New comma splices / run-ons practice is due tomorrow

Bring last week's commas practice back tomorrow

Study for final exam. For the literature: practice formulating a strong thesis in response to each study question.

Bring all three major works to class each day this week.

Final exam review guide.

Ch. 8 and 9 of Gatsby Absentees -- I recommend that you talk to a student who was in class to get page numbers for passages discussed.

4th only -- commas practice answers (not finished).

Bring commas practice back on Tuesday.

Seminar on Gatsby is Monday. Write one discussion question to prepare. Review theme topics.

Bring all three major works from this semester starting Tues., to review for final.

You will need your copy of The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver beginning on Tues. 4/27.

Comma rules lesson

Note: Some images in document taken from Eats, Shoots & Leaves: Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference! by Lynn Truss and Bonnie Timmons

Read all of ch. 8 for tomorrow

Commas practice is due Friday

Socratic seminar on Gatsby is Mon.

(5th: cont'd list of themes from Gatsby)

American Dream lesson: interpreting tone in pop songs addressing The American Dream

Vocab. test

Gatsby -- ch. 6

themes to watch out for

Read to p. 125 in ch. 7 for tomorrow; finish ch. 7 for Wed.

Socratic seminar on Gatsby is Mon.

Finish commentary / analysis on quotes from ch. 5. No new reading for Monday, but re-read ch. 6 if necessary!

Unit 9 vocab. test Mon.

Read ch. 6 for tomorrow

Unit 5 vocab. test Monday

Ch. 4 hunting for clues / making predictions charts

Discussion -- Gatsby's claims about himself, lunch w/ Wolfsheim, Nick's epiphany after Jordan's story.

Read ch. 5 for tomorrow.

Unit 9 vocab. test MONDAY

Unit 9 vocab. answers

Gatsby discussion

First 20 min. of A & E Biography on F. Scott Fitzgerald, notes taken

Opening discussion of Gatsby -- selected passages, paraphrase and intrepretation.

Review / reread any part of ch. 1 that was confusing to you.

Read to p. 35 in ch. 2 -- stop at paragraph that begins "The bottle of whiskey."

In-class essay on Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

ELIC essay tomorrow

Journals must be handed in tomorrow

Bring The Great Gatsby tomorrow

Reading quiz

Essays returned

Vocabulary exercises in class

Finish ELIC; write one question for seminar Mon. In-class essay Tues.

Unit 9 vocab. exercises I, II, and IV due Mon.

Find your copy of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and bring on Tues.

Activity: communication problems among characters in ELIC

Grandma's 9/11 letter -- style of the letter, repetition of images, how it connects with our own memories of 9/11

ELIC: antiwar novel? What parts of book seem to make a statement about war in general?

Read to p. 284

Run-ons practice due tomorrow.

Socratic Seminar is on Mon.

In-class essay is on Tues.

Reading quiz

Grammar lesson: comma splices and run-ons

Grammar practice

Grammar practice due Thurs.

Read to p. 247 for tomorrow; stop where tour is about to begin.

Journal prompt: After reading Grandpa's Dresden letter (begins p. 208), how does your understanding of him as a character change?

Discussion of various clues to Oskar's fragile state of mind

Historical background on Dresden bombing

Final question: Why place the Dresden letter where it is in the book -- just after sections where we see Oskar struggling so much emotionally? Is a pattern or theme emerging? (to be continued later)

5th only: Found Poem activity

Discussion of ELIC: grandma and grandpa's marriage, problems of communication, hints of the past, Oskar and the journey he embarks on -- stated objective vs. real objective, etc.

4th hour: clip from Errol Morris' documentary "A Brief History of Time" about Stephen Hawking

Vocab. test

Excerpt from experimental memoir Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Creative writing exercise: "Encyclopedia of My _________ Life" Be sure to keep this in your binder!

Reading quiz

Discussion of ELIC

Silent reading

Vocab. activity with creative writing prompts; see me to make this up if you were absent

ELIC -- motifs, use of pictures, other devices

Read to p. 107 in ELIC for tomorrow

Unit 8 vocab. test is Wed.

Opening discussion of Extremely Loud . . .

Optional reading: excerpts from interviews with Jonathan Safran Foer.

Vocab. answers for unit 8

Silent reading, meetings on essays

Read to p. 34 in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Friday

Essays due Mon.

Board Edit

Various issues with essays: MLA "Works Cited" page; MLA manuscript format, etc.

Read to p. 34 in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Friday

Revise essay -- due Mon. See below.

Unit 8 vocab. test is Wed.

More peer review with rough drafts

Various announcements

Note: With final copy of essay, you must hand in rough draft with TWO Peer review sheets filled out by two others. If you don't have two from today and yesterday, you must get the feedback on your own time.

Rough drafts checked

Note: If you did not have your rough draft today (or if your rough draft was incomplete), you must bring it to me when it is complete to receive credit. No rough drafts accepted for credit after Friday.

Final copy of essay is due Monday 3/8. You may hand in Thurs. 3/4 for 3 extra credit points (essay is worth 100 points). Essays will be counted on 4th quarter grades.

Unit 8 vocab. homework is due tomorrow

Find your copy of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Bring to class starting tomorrow.

Bring The College Writer to class for the rest of the week; projector not working, so you'll need to look at remaining MLA instructions in book as we review it together.

Peer review with rough drafts

(Ms. Hodge not here)

Bring a hard copy of rough draft back to class tomorrow. Print before class, please!

Unit 8 vocab. homework ex. I, II, and IV due Wed.

Please find your copy of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. Bring to class on Wed.

4th hr. no class

5th(A) Using MLA citations. See drafting tips and College Writer pp. 486-491

Grading rubric for essay

Quick overview: Working Bibliography

Work time in library.

Ready to begin outline? Check out these documents today in class:

Outline Tips

Drafting Tips

Back in the classroom tomorrow.

Due tomorrow: read Outline Tips and Drafting Tips. Be ready with questions about anything you are unsure about! I'll address these tomorrow.

Outline and working bibliography due Friday morning 2/26. You, too, 4th hour!

Begin planning ahead -- block out a lot of time this weekend to work on your rough draft, which is due Monday.

Work time in library

Back to library tomorrow!

See below.

Notes on two secondary sources due Wed. 2/24. See researching secondary sources for instructions and help. You need 350 words of notes per source, including reflection / analysis section.

Outline + working bibliography due Friday.

Rough draft due Mon.

Report to library Tues. and Wed. of this week.

Work day

Last two transcripts + color-coding and reflection due MONDAY 2/22. These must have indexes at the top, like the others. This is the rest of section V.

Other upcoming deadlines:

Notes on two secondary sources due Wed. 2/24. See researching secondary sources for instructions and help.

All classes report back to room 200 on Monday.

Tips on writing tentative thesis.

Work time: research questions, tracking down sources, etc.

3 Research questions and tentative thesis due FRIDAY

Last two transcripts + color-coding and reflection due MONDAY 2/22.

Continued tutorial on conducting research.

Introduction to ProQuest and library catalogs. Don't forget to get your pin # to access ProQuest at home.

Continue to bring items mentioned below.

Color-coding and reflections for sections Va and Vb due tomorrow.

3 Research questions and tentative thesis due FRIDAY

Reminders for this week

Introduction to researching secondary sources

Animated tutorial on the research process; we will continue this tomorrow

4th hour -- go to library instead of room 200 Wed., Thurs., and Fri. of this week. Bring the following: audio files, headphones, The College Writer textbook, binder, and your laptop if you prefer to work on it instead of a school machine.

5th hour -- you will be in rm. 200, as usual. Bring the following: audio files, headphones, The College Writer textbook, binder, and your laptop if possible (we have only 11 laptops).

New deadline: 3 research questions and tentative thesis statement due Fri. in Google doc.

Listened to various Storycorps segments

Next step in research essay: color-coding index and writing reflections on interviews.

Instructions: Color code the index with blue for the BEST content and red for the content that is pretty good (second best).

Write 250 words of reflection in response to the questions in each reflection section under inserted transcripts (section V of Google doc.)

Continued reviewing good techniques used by Orlean in essay "A Gentle Reign."

Sharing of interesting details and stories that have come out in your interviews.

All remaining interview questions due tomorrow.That's ALL of section IV in your Google doc.

Transcripts (with index at the top of each) for first two interviews due Wed. 2/17

See below for other deadlines.

See below.

Transcripts for first two interviews due Wed. 2/17

Review of indexing and transcribing instructions.

5th: began looking at essay sample #2.

If you have recordings completed, please bring them in tomorrow. If you have a laptop, it would be helpful to bring it as well. You also need your own headphones!

See below for upcoming deadlines.

One more deadline this week: all remaining interview questions must be done by Fri. 2/12. That's ALL of section IV in your Google doc.

TGM essays passed back and filed.

A look at first model essay -- using quotations, parenthetical citations, etc.

(4th only) Opening discussion of second model essay.

Make sure that you are checking your Google doc. for comments. Update it as needed with comments to me on special situations that you have talked to me about.

Finished with interviews? Manage data files carefully and be ready to bring them to school this week on a flash drive or other portable storage device.

Schedule interviews with next two interviewees by tomorrow -- fill out sections Ib and IIb in Google doc. These interviews need to be done by Wed. 2/17, so keep that in mind when scheduling.

First interview with main interviewee needs to be done by Fri. 2/12; next interview with main interviewee by Tues. 2/16.

Applications for AP English Language distributed

5th, listened to more from Studs Terkel's Hard Times series

Cont'd reading from The Good War; discussion

Read model essay #2, annotate. Due Monday.

By Tuesday 2/9, you need to complete sections Ib and IIb in Google document.

Check Google docs for comments. Get caught up if you are behind.

Important reminder: Interview one must be completed by Fri. 2/12; interview two must be completed by Tues. 2/16.

More interviewing tips

Audio interview samples from Studs Terkel's Hard Times series

Print excerpts from Terkel's The Good War: An Oral History of World War II (read faloud)

Guiding questions on Terkel's work

Due Thurs./Fri.:

Complete sections Ia, IIa, and IVa in Google doc.

Important reminder: Interview one must be completed by Fri. 2/12; interview two must be completed by Tues. 2/16.

The Work of Studs Terkel (questions)

Excerpts from Terkel's The Good War: An Oral History of World War II

Intro. to Google document for the biography project.

Help with recording devices.

Interviewing tips (to be continued).

Due tomorrow:

Access Google document shared with you via email. Follow instructions on Google Document Instructions page.

Complete section III. of your Google document.

Due Thurs./Fri.:

Complete sections Ia, IIa, and IVa.

Unit 7 vocab. test

Intro. to Living History Biography assignment.

Read model essay #1 (handed out today)

Begin looking at possible recording devices; you'll need to decide on one by Wednesday 2/3.

Begin considering subjects (individuals) for your bio. You'll need to know by Thurs. (4th) or Fri. (5th).

Be mindful of deadlines for the first two weeks of the bio. project (these are on your assignment sheet).

Living History Biography Assignment

Model Living History Essay (absentees, check boxes for this)

In-class essay on The Glass Menagerie

Essay makeups Mon. after school.

Study for unit 7 vocab. test Monday.

Reading quiz

bio -- T. Williams and sister Rose, lobotomy

symbols analysis: Victrola, cigarettes, movies, candles (including altar candles)

Finish TGM

Seminar tomorrow -- study play as a whole and write one good discussion question

In-class essay on TGM FRIDAY

Discussion of scenes 2 and 3 of TGM: conflicts, symbolic breaking of glass, lighting on Laura, etc.

Poetry Out Loud recitations

Showing of first scene from "The Glass Menagerie" (1987), starring John Malkovich.

Intro to play: character and production notes in the text, Tom's opening monologue, etc.

Read scenes 2 and 3 of The Glass Menagerie for tomorrow.

Poetry Out Loud competition is tomorrow in room 200. Participants, be sure to prepare carefully by reviewing the recitation guidelines on the Poetry Out Loud web site, in the student section.

Fri. 1/15

Vocab. test

Finished up 13 ways radio segment

Intro. to 13 ways poem (linked below)

Read-alouds

Work time

Read The Glass Menagerie Study Guide

Read Scene One in The Glass Menagerie

Write 13 ways poem.

The Glass Menagerie Study Guide (4th hour, this is the corrected version)

13 ways poem assignment (linked below)

finished up puppet shows

Radio documentary: 13 Ways

Study vocab. for test tomorrow

Want to get a start on our next poem? Here's the assignment.

Bring The Glass Menagerie tomorrow

Study vocab. -- test is Friday. Don't forget roots!

Find your anthology, bring tomorrow.

Find The Glass Menagerie, bring Fri.

Poem selection is due tomorrow if you are participating in Poetry Out Loud!

Puppet shows tomorrow. Revise and copy edit scripts as needed, get puppets ready, and study all unit 6 vocab. words to be ready for word challenges tomorrow!

List poem due tomorrow. Must be typed.

Books to track down:

anthology needed Thursday

The Glass Menagerie (play) needed Friday

Poems put to use assignment collected

Lesson: using concrete images in poetry

Sample poems: "So This is Nebraska" by Ted Kooser and "Ode to the Yard Sale" by Gary Soto

Activity:

--concrete nouns list

--looking for patterns in your list

Puppet shows have been moved to Wednesday. If you just handed in script today, you'll get your feedback tomorrow. Final version of script is due Wed.

List poem assignment:

Using your list from today as a starting point, write a poem of at least ten lines in which you use a series of specific, concrete images. You may use sentences, verbs, comparisons, etc., but keep your poem anchored in concrete nouns. Due Wednesday; must be typed. Use Kooser's and Soto's poems as models.

tone maps handed in

Lesson: poems put to use

YouTube clip: recitation of "Funeral Blues" by W.H. Auden at a funeral

Written Assignment -- Poems Put to use: Reciting a Poem for a Special Occasion

Poems put to use assignment is due Mon.

Draft of puppet show script due Thurs. (please share as Google doc. or email if possible)

Note: puppet show scripts must be revised after drafts are submitted and returned. Be sure that you carry out revisions that I indicate are needed in my comments. A final version of the script must be handed in at the time of the puppet show (probably Monday).

Study vocab. words

Work on memorizing a poem for Poetry Out Loud competition, if you are participating

Sign-ups for groups and words for unit 6 vocab. puppet shows

Lesson on tone in poetry:

4th -- examined list of terms for tone, compiled definitions of unfamiliar words on the list, using Google docs.

Tone map for "Jenny Kissed Me" by Leigh Hunt

5th: examined list of terms for tone, used definitions created by 4th hour students (see home page).

Tone map for "The Revenant" by Billy Collins

4th: Create a tone map for "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Lawrence Dunbar. Due tomorrow.

5th: Create tone maps for "Jenny Kissed Me" and "We Wear the Mask". Due tomorrow.

All: Puppet show scripts are due Thurs. In the event of a snow day, collaborate online with group members using Google docs! You may email me / share with me your script for feedback.

If you are participating in the Poetry Out Loud competition (worth 10 extra credit points), work on selecting and memorizing a poem! The contest will be held on 1/20 or 1/21 (date will be announced soon). Remember to select a poem from the Poetry Out Loud online anthology. You can view all the criteria for a good recitation in the "For Students" section of the web site.

Terms for Tone list

Poems: "Jenny Kissed Me" and "We Wear the Mask"

Finals passed back

New vocab. asgn.

Intro. to Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest: podcast segment on the role of an artist, videos of students reciting poems

Browse Poetry Out Loud collection of poems and work toward finding one poem you especially like

Find a partner or two group members for vocab. puppet show

Essays and grade reports passed out

cont'd review

Answer key for fragments practice!

Study! Good luck!

You may email me with any questions at lhodge@ndsion.edu.

Review game cont'd

Literature review using study questions

Continue to study vocab., grammar, and literary terms for review game in class.

Review literature and study questions for the comprehensive essay on the exam. You will have an opportunity to share ideas in response to study questions in class this week.

Prepare for in-class essay

Study for final

Readings from foreward and afterward to Their Eyes

A look back at essays in portfolio; note to self on how to improve on next in-class essays. Sharing of study tips and experiences.

Prepare for seminar and in-class essay

Study for final

# 1 - 12 of usage errors prac.

Final exam review guide

Dicussion of ch. 17 - 19 in Their Eyes Were . . .

Finish reading Their Eyes

Prepare for seminar Thurs. and in-class essay Fri.

Study for final exam

Finished up fragments practice #2 -- answers

Reading from anthology: "How it Feels to be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston pp. 210 - 211; discussion

4th: reading in Their Eyes along with audio version

Continue reading according to schedule

Usage errors + pronoun case practice is due tomorrow.

Socratic Seminar on Their Eyes . . . Thursday

In-class essay on Their Eyes Friday

Fragments practice #2 -- answers

Discussion of Their Eyes

Unit 5 vocab. test

Fragments error correction practice

Journal prompt for Their Eyes:

What kind of understanding do Janie and Tea Cake reach by the end of ch. 13? Refer to the text as you explain. In your view, is the relationship strengthened or weakened?

Continue reading according to schedule

Fragments practice #2 (two-sided sheet) is due tomorrow

dialectical journals collected

4th -- vocab. answers

Grammar lesson: correcting sentence fragments

reading quiz

Discussion of Their Eyes

read, study vocab., work on dialectical journals

vocab. test Mon.

Yearbook surveys

5th -- vocab. answers

Dickinson poem: "I dwell in possibility"

Discussion of Their Eyes

Vocab. exercises

read

Read ch. 6 of Their Eyes

Unit 5 vocabulary exercises I, II, and IV due Wed. 11/18

6 more dialectical journal entries due Friday 11/20

Read ch. 5 of Their Eyes

6 dialectical journal entries on Their Eyes . . . due Monday! Don't forget to use page numbers in the text column and your own insights in the response column.

Wed. 11/11

Counselors in class to finish up PLAN preparation

Last 10 min.: audio recording of Ruby Dee reading first part of Their Eyes . . .

Reading schedule and instructions given for Their Eyes Were Watching God

Introduction to women writers of the 19th century

Reading of magazine columns by Fanny Fern in anthology

Due tomorrow: Read introduction to Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation by Eboo Patel

Due Wed.: Read 2 stories by Kate Chopin pp. 154 - 159 in anthology.

Due Thurs.: Read "She Was the Party" (copied) and Ch. 1 - 2 of Their Eyes . . .

Due Fri.: Read ch. 3 - 4 of Their Eyes. . .

Dur Mon. 11/16: Read ch. 5 + six dialectical journal entries due; entries should cover ch. 1 - 5

Dialectical Journal Instructions and reading schedule for Their Eyes Were Watching God

"She Was the Party" by Valerie Boyd (attached to the above)

Dialogue assignment due Mon. 11/9

Eboo Patel packet must be read by Tues. 11/10. There will be a reading quiz.

Transcendentalism Dialogue Assignment introduced

Discussion of remaining pages of Walden

Prepare for seminar using provided chart.

Seminar Notes

Transcendentalism Dialogue Assignment

Mon. 11/2 (4th)/ Tues. 11/3 (5th)

Manuscripts handed in

Examination of Thoreau's bio -- paradox of his life

Beginning discussion and annotations of Walden by Thoreau

Prepare for socratic seminar on works by Emerson and Thoreau (Wed. 4th; Thurs. 5th)

Read and annotate pp. 115-117 (the rest of Walden excerpt)

Unit 4 vocab. test

More "Self-Reliance" annotations on Activboard

Read bio. of Thoreau pp. 108-110 in anthology. No annotations required.

Work on manuscript assignment.

You must have annotations on worksby Emerson: Nature and "Self-Reliance."

Wed. 10/28

"Self-Reliance" annotations on Activboard

Introduction to Illuminated Manuscript assignment

Study for unit 4 vocab. test tomorrow

Begin work on Illuminated Manuscript, due 11/2 (4th) or 11/3 (5th)

Make sure you are keeping up with annotations -- all assigned Transcendalist texts must be annotated.

Vocab. answers for unit 4

Introduction to the Oxford English Dictionary online. Go to Sion's library page; click on the OED link. Use the username and password given in class today.

Discussion of Nature by Emerson -- examination of denotations and connotations

Read "Self-Reliance" by Emerson pp. 104 - 107. Annotate carefully -- try using one color for denotations and another color for connotations.

On a sheet of loose leaf, copy two lines from "Self-Reliance." Write your own paraphrase for each.

Unit 4 vocab. test is Thurs.

Introduction to Transcendentalism with movie

Background reading on Ralph Waldo Emerson (absentees, please read this on your own)

Read all of ch. 1 of Nature by Emerson, pp. 100 - 103 in anthology. Required: annoate carefully with pen or pencil. Try to interpret carefully as you read, and write guesses about meanings to the side.

Find one line that you find particularly striking or any reason -- the beauty of the language, or any other reason. Mark it and be ready to share it.

Fri. 10/23

Vocab. test

Introduction to The Siren

Review of vocab. answers for unit 3

Paraphrase exercise with "The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Socratic Seminar on "The Minister's Black Veil" tomorrow. Review aspects listed below and write one discussion question.

In-class essay on "The Minister's Black Veil" on Fri. 10/23

Unit 3 Vocab. test is Thurs. 10/22

Analysis of "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (discussed questions in class)

Personal essays returned

Reread "The Minister's Black Veil" by Hawthorne p. 59 - 66 in anthology. Make sure that you understand surface-level facts and be ready to analyze symbols, characters, and themes.

Bring vocab. book to class tomorrow

Ms. Hodge home sick

Vocab. exercises III and V for unit 3 in class, due at end of hour

Continued look at major characteristics of Romanticism:

• Thematic emphasis on:
– morality -- as determined by the individual conscience but influenced by Christian values
– intuition and emotion (as opposed to reason)
– the heart and soul (as opposed to the mind)
– untouched nature as a source of goodness; cities, society and the sciences as source of corruption
– value of innocence, youth
– individual in conflict with society / the masses

• Style of writing:
– allegory (highly symbolic)
– elevated diction (word usage)
– tone is rather distant and lofty
– use of unrealistic, fantasy-like settings and plot twists
– borrowing from old myths and legends

Audio recording: Basil Rathbone's reading of "Masque . . . "

• Reread “The Masque of the Red Death” and consider how it works as an allegory. Annotate carefully as you reread, making notes where you find symbols.
• On a sheet of loose leaf, write an analysis of three symbols in the story. Begin with the object / place / person / color etc. in the story, and then explain the abstract meaning behind it. Use direct quotes (with page numbers) in support of each analysis. Each analysis should be one well-developed paragraph.

Unit 3 vocabulary homework is also due Thursday

Neo-classicism vs. Romanticism -- an examination of paintings from the two periods, written response, discussion.

Read "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe pp. 54 - 58 in anthology. Due tomorrow.

Bring anthology to class tomorrow and every day until further notice!

Due Thursday: Unit Three Vocabulary Exercises I, II, and IV.

Wed. 10/7

Peer responses to your first three paragraphs.

Sentence-level editing exercise

In-class essays passed back (absentees, see boxes)

Complete rough draft is due tomorrow. Don't forget a title!

Items to go in portfolio you hand in on Monday:

Please find a folder to put these items in.

Peer response sheets

sentence level editing: "trimming the fat"

Reading of "Mzee Owitti" -- another sample essay, p. 135 in College Writer.

Presentation slides -- today's exercise and homework for tomorrow

Journals passed back

Presentation: avoiding cliches, vague language, abstract adjectives.

Good descriptive passage: Mary Karr

See handout (linked at right) with description of new journal entry.

Begin drafting your essay this weekend.

Thurs. 10/1

Journals handed in (absentees, you may email if you have been able to do this)

Finished listening to Sarah Vowell's reading of "Shooting Dad"

In-class response sheet: Narration and Description Techniques -- Essays by Sarah Vowell and Susan Orlean Written in class. Absentees, please do this at home and hand in when you return.

Consider possible essay topics. No other new homework.

If interested, begin work on extra credit. See entry below.

vocab. test

Annie Dillard essay cont'd

audio: "Shooting Dad" by Sarah Vowell (we will continue this Thurs.)

read "The Maui Surfer Girls" pp. 289 - 293 (you may stop at white space on left side.)

two journal entries due Thurs.

Extra credit opportunity: Read essays "Consider the Stars" and "Giant Dreams, Midget Abilities" by David Sedaris, both in anthology. On Fri. 10/9, stay after school to write short written response to the two essays.

Pronoun case review

Introduction to personal essay assignment.

Group annotations of Annie Dillard's "The Chase" (from anthology) as personal essay sample

Study for unit 2 vocab. test -- tomorrow. Includes 5 pronoun case error correction items.

Read "Getting Started" by Anne Lamott pp. 248 - 250 in anthology for tomorrow.

For Wednesday, read "The Maui Surfer Girls" pp. 289 - 293 (you may stop at white space on left side. Due Weds. 9/30.

Journal entries for pers. essay are due Thurs. 10/1

Personal essay: Narration and Description

Read essay by Annie Dillard pp. 251 - 253 in American Literature Anthology (spiralbound book you received today). No written work -- just read it and think about it.

New pronoun case practice is due Monday.

Unit 2 vocab. test + pronoun case is Tues.

Thurs. 9/24

(no class Wed.)

4th: review of unit 2 vocab. answers

5th: in-class essays presentation

Prepare for in-class essay

Vocab. test is Tues. There will be five pronoun-case error correction sentences on the test.

New pronoun case practice is due Mon.

Bring vocab. books back on Monday

Prepare for in-class essay Fri.

Study vocab. if you have time

4th: Presentation on in-class essays (5th, technical problems now solved and you'll see this Thurs.)

Act Four questions addressed

Prepare for Socratic Seminar on The Crucible tomorrow. Bring two discussion questions to seminar.

Unit two vocab. exercises due tomorrow (see below)

essay rubric

Crucible study guide (linked below)

Fri. 9/18

pronoun case answers

More pronoun case help:

15 sentence practice with answer key

movie clip (Act Three) from "The Crucible," 1996, dir. by Nicholas Hytner. Screenplay by Arthur Miller.

Unit two vocab. exercises I, II, and IV due Tuesday (all on loose leaf)

Read all of Act Four (finish the play) for Monday

Formal Socratic Seminar on The Crucible is Tues. (15 points)

In-Class essay on The Crucible is next Friday

Thurs. 9/17

The Crucible -- 10 point response writing

Character role play continued

Vocab. test

Journal entry -- connecting The Cruc. with life

Cruc. character role play game

Read to p. 92 in Act Three

pronoun case practice due tomorrow

Tues. 9/15

Finish reading Act Two of The Cruc.

Study vocab. for test tomorrow

pronoun case practice is due THURS.

Read to p. 67 (stop with entrance of Giles Corey)

Study vocabulary

reading quiz

board edit -- usage errors and vocab. practice

Discussion of The Cruc. pp. 13 - 34

Read to p. 52 in Act Two (just before Mary Warren enters) of The Crucible for Mon.

Study unit one vocabulary. Vocab. test is Wed. 9/16. Study Latin roots AND English words.

Thurs. 9/10

Vocabulary exercise answers cont'd

Discussion of The Crucible pp. 2 - 13; summation of points in difficult passages of Miller's explanatory text, analysis of subtext for Parris and Abigail . . .

Read to p. 34 in The Crucible (stop at end of explanatory text that follows Rev. Hale's entrance)

Continue to consider subtext carefully and annotate as needed.

Wed. 9/9

Edwards sermon cont'd

Intro. to The Crucible

Vocabulary practice

Read this biographical article on Arthur Miller.

Read pp. 2 - 13 of The Crucible (stop when Putnam enters scene)

Tues. 9/8

Wrap-up of video exercise from last week (application of critical reading skills to video clips)

Intro. to Puritanism and Jonathan Edwards (to be cont'd tomorrow)

Unit one vocabulary assignment, due tomorrow:

--Study the words and roots on pp. 8 - 9

--Do exercises I, II, and IV (pp. 10 - 12) on loose leaf paper. Write out sentences for I and IV; write words only for II.

Bring vocabulary book and The Crucible by Arthur Miller to class tomorrow.

Fri. 9/4

Read copied packet with background on Puritanism and sermon by Jonathan Edwards.

Consider questions on the Edwards sermon (do not have to answer in writing)

Wed. 9/2

Usage errors quiz

notes on Critical Reading Tasks

Read "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson pp. 135 - 144 in American Short Stories. Due Friday.

Find your vocabulary book; you will need to bring it on Tues. 9/8. See syllabus for more details on the vocabulary book.

Tues. 9/1

Study for usage errors quiz tomorrow.

Please find your copy of American Short Stories: 1920 to the Present. You will need it this week.

Prepare for in-class essay on A Northern Light tomorrow. Review the text carefully! You may not use your book while writing the essay.

Usage errors quiz is Wednesday.

The Catcher in the Rye presentation: Salinger's life, critical and popular reception of the book, etc.

Review of usage errors practice

Read Socratic Seminar guidelines and rubric (handout)

Prepare for Socratic Sem. on A Northern Light by reviewing the text carefully and writing one discussion question to be used in seminar. Soc. seminar is Mon.

In-class essay on A Northern Light is Tuesday 9/1. Don't forget to make arrangements IN ADVANCE if you have an accommodations plan and you will need extra time.

Usage errors quiz is Wed. 9/2.

Thurs.8/27

Upcoming:

Socratic seminar on A Northern Light on Monday 8/31

In-class essay on A Northern Light on Tuesday 9/1

Usage errors test on Wed. 9/2

Usage errors study list given out

Summer reading tests handed back

Catcher tag-team debate activity begins

Study usage errors on list.

Usage errors practice sheet is due Thurs.

Common Usage Errors Part I

Usage Errors Practice

Thurs.
8/20
(4th) and Fri. 8/21(5th)

The Catcher in the Rye review sheet. Due Monday. Don't xforget to cite page numbers in the lefthand column.

Bring The Catcher in the Rye back to class on Mon.

Wed.
8/19

Course intro.

Summer reading word lists collected

Prepare for quiz over The Catcher in the Rye and A Northern Light Thurs. (4th) or Fri. (5th)

Complete survey. Due Thurs. / Fri.

Bring Catcher to class beginning Thurs. / Fri.

Syllabus

English survey