Friday, April 29

Happy Birthday to Jacob tomorrow!

Freshmen: Today we focused on Chapter 2 from The Elements of Style (there will be a quiz on it on Monday), and also looked at some division and classification essays. Read and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we had a short, final discussion about The Poisonwood Bible and reviewed some common vocabulary terms. Keep reading from Campbell's text and start working on your next essay.

CNF: Today we watched a Ted Talk by Joe Ehrmann and read.

Thursday, April 28

Freshmen: Today our main focus was on your letters to the editor and a quiz on Chapter 1 from The Elements of Style. Keep reading every night and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we finished The Poisonwood Bible and will discuss what we read tomorrow. Continue to read from The Hero With a Thousand Faces.

CNF: Today we finished Kicking It. 

Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27

Freshmen: Today we focused on comma rules and why commas rule! as we continued to focus on division and classification. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, study Chapter 1 from The Elements of Style, because there will be quiz on Thursday. Work on Membean this week and remember you have a letter to the editor due on Thursday.

Sophomores: Today we focused primarily on Book V from The Poisonwood Bible; finish Book VI for Thursday. Keep reading from Campbell's book and keep working on Membean.

CNF: Today we began a great documentary, Kicking It. 

Friday, April 22

Happy Earth Day.

Freshmen: Today we focused on a poem by Williams Carlos Williams called "This is Just to Say." Your task is to write a poem that imitates what Williams is doing here in terms of tone, style, and topic. Read for 20 minutes and keep working on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we concluded our overview of the Monomyth. Finish reading Chapter 5, "Exodus" from The Poisonwood Bible for April 26, and keep reading Part II, Chapters I and II from The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Keep working on Membean, too.

CNF: Today we finished viewing Undefeated; read from Season of Life if you can.

Thursday, April 21

Freshmen: Today we focused on some poems by William Carlos Williams as we blended our ability to infer as readers with our ability to write creative responses as writers. Your task is to write a poem that imitates either "Between Walls" or "The Red Wheelbarrow." Type it up and bring it to class on Friday. Read for 20 minutes and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we concluded our overview of the monomyth. Keep reading and working on Membean.

CNF: We saw a bit more of Undefeated. Read at home if you can.

Tuesday, April 19 and Wednesday, April 20

Freshmen: Today we shared your creative responses, and also focused on the reading comprehension strategy of inferring. As you read this week, try reading between the lines: What can you pick up that the author doesn't specifically tell you? I want to talk about this later this week, so have some ideas in mind. Read for 20 minutes Tuesday and Wednesday, and work on Membean three times this week for a total of 30 minutes.

Sophomores: Today we focused on various segments of Campbell's monomyth. Continue to read from The Poisonwood Bible, and The Hero With a Thousand Faces, and work on Membean three times this week for a total of 30 minutes.

CNF: Today we began a documentary called Undefeated.

Environmental Club: Remember, we have our hike tomorrow at Red Butte.

Friday, April 15

Make sure you've filed your taxes...

Freshmen: See yesterday's post.

Sophomores: Read Book V, Exodus, and Part II, Chapter I: Emanations.

CNF: Today we began studying the messages our culture sends young boys regarding what it means to be a man, saw an short video about Joe Ehrmann, and began Season of Life.

Thursday, April 14

Freshmen: Today we continued looking at creative responses to art found in the book Heart to Heart. Your task is to choose a work of art and write two poems in response to that work of art. Each poem needs to fit the parameters of a different motif that we studied (e.g. each one needs to be either a stories, voices, impressions, or expressions poem - do not write two poems in the same motif). List the intended motif in your header, just below your name. You will be graded on how well your poem fits the stated motif, as well as your use of poetic devices that we studied earlier this year (e.g. figurative language, format, use of repetition, etc.). Print your poems and a picture of the art work you are responding to and mount it on something (paper, poster board, etc.) so that it can be displayed. You will also be graded on how nice your presentation is. These creative responses are due on the block day of next week. Read for 20 minutes Thursday, Friday, the weekend, and Monday and work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we had a great presentation by Abigail on what it was like living in Africa, and we also discussed the events of Book IV from The Poisonwood Bible. Finish up your reading from Campbell's book and finish your essay, which is due on Friday.

CNF: Today we discussed No Impact Man a bit and also discussed whether or not Bruce Wayne should have become the Batman (of course he should have!).

Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13

Freshmen: Today we continued to focus on creative response, this time in response to art. We focused on four basic motifs these poems might fall into - stories, voices, impressions, and expressions - and looked at several examples. You are to find a work of art that speaks to you. Right now, that's all you need to do - know what art you want to write in response to. Other than that, read for 20 minutes tonight and tomorrow and work on Membean three times this week for a total of 30 minutes.

Sophomores: Today we focused more on the six basic archetypes we have studied this year, applying them this time to The Poisonwood Bible. Due Thursday is Book IV from The Poisonwood Bible, due Friday are Chapters 3 and 4 from The Hero With a Thousand Faces and your essay, and work on Membean three times this week for a total of 30 minutes.

CNF: Today we concluded No Impact Man.

Monday, April 11

Freshmen: Today we focused on creative response, with the idea that someone else's work can inspire you to create something great. We read Langston Hughes's poem "Mother to Son" and listened to Cat Stevens's "Father and Son". Your homework is to write a poem in response to Hughes's poem, writing from the point of view of the son. Often, these kinds of poems have a title that looks something like: ___________, After a Poem by Langston Hughes or _______________, After 'Mother to Son', by Langston Hughes. This poem is due on the block day. Some other considerations for your poem: how old is the son? what's his level of education? how does he feel about the advice his mother gave him? what happened in his life to prompt his mother giving him advice? and, what other symbol might the son use rather than the staircase? Read for 20 minutes tonight and Tuesday night. Remember to take the Membean quiz tonight.

Sophomores: Today each group taught the other groups about the archetype they researched. Remember to take the Membean quiz tonight. Book IV from The Poisonwood Bible is due Thursday; Chapters 3 and 4 from The Hero With a Thousand Faces is due Friday, as is your essay. For your essay, apply Campbell's ideas to The Poisonwood Bible, cite passages from The Poisonwood Bible that serve as examples of Campbell's ideas often, and try a lead and conclusion technique different than background and echo.

CNF: Today we began the documentary No Impact Man. 

Friday, April 8

Freshmen: Today we had a discussion about Romeo and Juliet; for Monday, you need your own book. Continue to work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we focused on creating a poster to teach your classmates about the archetype you most strongly identify with. We will present these findings on Monday. Continue to read from both books, and work on Membean. Due next Thursday is Book IV from The Poisonwood Bible; due next Friday is your reading from The Hero With a Thousand Faces Chapters Three "Return" and Four "The Keys". Also due Friday is your essay on said chapters and how they apply to The Poisonwood Bible. 

CNF: Today we discussed what we learned in Part IV of The World Without Us.

Thursday, April 7

Freshmen: Today we finished reading the text of Romeo and Juliet. Tonight you need to read the essay in your book that's after the play, titled "Romeo and Juliet: A Modern Perspective." As you read it, take notes on the five most important ideas in the essay. Your Triple Entry Journal should also be complete for Friday's class. Continue to work on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we had a discussion about Book III from The Poisonwood Bible. Keep reading from it as well as from The Hero With a Thousand Faces. As you go about collecting information about your archetype, you may want to try this: http://www.playbuzz.com/benjaminbirely10/which-jung-archetype-best-describes-you

CNF: Today we continued to read Part IV from The World Without Us.

Tuesday, April 5 and Wednesday, April 6

Freshmen: Today we focused on some of the language techniques Shakespeare used, and upon the end of Acts III and IV. Your homework is to read 5.1 for Thursday's class; keep working on Membean.

Sophomores: Today we focused on some sub-archetypes of the hero. You should research three facts about the archetype you most closely associate with, write them and their sources down, and bring them to class on Friday. If you missed class today, be sure to pick up the archetype survey from me on Thursday. Book III from The Poisonwood Bible is due on Thursday; keep working on Membean.

CNF: Today we explored The Golden Record a bit more and began reading Part IV from The World Without Us.

Monday, April 4

Freshmen: Today we focused on 4.1 and 4.2 from Romeo and Juliet; read 4.3 on your own tonight. Work on Membean for 30 minutes total this week over three days. The quiz dates are listed in Skyward.

Sophomores: Today we focused on some reading and talking a little bit about Nathan Price's history. Finish Book III from The Poisonwood Bible by 4/7; finish Chapter 3 from The Hero With a Thousand Faces by 4/15 and have your fourth essay done by that date. Work on Membean for 30 minutes total this week over three days. The quiz dates are listed in Skyward.

CNF: Today we talked about the Voyager space probe, what we'd put on it, and whether or not we should alert alien life to our existence.