Friday, January 28

Freshmen: Today we focused heavily on the critical aspects of process analysis. Come prepared Monday to write about something you know how to do and teach it to others. Read for 20 minutes, memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud, and complete your work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we continued our focus on the four stages of the hero and Into the Woods. You should finish the Prologue from The Hero With a Thousand Faces this weekend and get started on your first analytical essay. Memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud, and complete your work on Membean.

CNF: We continued reading The Last Lecture and taking notes in preparation for our first seminar.

Thursday, January 28

Freshmen: Today we focused on garbage in poetry, radio narratives, and process analysis essays. Read for 20 minutes tonight, work on Membean, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

Sophomores: Today we continued to focus on the four stages of the hero. Read from The Hero With a Thousand Faces tonight, work on Membean, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

CNF: Today we continued to read from The Last Lecture. My hope is we can finish it by next Wednesday.

English Extra Credit Opportunity

Attend the school musical sometime over the next two weeks and write a one page, typed, double spaced review for up to 25 points extra credit.

Tuesday, January 25 and Wednesday, January 26

Freshmen: Today we focused on phrases that signal what you think from what others think, based on Chapter 5 from They Say I Say. We also started on a study of the technique of process analysis. Be thinking of something you know how to do that you can teach others, much like Mr. Smith did in the Ted Talk we studied today about how to use a paper towel. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday and work on Membean three different days for a total of 30 minutes this week.

Sophomores: Today we continued to study the four stages of the hero. Continue reading Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces and begin your essay soon. Work three separate days for a total of 30 minutes on Membean this week.

CNF: Today we finished watching, and began reading, The Last Lecture. If you missed class and want to see the last 20 minutes of what we watched, you can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo and pick up at the 54 minute mark.

Poetry Out Loud Recitation Rubric

Here is the rubric we will use for Poetry Out Loud. You need to have your poems memorized by February 2 or 3, depending on when your section meets.

Poetry Out Loud Recitation Rubric

Name:

Trait	Score		Comment
Physical Presence		/10
Voice and Articulation		/10
Dramatic Appropriateness		/10
Level of Difficulty		/10
Evidence of Understanding		/10
Accuracy		/10
Provided Copy of Poem		/10
Overall Performance		/30
Total		/100

Monday, January 24

Freshmen: Today we focused on gaining a greater understanding of your Poetry Out Loud poem so you really own it and score high on the "evidence of understanding" portion of the rubric. We analyzed your poems based on their speaker, occasion, audience, purpose, subject, and tone. Read for 20 minutes, study on Memean 30 minutes this week over three different days, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

Sophomores: Today we began a study of the Four Stages of the Hero, or what we're calling The Hero's Adventure. Continue reading the Prologue of The Hero With a Thousand Faces, study on Memean 30 minutes this week over three different days, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

CNF: Today we watched the first 30 minutes or so of Randy Pauch's "The Last Lecture."

Friday, January 22

Freshmen: Today our focus was on reviewing the technique of definition. For homework, continue reading for 20 minutes, work on Membean, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

Sophomores: Today we talked about the difference between idols and heroes and the attributes commonly associated with the traditional hero model. Read the Prologue from The Hero With a Thousand Faces and start your essay if you can; work on Membean, and memorize your poem for Poetry Out Loud.

CNF: Today we talked about promises in general and Batman's promise to rid Gotham of crime in particular. Your homework is to stop a crime if you see one taking place (but safely - safely...).

Thursday, January 21

Freshmen: Today we learned about the Ulster Project. I hope it interests some of you. Work on Membean this week (30 minutes divided over three days) and read for 20 minutes tonight.

Sophomores: Today we focused on the Honors Project for this semester. You should begin reading the Prologue from The Hero With a Thousand Faces and start writing your first essay. Work on Membean this week (30 minutes divided over three days).

CNF: Today we focused more on childhood dreams and promises. Be sure to bring Batman and Philosophy tomorrow, and The Last Lecture on Monday.

Tuesday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 20

Freshmen: Today we reviewed your performance on the semester final and reviewed how to blend a citation. We also set two dates for the letter to the editor assignment and increased our Membean work to 30 minutes per week divided up over three days. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and continue to memorize your Poetry Out Loud poem.

Sophomores: Today we got an introduction to our second semester course and primary topic we will study - the hero. Your homework tonight is to go over the disclosure and bring it to class on Thursday. Also, bring your copy of The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Lastly, write a one page summary of Campbell's ideas that you saw in the interview we watched today. Do 30 minutes of Membean this week divided up over three days.

CNF: Welcome to the course. We got an overview of our course, met some new friends, and watched half of "The Last Lecture." Bring a copy of that book to class on Thursday, along with your disclosure.

Monday, January 11

Happy last day of the semester.

Freshmen: Today we heard one more good example of a definition essay. Study for finals. Take your Membean quiz tonight.

Sophomores: Today we heard several more terrific This I Believe essays. Good job - thank you for sharing all that. Take your Membean quiz tonight. As I said, we had a bit of a book-list snafu. You will need the following books next semester: Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, Hamlet, and Tuesday's With Morrie.

CNF: Today we had our final seminar. Thank you for a terrific semester. Tell your friends; take the second semester of the course.

Friday, January 8

Freshmen: Today we continued our study of definition. You read an essay based on a similar topic to what you decided last night to write about, and then began writing your essay based on the prompt I provided on yesterday's blog. Your homework is to take what you began and finish it this weekend. Your essay should have the following elements:
-Adhere to standard form (typed, double-spaced, etc.)
-Use well, and name in your header, one of the lead and conclusion techniques we've studied
-Have an interesting title
-Use the technique of definition well, according to the notes you took in class
-Fully address the prompt
-If you're really awesome, integrate a well-blended citation.
Read for 20 minutes and finish up on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we continued with some fantastic This I Believe essays. Thanks for your hard work. Work on Membean, and get a copy of Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Extra credit: Lonesome Dove, anyone?
PS Dude, Where's My Tao?

CNF: Today we finished up Chapters 5 and 6 and the Conclusion of Freakonomics.

Thursday, January 7

Freshmen: Today we focused on reviewing for the semester final. Everything you need to know is on the blog on an earlier post. See me if you have questions about it. Aside from reading for 20 minutes and working on Membean, your homework tonight is intended to continue our study of definition and prepare you for what we're going to do in class tomorrow. Your homework is adapted from Short Takes, and while it doesn't require any written work on your part yet, you should think about this so you can write your assignment in class tomorrow:

Think of the times when you have made a visit to an important place (even if it's important only to you). When did you go? What did you do? Who else was there? What effect did it have on you? Tomorrow you will write an essay in which you define the meaning of the place and your visit. Some suggestions are a cemetery, an historic site, a favorite vacation spot, or a place that's important to your family or you personally.

Or...

Think of a word or idea that has accumulated broad connotations and explain what that word means to you specifically... you may want to consider two terms but emphasize only one. Some possibilities may include: man, woman, teenager, hero, student, winner, teacher, coach, or friend.

Sophomores: Today we began listening to your incredible This I Believe essays. Thank you for sharing your great ideas and writing. Keep working on Membean and studying for the final.

CNF: Today we finished Born Into Brothels and continued reading Chapters 5 and 6 of Freakonomics.

Compelling Non-Fiction First Semester Final Exam 2015 2016

For our final, you have five possible prompts to choose from. You can come to class with one page of notes (single side of a page) to use on the essay, but these should be notes - not prewritten essays, as you will write your essay in class. You can write practice ones at home if you want, but the one you will take a grade on is the one you compose during the exam period. You may use any or all of the books we've read this year, in addition to your notes.

Compelling Non-Fiction First Semester Final Exam

Directions: Choose one of the following essay prompts to answer. Support your answer with evidence from four different sources: Both texts we read this semester, at least one of the films we have viewed, and your own personal experience.

Possible Prompts:

1. Is the statement that “Morality represents how we would like the world to work; economics represents the way it actually does work” a true statement?

2. What ethical obligations must constructors of non-fiction texts adhere to?

3. Is conventional wisdom wisdom? Or is it folly?

4. How can we use our knowledge of incentives to encourage moral behavior and make the world a better place?

5. Which method of thinking that we studied this year – Blink-style thinking or Freakonmics-style thinking – is more effective?

Third Quarter Freshman Prayer and Great Thoughts Assignment

For third quarter, you will continue to lead the class in prayer. You will then use a great thought from somewhere outside yourself, as you have done in the past, as your jumping off point for talking about some profound idea. However, regardless of what idea you speak about, you need to teach us something about, or tell us a story about, yourself in your great thoughts talk. In other words, use your own life, your own story, as a way to teach us about whatever principle your great thought encapsulates. By the time your great thoughts talk is finished, we should have learned about both the idea you're speaking about and about you as a person.

The rubric is posted below:

Third Quarter Prayer and Great Thoughts Rubric

Name:

Preparation for prayer is evident:	/30
Quote is visually appealing:	/10
Talk appears memorized:	/20
Talk begins correctly:	/10
Talk ends well:	/10
Quote sets the tone for the talk:	/10
Talk focuses on the idea the quote embodies, not the quote itself:	/20
Speaker teaches audience about self or uses a personal anecdote in talk:	/10
Talk lasts 60-90 seconds:	/10
Eye contact:	/10
Body language:	/10
Voice projection:	/10
Clarity of speech:	/10
Overall quality of Great Thought Talk:	/30
Score:	/200

Tuesday, January 5 and Wednesday, January 6

Freshmen: Today we took an extensive look at the technique of definition, and how writers can use it to clarify what an event, word, or person means, as well as how writers can use it to define both abstract and concrete concepts. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday and continue to work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we focused on a semester exam review and a wrap up of the various ideas, images, concepts, and themes we see in the Tao te Ching. Your This I Believe essay and your visual essays are due tomorrow in class. Be sure to bring in two copies of your essay, one for you to read and one for me to follow along on. Continue working on Membean.

CNF: Today we watched a documentary film and will continue reading Chapters 5 and 6.

Monday, January 4 2016

Freshmen: Today we started a study of the rhetorical device of definition. Continue reading over your Poetry Out Loud poems and bring them to class every day. Read for 20 minutes tonight and Tuesday and work on Membean this week. We will cover stuff about the final exam on the block day.

Sophomores: Today our focus was on six-word stories. You should write five true six-word stories about yourself and bring them to class on Tuesday. Also bring Foster's book for our semester exam review. Remember I will collect both the Echoes of the Tao and the Ideas, Images, etc. of the Tao form next Monday.

CNF: Today we began reading Chapters 5 and 6 in Freakonomics. 

Freshman English First Semester Final Exam Study Guide

Freshmen: Here is what you need to know about your first semester final exam. It comprises 20% of your semester grade. The other 80% is made up of an average of the first and second quarters. The first part of the exam is a 65 question objective exam (multiple choice, true-false, etc.) that covers all the topics we have studied this semester. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: The 10% Solution, our Seven Step Essay process, material from They Say I Say, the lead and conclusion techniques we have covered, the essay modes we have covered, literary concepts we studied while reading novels together, and free verse poetry. Study well for the exam - it comprises about 7% of your semester grade.

The rest of your exam grade will be determined by an in-class essay you write. You are going to get one of three potential essay topics. You are required to do a little bit of research for this, and must bring one sheet of paper with quotes or research that you intend to use on the essay so you can show you are skilled at integrating citations into your writing. Only one side of the paper may have writing on it, and you may use it on the essay only. The requirements of the essay are as follows:

1. An interesting and creative title.
2. Correctly-used lead and conclusion techniques that we studied this semester listed in your header.
3. A clear and compelling thesis.
4. At least one correctly blended citation.
5. Correct use of the conventions of the mode you’re writing in.
6. Double space and write neatly and clearly.

The potential essay modes and topics are as follows. Prepare for all three, as you will get one at random:

1. Compare and contrast your experience as a middle school student with your first semester of high school.
2. In a well-crafted essay, define who you are by answering the question, “How do others see you, and how do see yourself?”
3. Write a narrative essay that explains an event that helped shape you into the person you are today.