authors build their ideas; we'll be doing similar work, so using their work as models for us is very helpful.

Be ready for writing next class. We'll be doing some instruction and then I'll ask you to show me what you can do! 

See you Friday!!

12 September - Monday

English 10

Good day today everyone, we didn't have that much time to work through our day, but we got started, and that's what counts. I appreciate your attention and work today during the reading diagnostic. We'll take that same test a few more times this year to track your growth. 

We started with our final South African author - Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Today was our introduction to him and next class we'll read through his speech. At the end of the week we'll get started on our first project of the year. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all create. 

8 September - Thursday

English 10

Lovely end of the week in English 10 today. We finished our first short story, "The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer. I like this story as a first one due to its interesting ending, the conflicts, and the use of detail in the story. It's an interesting look at how what people do can tell us a lot about them - especially if we consider the husband's actions. 

We'll stay studying South Africa for a few more classes. Be ready for a reading diagnostic next week. Enjoy the weekend! I'll see you on Monday.

6 September - Grey Day

English 10

Good day in English 10 as we began our study of South Africa. We'll be focused on this country for the next few classes - reading different pieces and understanding different points of view. Today we started with Nadine Gordimer and her story "The Train from Rhodesia". We got through most of it and will finish next class. We'll have time next class to focus on vocabulary and prepare for our next text from South Africa from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

September 8th and 9th

AP Language

Great day today everyone! We worked through Abraham Lincoln's "Gettsburg Address" in order to understand the rhetorical appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos as well as the way in which meaning is created and layered through the text.

For tonight, I want you to interact with another speech. It's on page 272 in your textbook - Mario Cuomo's Speech to the 1984 Democratic National Convention. Read the speech or interact with it via the video linked on Schoology. Apply one of our note taking structures to help you pull apart the meaning in the speech.

Don't forget to submit your dirty outlines. For this remember to use the Singer prompt and spell out your thesis, body paragraph claims, evidence, and explanation, and a refutation. This should appear like a bullet point list, not a full essay.

Next class we're looking at letters.

English 10

Great work today in class as we worked through Archbishop Tutu's "Let South Africa Show the World How to Forgive". We focused on his main claims as well as the evidence he provided to spell out and support those claims. Remember that claims can be spread across paragraphs as can evidence. 

From there, we spent time with another South African text, before we took time to finish our day with a writing assignment. For homework, be sure to complete and submit your South Africa reflection. You can use any text that we've studied for your evidence. Be sure to answer the question clearly and provide a clear piece of evidence to support your claim. Submit to Schoology!

The Long Weekend (Before and After)

AP Language

Today in class we had a workday in which we focused on reading/annotating/vocabulary and/or our first project of the year called "What's the Situation". Remember that the reading will be officially assigned to you later in this unit, this is just a chance for us to get ahead a bit.

Over the weekend, be sure that you've uploaded your dirty outline as well as completed any forms (syllabus signature and/or the student questionnaire). Next week we'll have additional time to work on our project in class. Your project is due at the end of next week.

We've got some diagnostics coming to us around the corner. So far so good in AP Language land! Keep pushing and striving.

English 10

Today in class we started our first country focus - South Africa. We began by looking at a clip from a movie about South Africa called Sarafina, and then we did some research on South African culture. We learned a lot about the culture and especially about the strife in South Africa and the various examples of culture clash. From there we read. Our story we're reading right now is "The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer.

To finish the story, complete your story notes. Remember to note new vocabulary words, draw the setting to the best of your ability, and fill out the column notes based on your reading. Turn this in to me next class!

Closing the Week - Friday, October 2nd - Grey Day

Reminders below for AP Language and English 10 are the same as for today's classes. Remember that if you have decided to check out books from school, please let me know. You will be able to come to school on the 12th of October to retrieve your books for the year. I'll share more details about this next week. Over the weekend/Monday be sure to complete your assignments, especially if anything is missing. 

AP Research

Today we took time to conference and continue our development of our research questions and the supporting elements of those questions. Some of you may find it useful as your question develops to continue to go back and revise your problem statement. Consider how your evolving question will continue to send you back to your sources and databases to find more information that you need. There's always more to do, but we're making great strides.

Next week you'll have two assessments - first will be your quiz on our CRAAP method for testing sources. Second will be the submission of your source list. The magic number is twenty five. I'll have all of this uploaded next week for you! Remember that as you work on your own, I'll keep myself available for questions and check-ins.

Happy October! Blue Day - 10/1 - End of Week 4

Time certainly flies when you're busy and having fun! Congratulations on making it to the end of the first month of virtual school. We've been adjusting and supporting each other through it - and I'm a fan of all of that. Below are your reminders moving into the weekend.

Please, mark your calendars! Book collection for my classes will be on October 12 at Fairfax High School. Remember this is your time to collect your novels for the year. Please see the Book Form (Day 5) and register your preference if you haven't already!

AP Language

Today was a day to brush off our close reading and annotating skills as we investigated the conclusion of Occom's "Narrative". This was a great way for us to pair our work with rhetoric and the rhetorical situation as we were able to dig deep and explore his message to his audience. 

Over the weekend your priority is Mini-Project 1. If you have questions or need a review, feel free to email me/share a draft with me and ask for feedback/or attend Office Hours on Monday.

The other items hovering on us are our first vocabulary cards - use Google Slides and follow the template on Google Classroom. Our revisions of our diagnostics - next week we'll discuss structure and organization. 

Lastly, the reading which will be discussed next week is Vowell's "The Wordy Shipmates." It's available on page 267 in the textbook. This is low priority right now, but it's our next text to consider if you'd like to get ahead.

English 10

Today we had our timed writing in class to finish our writing diagnostic. Remember that you're getting four grades on this assignment - one for your argument/thesis, one for the examples, one for explanation, and one for style. I hope that you were able to use your planning and earlier work to be ready and feel prepared for our task today. If you were not able to complete the planning steps, you will be able to get partial credit based on your essay that you wrote today. Also remember that you can redo this essay if you're not happy with your score.

Our other task for class today and on to the weekend is to work with Desmond Tutu's speech from our textbook on forgiveness in South Africa. Remember that the questions and tasks in the textbook are there to help you but aren't required. To get credit, complete Homework Assignment 4. Interact with one of the two choice activities at the end of the speech - there's an interview and a Google Earth field trip. Then, submit the South Africa reflection.

Be sure that if you're missing anything from before that it's turned in. We're at our mid-point, and I don't want anyone to fall behind.

Kicking off Week 4 - Blue Day

AP Language

A great day in AP Language filled with reading, discussion, and reflecting. As always, I love seeing your thoughts and opinions related to our study.

Use your PearDeck notes or the slides in class to help you as you revise and continue to read the texts in our class. The approach to finding rhetorical appeals and considering the rhetorical situation is a great strategy for you to use as you read non-fiction and sort through the various ways that authors make their arguments complete.

For tonight, our reading is Samson Occom's From "A Short Narrative of My Life". It begins on page 226 in the textbook. As you read, consider his audience for the text and the way in which he appeals to them. Think about when this was written and who was buying books at that time. 

Don't forget about your mini-project due on October 5. If you have any questions, please let me know. Begin the revision process on your outlines - you have ample time to work on them and resubmit for a new score.

English 10

Today we began our study of South Africa by learning about its history and starting our reading of Nadine Gordimer's "The Train from Rhodesia".

Tonight, you should use your story map to finish reading and studying the story. Pay attention to the way that the woman and her husband get into an argument. Think about how the argument could be symbolic. What does the woman realize at the end of the story? I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Don't forget that next class is our in-class essay. Be sure that Homework 2 and 3 are done to help you be ready - the topic of the essay is competition.

Please let me know if there are any questions or concerns - enjoy your afternoon!

Homework for A Day Students - 6 April 2016

Russian I, II, III:

You all have assessments next class.  Make sure that you have studied your grammar information that will be assessed as well as the vocabulary that you will need.  The reminders for your assessments are in the previous posts.

English II:

You have reading to complete tonight from South Africa.  Please read "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses" by Bessie Head and pay attention to the ideas we discussed in class.  The characters are really important in the story as is the conflict between them.  Make sure that you consider why the men are in conflict with each other as well as how the conflict is resolved.

We'll be moving on next class to looking at the story in detail and working on our essays more.

Homework for B Day Students - 5 April 2016

AP English III

Please remember to get caught up with your reading and blogging in advance of Thursday's class.  By the beginning of class on Thursday I should be able to find your question and thesis post for your mural, your analysis of the motifs in Chapters 23, 24, and 25, and lastly your synthesis post for the last half of the novel.

You should also be working diligently in your group to plan your mural - remember to use your blogs since that is a record of your thoughts, quotes, and ideas about these motifs.  I would recommend using a piece of notebook paper/computer paper to start planning out what will go where on your murals.  Lay out the quotes, images, and other elements.  Organize them in a way that makes sense.  Remember that you're proving your thesis through your mural - you want to organize and plan the same way you would a written essay.

Next class we will be finishing our seminar on Invisible Man, be caught up and prepared to participate.  Next week we will begin our work on The Crucible.  Make sure that you have your copy.

English II

Great class today to begin our work on South Africa.  For tonight, I want you to read Bessie Head's "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses".  As you read, pay attention to the idea of apartheid/segregation.  Also notice the two main characters of Brille and Hannetije.  Why are they in conflict with each other?  How does the conflict develop?  How is it resolved?

You have your own copy of the story, so you can take notes and highlight as you read.  Don't forget to be able to answer the first three questions at the end of the story in advance of a possible reading quiz.  Next class we will spend more time developing our essays and learning more about South Africa.

English II - Extra Credit Assignment - 9/3 and 9/4

If you finish typing your final draft and turn in your draft packet before the end of the period, then you may complete this extra credit assignment.  To complete the extra credit assignment, follow these instructions:

1.  Leave a comment to this blog post by clicking the link below.
2.  Do an Internet search for a current event related to South Africa - it may be related to culture, politics, arts, or anything that you'd like as long as it is centered on South Africa.
3.  Post the link to your article in your comment.
4.  Type a three to four sentence summary of your current event.
5.  Explain in three to four sentences how this current event is connected to Sarafina, "The Train from Rhodesia", or "Teaching Under Apartheid".  Be clear and specific when you explain this connection.
6.  Leave your name and class period in the comment to earn credit.