Thursday, December 12

English 9A: Today we focused on how to cite sources and use textual evidence. We'll put our learning into practice tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight and complete the handout I gave you.

English 9B: Today we looked at four poems, annotated them, and then wrote a short response to the following:

The four poems presented to you - “O Me! O Life!”, “To the Virgins”, “The Summer Day”, and “Nothing Gold Can Stay” - were all written in different times, in different forms, by different poets… and yet, they share many common themes. Remember, a theme is a moral, lesson, or truth about life and how to live it that a text reveals. It cannot be a one-word idea; it is always presented as a complete thought. 

Your task is to identify a common theme shared by these poems and write a one paragraph argument that supports your theme. You must cite textual evidence from at least two of the poems to prove your argument.

Finish this, if need be, and read for 20 minutes.

English 12B: Today we began an Canvas assignment about the hero, the monomyth, and the four stages of the hero.

Tuesday, December 10

English Honors 9A: Today we read "The Lottery." You are to reread it for your 20 minutes of homework and continue annotating it in preparation for a discussion tomorrow.

English Honors 9B: Today we read a poem titled "Traveling Through the Dark" and used it to practice annotating. Read for 20 minutes tonight. We will continue with the poem tomorrow.

English 12B: Today we began a study of the monomyth. Continue researching your Capstone Project topic.

Monday, December 9

Happy Birthday to my sister, Marcie!

English Honors 9A: Today we discussed how the princess's character is developed in "The Lady or the Tiger?" and wrote our own endings to the story (you can find this assignment on Canvas). Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9B: Today we began learning an explicit process for annotating a poem. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English 12B: Today we did some individual Capstone research. You should spend 15-20 minutes per night researching your topic.

Friday, December 6

English Honors 9A: Today our focus was on making predictions as readers based on textual evidence. We read the short story "The Lady or the Tiger?" which you can find online. You were to annotate the story this weekend for evidence regarding the princess's character so that we can predict what decision she makes at the end of the story. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English Honors 9B: Today we continued to focus on writing creative responses to art. Your job is to choose a work of art or a photograph and write two poems in response to them, each in a different motif (stories, voices, impressions, and expressions). Write the motif you are using in your header, and be sure that your printed copy includes a picture of the art you are responding to. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 12B: Today we focused on researching your capstone topic. We will have a quiz on Part I of The Elements of Style Part I on Monday.

Thursday, December 5

English Honors 9A: Today we had library orientation. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9B: Today our focus was on creative responses to art. Your task is to choose a work of art of photograph you would like to write in response to and to have access to that thing in class tomorrow, whether it's a hard or digital copy. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 12B: Today Mrs. Bates came to class and talked to us about academic research.

Monday, December 2

English Honors 9A: Today we took the DWISBA (District Wide... something or other). Anyway, it's an assessment, and if you were absent, please go to Canvas, then to Modules, then to ELA 9 Pre-Assessment and complete the assignment in an hour or so. Then read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9B: Today we studied some poems by William Carlos Williams ("Between Walls", "This is Just to Say", and "The Red Wheelbarrow") and did some imitations of them. Type up your best and bring it to class Tuesday. Read for 20 minutes as well. Additionally, some of you may find the following interesting, as I stumbled across it preparing for class: https://triggerfishcriticalreview.com/historical-view-of-wcwilliams-no-ideas-but-in-things-by-ed-wickliffe/

English 12B: Today we focused on Chapter 1 from They Say I Say. You can find a link to a PDF version of the text by going to Canvas and finding the disclosure under Assignments. We also wrapped up our discussion of archetypes as it relates to Into the Woods. Your homework is to complete your proposal and take the Into the Woods quiz on Canvas.

Monday, November 25

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on the various things introductory paragraphs should have and looked at seven different kinds of hooks for you to experiment with. Your homework is to think about whether Mary Maloney's murder of her husband was justified or not in "Lamb to the Slaughter," and come prepared to write about that tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9B: Today we focused on your Theme for English 9B responses. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes tonight.

English 12B: Today we focused on the four stages of the hero and Into the Woods. Be working on your Capstone Project.

Friday, November 22

English Honors 9A: Today we had two different discussions about the short story "Lamb to the Slaughter." The most important thing to consider from these is the question "Was Mary justified in murdering her husband"? Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors 9B: Today we read a poem by Langston Hughes titled "Theme for English B." You can find the poem and the homework assignment on Canvas. It is due on paper on Monday. Also, read for 20 minutes.

English 12B: Today we continued to study the four stages of the hero and Into the Woods.

Thursday, November 21

English Honors 9A: Today we read a short story titled "Lamb to the Slaughter." You annotated it focusing on asking different kinds of questions (you were supposed to generate five total questions at least). Your homework tonight is to use your 20 minutes to reread "Lamb to the Slaughter" and annotate it a second time, this time making note of as many literary devices from your flip book that you can discover (at least seven devices). This is due Friday.

English Honors 9B: Today we continued to listen to Billy Collins and his excellent poetry. My hope is those that came in to the class with negative associations with poetry have had a shift in perspective, if even only a little bit.

English 12B: Today we continued our study of various archetypes by watching the start of the musical Into the Woods. Continue to work on your Capstone Project ideas.

Wednesday, November 20

English Honors 9A: Today we concluded our overview of basic literary devices. As you read for your 20 minutes tonight, see how many of them you can see at work in whatever it is you are reading.

English Honors 9B: Today we listened to several poems by Billy Collins and made note about what he was doing that we liked. We will continue with this tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes.

English 12B: Today we had a brief overview of the Capstone Project packet and began a study of literary archetypes. We also reviewed apostrophe possession rules. Your proposal for your Capstone is due on December 3. 

Tuesday, November 19

English 9A: Today we took a brief quiz to test your knowledge about basic literary concepts and then began an exercise for taking notes on those concepts, which we will continue tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight for homework.

English 9B: Today we measured your attitudes about poetry and read a poem titled "Introduction to Poetry" which can be found here: https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/001.html

Read for 20 minutes for homework tonight.

English 12B: Today we got an introduction to the two writing handbooks we will be reading this trimester, They Say I Say and The Elements of Style. I also distributed the Capstone Project packets. You are to read through and annotate the entire packet before class tomorrow. If you were not in class, the packet can be found on Canvas.

Monday, November 18

Happy first day of the trimester!

English Honors 9A: Today we covered the disclosure, talked about why English may be (nay - definitely is!) the most important class you'll ever take, and did some get-to-know-you activities. Go over your disclosure with your parents, bring it back signed tomorrow, and bring a book to read tomorrow.

English Honors 9B: Today we covered the disclosure and did some get-to-know-you activities. Go over your disclosure with your parents, bring it back signed tomorrow, and bring a book to read tomorrow.

English 12B: Today we covered the disclosure and did some get-to-know-you activities. Go over your disclosure with your parents, bring it back signed tomorrow, and come with an idea for you Capstone Project.

Catch Me If You Can Extra Credit

Attend a performance of the school musical and in a one page paper analyze how concepts in Thomas Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor, like geography, quests, flight, symbolism, or irony, apply to the musical. This is due typed, on paper, Wednesday, 11/13.

English 12A Final Exam Study Guide

Your final exam will be roughly 50 questions and cover two aspects of our study this trimester:

1. Writing: this includes stuff we studied related to different introduction and conclusion techniques, The 10% Solution, and Sentence of the Week stuff.
2. Reading: literary motifs (like parables, quests, and flight, for example), and literary concepts (such as conflict, setting, irony, symbol, and theme).

Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions.

English Honors 9A Final Exam Study Guide

Your final exam will be a multiple choice exam, somewhere around 60 questions long. The things you should review for the exam include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Literary devices from your flip book (think about how they might apply to To Kill a Mockingbird).
-The introduction, hook, and conclusion structures and techniques we studied (names, definitions, how to recognize an example of one in action).
-Ideas we discussed from How to Read Literature Like a Professor (such as intertextuality, symbolism, politics and violence in literature, the physical markings of characters, sight and blindness in literature, and motifs such as quests). Use your notes. You can also find PDF versions of the text online.
-Academic writing "moves" that we covered, particularly from They Say I Say, such as how to properly blend textual evidence, how to craft a quote sandwich, and how to plant a naysayer or counterclaim. Use your notes. You can also find PDF versions of the text online.

Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions.

Friday, November 1

English 12A: Today we continued with The Alchemist, and shared some of the parables you created. Read for 20 minutes and get your This I Believe projects completed and read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9A: Today we read Chapter 6 from They Say I Say. You can find a PDF version online quite easily. The chapter deals with counterclaims or naysayers, which you will plant in your essay. Over the weekend, work on your This I Believe essay and read for 20 minutes.

Wednesday, October 30

English 12A: Today we read from The Alchemist, and also from Chapter 1 of How to Read Like a Professor. You can find PDF versions of both these things on the interwebs. Continue working on your This I Believe essay and read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9A: We had a great Philosophical Chairs discussion today as we debated the question: Should Atticus Finch have taken the Tom Robinson case? We'll be writing about this in the coming days.

Tuesday, October 29

English 12A: Today we began Part II of The Alchemist. If you need to catch up in the reading, an earlier post has a link to a PDF version of the text and our reading schedule. Read for 20 minutes and complete your end of trimester project.

English Honors 9A: Today we primarily focused on a discussion about To Kill a Mockingbird, centering on the aphorisms and pearls of wisdom we drew out of the text. Read for 20 minutes and complete your end of trimester project.

The Alchemist Reading Schedule and PDF Link

Hi. If you're ever absent, here's our reading schedule for The Alchemist. You can find a PDF version of the book here: https://archive.org/details/OceanofPDF.comTheAlchemist/page/n25

The reading schedule is for the PDF version of the book:

10/23: 12-28
10/24: 28-38
10/25: 38-51

10/29: 53-66
10/30: 66-79
10/31: 79-95
11/1: 95-111

11/4: 111-124
11/5: 124-140
11/6: 140-End

Tuesday, October 22

English 12A: Today we did a few things to prepare for reading The Alchemist. We will begin it tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we talked about a few issues related to To Kill a Mockingbird, particularly the role and significance of violence, both in the text and in literature in general. On Canvas, do the assignment How to Read Chapter 11. It is due tonight at midnight. Use your 20 minutes of reading to finish reading Chapter 24 in Mockingbird. 

Monday, October 21

English 12A: Today we finished up listening to a few Journeys Lectures and spent a little time working on your This I Believe projects. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on things to do as writers to improve your Part I essays; you can revise them and hand them in on Friday if you wish to improve your grade. Use your 20 minutes to read Chapter 23 of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Tuesday, October 15

English 12A: Today, students presented their Journeys Lectures in class. Read for 20 minutes. If you are lecturing us tomorrow, be ready to go.

English Honors 9A: Today we read Chapters 19 and 20 in To Kill a Mockingbird. We also discussed what it might mean that the author draws our attention to the physical characteristics of certain characters, ranging from scars to blindness. Read for 20 minutes tonight, and Period 5, finish Chapter 20.

Monday, October 14

English 12A: Today we had our final discussion about The Last Lecture. Your Journeys Lectures assignment is due tomorrow. It can be found on Canvas.

English Honors 9A: Today we read Chapter 18 from To Kill a Mockingbird. We also discussed whether or not the novel could be considered a political work, and whether or not Mayella could be considered a sympathetic character.

Friday, October 11

English 12A: Today we completed our reading of The Last Lecture. If you need to finish reading the final section, there's a link to a PDF version on Canvas. We also completed the Connections chart, so if you were absent, look up the essays on the sheet and go to thisibelieve.org and read them and complete that assignment. I also collected the daily reflection assignments we worked on. Finally, we spent time working on our Journeys Lectures, which are due on Tuesday. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors: Today we read Chapter 17 from To Kill a Mockingbird. There is also an assignment on Canvas titled How to Read Chapter 13 and To Kill a Mockingbird. Complete it by midnight on Sunday. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

Thursday, October 10

English 12A: Today we concluded Part V of The Last Lecture. There is a link to a PDF version of the text on Canvas. Access it to get caught up and read for 20 minutes. You should be working on your Journeys Lectures, as well as your This I Believe projects.

English Honors 9A: Today we discussed symbolism and To Kill a Mockingbird. We also read Chapter 16. Read for 20 minutes tonight. 

Tuesday, October 8

English 12A: Today we read through Chapter 27 in The Last Lecture. There's a link to a PDF version on Canvas. Get caught up if you were absent, work on your Journeys Lecture, and read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we discussed aspects of Part II of To Kill a Mockingbird, read another This I Believe essay (A Place to Call Home), and read Chapter 14. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

Monday, October 7

English 12A: Today we read Chapters 16-20 in The Last Lecture. There is a link to a PDF version of the text on Canvas if you need it. Keep working on your Journeys Lectures. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we worked on revising your essays about Part I of To Kill a Mockingbird.  The lesson we used for this is on Canvas titled Revision Checklist. Use your 20 minutes of homework to read Chapter 13 of Mockingbird. Resubmit your essay to Canvas after revising it.

Friday, October 4

English 12A: Today you had time to work on your Journeys Lecture assignment. It is posted on Canvas. It is due October 15. We will assign specific dates to give your lecture next week. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors 9A: Today we began reading Part II of To Kill a Mockingbird. Finish Chapter 12 for Monday. We also began an essay assignment about Part I. You need to have a draft finished for Monday.

Thursday, October 3

English 12A: Today we read Chapters 13-15 in The Last Lecture. There is a link to a PDF version of the text on Canvas if you need to get caught up with the class. We also talked about the Jounreys Lecture assignment that is due in about 10 days, and I provided a few rudimentary examples. It can also be found on Canvas. Read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9A: Today we finished Part I of To Kill a Mockingbird. We discussed as a class themes (or morals, or lessons) that were emerging in the text that were applicable to 9th graders. You can expect to write on this topic tomorrow. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

Wednesday, October 2

English 12A: Today we read Chapters 11 and 12 in The Last Lecture. There is a link on Canvas to a PDF of the book in case you were absent and need to read it to catch up. Otherwise, your homework is to read for 20 minutes. You probably should get started on your This I Believe Essay.

English Honors 9A: Today we read Chapter 10 in To Kill a Mockingbird and the This I Believe essay Everyone Deserves a Defense. You should have some entries in your Triple Entry Journal by now. Read for 20 minutes and be sure you are caught up in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Tuesday, October 1

English 12A: Today we read several chapters from The Last Lecture (we have almost completed Part II), and also talked about your recently-returned college application essays.

English 9HA: Today we started Chapter 9 from To Kill a Mockingbird; finish it for homework tonight.

Wednesday, September 25

English 12A: Today we finished Section I from The Last Lecture. If you were absent, a PDF of it can be found here: http://coachsmithushistoryclass.weebly.com/uploads/8/5/4/8/8548767/the_last_lecture_by_randy_pausch.pdf
Read through page 18. For everyone else, read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we read some of Chapter 5 from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Monday, September 23

English 12A: Today we watched Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" in preparation for reading his book. You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

We watched the first 18 minutes. The middle 30 minutes are a little insiderish, so we skipped that and then picked up at 54:35, watching the final 20 minutes. If you were absent watch those parts and fill out this form:

As we view Randy Pausch’s lecture, please complete the following form:

List three specific behaviors he engages in that make him an effective speaker:	Identify three personal beliefs that are revealed by how he lives his life:	Record three aphorisms of maxims that he shares (short, pithy, truth-filled statements):

English Honors 9A: Today we began something called a Triple Entry Journal. We also read a This I Believe essay titled The Mysterious Connections that Bind us Together. Read that on your own if you were absent. We also read Chapter 3 in To Kill a Mockingbird. Due for tomorrow are the five This I Believe essays you had to read on your own. Bring that form to class tomorrow.

Friday, September 20

Well, to quote Han Solo, "I've got a bad feeling about this." Nevertheless, I will say: Utah 28-USC 27. Let's hope they don't do the Utes like Han did Greedo.

English 12A: We looked at a bunch of great This I Believe essays. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors 9A: We read Chapter 2 from To Kill a Mockingbird. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

Thursday, September 19

English 12A: Today we began Phase 2 of your end of the trimester This I Believe project, focusing today on what an effective This I Believe essay looks like. You are to read 5 essays from their website and write a short paragraph about each one, explaining what you liked about it. Do this for your 20 minutes of reading.

English Honors 9A: Today we spent a lot of time studying geography and setting by reading Chapter 19 of How to Read Literature Like a Professor. You can find Chapter 19 here: https://cleveland.rrps.net/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=4043952

Read it if you were absent. For your 20 minutes of reading homework, complete Chapter 1 from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Wednesday, September 18

English 12A: Today we focused on simple sentences and what they entail through our Sentence of the Week program. We then focused on Phase 1 of our end of the trimester This I Believe project. You should have at least a dozen belief statements before class on Thursday.

English Honors 9A: Today we began reading To Kill a Mockingbird. We discussed some of the important issues to understand before reading it, and read two This I Believe essays to set the tone for the first chapter. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes.

Tuesday, September 17

English 12A: Today we focused on writing a descriptive paragraph that imitates the passage from Charlotte's Web that we used yesterday to practice visualization. Think of this as the other end of the telepathy spectrum King writes about: You are trying to get the image in your mind into the mind of your reader. The assignment is on Canvas and is due tonight. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on exploring NRP's This I Believe website in order to give each of you a good idea of what an effective This I Believe essay looks like. By Friday, you need to read five essays from the website (www.thisibelieve.org) and write a short paragraph description of what you liked about each of them. Read for 20 minutes as well.

Monday, September 16

English 12A: Today our focus was on visualization. As you read for 20 minutes tonight for homework, try to visualize something in the text as vividly as you can.

English Honors 9A: Today we took a look at our end of the trimester project, which is centered around NPR's This I Believe program. You should have multiple belief statements as we begin working on Phase 1 of this project. Read for 20 minutes tonight. Bring headphones to class on Tuesday.

Friday, September 13

Okay, here's your prediction, even though it's Friday the 13th: Utah 49, Idaho State 6.

English 12A: Today we did some reflection on your college application essays. If you weren't here, the assignment is on Canvas and you should complete it before class on Monday. Also, read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9A: Today we read "The Necklace" and took a test that measures your understanding of the literary devices we have studied. Your essay is due Sunday night at midnight. Read for 20 minutes.

Thursday, September 12

English 12A: Today we read an essay titled "Be Specific." You can find this assignment on Canvas. Your college application essay is due on Friday on paper. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

English Honors 9A: Today we began an essay, in response to the two short stories we just read ("The Lottery" and "The Lady or the Tiger?") that answers to the prompt, "Which society is more just?" You can find this assignment on Canvas. It is due by midnight, Sunday. Read for 20 minutes tonight.

Wednesday, September 11

English 12A: Today we performed The 10% Solution on your essays. You should finish this tonight. The final copy of your essay is due, on paper, Friday, September 13. Read for 20 minutes tonight as well.

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on two things: various conclusions to try (you can find this lesson on Canvas), and practicing a discussion technique called Philosophical Chairs as we debated the following question: Consider the two societies described in the short stories "The Lady or the Tiger?" and "The Lottery." Which is the more just society? Continue to contemplate this question, and read for 20 minutes tonight.

Great Extra Credit Opportunity

The winner of the competition (grades 9-12) will receive a check for $2,500.00 from the McCarthey Family Foundation at its annual lecture Nov. 9, 2019 featuring presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham as lecturer.

CASH PRIZE ESSAY COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS GRADES 6-12 and students at COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES IN UTAH
Deadline for Entries: Friday September 27, 2019

In conjunction with the annual McCarthey Family Foundation Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism, students in grades 6-12 and at colleges and universities (undergraduate and graduate ) in Utah are invited to submit an original essay concerning freedom of the press. Categories are as follows:
University & college students: 1,000 word essay; cash prize of $4,000.00
Grades 9-12: 750 word essay: cash prize of $2,500.00
Grades 6- 8: 500 word essay; cash prize of $1,500.00

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: DEADLINE - Friday September 27, 2019. Email a Word document, typed and double-spaced, to mkl@mklpr.com. All entries must include student’s name, phone number, email address and name and department of the university or college or name of the school and grade in which the student is currently enrolled. Essays may be submitted anytime prior to the September 27, 2019 deadline.
The winning essayist in each category will be introduced and receive his/her cash prize at the 14th Annual McCarthey Family Foundation Lecture: In Praise of Independent Journalism Saturday, November 9, 2019, 7:00 PM at Rowland Hall, Philip G. McCarthey Campus, 720 Guardsman Way in Salt Lake City. The Lecture is open to the public at no charge. The winning essays will be printed in the evening’s program. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian Jon Meacham will be the guest lecturer.

ESSAY QUESTION: UTAH STUDENTS GRADES 9-12

“Power can be very addictive. And it can be corrosive. And it’s important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.”

- George W. Bush

NBC Today February 2017

In an essay of no more than 750 words, (1) discuss this quote as it relates to the press in a democracy and (2) provide examples to support your position.

 

For more information: www.rowlandhall.org/mccartheylectureseries

or
Mary Kay Lazarus 801.328.8899 mkl@mklpr.com

YOU MAY ENTER THIS CONTEST FOR 50 POINTS EXTRA CREDIT. GIVE MR. BAIRD A COPY OF YOUR ESSAY ON OR BEFORE THE DUE DATE. 

Tuesday, September 10

English 12A: Today we learned a revision and editing technique called The 10% Solution. The lesson can be found on Canvas. We will practice this technique in class tomorrow, so it is critical that your essay is completed before class on Wednesday. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on Shirley Jackson's short story, "The Lottery" and annotated it for both questions and for as many literary concepts as possible. In lieu of reading from your book for 20 minutes tonight, I want you to reread (and continue to annotate) the story in preparation for a writing assignment.

Monday, September 9

Looks like I was right again about the Utes...

English 12A: Today our focus was on revision of your essay based on the rubric (which can be found on Canvas or in your packet). You need to have a typed copy on paper for class tomorrow.

English Honors 9A: Today our focus was threefold: making predictions as readers, understanding how authors use characterization, and writing in a tone and style that imitates another writer. See Canvas for the assignment titled "The Lady or the Tiger?" and complete it.

Friday, September 6

Mark it down: Utah 35, Northern Illinois 13.

English 12A: You need to have a draft of your essay completed for class on Monday. Read for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors 9A: Today we learned how to use the library. Your homework is to complete your essay and read for 20 minutes.

Thursday, September 5

English 12A: Today we focused on different kinds of conclusions to use. I'd bet there's a quiz on them tomorrow. You will need to have a completed draft of your essay ready for class on Friday.

English Honors 9A: Today our focus was on how to cite sources in our writing. To learn this, we read Chapter 3 from They Say I Say (pages 42-50), which you can find here: https://1.cdn.edl.io/6wtPh1XyoVEHOXNiHwPffkk4Mg4hx976RBZsh6z8RaWY4ic6.pdf

Scroll down and read pages 42-50. From there, your task was to write at least one body paragraph with at least two pieces of textual evidence that support your theme.

Read for 20 minutes. A paper copy of your essay (or these first couple of paragraphs, anyway) is due on Monday at the start of class.

Wednesday, September 4

English 12A: Today we continued to work on your college application essays. Spend 20 minutes on it tonight, and read for 20 minutes as well.

English Honors 9A: Today we addressed the question, "What is the theme of the short story 'Raymond's Run'"? We crafted an introduction to an essay that addresses that prompt. Tomorrow we will continue to develop this essay and work on integrating textual evidence. Make sure your introduction has all four ingredients and that you correctly use on of the hook techniques we covered, and that your thesis is solid. Read for 20 minutes as well.

Tuesday, September 3

English 12: We focused on writing the body paragraphs of your college application essay, developing the prompt as fully as possible. Spend about 20 minutes on it tonight, as well as 20 minutes on reading.

English Honors 9A: Today you turned in your introduction practice that you wrote about the short story "Lamb to the Slaughter." We then focused on the concept of theme and read a short story titled "Raymond's Run." You were to annotate this and identify seven passages that reveal theme. We will build on this tomorrow.

Friday, August 30

Yeah, I was pretty much dead-on yesterday, wasn't I?

English 12A: Today we took a quiz regarding the introduction techniques we studied. Polish your own introduction and be ready to move on to the body on Tuesday. Read twice for 20 minutes this weekend.

English Honors 9A: Today we focused on reviewing the essential ingredients of the introduction and the hook techniques we studied yesterday. We also then put these things into practice by writing an introductory paragraph for an essay that responds to the prompts (choose one): Why did Mary murder her husband? Is Mary a sympathetic character? Or, Was Mary justified in her actions? Complete your paragraph for Tuesday, and read twice for 20 minutes this weekend.

Thursday, August 29

First, the important stuff: Tonight's final will be 35-10, Utes, and it won't be close. Sorry, Cougar fans.

English 12A: Today we concluded our overview of introduction techniques to try. You wrote two more today, bringing your total of potential introductions to three.

English Honors 9A: Today we studied the four ingredients of the introduction: hook, bridge, summary, and thesis. We also studied seven specific hook techniques (anecdote, analogy, background, news, announcement, facts and statistics, and quote).

We then copied and annotated an example paragraph, which you can find below if you didn't finish in class. Straight underline the hook, squiggly underline the bridge, box in the summary, and star the thesis.

Prompt: Is the main character in the short story “Lamb to the Slaughter”
the protagonist or antagonist?

Famous American journalist and feminist leader, Gloria Steinem, said,
“Men should think twice before making widowhood women's only path to power.”
This is the predicament Mary Maloney faces in Roald Dahl’s short story “Lamb to the Slaughter.”
In it, Mary murders her husband after it appears he is going to divorce her, and yet it’s unclear
to the reader whether Mary is villain or victim, protagonist or antagonist. But after careful
analysis of the story and the issue involved, the careful reader must conclude that,
while she is a sympathetic character, she is also the villain, for murder is always wrong,
she had alternative responses available, and the victims of her crime extend beyond just
her adulterous husband. 

Wednesday, August 28

English 12A: Today we began studying various introduction techniques. We covered three thus far (Anecdote, Quote, and Analogy). We chose an essay prompt from the college application assignment and wrote an introduction using one of the techniques we covered. Your homework is to complete this introduction and to read for 20 minutes.

English Honors 9A: Today we had an excellent discussion regarding "Lamb to the Slaughter." We will continue our study of literary devices, question formation, and close reading tomorrow as we begin a study of academic writing, using the story as our reference text.

Tuesday, August 27

English 12A: Today we began our first major writing assignment, a college application essay. We listened to a brief segment of This American Life about some common application essay pitfalls, chose a couple of potential prompts and made notes on two of them, studied some good advice in regards to writing, and looked at a great example. Homework is: read for 20 minutes; review the prompts; add to your notes on two of them.

English Honors 9A: Today we began a study of close reading, annotation, and short stories. We read "Lamb to the Slaughter," annotated it for four literary devices and three questions, and will discuss it tomorrow. Homework is: read for 20 minutes, review the story, complete your annotations.

Thursday, August 22

English 12A: Today we had an excellent discussion about the film More. It was my intent you use the discussion, and the example I showed you after, to help you revise and improve your essay tonight. Do so, and submit it (or resubmit it) to Canvas by midnight tonight.

English 9A Honors: Today we took the RI; you were to write down your Lexile score and five book suggestions for that Lexile. Bring this list with you to class tomorrow when we go to the library to hear about some books from Mrs. Bates. By Monday, you all should have an outside reading book that you bring to class every day.

Wednesday, August 21

English 12A: Today we wrote an essay that analyzed the film More by addressing this prompt: What is the filmmaker saying about dreams and ambition. You can find the complete assignment on Canvas. It is due tonight at midnight.

English 9A Honors: Today we created a flip book for notes on basic literary devices that we will use throughout the trimester.

Tuesday, August 20

English 12A: Today we began an exercise in literary analysis. We discussed some important literary terms as well as how to frame our thinking about texts in question form. We then viewed a short film titled More. Watch the film again and complete your notes before class tomorrow. You can find the film here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCeeTfsm8bk

English 9A: Today we discussed some basic literary devices. First we took a pretest and then made some flip books for us to track these.

Monday, August 19

9A: I hope you had a great first day. Today we did a bunch of first day stuff. Your homework tonight is to get your disclosure signed and to comment on today's blog post. Click comment and write your first name and last initial and the period you have English. By next Monday, you should have an outside reading book.

12A: I hope you had a great first day. Today we did a bunch of first day stuff. Your homework tonight is to get your disclosure signed and to comment on today's blog post. Click comment and write your first name and last initial and the period you have English. By next Monday, you should have an outside reading book.

2019 Final Exam Prompts

English 12B: Here is your final exam prompt for Monday:

In a well-crafted and well-supported essay, teach the reader about the hero concept. Use the things you learned about the hero through the Hero Catch-Phrase Project (especially those ideas captured in your thesis statements), as well our study of archetypes, the four stages of the hero, and the monomyth. Your essay should have the following components:

1. A header that lists the introduction and conclusion techniques you are using, and effective use of those techniques.

2. An interesting title.

3. Few, if any, conventions errors.

4. A strong focus on the hero concept.

CNF: In a well-crafted and well-supported essay, answer the question posed the first day of class: Which is better, intuitive Blink-style thinking, or meticulous Freakonomics-style thinking? Support your answer with evidence from the texts we read, the documentaries we studied, and your own personal experience. 

Monday, May 13

Your Capstone Projects are due Friday. Today in class we did this:

Capstone Project Research Paper They Say I Say Technique Use Evaluation

Go back into your Capstone Project Research Paper and prove that you can use the techniques covered in the book They Say I Say. Highlight at least one passage according to this legend:

-Highlight any place you “enter the conversation” or “start with what others are saying” green.

-Highlight any place you summarize someone else in red.

-Highlight any place you quote someone directly in blue.

-Highlight any place you agree, disagree, or agree and disagree with someone or something in yellow.

-Highlight any place you distinguish what you say or think from someone else in purple.

-Highlight any place you plant a naysayer or a counterclaim in orange.

-Highlight any place you address why your topic matters or address the “so what?” of your topic in magenta.

Monday, April 15

File your taxes if you haven't done so already.

English 12B: Today our focus was on a review of how to cite textual evidence. There will be a quiz on Part IV of The Elements of Style later this week.

Friday, April 12

English 12B: Today our focus was on conclusions; we reviewed the conclusion techniques we studied first trimester and, based on your topic, thesis, and information collected to prove the thesis, you chose a technique to focus on in your own conclusion, once you get there. You should spend 30 minutes or so this weekend working on your paper.

Tuesday, April 9

English 12B: Today, we built on the thesis-formation exercise we did yesterday and went through your index cards and numbered each individual piece of information in the order it should appear in your essay. We then reviewed the various introduction techniques we studied last trimester and you made a decision about which introduction technique you were going to use with your research paper (keeping in mind the advice of They Say I Say to begin with what others are saying). You should spend about 15-20 minutes tonight working on your introduction.

CNF: Today we watched a Ted Talk with Gladwell, jammed out to Kenna, and talked about peaches, ice cream, and office chairs.

Monday, April 8

English 12A: If you were absent today, here's what you should do:
1. Read through all the information collected on your index cards. What does the information tell you?
2. Based on what the information reveals, form a thesis statement. A thesis statement is a short, defensible argument about your topic supported by the information you have collected. It is NOT a question, nor a simple restatement of some of the information collected, nor a vague statement unsupported by evidence.
For example, when you look on my index cards and see that 68,000 teenagers die every decade in car accidents, that 16 year olds are three times more likely than any other age group to suffer an automotive fatality, and that the part of our brain that enables us to drive safely isn't fully developed until age 25, it's likely you would craft a thesis statement that looks like this: The driving age should be raised at least to 18.

Come to class Tuesday with your index cards and your thesis statement fully formed. Bring any sources you may have.

CNF: Today in class we did the Pepsi Challenge and discussed the right, and wrong, way to figure out what people want.

Thursday, March 28

English 12B: We read Stave III of A Christmas Carol and continued with the graphic novel/monomyth/four stages project. There's a link to a PDF of the text in an earlier post if you were absent. We also took a quiz on Canvas that is due tonight.

CNF: We watched a Ted Talk about spontaneous behavior and completed Chapter 4 from Blink.

Wednesday, March 27

English 12B: We continued with our study of the monomyth and the four stages of the hero via reading A Christmas Carol and the creation of some graphic novels that illustrate it.

CNF: Today we began reading Chapter 4 from Blink.

Tuesday, March 26

English 12B: Today we started a graphic novel project in conjunction with our reading of A Christmas Carol. Your task is to transform Dickens's novel into a graphic novel that shows his story through the lens of either the four stages of the hero or the monomyth. Today we read Stave I.  Here are the directions:

A Christmas Carol and the Four Stages of the Hero Graphic Novel Project

As we read Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, your task is to create a graphic novel of the text that displays your understanding of Scrooge’s progression through the Four Stages of the Hero. You should have a minimum of 16 panels, with at least four panels dedicated to each stage of Innocence, Initiation, Chaos, and Resolution. You may do more than this if you want. Every panel must include at least one line from the text that is emblematic of, and represents, that particular stage. This can be dialogue or narration, either is fine. Your panels can be arranged however you would like in terms of shape and size - they need not all be the same. You can include color or not; this can be done in pen, pencil, or any other medium. Include a title and your name someplace on the project.

A Christmas Carol and the Monomyth Graphic Novel Project

As we read Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, your task is to create a graphic novel of the text that displays your understanding of Scrooge’s progression through the Monomyth. You should have a minimum of 16 panels, with two dedicated to each of the following aspects of the monomyth (note: I’ve combined some from our previous lesson on the monomyth to fit the 16-panel parameter): Birth, the Call to Adventure, Helpers and Amulets, Crossing the Threshold, Tests, The Final Battle, Flight and Return, Elixir and Home. You may do more than two panels per stage if you want. Every panel must include at least one line from the text that is emblematic of, and represents, that particular part of the monomyth. This can be dialogue or narration, either is fine. Your panels can be arranged however you would like in terms of shape and size - they need not all be the same. You can include color or not; this can be done in pen, pencil, or any other medium. Include a title and your name someplace on the project.


You can find a PDF of the text here: 

https://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/pdf/passage/2824/a-christmas-carol-002-stave-i.pdf

CNF: Today we played chess as a way to practice both Blink-style and Freakonomics-style thinking.

Monday, March 25

English 12B: Today we finished our overview of the monomyth; the notes can be found on Canvas. There is a quiz on Canvas tonight. There will be a quiz on Part I of The Elements of Style later this week.

CNF: Today we focused on the relationship between structure and spontaneity in preparation for reading Chapter 4 of Blink.

Friday, March 22

English 12B: We began a pretty concentrated study of the monomyth structure. You should be researching your topic for 15-30 minutes per night at home, filling out your index cards.

CNF: We discussed what we read in Chapter 3 of Blink.

Wednesday, March 20

English 12B: Today we spent most of the day exploring some of the sites Ms. Bates showed us yesterday and gathering as much information as possible about our topics. You should be an expert on your topic after spring break and have at least 20 index cards with information on them when we return and begin writing your research papers. Spend 15-30 minutes per night researching your topic.

CNF: Today we took a few more IATs and discussed the results.

Tuesday, March 19

English 12B: Today we were fortunate to have Ms. Bates come to us and talk to us about conducting academic research on your Capstone topics using resources such as Opposing Viewpoints and Gale. These are some of the sources you should be using as you research your topic for 30 minutes per night over the next three weeks.

CNF: Today we explored the IAT, and engaged in some priming experiments with it. We will take a few more tests tomorrow and discuss the results.

Monday, March 18

English 12B: Today our primary focus was on Question-Based Research Strategy. See your Capstone packet for more information. We also focused on some non-traditional places to find information about your topic. See Canvas for more information.

CNF: Today we finished reading and discussed Blink Chapter 2.

Wednesday, March 14

English 12B: Today we concluded our study of the four stages of the hero. You have a Canvas quiz tonight as well as an extra credit opportunity that is posted there if you wish to do it.

CNF: Today we practiced thin-slicing couples as well as rooms.

Tuesday, March 12

English 12B: Today our focus was on the third stage of the hero, what we called the chaos stage. We will continue this tomorrow. You should be completing your Capstone Proposal in preparation for Monday.

CNF: Today we began reading Chapter 1 from Blink and watched a Ted Talk by Dan Airely about irrational decision making. We will continue Chapter 1 tomorrow.

Friday, March 8

English 12B: Today we concluded a brief overview of various hero archetypes and began studying the four stages that all heroes progress through, regardless of archetype. Due a week from Monday is your Capstone Proposal.

CNF: Today we read the Introduction to Blink. We will discuss it Monday. For a classroom experiment, please take a photograph of your room and email it to jeffrey.baird@canyonsdistrict.org.

Thursday, March 7

English 12B: You should be thinking about potential Capstone Project topics and working on your Proposal, due March 18. Today our focus was on archetypes, and six basic archetypal hero forms.

CNF: Today we focused on the superpowers flight and invisibility, which is better, and what your choice reveals about you as a human being.

Monday, March 4 - Trimester Day 1!

Thanks for a good first day. I am excited about all four of my groups!

English 12B: Today we did some standard first-day stuff, and also focused on a Thought Map with the intent of identifying some potential Capstone Project topics. Some questions that we addressed are the following: What makes you angry? Happy? Anxious or worried? If you were going on a long hike or car ride without anything to distract you, just you and your thoughts, what would you think about? What career possibilities have you considered, or would you like to consider? If you only had one day left to live, what would you do, how would you spend your time? What are you really, really interested in or fascinated by? And, what problems (either big or small, global or personal) would you like to see solved or solve yourself?

Bring your disclosures back on Wednesday.

CNF: Again, thanks for taking the class. It was great meeting you all today. We basically got an overview of the course and its focus and did some get-to-know you activities. Bring your disclosure back to class on Wednesday.

Monday, January 28

English 12A: Today we began reading The Alchemist. Read for 20 minutes at home and work on your end of the trimester project.

English 12B: Today we covered how to create a bibliography. The notes are below. Also, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMbfGLOqbJ4 and start at the 2:53 mark for more information:

Bibliography Format

Last name, first name. Title of book in italics. Publisher. Date.

Last name, first name. “Individual website name in quote marks.” Date created. Date accessed.

URL where website can be found.

Last name, first name. “Title of magazine/newspaper article in quotes.” Title of

magazine/newspaper in italics. Publication date: Page number.

Last name, first name. Interview. Date of interview.

Last name, first name. Title of film in italics. Publication date. If viewed online, include URL

where film can be found.

*Your entire bibliography should be in alphabetical order.

**Each entry should be single spaced. First line is on the left margin. Others lines come underneath the first.

***Double space between entries.

****If you lack one of the required pieces of information, include what you do have.

*****Bibliography should be its own separate page.

Thursday, January 16

English 12A: Today we focused on more of The Last Lecture and concluded our Sentence of the Week stuff for this week. Read for 20 minutes three times over the long break.

English 12B: Today we did another entry in our Hero Catch Phrase Project and also read Chapter 6 from They Say I Say, about addressing a naysayer or counter claim. Write for at least an hour over the long weekend.

Tuesday, January 15

English 12A: Today we continued to read The Last Lecture and discussed some issues such as time management, feedback, and the like. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and to continue to work on your This I Believe essay and presentation. Additionally, if you would like to meet at Parent Teacher Conferences, be advised I have a commitment that requires I leave at 7:30. If you cannot meet before 7:30 but still want to meet, please email me and we can make arrangements  to meet another time.

English 12B: Today we continued to study the hero concept through our Hero Catch Phrase Project and your Capstone research papers. Work on these each night. Additionally, if you would like to meet at Parent Teacher Conferences, be advised I have a commitment that requires I leave at 7:30. If you cannot meet before 7:30 but still want to meet, please email me and we can make arrangements  to meet another time.

Monday, January 14

English 12A: Today we focused on last week's Sentence of the Week and continued to examine how ideas develop both within and among texts by reading more from The Last Lecture and another This I Believe essay. Read for 20 minutes at home and continue working on your end of the tri projects.

English 12B: Today we read from The Elements of Style, focused on last week's Sentence of the Week, and continued to examine the concept of the hero through the Hero Catch-Phrase Project. We also worked more on your Capstone Research papers. You should be done with this in about two weeks. Work on it each night at home.

Friday, January 4

English 12A: Today we concluded our introduction to the end of the trimester This I Believe project. Your homework is to read for 20 minutes and to do a little preliminary work on your end of the trimester project.

English 12B: Today we concluded our study of the monomyth cycle. Remember, your research regarding your Capstone Project topic is due on Tuesday, January 8.  

Thursday, January 3

English 12A: Today we continued our focus on the end-of-the-trimester final project. You read several essays from This I Believe and began to fill out a form for reflections on five essays from their website. You need to complete this tonight at home for Friday's class. You should also read for 20 minutes at home.

English 12B: Today we continued our focus on the monomyth cycle. Remember, your research and index cards are due 1/8, not 1/9 as originally stated.  

Wednesday, January 2

English 12A: Today our focus was on the end-of-the-trimester This I Believe project. Your homework is to spend about 5 more minutes on Phase 1, which can be found on the handout I gave you. This handout is also posted on Canvas. Read for 20 minutes as well.

English 12B: Today our focus was on the monomyth and will continue tomorrow. Remember, I moved your due date up for research and your index cards to 1/8/19, up from 1/9.