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.