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.