Firmly in the Middle - Wednesday the 14th

AP Research

Today we started talking all about the end of things because that is where we find ourselves. At the end. The section guide posted in the Classwork tab will review the requirements for your Conclusion/Final Directions section of the paper. Remember that if you've already discussed your limitations and implications, that you may choose not to review them again. This section of the paper can be pretty short - remember that the Manzanar paper was only about one page. You should also check in on your bibliography when you complete the paper - use Control + F to find your sources in the body of the paper. Make sure that everything is properly cited; ask for help if needed.

Friday the 16th and Wednesday the 21st are going to be working days for you. These should be days for you to finish your Academic Paper. We'll meet again as a group on Friday the 23rd to do another round of Peer Review - bring a complete draft of your paper to that meeting. Reflection questions have been updated. Begin working on your slides if you haven't yet. Hopefully the examples were helpful for you.

AP Language and English 10

Reminders posted below are the same as what you will find for yourself. Remember that any missing assignments from this week should be submitted ASAP, don't let things pile up this quarter.

7 April 2021 - Wednesday

AP Language / English 10

Note the reminders below or on Google Classroom related to today's classes. Remember that if you miss anything, recordings are all posted on the stream on Google Classroom. I'm looking forward to seeing you all on Friday to keep working with our novels.

AP Research

On Friday we'll be focused on Peer Review of the Findings and Analysis sections of your paper. Think of these two as clearly linked. The Findings will present your key takeways, groupings, or charts/graphs/tables of data. The Analysis will explain key links and takeaways from that data. Remember to go back to the sample papers posted in our classroom space for examples of this in action. I look forward to seeing you Friday for a productive and useful day.

End of the Week - 8 January

What a week, right? I'm glad that we've made it to the end, and that we've had a successful week of writing, reading, and thinking. Remember that the quarter will be ending soon - there are just a handful of assignments left for us to complete this quarter, so it's a good time to check in on anything missing. Be sure to submit work on Google Classroom - I'll be updating scores and sending progress reports on Monday.

AP Research

Over the weekend be sure to complete your IRB revision and resubmit your documents on Google Classroom. We'll review your work and give any last bits of feedback on Wednesday when we meet as a whole team again. Additionally, I would use time to begin reaching out to potential advisors. Like I said in class, "You never know until you try," so you may want to reach out to some of those professors and researchers. Even if they can't help, they may be able to direct you to someone who can.

We're about to get going into our work to collect and analyze our data - this is when the rubber really meets the road - I'm excited to see what you find! Remember to continue working in your PREP to reflect and document your process.

Grey Day / Veterans Day / Early Release - 11/11/2020

Reminders and homework for AP Lang and English 10 are the same as posted below. Continue reading, thinking, and contributing to the success of the group. Reach out with any questions or concerns. Also, do check in on missing assignments - there are a few of you who are missing vocabulary cards, written reflections, or in-class assignments.

AP Research

On Friday we'll be meeting another major milestone as we complete our first elevator pitches and present our research posters. Like I said today in our quick meeting - we're making choices now which we'll later need to defend with our proposal. All of these assignments work together and support each other - I hope that you can all see that. 

Keep in mind that as you work to complete your poster/pitch, there's also the Annotated Bibliography floating out in the miasma. Keep using the templates and go back to our slides related to constructing the AB. Use your source list and focus on essentials. As always, reach out with any questions or to ask for any help. I'll provide what I can.

16 September - Grey Day

Today was a Grey Day, but it was a pretty great day in my guest room (aka A132, for now). The homework posted below for the Blue Day sections is pretty much the same for us today. Remember our discussion today on grading - I view this as a class where you should resubmit, and where you should turn in things late. Remember that I grade by standards, and that there is often much more to a piece of work than if it came in on time or not.

AP Research

The next few classes will find you working independently to build your Body of Knowledge. I'll be available in our meeting space if you need me for anything, but you've also got plenty of other support. Keep reading to build your reading log. Look for the elements of an effective research question that we discussed today. 

I've also posted your first weekly reflection. You will have a question every week. Be thorough and thoughtful in your answers - some of these will also be POD questions, so it gives us good practice for the future.

As always, everything is available for you in Google Classroom. If you've got a question or concern, feel free to email me. I'm continuing to score your assignments right now and hope to have your work from this week back to you by the end of Monday.

15 September - Blue Day

Good Afternoon Students and Grown-Ups,

Be sure to continue to check Google Classroom for daily updates and reminders. Please ensure that any work from Week 1 is turned in today, including the Homework Assignment 1. Also, remember that in this class I will grade on standards, not assignments, and you have the opportunity to resubmit work after it is scored to improve your grade. Here are your class specific reminders.

English 10

If you didn't submit your Homework Assignment 1 - "My Single Story" please do so. I'd love to take this opportunity to better know you and your story more. Be sure to follow the instructions on Google Classroom.

AP Language

Today we focused on visual rhetoric and the rhetorical situation. We practiced with a painting, and tonight you'll continue that practice with a prescient image. Use your online textbook to find Ana Juan's New Yorker Cover. Apply your strategy from class. Answer the three "READ" questions with this text. You can answer them quickly (no more than a paragraph for each question). Submit your work as a quick practice with our skill.

Also, be sure that you've submitted HW Assignment 1 and your Summer Assignment. If there are questions or concerns, please let me know.

Homework for Thanksgiving Break - B Day

AP Lit

No homework to assign over break except to rest, relax, and recover. I hope that you all enjoyed today's class and meeting The Underground Man. I would highly recommend reviewing Part One (especially if you didn't read too carefully) since you'll understand a lot more of him after today's class.


Next week we'll work through Part II. The assessment on this novel will happen on 11 December - It'll be another Question 3. Don't forget to complete the survey below to give your feedback on the most recent unit! I've also posted on Google Classroom the play An Evening with Dostoevsky (it's in Russian) to give you an idea of The Underground Man. This play is a one-man show based on Notes from Underground - so even if you don't understand Russian, you can get a good idea of who this guy is.

If you didn't complete your vocabulary card I'll take it next week!

AP Research

This is the major push time everyone! It's time to put together all of the pieces for IRB approval next week. This is your major goal. In order to pass IRB you will need the DPS Proposal Form complete as it applies to your study. You will also need to have any consent forms and method tools like surveys and questions prepared. I would compile everything into one space and share that with Dr. Spencer. Her email is julie_spencer [at] dpsnc.net.

Outside of this you should start writing. Complete your outline documents and then start writing it all up. Use Manzanar as a model for this work. Use your templates too. If you have more of this content written now, it makes the work ahead even easier!


Enjoy Thanksgiving Break!

Homework for A Day - 13 November 2019

AP Research

Today we had an assessment followed by working time. I was happy with what I saw on the assessment. If you missed something, it was probably because you were confusing unethical practices with poor method design. Remember that if we're working in the spirit of ethics, we are doing what is needed. There are some issues that we can't correct, but we need to be able to explain them clearly.

Tonight your first priority is to complete your DRAFT proposals. Submit that to Google Classroom so that I can read and review. After that, it's time to start constructing the pieces for your beast. Think about your method. Conference with your peer. Log your work and conferences! Think about your consent forms and instruments. Keep grinding away!

Russian I

Today in class we started our work with cases. We're focusing on learning the PREPOSITIONAL CASE first because the changes are pretty straightforward and easy to track and see. Tonight, practice with this first case by completing the exercise given to you. Look at the question. Write your answer using the verb жить - to live. Be sure to put the word in the parenthesis in the PREPOSITIONAL CASE by changing the ending.


Remember that we'll have our verb quiz reassessment next week. Review and study - let me know what you may need.

Advanced Russian

Today in class was all about numbers, the genitive case, and vocabulary! Lots of new words and information today in class, so we'll be working with it over the next few days. Begin to learn the numbers and the questions/prepositions used with them. Tonight, your homework is pretty basic. Learn the numbers. Learn how to say them. Write them. Use them. The more that you do, the better you will learn.


Complete the three exercises on the sheet I gave you today in class. Write out all numbers as words. Be sure that you are focused on learning the spelling and the pronunciation of the words. We'll be playing with numbers all this week!

Homework for the Weekend - B Day - 7 November

AP Literature

Today in class we had a lot of great work going on related to themes and the way that they are developed through a text. We really enjoyed seeing the work that you did and the questions that you developed related to this text.

Tonight/This Weekend there's Chapter 3. Be sure that you're looking at the themes, topics, motifs, and Mersault. What's changing? How is it changing? Why is the change important?

If your tests or annotations are missing, be sure that they are complete by the end of the week. Any missing projects should also be turned in this week to be considered on-time. We'll hopefully have everything back to you next week.

AP Research

Today we had our next ethical dilemma as well as our work with the DRAFT proposal form (simple really is better). I enjoyed having the opportunity to conference with you today. If we didn't talk today, then we'll talk on Tuesday. The ethical dilemma assessment will fall on Thursday!

Be sure that you are updating your PREP folder as we are working in this unit. Your expert adviser research should go in Weekly Work; there should also be the Planning Out the Work document that should be updated daily. Today, if we conferenced, be sure to log that in the conferences folder.


The proposal folder should also be populated. There's the DPS proposal form, copies of any questions or surveys, consent forms, and the DRAFT form.

Homework for B-Day / 5 November

AP Literature

As we discovered in class today, this book isn't all gloom and doom. There's a bright side to absurdism too as it leads us to a certain amount of satisfaction with our life as it is. We recognize what we can fix and what we can't. We also learn to accept ourselves for who we are, no matter what others may say or think.

Take this with you as you go into Chapter Two. Look at how Mersault and others react to the idea of change. Why is change an important idea in this book? How could it connect to our philosophies?

Don't forget that if you missed the Part One test that it should be made up this week. We are also missing annotations from some of you. If your pop-culture/philosophy project is missing, be sure that it is complete and shared/turned in to Ms. Metcalf by the end of the week.

AP Research

Today was all about making sure that we work with a mind on making the most ethical choices that we can given the limitations that we face. Remember that this class is a process and that it will reveal a lot of moments for us to reflect on the work that we have done so far. Take this time to reflect. Have you checked for ethics in your BoK? How about your expert advisers? Are you asking the right questions? Are you citing everything?

Next class we're going to have a workshop on method and development of the method. I'll also be conferencing with each of you about your work so far this quarter - be ready for our conversation!

Homework for Friday - 6 September - B Day

AP Literature

The main thing for the weekend is the reading of Ha Jin's "A Contract" and the beginning of your revisions. Use the notes from today's workshop to guide your revisions. Apply what we have talked about today and if you don't know what to do, let's talk. Remember that you have the next ten days to focus on this task.

Be sure that you've submitted all of your work - vocabulary cards and summer work as well. We'll keep this party moving. Ask for what you may need as we keep working.

AP Research

This weekend we are really getting into our QUEST. So, it's time to develop the reading and task log. Are you finding sources? Are you developing your Body of Knowledge? Does this work help you to define variables? Terms? Get ideas for method and data points? As you work, log your work on the Reading and Planning Logs. Keep track of everything you are doing.

Begin to draft and revise your question. Are you taking it through multiple iterations? How is it changing? Why?

Finishing Strong - B Day Edition

And now it's time for the last post for B-Day Students. Congratulations on making it to the end of the road! Remember to finish strong and be prepared for what there is still to come!

AP Seminar

Over the weekend you should all prepare for your final symposium for AP Seminar. This symposium will begin our bridging to AP Research. For the symposium you will answer ONE of the six questions that you have been given. You may have a slide or notecard to help you with your answer to the question. Our examination for AP Seminar will be a teacher-made exam and it will be in my classroom. The exam will be held on the morning of the 30th of May.

Advanced Russian

The main task for the weekend is to complete and submit your slide shows for the final project. The space is available for you on Google Classroom. Remember that on Tuesday you will present your cultural information, three of your interesting uses of Russian, and your memorization (to me if you so choose). Tuesday is the final day for grades and such, so make sure that you are leaving class with your work where it should be.

Furthermore, your examination will be on May 30 in the afternoon session. If you are not sure of your exemption status, be sure to ask and check on this. Don't assume anything as it relates to exam exemptions. You have your final exam study guide, so prepare!

Russian I

On Tuesday we will have our last class of the year which will be focused on culture. We will have our holiday presentations next class and finish any of our review activities that we still need to do. Your final examination will be on June 3 in the morning. The exam will focus on grammar, vocabulary, and cultural skills learned in this course. You should prepare using your study guides, textbooks, and all of the work that has been returned to you.

Additionally, there are many helpful resources online that you can find an access. Do some searching on YouTube - I think those are the most helpful.

Remember that the final day for any graded work for B-Day students is Tuesday. I will also accept rubles and Falcon Feathers 

Finishing Strong - Final Reminders for A Day Students

This will be the final post for the 2018-2019 Academic Year. It's been a real pleasure this year; challenging at times, but that just makes it a bit sweeter in my book. Here are your reminders to close out the quarter and for your final examination.

AP English III

There are two assignments left to complete for the quarter. The first is our movie review of The Grapes of Wrath. Your assignment and rubric are posted on Google Classroom. Please submit a hard copy to me or an electronic copy to the space on Google Classroom by the end of the day on Friday for it to be scored as on-time. Late assignments will be accepted.

The final day to do any changes to grades with rubles or Falcon Feathers is Tuesday. The final day to submit any missing work is Friday of this week - the last day of class.

On Friday we will have our classroom celebration/party/review for the final examination. Remember to bring your item, your character, and your entry ticket. The entry ticket (Character Sheet) is your final grade of the year.

Your examination will consist of ten identifications and two essays. A1 will have their exam in the morning on May 29. A4 will have their exam on the afternoon of May 31. I'll review exemptions on Friday, you can also email if you are curious.

English IV

Due to the fact that we are running low on time in the end of the year, I have changed your final essay to a final slide show. In this slide show you'll be comparing yourself and at least one character from our study in this final unit. The topic is maturity - specifically what makes us into adults. You'll have almost all of class on Friday to work on and submit this final assignment to me.

Your examination is a computer-based NCFE. Your exam will happen on May 31 in the morning and we will test in room 204. Please be early.

Any work to be scored by me needs to be turned in on Friday. Especially if you are missing anything. If you would like to use rubles or Falcon Feathers on your grade for extra credit, you will have time to do that on Tuesday as well.

All grades for Quarter 4 will be finalized by the end of the day on Tuesday. Do not come to me on Wednesday for extra credit as it will be too late for that.

Homework for A-Day Students - 20 May 2019

AP English III

Happy Monday, all! Today in class we had two major things - first we finished our work with the Joads by completing the film - The Grapes of Wrath. I like the film, but it definitely has its issues. Remember to complete your film review using your notes and submit this to Google Classroom by Friday. The rubric is also posted there for you.

I am actively scoring and putting your grades for motif projects in the gradebook. I see that some of you are missing motif charts, or illustrations, or 1Q1Ps - some of you are missing everything. Be aware that Friday is the final day that any work will be collected to be scored. If you want to submit rubles or Falcon Feathers for grade improvements, Tuesday is the final day for that.

Next class we will have our Steinbeck prize presentations, and then we will prepare for our final day of class celebrations. Be ready for some fun!

English IV

Today in class we spent time watching The Diary of Anne Frank. I think that a lot of you are seeing a lot of connections between your books and Anne's story. You may even want to look at Anne as one of your examples for your writing assignments.

I handed back essay pre-writing and planning. Some of you need to revise these to answer the questions more fully and get all of your points. If you did not complete this assignment, be sure that you do. We've got very few days left together - let's be sure that we fill them in the best possible way.

Homework for A-Day Students: 9 April 2019

English IV

Today almost everyone was out on a field trip - I hope that you enjoyed your time at Durham Tech today! It's really exciting when you're getting ready for college and what's to come! Today we spent our class time reading and working on reading journals. Remember that everyone's goal is to finish their book by the end of the month. If you need to be reading tonight to make up for class time, please do that.

On Thursday we'll have time in the library to complete our research projects related to our books. After we come back from Easter Break I'll go over the requirements for our final projects and the last classes of the year. Be ready to finish strong!

AP English III

Sorry for the confusion everyone - we'll have our college planning workshop next week on Monday. Not this week. Today in class we focused on Machiavelli and the different strategies he uses to communicate his idea on effective leadership. We made a lot of connections back to Steinbeck as well as we discussed various "princes" in The Grapes of Wrath. Our main motif was power - but I think that there was a bit related to corruption too.

Tonight you should continue reading in Grapes to the end of Chapter 21. Chapter 20 is very long and chronicles the Joads arrival to California. Notice what the reality of California is. Why is it different from the fantasy? Why does this matter? Be sure that you have also completed your motif charts up to Chapter 21 - they'll be necessary as we begin to prepare for our final project on Steinbeck.

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 Spring Break - A Day - 21 March 2019

We made it everyone! Break is upon us! Here are your reminders for what to accomplish over the break. Enjoy yourselves! Get a lot of rest and come back ready for the final push!

AP English III

Over the Spring Break we have reading and writing to accomplish. The reading is in The Grapes of Wrath and will take you through to the end of Chapter Sixteen. As you read you'll be going through the journey to California. Watch the characters. Use your motif charts. Those of you with chapter presentations in this section, be prepared for these - they'll fall on Wednesday after we return. As I said in class - there will be a quiz on this section of the reading. Don't be fooled.

On Monday when we return there will be papers due. Remember that your final draft should be that. You'll have one chance to resubmit it after it is scored. It should be printed, and submitted with a cover sheet and rubric. Submit your final draft with your process pieces - the rubrics - in your envelope on Monday.

English IV

Today in class we took our vocabulary quiz, had some time to do some poetry test corrections and then it was time to head to Room 401 to work on our applications with Mr. Clark. I know that some of us got a bit of bad news today, but remember that there are still a ton of options for you. Life is all about what you make it - so keep striving even if you can't get exactly what you want.

Over break I would suggest spending time relaxing and reading. Remember that when we return we have several weeks left before we begin to prepare for our exams! Be ready for a strong finish!

Homework for A Day Classes - 13 March 2019

AP English III

Today in class we did a great job working through Eighner and the similarities and differences that he has with Steinbeck in crafting his narrative and discussing the poor. I think that all of these ideas are important as we keep reading through The Grapes of Wrath. I hope that you enjoyed the text.

Tonight we are continuing forward on our research papers and our reading. The reading is two chapters - Chapter Five (intercalary) and Chapter Six (content). Remember that we'll have our first round of presentations on Friday. Have any slides or documents shared so that I can prepare in advance. You should also be completing your motif charts as you read.

We are also signing up and completing our rough drafts for our research papers at this time. The draft conference sheet is on my door. Remember that you are bringing me a 50% draft (at the minimum you should have your introduction and one whole topic and bibliography). At our conference we'll review your work and other parts of this assignment. This is the final grade for Q3 and the final part of the paper before the final draft is due. Remember that no work will be collected for this assignment past Friday of next week.

Keep grinding hard - it's almost over!

English IV

Today we spent time talking about our characters and reading more of our novels before starting on a German film called The Wave about conformity and social control. This movie will connect to all of your books since we have similar themes throughout.

Remember at this time you want to check your PowerSchool for any missing or low scoring assignments. Be sure that you have completed everything or that you have redone any low scoring assignments in order to show your best score at the end of the quarter!

Homework for B-Day Students: 6 March 2019

Russian I

We are getting to the point in the year where I am starting to get very worried about the ability for some of you to move on to Russian II due to a lack of skills in the language. It appears as though many of you are waiting for the language to magically click, and unfortunately, this will never happen. You must work nightly with the grammar and vocabulary. You must be able to memorize the case endings and know how the words are changed. Today there was very little engagement or apparent ability to complete the exercises. This is concerning.

Tonight you should finish the exercises if you did not already do so. They will help you to learn the ways in which the cases function and how to alter the spelling of the words to show that they are in the cases. The reading at the beginning of Chapter 2 will also help you with this.

There are many of you missing work. Be aware we have three weeks left in the quarter. On Tuesday you'll have a quiz on cases and colors. I hope that you are all prepared.

Advanced Russian

Today in class we focused on reviewing exercises and vocabulary related to key concepts before we watched our first weather report. Tonight for homework you'll be continuing to work in the spirit of these exercises. Russian III students should prepare their recipe. Make your list of groceries, investigate new verbs, and prepare your vocabulary list. Remember to use your modals where appropriate. Russian II students should write five sentences describing different weather conditions and the feelings that these spark in you. Remember - use adjectives to describe situations/things/weather and use adverbs to describe feelings.

Also, there are a lot of you missing work (projects) be sure that you have presented your poem to me and that you have turned in your slides on Google Classroom.

AP Seminar

Today because of the Tornado Drill we did not have time to conference with everyone. If I did not get to you today, please try to see me tomorrow or Friday before class so that we can have our discussion. At this point, it's all about the question and the argument. Be sure that you're collecting your sources and use your resources to help you complete your tasks. I hope that you have all set up your folder on Google Drive and that you are beginning to fill the folder with items.

Remember that it would be good to start to consider your argument/solution/answer and then the way in which you'll set up your evidence to show your line of reasoning. You'll be submitting an outline next as that is a a more logical tool for this type of assignment than an Annotated Bib.

Happy researching!

Homework for the Weekend - Valentine's Day - B Day

AP Seminar

You did it! Achievement unlocked! You presented your TMPOD and we are moving on to our next task. I am very proud of the work that you all did today and the way that you all rose to the occasion. I have released the stimulus pack to you through Digital Portfolio. We will start working through this on Monday as we begin Performance Task 2. I would recommend reviewing the documents this weekend, considering any connections you may see between them, and then being ready for some focused study of these documents over the next few classes.

Don't forget to complete the Week 2 Reflection as well as submit your IRR to Digital Portfolio this weekend.

Advanced Russian

This weekend we should all be focused on project work and reviewing verbs of motion that may have been challenging to us on the quiz today. On Google Classroom you'll see slides for today which include the example slide for your project. Use this as an example of what to do as you are working.

The other project is our poetry memorization - this should be complete on Monday or Wednesday. Come in and present your poem to me aloud. If it's not good enough, I'll invite you to return.

Russian III Students need to complete reading in your textbook - pages 419 to 421 review the conditional and hypothetical in Russian. Review these pages and take notes so that we can review the concept on Monday. This is the last grammar concept before our Unit 10 examination.

Russian I

Today in class we did a lot of great writing and speaking to focus on the different cases, their sounds, and their jobs. We reviewed our film and discussed Nadya's actions through the film. From there, we spent time with our laptops working through our projects about ourselves.

This weekend you should finish the draft of your slides and writing. There should be an answer for each slide and there should be a photo. By the end of the project you should have used all six cases, a variety of verbs, and practiced with a lot of your Russian language skills. I'm available all week to review your work with you.

There are also our poem projects. Have your four lines memorized so that you can get your easy A on this assignment. You can come to me at any point next week to perform your poem.