Thuesday, 9/27 - Friday, 9/28

Thursday we discussed the two Declarations and why pastiche writing can be an effective mode to work in. As homework, you read the Ellison excerpt which is the basis of the pastiche you will write next week. Friday, we discussed Ellison and began brainstorming on the major conflicts you've had thus far in life. Your homework for Monday is to decide which conflict you will write about and to bring in the analysis of 4-6 quotes on your choice book as well as a statement of argument for the first half of the reading. Be sure you're checking your schedules on the Saturday Study Session in two weeks! We need to get a headcount of who's going by early next week. Have a safe and restful weekend!

Tuesday, September 25-Wednesday, September 26

Tuesday you had the opportunity to discuss with a partner, then a small group, the Hemingway reading. You did a good job with this. Many of you are really catching on to writing precis statements! If you noticed some peers have a better understanding of those vocabulary words on the Precis Cheat Sheet, start studying more....Those aren't going away! We took a quiz at the end of the period and many of you chose very good details from the text to show Hemingway's respect of the boxers. The "cobra" detail and the "dancing" were two of the strongest responses--and notice how those overlap with Faulkner's details? You also got the Declarations homework, which you had time to continue work on Wednesday. Be sure that work is complete when you enter class Thursday. Also, some of you requested the calendar for the next couple weeks. You can now get that from the Helpful Links list to your left. Big push, here before the end of the quarter! Lots of ways to wiggle your grade. Keep focused!

Monday, September 24

We used four types of annotation on Hemingway's "Prizefight Women." Your homework was to write two paragraphs: one on the question your peer asked about the text and the other about the connection a peer saw between the Hemingway reading and Faulkner. Op-ed #2 will be due next Tuesday! Get with your partner so you are sure to both be reading the same one. Flip-flop roles for next week.

Friday, September 21

Many students needed to miss period 3 AP today due to the assembly, so we took it easy reading our choice books. Remember, that the next assignment for the second quarter of you book is due Monday, October 1 and it's to write a statement of argument and analyze two quotations that support your statement. Have a fun and safe Homecoming weekend!

Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 19-20

Wednesday students turned in the Brief Responses from their choice books as well as their Faulkner paragraphs. Thursday, students discussed the arguments of their op-ed columnists and turned in a page of notes from these conversations with classmates. Tomorrow, due to the Homecoming assembly, we will use class time to read choice books and to get clear on the double-entry journals due as the next two assignments connected to this reading. It's been a long, tiring week...one more day until the weekend!

Tuesday, September 18

We took our second 3-minute quiz! Then we finished annotating the Faulkner passage in order to write three paragraphs of rhetorical analysis about the progression of this piece. The mentor text for this work is in the Helpful Links part of this blog. Keep Faulkner in mind--you will see this passage again! Remember, Brief Responses for the first quarter of your choice book are due Wednesday and op-eds are due Thursday.

Monday, September 17

Welcome to homecoming week! Today, we looked at a passage written by William Faulkner for a 1955 issue of Sports Illustrated. Students annotated for content, mode, and --as a class-- we began annotating for detail. Remember that precis and brief responses for your choice book are due Wednesday and op-eds are due Thursday this week!

Friday, September 14

Today, students printed out the op-ed that's due Thursday. Be sure you have your role done, because your partners will be counting on you! The rest of the time was spent either reading your choice book or working on vocabulary. Remember to think carefully about the subtle differences on tone words which are similar. Next week's quizzes will be asking you to interpret the differences. Have a good weekend and remember to wear your PJs on Monday for Spirit Week!

Wednesday, September 12

Students who are on track with getting homework done shared and had the opportunity to revise their Brief Responses for "On Being Nothing." Unfortunately, FAR TOO MANY of you are in homework denial. Obviously, this is going to have an adverse affect on your grade and your understanding going forward. I am available at lunch on Thursday (tomorrow) to work with you on make-up work and the FINAL tone/verb vocabulary tutorial session. I am NOT available lunch Friday due to another meeting. Remember that homework tonight is to write a sentence about the significance of Woolf's memory about fishing, etc. There will be a quiz tomorrow that will be put in the 80% summative assessment column of the grade book, so be sure you are prepared.

Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 10-11

On Monday students selected the op-ed columnist you will follow for the rest of the semester. We will finalize partners on Wednesday and assign roles for Op-ed #1. Today we began practice with rhetorical modes and interpreting the organization of texts. Your homework is to write a Brief Response for "On Being Nothing." Remember to think carefully about those precis statements!

Friday, September 7

Your homework this weekend is to analyze the three "Voice Lessons" sentences for detail. Remember this will likely take you longer than you think. We also chose our choice books for this quarter. Start your reading and be sure you've chosen wisely. You may choose a different book on Monday, but after that you're committed. Be thinking -- and talking to your parents/guardians --about taking the PSAT. The deadline to sign up is OCTOBER 15th and you'll need to pay $25.00 to bookkeeping to register. Have a safe and restful weekend!

Thursday, September 6

We finally did our timed diagnostic essay! Several of you who forgot your precis yesterday came in at lunch to get those turned in and one of you came in to work on the Structured Tutorial. I would like to see more of you for that next week! No homework tonight. Take a breath!

Wednesday, September 5 Hey! I know what day of the week it is--unlike yesterday. Ooops. Today you got back your summer homework and your 12-minute responses to Tortilla Curtain and "Geraldo No Last Name." We discussed the AP Rubric and the expectations for tomorrow's in-class essay. Period 3, you need to get on the homework train; half of you are still hanging out in the station.

Monday, September 4

In an on-going effort to leave you slightly less sure of what you know and don't know, we spent the majority of the class analyzing Mitt Romney's "These Hands" political ad which begins with a clip from the Obama speech you annotated over the weekend. We also watched a follow-up clip from a pundit rebutting the Romney ad. Remember that part of the syllabus where I said this class is about figuring out what YOU think about what we study? Sixth period narrowly avoided a riot, so we're heading in the right direction, I think. :) Remember the in-class essay on Thursday and bring any of the four readings we've studied so far that you might want to reference.