December 16

Freshmen: We concluded our work with SDDL and handed some stuff back. Prepare for your final.

Sophomores: We concluded the TIB presentations. They were very good. Thank you for a terrific semester - I learned a lot from you. Prepare for your final.

Monday, December 15

Freshmen: SDDL is due tomorrow. Today we looked at your grandparent projects and introduced the next quarter's prayer and great thoughts assignment.

Sophomores: We continued your awesome presentations. For Tuesday, finish The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, chapter 7 from the vocab book, and The Echoes of the Tao assignment, which I will collect tomorrow.

Freshman English Second Semester Prayer and Great Thoughts Assignment

Freshman English Second Semester Prayer and Great Thoughts Assignment
For the third quarter, the assignment will change just a little. These are the changes:
1. You will come up with your own aphorism, maxim, or proverb (look these terms up if you don’t know them) instead of taking one from someone else. This must be your own original creation, not a variation of something someone else has said.
2. Think of things that are true, profound, and insightful – but also short and sweet and easy to remember. Coach Chiesa’s “Your attitude determines your altitude”, Max Lamb’s “Don’t ‘Should’ on yourself”, and Morrie Swartz’s “When you’re in bed, you’re dead” are good not only because they are true and profound, but because they employ alliteration, a play on words, and rhyme as well.
3. Then craft a 1-2 minute talk on the concept that your own great thought speaks to or exemplifies. For example, Coach Chiesa shared his great thought with our team once and then went on to tell stories about people – including himself – whose attitude determined their success. In Tuesdays With Morrie, Morrie talks about how much he hates being confined to his bed and how much we ought to appreciate our bodies. When Max was in 8th grade, he spoke about focusing on what you know you can do, not on what others feel you should do. Again, focus on the topic your great thought speaks to, not the great thought itself.
4. The great thought should be the first sentence(s) of your talk. Start with it and then move on to your topic.
5. You may not have any outlines or notes aside from your great thought, but you should practice ahead of time. Much of your grade is devoted to how smoothly you move from point to point, so don’t try to do this “cold” – I would suggest actually writing up what you want to say and then practicing it. But in front of your audience, you will have no notes. Good luck and have fun. I look forward to having you share your wisdom with us.

December 12

Freshmen: Today we conducted a review of the four primary rhetorical devices we have studied thus far - compare and contrast, narration, illustration/example, and definition. Start prepping for your semester exam - the review guide is on the blog - and finish your grandparent essay for Monday as well as Sleeping Dogs for Tuesday.

Sophomores: We began your presentations today. Finish DB&BF for next week. Get Sophocles for next semester. Start prepping for the semester exam - review guide is on the blog.

December 11

Freshmen: Today we took a quiz on SDDL Chapter 9 and wrote a compare-contrast essay in class. Grandparent project - two copies and wrapping stuff - due on Monday. Finish SDDL for Tuesday.

Sophomores: We finished the film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. C'est magnifique... err - it's really good. Finish the book for next week. Your This I Believe papers were due today. Next week I will collect the Echoes of the Tao next week; do 87-88 in the vocab book tonight.

December 9 and 10

Freshmen: We focused primarily on the comma and on compare and contrast again. Chapter 9 from SDDL is due Thursday, Chapter 10 for next Tuesday. Remember, bring in two copies of your grandparent project on Monday.

Sophomores: We watched The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and began chapter 7 from our vocab book. Submit your essay to NPR and bring your essay in tomorrow.

Baird Second Semester Sophomore Western Traditions Book List

These are the books you need, in this order:
1. The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles, ISBN 0452011671
2. The Kite Runner
3. The Poisonwood Bible
4. Hamlet - Folger Library
5. Tuesdays With Morrie

Get these ASAP, please.

World Literature Semester Review Guide

Sophomore World Literature Semester Final Exam Study Guide:
• There will be four parts to the exam: a 100 question vocab review of chapters 1-7 (worth 50 points), an objective multiple choice exam on the terms and concepts we have studied this year (worth 30 points), an essay exam (worth 100 points), and prep notes (worth 20 points).
• There are three essay options that you must prepare for - you will be given one at random.
• You are required to come prepared with one sheet of paper that has prep notes for each of the three essay exam possibilities.
• You MAY NOT use notes for the objective portion of the exam or the vocab exam – your notes are for the essay ONLY.
• Here is a list of things to review for multiple choice exam. Refer to your notes, your terminology section, and your assignments to help with this:
o The 10% Solution.
o Types of leads and conclusions we studied.
o All other notes on writing.
o Literary terms and vocabulary
• Here are the essays you might be assigned. Prepare for all three. You should come with one sheet of notes (front and back) that has prep work for all three essays.
1. Examine how all the books we have read are essentially Taoist in nature. Focus on at least three of our texts and cite at least five lines from the Tao as you synthesize your ideas. Be sure to bring in new ideas – it should not be a rehashing of things we have already talked about in class.
2. Examine a common belief shared by at least three major characters in different books we have read and write a 500-word-minimum “This I Believe” essay.
3. Explain what you have learned this semester. Include things about reading and writing as well as things that go beyond the scope of just reading and writing better. Focus on specifics – ideas, actions, beliefs.
See me if you have any questions.

Freshman First Semester Exam Review Guide

Freshman English 2008-2009 First Semester Review Guide:

Your semester exam is worth 200 points overall, and comprises 10% of your semester grade. The other 90% comes from the first and second quarters – 45% each.

You will have 90 minutes for the exam. This is what your exam will look like.
1. We will have a 90 question vocab exam covering chapters 1-6. It will be worth 30 points.
2. We will have a 50 question exam covering everything we have studied this semester. Use your notebook and Models for Writers as your guides. The test will cover a range of topics from our 7 Step Essay Process, The 10% Solution, to various lead and conclusion techniques, to words from your terminology and vocabulary section. Anything in your notebook is fair game. This exam is worth 50 points.
3. You will be assigned an essay at random. The topic is up to you, but you will be assigned a particular mode. The possibilities are narrative, compare and contrast, illustration (we also used the term example), or definition essay. You will be required to write an essay that fits that mode, craft a compelling title, and use one of the lead and conclusion techniques we have studied this year. The essay is worth 100 points, and will be grade according to our Six Traits rubric.
4. The final 20 points will come from your essay prep notes. Everyone must prepare for the essay portion of the exam by developing a single page (front and back) of notes for each of the four possibilities. Take notes on possible topics, things to do as a writer in that particular mode, and how you might open and close your essay. You will only be allowed to use these notes on the essay portion, not on the vocab or 50 question exam. This will be collected at the end of the exam.

Good luck and see me if you have any questions.

December 5

Freshmen: We did chapter 6 from SDDL in class today. 7 is due Monday. We will have the chapter 6 vocab exam next week.

Sophomores: We began The Diving Bell and the Butterfly today. Finish the first 30 pages for Monday; Finish the book for next Friday.

December 2 and 3

Freshmen: We began writing our grandparent project today, and looked at some models. Two final copies are due December 15 - on to hand in, one to wrap and give as a gift. SDDL C4 is due Thursday, 5 is due Friday, and we will do 6 together in class on Friday. We may have a vocab exam on Friday.

Sophomores: Okay, Siddhartha is due Thursday. We viewed a Campbell interview, the Masks of Eternity today. Think sheets due Thursday. Have The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for Friday. Your final project is due to NPR 12/10 and we will present 12/12.

November 24

Freshmen: Today we worked on the reading skill predicting. You need to finish reading Frank Stockton's "The Lady or the Tiger". Google it, or go to www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/LadyTige.shtml. Then, do #6 on your graphic organizer, which is writing what happens next. Write it in the same style as the story - write the end of the story. Your ending should be rooted in logic about what we know about the princess and her lover. Your story ending is due tomorrow. Your interview and notes need to be completed by Monday, 12/1, as does Chapter 3 from Sleeping Dogs.

Sophomores: Today we learned about irony - the book we have read are replete with irony. Finish Siddhartha by 12/3. Have The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by that date.

Sophomore Extra Credit - The Buddha in the World

Go to www.speakingoffaith.org and podcast the episode "The Buddha in the World." Listen to it, take brief notes, and write a one page reaction, referencing the books we have read, especially Siddhartha. Due 12/1; 25 points extra credit possible.

November 21

Freshmen: We assessed your definition essays and read another example, The Company Man. For Monday, Chapter 2 from SDDL is due. Be sure to complete your interview before 12/1. Come that day with your notes.

Sophomores: We focused on the word Om today, as it is central to Siddhartha. Finish Siddhartha by 12/3. Don't forget your final project - get a jump on that now.

November 20

Freshmen: We continued our study of definition essays. We read "What is Crime?" and defined what we felt crime was. We also took a quiz on Chapter 1 from Sleeping Dogs; Chapter 2 is due Monday. Your essay is due Friday.

Sophomores: We shared our This I Believe statements from Santiago's point of view and then focused on the Letters About Literature project. Your letter is due Monday, along with a stamped envelope and your completed entry coupon. For Friday, the chapter titled "Gottama" is due Friday. Finish the book for 12/3.

Letters About Literature

Hi. Refer to www.loc.gov/letters or google "Letters About Literature" in order to get the proper information.

Sleeping Dogs Reading Schedule

Sleeping Dogs Schedule:
Chapter Date Due
1 11/20
2 11/24
3 12/1
4 12/4
5 12/5
6 We will read this in class 12/5.
7 12/8 - We will do 141 and 142 together in class.
8 12/9
9 12/11
10 12/16

November 18 or 19

Freshmen: Today we began our study of Definition essays. Read the introduction to that in Models. Then read The Handicap of Definition. Due for Friday is one of the two essay ideas at the bottom of page 401 or 402. It must be a typed essay, your best work. Also due for Thursday is Chapter 1 from Sleeping Dogs.

Sophomores: We wrote a TIB statement from Santiago's point of view. A typed copy is due Thursday. We also started Siddhartha. Read everything through the chapter titled "Gottama" for Friday. Finish the book for 12/3.

November 17

Sorry, my computer has not been connecting to the server, so I haven't been able to post for a few days.

Freshmen: We began Sleeping Dogs. Chapter 1 is due Thursday. You may use this for in class and at home reading. That's about 10 pages a day. There will be a quiz on the concepts covered. Read for 20 minutes. Your interview, with notes, must be completed by 12/1. There is a chapter 4-5 quiz next period.

Sophomores: We conducted a seminar for The Alchemist today. Have Siddhartha for our next period (for period 5, that is Tuesday). There will also be a chapter 5 vocab quiz.

November 11 or 12

Freshmen: Today we began a study of Narrative essays, the second rhetorical device we're going to be able to use. Read the intro to it in Models, page 321-324. We then looked at some models, and began The Grandparent Project. This is what you need to do:
1. Select someone 60 or over, preferably a grandparent, but anyone is okay, to interview. Retell one of the stories they tell you.
2. Complete the interview before the end of the Thanksgiving break.
3. Craft at least 20 open-ended questions (ones that go beyond yes-no or one-word answers).
Your 20 questions are due Friday, typed. Again, complete the interview by the end of the holiday break.
Read for 20 minutes tonight and Wednesday.

November 10

Freshmen: We had a concluding discussion about the book Speak. You will need Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay for next Monday. Be sure to be reading 20 minutes a night this week, and bring that novel to class this week as well. You'll need Models for Writers next period.

Sophomores: We shared your five facts assignment and your sequels to The Power of One. We also began a This I Believe assignment like we did last quarter where you look at five essays on the website and react to them. This is due the day before we go on Thanksgiving break. Finish The Alchemist for Friday... and be working on the Echoes of the Tao assignment for that book.

November 7

Freshmen: We shared your 1 syllable essays today. Speak is due for Monday. Get Sleeping Dogs for the Monday that follows.

Sophomores: We put together short essays based on your five facts. Your sequel to The Power of One is due Monday. Finish The Alchemist for Friday and get Siddhartha for the Monday that follows. Due next Friday is a revision and resubmission of your compare and contrast that you wrote for The Power of One. Resubmit it to turnitin.com just like you did last time, this time under the assignment C&C Resubmission.

November 3-5

Freshmen: On 11/3, we had a discussion about Speak. Finish the book for next Monday. Get Sleeping Dogs soon. On 11/4 or 11/5, whichever day we meet, we are beginning a focus on the rhetorical device of using illustration (that is, examples, not drawings) in essay writing. Read the intro to the device in Models for Writers, and read the essays Be Specific and The Case for Short Words. In Short Words, there is an assignment in the essay using monosyllabic words you must do. It should be typed, use lots of examples, and be at least 5 paragraphs long. Due Friday.

Sophomores: On 11/3 we had our concluding seminar on The Power of One. I think your dialog was insightful and inspired, and left me with a lot to think about. 11/5, we learned about setting and props in stories, started a sequel to Power, and began The Alchemist. Finish Part I for Friday, and finish the book for next Friday. Get Siddhartha ASAP.

October 31

Happy Halloween. If you trick or treat, remember the 10% teacher tax that you need to pay to me Monday. Good stuff only. Remember, render unto Caesar...

Freshmen: Primarily, we synthesized our viewing of Spellbound into a short essay that focused on one of the two prompts you took notes on during the film:
1. How is a documentary like an essay?
2. What is an "Average American"?
You needed to have a clear thesis, a beginning, middle, and end, and use evidence from the film to support your claim.
A typed version of this is due Monday, as is the Third Marking Period from Speak.

Sophomores: We mainly prepped for Monday's concluding seminar on The Power of One. Come prepared with at least five interesting questions to explore, as well as your completed 3EJ. We also shared your illustrated wisdom pieces today.

October 27

Freshmen: We handed in the Deadly Dozen assignment, and took a quiz on them as well as on Speak. Finish through the Third Marking Period for next Monday.

Sophomores: We handed in the This I Believe statements from Doc and Geel Piet's point of view, and are now doing an illustrated wisdom project based on the best piece of advice we have gotten from a mentor. That is due Wednesday; finish The Power of One for Monday.

October 24

Freshmen: We wrapped up our philosophical study of spelling and moved on to studying the deadly dozen - the twelve most common homonym mistakes made by freshmen in their writing. They are:
The Deadly Dozen:

1. Your.
2. It’s.
3. To.
4. Than.
5. Their.
6. You’re.
7. Too.
8. They’re.
9. Then.
10. Its.
11. Two.
12. There.
Your task is to take each one of these and write either a sentence that uses the word correctly, a simple rule for remembering it, or do a symbol that will help others to remember how the word is to be used. This is due Monday. Also due Monday is approximately page 65 from Speak - finish the chapter titled Wishbone.

Sophomores: Today we shared your illustrated pieces of wisdom from Doc and Geel Piet and wrote a This I Believe statement from that character's point of view, using the piece of wisdom as the starting off point for the essay. A typed copy is due Monday, as is chapter 22 from Power. Finish the book for Monday, November 3.

October 23

Freshmen: Today we read two essays about spelling and discussed it's importance and whether or not spelling was an accurate indicator of intelligence. If you missed this, please read them tomorrow during the first ten minutes of class. Finish through "Wishbone" in Speak by Monday and get Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay ASAP.

Sophomores: Today we discussed the difference between wisdom, intelligence, and knowledge. We then did a close reading of our text to find places where Geel Piet or Doc espouse wisdom. For homework, you were to pick one of the five pieces of wisdom your group chose and illustrate it. The rubric is the statement must be truly wise and be visually appealing. You will present yours tomorrow. For Monday, finish chapter 22, and for November 3, finish the book. Get The Alchemist ASAP.

Speak Reading Schedule

Speak reading schedule 2008

Begin book: 10/21 or 10/22.

10/27: Finish everything through “Wishbone” (most editions it’s page 65).

11/3: Finish everything through the “Third Marking Period” (most editions it’s page 137).

11/10: Finish book (most editions, it’s the end of the book).

October 21 and 22

Freshmen: Today we finished a review of Elements and began Speak. The reading schedule is posted here as well. You may use this book for your 20 minutes of homework as well as in class reading time. You should also finish pages 47 and 48 from the review.

Period 6: Spend 5 minutes on this prompt in your ICP section: How would you describe the narrator of the book? Use specific words or phrases from the text to support your opinion.

Sophomores: Today we held a Socratic Seminar.

October 20

Freshmen: Today we finished our essay process by focusing on polishing and publishing. We reflected on the process, and on the 10% Solution. If you had a major error you needed to fix, then you have until tomorrow morning to get me your essay. Otherwise, I collected them. Bring Speak and Elements tomorrow.

Sophomores: We began the chapters 1-3 review for vocab and took time to read. Chapter 22 is due Monday, and we'll finish the book by Halloween. Get The Alchemist ASAP.

October 17

Freshmen: We met in the lab and performed the 10% Solution on your essays. Your homework is to finish the 10% Solution on your essays, go to easybib.com and create a bibliography for your essay, and bring a final copy of your essay Monday to class. This is the copy that will be graded. Also, read 20 minutes this weekend and bring Elements on Monday. Bring Speak the next block period we have.

Sophomores: We debriefed our use of the 10% Solution and handed in the Echoes of the Tao for this quarter. For Monday, finish reading through Chapter 16 in The Power of One. Remember to bring your gym clothes next Wednesday.

10% Solution Cheat Sheet

To find your word count:
1. Click Tools.
2. Click Word Count.
3. Write down how many words your document is.
4. Subtract 10%. The total is your goal (Draft 2 = Draft 1 – 10%).
5. Write down your goal. Meet or exceed it – don’t settle for close.
To perform the 10% Solution:
1. Click Edit.
2. Click Find.
3. Enter syllable you are searching for.
For each syllable you search for, ask…
1. Keep it?
2. Cut it?
3. Change it?
**Remember that cutting or changing may require changing other things as well – see the big picture.
Syllables to search for:
-ly of that
pronouns: I, he, she, etc. -ion was
were very about
-ing By Insert your problem word:
And (case sensitive) But (case sensitive) Because (Case sensitive)

October 14 and 15

Freshmen: I introduced The 10% Solution today. Be sure you have the notes. You need to be able to access your essay electronically on Friday so we can 10% it in the lab that day. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Bring Elements next week. Also bring Speak. Finally, you must go to easybib.com and create a MLA works cited page to use as your bibliography for your essay.

Sophomores: We met in the lab and 10%ed our essays. Tonight, you will upload your essay to me at turnitin.com. Your final copy is due to me at turnitin.com on Friday by 8 am. Here's what you do: click on new user; go to new student; enter class ID and password (password is Judge). Period 5 - your ID number is 2440657; Period 8, yours is 2440659. Log in. Click on class name. Click on assignment to turn it in. Upload it. Click submit. You will get a receipt.

Waking - Sophomore Extra Credit

Hi. This is a second quarter extra credit assignment, worth up to 100 points. You have to do all the parts, and it must be in to me sometime in November.
1. Read the book "Waking" by Matthew Sanford. It is available on Amazon or through Barnes and Nobel.
2. Go to www.speakingoffaith.org and listen to the interview, "The Body's Grace."
3. Write a reaction to what you have read and heard. Your reaction should integrate reflection on your own life, Sanford and Tippett's ideas, as well as the texts we have read so far, including the Tao. This paper should be several pages long in order to ensure depth and clarity of thought.

October 13

Freshmen: Today we started the beginning of the vocab review. Our primary focus was on Step 6, Revision. The major emphasis was to read your paper aloud with a pen in your hand, focusing on the first 5 Traits (leaving Conventions, for the most part, for Step 7). For the next period, bring in your original copy and your revised one, and finish Elements. Continue to bring Elements this week and next, and have Speak for next week as well.

Sophomores: Today we learned something developed by local writer Ken Rand called The 10% Solution. Your essays are due Thursday. Be sure that you can access an electronic copy of your essay that day in our lab, as we will perform the 10% Solution on your papers together. Chapter 16 from The Power of One is due next Monday. I will collect your Echoes on Friday.

October 10

Freshmen: We began the chapter 1-3 vocab review. Chapter 5 from Elements is due next block period. Your typed essay is due Monday.

Sophomores: We discussed the essays your read on the This I Believe website. Chapter 12 from The Power of One is due Monday.

October 9

I was out today... I am sure you missed me terribly. Nevertheless:

Freshmen: Today we took a vocab quiz and an Elements quiz. For Monday, you need a typed, finished draft of your essay. Chapter 5 from Elements is due next block period.

Sophomores: We took a vocab quiz. For Monday, chapter 12 is due from Power. Your essay is due next Thursday, in one week. Stay well.

Leads and Conclusions to Try

Some leads to try…
1. Anecdote: A brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation, either factual or imagined.
It’s 3 AM, and the stillness of the White House night is shattered by the ringing of the red phone. President John McCain, rousing himself from a deep sleep, turns on the light and picks up the receiver. A US Embassy in a Middle Eastern country, he is told, has been blown up, and al-Qaida is taking credit.
McCain takes a deep breath. “Character counts, my friend,” he says. “Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb Iran.”
-Harold Meyerson, “Would You Sleep Well With John McCain Answering the Red Phone?”

2. Quote: A voice not your own that speaks to or exemplifies the issue.
“This is the new face of hunger,” said Josetta Sheeran, director of the World Food Program, launching an appeal for an extra $500 million so it could continue to supply food aid to 73 million hungry people this year. “People are simply being priced out of food markets… We have never before had a situation where aggressive rises in food prices keep pricing our operations out of our reach.”
-Gwynne Dyer, “Warming and Biofuels: Here Comes a Food Catastrophe”


3. Announcement: The writer takes a strong stand on an issue.
The national outpouring after the Littleton shootings has forced us to confront something we have suspected for a long time: The American high school is obsolete and should be abolished.
In the last month, high school students present and past have come forward with stories about cliques and the artificial intensity of a world defined by insiders and outsiders, in which the insiders hold sway because of superficial definitions of attractiveness, popularity and sports prowess.
-Leon Botstein, “High School, and Institution Whose Time Has Passed”

4. Background: The writer gives a brief history of the issue or situation.
When I was in the fourth grade, I moved from a small Lutheran school of 100 to a larger public elementary school. Lincoln Elementary. Wow. Lincoln was a big school, full of a thousand different attitudes about everything from eating lunch to how to treat a new kid. It was a tough time for me, my first year, and more than anything, I wanted to belong.
Many things were difficult: the move my family had just made, trying to make new friends, settling into a new home, accepting a new stepfather. I remember crying a lot. I remember my parents fighting. They were having a difficult time with their marriage… Despite all this, the thing that I remember most about the fourth grade is Tiffany Stephenson.
-Bjorn Skogquist, “Tiffany Stephenson - An Apology”

5.News: The writer gives the reader the who-what-when-where-why of a situation or issue.
Ninety percent of American smokers started as teenagers. There are several reasons for this scary statistic: peer pressure, parents who smoke, and, most significantly, because of the billions of dollars spent by the tobacco industry on ads that target kids.
-Jack Sherman, “Stop the Tobacco Companies from Targeting Kids”

Some conclusions to try…
1. Anecdote: A brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation.
2. Admonition or instruction: The writer tells the reader to take a particular action.
What forward-looking communities see is a chance to to get in on the power production boom, not as consumers of dirty, increasingly expensive coal-fired power, but as produces of their own clean power.
There is a solar silver lining in our present environmental mess. It’s a chance to reinvent ourselves. Let’s do it right this time.
-Ed Firmage, Jr. “Revolutionary Solar Technology is Set to Transform Energy Generation.”

3. Prediction: The writer comments on how the situation might be different.
Somehow, we have to make our children understand that they are intelligent, competent people, capable of doing whatever they put their minds to and making it in the American mainstream, not just in the black subculture.
What we seem to be doing, instead, is raising up yet another generation of young blacks who will be failures - by definition.
-William Raspberry, “The Handicap of Definition”

4. Quote: A voice not your own that speaks to or exemplifies the issue.
Well, it’s off my chest; and it feels good.
I will no longer make excuses for my musical tastes. Not when millions are being made by performers exhorting listeners to “put your hands in the air and wave ‘em like you just don’t care.”
Compare that with the haunting refrain of Reba McEntire’s “I Think His Name Was John,” a song about a woman, a one-night’s stand and AIDS: “She lays all alone and cries herself to sleep/ ’Cause she let a stranger kill her hopes and her dreams/ And in the end when she was barely hanging on/ All she could say is she thinks his name was John.”
-Lena Williams, “A Black Fan of Country Music Finally Tells All”
Echo: The ending links back to the beginning - an idea, an image, or a word or phrase.

5. Strong, punched statement: The writer concludes with strong stance, perhaps a one sentence paragraph.
Cohabiting does not necessarily equal the tragic end of a relationship, but couples who do marry after living together have higher rates of separation and divorce. The lack of commitment in such a relationship plays a large role in the scenario. If a couple wishes to have a successful marriage, they should show their commitment to each other from the beginning. If they trust each other enough not to cohabit before marriage, their marriage already has a higher probability of success.
-Denise Leight ”Playing House”

October 7 and 8

Freshmen: Today we learned two simple methods of planning out an essay, as well as five possible lead techniques and six conclusion techniques. For your essay, you must use one of the lead techniques and one of the conclusion techniques that I taught you. Chapter 4 from Elements is due Thursday; there is also a vocab quiz on Thursday.

Sophomores: We finished the film today and discussed how it helped us understand our book. We also focused on how social change occurs. You must review the notes posted on my blog regarding leads and conclusions to try and use one of them in your film essay. Here's what you need to know as far as due dates go:
1. Thursday: Vocabulary test.
2. Friday: This I Believe assignment due. At least 2 3EJ entries due.
3. Monday: Chapter 12 due.
4. Next Thursday: Be able to access a completed electronic copy of your essay from school.
2 entries for the Power of One due on your Echoes of the Tao assignment.

October 6

Freshmen: Today we took Step 3 in our essay process, Focusing the Data. We looked at all the data we collected, decided what it told us, and phrased that as a clear, arguable, and supportable thesis. For example, my thesis was The driving age needs to be raised to 18. Other students' were things like: Human activity is endangering large, wild cats; Cell phones should be banned for all drivers under 25; The death penalty is cruel and should be abolished. And so on. We also took a quiz on Chapter 3 from Elements; finish Chapter 4 for Thursday. There will be a quiz. There will also be a quiz on Chapter 3 from the vocab book.

Sophomores: We continued with our film study activity. Remember, your This I Believe activity is due Friday; keep working on your 3EJ and your Echoes of the Tao as well. Chapter 9 was due today from Power; Chapter 12 is next Monday.

October 3

Freshmen: Today Chapter 2 from Elements was due; Chapter 3 is due on Monday. ALL RESEARCH FOR YOUR ESSAY IS DUE ON MONDAY - this means, your 3x5s filled out, your interview complete with notes taken, your survey completed and collected. We will take the next step then, which you can't do if you don't complete the second step. Letters to the editor are due Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we continued our film/culture study of Cry, the Beloved Country. For Monday, Chapter 9 is due from The Power of One. Continue working on your Tao assignment, your 3EJ, your essay project, and read, read, read.

October 2

Freshmen: We spent time gathering information from the internet for your essay project. All info - internet, interview or survey, and non-internet print resource - must be collected and written down for Monday. For Friday, finish Chapter 2 from The Elements of Style. Chapter 3 is due for Monday.

Sophomores: Today we began viewing Cry, the Beloved Country, continuing to build our schema for understanding the time, place, and characters of The Power of One, as well as continuing the idea of performing a close reading through analysis and synthesis. Chapter 9 from The Power of One is due Monday, and your compare and contrast film assignment is due on Thursday, October 16.

September 30 or October 1

Freshmen: Today we took a quiz on the first chapter of The Elements of Style and discussed some of the rules contained therein. We primarily focused again on making schema connections as readers. You need to be gathering information for step 2 of our essay process. We will be in the lab on Thursday, and you will have time in class to focus on your sources on Friday. All research is due on Monday. Due for Friday is chapter 2 from Elements.

Sophomores: We focused on a close reading exercise and began a compare-contrast film study assignment. See me for details. The film assignment is due in two weeks. We also took a quiz on chapter 7 from The Power of One; chapter 9 is due Monday.

September 29

Freshmen: Today we began Step 2 in our process, gathering information. We began something I call question-based research, which means basing your research on your topic on questions that came out of Step 1. You are to write one important question on one side of at least 12 of your 3x5 cards. As you research, you then search for answers. On the back, as you find answers, you write brief statements, including the title of the source that you got your information from. If you find important pieces of information not included in your questions, simply take a new card, on side write the piece of information as a topic sentence, and on the back, provide details. Always write down the source of your information. You must have three sources for your essay: either an interview or a survey you create, a non-internet print source, and an internet source. We will go to the computer lab to research on Thursday. All of your information (that is, your 3x5s), must be complete for next Monday. For our next period, finish Chapter I of The Elements of Style.

Sophomores: Today we studied the character of Hoppie, and discussed whether it was possible to separate who a person is from the cultural views a person inherits. We also began a study of various essays from the This I Believe website, which is due in two weeks (10/9). Chapter 7 is due on Wednesday.

September 26

Freshmen: You need 12 3x5 cards for Monday; Chapter 1 from Elements is due the next block period.

Sophomores: Chapter 7 from The Power of One is due Wednesday. Be working your Echoes of the Tao and 3EJ assignments.

September 25

Freshmen: Today we began the first step in our essay writing process, which was defining the problem. We looked at the list of potential essay topics and phrased our best three either as a question or a statement (e.g. We need to raise the driving age. Or, Is there a way to reduce homelessness?). Then we thought of key questions that we, or our reader, would need to have answered in order to understand our topic and our point of view on it. Homework is to do that, and to read for 20 minutes/finish the glossary from The Elements of Style. For Monday, bring in at least 12 3x5 cards.

Sophomores: Today we focused on learning to do a close reading through two exercises, your Echoes of the Tao assignment, as well as a Triple Entry Journal (3EJ). Be working on the Echoes assignment for The Power of One, and complete at least one 3EJ entry. Chapter 4 is due Friday.

September 23

Freshmen: Today we learned about making connections as a reader, specifically text to text, text to self, and text to world connections. Think of these as the places whatever you are reading overlaps with your own story, another story you have read, or things you know about in the world. I used the example of my sophomores: In order to understand The Power of One, my students must make connections to what they know about World War II and aparthied in South Africa, think about times they faced oppression or worked to achieve a goal, and how our main character is in this book changes in ways similar to how the main character changed in our last book. Your task is to google and read the following: Billy Collins and "On Turning Ten"; "Eleven" and Sandra Cisneros. Don't tell me you can't find them, I know you can. The first is a poem, the second is a short story. After reading them, type a one page essay that explains in depth a connection you have (either text to self, text, or world).

We also played a grammar Jeopardy game that previewed what we will learn by reading The Elements of Style. You need to read the glossary, which is due for Thursday, as are your 12 essay ideas.

Sophomores: We took a vocab quiz on chapter 2 and then focused on important literary concepts and applied them to Life of Pi and The Power of One. For homework, Chapter 4 is due for Friday.

The Elements of Style Reading Schedule 2008

The Elements of Style Reading Schedule 2008

9/23 or 9/24 – Begin book.
9/26 – Glossary due; quiz.
9/30 & 10/1 – Chapter 1 due; quiz.
10/3 – Chapter 2 due; quiz.
10/6 – Chapter 3 due; quiz.
10/9 – Chapter 4 due; quiz.
10/13 – Chapter 5 due; quiz.
Start Speak 10/14 & 10/16

September 19

Freshmen: We took a vocab quiz and discussed possible essay topics for you to pursue. We called these things that we think a lot about our "mental itches." You are to think about the questions below and come up with a list of at least 12 possible topics for an essay. I will collect these next class period. Your other homework is to read 20 minutes this weekend, Monday, and Tuesday night.

Questions to Consider:
What problem needs solving?
What situation needs correcting?
What issue needs explaining?
What phenomenon needs exploring?
What choice I’ve made/stand I’ve taken/personal preference needs to be understood by others?
What area of my expertise needs sharing?
What subject that’s close and familiar to me needs to be viewed and considered from a distance?
What point of view needs my powers of persuasion?
What interesting story can I tell?

Sophomores: We will have a vocab test on Wednesday on chapter 2 and I will collect your books that day. Today we reflected on the essays we wrote and discussed Chapter 1 from The Power of One. Finish 2 and 3 for Wednesday. Also, be sure your Tao assignment for Pi is complete, and begin it for Power, too.

September 18

Freshmen: Today we compiled a master list of all the features we noticed were evident in the effective essays we read. This way we can do these things ourselves when we write. Your homework is 20 minutes of reading, and a vocab test will be Friday. Bring The Elements of Style first day of next week.

Sophomores: Today we began The Power of One. The reading schedule is posted here, too. Be sure to carve out the necessary time to read outside of school; I will give you time in class to read as well. Finish Chapter 1 for Friday; your essays are due that day, too. Finish Chapter 3 for Wednesday.

The Power of One Reading Schedule

The Power of One reading schedule 2008:
Date Chapter Due
9/18 Start book
9/19 1
9/24 3
9/26 4
10/1 7
10/6 9
10/13 12
10/20 16
10/27 22
10/31 Finish book by this date

September 16 and 17

Freshmen: We concluded reading the large packet of essays I had for you, and you identified what features these effective essays had. Your homework is to read 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and get The Elements of Style.

Sophomores: We listened to "There is such a thing as truth" from the This I Believe website. Do so if you were absent. We then listened to Part III of Life of Pi and discussed which story was the "true" story. Read it if you were absent. Bring The Power of One for Thursday and your spiritual journey essay for Friday.

September 15

Freshmen: Today we began a study of what features effective essays have by reading several essays and identifying their strengths. Doing this, we can then imitate them in our own writing. This will continue through our next period. Read 20 minutes tonight and Tuesday. Get The Elements of Style ASAP.

Sophomores: Today we self and peer assessed your spiritual journey essays. Finish Part II from Pi for Wednesday, get The Power of One for Thursday, and have a final copy of your essay for Friday. Late.

September 12

Freshmen: We assessed your essay on the film "More" and discussed the theme of the film. Homework is to read for 20 minutes; you need The Elements of Style for next week.

Sophomores: We discussed the use of lists in Life of Pi, as well as the significance of his name as it relates to the concept of pi. Finish your essay for Monday; finish Part II for Wednesday.

September 11

Freshmen: We introduced the Letter to the Editor assignment. Your letter is due no later than October 9 - you can turn it in any time before then. Read for 20 minutes. Your essay is due Friday.

Sophomores: Your essay is due Monday; Part II is due Wednesday. Have The Power of One for next Thursday.

Life of Pi Spiritual Journey Narrative Compare and Contrast Essay

Life of Pi Spiritual Journey Narrative Compare and Contrast Essay

Much of is Life of Pi about Pi’s spiritual journey. This is something we all go through, though perhaps not as dramatically as Pi does. Examine your spiritual journey, both past and present, and write a narrative essay. Examine what kind of relationship you have with God, a religion, prayer, faith, and yourself. There is no right answer, and no correct journey. The important thing is to get a better understanding of yourself, your beliefs, and your practices. As you tell your own story, compare and contrast yourself and your journey with Pi and his journey by citing at least three pieces of evidence from the text. Many students ask about length; I am not going to specify length for this, because good writing is about depth and clarity of thought, rather than simply the length of the piece.

Your writing will be assessed according to the six traits rubric and is worth 100 points. You must have a typed draft of this essay for class on Monday, 9/15.

Reaction to Sophomore Summer Read Essays 2008

Reaction to Sophomore Summer Read Essays 2008
1. Need to actually read text in order to intelligently discuss it.
2. Address prompt and mode – this was an argumentative piece, not a summary or book report.
3. Provide context early in essays.
4. State thesis clearly early in essay.
5. Underline titles of books and provide author’s name.
6. Use several paragraphs: five paragraph essay would be minimum structure you want to use; typically, a good essay has 8-19 paragraphs.
7. Provide an interesting title.
8. Use homonyms correctly.
9. Spell out all numbers zero to ten. 11 and above write as a numeral.
10. Use specific facts to support generalizations.
11. Do not use a pronoun without making it clear who or what you are referring to: e.g. “They were not effective doing that” is not a good first sentence as your reader has no idea what you are talking about.
12. Write like the person reading your work hasn’t read the book or seen the prompt.

September 9 and 10

Freshmen: Today we self-assessed the paragraphs you wrote about Gang of Four. We continued our method of thinking through observation, induction, and statement of thesis by watching a short film by Mark Osborn titled "More." We then discussed the concept of a five paragraph essay and an outline as two tools (but not the only!) that you might use when writing. My hope is you quickly move beyond this into more sophisticated waters. Your task is to write a five paragraph essay that answers the prompt "What is the message of the film 'More'?" Be sure to provide an interesting title at the top. The essay, typed and double spaced, is due Friday. Also, you must read 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday. Be sure to get a copy of The Elements of Style for next week.

Sophomores: Today we focused on your writing, specifically from the summer reading essays, and addressed areas you can improve in. Check out the post marked Reactions for more info. You have an essay assignment, which you can find on the post Spiritual Journey Essay. A typed draft of this essay is due next Monday, 9/15. I have pushed back the Part II due date for Pi - it is due WEDNESDAY, 9/17. We will finish the book together that day.

September 8

Freshmen: Today we continued working on the thinking process of observe, induce, state thesis. We practiced by doing an exercise called "Gang of Four", which you can find at this address: http://jeffhouse.addr.com/writing/gangoffour.htm. SPOILER ALERT: Do not scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page - it tells you the answer. I want to see what you think and why; the right answer is not importance. We also went over the unit 1 vocab quizzes. Your homework tonight is to read for 20 minutes and to write a typed paragraph short essay that explains who killed Whippersnapper and why. Follow this structure for your paragraph: First sentence is your thesis, the next three to five are supporting details, and wrap up with a concluding sentence.

Sophomores: We talked about other famous Richard Parkers in sailing lore, and also introduced the idea of NPR's "This I Believe" essays. Your homework is to write a one page, typed This I Believe statement from Pi's point of view. Adopt his voice, his diction, his tone, his way of writing, and get inside the character as you figure out exactly what he would write if he were submitting to NPR. Do these four things: write from his point of view; write in the first person and imitate his voice and style; use lists; type it, about a page. This is due Wednesday. Finish Part II from Life of Pi for next Monday; there will be a vocab quiz on chapter 1 on Wednesday.

September 5

Freshmen: We took a vocab quiz on Unit 1. We also self-assessed your paragraphs about The Case of the Happy Baby based on our Six Traits rubric. Your homework this weekend is to read for 20 minutes.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the reading comprehension strategy of visualization, or making movies in the mind. We read Chapter 46 and 47 together from Life of Pi and drew the scene(s) that stuck out most strongly in our minds. You need to finish Chapter 53 for Monday. Get The Power of One ASAP - it is our next class text.

The Case of the Happy Baby

The Case of the Happy Baby

“John Wilson doesn’t look much like a murderer,” said Sheriff Monahan as a young man emerged from the farmhouse carrying a naked baby boy.
The sheriff stopped the patrol car behind Wilson’s yellow sedan. He drew his pistol, whispered to Dr. Haledjian to wait, and called: “Raise your hands, John!”
Wilson halted, amazed. He sat his infant son carefully on the fender of his car and lifted his hands. “What’s it all about, Sheriff?”
“Murder. We have a witness who says you entered Moose Long’s bar last night after closing. Half an hour later Mrs. Long found Moose strangled to death with a yellow scarf.”
“That’s a lie. Why—”
“Look out!” cried Haledjian, as the baby scampered onto the yellow hood. Cooing happily, he attempted to stand. Haledjian just saved him from toppling to the ground.
“That witness is mistaken, Sheriff,” Wilson resumed calmly. “I’ve been in this car since eight o’clock last night driving down from Philadelphia. I just arrived five minutes ago.”
The sheriff looked at his watch. “Then drove the six hundred miles between Philly and here in a little over twelve hours,” he said dubiously.
“Can you prove I didn’t” snapped Wilson.
“Nothing could be easier,” declared Haledjian.

September 4

Freshmen: Today we focused on the thought process of observe, induce, state thesis. Your homework is to write a typed, 1 paragraph response to "The Case of the Happy Baby." Open with your thesis, support it with your observations and inductions, and craft a compelling final sentence. Read for 20 minutes. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Chapter 1 tomorrow.

Sophomores: Today we began Part II from Life of Pi. It is crucial that you finish everything through Chapter 45 for tomorrow. Get The Power of One ASAP. We will have a vocab quiz on Chapter 1 Monday.

September 2 and 3

Freshmen: Finish chapter 1 from our vocab book. There will be a quiz on it this week. In class, we began to focus on the concept of a thesis. Read pages 71-77 from Models for Writers. Then answer questions 1-6 on page 77, and do the classroom activity on page 78. Also, be sure to read 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday night. You need The Elements of Style for September 17.

Sophomores: Finish through page 27 in your vocab book. Today we built background knowledge to help us understand Life of Pi by sharing the 3 Facts assignment. There will be a quiz on the information presented on Thursday. Finish all of Part I for Thursday - there will be a quiz. There is also an extra credit opportunity. Go to www.thisamericanlife.org. Find the program "Something for Nothing." At least listen to Act III, the "Tao of the Dumpster." (though all of it is interesting). Respond in a one page essay to this prompt: What elements of Taoism (real Taoism) are evident in the subject's life and philosophy? You can get up to 20 points extra credit. It is due Monday.

August 28

Freshmen: Today we focused more closely on how to use the rubric to assess writing, the idea being that if you can assess someone else's writing, you can assess your own. Further, if you can assess your own, you can improve it before handing it in to be assessed by me. Again, read for 20 minutes tonight.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the importance of activating prior knowledge, or back ground knowledge - sometimes called schema - when reading. To aid with this while reading Life of Pi, we are starting a very brief and simple research assignment. The 3 Facts assignment is due next Wednesday. See me if you need a topic. Chapter 10 from Pi is due on Friday; Part 1 is due next Wednesday.

August 26 and 27

Freshmen: We focused on the elements of good writing, specifically according to the Six Traits model. We also got through page 25 in our vocab books. Your homework is to read these two nights.

Sophomores: We took a diagnostic vocabulary quiz, and you turned in your short essays on what the commonalities among creation stories reveals about humanity. We then began Life of Pi and discussed some interesting issues that run through the text. For Friday, finish Chapter 10. There will be a quiz. The reading schedule for the book is posted on an earlier entry.

Life of Pi Reading Schedule

Read all the chapters up to and through the chapter listed before class on the date it is due.
Chapter 10 due 8/29.
Part I due 9/4.
Chapter 45 9/5.
Chapter 53 9/8.
Part II 9/15.
We will finish the book together in class on 9/15. You will need The Power of One for class on 9/17.

Six Traits Score Grade Scale

Six Traits Conversion Chart
Six Traits Score Grade/Percent
30 100
29-28 95
27 92
26 90
25 88
24 85
23-22 83
21 80
20-19 78
18 75
17 72
16-15 70
14-13 68
12 65
11 63
10-6 60
5 59 or below

Sophomore World Literature Disclosure Statement

Sophomore World Literature is a reading and writing-intensive course that will expose students to a wide range of literature, authors, styles, cultures, time periods, ideas, and writing techniques.

In addition to the short stories contained in our classroom set of A World of Stories and the sophomore summer reads Haroun and the Sea of Stories and First They Killed My Father, we will read the following novels – Life of Pi, The Power of One, The Alchemist, Siddhartha, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. We will also read The Tao te Ching daily, as well as study the haiku form and some of its masters. Additionally, we will study many of the teachings of Joseph Campbell that relate to our course. Finally, we will regularly read and listen to essays from NPR’s This I Believe series. Students can expect nightly reading assignments, small and large group discussions, vocabulary, in and out of class writing assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests. The students should keep all books, assignments, and notes for the duration of the semester, as we will often go back to these texts and ideas and build upon them.

The course will focus on excellent literature from a wide variety of authors, religions, and places, and the common theme that ties them all together is that at the heart of each piece lies a distinct philosophy about life, faith, God, or the human spirit. During the course of the semester, students will examine these philosophies as they cultivate and articulate their own personal philosophy. This will culminate with our class participating in NPR’s This I Believe program.

This is my third year teaching at Judge, my eleventh in the diocese, and I must say that this course has become my favorite. I taught middle school English, literature, and religion at JE Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School for eight years, and I have been on the boys’ basketball coaching staff here at Judge for the last 15. This will be my fifth year as the head coach of the freshman boys’ basketball team. I have a degree in English and a Utah State Teaching License from the University of Utah and a Masters of Teaching degree from Grand Canyon University. I have published work in Today’s Catholic Teacher, Teaching K-8 Magazine, The Salt Lake Tribune, Middle Ground, and The Utah Council of Teachers of English Journal. I am married, and my wife, Laura, and I have three children: John Marshall, Jacob Atticus, and Sarah Astrid.

I’m happy to discuss any issue with you. My voicemail extension is 237, though I think I’ll be easier to reach via email at jbaird@judgememorial.com.

Grading:
We will use Judge Memorial’s standard grade scale. Students’ grades will be determined, in general, using the following point system:
• Major writing assignments: 100 points.
• Minor writing assignments: 25 to 50 points.
• In-class writing assignments: 10 points.
• Quarterly Prayer assignment: 100 points.
• Preparation: 100 points for the quarter.
• Participation: 100 points for the quarter.
• Vocabulary Bell Work: 100 points for the quarter.
• Reading Due dates and points will vary.
• Other assignments, tests, and quizzes will have point values that vary.

Homework Policy:
All work (assignments, reading, etc.) is due at the start of class. Late work, in most cases, will not be accepted. In general, there won’t be extra credit assignments; however, when there are, they will be made available to the entire class.
All writing homework should be word processed. In the event you have computer problems (printer dies, etc.), do one of the following things BEFORE CLASS: email me the assignment (jbaird@judgememorial.com), bring it to school on a disk or jump drive and print it in the lab, or hand write it. If you email me something, I would suggest pasting it inside the email document as well as sending it as an attachment to ensure everything gets through. Be sure to notify me of what you’re sending in the subject box. If you don’t do one of these things before class, the assignment is late and won’t be accepted. I would suggest printing a hard copy, because if the email you sent me didn’t get to me, there’s nothing I can do about it.

You can follow what we do each day in class or check up on homework by going to my blog at bairdenglish.blogspot.com. Just look for the entry with that day’s date. If you are absent, you are expected to check the blog and are responsible for any homework listed there the day you return. Simply being absent doesn’t excuse you from the work, especially the reading. I will post assignments there that you can copy and paste into your word processing program as well.

Important Things to Know:
• You will typically have nightly reading assignments. You can expect to cover around 100 pages a week. Manage your time well and break your reading up into smaller chunks.
• You can expect to have a finished piece of writing (multiple revisions and a finished draft) due every two to three weeks.
• The semester exam is worth at least10% of your semester grade, and will cover and combine all of the things we studied throughout the semester.
• We will begin class the same way every day: at the bell, you will check the board and begin the assignment listed there (typically vocab work). After 5-10 minutes of this, we’ll have prayer and proceed from there.

Necessary Materials:
You need to bring the following items to class each day, beginning tomorrow:
• Our class text. The second week of school we’ll start Life of Pi.
• Our Vocabulary book.
• A 3-ring binder (two-inch width recommended) with five sections: notes, terminology, finished drafts, in-class prompts, and assignments. Include plenty of loose-leaf paper for assignments and notes.
• Blue or black pens, as well as a red pen for editing.
NOTE: Because of the nature of our daily prayer routine, you also need to bring the Tao te Ching with you to class each day. This is a key part of your participation grade.

Freshman English Disclosure Statement

Freshman English Disclosure Statement: 2008-2009

Freshman English is a writing intensive course designed to help students improve their ability to write in a range of genres for a wide variety of audiences and purposes. Our emphasis will be on both the process as well as the finished product, and much of our time will be spent doing. Our primary focus will be on non-fiction, however, we will also spend some time on fiction, and read poetry daily while also writing a fair amount of it.

Though our emphasis will be on composition, reading is an essential part of the literacy continuum, and therefore students will be expected to read for 20 minutes at home daily, whether from a book of their own choosing or from one of our class texts. Our class texts include our freshman writing text, Sleeping Dogs Don’t Lay, Speak, Lord of the Flies, and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

This is my third year teaching at Judge, my eleventh in the diocese. I taught middle school English, literature, and religion at JE Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School for eight years, and I have been on the boys’ basketball coaching staff here at Judge for the last 15. This will be my fifth year as the head coach of the freshman boys’ basketball team. I have a degree in English and a Utah State Teaching License from the University of Utah and a Masters of Teaching degree from Grand Canyon University. I have published work in Today’s Catholic Teacher, Teaching K-8 Magazine, The Salt Lake Tribune, Middle Ground, and The Utah Council of Teachers of English Journal. I am married, and my wife, Laura, and I have three children, John Marshall, Jacob Atticus, and Sarah Astrid.

I’m happy to discuss anything of importance with you. My voicemail extension is 237, though I think I’ll be easier to reach via email at jbaird@judgememorial.com.

Grading:
We’ll use Judge’s grade scale. Students’ grades will be determined, in general, by the following:
• Major writing assignments: 100 points.
• Weekly reading grade: 100 points.
• Minor writing assignments: 25 to 50 points.
• In-class writing assignments: 10 points.
• Quarterly Prayer and Great Thoughts Assignment: 150 points.
• Quarterly Letter-to-the-Editor Assignment: 100 points.
• Preparation: 100 points for the quarter.
• Participation: 100 points for the quarter.
• Vocabulary, other assignments, tests, and quizzes will have point values that vary.

Homework Policy:
All work (assignments, reading, etc.) is due at the start of class. Late work, in most cases, will not be accepted. In general, there won’t be extra credit assignments; however, when there are, they will be made available to the entire class.

Major assignments should be word-processed. Minor assignments can be neatly handwritten in blue or black pen. In the event you have computer problems (printer dies, etc.), do one of the following things BEFORE CLASS: email me the assignment (jbaird@judgememorial.com), bring it to school on a disk or jump drive and print it in the lab, or hand write it. If you email me something, I would suggest pasting it inside the email document as well as sending it as an attachment to ensure everything gets through. Be sure to notify me of what you’re sending in the subject box. If you don’t do one of these things before class, the assignment is late; the same goes if you email me something that I don’t receive – a hard copy is always the safer route.

Important Things to Know:
• You will have 20 minutes of reading homework Monday-Thursday, plus you should read for 20 minutes on either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
• If we are reading a book together, you may use your 20 minutes of reading to meet the due dates, or you can read extra – your call.
• You can expect to have a finished piece of writing (multiple revisions and a finished draft) due every two to three weeks.
• The year will end with a Capstone Project, which is a multi-genre research project and presentation on a topic of interest. You may want to start thinking about possible topics now. More specifics will come, and we will do a little bit of work each quarter in preparation for this project.

Necessary Materials:
You need to bring the following items to class each day, beginning tomorrow:
• A book to read, preferably fiction.
• Our class writing text.
• Our class vocabulary book.
• A 3-ring binder (two-inch width recommended) with five sections: notes, vocabulary, finished drafts, in-class prompts, and assignments. Include plenty of loose-leaf paper for assignments and notes.
• Blue or black pens, as well as a red pen for editing.
NOTE: Because we’ll spend the first 10 minutes of virtually every class period in silent reading, you should always have a book to read from, even if you are done with our current text. This includes the first couple of weeks before we start a text. Other days – typically block days – we will start with vocabulary work.

Please sign this, indicating you have read it, and return it to me by ________________.
I’ll return it to you soon so you can keep it for your reference. Thank you.

Jeff Baird

August 25

Freshmen: Today we focused on what writing is, and the behaviors it involves. We also did pages 21-23 in our vocab book. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

Sophomores: Today we shared the creation myths you collected and focused on what creation myths from around the world have in common, and discussed what that reveals about humanity. You handed in your Joseph Campbell interview summaries and think sheets as well. Your homework is to write a brief, typed essay that answers the following: What do the commonalities in creation stories reveal or suggest about humanity? This is due Wednesday. Also for Wednesday, have your vocab books and Life of Pi.

Friday, August 22

Freshmen: Read for 20 minutes this weekend. Finish your vocab pretest if you need to. Be sure to start preparing for your Prayer and Great Thoughts assignment. Be sure to bring your binder and vocab book, along with whatever novel you are reading, to class every day next week.

Sophomores: Find two creation myths from different cultures and bring them Monday. Also, type up a one page summarization of the Moyers-Campbell interview for Monday. I will collect your think sheets then. Get Life of Pi for Wednesday.

August 21

Freshmen: Today we went over how to do our Prayer and Great Thoughts assignment and took a vocabulary pretest assessment. We also discussed the summer reading. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes from a book not on our class list and bring your binder to class on Friday.

Sophomores: We took a quiz on the Tao introduction and continued with the Moyers-Campbell interview. Your homework is to read One, Two, and Three from the Notes section at the back of the Tao for Friday, and for Monday, you need to have found and brought in two creation myths from two different cultures (do not bring in the ones from Genesis). Have your binders for Friday and Life of Pi for next week.

August 19 and 20

Freshmen: We took our summer reading exam today. You should be finding a book and reading for 20 minutes each night, Monday-Thursday, and again on weekend (remember to choose one that's not from our class list). For Thursday you need to have your disclosure signed and also have your binder and your vocabulary book.

Sophomores: We took our summer reading exam today and began watching an interview between Joseph Cambell and Bill Moyers where they discuss the commonalities of world myths. For Thursday, bring your disclosure back and have the introduction to the Tao te Ching read. There will be a quiz on Thursday. Also be sure to get your vocab book and bring it to class.

August 18

Freshmen: Welcome to Judge Memorial. Here is your homework: Read for 20 minutes from a book that is not on our class list. Our summer reading quiz will be on Tuesday. Review the disclosure with your parents and return on Thursday. Also for Thursday, have the vocabulary book and a 3 ring binder. Be sure to bring whatever you are reading to class each day.

Sophomores: Welcome back. Our summer reading quiz will be on Tuesday. Review the disclosure with your parents and return on Thursday. Also for Thursday, have the vocabulary book, and be sure to have read the introduction to the Tao te Ching, written by Jacob Needleman. There will be a quiz. Be sure it is the correct translation by Jane English and Gia-Fu Feng, ISBN # 0679724346.

May 19

Sophomores: Your final copy of the essay is due Wednesday. Presentations start Thursday. Read everything through The Eighth Tuesday from Tuesdays With Morrie.

Freshmen: We are wrapping up our presentations.

Freshman Second Semester Final Exam Study Guide

Okay, frosh. Here's the deal: Your final exam has two parts, and comprises 10% of your semester grade. Each part of the exam is weighted equally.

For the multiple choice exam, study all the concepts we covered this year related to free verse poetry, as well as other forms, such as haiku and sonnets. Review the homonyms we have repeatedly emphasized. Review the kinds of leads and conclusions that have been consistently emphasized. Also review the punctuation rules we covered via Sleeping Dogs and Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Review the essential aspects of of argumentative essays. Finally, review the basic reading skills we covered, such as self-questioning and inferencing.

For the essay exam, you must do some outside research prior to the exam, and you will hand this research in with your final. The research notes may not exceed one sheet of paper. You will get one of the following two prompts at random - be prepared to argue either one:

Argumentative essay: Recently, cell phones in schools have become a hot-button topic, with strong reasons for and against allowing cell phones in schools. Imagine your school is going to ban all cell phones from the campus, even from lockers and backpacks. Anyone caught with one will be immediately suspended, regardless of circumstance. In an essay, argue AGAINST this ban, citing evidence that you have collected. You must cite the evidence correctly, either in blocked or in-text citation form, as you build your case in order to get credit. You also must use one of the lead and conclusion technique we have studied this year, and if you use a question technique, either in the lead or conclusion, your essay will earn a grade of zero.

Argumentative essay: Recently, cell phones in schools have become a hot-button topic, with strong reasons for and against allowing cell phones in schools. Imagine your school is going to ban all cell phones from the campus, even from lockers and backpacks. Anyone caught with one will be immediately suspended, regardless of circumstance. In an essay, argue FOR this ban, citing evidence that you have collected. You must cite the evidence correctly, either in blocked or in-text citation form, as you build your case in order to get credit. You also must use one of the lead and conclusion technique we have studied this year, and if you use a question technique, either in the lead or conclusion, your essay will earn a grade of zero.

May 13

Sophomores: We began Tuesdays With Morrie and did an overview of how the various heroes in the literature we have read have been portrayed, as I would argue the hero of this story is the most important one we will have read about. Finish up through the section "Taking Attendance" for next time we meet.

Freshmen: Have your critiques finished for the next time we meet.

Sophomore Semester Final Study Guide

Hi. Here's your study guide. There will be two parts to the exam: a multiple choice exam and an essay exam. For the multiple choice exam, focus on the following concepts: the stages of the hero, words and wisdom of Joseph Campbell and Harold Bloom, the monomyth, character archetypes and literary motifs we studied, and types of leads and conclusions we studied.

For the essay exam, you will be given one of the following five options at random. You may use one page of notes (front and back), that you will hand in with your exam. Your notes may only pertain to the prompts, not to other concepts.

Options:

1. Analyze how several heroes from the texts we studied were haunted by ghosts – either literal or metaphorical.
2. Analyze how several heroes from the texts we studied were concerned that they not leave behind “a wounded name.”
3. Analyze the role memory plays in the texts we studied this semester.
4. Analyze to what extent several of the texts we read fit the pattern of the monomyth.
5. Analyze to what extent several heroes from the texts we studied fit the pattern of the four stages of the hero.

May 12

Sophomores: We took our final on Hamlet. Here is the essay prompt, in case you were absent: In a coherent essay, explain how several of your triple entry journal entries reflect understanding of Harold Bloom's theories on Hamlet. That is, how do your entries reveal you understand how and why to read Hamlet?

You need a copy of Tuesdays With Morrie for next class period.

Freshmen: Critiques due next block period; letters to the editor due Friday.

May 9

Sophomores: Finish Act V and your 3EJ for Monday; get a copy of Tuesdays With Morrie.

Freshmen: Get your critiques finished for next block period.

May 8

Sophomores: We did an overview of Act V and read scene 1 together. We will finish Act V tomorrow. 3EJ and final exam, using notes on Bloom, will be Monday. Have Tuesdays With Morrie for Monday, too.

Freshmen: We had more presentations. Critiques due Wednesday or Thursday, depending on when we meet. See instructions on an earlier post. Read 20 minutes. Your letter to the editor is due soon...

May 6 and 7

Sophomores: We read an took notes on an essay by Harold Bloom that you will reference for your Hamlet final. Typed retranslations of his soliloquy are due, as are your monomyth notes (period 1). We also talked about the end of the semester project.

Freshmen: We had presentations today.

May 5

Sophomores: Finish Act 4 and type up your new translations. Be working on your 3EJ's.

Freshmen: We had great presentations today. Work on your critiques and read 20 minutes.

May 2

Sophomores: We took a quiz, got an overview of Act IV, and worked on the new translations of Hamlet's speech.

Periods 5 and 8: Read Act IV, scenes 1-3 for Monday and type up your new translation.

Period 1: Read Act IV, scenes 1-3 for Monday; your typed up new translation is due Tuesday, as are your notes on the monomyth. See a previous post for that address.

Freshmen: We had capstone presentations; be working on your critiques.

May 1

Sophomores: We did a close reading of Hamlet's famous speech and are starting a second translation, this time into a "sub-sect" of English or a different vernacular. Act III is due for Friday.

Freshmen: Capstone presentations happened today. Damara, Brayden, and Sarah should all be ready to present Friday.

April 29 and 30

Sophomores: We studied the concept of the monomyth (go to www.Orias.berkley.edu/hero for the template we used for notes), and began Act III from Hamlet, primarily through an in-depth close reading of Hamlet's famous soliliquy. Finish scene two for next period as well as your "normal English" translation of that famous speech.

Freshmen: We either began presentations or talked about how to do a critique. Periods 3 and 6 must turn in their capstones Thursday.

April 28

Sophomores: We took a quiz on Act II and discussed the Bloom essay. Be sure you are working on your triple entry journal for next time.

Freshmen: Presentations start this week. Be sure to check the schedule so that you know when you are supposed to go, and please be ready to go the day BEFORE you are scheduled, just in case someone is absent. We don't want to waste a day.

April 24

Sophomores: We took a quiz on Act I. Read Act II on your own, due Monday.

Freshmen: We took time to work on the capstone project. Periods 3 and 6, bring in typed drafts on Monday of next week.

Freshman Critique Guidelines

1. Read each short story you are given carefully. Write your name at the top of their draft.
2. Mark up their draft as much as possible: make edits, revisions, comments, observations, etc.
3. Type up a 1 page bullet statement response to the writer's work. Here you might touch on or expand upon those things you wrote on their drafts, but it is more of a place for in-depth reaction to their writing. This should be single spaced, 12 point font, one whole page. Put your name and the name of the writer whose work you are responding to at the top.
4. Focus on areas that are strong, areas that are weak; focus on the micro and the macro (big and small); don't be afraid to address areas that need work or make suggestions or provide an honest reaction, but always do so kindly.
5. Bring the writer's story and your typed reaction to class on Wednesday, May 14 (period 6) or Thursday, May 15 (periods 2 and 3). We will have a critique session that day.
6. After the critique session, you will revise your short story and hand it in on Monday, May 19.

April 22

Sophomores: Today we read the section on Shakespeare's Language - if your copy has that, read it; if not, borrow it. Also, finish all of act 1 for next period.

Freshmen: We had sample capstone presentations today.

April 21

Sophomores: We finished the film version of Hamlet we were watching and began reading Act I. You should finish scene 2 for next period.

Freshmen: We worked on the capstone in class. Due next week.

April 18

Sophomores: We nearly finished Hamlet. The rest is silence.

Freshmen: We took some time to work on your capstone. Get busy; time is running out.

April 17

Sophomores: We continued watching Hamlet. Essays are due tomorrow: do a revision/edit tonight.

Freshmen: We studied the seven elements stories entail. This is one of the structures you might use when crafting your stories for the capstone. Get notes if needed.

April 14

Sophomores: We took an in class essay exam today. If you missed, see me so that you can do this in the TLC. For next block period, you need a typed copy of your essay about your mother and a copy of Hamlet.

Freshmen: We focused on short story structure, using some info adapted from Atwell, and applied it to a story by Sherman Alexi. You will have plenty of time to write in class tomorrow. Here are the notes:

Short Story Structure
How to go about crafting a story that works. Present your story in these steps…

1. Create a narrative lead.
Show the main character doing one of these three things:
In action.
Reacting to something interesting.
Speaking dialogue.
This way is least-recommended, as often times all your reader envisions is a disembodied voice in a white room.

2. Introduce the main character’s character.
Reveal to your reader what your main character is like - show the character’s personality. The things on the main character questionnaire will help you focus on what your reader needs to know about your character.
3. Introduce the setting.
The time and place of the main character’s life will influence the kinds of problems he or she faces. The setting should be more than just a backdrop, and it should be one the writer can easily imagine.A place like your hometown is better than New York City or Maui.
4. Introduce and develop the problem the main character is facing.
Often times the character will face several roadblocks as he or she tries to solve the problem. Keep your problems realistic and solvable.
5. Develop the plot and problem.
Work toward a climax or turning point.
The character should have to make decisions, take action, have conversations, or have a confrontation that shows the problem at its height.
6. Develop a change in the main character.
The character should acknowledge or understand something - a decision, a course of action, a regret.
7. Develop a resolution.
How does the main character come to terms - or not - with his or her problem?
The main problem doesn’t have to be solved, but the character should still be changed in some fundamental way.

April 11

Sophomores: We concluded The Poisonwood Bible and continued our discussion of symbolism from yesterday. You can check below for the questions you might have to write on come Monday.

Freshmen: We talked about elements of fiction and read a Bruce Coville short story. Be working on your capstones - it is coming up.

April 10

Sophomores: We began a preliminary discussion about some of the symbolism found in The Poisonwood Bible. We will continue this tomorrow as we conclude the book. Below is an updated list of possible final questions you will write on on Monday. You will only be assigned one. Any notes you wish to take, you can use on Monday.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Examine to what extent the five main characters from The Poisonwood Bible move through the four stages of the hero. Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Symbolism is an important literary device used by Barbara Kingsolver in The Poisonwood Bible. Focus on, analyze, and explain any or all of the following symbols from the novel: birds (especially in Adah’s entries, as well as Methusela), the garden, wives, the poisonwood tree or Africa itself. How does Kingsolver use these symbols, and how do they reveal some of the themes or messages in the novel. Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)... There are just some kind of men who - who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”
-Miss Maudie, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird
How does the above quote apply to The Poisonwood Bible, Nathan Price in particular? Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Reread Chapter One from The Kite Runner. How does that chapter – particularly the first
paragraph – relate to the characters from The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna in particular? What common theme do these two books share? Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Examine the role the use and misuse of language plays in the novel, particularly as it applies to the Price family. How does the way each character uses language reveal something about the character? Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

Freshmen: We studied Wallace Steven's 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. A Ways poem is one of the requirements for your capstone project, so if need be, get the notes from a buddy.

April 8

Sophomores: We studied some specific kinds of leads and conclusions. You are to use some of these techniques when you write your memory pieces of your mother. I am posting them below my freshmen info. Other specifics for that assignment include:
1. Typed draft due next block period.
2. 1000 words minimum.
3. Include a quote from someone else about your mom.
4. Use a 1 sentence paragraph at some point in your piece.
5. Show don't tell: write small.
6. Title is crucial.

Due for Friday is up through page 533 - finish everything but "The Eyes in the Trees." The final for the book is Friday. Here is what you might get assigned:

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Examine to what extent the five main characters from The Poisonwood Bible move through the four stages of the hero. Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Symbolism is an important literary device used by Barbara Kingsolver in The Poisonwood Bible. Focus on, analyze, and explain any or all of the following symbols from the novel: birds (especially in Adah’s entries, as well as Methusela), the garden, wives, or Africa itself. Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.

The Poisonwood Bible Final Exam
Reread Chapter One from The Kite Runner. How does that chapter – particularly the first
paragraph – relate to the characters from The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna in particular? What common theme do these two books share? Your essay should have a clear lead and conclusion, a clear thesis statement, and be free of grammatical errors. Be sure to reference specific passages from the text to support your assertions. When finished, craft a compelling title for your piece.


Freshmen: We worked on a main character questionnaire for your capstone fiction piece. You must include this with your final product. See a friend for the notes if you missed.


Sophomore Notes:

Experiment with Essay Leads and Conclusions

Some leads to try…
Anecdote: A brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation.
It’s 3 AM, and the stillness of the White House night is shattered by the ringing of the red phone. President John McCain, rousing himself from a deep sleep, turns on the light and picks up the receiver. A US Embassy in a Middle Eastern country, he is told, has been blown up, and al-Qaida is taking credit.
McCain takes a deep breath. “Character counts, my friend,” he says. “Bomb Iran. Bomb, bomb Iran.”
-Harold Meyerson, “Would You Sleep Well With John McCain Answering the Red Phone?”
Quote: A voice not your own that speaks to or exemplifies the issue.
“This is the new face of hunger,” said Josetta Sheeran, director of the World Food Program, launching an appeal for an extra $500 million so it could continue to supply food aid to 73 million hungry people this year. “People are simply being priced out of food markets… We have never before had a situation where aggressive rises in food prices keep pricing our operations out of our reach.”
-Gwynne Dyer, “Warming and Biofuels: Here Comes a Food Catastrophe”


Announcement: The writer takes a strong stand on an issue.
The national outpouring after the Littleton shootings ahs forced us to confront something we have suspected for a long time: The American high school is obsolete and should be abolished.
In the last month, high school students present and past have come forward with stories about cliques and the artificial intensity of a world defined by insiders and outsides, in which the insiders hold sway because of superficial definitions of attractiveness, popularity and sports prowess.
-Leon Botstein, “High School, and Institution Whose Time Has Passed”

Background: The writer gives a brief history of the issue or situation.
When I was in the fourth grade, I moved from a small Lutheran school of 100 to a larger public elementary school. Lincoln Elementary. Wow. Lincoln was a big school, full of a thousand different attitudes about everything from eating lunch to how to treat a new kid. It was a tough time for me, my first year, and more than anything, I wanted to belong.
Many things were difficult: the move my family had just made, trying to make new friends, settling into a new home, accepting a new stepfather. I remember crying a lot. I remember my parents fighting. They were having a difficult time with their marriage… Despite all this, the thing that I remember most about the fourth grade is Tiffany Stephenson.
-Bjorn Skogquist, “Tiffany Stephenson - An Apology”
News: The writer gives the reader the who-what-when-where-why of a situation or issue.
Ninety percent of American smokers started as teenagers. There are several reasons for this scary statistic: peer pressure, parents who smoke, and, most significantly, because of the billions of dollars spent by the tobacco industry on ads that target kids.
-Jack Sherman, “Stop the Tobacco Companies from Targeting Kids”

Some conclusions to try…
Anecdote: A brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation.
Admonition or instruction: The writer tells the reader to take a particular action.
What forward-looking communities see is a chance to to get in on the power production boom, not as consumers of dirty, increasingly expensive coal-fired power, but as produces of their own clean power.
There is a solar silver lining in our present environmental mess. It’s a chance to reinvent ourselves. Let’s do it right this time.
-Ed Firmage, Jr. “Revolutionary Solar Technology is Set to Transform Energy Generation.”
Prediction: The writer comments on how the situation might be different.
Somehow, we have to make our children understand that they are intelligent, competent people, capable of doing whatever they put their minds to and making it in the American mainstream, not just in the black subculture.
What we seem to be doing, instead, is raising up yet another generation of young blacks who will be failures - by definition.
-William Raspberry, “The Handicap of Definition”
Quote: A voice not your own that speaks to or exemplifies the issue.
Well, it’s off my chest; and it feels good.
I will no longer make excuses for my musical tastes. Not when millions are being made by performers exhorting listeners to “put your hands in the air and wave ‘em like you just don’t care.”
Compare that with the haunting refrain of Reba Mc.Entire’s “I Think His Name Was John,” a song about a woman, a one-night’s stand and AIDS: “She lays all alone and cries herself to sleep/ ’Cause she let a stranger kill her hopes and her dreams/ And in the end when she was barely hanging on/ All she could say is she thinks his name was John.”
-Lena Williams, “A Black Fan of Country Music Finally Tells All”
Echo: The ending links back to the beginning - an idea, an image, or a word or phrase.

Strong, punched statement: The writer concludes with strong stance, perhaps a one sentence paragraph.
Cohabiting does not necessarily equal the tragic end of a relationship, but couples who do marry after living together have high rates of separation and divorce. The lack of commitment in such a relationship plays a large role in the scenario. If a couple wishes to have a successful marriage, they should show their commitment to each other from the beginning. If they trust each other enough not to cohabit before marriage, their marriage already has a higher probability of success.
-Denise Leight ”Playing House”

April 7

Sophomores: We focused on writing small, or writing low on the food chain, as it related to some of your mother memories. We tried to flesh these out and round them out further by focusing on small details that stick to the page.

Freshmen: This was our final whole-period session for writing for the next few weeks.

April 4

Sophomores: We took and discussed a quiz on the reading. Finish your 12-15 memory statements about your mom for Monday; finish the book for Friday. Get a copy of Hamlet.

Freshmen: We wrote a poem modeled after Williams's "This is just to say" and worked on our essays.

Citing Sources

Citing Sources
To cite: To quote, word for word, someone else’s writing as an example, to support an argument, or explain what’s being said.
There are basically two types of citations. One is:
1. An in-text citation: This is for shorter citations and appears as a part of your text. You must do the following to set it off from the rest of your text…
a. Place it in quote marks.
b. Place the author and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
c. To leave out text, use the ellipsis.

Biofuels are not the answer to our current climate change problems and energy needs. Using food for fuel is a problem for many reasons. First, biofuels don’t slow climate change - they may, in fact, accelerate it. The journal Science published a study that calculated biofuel production may release “between 17 and 420 times more carbon dioxide than… fossil fuel” (Dyer, 11). Second, biofuel production drives up the cost of food. Between 2006 and 2007, “food costs world wide rose by 23 percent”, something that can be linked directly with conversion of land from food to fuel production (Dyer, 78).
There are basically two types of citations, continued. The second:
2. A blocked citation: This is for longer citations and looks differently, as if you cut and pasted part of your source into your text. To do this, do the following:
a. The citation should be single spaced and indented.
b. Don’t set it off with quote marks.
c. Place the author and page number at the end of the citation.
d. To leave out text, use the ellipsis.


We are facing a food shortage crisis, plain and simple. The World Food Program has stated it needs upwards of 700 million dollars this year to help feed the world’s poor, up 200 million from what they needed last year to feed the same number of people.

Last year it became clear that the era of
cheap food was over. Food costs world-wide
rose by 23 percent between 2006 and 2007.
This year, what is becoming clear is the impact
of this change on ordinary people’s lives (Dyer, 11).

What might not be clear is the cause: biofuels.
For the capstone, you must…
• Use each of these techniques at least once.
• Cite from a source in each essay.

April 3

Sophomores: We discussed the Joseph Campbell interview we watched yesterday, and continued the memory activity we began on Monday, keying on what memories reveal about the person being remembered, the person doing the remembering, and the relationship between the two people. We then began a list of 12-15 specific memories about our own mothers - complete this for Friday. Also for Friday: page 423.

Freshmen: We reviewed the steps taken yesterday for the capstone project, assessed the sonnets we wrote, and covered how to cite from a source according to MLA format. I will see if I can get my notes and examples up in the next few days.

April 1 and 2

Sophomores: We watched "Love and the Goddess" from The Power of Myth. A 1 page typed synthesis that keys on how this material applies to The Poisonwood Bible is due Thursday. Page 423 is due Friday.

Freshmen: We began sorting through our research. Here's what you need to do:
1. Decide what the focus of each of your three essays will be. State each as a thesis.
2. Decide on the genres.
3. Group your 3x5s according to essay.
4. Focus on what kind of lead and conclusion you are going to try. Pointed question is not an option for any of these.

March 31

Sophomores: We shared the poems we read, discussed some key components of free verse poetry, discussed our novel, and began a list of We Remember Our Mothers statements from the daughters' point of view.

Freshmen: We learned about the sonnet form - a typed sonnet is due Thursday. Bring your research materials next block period. All research should be completed by Thursday - we will begin our essays then.

March 28

Sophomores: We took a quiz and continued our work on our poem, "My Daughters in the Congo". A final copy of it is due Monday. Page 423 is due Friday.

Freshmen: We handed in our haiku and finally got some stuff back. You should be working hard at your research; be sure to bring your materials (sources and 3x5s) for next block period.

March 27

Sophomores: We finished our archetype analysis of the various characters of The Poisonwood Bible. We also read a poem and applied it to our book; we are writing an imitation of it from Orleana's point of view.

Freshmen: We studied the haiku form today. 7 haiku are due for class tomorrow.

March 26

Sophomores: We finished up our study of the various archetypes the five main characters from The Poisonwood Bible fit into. Finish page 311 for Friday.

Freshmen: We shared the creative responses to art that you did over the break. Other things to know:
1. Letter to the editor is due May 16.
2. Monday, March 31 - hand in two Great Thoughts on separate sheets of paper - one that is your own, and a Great Thought from someone else that you found to be inspirational.
3. Research deadline is extended to next Thursday, April 2. Be sure to bring your materials each day, especially next block day.

March 18 and 19

Sophomores: We focused on character analysis and close reading, matching characters from PWB with particular archetypes. We will conclude this after the break. Finish page 311 by March 28.

Freshmen: We learned about creative responses to art as a way of crafting poetry. You are to find a work of art and write two separate poems in response to it, each one in a different motif that we studied today. You should then find a way to combine the work of art and your poems, thereby creating your own work of art (put them on a poster board, make a book, put it on a slide show, etc. - how you do it is up to you) that you can present the day we return. You should also be gathering up your sources, reading them, and answering questions on your note cards. All research is due March 31.

March 17

I haven't updated recently - sorry. I also goofed on the 7 Facts Assignment due date, so if this tripped you up, just get it to me before break. Again, sorry.

Sophomores: We shared the 7 Facts assignment, building our background knowledge about key topics from our book. Finish page 311 for the Friday after Easter.

Freshmen: We chose our broad topics for the Capstone and then I introduced the Questions Based Research Strategy we will be using to guide our work. You need to be gather sources, formulating questions, finding answers, and looking for patterns and ideas related to your topic that you can write about. All your 3x5s (25 minimum) need to be done for the Friday after break. You may use your in class and at home reading time for this.

March 11

Sophomores: We started a research assignment for The Poisonwood Bible, due next block period, and also continued our study of the various characters in the novel. Page 124 is due for Friday.

Freshmen: We analyzed "A Work of Artiface" and studied how Billy Collins uses the free-verse techniques we have studied in class in his poetry.

March 7

Sophomores: Page 42 from The Poisonwood Bible was due today. Finish page 124 for next Friday. We took a quiz and began a close character study.

Freshmen: Your metaphor poems, letters to the editor, and reading of Speak were all due today. We had a discussion on Speak that stood in for a final exam. Bring a novel to read for Tuesday.

March 4 and 5

Sophomores: We wrapped up our reading of The Kite Runner with a discussion about Amir, the nature of heroes, whether or not the four stages of the hero are evident in the text, and how we felt about the actual ending of the text. We then continued our introduction to archetypes by focusing on specific attributes of each of the six archetypes we have studied, which characters fit which archetype, and whether or not our self-evaluation was accurate. We concluded by moving on to The Poisonwood Bible. I provided a heads-up for some issues to think about (multiple narrators, female perspective on the hero's journey, the historical context of the book, and how it will make us examine how we live and appreciate our mothers a bit more). We listened to the first few chapters. Finish page 42 for Friday.

Freshmen: We learned about literal and figurative language. You must write a poem using one of the three types of figurative language we studied - due Friday. Speak is also due Friday for periods 2 and 3; due Wednesday for period 6.