Freshmen: Today we concluded our presentations. Congratulations to everyone - you all did a great job. Get ready for finals - there will be a section on Great Expectations and we will have a seminar on the book on Friday.
Sophomores: Read from the start of Tuesdays with Morrie up to the First Tuesday.
CNF: We discussed whether or not we can hold the Joker morally responsible for his actions.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Friday, May 27
Freshmen: Today we took the final vocab exam. We will finish the Capstone Projects next week and do some stuff with Great Expectations.
Sophomores: Today we had our final seminar on Hamlet (good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest...). You need Tuesdays with Morrie for next week. Also, here is your final writing assignment for the year:
Explain who your hero is. This may be a real or fictional person, living or dead. Doesn't matter. In your essay do the following things:
-Describe this person. Explain why he or she is your hero.
-Include some explanation of what you feel it means to be a hero in your essay, and how this person fits that description.
-Compare your hero to one of the characters we studied this year.
-Cite from something we read this semester at least twice in your essay. Be sure to include the page number, text, etc.
-Refer to elements of either the four stages of the hero or the monomyth when describing your hero.
-Analyze which archetype best fits your hero in your essay.
-State CORRECTLY in your header which lead and conclusion technique you are using.
-Craft a compelling title.
Each of these things are worth about 12.5 points, for a total of 100. If you do not submit it to turnitin.com, you will not recieve credit. It is due Friday, 7:59 AM. I will not accept a paper or email submission.
CNF: Today we continued talking about promises as well as hatred.
Sophomores: Today we had our final seminar on Hamlet (good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest...). You need Tuesdays with Morrie for next week. Also, here is your final writing assignment for the year:
Explain who your hero is. This may be a real or fictional person, living or dead. Doesn't matter. In your essay do the following things:
-Describe this person. Explain why he or she is your hero.
-Include some explanation of what you feel it means to be a hero in your essay, and how this person fits that description.
-Compare your hero to one of the characters we studied this year.
-Cite from something we read this semester at least twice in your essay. Be sure to include the page number, text, etc.
-Refer to elements of either the four stages of the hero or the monomyth when describing your hero.
-Analyze which archetype best fits your hero in your essay.
-State CORRECTLY in your header which lead and conclusion technique you are using.
-Craft a compelling title.
Each of these things are worth about 12.5 points, for a total of 100. If you do not submit it to turnitin.com, you will not recieve credit. It is due Friday, 7:59 AM. I will not accept a paper or email submission.
CNF: Today we continued talking about promises as well as hatred.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 26
Freshmen: Today we saw some super duper presentations and the stragglers handed in their letter to the editor. Vocab chapter 15 due tomorrow; Great Expectations due for next Thursday, at the latest.
Sophomores: Today we focused on which archetype best describes Hamlet. The conclusion we drew was that, much as Bloom believes Hamlet encompasses intellect and transcends gender, he too simultaneously encompasses and transcends archetypes. Due Friday is the play and the seminar prep, as well as your 3EJ. Get Tuesdays with Morrie for next week, as well as chapter 15 vocab.
CNF: Today we discussed the morality of promises in general, and promises to the dead in particular. Heavy, heavy stuff - no wonder Hamlet and The Batman are a couple of tripped out cats (bats).
Sophomores: Today we focused on which archetype best describes Hamlet. The conclusion we drew was that, much as Bloom believes Hamlet encompasses intellect and transcends gender, he too simultaneously encompasses and transcends archetypes. Due Friday is the play and the seminar prep, as well as your 3EJ. Get Tuesdays with Morrie for next week, as well as chapter 15 vocab.
CNF: Today we discussed the morality of promises in general, and promises to the dead in particular. Heavy, heavy stuff - no wonder Hamlet and The Batman are a couple of tripped out cats (bats).
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24 and Wednesday, May 25
Freshmen: We saw some excellent presentations. Your letter to the editor is due Thursday, vocab is due Friday, and finish Great Expectations for next Thursday at the latest.
Sophomores: Today we read some stuff by Harold Bloom about Hamlet; finish the play for Friday, get Tuesdays with Morrie for next week, and finish vocab for next week.
CNF: Today we discussed utilitarianism and the relative ethical merits of Bruce Wayne becoming the Batman. So, go out and do more good than bad.
Sophomores: Today we read some stuff by Harold Bloom about Hamlet; finish the play for Friday, get Tuesdays with Morrie for next week, and finish vocab for next week.
CNF: Today we discussed utilitarianism and the relative ethical merits of Bruce Wayne becoming the Batman. So, go out and do more good than bad.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Freshman Honors Second Semenster Final Exam Review Guide 2011
Hi. Here is what you need to know about the semester exam. It comprises 10% of your semester grade, the other 90% split between quarters three and four. There are FOUR parts to the exam: a 30 question objective exam that covers what we have studied this semester (QBR, haiku, creative response, sonnet, division and classification, cause and effect, argument, etc.), a 50 question vocab exam that covers chapter 8-15, a 20 question exam on Great Expectations, and an essay exam. The point values are as follows: objective exam 60 points, vocab exam 50 points, Great Expectations 20 points, essay exam 100 points. You will also get 20 points for bringing in your research for the essay, which is explained below. So, 250 points total.
You are required to conduct research on the exam topic prior to the exam. You must bring in one (ONE only) page of notes that has five facts that support a position for the issue and five facts that support a position against the issue. Your sources must be included on your notes. Your notes may only be facts related to the issue - no other notes can be on the page. No notes, no credit for the essay as it is an argument essay. The day of the exam you will be assigned a position at random, so be prepared to argue either side of the issue. The prompt is listed below (notice the requirements of the essay as well).
Essay Prompt: Cell phones in school have recently become a controversial issue. Your school is seeking to ban all cell phones from its campus. Students may not have a cell phone in their lockers, backpacks, or on their person. Anyone with a cell phone on campus will be suspended from school. Argue FOR/AGAINST this ban citing evidence from your research.
Below your name, identify which type of lead and which type of conclusion you are using. Be sure your essay has a clear title and thesis statement. Use three of the rhetorical devices we have studied this year in your essay. In the margin, identify when you use one of these techniques. Be sure you support your thesis with your research, and you must include a blocked and an in-text citation. You will hand in your one page of research notes with the essay. Write in pen, and double space.
You are required to conduct research on the exam topic prior to the exam. You must bring in one (ONE only) page of notes that has five facts that support a position for the issue and five facts that support a position against the issue. Your sources must be included on your notes. Your notes may only be facts related to the issue - no other notes can be on the page. No notes, no credit for the essay as it is an argument essay. The day of the exam you will be assigned a position at random, so be prepared to argue either side of the issue. The prompt is listed below (notice the requirements of the essay as well).
Essay Prompt: Cell phones in school have recently become a controversial issue. Your school is seeking to ban all cell phones from its campus. Students may not have a cell phone in their lockers, backpacks, or on their person. Anyone with a cell phone on campus will be suspended from school. Argue FOR/AGAINST this ban citing evidence from your research.
Below your name, identify which type of lead and which type of conclusion you are using. Be sure your essay has a clear title and thesis statement. Use three of the rhetorical devices we have studied this year in your essay. In the margin, identify when you use one of these techniques. Be sure you support your thesis with your research, and you must include a blocked and an in-text citation. You will hand in your one page of research notes with the essay. Write in pen, and double space.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 23
Freshmen: We saw some good presentations today. Remember, finish chapter 15 vocab and Great Expectations for next week.
Sophomores: Today we discussed the archetypes we saw in Into the Woods and shared our soliloquies.
CNF: Today we discuss whether or not you would rather have the powers of invisibility or flight and listened to a segment from This American Life.
Sophomores: Today we discussed the archetypes we saw in Into the Woods and shared our soliloquies.
CNF: Today we discuss whether or not you would rather have the powers of invisibility or flight and listened to a segment from This American Life.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday, May 19 and Friday, May 20
Freshmen: We saw some pretty amazing presentations - good job. Keep working at Great Expectations and vocab and your letters to the editor.
Sophomores: We finished Into the Woods. Due Monday is your soliloquy. Due Friday is Hamlet, with five notes for Act IV and V. We will do vocab the week after. That week you will need Tuesdays with Morrie, too.
CNF: Get Three Cups of Tea finished for Friday's seminar (the 20th).
Sophomores: We finished Into the Woods. Due Monday is your soliloquy. Due Friday is Hamlet, with five notes for Act IV and V. We will do vocab the week after. That week you will need Tuesdays with Morrie, too.
CNF: Get Three Cups of Tea finished for Friday's seminar (the 20th).
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Sophomore English Second Semester Final Exam Review Guide
Hi there. This is what you need to know about your final:
1. There's three parts: Vocab 8-15, a 50 question exam on the material we have covered, and an essay exam.
2. The two tests are worth 50 points each, the essay is worth 100.
3. This is what you need to know for the exam: The four stages, the monomyth, the basic character archetypes we have studied, the Hero Catch-Phrase Project, all other class notes, and some basic details about some of the things we read this semester, as the questions often use details from the books as examples of concepts learned.
4. Here are the actual essay prompts. No notes may be used, so you need to prepare now. And remember, you have a better chance of a great grade if your essay stands out than if it seems like it's the same one a dozen other people wrote...
Choose one of the following essay prompts. Follow the directions listed at the bottom.
1. Identify and analyze several characters from this semester that fit Aristotle’s tragic hero archetype.
2. Analyze the extent to which several of the heroes we studied this semester are haunted by ghosts.
3. Analyze how several heroes from the texts we studied were concerned that they not leave behind “a wounded name.”
4. Analyze the role of memory, and memories, in the texts we studied this semester.
5. Analyze to what extent several of the texts we read fit the pattern of the monomyth.
6. Analyze to what extent several heroes from the texts we studied fit the pattern of the four stages of the hero.
7. Explain how your own life reflects the pattern outline in the four stages of the hero.
8. Analyze the “arc” our study of the hero took this semester, from traditional heroes such as Beowulf to less traditional ones such as Morrie Swartz, including those examined in the Hero Catch-Phrase Project. Explain how this arc influenced how you now understand the concept.
9. Choose a story we have not studied in class and explain how it fits the model of the monomyth.
10. Choose a character we have not studied this semester and analyze how he or she fits the four stages of the hero.
11. Explain several concepts you learned this semester about the hero concept through the Hero Catch-Phrase Project.
****Regardless of the prompt you choose, your essay should have the following elements:
-A compelling title.
-The lead and conclusion technique you are using.
-Double spacing.
-A clear thesis that responds precisely to the prompt you have chosen, and around which all other details revolve.
-Specific details to support, clarify, and build up your thesis.
-Neatness and few grammatical errors.
1. There's three parts: Vocab 8-15, a 50 question exam on the material we have covered, and an essay exam.
2. The two tests are worth 50 points each, the essay is worth 100.
3. This is what you need to know for the exam: The four stages, the monomyth, the basic character archetypes we have studied, the Hero Catch-Phrase Project, all other class notes, and some basic details about some of the things we read this semester, as the questions often use details from the books as examples of concepts learned.
4. Here are the actual essay prompts. No notes may be used, so you need to prepare now. And remember, you have a better chance of a great grade if your essay stands out than if it seems like it's the same one a dozen other people wrote...
Choose one of the following essay prompts. Follow the directions listed at the bottom.
1. Identify and analyze several characters from this semester that fit Aristotle’s tragic hero archetype.
2. Analyze the extent to which several of the heroes we studied this semester are haunted by ghosts.
3. Analyze how several heroes from the texts we studied were concerned that they not leave behind “a wounded name.”
4. Analyze the role of memory, and memories, in the texts we studied this semester.
5. Analyze to what extent several of the texts we read fit the pattern of the monomyth.
6. Analyze to what extent several heroes from the texts we studied fit the pattern of the four stages of the hero.
7. Explain how your own life reflects the pattern outline in the four stages of the hero.
8. Analyze the “arc” our study of the hero took this semester, from traditional heroes such as Beowulf to less traditional ones such as Morrie Swartz, including those examined in the Hero Catch-Phrase Project. Explain how this arc influenced how you now understand the concept.
9. Choose a story we have not studied in class and explain how it fits the model of the monomyth.
10. Choose a character we have not studied this semester and analyze how he or she fits the four stages of the hero.
11. Explain several concepts you learned this semester about the hero concept through the Hero Catch-Phrase Project.
****Regardless of the prompt you choose, your essay should have the following elements:
-A compelling title.
-The lead and conclusion technique you are using.
-Double spacing.
-A clear thesis that responds precisely to the prompt you have chosen, and around which all other details revolve.
-Specific details to support, clarify, and build up your thesis.
-Neatness and few grammatical errors.
Wednesday, May 17
Freshmen: We saw some good presentations today. Keep reading Great Expectations and working on vocab. Your letter to the editor is due soon, too.
Sophomores: We saw some more of Into the Woods and had a seminar on Acts 1-3. Read 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 tonight. We will pick up with 4.4 next period. Keep working at vocab as well.
CNF: We tried our best to finish three cups of tea, but that is a lot of tea!
Sophomores: We saw some more of Into the Woods and had a seminar on Acts 1-3. Read 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 tonight. We will pick up with 4.4 next period. Keep working at vocab as well.
CNF: We tried our best to finish three cups of tea, but that is a lot of tea!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tuesday, May 17
Freshmen: Once again, two more great presentations. Keep reading, working on vocab, and writing your letter to the editor.
Sophomores: Today we saw the beginning of Act II of Into the Woods. We then began to translate Hamlet's famous soliloquy. The options are basically to translate it into another form (rap, tweet, text message, etc.) or to restate it from the perspective of another character (a valley girl, Elmo, etc.). But, you need to stay true to the soliloquy, and yet also stay true to how the chosen character would approach the conundrum Hamlet faces. Due for Wednesday are Acts II and III. Also, keep working at your vocab.
CNF: The goal: Get book read by block day this week.
Sophomores: Today we saw the beginning of Act II of Into the Woods. We then began to translate Hamlet's famous soliloquy. The options are basically to translate it into another form (rap, tweet, text message, etc.) or to restate it from the perspective of another character (a valley girl, Elmo, etc.). But, you need to stay true to the soliloquy, and yet also stay true to how the chosen character would approach the conundrum Hamlet faces. Due for Wednesday are Acts II and III. Also, keep working at your vocab.
CNF: The goal: Get book read by block day this week.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Monday, May 16
Freshmen: Today we saw several good presentations. Great Expectations should be concluded in about two weeks. Also, check the vocab schedule and work on your letter to the editor. Namaste.
Sophomores: Today we concluded Act I of Into the Woods and focused on Hamlet's famous soliloquy. I'd like you to reread it - it's in Act III, Scene I, and finish Act III for Wednesday's seminar: you should have five notes for Acts II and III. Keep working on vocab, too.
CNF: We read, in an attempt to finish the book by Friday.
Sophomores: Today we concluded Act I of Into the Woods and focused on Hamlet's famous soliloquy. I'd like you to reread it - it's in Act III, Scene I, and finish Act III for Wednesday's seminar: you should have five notes for Acts II and III. Keep working on vocab, too.
CNF: We read, in an attempt to finish the book by Friday.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday, May 13
Freshmen: Got to see more awesome presentations... Keep reading Great Expectations.
Sophomores: We read 3.1. Finish Acts II and III for Wednesday's seminar - five notes per act.
CNF: Checked out an email from Uncle Greg and continued to read.
Sophomores: We read 3.1. Finish Acts II and III for Wednesday's seminar - five notes per act.
CNF: Checked out an email from Uncle Greg and continued to read.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Monday, May 9
Freshmen: Period 3 got to see two great presentations; period 7 focused on how an object may stand for or symbolize something in a short story. Keep reading Great Expectations; chapter 14 vocab due Thursday.
Sophomores: We focused on Polonius's advice to Laertes in 1.3 today and read 1.4. We also began a Triple Entry Journal. Your homework tonight is to read the rest of Act I, enter 1 thing on your 3EJ, and come with five things written down to discuss in seminar - questions, comments, ideas...
CNF: Today we had a seminar on the first nine chapters of Three Cups of Tea.
Sophomores: We focused on Polonius's advice to Laertes in 1.3 today and read 1.4. We also began a Triple Entry Journal. Your homework tonight is to read the rest of Act I, enter 1 thing on your 3EJ, and come with five things written down to discuss in seminar - questions, comments, ideas...
CNF: Today we had a seminar on the first nine chapters of Three Cups of Tea.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Friday, May 7
Freshmen: Period 3 got to learn about the paranormal and Disney, while period 7 had their last day to work in class. Both groups have vocab due next Thursday.
Sophomores: Your I Remember essays are due to turnitin.com by Monday, 7:59 AM. Also, finish reading through Act I Scene 3 of Hamlet (1.1-1.3).
CNF: We read today - the goal is to have at least chapters 1-9 done for Monday's seminar.
Sophomores: Your I Remember essays are due to turnitin.com by Monday, 7:59 AM. Also, finish reading through Act I Scene 3 of Hamlet (1.1-1.3).
CNF: We read today - the goal is to have at least chapters 1-9 done for Monday's seminar.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, May 5
Freshmen: Period 3 - today you turned in your projects and shared them. Congratulations - you just completed a difficult, college-level assignment, and I look forward to reading them. Period 7 - we worked today, and will looking at a few short stories in the upcoming days. Both groups need to keep at Great Expectations, their presentations, and chapter 14 vocab.
Sophs: We wrapped up the pre-reading portion of our study of Hamlet. Vocab and essays be thy tasks.
CNF: We're shooting to get as far as possible with Three Cups of Tea for Monday.
Sophs: We wrapped up the pre-reading portion of our study of Hamlet. Vocab and essays be thy tasks.
CNF: We're shooting to get as far as possible with Three Cups of Tea for Monday.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Hooks
Teachers - please list any good ideas you have for hooks as a comment. Remember, good teachers borrow and great teachers steal, so leave your car keys and ipods out for everyone to take. Thanks!
Monday, May 2
Freshmen: Period 3 chose their presentation dates; your Capstone Project is due on Thursday and presentations begin Friday. Period 7 focused on use of objects in a short story, and your project is due in a week and a half. Both should continue to read Great Expectations.
Sophomores: We continued to view Hamlet in preparation for reading the play. You are to take your 12 memories and craft them into an I Remember My Mother essay and submit it to turnitin.com before school next Monday, May 9. Due for this Thursday is the essays on Shakespeare's language, life, and theater, with 5 notes per section.
CNF: Today we continued reading Three Cups of Tea.
Sophomores: We continued to view Hamlet in preparation for reading the play. You are to take your 12 memories and craft them into an I Remember My Mother essay and submit it to turnitin.com before school next Monday, May 9. Due for this Thursday is the essays on Shakespeare's language, life, and theater, with 5 notes per section.
CNF: Today we continued reading Three Cups of Tea.
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