22 January - Registration Day

AP Language and Composition

Today was registration day for senior year. I hope that you had productive meetings with your counselors to make your plan for next year. Of course, it's not really about next year this year, it's about the year after and after. When you're making your choices for senior year, consider your plans for after graduation. What's going to set you up for the best success? How are you going to achieve some balance for yourself to give yourself the time you need for everything? 

Next class we should meet and have a normal day. Be ready for Chapter 1. We've got the video guide, the motif tracking document, and the annotation anchor document. Use your resources to tackle this difficult text. We'll also start jumping into the research project next class. Chapter 1 is rough for a lot of reasons, but it's also super important because of the cycles that it sets up. Read carefully!

I'm looking forward to a normal class with y'all next time. All the best!

18 January - Langston Hughes and Reflections and Writing Practice

AP Language

Today's class was our day focused on understanding and reflecting on Langston Hughes and what he has to say about the dangers of conformity, especially for African American artists and poets. I enjoyed seeing the way in which you were updating your documents with new ideas, collaborating with each other virtually and in-person, and delving into the text. Wonderful work. Keep reflecting on these authors, their arguments, and the connections between them as we delve into this unit. 

We ended class with AP Classroom and argumentative writing practice. We took a position on the extent to which a truism is true. Keep in mind that with these types of questions, you're explaining nuance and how much something is valid - always, sometimes, or never - the evidence that you use will help to explain that validity and extent. Use key words from your thesis to guide your assertions and your commentary. We'll do some scoring of these next week.

For tonight, keep in mind that we have our first chapter of Invisible Man coming soon. Next class will be our registration meeting, and then we'll be diving into Chapter One and the Battle Royale. Use your motif tracker and resources to get through this text! See you next time!

11 January - Looking at Langston Hughes

AP Language

We had a really lovely day today in AP Language with another fantastic Harlem Renaissance voice - Langston Hughes. Today we got to hear his voice both as a poet and as a social critic; it's interesting to notice how he's saying the same thing (his argument) in various styles. Today's class was a reading, writing, and thinking day -- our essential skills in AP Language! We'll continue to reflect on this essay next class. Be sure that you've completed your discussion board post and submitted your annotations document. Note that the annotations document won't be graded, just the discussion board.

Next class we'll be focused on some writing skills and argumentative writing. There's no reading for next class. Use the time to get into Invisible Man. You'll want to be ahead in the reading so that we can really focus on comprehending and interpreting skills in class.

9 January - Zora Neale Hurston

AP Language

We spent a great class with Ms. Zora Neale Hurston today in AP Lang. She is definitely one of my top ten writers, probably top five if we're just looking at American literature and writers. We didn't quite finish our work at the end looking at Hurston's piece through the frame of an argument, so I'd recommend finishing by reflecting on those questions tonight. How does she use evidence and commentary throughout her essay to support her thesis? In what ways does she create clear organization between sections and ideas using her main argument? How does she develop and employ an engaging voice throughout the essay? All of these are key questions in FRQ 1 and 3 - the argument questions - so it's important to see how authors do this so that we can too.

Next class we're looking at Langston Hughes. His text is pretty difficult, so we'll work through it in class - no reading necessary for next class. Use this time to get into Invisible Man - use the audiobook, YouTube playlist, and other resources. Don't forget to check in with your motif tracker as you read - it's a great tool too. We'll be working through Chapter 1 next week!

5 January - End of the Week

AP Language

We had a really fantastic day to start our work on Invisible Man - it was a packed class, so we didn't finish everything. Be sure to finish reading The Prologue tonight. Use the recording in the slides to access the audio book. As you read, keep following the ideas that we were focused on in class. 

The other major activity in class, other than reading aloud and studying the book together, was our investigation of The Harlem Renaissance. We looked at music, art, and poetry in order to understand the historical and social context of the Harlem Renaissance. Consider how these texts are all a response to the moment and the racism of the society of the time. We're going to keep looking at music, art, and other authors as we keep moving forward. How are all of these texts having the same conversation and each author offering their own opinions? 

Keep reading! Remember that we have Hurston for Monday's class - enjoy the reading. It's a great article. You have Chapter 1 due on January 18. Follow your reading schedule!

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

AP English Language

Great day to kick off the year in AP Language today as we looked at our midterm results and discussed our reading and writing skills. Remember that most of your grades are going to reset as we begin this next unit. Review the feedback slides and the tools you have available on AP Classroom like the daily videos paired with questions and skills where you struggled. We can always sit together to read and write or review - this is a great strategy as we move into the second semester. This is where the rubber really meets the road and things get difficult. Stay ready!

Next class we'll be starting Invisible Man. This is a great book! It's a challenge, but if it doesn't challenge you, then you don't really grow. We've got resources like the audiobook and my YouTube channel to help provide support to you as you read. Get into the mess and enjoy the journey. We'll start by reading the Prologue together in class next time. 

Happy Holidays and Happy Break!

AP Language

Happy Holidays and Happy Break Everyone! I hope that you enjoyed our gathering today in class. Thank you for sharing treats and bringing some joy to our classroom today. I hope that you all find time to do the things that you enjoy doing over the break. 

If you missed part of the midterm exam, try to find time once we come back to get that made-up. We'll be looking at some feedback from the essays and do some scoring of our practice arguments. From then, we're launching into Invisible Man and Unit 5. It's not required that you read over break, but I'd recommend it because the book is pretty complicated. I've got some videos posted in the new unit folder to help you out. There's also the audiobook on Spotify to help you with reading. I'd recommend reading and listening at the same time.

Can't wait to see y'all in 2024! Have a great few weeks!

Ending the Midterm - Ugh! Technology...

AP Language

I hate AP Classroom sometimes. I'm completely locked out now. I sent a help request, so hopefully it's resolved soon. We finished our midterm today with the FRQx2. We completed the Rhetorical Analysis (FRQ2) and the Argument (FRQ3). Keep in mind that the RA is going to be your summative writing score, and the FRQ3 is going to be a practice score. We're just putting our feet in the water with that task; it's our focus for second semester. I'm looking forward to reading your responses.

This is really our last class - on Friday we're having a party. Sign up for something using the discussion board in the Unit 4 folder. We'll need plates, utensils, napkins, cups, and food. I'd also recommend getting started with Invisible Man. The book is challenging for a lot of reasons, so getting into your reading process. I'll share a video playlist that may be helpful for many of you as we get into break. A good goal would be to try and read the first five or six chapters before we start reading it as a class. Not an assignment, just a suggestion. There's also the audiobook available on Spotify!

See you Friday!

11 December - The Last Week before Break!

AP Language

A bit of a whirlwind day to kick off our last week today in AP Language. Today's class was focused on feedback and preparing for what we have to come next class. Next class you'll be writing two essays in one class period - FRQ 2 (Rhetorical Analysis) and FRQ 3 (Argument). Today we reviewed the scoring guidelines and sample papers to understand the requirements of FRQ 3. We also reviewed scoring guidelines and feedback from your Gatsby essays because these are close to FRQ 2 - you're doing the same task, but not with a non-fiction text. I hope that, as always, you found the feedback and review helpful. 

If you have not yet submitted your Gatsby motif work, that is past due. NHI scores will be entered this week. I would also ask that you submit your reflection letters based on the work that you've done so far. The reflections that we did today on the MCQ and FRQ could be helpful content for you to use as you reflect on your skills.

On Wednesday we'll have our timed writing, and then on Friday it's our end of the year potluck! Hooray! We'll do some signups next class for items. Please sign out your copy of Invisible Man using the book signout form in the Unit 4 Folder. Use your resources to prepare for next class and our essays. I'm excited to see your work.

7 December - Midterm is Halfway Done!

AP Language

Not the most exciting day in AP Language land today, but it was a day we had to do. Today we engaged in demonstrating our skills via the MCQ portion of the examination. These were always my biggest challenges when I was in your shoes as a student. Remember that there is a ton of feedback baked in to AP Classroom. Review your responses. Look at your skills. We'll review and reflect next class on our demonstrations of skills before we move into our final essays of the year.

If you haven't completed tasks from Unit 3 - those need to be completed ASAP. Be sure that you've submitted your reflection letter and your project/questions on The Great Gatsby. If you missed the in-class Gatsby analysis essay, make an appointment to get that settled before you go out on break. 

We will be having our end of the year celebration and potluck on December 15 - that's Friday before we go out. Think about what you'd like to bring! I'll start doing signups next week. You may also want to start reading Invisible Man - the next unit's major text. I've got a link to an audio version here which you may find helpful!

5 December - Let's Get Ready to MIDTERRRRRRRRRM

AP Language

Welcome to the midterm examination my lovelies. Today's class is your reading day it's a day for you to prepare for the examination ahead of you and reflect on where you are in the skills and competencies necessary in this class. So, what are you going to do today to study and prepare? Here's your to do list:

1. Be sure that you've submitted your Gatsby visual and artistic explanation questions. You completed your analysis in-class last time. Apologies for the lack of clarity in the instructions document. If you have a paper visual, give it to the substitute and make sure that it goes in the folder. Remember that I'm grading the visual and your explanation questions as your demonstration of reading skills.

2. Organize and use your notebook as a reflection tool. Look over your rubrics, your skill descriptors, and the feedback that you've received. Use the assignment in Schoology to write me a reflective letter about where you are in your reading and writing skills. Be sure to cite evidence as you write. At the bottom, do a quick PEWCAM analysis (bullet points are fine).

3. Feel free to use the unlocked AP Classroom Progress Checks to prepare for your MCQ. You'll be doing this on Thursday. You'll also be getting feedback on your most recent writing assignment before you write again!

I'll see you on Thursday as we begin our midterm exam!

1 December - Gatsby Assessment Day

AP Language

Today was our assessment day on The Great Gatsby. In today's assessment you curated your own passage from the novel and explained the way in which Fitzgerald creates meaning through language and motifs. I'm excited to read your essays and see the way in which your skills as a reader and writer have progressed. Remember that in this class, everything is practice for our eventual final exam - the AP Examination. On that test, you'll be asked to write an analysis as well, but it'll be cold. So you need to develop the process now in order to do that. 

Over the weekend, spend your time completing your visual representations of the motif and the connected questions explaining your art. Remember that you're just talking to me as you answer these questions, so feel free to be colloquial in style. You may also want to spend some time on AP Classroom preparing for the MidTerm. I've unlocked a few more MCQ Progress Checks to help you.

I'll see you next week - not on Tuesday since I'm at a conference - but Thursday to begin our MidTerm Exam! Tuesday is a preparation and reflection day for you. I'll look forward to reading your thoughts, but more on that later.

29 November - Ending Unit 3

AP Language

We crushed it today. My goodness. We had a fantastic seminar on Sullivan's "What Are Homosexuals For?" and considered key connections back to our larger unit on The Great Gatsby. I was glad to hear connections to the idea of fantasy versus reality, truth, identity, and the power of the past and society to dictate a person's actions. Sullivan's piece is one to keep hold of as we move on into our next novel unit. There will continue to be productive connections and conversations to be had.

We ended our day by looking at our last writing assignment and feedback. It is important that you dive in deeper to your analysis of language in your selected passages. Explain small details, show what they mean, and explicitly connect them to other pieces to show how everything builds on the argument. Revising your writing assignment from Chapter 8 is a great way to prepare for Friday's timed writing! Use the sentence frames provided in the slide deck for today's class.

For Friday, have your passage ready. You'll have to copy and paste the passage into your essay document on Schoology. You will have access to the passage as you write your essay. The passage can be one that we looked at before in class - this may be a great support for you! Consider the work we've done with our precis, formative writing assignment, and discussion board as support. Remember that your visual and artistic questions will be due next week on Tuesday.

Welcome Back! Three Weeks to Winter Break - 27 November

AP Language

What an incredible day to start our three weeks before Winter Break. We focused our work on Chapter 9 and examined two key passages in order to understand Fitzgerald's conclusion and main arguments about his society in the 1920's. All of this work is key as you are considering your final projects with this book. We started to summarize our main takeaways via a precis and considered how effective Fitzgerald was with the text he produced. All of this work will pay off well on Friday when we complete our in-class analysis. For Friday you'll be selecting your own passage from the novel and writing an analytical essay explaining how this passage conveys a significant argument through the use of motifs and other choices. 

Your visual will be due next week. For the visual be sure to answer the accompanying questions, you may find it easier to do that before building the visual to help guide your construction process. As always, come to Lion Time or after school if you need extra assistance.

Next class we'll be looking at one of our final pieces of this year - Andrew Sullivan's "What Are Homosexuals For?" As you read this text, consider connections to characters such as Jordan Baker, Nick Carraway, and Jay Gatsby/Jay Gatz. Consider how each of them live outside of the normal rules of society and what happens to them because of this. It's an interesting text with creative parallels for us to explore in our final seminar.

Thanksgiving Break - 20 November

AP Language

Happy Thanksgiving AP Language! I hope that all of you have a wonderful break filled with people and things that you love. I'm gone to Oregon to be with my aunts, cousins, uncle, and my grandparents. For class today you have a pretty simple day focused on your project work for the end of The Great Gatsby. The substitute form is posted below. Here's your checklist for your day with the substitute:

1. Be sure that you've submitted your formative assessment. I would like to have feedback for all of you when we return from the break to lead us to our final project days.

2. Have your reading, annotating, and motif trackers done to Chapter Eight. Remember to use the recordings, slides, and earlier key passages. 

3. Decide how best to proceed once these things are done. You have Chapter Nine to read for the class after break. You may want to go ahead and read that now and finish up your motif tracker. Some of you have an idea of what you may want to do for your visual of the motif and/or your writing assignment. If you think your time is better spent on the project, spend time there. Use the materials in the classroom, but remember to clean up after yourself.

Remember that you have reading due for Monday when we return: have the book finished so we can have our final conversations on Nick, Daisy, Gatsby, Tom, and the America of the 1920's. See you after Thanksgiving Break!

Happy End of the Week - 16 November!

AP Language

We had the absolute best time in AP Language today discussing and working through Chapter 8. I'm really excited to read your paragraphs and get you feedback on the writing that you did. I hope that you are seeing the way in which all of our work is coming together to support your tasks here at the end of the book. I hope that you can also see the improvement you're showing in your skills as close readers and thinkers. 

For tonight, read Chapter 9 and finish your motif tracker. Hopefully you're starting to have an idea as to what your visual will look like and perhaps what your thesis is for your writing assignment. Next class, I'll be away from you physically, but I'll be with you in spirit as I check in virtually on Schoology. If you need help with your motif tracker or preparing for your project, please make plans for Lion Time after Thanksgiving Break.

14 November - It's Tuesday!

AP Language

We had a fantastic day today discussing the importance of Chapter 7 in The Great Gatsby. I think of this chapter as the fulcrum of the whole novel, everything rests on this. Past this, the conclusion is pretty much baked in, so we'll move quickly to the end of the novel. I liked seeing the engagement that you all brought to our opening conversation to track changes. I also appreciated all of you trying something new with me today with our annotations assignment. 

We paid all of this reading and thinking forward to start understanding Fitzgerald's main arguments to us at the end of the novel. This is key for your project. The arguments have been building the whole time, so now it's time to show and explain how that happened. Next class we'll be doing a graded assignment to see where our skills are as we're wrapping up and preparing for our projects. For tonight, read and annotate Chapter 8. Pay attention to Gatsby. Understand what happens to him and what it means on a symbolic level. Remember, he's not a real person. Be sure that you have also responded to today's discussion board post from the work we did today in class. 

Always excited for tomorrow! See you Thursday!

10 November - Happy Friday and Veterans' Day!

AP Language

Wonderful end to the week today in AP Language. We explored one of my favorite authors, Joan Didion, and her ideas around truth, memory, the past, and the issue of bias. I appreciated the conversation we were having and the connections that we built back to The Great Gatsby and our narrator. Remember that as we look at these parallel pieces we are building our analysis of non-fiction skills, our analytical writing skills, and our reading skills that are key for the AP Examination.

Over the weekend, read and annotate Chapter 7. Focus on using your motif tracker to follow major ideas in the text. Remember that we're moving to the end of the novel, so it's important start to draw your focus in on key motifs and meanings in the novel. We'll be finishing the project in the week after Thanksgiving Break, so putting in adequate time now is important. As always, reach out with anything that I can do for you to assist.

8 November (A Bit Ahead)

AP Language

Happy Wednesday (or whatever day you see this, but this post is for Wednesday, November 8) Everyone! 

I'm away today for some yearly medical appointments today. You've got a pretty straightforward day in class to catch-up and process Chapters 1-6 of The Great Gatsby. The slides posted here and in Materials - Current Lessons will guide you through what you should do and the conversations you should have. Here are the steps for today's class:

1. Get your notebook and have your laptop ready. Open up your Motif Tracker Chart. You may want to access the earlier key passages or the online text to search easily for where motifs are activated.

2. Complete items from the To-Do List (Slide 4). Try to get through 2-3 items. There are some Progress Checks open for you if you want to practice on AP Classroom. The main focus should be your motif trackers. Work with your classmates and use your resources!

3. After spending a bit less than an hour with the text, start to process what you're seeing and think about meanings. Draw connections between motifs and the characters, settings, conflicts, and symbolic objects. Consider the question - Who/What is winning and why? This will take you right into the final slide about Fitzgerald's arguments on American society. Use the DADS structure - and remember to be as specific as you possibly can be!

Next class we'll be looking at the article by Joan Didon. Didion is an amazing author and a bit of a favorite of mine and Mr. Friedman's. As you read, consider our conversation a few days ago related to the past, memory, and truth. This is a great piece to use as you consider Nick and the way in which he operates as a viewer and as a narrator.

2 November - End of the Quarter!

AP Language

Really good time today in AP Language to round out the week. We focused on Chapter 6, which is really the beginning of the end of the novel. I appreciated your engagement in the discussion and in the close reading. I'm especially impressed by the depth that you went into on our last passage - it was just two sentences! As we hit the back half of the novel, consider the major ideas that you're seeing and the arguments that Fitzgerald is making about this world, these people, and this society.

For the weekend, you should be sure that any final resubmissions are in. Remember that I need your rubric to rescore your project. If absolutely necessary, you can send me a photo of the rubric. I should have all grades updated by the end of the week. If you are interested in reassessing on your writing, there is an opportunity to do that today - Thursday - after school. If you can't make this, we may have a time slot on Tuesday, this is TBA.

Feel free to read ahead into the rest of the novel this weekend, focus on your project, or take a bit of a break if you're all caught up. I'll be out on Wednesday, so pay attention to Schoology for your lesson and listen for the substitute's instructions. All the best!