Getting into September - Mid Week Check-ins

English 11

Thank you all for being so good while we had technology problems in class today. Unfortunately, this means that we won't have a recording for today posted over on Schoology. Oh well. 

Today's class started with a quotation response in our notebooks followed by our first graded class discussion. Y'all did a fantastic job reviewing the four authors that we've read so far and discussing some of their major conflicts, resolutions, and perspectives in their texts. We made some great connections between the various authors as well. Some of these connections were a bit ironic, but that makes them even more powerful. As we keep going through this unit and year, consider how more texts combine together to create richer meanings and ideas.

We started reading one of the longest pieces of this unit called "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" by Tim O'Brien. This is a war story that blends a bit of fact and fiction. We'll finish the story next week. To end our day, we looked at vocabulary. Remember that you have a quiz next week (Thursday). Be sure to complete your review assignment before Thursday. Don't forget that you also have your discussion board due this week.

On Monday we had a good day as we read and studied "The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln to review the ideas of the rhetorical situation as well as the ways in which emotions are created in a text by an author for a purpose. We also closed out our first vocabulary list. We'll have time next class and Friday to prepare for next week's first quiz. Remember to focus on learning the words and their meaning. This will take you into most of the quiz. 

Next class is Picture Day! We'll take pictures at the beginning of class. After that, we'll take lunch and finish our day with writing. I hope you enjoyed today. See you on Friday!

Homework for B-Day Students: 18 May 2015

AP English III

First groups today did a great job of presenting and teaching their tales.  Good work!  Next class we'll run through the next set as well as the synthesizing conversation.  Be ready for your presentations.

English II

Today you got progress reports and a reminder of the extra credit project.  Do what you need to raise your grade.  Remember that essays are due on Friday!

Homework for B-Day Students: 14 May 2015

AP English III

We have next week pretty well planned out.  On Monday and Wednesday we'll have our discussion groups.  Three of you are presenting on Monday and three on Wednesday.  Remember to prepare a PowerPoint with your essential questions and your multiple choice questions and send it to me so that we can use them in your presentations.

Also, don't forget about your character cafe next Friday.  You know who you are going to be so now you can start to prep your costumes.  If you're going in a pair, try to coordinate with your partner, right A. Bird?  We'll sign up for refreshments on Monday.

English II

A lot of you got a lot of work done today on your essays.  Congratulations.  Continue working.  Remember that you need to follow the guidelines from our last two days of writing bootcamp.  Take your outlines and remove the labels, put your sentences in the right order, and then add on.  Develop your examples and especially your explanation given what we've been discussing lately.  If you need me to continue working with you on this assignment then please make an appointment to work with me outside of class.  There will be a conference sheet on the door Friday for you to sign up.

Homework for the Weekend - B-Day Students - 8 May 2015

I've been feeling sick the whole weekend - nasty and congested.  Here are your reminders from Friday for Tuesday's class.

AP English III

We will be having our last class before the AP Exam on Tuesday.  Make sure that you've read and annotated "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" - it's probably my favorite story in the whole selection.  Stay focused on our key motifs and add to the characters as we'll see them develop.  This story is also interesting because it's told in a different voice.  Notice how O'Brien creates character through voice.

English II

I'll be reading your outlines online today and the paper ones turned in to Mr. Owen on Monday.  Everything will be ready for you on Tuesday so that we can move to the next step which is developing paragraphs.  From what I'm seeing so far there are about three issues that I'm seeing which are key:

1.  You haven't clearly outlined three topics.  Remember that two of the topics can be the same text, but they need to show different examples and explanation.

2.  You don't have a clear topic sentence for each topic.  Remember, you want to stay focused on relating your topic back to your idea about remembering tragedy.  Stay focused on your argument.

3.  There is weak explanation.  In your explanation remember to stay focused on the idea within your topic sentence.  How does your example help to display and prove this idea?

Continue working and revising.  Use these tips as you move forward.

Homework for B-Day Students: 30 April 2015

AP English III

For the weekend you have a few things to take care of to prepare for our next class.  Remember that with the AP Exams coming up next week we will only be holding class on Wednesday as most of you will be out for testing on Monday and Wednesday.  For Wednesday's class please make sure that you and your group have created a Google document which is shared with me (mrmillerjhs @ gmail [dot] com) in order to receive your first check-in grade as a group.  Remember the workflow, begin by reading the story, then determine your essential questions, and from there, plan your discussion.

In addition, please read and annotate George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant" which is available in 50 Essays or at this link.  You will want to build connections between this text and "The Man I Killed" as we'll be discussing both stories on Wednesday.

English II

Your homework for Monday's class is to finish your outline of all three topics.  Remember that you can use what we studied today in class (Night and Escape from Sobibor) as topics in your paper.  Please follow the instructions in the previous post and maintain your formatting of the topics in the outline.  For each topic you must:

• identify the topic
• write a topic sentence
• give your example from the topic
• explain how this example proves your point about remembering tragedy

Remember what we said at the beginning of this process - everything proves the argument!

Homework for B-Day Students: 28 April 2015

AP English III

For homework tonight I would like for you to read and annotate the story called "The Man I Killed" - This story isn't necessarily immediately after the one we studied today but you'll be able to find a lot of connections.  Stay focused on where we centered our conversation today as you read and annotate.

Additionally you'll have a full length Multiple Choice for practice next class.  This will provide you an opportunity to see the types of questions you'll be asked as well as the amount of energy it will take you to get through these readings and questions.  Prepare by studying your rhetorical terms and devices as this is really the only way you can possibly study.

English II

As we went over in class your homework is to work on your outline and complete the outlining of all three topics you will be using with your essay.  Be sure to follow the instructions in the previous post.  Remember that you'll use the same frame as topic one with topics two and three.  Follow the format in the document below and make sure to be specific with how you explain and prove your point.

Homework for the Weekend - B Day Students - 4/24/2015

AP English III

Over the weekend you have two important things to take care of to prepare for next week's class on Tuesday.  First, make sure that you complete your motif project for Invisible Man.  This has a few pieces:  your writing on the quotation, your illustration of the quotation, and then your motif chart for the whole text.  I'll collect these on Tuesday.

Second, complete the reading and annotating of the first story "The Things They Carried".  Pay special attention to the characters that are part of the platoon.  In addition, consider our ideas of truth and honesty as they relate to art.  We did a lot of foundation laying today in our approach to this text.

If you have time/energy, you may want to look at some of the shorter stories which will be taught by you all in small groups.  These stories are:  "Love", "Spin", "The Dentist", "Stockings", "Good Form", and "Night Life".  These are relatively short - you may want to see if you have any preferences as to these stories before we pick/assign them next week for discussion circles.

English II

Today we started the process of working on our essay outlines with the computers and resources in the lab.  You should continue this work this weekend.  First, outline your first topic that you'll use in your essay.  For most of you, this is an example of what you think the best way is to remember a tragedy.  Remember that you need to describe this "text" and explain how it proves your point about remembering tragedy.  Follow the formatting in the instructions document shared below.

B Day Homework and Reminders: 22 April 2015

AP English III

Today we had an abbreviated ending to Invisible Man, but it's all that we had time for unfortunately.  For tonight, you should be working in earnest on your motif projects as well as reading the first text of our next unit related to truth and reality in art.  The piece you're reading tonight is by Joan Didion and it's called "On Keeping a Notebook."  It's available in 50 Essays, first edition, or at this link.  Read the piece carefully and annotate.  Keep an eye on the idea of truth as Didion expresses it.

In addition, remember that if you have a missing assignment from Ms. Alley then you must get in touch with her about submitting that assignment.  Her email address is kta5duke (at) gmail (dot) com.

Your motif projects will be collected on Tuesday.  I hope that I'll have your timed writings done by then as well.

English II

Your homework is in the post below.  You should focus on either revising your argument statement so that it can earn a perfect score, or you should be working on finding evidence for your argument.  Remember to think of examples or moments that prove your idea to be true.  Could you use Anne's diary?  Hotel Rwanda?  A monument or day of remembrance that we've discussed in class?  We'll be in the computer lab next class to do some research and planning.

Homework for B-Day Students: 4/20/2015

AP English III

The final due date for motif projects is now Tuesday, April 28th.  Please make sure to check-in and ask if you have any questions related to this project.  For tonight you have a few things to take care of in order to prepare for Wednesday:

1. Look over your notes in preparing for the synthesis essay.  Remember that you've done this before, it's all about the argument.  They've done the research, they need you to prove the point.
2. Read the Epilogue for Invisible Man - We'll take a look at that as a class on Wednesday.
3. Friday will be our beginning for The Things They Carried.  I'll have copies that you can check out on Wednesday if you don't buy your own.

English II

Today we had some pretty great classes and I think that the reality of Anne's situation in the annex with her family sank in when we took the tour of the annex.  Remember this tour as we read her diary moving forward.  For tonight please make sure that you have answered all four parts of the essay prompt in our planning section.  Then, on the back, make sure to put your answers together into one sentence which answers the whole essay question.  Lastly, deal with the counterargument.  What is the opposite idea to your idea?  Is something else better?  Is forgetting the best?  We'll put this all together on Wednesday.

Work for the Weekend and Reminders

My last post was number 666, thankfully the website is less evil today with post number 667.

AP English III:

I hope that all of you who took the exam felt confident and well prepared.  Remember, it doesn't matter what the score is that you get in July.  The point is that all of you have grown and accomplished a lot.  I'm proud of you and you should be proud of yourselves.  A-day students, you'll be finishing your discussion circles on Monday.  B-day students, you're going to finish these on Friday.  I was very impressed with both classes and your work in groups one through four.  I look forward to being equally impressed as we move forward.

Finally, you'll be having your final exam on The Things They Carried on Wednesday and Thursday of next week.  I will be checking your annotations on the whole book this day - so be ready.

English I:

All of you have due next week what I refrenced in the last post.  Be sure that you are meeting those goals and finishing strong here at the end of the year.  As a final reminder, any and all missing assignments must be made up by 4:00 on Monday the 21st.  Failure to make up any assignment by this point will result in that assignment being locked in as a zero.  You've had all quarter, and it's time for me to start wrapping up my grades for the year.  Lastly, the final day to turn in extra credit is tomorrow - Friday the 18th.  Make sure that if you're doing this assignment you get it turned in.

AP English Homework - 5/8 and 5/9

AP English III:

For right now B-day students are actually ahead of A-day students.  Today and Wednesday (A-day) will be normal classes in which we continue to work and prepare for our exam next week through our study of The Things They Carried.  Friday's class will be a bit strange due to the AP US History exam, so that will throw the A-day students off a bit.  Here are your notes and reminders to preapre for our next class.

First, please read "The Lives of the Dead" and have it heavily annotated for a class discussion on the final story in the collection.  B-day students will work through this story on 5/10 and A-day students will work through it on 5/15.  I would recommend that you have thorough cover annotations when you walk into class this day, too. 

Secondly, we will be having a discussion group workday next class (5/10 and 5/15).  In order to prepare for this I want for someone in your group to e-mail me your discussion outline as it stands now no later than the beginning of class for Thursday/Friday.  This will give me a chance to give feedback to each group when you meet and speak to each other.  Don't forget that you're leading a fifteen minute discussion.  You don't need to go through the whole story (heck, we can't even get through a whole story in an hour) but I do want to be sure that whatever you have is thorough and well-considered.  Discussion groups 1-4 will lead class on 5/14 (B-day) and 5/17 (A-day).  Discussion groups 5-8 will lead class on 5/18 (B-day) and 5/21 (A-day). 

Please come see me if you need help with your group preparations, or anything else. 

Homework for the Weekend - 5/3 and 5/4

AP English III:

I won't be seeing most of you A-day students until Wednesday due to the fact that many of you have an AP exam on Monday morning.  We'll end up being a day behind B-day, which is fine because we'll meet up on the other side.  For the weekend be sure that you've read and annotated the following stories from The Things They Carried:  "Speaking of Courage," "Notes," "In the Field," and "The Ghost Soldiers."  This only leaves one more story that we will read as a whole group - if you want to go ahead and finish the book, I invite you to do so.  My goal is that B-day students will work through these four stories on the 8th and A-day students will do these stories on the 9th.  I should then see all of you in B-day on the 10th and again, barely any of you for A-day, on the 11th because of the AP US History exam.

Be sure that you keep up with your assignments during this time.  Get plenty of sleep and avoid stress.  Remember that cramming before an exam is not always the best idea.

English I:

Over the weekend I would like for all of you to continue working on your poetry projects.  At this point you should have at least one of your own poems written.  I want you to spend this weekend working on your mini-essay.  I'll be available next week after school to take a look at drafts of this assignment to give you extra feedback.  The presentations for these projects will be on the 25th (A-day) and the 29th (B-day) make sure that you're prepared especially with your memorization.  I hope that by this point most of you have the majority of your poem memorized.

The other work that I'd like for you to do this weekend relates to your extra credit project.  The projects will be collected the week of the 14th.  For the weekend, answer question fifteen in your reading journals.  Make sure to answer the question thoroughly by writing at least two complete paragraphs in response to the question. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone!  My neighborhood is having a block party this weekend called "Cinco de Blocko" - should be a fun time :)

Homework for the First and Second of May

Welcome to May!  Happy May Day!  С днем первого мая!


Today was a really productive day for all classes.  Below are your reminders about what you have left to do before we see each other again.

AP English III:

We're about to enter into a very strange time called AP Exams.  Scheduling and lessons are going to be a bit off over the next few classes until we meet back on the other side.  Pay attention to alterations and assignments.  Today in class we went over policies and expectations regarding AP Exams.  Follow that handout and those guidelines to the letter.  The major thing is to remember where to go, when to get there, and what parts of the school day you have to attend. Also, always remember to plan for the worst when it comes to food.  Have a back-up lunch ready in case you can't get somewhere between your exams if you have two in one day.

For homework tonight, your first priority is to take a look at your previous synthesis notes and prepare for our final timed writing - another synthesis essay.  I think the prompt is a pretty interesting one.  In terms of reading, get through the next three major stories.  Annotate them heavily (like ya do) and then start to consider how this collection is being woven together.  What are those "truth threads" that O'Brien is using.

In the previous post is where I put those links to AP vocabulary - by the way.  Take a look and print if you feel so inclined.  Lastly, I think that I may hold a review/study/prep session next week after-school.  Let me know if you'd be interested in attending.

English I:


I hope that you all enjoyed reading ee cummings' "in Just-".  Tonight you need to practice these same skills of close reading an analysis as you take a look at Haki R. Madhubuti's "Back Again Home."  Read the piece carefully and then answer the assigned questions at the top of the sheet.  Make sure that you do the questions assigned to your class and section.  Answer the questions thoroughly continuing to work on your adherence to good writing rules.

Also, you now have the date for your poetry projects - the 25th and the 29th of May.  Extra Credit projects are due the week of the 14th.  Remember that these two things are meant to be completed mostly on your own time.  See me for help if you need it.

Homework for A-day Students - 4/25

This is one of those situations where I'll need to make two postings:  one for A-day classes and one for B-day.

A-day Students -

Due to the fact that today was a PLC day we were cut a bit short.  Let me review for all of you what I'm expecting when you walk in on Friday.

AP English III:


Please begin tonight by reviewing the notes sheet that I intended for us to get to in class but we didn't.  It has several questions for you to investigate regarding "Shooting an Elephant" - the main point of this assignment is to do what we were doing in class; focus on specific paragraphs and areas of Orwell's text in order to unlock his purpose.  Very close level analysis.  Make sure that you've dealt with each question as we'll begin Friday with this.

Furthermore, I'd like for you to read what is my favorite story in The Things They Carried - "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong."  Annotate it heavily, look at the characters as symbolic in this story, and also think about the idea of "truth" from the previous story.  I look forward to our work on this story on Friday.

Oh, lastly, touch base with your discussion groups.  You'll have a bit of time on Friday to talk in class.  But I want to see some movement on these projects before you walk in on Friday.  Don't start the conversation on Friday, pick up from where you've already begun.

English I:


Today in class I gave you your final project for the year - your poetry project.  After you finished your reading assessment you were supposed to use the internet or the books in the media center to select your poem and give me the title and author.  If you didn't get your title and author approved by me in class, you must have this information on Friday.

On Friday you'll have your Wordskills Unit 2 Exam as well as your Poetry Quiz on the four poems we've been studying this week.  Review the poems carefully.  Study them intently.  Know the literary devices at work in the play (we made a chart about this earlier this week).  Pay special attention to tone.  We'll be moving on to some different poems soon, perhaps on Friday with time permitting!

Homework for 4/23 and 4/24

Let's just get right to the business.

AP English III:

Tonight for homework I'd like for you to read two things.  From The Things They Carried, I'd like for you to read our next major story "How to Tell a True War Story" - continue to annotate heavily and notice how O'Brien is continuing to develop his characters, motifs, and specific themes.  This is an especially interesting story to consider when thinking about our big issue of truth and honesty in a memoir.

I'd also like for you to read George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant."  That essay is found in 50 Essays or at this link.  As you read this, consider the idea of obligation and duty especially as we began discussing this idea today in our discussion of "On the Rainy River."  How is Orwell like O'Brien here?  How is their choice similar?

English I:

Tonight for homework I'd like for you to make some more entries in your extra credit reading journals.  You are going to select either question six or seven, question eight or nine, and question ten to answer.  Notice that you will answer three questions here.  Make sure you pay attention to the details in the assignment as it's given to you.

Furthermore, I'd like for you to begin to prepare for your quiz that is coming this next Friday/Monday.  Your assessments on Friday/Monday will cover Wordskills unit two and also the four poems that we've been studying this week.  Please make sure that you're well prepared and that you've studied hard.  I'll be giving out a review sheet for the vocabulary exam on Wednesday/Thursday in order to help you prepare. 

As always, if you have questions, please ask!

Homework for the Weekend - 4/19 and 4/20

AP English III:

Over the weekend you have two things that you need to take care of.  First, you need to use the packet that I gave you on writing AP Multiple Choice questions and compose one question based on the section of "The Things They Carried" which you discussed in our inside circle discussion group.  Use the question starters to get going and then fill in details and answer choices based on the text.  If you're asking about a particular passage, please make sure that this is made clear in your question.  Your question needs to be submitted via the class website (use the two threads above) before class begins on Monday/Tuesday.  This will count as a homework assignment, so don't miss these points.  Also, please read the next major story in The Things They Carried called "On the Rainy River."  We will work through this story next week and do a bit of work on the anti-war movement.

English I:

Over the weekend I would like for you to continue thinking about the poems that you read by our four female authors.  Based on the poem that you were assigned in your small groups I would like for you to answer two (Honors) or one (Standard) of the discussion questions at the bottom of your worksheet.  Remember that you need to turn in this work to the box on Monday/Tuesday morning before the day begins.

Also, you will have two more class periods to work on our in-class assignment.  One day will be spent working and one day will be presenting.  Lastly, expect a Wordskills test next week.  You should study your wordparts over the weekend.

Homework for 4/17 and 4/18

Welcome back everyone.  There are very few classes left before the end of the year - it'll be important that you all stay focused and on track as we move toward the end of the year.  Here we go with your reminders and notes for tonight.

AP English III:

Students, there are approximately ten classes left before your AP English Language and Composition exam.  Don't freak out!  We'll work on building in some review as we work through our final text The Things They Carried.  What you need to do tonight is finish reading the story "The Things They Carried" - as you read remember that you need to annotate heavily:  look for motifs, symbols, and characters.  Remember to really pay attention to the characters and keep track of where they are, how they're connected to others, and if they're alive or dead.

Don't forget that your motif projects are due on Thursday/Friday.  Be ready and prepared.  I've appreciated the fact that many of you have asked for outside help with this.  Keep coming and asking questions if needed.

English I:

Tonight for homework you all are going to read four poems by four very significant female authors in our textbook.  Remember that you can use the online textbook or paper textbook for this assignment.  Not having a textbook is not an excuse.  You need to check one out or get this assignment done during lunch.  No excuses for not doing homework in the fourth nine weeks!

So - the assignment is as follows.  On pages 409 and 410 you will read "Woman Work" by Maya Angelou and "Daily" by Naomi Shibab Nye - then answer questions 3, 4, and 5 about these poems.  On page 448 you'll read "Women" by Alice Walker and then on page 449 you'll answer questions 4 and 7.  Lastly, on page 461 you'll read "The Courage That My Mother Had" by Edna St. Vincent Millay and on page 462 answer questions 4, 5, and 6. 

When you answer these questions be sure that you answer all parts of the questions and answer in a three to four sentence paragraph.  This homework assignment needs to be turned in to the homework box or to me before 7:30 on Thursday/Friday.  And don't forget your movie reviews are due on Thursday/Friday, make sure you turn in your rough and final drafts.