Tuesday, HALLOWE'EN OCTOBER 31!!!

I love Hallowe'en, and have since I was a child--and to that end, each of you gets a little bag of goodies today. If you had already requested a nonedible alternative due to dietary restrictions, theological objections, or the simple fact that you long for something different, then I have a bag pre-made for you, as well.

AP Lit: The duelling scene from Hamlet, followed by a parody penned by none other than Steve Martin, comedian. After both scenes, I have a short story for you from the Canadian author Margaret Atwood called "Gertrude Talks Back," after which I will distribute the Hamlet review sheet for Thursday's test and the obituary creative writing assignment (also due Thursday.)

Gifted English IV: Quiz on your Chaucer reading from last night, followed by our completion of "The Pardoner's Tale."

Gifted English II: Author of the Day presentation today from Briana and Alex; the author in question is HP Lovecraft. Afterward, we will finish the Twain story "The Lowest Animal" and segue effortlessly into a visual representation of satire to celebrate Hallowe'en.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

You will have a chance to meet your new principal, Mrs. Margaret McMillian, tomorrow. She is coming to us from Lockhart Middle School and graduated from Boone in 1966.

I am assuming that there will be a welcome ceremony at some point, so check this space to stay abreast of developments or news.

Monday, October 23, 2006

Congratulations to the Boone Braves for completely dominating all over Oak Ridge in the Homecoming Football Game.

APees: Hamlet, Act III quiz/response; launch headfirst into Act IV, a lovely act with some smashing acting. I love this play. I hope you do, too.

Gifted English IV: Quiz on the "General Prologue" of CTales, followed by Chaucer vocab and progression through the character chart.

Gifted English II: 3rd period will read the King essay, followed by the Introduction to Horror in Literature. 6th will launch right into horror and its implications. Reminder: The Author project begins next week!!! Poe vocab quiz Wednesday.

Friday, October 20, 2006

All classes today get The Homecoming Speech, of which there is now photographic evidence.

Please be safe during the game and the dance! Many recently licensed drivers cavorting around!

AP Lit: Act III.

Gifted IV: First reading assignment is "The General Prologue" in the paperback I gave you, pp. 1-17; we began CTales today and I distributed the critical essay and the character chart.

Gifted II: Poe, SAT vocabulary, and the literature of horror.

tidings of joy

My newest nephew, Alexander James, was born October 20 at 7:06 a.m. He weighs seven pounds, four ounces, and he has a full head of black hair and very long toes. I love this child.

Just sharing.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Period One, Act II quiz; begin Act III. Periods Four and Five: Act III, Hamlet.

Gifted English IV: Finish Becket; short essay on the film; distribute paperback copies of Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales.

Gifted English II: Finish CMC and go over safety guidelines.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

There is a faculty meeting this afternoon scheduled to go over your safety and well-being on this campus. Please look for a post coming soon on new policies and procedures.

TODAY IS THE PSAT. GOOD LUCK, SOPHYS!

AP Literature and Composition: Hamlet Act II Quiz, and discussion of Hamlet--the character, the tragedy, the problem.

Gifted English II: I won't see third period due to testing, but I will see sixth and we will get closer to finishing the film CMC.

Gifted English IV: Becket, through question 68.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Today is Decade Day. I expect many of you will recycle your Polyester Paradise costumes. . .

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Beginning of the period--go over the passages from the CLIFF book (Austen, Thomas, Hayden, and Donne) and then review Act II, scene ii--the monologue and the soliloquy.

Gifted English IV: Continue with Becket, questions 17-42.

Gifted English II: Review the PSAT passage from yesterday, distribute the CMC essay prompts, and continue with The Count of Monte-Cristo.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Welcome to the second grading period--a time of Homecoming revelries, advanced scholarship, and making the transition to 2007.

Today is Superhero Day.

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Review Act II with emphasis on the elements of duplicity and spying; HW tonight is to re-read the monologue of the Player-King and the second soliloquy. I know that Act II is the most difficult of the acts to follow, but it is very important that you hang in there and really scrutinize Hamlet's use of language and syntax in his various conversations--to Polonius, to R and G, to the actors, to himself. Also, look closely at his behavior when he confronts Ophelia in her closet. Potential quiz tomorrow.

Gifted English IV: Background notes on the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas a Becket, then begin the film and do questions 1-16.

Gifted English II: Assign the Author of the Day project, which will begin on Halloween with a presentation on Rhode Island novelist and storyteller H.P. Lovecraft. Also, circulate PSAT testing list to confirm testing rooms and distribute tonight's HW--a short passage representative of PSAT questioning. Answer the ten multiple choice questions by tomorrow. We will be composing an essay on CMC later this week, but we are going to start the film today. (One of the potential essay topics is a compare/contrast from film to novel.)

Wednesday, October 12, 2006

AP Literature: Active reading of Act II--focus on characterization and diction. Is Hamlet being honest? When do we really see the "real" him, or is there one anymore? (Note: Act II opens two months after the close of Act I, so Hamlet has been maintaining his "antic disposition" for quite a while.)

Gifted English IV: We will be finishing the note cards in the Media Center for the Senior Research paper today.

Gifted English II: Some students need to finish the CMC essay test today; for everyone else, please actively read the critical essay on revenge as a dominant theme in the novel. We will be analyzing the novel with more scrutiny in class next week.

Tuesday, October 11, 2006

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Finish reviewing Act I of Hamlet and transition into Act II.

Gifted English IV: Middle Ages introduction; lecture notes and study guide from the text.

Gifted English II: Count of Monte Cristo essay test.

Monday, October 10, 2006

Advanced Placement Literature and Composition: Act I quiz for Hamlet after a spirited discussion of the play thus far.

Gifted English IV: Media Center, working on the note cards.

Gifted English II: Finish Media Literacy mini-unit; critical thinking.

Tuesday, October 3, 2006

AP Literature and Composition: Mactest. Bring a pencil.

Gifted English IV: We will be in the Media Center, working on the research paper. 30 note cards are due by this time next week, so get cracking.

Gifted English II: Theodore Geisel, Author of the Day; Biblical literature backgrounds and handout; Why Allusions Matter; CMC reminder.

Monday, October 2, 2006

AP Literature and Composition: Distribute ancillary documents for Hamlet (critical essays for first, and vocabulary supplement for all three classes) and conduct peer edit for Macpaper. Revised drafts of the Macpaper are due Thursday by 3 p.m.

Gifted English IV: "The Seafarer" translated by Burton Raffel. Remember to bring your notecards with you tomorrow to the Media Center for our first truly focused research day.

Gifted English II: Edusoft testing for FCAT Prep.