Friday, February 29, 2008

HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY!!!!!!!!

Don't you just feel like you have been given the reward of an extra day? Reminder: If you are interested in ushering for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, come to the theater tomorrow at 1 p.m. dressed in black and white and you are good to go. Reminder reminder: If you are interested in other modes of comm serv, join us for Green Up Boone on Saturday, March 15.

I won't be on campus today due to AP Happy Fun Times with Mrs. Covert. Be nice to Mr. Bailey.

APees: Jane Eyre quiz, chapters 13-20.

Gifted II: Othello quiz, followed by screening of the film, acts IV and V.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

APees: "Dejection: An Ode" by Coleridge. A poem to truly bum you out.

Gifted II: We'll meet in Guidance today to set up your schedules for next year. Please be on time and bring your SAIR forms and signed schedules with you.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Today is SPIRIT DAY! Wear your orange and white! Or don't!

Today might also be an activity involving the National Honor Society. Can't say what, but since some of your friends are already clued in you might already know that first period today is pretty much a wash.

APees: "Rime" and Eyre. Love it.

Gifted English II: Three conferences left in third, and four in sixth, then joy all around and a screening of more Othello-ness. AND. . .a focus paper assignment. AND. . .some grammar. Whee!

Thursday, February 21, 2008

APees: Jane Eyre check-reading quiz, chapters 6-12, and discussion/analysis of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" parts III and IV. You may use your graphic organizer on the eventually-arriving-Romanticism Unit Test, so be sure to pay attention during class discussion.

Gifted English II: Please read Othello, Act IV today in class while I try to finish conferring with individuals about their upcoming schedules. Remember that we are collectively going to Guidance next Thursday to finalize your schedule plans, so please include your parents in your conversations about your choices. AP APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TOMORROW IN GUIDANCE OR IN MY HANDS--I WILL GLADLY SUBMIT THEM ON YOUR BEHALF. You only need to fill out one form, then photocopy for each course you plan to take.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008: The Total Eclipse of the Heart Edition

Lunar Eclipse Tonight!!!! (During Project Runway, no less, but who's quibbling over scheduling conflicts. . .)

APees: "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge. A literary ballad of the awesome-est order, RotAM rocks the free world with environmental passion, stunning visual and auditory imagery, and Judeo-Christian imagery complete with pantheistic overtones. You'll love it. My favorite stanza:

Day after day, day after day
We stuck, nor breath nor motion
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Not to mention that any song cool enough to be covered by Iron Maiden has to be cool enough for higher-level analysis and contemplation. Eh?

Gifted English II: Othello quizlet, after which I will begin conferring individually with ya'll about your schedules next year. Bring your SAIR and an open mind!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Hope you enjoyed your three-day weekend!

APees: "Kubla Khan" by Coleridge. . .I LOVE this guy!!!

Gifted English II: Othello content vocabulary for Act III and Act III discussion questions.

Friday, February 15, 2008

APees: Jane Eyre journal entry due today; we're discussing various aspects of the novel throughout the period.

Gifted English II: Othello vocabulary quiz; finish Act III and distribute the Act III discussion questions.

Thursday, V-Day, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day, to those who celebrate it! I have candy and good thoughts for you.
For those of you on my wavelength who celebrate Singles Awareness Day, I have Bittersweets from www.despair.com featuring snarky sayings. Enjoy!

APees: Today is Eyre in the Air--Reading Day for Jane Eyre. You have one journal entry due tomorrow, so today's reading needs to focus on any of the four prompts I gave you a few days ago. Take your reading pass to a comfy spot on campus and READ. We have administrative approval for this activity.

Gifted English II: Othello Act II Vocabulary and beginnings of Act III--we have discussion questions to guide us through the turning poinnt in the play. Our focus this week is analyzing with comparison and contrast--much like you did in your Julius Caesar papers. Good times all around!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

(Backlogged entry, done retroactively.)

APees: After we review the nine "Tintern Abbey" questions we segue into William Blake and compare/contrast "The Lamb" with "The Tyger"--both from Songs of Innocence. Discussion points range from Sumatran tigers in zoos to what lambs really symbolize--and all points in between.

Gifted English II: Reviewing how the FCAT Writes+ Test went with 3rd period, followed by a dramatic re-enactment of Act II, scene iii-and a teeny bit of film for 6th period.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

(Backlogged entry, entered retroactively.)

Today is the FCAT Writes+ Test for all sophomores. The bell schedule will be adjusted accordingly--fifth and sixth periods will be truncated to compensate for the morning testing session.

APees: Forging on blindly by addressing the questions for "Tintern Abbey" and learning about William Blake, pre-Romantic.

Gifted English II: 3rd period is taking the standardized test; 6th period will discuss and process what you discovered/wrote about/shared.

Monday, February 11, 2008

(Backlogged entry, entered retroactively.)

APees: In small groups, address nine questions about "Tintern Abbey" based on our reading/discussions from last week. The questions range from simple (identify the three distinct parts of the poem) to the challenging (how does affective memory influence Wordsworth's impressions of the Wye River Valley? How does he see THROUGH his eye rather than WITH it?)

Gifted English II: Final run-through for FCAT Writes+ preparation; Othello-ness.

Friday, February 8, 2008

(backlogged entry, posted retroactively)

APees: "Tintern Abbey" by Wordsworth. The least you need to know:

• lyrical poem
• unrhymed iambic pentameter (blank verse)
• written organically
• "the spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling"--Wdswth's definition of poetry
• pantheistic

Gifted English II: Othello Act I Content Vocabulary Quiz, followed by a short scene from the film.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

APees: Your first Jane Eyre reading quiz, for chapters 1-4. 25 points. I don't anticipate it will take the whole period; afterwards, a brief introduction to "Tintern Abbey" by Wordsworth--page 997 in the literature anthology.

Gifted English II: Review Othello content vocab words, followed by a lively discussion of your FCAT Writes+ practice prompts and a return of the Julius Caesar focus papers. A little bit of Iago in your life, too.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

APees: Romanticism and Jane Eyre; discussion and notes on the Romantic poets and how they influenced Bronte's vision. Your first reading quiz is tomorrow. I have prepared character lists for you as a supplement, but please only take one if you don't mind plot spoilers. The rest of the stack will stay on the dictionary-pedestal until you need a copy.

Gifted English II: Feedback for Lupercal festival yesterday; Othello, Act I.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

APees: Romanticism and Jane Eyre, part I--complete with cartoons!

Gifted English II: LUPERCAL FESTIVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, February 4, 2008

APees: Transition to Jane Eyre, continued.

Gifted English II: Final group meeting to plan Lupercal presentations.