Homework and Reminders - 8/31 and 9/1

I'm really enjoying the fact that we're getting into the swing of things. Thank you for a productive and interesting conversation today in all of my classes - below are the assignments for you to complete in preparation for the next class.

AP English III:

Today's discussion did not cover nearly the amount of detail that I wanted to about chapters two and three - we'll pick up with that on Friday/Tuesday. So, definitely revisit your annotations and your reading. For the next class I would like for you to read and annotate Stephanie Ericsson's "The Ways We Lie" - this can be found in 50 Essays or at the following link. Print a copy and bring it with you to class. We will have an activity tying The Great Gatsby and this piece together.

Also, don't forget that your "Introduction" pieces are due on Friday/Tuesday. Please have both your final draft and your rough draft.

English I:

For tonight you have one assignment that needs to be turned into the box and one assignment that should be brought to class. Your "The Me You Don't See" paragraphs should be turned into the box on either Friday (A-day) or Tuesday (B-day). Remember that the final draft will count as a quiz grade for everyone. The rough draft will count as a homework assignment. You also need to read the excerpts by Malcolm X and complete the worksheet as notes - we will review the worksheet in class on Friday/Tuesday. Be sure that you complete all parts of the worksheet and bring any questions you have to class.

Also, Freshmen, if you didn't get your "About School" worksheet to the box, make sure that you go to study hall. Get your points back!

And now it's time to really get going

It's time for us to have a full week of school.  I know that I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better as readers and writers this year.  Below are the different assignments for each group.

AP English III:

Today's seminar began to scratch the surface on these two pieces which we will continue to study throughout this unit on The Great Gatsby.  For our next class, we will really begin getting into Gatsby - starting with chapters two and three.  Make sure that you have reread and annotated chapters two and three.  Remember as you annotate to look for EVERYTHING - we'll talk more about how to annotate in class on Wednesday/Thursday.

In addition to this reading you also should be revising and polishing your introduction assignments.  I'll be collecting these on Friday/Monday.  Be sure that you see me for my opinions/critiques if you need it.  After-school on Tuesday or Wednesday would be a great time to see me.

English I:

It's time for us to start using the homework box.  Your worksheets on the poem "About School" are due to the box on Wednesday (A-day) and Thursday (B-day).  Any homework not submitted on time will need to be completed during study hall.  I was impressed with the fact that a lot of you had your assignments today.  Keep that going!  The paragraphs that you edited today will be collected on Friday/Monday.  These paragraphs will count as a quiz grade.  Make sure that you see me if you need extra help.  Also, don't forget when you turn in your final draft that you also turn in your rough draft.  I'll remind you of this next class.

See you all on the flip side...

The First A-Day of School!

Just think, tomorrow you get to do the first day of school all over again. It was really great getting to meet all of you this morning; I'm really looking forward to working with you all this year. Below are the assignments for the weekend. I will post every A-day; if there are changes for B-day students, that will be noted after the B-day.

AP English III:

There are a few things to get done this weekend for me. First, you should all begin by reading and annotating Barbara Lazear Ascher's "On Compassion" - this can be found in 50 Essays and online at the following website. Copies will also be available for pickup from my room Friday. Second, you should all reread and revisit your annotations for "On Dumpster Diving" by Lars Eighner. On Monday/Tuesdsay we will have a seminar on these two pieces. Be ready to discuss them and rip them apart as only AP students can. Finally for reading, I would like for you to begin rereading and annotating chapters two and three of The Great Gatsby - we will begin studying this text on Wednesday/Thursday.

For writing over the weekend I would like for you all to complete the "Introduction" assignment as explained on your handout. Remember to follow the guidelines and have fun with this assignment. We will edit these in class on Monday/Tuesday.

For AP students, the online parent form can be accessed by following this link.

English I:

This weekend you have some business to take care of for next week. First, if you didn't complete the "Tell Me About You" questionairre, plese finish that over the weekend and have it ready on Monday/Tuesday. You also need to complete the paragraph assignment called "The Me You Don't See." Remember that this also needs to be brought to class for peer editing on Monday/Tuesday. Use the guidelines that we discussed today in class to finish this assignment and do it well.

Finally, make sure that you get your school supplies and that your parents fill out the parent contact sheet. The online form for English I can be found by following this link.

All Students: If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment on the blog. Have a great weekend!

Done! Donezo! Finito!

I think I just needed to do the requisite end of the year post.  I hope you all come back and visit me next year; I'll probably be in a new room next year - so work hard to find me.

I'm at a workshop all week - summer starts for me on Friday afternoon.  I hope you all have wonderful summers:  relax, read, get tan, and ride your bikes!

Juniors - Preparing for Next Week

Juniors:

Your exam is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, June 2, 2011.  We will have a review period on Wednesday afternoon.  If you were not in class today (or just aren't sure)  you should e-mail me and figure out if you are exempt from the exam or not.  Don't just assume something and then get a phone call from me on Thursday about why you aren't taking your exam.

For those of you that are exempt I will be figuring out your grades over the weekend - you may want to take the exam in order to push you up to the next grade level.  Numbers and grades will be ready on Tuesday.  See me AFTER SCHOOL for this information.

FRESHMAN LDOC!!

WHOOO!  All of you are done with class and now you start exams.  The schedule of exams was in the last post as was the review sheet.

For tonight, get a good night's sleep.  Eat a good breakfast tomorrow (eggs, yogurt, peanut butter and carrots, oatmeal) and be ready!

Think about the matchboxes we've done lately - what kinds of questions have you missed (literary terms?  comprehension?  opinion?  grammar?).

There are some online practice examples that you can use if you feel it necessary.

Texutal Analysis: Literary Devices, Opinion, Style, Comprehension

Grammar and Editing

See you soon - feel free to come by after school for extra help if you need it.

Juniors - Final Day of Class

Tomorrow we'll finish presentations and wrap up the end of your Junior year.  I know that you all are looking forward to summer, I am too.  We've done a lot of good work this year and I've really enjoyed a lot of your discussions and insights about literature.  I've been making it a point to grade research papers so that I can give it back to you after you present your final project.

Those of you presenting tomorrow - I'll have your papers ready by the time I leave the building on Friday, which is usually around 4:00.  Please come and get your graded papers then or inquire via e-mail.  I'll also have exemption information for you all tomorrow.  Remember that the final can only help your grade if you are exempt.  I should have your grades figured out for those of you that are exempt by Tuesday (maybe even Friday afternoon).

The review session for our class will be held Wednesday afternoon and the exam on Thursday morning.  I expect you to attend if you are taking the final exam.

Lastly, if I've given you your paper - please make it a point to put it in your writing portfolio.  If you did a group paper, make copies for everyone.  I can even do this for you if you'd like.  Just give it to me Friday.

EOC Review Sheet

Freshmen:

It's the end my friends.  Time to study.  Time to be ready for your exam.

A1 - Your exam will be Friday morning in one of the two computer labs.  Remember to show up early to the exam room as showing up late will likely lock you out of the system.

A2 - Your exam will be on Tuesday beginning at 11:12.  Remember to take the first lunch after your B1 exam and then report immediately to the computer lab.

B1 - Your exam will be on Tuesday morning.  Don't be late!

B2 - Your exam will be on Wednesday morning.  Don't be late.

Below are the terms from the EOC review sheet.  Remember that you should know what all of these terms are and be able to apply that knowledge in identifying their use in reading passages.  As you study, don't just think of definitions, but think of examples of the device too.

• alliteration
• assonance
• character
• direct and indirect characterization
• character trait
• connotation and denotation
• conflict (man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society)
• internal conflict
• external conflict
• figurative language
• hyperbole
• imagery
• onomatopoeia
• metaphors (direct and indirect)
• simile
• epic simile
• extended metaphor
• allusion
• aside
• author
• autobiography
• ballad
• blank verse
• climax
• comedy
• comic relief
• couplet
• dialogue
• diction
• drama
• monologue
• epic
• epithet
• flashback
• flash-forward
• foil
• foreshadowing
• free verse
• haiku
• iambic pentameter
• meter
• irony (situational, verbal, dramatic)
• lyric poetry
• mood
• myth
• narrator
• paradox
• personification
• plot (plot diagram pieces)
• poetry
• point of view (1st, 3rd limited, 3rd omniscient)
• protagonist
• antagonist
• pun
• rhyme (end and internal)
• rhythm
• setting
• short story
• solilioquy
• sonnet
• speaker
• stanza
• line
• style
• suspense
• symbolism
• theme
• tone
• tragedy

Homework for Juniors - 5/24/2011

Juniors:

There's a few things that you need to accomplish for tomorrow's class.  Here they are:

1.  You need to complete your character worksheet and then complete your reflection on the activity today in class.  I'll collect both of these tomorrow.

2.  You'll need to turn in your rough drafts of your research papers.  Remember, like I said today in class, you should aim to make these as good as you can.  I'll be assigning you a grade based on the rubric and then I'll have these ready to give back on Tuesday.  Come and see me to get the papers.  Revised papers will be due NO LATER THAN 4:00 pm on Friday.

3.  Have your presentations ready.  I'm looking forward to them.

Today was the last Monday of the School Year

Isn't that exciting?!

Juniors:


I really hope that you enjoyed O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" - I saw a lot of good thinking going on in the room as we were reading and discussing.  We'll finish discussing the story on Wednesday before we begin presentations.  Don't forget that tomorrow we'll be taking C-lunch.  Feel free to come by in the morning to drop off food/snacks/drinks/materials for the party.  Also, don't forget that I'll be collecting your worksheets about your characters to start class.

Lastly, your drafts of your papers are due on Wednesday.  Some people turned them in today which was good - I look forward to the rest of them.

Freshmen:


I think that today's activity in going through our portfolios really goes to show just how far you've come as writers this year.  Remember that this is a journey that never really ends.  You always continue moving forward and developing.  Make sure that you spend a good chunk of time over the next few days reviewing those literary devices - as I said in each class, you need to know these things easily off the top of your head.  We'll have our final matchbox on Wednesday and spend some time looking at some literary terminology before the EOCs begin.

Last Weekend before Exams

Juniors:

This weekend you should attempt to finish your research papers.  Remember the requirements.  Remember what you need to do.  I'm here if you need me.  I'll be collecting these from you on Wednesday.  On Monday we're going to spend some time reflecting on ourselves and our writing for this course as well as move on to the last piece of the year.

Also, remember the order of the presentations.  We'll begin those on Wednesday!

Freshmen:

Your priority at this point is to focus on preparing for your EOC.  Use the review guide.  Learn those literary terms.  We'll review this sheet in a lot of detail on Monday/Tuesday as well as get our writing portfolios ready for next year.  Wednesday/Thursday will be our final Matchbox and review.

Enjoy the weekend.  Not much more left!

It's time for the end...

Freshmen:

From here on out you should all be focused on preparing for your English I EOC - use the review guides that I gave you last week to get yourselves ready.  Remember that you need to know all of those literary terms so that you can identify them on the EOC and answer questions about them.  You've started seeing sample items the past few days in class - take this practice to help prepare you.

Oh, if you didn't turn in a project, make sure it comes in ASAP.  As I've said, you've had about two months to work on this, waiting until the last minute is only going to cause problems for you.

Juniors:

The drafts of your research papers are due no later than Wednesday of next week - which is the first day of our presentations.  Today was the final day of class time to be spent preparing for these papers.  I highly recommend that you put the papers together over the weekend and then come see me on Monday with a draft.  Use the rubric in your research packs to help you to construct your paper.

Also, you're going to want to think about who you want to be next week and what you're goign to bring for our Lavender Room party.  I'll collect your character choices tomorrow as you spend our final day working on your presentations.

9:41 pm - No More E-mail

Ok.  Done checking e-mail tonight.

Some Reminders - 5/18/2011

Juniors:

Today was basically the last day of new content before the final exam.  You should now spend the remaining energy that you have for this course in working on your research papers and your final projects.  We will be spending tomorrow's class in the library so that you can finalize your research and (hopefully) begin writing your papers if you've not yet done so.  Drafts of these papers are coming due soon, don't wait until the last minute.  Tomorrow I will also be giving you the information you'll need for your final assignment - "The Lavender Room."  Look forward to that tomorrow.  Friday will be your final group meeting day.

Freshmen:

Research projects!  Get them done, get them turned in.  Follow all of the guidelines.  Also, start reviewing for your EOC - use the review guide.  Every class we will complete a Matchbox as a means to prepare for the exam, be sure that you are spending time thinking about these concepts and ideas to prepare for the exam.

As always, if you need help or have questions - e-mail me!

Homework - 5/17

Remember, just a few more days...just a few more days...

Freshmen:


A lot of you have been working very hard on your research projects over the past few classes and that hard work will soon pay off.  It's time to get ready to turn them in.  In the previous post I outlined for you the order of the assignment and what you need to do at each section of the assignment.  Tonight, I'll be reposting the document for all of you for easy access.  Follow this link to access the project document.  I'll also embed it below for you.

It's important to remember that this is a research project - you're writing historical fiction.  Include your parenthetical citations after every instance where you include research in your writing.  Don't forget that your parenthetical citations and works cited page should align entirely.

It's also important to remember that you've had a lot of time to work on this project.  Your complaints are falling on deaf ears.  If you need help, ask.

Juniors:


Class discussion today - better.  I hope that you all enjoyed "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" - it's a really moving poem.  Of course, consider the big motifs that we discussed today (especially identity and how identity is established) - there's a lot of overlap to your own novels in a lot of what we've been discussing; I hope you all are seeing and exploring these overlaps.  We didn't get a chance to talk about Bonner today - that will dominate a lot of what we do tomorrow.  Be sure that you read and annotate it for tomorrow.  There's also going to be one additional poet - Claude McKay with "The Tropics in New York."  You should also be working on your papers!  Last day in the library is Thursday - come in with a draft, let's conference.

Don't forget to return your textbooks, all of you.


Seven more days until exams begin.

Monday, May 16th - Homework

Juniors:  It's imperative that as we're winding down the year that you all give me a full ninety minutes to work with you in class.  Today was a bit rough; it shouldn't have taken nearly the time that it did to get through our notes on the Harlem Renaissance.  Tomorrow we will continue with the TP-CASTT of the three poems as well as have our theme battles on these three different poems by Langston Hughes.  In addition, we will discuss the two pieces that I gave you for homework:  Hurston's "How It Feels to Be Colored Me" and Bonner's "On Being Young -- a Woman -- and Colored."  I expect that you will read and annotate these two passages heavily.  There are spaces in the bottom margins for you to do so.  Remember one of the key things to consider here in these passages is how these two writers are both similar and different - think about their style, their writing, and their purpose in both pieces.

Freshmen:  Very impressive work with your Act III Translation projects.  This week, your only homework is to work on your projects in advance of Thursday/Friday's due date.  In case you missed it, here's the structure of the project:

• Page One:  Header information (name, date, class, period), Title of Project (centered), Introduction to Character, Thesis.  You've already done the intro and thesis - just revise it!
• Pages Two through Five/Seven:  Stories on the different topics.  Be sure to include research in your stories as well as parenthetical citations.  We reviewed how to do these on MLA day.  If you have questions, ask.
• Page Six/Eight:  Conclusion.  Restate your thesis on the living conditions of your character and review the main points that prove your thesis.  This should only be one paragraph, through it should be a weighty paragraph.
• Page Seven/Nine:  Works Cited Page in MLA format.

Happy writing and reading!  Only a few more classes to go.

Homework for 5/12/2011

Freshmen:

Don't forget that your presentations are tomorrow and Monday.  Before school you will need to make sure that a member of your group has turned in a copy of your script to the box, failure to do so will negatively impact your group score.  Those of you with a lot of props and costumes can drop off your things in the morning and leave them in the classroom until the end of the day.  Those people who haven't turned in their worksheets will need to turn these in at the beginning of the period.

After presentations we will continue with Romeo and Juliet and see just how these crazy kids get themselves into so much trouble.

Juniors:

Tomorrow you will have three vocabulary cards due at the beginning of the period.  Make sure these are complete and well done, some of you have been slacking on vocabulary.  You'll be working the whole period in your groups to prepare for your presentations.  I'm going to start off by telling you a bit about planning a lesson and what a lesson plan needs to have in it.  This will be a major focus for your groups tomorrow, to complete a vast majority of your lesson and revisit your goals as well as your essential questions.  As I said today in class, tomorrow will be your second to last group meeting.  We have this week and then next week to prepare, presentations will be held during the final week of the quarter.

Homework - 5/11/2011

Freshmen:

We're nearly to the end of the year.  For Friday you will be expected to turn in a copy of your group's script for the presentations to the box.  Make sure that every member of the group has a copy as well.  If you have a lot of costumes and props, feel free to drop them off in the morning before school and then pick them up at the end of the day.  I look forward to seeing your presentations.  We'll also move forward into Act IV on Friday/Monday with hopes of finishing the play on Tuesday/Wednesday as we begin reviewing for the EOC.

Don't forget about quiz redos on Friday/Monday as well as your Rough Drafts due at the end of next week.  Please ask for help if you need it.  Lastly, remember that if you didn't turn in your worksheets today, they will be due on Friday/Monday.

Juniors:

Tonight you should finish reading "To Build a Fire" by Jack London.  In addition, you should heavily annotate the story.  I would like to finish up the discussion of the story that we started last class tomorrow.  Also, you will have a timed writing to accomplish tomorrow as well.  Be sure that your book is with you and annotated well because you will be able to use these notes/books to accomplish the assignment.

Finally, don't forget that you have three vocabulary cards due this week.  This will most likely be the final round of vocabulary for the quarter/year.

Keep on keepin on...

Homework for All Classes - 5/10/2011

Juniors:

I hate the fact that the online textbook wasn't functioning well last night - please take the copies of "To Build a Fire" and have them thoroughly read for when we meet on Thursday.  We'll finish up our conversation of the story then.  Also on Thursday you'll have a timed writing on your novel.  It's important that you have a good chunk of your book read by this point so that you will be able to complete the assignment well.  Consider what we did today in class (looking at sample essays/prompts) as a way to prepare for this in-class writing assignment.

Tomorrow we will be spending a bit of time in class talking about the research papers and then moving to the library to spend time researching.  Come prepared to work hard on your papers tomorrow.  You may even want to start drafting so that you're not left scrambling at the end.

Freshmen:

Next class will be our final class to work on the in-class projects.  As I discussed today and yesterday in class, the research projects are coming due soon - namely the rough drafts on the 19th and 20th.  If you put forth a lot of energy to the rough draft you will not need to turn in a final draft.  Be sure that you make any changes to your introduction and thesis, and have this ready as the first page of your project.  After that come the stories on the different topics, and at the end the conclusion and works cited page.  On Wednesday/Thursday you will also be getting progress reports as well as a lot of returned work.  Don't forget what I said about quiz redos on Friday and Monday.

Junior Work - 5/9/2011

Juniors:

Tonight for homework I would like for you to complete the reading of Jack London's "To Build a Fire."  It's probably one of my favorite stories that we read all year.  As you read, be sure that you take good notes that will prepare you for our inside/outside circle discussion.  Here are some ideas to think about as you read the story:

• describe the narrative voice of this story - how effective is it - how would this story be different if it were told from another perspective - what is the narrator's tone toward the different topics of this story
• how does the idea of naturalism come into play - what determines the behavior of the man in this story
• who are the significant characters in this story - what role do they play - in what ways are they symbolic
• how does setting effect the characters in the story
• how does the main character change throughout the story
• what is the theme of this story

Keep track of important quotations and insights as you read.  I look forward to your inside/outside circle discussion tomorrow.  I'm sure that it will be impressive, as it often is.