Monday, October 3, 2005

Can you believe it's October already?

Welcome to Homecoming Week, '05! Expect a stirring puppet show from me by week's end detailing All The Things You Shouldn't Do at Homecoming This Year. A moral message, punctuated by the Witch of Despair and the Puppets of Dumb Decisions.

Advanced Placement Literature: Return Mactests, and engage in a lively close reading of Le Play. We are slowly going to make the transition from this tragedy into our next, deeply involved Shakespearean adventure--The Prince of Denmark!

Gifted English IV: Continue working with the Gawain essay, and begin the comprehensive review for the Middle Ages Unit Test. I have a handout for each of you to facilitate the review.

Gifted English II: Return parables, and begin working on the Count of Monte Cristo paper. Today in class, we are going to look at Dantes as a moral figure--is he morally justified in seeking the revenge he desires? What Biblical literature supports his endeavor? We're reading a brilliant piece by William Blake that touches on the theme of revenge, and learning how to do a TP-CASTT analysis. Author of the Day is Ben Franklin.

Friday, September 30

If you are ushering tonight for Twelfth Night, call time is 7 p.m.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Mactest. Bring a pencil and your brain.

Gifted English IV: Review for Middle Ages Unit test next week, and wrap up All Things Medieval.

Gifted English II: After we share our parables, we are going to do Author of the Day--John Donne. Then, we are going to go over the CMC Focus Paper.

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Advanced Placement Literature: Discussion and review for the Mactest.

Gifted English IV: "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and a scary supplemental essay by Professor Shoaf of UF.

Gifted English II: What is a parable? Zen Buddhism proverbs and a creative writing assignment. Our author of the day today is Anonymous.

Note: I attended an online workshop through the College Board last night about poetry. Although I found the workshop itself deeply unmotivating, it did create in me a desire to read poetry even more than I already do. In keeping with my current poetic vibe, then, here is a poem I really, really like. Read it and comment if you'd like.


The world is too much with us


THE World is too much with us; late and soon,

Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:

Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!

This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,

The winds that will be howling at all hours

And are up-gather'd now like sleeping flowers,

For this, for everything, we are out of tune;

It moves us not.—Great God! I'd rather be

A pagan suckled in a creed outworn,—

So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,

Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;

Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea;

Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Good morning! If I seem a tad distracted today, it's just that I'm sandwiched between an online AP workshop last night and my National Board Certification Application today. Whew.

AP Lit: Writing Workshop. I'll bring the coffee; you bring the good ideas. You have the period to draft your focus paper; treat is as a timed writing.

Gifted IV: Share exempla and make the transition OUT of Chaucer and INTO "Gawain."

Gifted II: For the first ten minutes of the period, finish up the CMC test, since so many needed more time yesterday. THEN: Further adventures in literature! Author of the Day is Sandra Cisneros.

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

AP Literature: Your thesis statements for Macbeth are due today. We will continue to Macdiscuss the Macplay and generally abuse the Mac- prefix as much as humanly possible. Good times. Good times. (Well, not for the Scots who were so bloodily dispatched in the play. . .)

Gifted English IV: Didn't have enough frivolity with the Pardoner? Let's check out the Wife of Bath! Wow! And if we have time, we'll go over some supplemental critical essays on Chaucer. Theme for the Day: CHAUCER IS YOUR FRIEND.

Gifted English II: COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO TEST. Yes, you can use your book. No, you had better not have used that wretched SparkNotes. Wheeee.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Many thanks to all who ushered for Twelfth Night this weekend. Great job!

NOTE: My classroom is closed today during B lunch. Normally, it's open as the Writing Center Annex, but I have to complete a complicated online application tomorrow for National Teaching Boards and I need some clarity. Lunch will resume Tuesday.

AP Lit: Macbeth, Act V.

Gifted English IV: The Pardoner's Tale and the Exemplum.

Gifted English II: The Literature of the Bible discussion and PSAT vocab list #3. Due to a copying conflict, your CMC test will not be until Tuesday. Author of the Day: Margery Kempe.

Friday, September 23, 2005

If you are ushering for me tonight, call time is 7 at the indoor theater of Loch Haven Park.

Advanced Placement Literature: Deconstruct John Donne poem, then finish Act IV and go over Macpaper assignment. Ideally, I'd like to get into Act V today, too.

Gifted English IV: Return work from yesterday and review, then finish "The Pardoner's Tale" and get the related creative writing assignment.

Gifted English II: Collect Antigone essay tests, then continue with the literature of the Bible. Today--"Abraham and Isaac" and related poem, and other discussions of parables. Warning--creative writing assignment ahead!

Have a good weekend. Sophomores--read Count of Monte Cristo like little fiends, and seniors, read something edifying. The quarter is coming to a close, and we get to "fall back" this weekend so you all have an extra hour to play with. :-)

Thursday, September 22, 2005

The previous two posts exist due to my celebratory experience learning how to post pictures using Picasa. I was so excited!

AP Lit: Review the Francis Bacon essay and finish Act IV in the Macplay. Also, I have to give you the Macessay AND return the focus papers, which (thank the heavens, O Apollo) are finished.

Gifted IV: TWO quizzes! Yikes!

Gifted II: End of the period, vocab quiz on PSAT words. Beginning of the period, lecture/discussion of Biblical literature. You need your lit book.

Original caption: British author/playwright William Shakespeare is depicted in this color illustration. Undated. 

A friend sent this to me from Victoria, British Columbia. They have all the fun up there in the North. Vader with a violin! 

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Advanced Placement Literature: Macbeth Act III quizlet; begin Act IV. Also, due to popular demand, I'm starting a small group grammar workshop after school. Watch this space for announcements and updates regarding this new feature--I keep forgetting that many of you came from different classes last year and the year before, and could use some review.

Gifted English IV: Reminder to prepare for the dual-quiz tomorrow (Chaucer vocabulary and quiz on the "General Prologue" for CTales.) We worked with the Pardoner's Tale today; exemplum assignment coming up!

Gifted English II: The last scheduled reading day for The Count of Monte Cristo. Enjoy the leftover lollipops from Parent Night 2005 while you read this great adventure book.

PTSA Open House

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Interested Parties:

If you couldn't attend the PTSA Parent Night, but wanted the information handed out there, then this post might help.

Scroll down until you find the form you need. Most are remarkably similar, and all feature contact information. You can also find me on the BHS website, although this site is not yet linked. (A dream for the future!)
__________________________________________________________________
PTSA Open House
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition
Jennifer Hilley, Instructor
407-893-7200, ext. 4605
hilleyj@ocps.net


v The senior year is a pivotal year for your student, and already we have been discussing the college application process and have written entrance essays. At this point, your student should be visiting schools and sending in applications; in class, I suggested an October 15, 2005 deadline to the students to ensure that their applications receive top consideration. Our Writing Center is open and available to help your student with his or her essays, and I will be glad to help them before school most mornings or by appointment.

v If your student still has not taken the SAT or ACT, we offer those tests here at Boone during the school year. The earlier a student takes the test, the better; if your student is trying to raise a score, Mr. Dorman offers a preparatory course after school. I have had application packets for both tests in the classroom since the first day of school, and will continue to provide them in addition to our Guidance office. Most of the information can be gathered through www.collegeboard.com or www.facts.org, a terrific new website run by the state Department of Education.

v The scholarship application process is already underway, but the majority of scholarships available to your student will become apparent during the second semester. Guidance just released their first senior newsletter, which featured a few scholarship opportunities, and they will continue to do so throughout the school year. You and your student may wish to check online resources such as www.fastweb.com for additional opportunities. I would like to warn you, though—there are unscrupulous types who would love to make a profit off of your student. DO NOT PAY for scholarship information, regardless of the “guarantees” you may be offered. One of my students this year has already brought me a mailing he received at home offering access to dozens of scholarships for “only” $99.00. All of the scholarships advertised on this mailing are readily available, for free, on the web or through the school.

v WARNING: Around February, you may notice that your child’s brain has turned into mashed potatoes. Your student may claim “senioritis,” and this is the time of year when many, many students fall off the right track. Please remind your students, as I will, that acceptance letters to colleges are not contracts—they are contingent upon release of the final transcript. A distinct dip in grades can derail a student’s college plans.

Advanced Placement Literature

The AP exam will be given during the first week of May, and students who score 3 or higher typically earn college credit. (Everyone, it seems, but Harvard and VCC recognizes AP credit!) This course is designed to give talented high school students a college-level literary experience. Consequently, this is a Socratic course that features a great deal of high-level discussion of challenging texts and several written assignments. Thus far, we have analyzed Heart of Darkness, Oedipus Rex, and much of Macbeth.

Most of the texts are supplied for this course, but I have encouraged the students to acquire a copy of How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Turner—it’s a witty, quick read that can sharpen focus regarding literary criticism.


I am looking forward to working with your senior this year! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me.


__________________________________________________________________
Gifted English II
Jennifer Hilley, Instructor
407-893-7200, ext. 4605
hilleyj@ocps.net; www.j-hill.blogspot.com

I have enjoyed getting to know the 10th grade Gifted learners during the past few weeks, and am looking forward to all of the opportunities ahead of us during this school year. The sophomore year is a pivotal year for these students—between taking the FCAT and selecting courses for their junior and senior years, many important tasks can affect the outcome of the high school experience and preparation for college.


Ø On October 12, all of the Gifted sophomores will be taking the PSAT test during their morning classes, and will be excused through attendance for the test. 10th graders take the test for free; juniors and freshmen must pay the standard $12.00 fee. Your child has already been registered for this test and does not need to do anything else to sign up. He or she needs to take this test for the following reasons:
Ø it offers excellent preparation for ACT and SAT
Ø it gives us a tool by which we can assess a student’s readiness for AP courses in the junior year
Ø it prepares the students for the 11th grade administration of this test, which
can qualify them for the National Merit Scholars Program.

Ø The FCAT will be given in the first week of March. While we will address FCAT-related issues in class, and participate in school-wide timed writing sessions geared to FCAT Writes, I believe focusing on skills that surpass FCAT requirements is more philosophically sound than exclusively “teaching to the test.” I view this course as a pre-AP program above and beyond the minimal requirements of the state. However, if you feel that your child does need additional assistance to prepare for FCAT, I will be happy to help, and would also recommend that you avail yourself of www.fcatexplorer.edu for practice problems.

Ø I offer service-learning opportunities through the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. Many of the tenth grade students have already signed up to usher for the first semester, and although we are almost booked solid, many opportunities are still open. This is an excellent way for your child to earn Bright Futures service hours and see wonderful plays for free. If you are interested in accompanying your child and ushering yourself, you are welcome to sign up as well—all ushers have free admission to the play for which they usher. The OSF is performing seven plays this season, beginning with A Twelfth Night this month.

Ø There are some outside reading requirements in this course. The students are currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas; their next outside reading, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, will be provided for them. I will try to notify you with several weeks to spare when we begin another title.

Ø More specific data is provided in your child’s syllabus; if you would like me to e-mail you a copy as a Word attachment for your records I will be happy to do so.

Ø I look forward to working with you this year, as we prepare your student for the challenges of college and beyond!


___________________________________________________________________

PTSA Open House
Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Gifted English IV
Jennifer Hilley, Instructor
407-893-7200, ext. 4605
hilleyj@ocps.net


v The senior year is a pivotal year for your student, and already in English IV we have been discussing the college application process and have written entrance essays. At this point, your student should be visiting schools and sending in applications; in class, I suggested an October 15, 2005 deadline to the students to ensure that their applications receive top consideration.

v If your student still has not taken the SAT or ACT, we offer those tests here at Boone during the school year. The earlier a student takes the test, the better; if your student is trying to raise a score, Mr. Dorman offers a preparatory course after school. I have had application packets for both tests in the classroom since the first day of school, and will continue to provide them in addition to our Guidance office.

v The scholarship application process is already underway, but the majority of scholarships available to your student will become apparent during the second semester. Guidance just released their first senior newsletter, which featured a few scholarship opportunities, and they will continue to do so throughout the school year. You and your student may wish to check online resources such as www.fastweb.com for additional opportunities. I would like to warn you, though—there are unscrupulous types who would love to make a profit off of your student. DO NOT PAY for scholarship information, regardless of the “guarantees” you may be offered. One of my students this year has already brought me a mailing he received at home offering access to dozens of scholarships for only $99.00. All of the scholarships advertised on this mailing are readily available, for free, on the web or through the school.

v WARNING: Around February, you may notice that your child’s brain has turned into mashed potatoes. Your student may claim “senioritis,” and this is the time of year when many, many students fall off the right track. Please remind your students, as I will, that acceptance letters to colleges are not contracts—they are contingent upon release of the final transcript. A distinct dip in grades can derail a student’s college plans.

I am looking forward to working with your senior this year! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Advanced Placement Literature: I know some of you didn't finish the multiple choice sections yesterday, but we're going to score what we have and go over the Bacon and Donne passages. Then, back to Macbeth. . .even if a couple of you hate it. (My heart is cleft in twain; perhaps you'll like it better in retrospect.)

Gifted English IV: "The Pardoner's Tale." Hilarity ensues as three rapscallions try to cheat Death. You can never cheat Death!

Gifted English II: Antigone objective assessment; Author of the Day will be Alice Sebold.

REMINDER: CMC Reading Day is tomorrow. There will be a brief, insightful reading progress quiz administered at the end of the period. . .

Monday, September 19, 2005

Guten morgen!

Happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day, an unofficial holiday created by two slackers who love to play with language. If you need insight into Pirate Linguistics, please see www.talklikeapirate.com. Aaargh, me hearties.

DISCLAIMER: Neither the Information Society nor Ms. Hilley advocate actual piracy. Pirates were bad to the bone, and had poor dental hygiene, to boot. ITLaPD is intended to celebrate the Johnny Deppness of Pirates of the Caribbean, and not to instill a desire for violence, pillaging, or bad grammar in the youth of today.

Advanced Placement Literature

You might hate this, but you'll thank me later--we need to do another multiple choice practice session for the AP Lit exam. CLIFF book, Practice Test #1. Good luck.
I will also be giving you the Macessay assignment. I'm still finishing the Oedipapers, so please be patient.

Gifted English IV

Chaucer Prologue, part III--and content vocabulary! Craziness.

Gifted English II

Author of the Day today is Jane Austen, Victorian novelist. We are finishing Antigone today, in preparation for our in-class test assignment tomorrow. Also, I'll be distributing the take-home assessment (essay format.) I'll collect the grammar homework at the end of the period.

Announcements and Update-age

• PTSA Open House will be Tuesday, September 20 at 7 p.m. Your parents will have an opportunity to experience your schedule!

• Ushering for the UCF/Orlando Shakespeare Festival will begin on Wednesday, September 21, at 6 p.m. Please check the sign-up book in my classroom; many of the dates are already filled. Please note that transportation is NOT provided due to district policy, but I encourage you to check with other ushers and carpool if possible.

• I have had to enable word verification for this blog; if you'd like to leave a comment, you may, but you have to use the word verification process so that I can ensure you are not a spambot. Sorry!

Friday, September 16, 2005

AP Lit: Act II oral quiz; continue into Act III. "Fly, Fleance, Fly!"

Gifted II: Antigone, Ode 4 and Scene 5. HW: Grammar (Sentence Combining) and PSAT Vocab List Subset #2.

Gifted IV: Wife of Bath/admire Adam's work on BBC.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

AP Literature: For homework last night, I asked you to read into Act II of The Scottish Play and identify one or two quotes/thoughts/questions with which we can initiate our discussion today. Hopefully, today, we will travel further into Act II. Review your content vocabulary, please. Tomorrow--another practice session for the multiple choice on the AP exam.

Gifted IV: Continue with The Canterbury Tales prologue! Yesterday we got through the Friar, so we begin this morning with another cartoon of the Merchant. We might have a post-it note quiz, followed by Art Day.

Gifted II: Author of the Day is David Foster Wallace (cancelled from yesterday, due to Reading Day), and we will continue working through the text of Antigone.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

If you need me after school today, you will need to reschedule--I have a department meeting in room 315 that will probably go all the way until 3 p.m.

Advanced Placement Literature: Macquiz, Act I. We'll continue into Act II today.

Gifted English IV: Continue with the character chart for The Canterbury Tales, and get content vocabulary.

Gifted English II: Second reading day for The Count of Monte Cristo--be sure to bring your book.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

FOCUS PAPERS DUE BY 3 P.M. FOR APees.


Advanced Placement Literature: Continue with Macbeth; content vocabulary and discussion of Act I. Isn't it great? Discussion focii: the role of the supernatural, the marital relationship between Mac and Lady Mac.

Gifted English IV: Moving beyond Becket and into the CTales; memorization assignment; character chart. Someone needs to make up the reading test. . .

Gifted English II: Author of the Day: Jamaica Kincaid. Collect HW for PSAT reading and briefly discuss; Antigone post-it-note quiz; assign out of class essay test for Antigone. Hopefully, we'll get through Scene 3 today.

Monday, September 12, 2005

Welcome back from another weekend!
Upcoming dates: Homecoming is less than a month away. . .expect a classy speech on How to Behave at Homecoming. (If you haven't had me as an instructor in the past, brace yourself--I have a patented, well-rehearsed speech, with puppets, for Homecoming, Winter Break, Spring Break, Prom and Graduation.)

Progress Reports go out Friday. If you need an update and don't have K12, see me. Also, if you were out on Friday (there were four or five of you) you'll need to make up Friday's tests ASAP.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Friendly reminder that your focus paper is due tomorrow by 3 p.m. I will be in 313 until 3 exactly, so make sure it goes IN MY HAND. Muchas gracias. Today in class, lecture/discussion on The Scottish Play and Shakespearean constructs. I'm not going to belabor the point on Shakespeare's bio; if you want an additional set of notes on Willie and his Life come see me after school for a cool chart. Instead, we're focusing on the historic context of James I of England and what inspired Shakespeare to write this particular play at this particular time. Politics in action! I'll be distributing copies of the play today; remember, if you have difficulty with Elizabethan diction, I recommend acquiring your own copy of No Fear Shakespeare.

Gifted English II: Content vocabulary words; we're skipping Author of the Day today so we can take more time with Antigone. In-class dramatic reading of Sophocles's tragedy and discussion.

Gifted English IV: Today we finish Becket and assess themes from the play.

And a good time should be had by all!

Friday, September 9, 2005

Can you believe another week has gone by? Goodness, time flies.

If you owe me make-up work, please get it in no later than Monday afternoon, since I have to export grades for the first official progress report by Tuesday afternoon. ALSO--if you do not have access to K12 Planet, a parent or guardian has to come up to school to get the password. Or you could just come ask me nicely and I'll print out a summary average for you.

Advanced Placement Literature: Oeditest! Bring a pencil for the multiple-choice section and a pen for the free response. Good times abounding. Coming up next: The Scottish Play!

Gifted English II: Antigone and quick vocab quiz. Author of the Day: Dr. Suess.

Gifted English IV: Becket and timeline.

Thursday, September 8, 2005

Welcome back to another exciting day at Boone High School, Home of the Braves, where Brave Students Today are Brave Leaders Tomorrow.

Yay!

Advanced Placement Literature: Peer Review for Oedipus Rex focus paper. If we finish early, review for the Oeditest tomorrow.

Gifted English IV: Continue with Becket, beginning with the invasion of Calais by the English forces. Isn't Peter O'Toole hilarious?

Gifted English II: Beginning with Oedipus Rex, we're tracing the myths and writing style of Sophocles. You will need your lit book today. (Surprise: Our Author of the Day is Sophocles!)

Wednesday, September 7, 2005

Greetings, all. I'm going to be pretty honest: today is going to be a non-instructional day.

Advanced Placement Literature and Gifted English IV: Do not come to class; report directly to Guidance for your senior appointments. I will be waiting in the lobby for you to address any questions you may have after your appointment, and I will have extra copies of my Recommendation Request Form for anyone who needs one. Bring something to read. Reminder to APees: Your focus paper draft is due for revision and workshopping tomorrow in class.

Gifted English II: First scheduled reading day for The Count of Monte Cristo. The due date for this novel is Tuesday, September 20, and yes, there will be a check-reading quiz. I have popcorn for you; bring a pillow and a bottle of water if you like. Reading is fundamental!

Tuesday, September 6, 2005

Hope everyone had a terrific three-day weekend, and is ready for some academic challenges and an opportunity to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina! We have a big week ahead of us.

Advanced Placement Literature: Discuss Oedipus Rex and answer questions on the John Updike poem on page 947 in the lit anthology. Reminder--go straight to Guidance tomorrow instead of class! Fifth period will also address some multiple choice questions from the CLIFF book.

Gifted English IV: Begin screening Becket. Also, I will go over the Chaucer memorization assignment. Good times. Good times.

Gifted English II: Introduction to Greek tragedy. We will be reading Antigone by Sophocles soon. Also, I have PSAT vocabulary for you, and our Author of the Day today is J.G. Ballard.

Rant

This is a better-thought-out version of my third period rant today.

On Hurricanes and Such. . .My Take on the Media


Hurricane Katrina was devastating and caused more damage than just about any American disaster this century. I think it's important for citizens to be aware of the suffering and I think it's more important for people to do what they can to help the victims of the storm and its subsequent flooding. I also think that timely, thoughtful news coverage is critically important in getting significant information out to the public.
That said, I do think that it's also important that we be aware of our own limitations as viewers. As I mentioned in class today, most of my students are more mature than their age when it comes to intellectual and academic issues, but are still kids in many ways. It's hard to define exactly how much graphic news coverage is too much for children to view, but I know from my own level of immaturity that some of the coverage of the storm's victims is far too violent for me to take. I would suggest that you limit the number of hours you spend glued to the 24-hour news channels; last night, I was horrified to see a reporter for an unnamed station gloating happily over the "really great shot" he got in front of a bloated corpse. Most news agencies are responsible and want to convey valuable data to their viewing audience, but increasingly, in the ratings-war environment of the modern media, we have reporters vying for the top story, willing to broadcast just about anything.
Thus, a word of caution. Be informed. Be aware. But also be aware that stress can manifest in many, many ways, and allowing yourself to become an emotionally scarred voyeur will not help the victims of this tragedy. If you want to contribute to the Katrina cause, get out your wallet and your heart. The TV is not a refuge.

Friday, September 2, 2005

Whew. The end of one heck of a week. . .

BHS will be fundraising for victims of Hurricane Katrina beginning next week. If you have any questions, see Mrs. Koberg, Mrs. Unger, or Mrs. Maurer. We're hoping to supplement the resources of the American Red Cross, so please give what you can. If you can't wait until Tuesday, any Publix supermarket will take your donation. If you write a check, be sure to designate that it's going to Hurricane Katrina victims, since all unmarked donations go to the general fund.

Advanced Placement Literature: Distribute next focus/unfocus paper and discuss. You may want to refer to questions 1-9 on page 1301 in your lit book to help you prepare for the ORex test next week, as well. Fifth period gets cookies today, since first got doughnut holes yesterday, and will be analyzing an Oedipal poem on page 947.

Gifted English IV: Senior Skip Day quiz and Canterbury Tales quiz. For the five of you who were absent--I put copies of everything you need in the second period basket. We're starting Becket next week.

Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day is Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the Romantic poet. Then--literary mastery test! Then--brain puzzle! You will need to read The Count of Monte Cristo this weekend to help you meet the September 20 deadline. I will give you next Wednesday as a reading day in class--bring popcorn if you want it.

Writing Center is open both lunch shifts. Mrs. Nicoll isn't here today, but I can help you should you need it.

Grades are updated on K12 Planet right now, unless you made something up recently. I will be grading homework assignments and resubmitted essays this weekend and posting grades Tuesday after the Labor Day holiday is over.

Please read the next post for my rant. Have a nice weekend!

Thursday, September 1, 2005

Today is the first day of September!

AP Lit--fabulous Oediquiz on the nature of tragedy, and inventive discussion of the play itself.

Gifted IV--Becket timeline and introduction to the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

Gifted II--"My Melancholy Face" by Boll and review for 120 terms; Nick Hornby as the Author of the Day.

Posting more later; critical curricular meeting at Starbucks. Bye!