Welcome back after a restful and deeply introspective Labor Day weekend!
APees: Today you will be assigned the second focus paper and we will begin to make a transition out of our summer project and into Greek tragedy. Also: Academic vocabulary. Trust me. It's important.
Sophys: Our Author of the Day today was going to be Carl Hiaasen, but instead he was Thursday and Nabakov was Friday. So today WILL be Toni Morrison. Also, we are going to work with irony in literature today and give back your Death of a Stranger papers.
Friday, August 31, 2007
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
Dear students: For the first time in the history of my teaching career, you have no homework over the Labor Day Weekend.
Well, that's not entirely true, but it's mostly true.
APees: If you need to resubmit your Bovary/Awakening focus paper, you should work on it over the weekend, since it is due Tuesday (periods 1,2, and 4) or Wednesday (period 5). Also, if you plan to acquire Oedipus Rex in paperback instead of reading it in our anthology, you should go ahead and do that.
Gifted IIs: You might want to go ahead and get a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo (abridged) as soon as possible. It is our next reading assignment and it's wonderful.
Other than that, though--no specific assignment. I will wait until next week to inflict more pain/enlightenment.
Well, that's not entirely true, but it's mostly true.
APees: If you need to resubmit your Bovary/Awakening focus paper, you should work on it over the weekend, since it is due Tuesday (periods 1,2, and 4) or Wednesday (period 5). Also, if you plan to acquire Oedipus Rex in paperback instead of reading it in our anthology, you should go ahead and do that.
Gifted IIs: You might want to go ahead and get a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo (abridged) as soon as possible. It is our next reading assignment and it's wonderful.
Other than that, though--no specific assignment. I will wait until next week to inflict more pain/enlightenment.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
Happy Friday! Wow! What an exciting week!
Our first CLUB MEETING is after school today--I have membership forms for you and a tentative schedule for ushering with the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. There are no dues, and everyone is an officer. It is my ideal club vision.
AP Literature: Social criticism in both works for summer reading; focus paper workshop; allusions; introduction to Greek tragedy.
Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Toni Morrison, the Nobel Prize-winning novelist. After we take Vocabulary Quiz #2, we will do a grammar review activity (remember Mr. Johansen?) and work more with genre studies.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
AP Literature and Composition: Today you will be assigned your second focus paper. In addition, we are going to discuss the multiple-choice practice session from yesterday, and go over highlights from some of the passages. This is also an excellent time to review a mnemonic device for poetic analysis: TP-CASTT. (See below if you miss class today.)
Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day today is the incredibly ambiguous and challenging Vladimir Nabakov. Reading today: "The Storyteller" by Saki, and analysis.
TP-CASTT: Mnemonic Device for Poetic Analysis
T: Title (first impressions, word choices, prediction)
P: Paraphrase (overall meaning of the poem)
C: Connotation (word choice, figurative language)
A: Attitude/Tone (the author's view toward the subject matter)
S: Shift (where does the work shift direction?)
T: Title again (more symbolic)
T: Theme (final assumption of the poem's underlying message or meaning)
Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day today is the incredibly ambiguous and challenging Vladimir Nabakov. Reading today: "The Storyteller" by Saki, and analysis.
TP-CASTT: Mnemonic Device for Poetic Analysis
T: Title (first impressions, word choices, prediction)
P: Paraphrase (overall meaning of the poem)
C: Connotation (word choice, figurative language)
A: Attitude/Tone (the author's view toward the subject matter)
S: Shift (where does the work shift direction?)
T: Title again (more symbolic)
T: Theme (final assumption of the poem's underlying message or meaning)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
If your teachers seem especially giddy today, that would be because today is the first payday. Many teachers do not have paychecks distributed over the summer, so some of us haven't seen an augmentation to our minor ducats since the end of May. It is truly a joyous day.
AP Literature and Composition: Our first multiple choice practice session! Bring a pencil and that open mind, and I will give you the reading passages and limited-edition scantron sheets. What a great opportunity to dip a toe into the AP well!
Gifted English II: Author of the Day: Jane Austen. Your revised Willy Loman/Mersault drafts are due by 3 p.m. today--TYPED and DOUBLE-SPACED. Today, we will go over the literary terms from 21-40--pay attention to the examples! If we have time I'd like to introduce the literature of Saki.
AP Literature and Composition: Our first multiple choice practice session! Bring a pencil and that open mind, and I will give you the reading passages and limited-edition scantron sheets. What a great opportunity to dip a toe into the AP well!
Gifted English II: Author of the Day: Jane Austen. Your revised Willy Loman/Mersault drafts are due by 3 p.m. today--TYPED and DOUBLE-SPACED. Today, we will go over the literary terms from 21-40--pay attention to the examples! If we have time I'd like to introduce the literature of Saki.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
AP Lit: Return focus papers; guidelines for solid writing/review; passage analysis of Flaubert's diction. Tomorrow we will take our first Multiple Choice Practice Session*, so bring a pencil and an open mind.
*The AP Exam comprises three rigorous essay topics, to be addressed within two hours, and a 55-58 question multiple choice session on four or five short passages. Generally a third to a half of the test is on poetry, and the remainder on fictional prose passages. Also, half of the selections are usually from before the 19th century European/British/American canons, and the other are from after the 19th century. We will address various strategies for best addressing this multiple choice session throughout the year, and today is the first enjoyable reading opportunity!
Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day is Louise Erdrich, the Native American poet and novelist. Today we will be working with a PSAT Practice session, including a short reading passage by Jamaica Kincaid. The PSAT will be administered in October and all of you are signed up to take it for free! This might be one of your last opportunities in life to do something with no fee attached, so enjoy!
Non-Academic Note:
We will have a brief travel meeting this evening in my classroom, 313, for anyone interested in either the London or the Venice/Florence trips this year. These are NOT Boone trips, although they involve only Boone kids, and are chaperoned through an OCPS-approved non-profit association called Art Events, Inc. Travel insurance is included in the trip price, and I do not make any money off of these ventures. I just like to travel, and think that when kids are exposed to other cultures, they have opportunities for growth and understanding. This will be my fifth year traveling with this organization and I really enjoy working with my guides. Both trips are almost full, so contact me if you have any questions.
*The AP Exam comprises three rigorous essay topics, to be addressed within two hours, and a 55-58 question multiple choice session on four or five short passages. Generally a third to a half of the test is on poetry, and the remainder on fictional prose passages. Also, half of the selections are usually from before the 19th century European/British/American canons, and the other are from after the 19th century. We will address various strategies for best addressing this multiple choice session throughout the year, and today is the first enjoyable reading opportunity!
Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day is Louise Erdrich, the Native American poet and novelist. Today we will be working with a PSAT Practice session, including a short reading passage by Jamaica Kincaid. The PSAT will be administered in October and all of you are signed up to take it for free! This might be one of your last opportunities in life to do something with no fee attached, so enjoy!
Non-Academic Note:
We will have a brief travel meeting this evening in my classroom, 313, for anyone interested in either the London or the Venice/Florence trips this year. These are NOT Boone trips, although they involve only Boone kids, and are chaperoned through an OCPS-approved non-profit association called Art Events, Inc. Travel insurance is included in the trip price, and I do not make any money off of these ventures. I just like to travel, and think that when kids are exposed to other cultures, they have opportunities for growth and understanding. This will be my fifth year traveling with this organization and I really enjoy working with my guides. Both trips are almost full, so contact me if you have any questions.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Welcome to the second week of classes!
AP Literature and Composition: After the informative (but stressful, I'm sure) session in College and Career on Friday, I hope that many of you took the college application process seriously this weekend and broke some ground in your process. I've written several rec letters thus far, and I'm starting to become a bit backed up, so if you need one from me let me know as soon as possible so I can add you to the queue. Today in class: Madame Bovary analysis and deep reading in contrast to Chopin, possible distribution of literary anthologies, review of turnitin.com deadlines/procedures. I've been digging through the focus papers and anticipate returning them tomorrow in class.
Gifted English II: Return last week's (largely successful) vocabulary quizzes; brief and illuminating discussion on existential philosophy for third period; Author of the Day will be Mark Leyner; introduction to Genre Studies and possible distribution of textbooks.
Advance Notice: Our next titles are Oedipus Rex (AP) and The Count of Monte-Cristo (Gifted English II.) ORex is in your anthology, but if you would prefer to use a paperback copy for annotation, you may wish to acquire a copy now. GII students will need a copy of Monte-Cristo and should acquire the ABRIDGED version. The UNABRIDGED adds four hundred pages of French countryside descriptions and not much else. I do have a handful of copies for anyone who cannot acquire a copy. See me if you have any questions.
AP Literature and Composition: After the informative (but stressful, I'm sure) session in College and Career on Friday, I hope that many of you took the college application process seriously this weekend and broke some ground in your process. I've written several rec letters thus far, and I'm starting to become a bit backed up, so if you need one from me let me know as soon as possible so I can add you to the queue. Today in class: Madame Bovary analysis and deep reading in contrast to Chopin, possible distribution of literary anthologies, review of turnitin.com deadlines/procedures. I've been digging through the focus papers and anticipate returning them tomorrow in class.
Gifted English II: Return last week's (largely successful) vocabulary quizzes; brief and illuminating discussion on existential philosophy for third period; Author of the Day will be Mark Leyner; introduction to Genre Studies and possible distribution of textbooks.
Advance Notice: Our next titles are Oedipus Rex (AP) and The Count of Monte-Cristo (Gifted English II.) ORex is in your anthology, but if you would prefer to use a paperback copy for annotation, you may wish to acquire a copy now. GII students will need a copy of Monte-Cristo and should acquire the ABRIDGED version. The UNABRIDGED adds four hundred pages of French countryside descriptions and not much else. I do have a handful of copies for anyone who cannot acquire a copy. See me if you have any questions.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
AP Literature and Composition: The first focus paper is due TODAY!!!! Yay! By three p.m.! By fax, messenger, or handed directly to me. Whee!
In class today--Foster and symbolism; deep reading of a Flaubert passage v. Chopin passage. Language is our friend. So says the Language Lemur.
Gifted English II: Literary Terms Vocab Quiz #1-20 (allegory-comedy) followed by a rousing edition of Peer Editing. Our Author of the Day today is Stephen King. Yes, that one.
NOTE TO ALL STUDENTS: The new tardy policy kicks in Monday. I am locking my door, so be warned. Do not get caught in the trap!!! Also, I will be distributing textbooks Monday and clearing space for my in-classroom Sophomore Lockers. Any student can claim shelf space, but beware of light fingers. In other words--leave books and folders, but take your iPod or bling with you.
In class today--Foster and symbolism; deep reading of a Flaubert passage v. Chopin passage. Language is our friend. So says the Language Lemur.
Gifted English II: Literary Terms Vocab Quiz #1-20 (allegory-comedy) followed by a rousing edition of Peer Editing. Our Author of the Day today is Stephen King. Yes, that one.
NOTE TO ALL STUDENTS: The new tardy policy kicks in Monday. I am locking my door, so be warned. Do not get caught in the trap!!! Also, I will be distributing textbooks Monday and clearing space for my in-classroom Sophomore Lockers. Any student can claim shelf space, but beware of light fingers. In other words--leave books and folders, but take your iPod or bling with you.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
AP Literature and Composition: Character chart for The Awakening, discussion questions for Bovary, and instructions on using www.turnitin.com.
If you already have an account, you'll just need to update and add my class. The class ID # is 1953234 and the password is Classof2008. You will earn ten points as soon as you appear on my turnitin roster. The first focus paper doesn't have to go through the website, but the resubmit next week and subsequent papers will. Eventually, all of your focus paper submissions will be electronic and not hard copy. Let's save some trees!
Gifted English II: Third period will be going to the sophomore assembly, and sixth will have an opportunity to work with existential philosophy and their Stranger drafts. Reminder that you have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow on the first twenty literary terms AND a peer edit of your draft work. Also, you will earn ten points if you create your www.turnitin.com account by next Tuesday. Our class ID# is 1953236 and your password is Classof2010. I have instruction sheets if you are still fuzzy about the process after Mrs. Nicoll's class last year.
If you already have an account, you'll just need to update and add my class. The class ID # is 1953234 and the password is Classof2008. You will earn ten points as soon as you appear on my turnitin roster. The first focus paper doesn't have to go through the website, but the resubmit next week and subsequent papers will. Eventually, all of your focus paper submissions will be electronic and not hard copy. Let's save some trees!
Gifted English II: Third period will be going to the sophomore assembly, and sixth will have an opportunity to work with existential philosophy and their Stranger drafts. Reminder that you have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow on the first twenty literary terms AND a peer edit of your draft work. Also, you will earn ten points if you create your www.turnitin.com account by next Tuesday. Our class ID# is 1953236 and your password is Classof2010. I have instruction sheets if you are still fuzzy about the process after Mrs. Nicoll's class last year.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Today is early day; I have no meetings scheduled and so will be available after school for any questions/concerns from anyone.
AP Literature: Further exploration of MBovary and The Awakening, followed by a deadly/wonderful quiz. He heee.
Gifted English II: Author of the Day today is Alice Walker, followed by a review of your first twenty vocabulary terms and a discussion of The Stranger.
AP Literature: Further exploration of MBovary and The Awakening, followed by a deadly/wonderful quiz. He heee.
Gifted English II: Author of the Day today is Alice Walker, followed by a review of your first twenty vocabulary terms and a discussion of The Stranger.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
TODAY IS THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY DURING SECOND PERIOD IN THE GYM.
AP Literature: Today, we will discuss Madame Bovary through the lens of Foster's analysis and review the 120 literary terms every scholar should know and love. You will have an evil/fun quiz tomorrow on the novels. Bring a pen and be prepared to write.
Gifted English II: Our first author of the day is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the magic realist from Colombia. After we discuss him, we will take the check-reading test on your summer reading, followed by a lively discussion of existential philosophy and the role of the anti-hero.
AP Literature: Today, we will discuss Madame Bovary through the lens of Foster's analysis and review the 120 literary terms every scholar should know and love. You will have an evil/fun quiz tomorrow on the novels. Bring a pen and be prepared to write.
Gifted English II: Our first author of the day is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the magic realist from Colombia. After we discuss him, we will take the check-reading test on your summer reading, followed by a lively discussion of existential philosophy and the role of the anti-hero.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Welcome back to the new school year!!! We have a disproportioned population among my classes--27 in first period, with 12 in fifth, for example--but we are going to try to find ways to ameliorate the problem over the next few days.
AP Literature: Today, we reviewed the syllabus and asked a few questions about the characterization of Emma Bovary and Edna Pontellier. Specifically, I asked you to think about the significance of ennui in both works, and the deaths of both characters and any attendant symbolism. Your first focus paper is due Friday by 3 p.m. Also, I gave you "moral homework" to find three adults who were willing and able to write you letters of recommendation for college admission.
Gifted English II: Today, we reviewed the syllabus, distributed the first writing assignment (rough draft due for peer revision on Friday), and went over the first vocabulary assignment. Third period read "Little Things" by Raymond Carver; sixth period will read it tomorrow.
AP Literature: Today, we reviewed the syllabus and asked a few questions about the characterization of Emma Bovary and Edna Pontellier. Specifically, I asked you to think about the significance of ennui in both works, and the deaths of both characters and any attendant symbolism. Your first focus paper is due Friday by 3 p.m. Also, I gave you "moral homework" to find three adults who were willing and able to write you letters of recommendation for college admission.
Gifted English II: Today, we reviewed the syllabus, distributed the first writing assignment (rough draft due for peer revision on Friday), and went over the first vocabulary assignment. Third period read "Little Things" by Raymond Carver; sixth period will read it tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
AP Students: Clarification
Dear Ones,
Due to the shift in the school calendar, and the fact that we are starting two weeks later than usual, there has been some confusion/concern about the first due date for the summer assignment.
The paper isn't due until the Friday of the first week of school, which on the new calendar is August 24, 2007.
I am so sorry about any stress that this has caused! We've tried to catch every instance of date-specific deadlines from previous years, but a few of you thought the paper was due before school actually starts. That would be mean, wouldn't it?
Due to the shift in the school calendar, and the fact that we are starting two weeks later than usual, there has been some confusion/concern about the first due date for the summer assignment.
The paper isn't due until the Friday of the first week of school, which on the new calendar is August 24, 2007.
I am so sorry about any stress that this has caused! We've tried to catch every instance of date-specific deadlines from previous years, but a few of you thought the paper was due before school actually starts. That would be mean, wouldn't it?
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
WELCOME BACK
Welcome back to a new, exciting school year!!! If you've found this assignment blog through the Boone Website, or if you're linking from livejournal, then you're probably enrolled in one of my classes for the 2007-2008 school year: Gifted English II or Advanced Placement Literature and Composition.
School begins on August 20, 2007 at 7:20 in the morning. (Suggestions: Be there before 7! Parking and traffic are both heinous on the first day!) Teachers will be returning on August 13, and we will have orientation for new students and all parents on Thursday, August 16 at 7 p.m. I'll post more details here when they are available, and you should have already rec'd a copy of the Boone Smoke Signals with dates, times, and announcements of community interest.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SUCH FOR MY STUDENTS
Gifted English II: You were assigned summer reading; Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Stranger by Albert Camus. You will be taking a check-reading test on the second day of school, so you still have time to read quickly or re-read for clarity. Please recall my speech about SparkNotes. I hate SparkNotes, and you should, too.
AP English Lit: Your summer project involves a focus paper, due August 24, 2007, comparing and/or contrasting some theme, motif, or symbol in Flaubert's Madame Bovary and Chopin's The Awakening. Please bring your books with you to our first class meeting; we will be discussing various elements of naturalism, characterization, and imagery in both novels with respect to Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor.
Travel and Clubs: As usual, I have two trips planned for this school year: a graduate trip to London in November during the Thanksgiving break (open only to 18-year-olds and over, due to pub restrictions--we can't even eat in a pub after 7 p.m. if you are under 18) and a terrific trip that is almost full to Florence and Venice for Spring Break. My tour guide, Russ Russell of Art Events, Inc. will be co-hosting a travel meeting with me on Tuesday, August 28 at 7 p.m. in room 313 at Boone. If you are interested--or potentially interested in future excursions--come for snacks, questions, and answers.
The first meeting of the Information Society (InSoc) will be Friday, August 31 in room 313. We have much to discuss and plan--NaNoWriMo this November, and ushering for the OSF, and a fall chocolate party. Plan to attend. There are no dues to join this club, although snack donations are always welcomed, and everyone is an officer.
As always, if you have any questions, you can reach me at hilleyj@ocps.net.
See you all soon!!!
School begins on August 20, 2007 at 7:20 in the morning. (Suggestions: Be there before 7! Parking and traffic are both heinous on the first day!) Teachers will be returning on August 13, and we will have orientation for new students and all parents on Thursday, August 16 at 7 p.m. I'll post more details here when they are available, and you should have already rec'd a copy of the Boone Smoke Signals with dates, times, and announcements of community interest.
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SUCH FOR MY STUDENTS
Gifted English II: You were assigned summer reading; Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Stranger by Albert Camus. You will be taking a check-reading test on the second day of school, so you still have time to read quickly or re-read for clarity. Please recall my speech about SparkNotes. I hate SparkNotes, and you should, too.
AP English Lit: Your summer project involves a focus paper, due August 24, 2007, comparing and/or contrasting some theme, motif, or symbol in Flaubert's Madame Bovary and Chopin's The Awakening. Please bring your books with you to our first class meeting; we will be discussing various elements of naturalism, characterization, and imagery in both novels with respect to Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor.
Travel and Clubs: As usual, I have two trips planned for this school year: a graduate trip to London in November during the Thanksgiving break (open only to 18-year-olds and over, due to pub restrictions--we can't even eat in a pub after 7 p.m. if you are under 18) and a terrific trip that is almost full to Florence and Venice for Spring Break. My tour guide, Russ Russell of Art Events, Inc. will be co-hosting a travel meeting with me on Tuesday, August 28 at 7 p.m. in room 313 at Boone. If you are interested--or potentially interested in future excursions--come for snacks, questions, and answers.
The first meeting of the Information Society (InSoc) will be Friday, August 31 in room 313. We have much to discuss and plan--NaNoWriMo this November, and ushering for the OSF, and a fall chocolate party. Plan to attend. There are no dues to join this club, although snack donations are always welcomed, and everyone is an officer.
As always, if you have any questions, you can reach me at hilleyj@ocps.net.
See you all soon!!!
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