Tuesday, January 31

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we took a quiz on To Kill a Mockingbird, and spent some time talking about the text and researching a little bit about the setting of the story. Read Chapters 2 and 3 tonight for homework (you will get about 10 minutes at the start of class tomorrow). Be sure to submit your essay to Canvas before midnight on Wednesday.

English 9B (period 3): Today we read 1.4 and 1.5 from Romeo and Juliet. We also did some close reading of various characters' lines to get a better sense of how they perceive love and marriage. Read for 20 minutes tonight for homework.

Monday, January 30

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we began To Kill a Mockingbird. Your homework tonight is to finish reading Chapter 1. You also need to finish your essay - it is due to Canvas by midnight Wednesday. I will collect your outlines, research notes, and notes on They Say I Say on Tuesday.

English 9B (period 3): Today we viewed scenes from a film version of Romeo and Juliet corresponding with 1.4 and 1.5, which we will read tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight from your novel.

PDF Version of To Kill a Mockingbird

If you ever forget your book, you can keep up on the reading by going to http://www.gardenhomeslutheran.org/home/2311/3660/Images/ToKillaMockingbird-FullText.pdf

Thursday, January 26

The Blog is Back! Rejoice! At least for now, anyway... I have now been able to access this site from school, so I will keep posting as long as the powers that be allow it, keeping all of you up to date on what we do in class.

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we covered a variety of introduction techniques to use in essay writing, ranging from Facts and Statistics to Anecdotes to Background... you chose one of the seven we covered and used it in the introduction of your essay. You should spend about 20 minutes on your essay tonight and read for 20 minutes as well. Additionally, we read a poem by Li Young Lee titled the gift (which can be found here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43010); for those that wish to, you can write your own free verse poem about a time someone did something kind for you and bring it to class on Monday for up to 25 points extra credit.

English 9B (period 3): Today we focused on an overview of Romeo and Juliet and finished reading 1.1. There will be a quiz on it tomorrow, so you may want to review it some tonight. Also, your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Final Post

Well, due to the fact that Canyons District's server's filter blocks blogspot, I think this is likely going to be the final post of the blog. I will send out daily class summaries and homework reminder through Canvas announcements, so that's what you should check each day, especially if you ever miss class.

And to the two Rachels, if you still keep up with the blog, hang in there and tell Jacob and Marlin hello.

Thursday, January 19

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today our focus was on how to use six different potential conclusion techniques (Quote, Anecdote, Admonition or Instruction, Echo or Circular Ending, Strong Punched Statement, and Prediction). You were to choose one of these techniques for the conclusion of your essay about "The Most Dangerous Game." You must submit your essay to Canvas tonight. Before submitting the essay, go over the rubric and make sure your essay meets the criteria provided. Read for 20 minutes. We will have a quiz on the literary devices we have studied this trimester tomorrow.

English 9B (period 3): Today we created presentations about your Elizabethan England topics; you will present them tomorrow in class. Read for 20 minutes as well.

Wednesday, January 18

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we focused on the elements of the body paragraph and began writing the body paragraph of your essay about "The Most Dangerous Game." The most important thing I can emphasize here is that the information contained within the body paragraph must support and advance your thesis. Your homework tonight is to complete your body paragraph, and to review, it must have the following: two pieces of textual evidence, each one using a different setup or lead-in technique that we studied in class, and commentary on that textual evidence. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 9B (period 3): Today we did some self and peer-editing of your essays about Elizabethan England. They are due tonight on Canvas under "Elizabethan England Essay Assignment." I strongly suggest you review the rubric and make sure that your assignment fits the parameters before submitting your essay. Read for 20 minutes as well.

Tuesday, January 17

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today our focus was on the start of an essay that answers the following prompt: Does Rainsford's killing of General Zaroff in Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game" constitute murder? We wrote an introductory paragraph that had the following elements: A quote hook, a bridge that connected the idea of the quote hook to the story, a summary of the story, and a thesis (or claim, or argument) that responded to the prompt. Tomorrow in class we will focus on the elements the body paragraph needs to have, which primarily will consist of two pieces of textual evidence. Your homework tonight is to go through your copy of the story and find two pieces of textual evidence that support your thesis. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 9B (period 3): Today we had the counselors come in to our class and talk a little bit about suicide and suicide prevention. Read for 20 minutes tonight and we'll pick up with your work on Elizabethan England tomorrow.

Friday, January 13

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we completed questions 9, 10 or 11, 13, and 14 for "The Most Dangerous Game" and had a discussion about the text. Read for 20 minutes twice over the long weekend.

English 9B (period 4): Today we worked on your informative essay. It needs to be completed and ready for grading on Tuesday. Read for 20 minutes twice over the long weekend.

Thursday, January 12

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we finished reading "The Most Dangerous Game." Yesterday's post has a link to a PDF of the story if you weren't here. You need to have the following questions done for class tomorrow: 1, 2 or 4, 3, and 6 or 7. Read for 20 minutes.

English 9B (period 3): Today we continued to work on your informative essays. We got through the introductory paragraph and the body paragraphs. Be ready to work on your conclusion tomorrow. Read 20 minutes.

Wednesday, January 11

English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we began reading "The Most Dangerous Game". If you were absent, it can be found here: https://archive.org/stream/TheMostDangerousGame_129/danger.txt. If you are absent, read it for homework tonight. If you were in class, reread the first four pages and be sure your text is well-annotated. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 9B (period 3): Today we began writing your informative essay about Elizabethan England. Today you shared the six facts you collected about your topic with your partner and started outlining your essay. Your homework tonight is to make sure the following things are completed on your outline: Intro paragraph hook and thesis; and for both body paragraphs the topic sentence, two forms of textual evidence for each paragraph, and the explanation of that textual evidence (or paraphrasing). In addition, read for 20 minutes.

Monday, January 9

Freshman 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today our focus was on character types and characterization. We read Langston Hughes's poem "Thank You, M'am" which can be found online. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and to complete the five questions about the story that I gave you.

Freshman 9B (period 3): Today we began a research project about Elizabethan England. You should have your two articles read and your six facts written down by the time class starts on Tuesday. Read for 20 minutes as well.

Friday, January 6

Freshman 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today we focused on the various forms of conflict that arise in literature and applied our understanding to Sherman Alexi's "Traveling." We also read the poem "The Writer," by Richard Wilbur, and discussed some of the symbolic imagery in it. Both texts can be found online. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Freshman 9B (period 3): Today we analyzed the sonnets that you brought to class and also began writing our own. You need to complete your sonnet this weekend, print it, and bring it to class on Monday. Read for 20 minutes this weekend as well.

Thursday, January 5

Freshmen 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today our focus was on symbols and symbolism. We read Chapter 12 from How to Read Literature Like a Professor and the poem "Traveling Through the Dark." You can find both of these things online. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Freshmen 9B (period 3): Today we continued to focus on the sonnet. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and to bring a copy of one of Shakespeare's sonnets to class on Friday.

Wednesday, January 4

Freshman English 9A (periods 1, 2, and 4): Today our focus was on the Aristotelian Story Arc. Be prepared to talk about how this applies to the book you are reading right now in class tomorrow. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes tonight.

Freshman English 9B (period 3): Today our focus was on the sonnet form in preparation for reading Romeo and Juliet later this trimester. Expect a short quiz tomorrow. Your homework tonight is to look up one of Shakespeare's sonnets online, print it, and bring it to class tomorrow. You should also read for 20 minutes tonight.