Monday, November 30

Freshmen: Today our focus was on turning your Grandparent Project interview into the beginnings of your Grandparent Project essay. Work on this some at home; we'll have about 20 minutes to work on it during our next class period. Read for 20 minutes, and also bring your class copy of Of Mice and Men to class on the block day, as well. Take the Membean quiz tonight.

Sophomores: Today we talked some about your most recent essays. The revisions are due on Monday, December 7. Finish up The Alchemist and get a start on your essay; we'll work on them some in class in the LC on Tuesday. Take the Membean quiz tonight.

CNF: Today we studied the idea of "winning the tournament" further by viewing the start of Hoop Dreams.

Tuesday, November 24

Freshmen: Today we continued studying compare and contrast, as you wrote about the people you thought about for homework last night. Over the break, read at least four nights and complete your Grand Parent Project interview. You need your questions and answers on Monday.

Sophomores: Today we focused on parables. Follow the reading schedule listed on an earlier post.

CNF: Today we had a seminar on Chapter 3 from Freakonomics. 

Monday, November 23

Freshmen: Today we continued studying the technique of compare and contrast by reading Caton's "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts." Come to class tomorrow prepared to write compare and contrast two different people (living or dead, fictional or real).  Read for 20 minutes tonight as well. Be ready to complete your Grand Parent Project interview over the break.

Sophomores: We talked about a couple of different ideas running through The Alchemist. See the reading schedule on the blog.

CNF: Today we finished reading Chapter 3.

Friday, November 20

Even with Booker you, have to keep the faith: Utah 24-UCLA 21.

Freshmen: Today we finished the compare and contrast essays in class. Read for 20 minutes, finish up Membean, and think about two people (living or dead, real or fictional), that you'd like to compare and contrast.

Sophomores: Today we got a good start reading The Alchemist. Check the reading schedule blog and read the assigned chapters from How to Read... as well. Work on Membean.

CNF: Today we started Chapter 3 in Freakonomics.

Thursday, November 19

Freshmen: Today we finished up your first compare and contrast essay. Read for 20 minutes and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today, we began reading The Alchemist. Please see the reading schedule on the blog. Work on Membean and your next analytical honors project essay.

CNF: Today we started studying the idea of competition, and why a lot of people will compete for a small prize.

Letters About Literature Extra Credit Opportunity

This is a great contest. Go to http://www.read.gov/documents/GUIDELINES-LAL-2015-FINAL.pdf. Follow the directions listed there. Your letter and entry coupon are due to me by Monday, 11/30. Fill out the top and bottom of the entry coupon. Look up the school's address. Under "Library/School" email, write my email jbaird@judgememorial.com. I will mail all the letters with their entry coupons. You must follow their directions exactly to earn full credit, which is up to 50 points extra credit.

The Alchemist Reading Schedule 2015

Hello Sophomore Superstars. Please follow this reading schedule for The Alchemist. Of course, you may read ahead if you wish, and will get several opportunities to read in class.
11/19 - Pages 1-15
11/20 - Pages 15-30 and Foster's "Every Trip is a Quest"
11/21 - Pages 30-45
11/22 - Pages 45-60
11/23 - Pages 60-75 and Foster's "When In Doubt, It's From Shakespeare"
11/24 - Pages 75-90 and Foster's "Or the Bible"
*Probably a good time to start writing your next analytical honors project essay
11/25 - Pages 90-105 and Foster's "If She Comes Up..."
11/26 - It's Thanksgiving, just chill
11/27 - 105-120 and Foster's "Is That a Symbol?"
11/28 - It's my birthday, and Utah vs. Colorado, so again, just chill and cheer on the Utes (35-10, by the way)
11/29 - Pages 120-135 and Foster's "Now, Where Have I Seen Her Before?"
**You should be close to finished with your analytical honors project essay on The Alchemist
11/30 - Pages 135-150 and Foster's "Flights of Fancy"
12/1 - Pages 150-167
***We will spend about 30 minutes during this period in the LC working on your essays
12/2 - Finish up anything that needs finishing
12/3 - Seminar on book and essay due

Tuesday, November 17 and Wednesday, November 18

Freshmen: Today we continued our study of the technique of compare and contrast. We also read Chapter 4 from They Say I Say in order to see three ways to respond. We will continue this on Thursday. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we wrapped up our reading of The Power of One and did some revision work on your essays. You are to take the feedback your peers gave you and improve your essay. Due Thursday in class is a paper copy of your essay. Submit the essay to turnitin.com that night as well. You must do both in order to earn credit. Hand in your handout on How to Read Literature Like a Professor, as well. Don't forget about Membean this week.

CNF: Today we finished our study of information asymmetry.

Monday, November 16

Freshmen: Today we shared your narrative essays and discussed our next rhetorical device - compare and contrast. These are both techniques you will probably use in your Grand Parent Project essay. Be sure you are compiling your interview questions - your interview is due in two weeks. Read for 20 minutes tonight and take your Membean quiz. If you want extra credit, read the poem "The Gift" at http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171752 and write a poem about a gift an adult has given you. It needn't be a physical, tangible object. It is due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we discussed The Power of One. You are to revise your essay based on our discussion and bring it to class on Tuesday. Take your Membean quiz tonight.

CNF: Today we continued studying information asymmetry.

Basketball: Today we are at Sunnyside until 5:30.

Thursday, November 12

Freshmen: Today we focused further on narrative essays. I want you thinking about a coming of age moment you've experienced. Read for 20 minutes, work on Membean, and choose your subject and finish your questions for The Grandparent Project.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on reading. For Monday you need to finish reading The Power of One, write a brief reflection on it (half page), finish your Triple Entry Journal, and your honors project essay. Monday we will have a class discussion on the book.

CNF: Today we finished one documentary about information asymmetry, and will continue this subject tomorrow.

Basketball: We are at Sunnyside for practice today until 5:30.

Tuesday, November 10 and Wednesday, November 11

Freshmen: Today we focused on something called The Grandparent Project. Follow the directions on the handout I gave you. The interview is due 11/30. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Finish reading The Power of One for Monday, as well as your 3EJ, your reflection, and your essay.

CNF: Today we continued our film about information asymmetry.

Monday, November 9

Freshmen: Today we began learning about narrative essay. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes tonight and Tuesday, and to work on Membean for 25 minutes over a period of at least two days, for a minimum of 5 minutes on any given day.

Sophomores: Today we talked about various issues that inform The Power of One. Finish reading the book by Monday. Once you finish the book, write a short half-page reflection on the end of the book or the book as a whole. Also due for Monday is all of the readings from How to Read... and your honors project analytical essay. Before or during the essay, take a look at the directions and the two examples I provided on Life of Pi. Work on Membean for 25 minutes over a period of at least two days, for a minimum of 5 minutes on any given day.

CNF: Today we studied a documentary about a subject that is a prime example of information asymmetry.

Thursday, November 5

Okay, it's going to be Utah 17, Washington 14 in a tight one...

Freshmen: Today, we continued our study of Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird." Your task is to write your own "Ways" poem. Choose something ordinary, something others might not see as interesting, and examine it and show it in a number of different ways. You might want to model some of your ways of seeing after Stevens's poem, though you're not limited to his ways of seeing - try to come up with original ways to see your subject. Type up your poem and bring it to class on Monday. Adhere to standard poetic form. One key direction: You must name your subject explicitly in every stanza. Read for 20 minutes twice over the long weekend and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we primarily focused on getting ahead in the reading. Read from The Power of One, from How to Read..., and get working on your next analytical essay. Work on Membean.

CNF: We read Chapter 2 today; finish what you didn't do in class as homework and write a short reflection.

Tuesday, November 3 and Wednesday, November 4

Freshmen: Today we shared and collected your paper copies of your essay. You should submit it to www.turnitin.com by midnight on Wednesday. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and work on Membean for 25 minutes over two separate nights this week. If you had a problem with the Membean quiz, I will issue a make-up exam for you. We also studied Wallace Stevens's "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird," and will continue this exercise on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we focused primarily on Doc and Geel Piet and the wisdom they often share with Peekay. Read everything through and including Chapter 21 for Monday's class and keep working on Membean. If you had a problem with the quiz, I will issue you a make-up. Keep reading Foster and get started on your next analytical essay.

CNF: Today we wrapped up our study of cheating and began a focus on information asymmetry.

Monday, November 2

Freshmen: Today we worked on Step Seven of our Seven Step Essay Process: Editing, Polishing, and Publishing. Edit your essay tonight for standard punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. Polish it for standard form. Create a bibliography or works cited page at www.easybib.com and print it and attach it to your final essay. Bring your essay into class next period. You have two weeks to submit your essay to a potential publisher. Look for publications that accept student submissions, or ones that focus on the topic you wrote about. Read for 20 minutes Monday and Tuesday. Take your Membean quiz tonight and work on it this week for 25 minutes.

Sophomores: Today we spent a lot of time talking about The Power of One. Read Chapters 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21 this week. Tonight, read pages 349-365. Continue reading from Foster and write your next essay. Take your Membean quiz tonight and work on it this week for 25 minutes.

CNF: Today we wrapped up our study of texts about cheating, and will discuss them next period.