Thursday, April 28, 2010

Author of the Day: Ernest Hemingway

Word of the Day: minimalism

Today's Holiday: Don't know, but I'll look it up and it will be all kinds of awesome.

Gifted English II: "The Rocking-Horse Winner" and questions.

APees: Continued AP review. . .test is in a week!!!!!!!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Thank goodness I get paid my minor ducats today for my labors. Not that I'm in this for the money, mind you. But little things like "rent" and "car payment" and "ongoing handbag fund" must be ameliorated. . .

Today, the lesson is easy--for me. Not so much for you. Love to all!

Gifted English II: Things Fall Apart assessment, which is a fancy-dancy way of saying "test." Mwahahahahaha. Bring a pencil or pen and your BRAIN.

APees: Heart of Darkness assessment, and y'all are cynical enough to know that it's a test. An old-fashioned test. Please be grateful I postponed it a day in light of the AP Calc, AP Gov, and AP Whatsit tests of yesterday. Can't you feel the compassion? Now take your test!!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Author of the Day today is Virginia Woolf.

Today's word is hegemony.

Today's holiday is Morse Code Day and Teach Your Children to Save Day (I'm not sure if save is the transitive or the intransitive verb here--save people or just save? Or perhaps "money" is the implied object of the phrase "save" anyway. . .)

Gifted English II: Return a TON of graded work and assess what's missing; review for tomorrow's epically awesome Things Fall Apart Part I assessment; Short Handbook grammar rule review; How to Write a Review.

APees: The Trifecta Begins!

First third of the class: Go over yesterday's MC passages, specifically "The Death of Tommy Grimes" and "Man with a Hoe."

Second third of the class: Go over Heart of Darkness preparatory for tomorrow's all-kinds-of-awesome assessment.

Third third of the class, because we have to have three thirds in order to make the division into thirds viable: Go over end-of-course review stuff for The AP Exam Itself.

A good time will be had by, say, 80% of you.

Monday, April 26, 2010

We are careening toward the end of the school year with no respite in sight. To wit, children: The Prom Speech is Friday, April 30, and I will be plucking unlucky volunteers from each class to assist. The College Speech comes after the AP exam, so you'll have to wait on that one. (It's accompanied by the wildly subjective 50 Things Every 18-Year-Old SHOULD Know.)

And the AP exam for Lit and Comp is May 6. If that doesn't make you terrified, then. . .

How about this?

IMPORTANT DATES

Progress Reports go home May 7

Prom is May 1

GRADUATION IS JUNE 4

Graduation Practice at the Amway Arena, or whatever it is this week (Fruit of the Loom Arena, Cocoa Puffs Arena, pick a label) is contingent on the NBA playoffs. We could just nudge Dwight Howard out of the way and march in formation to "Pomp and Circumstance," but the fans might take umbrage at such adolescent arrogance.

Wow.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day, grammar review, Things Fall Apart Question Time Part II, and How to Write a Review. And passing back a TON of old stuff. I do mean old. Recycle some; save some. Just get it out of my room, plz. Kthnx.

APees: Multiple Choiceness for the first part of the period, followed by intense literary review for the second. And so it goes. Heart of Darkness test is later this week; not sure when. Keep reading and keep filling out those character charts; I'll probably give you time in class tomorrow and review some more key elements of the novella WITH you. Love to all.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Shakespeare's Birthday! Actually, it's Talk Like Shakespeare Day.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Edith Wharton. Things Fall Apart questions begin now; Part I quiz is next Tuesday or Wednesday. KEEP READING.

APees: Heart of Darkness, Part II. And finish the lit terms review.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Today is the mock DUI activity for juniors and seniors only. Report to third period, after which we will have dismissal to the stadium for the duration of the period. This should not affect the rest of the campus, except for a slightly extended third period should the program run late.

Word of the Day: fruition

Author of the Day: David Sedaris

Today's Holiday: Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work Day/Earth Day (!)/National Jellybean Appreciation Day (I wonder if these counts for Bott's Every Flavor Beans. . .)

Gifted English II: Author of the Day; review rules 2 and 3 from the Short Handbook; finish analyzing "Janet Waking" by John Crowe Ransom; instructions on how to write a cultural review; return graded work; begin questions on TFA.

APees: Obviously, third period is a wash due to the Mock DUI, but the afternoon classes will do two things: go through Heart of Darkness through the beginning of Part II and analyze a few key passages, and begin the comprehensive review for the entire course. Also, if we have a moment, I'd like to address the second prompt from yesterday/last week's AP Practice Examination.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Today is the practice exam for AP Lit and Comp after school in the Media Center. I plan to begin right at the end of seventh period; as soon as you show up, I'll start you, and as soon as you finish you may leave. On the "real" AP exam on May 6, you will have two hours to construct three essays AFTER completing the 55 question multiple choice session. Today, we are just doing the essays--the MC practice round will be next week in class, albeit in truncated form.

DO NOT MISS THIS IF YOU DID NOT ALREADY ATTEND LAST WEEK'S SESSION.

THIS IS UBER-MANDATORY.

YOU WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH COVERT IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP.

Gifted English II: No author today; I told you yesterday to bring Things Fall Apart and be prepared to address some thought-provoking discussion questions relevant to Part I.

APees: And I told YOU yesterday to bring Heart of Darkness, your character chart, and your questions. I see no point in introducing new direct instruction on a day as challenging as today; instead, I want to give you some in-class time to knock out some work on this novella and spare yourselves some HW. Bring a bottle of water or soda and a blanket if you want; the mysteries of this novel are indeed challenging. :-)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Word of the Day: truthiness

Holiday Today: Yeah, we're not going there. It's illegal and there you have it.

Author of the Day: Stephen Colbert

Gifted English II: Collect HW and go over principles of pronoun/antecedent agreement preparatory to AP Lang next year (Short Handbooks will be ready for each of you Wednesday); go over discussion questions for TFA; go over "Janet Waking" by John Crowe Ransom; go over review writing assignment.

APees: More Heart of Darkness, Books 1 and 2. And if we have time, further reflection on "The Hollow Men" with respect to the novel.

Reminders: AP Practice Exam (mandatory) is after school on Wednesday, April 21 from 1:15-3:15. I will be hosting. 3rd period: The Mock DUI will be in the stadium during your class session on Thursday. ALL STUDENTS: If you need comm serv hours, please see me ASAP and I can help you make arrangements.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Happy Monday! Another week takes us closer to AP exams. Oh, and Prom. Oh, and the end of the school year. Spring has sprung and we have stuff to do. To wit:

Word of the Day: narcoleptic

Holiday: Today is the anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing (to be taken very seriously as a commemorative event) but the two accompanying, sillier holidays are Boston Marathon Day and National Hey Let's Hang Out Day.

Author of the Day: Edith Wharton

Gifted English II: How to Write a Review (by establishing criteria); pronouns and antecedents, by request of the AP Lang instructor, and a cool poem about a dead chicken. It doesn't get any better than this, folks. We still need to do those discussion questions for TFA, as well. Next reading deadline: the rest of Part I, due Thursday.

APees: Heart of Darkness--notes on the board (Layers of Meaning) followed by questions to do or not-do. Remember the Macpacket? The students who followed the questions did CONSIDERABLY better on the test than their counterparts. Just saying. Jane Eyre papers on the extended deadline are due, in my hand, by 3 p.m.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Ah, the joys of mid-April. So much left to do this year, and so little time.

Author of the Day: Vaclav Havel

Word of the Day: neophyte

Holiday: High-5 Day/Wear Pajamas to Work Day (no, I don't plan to)

Gifted English II: TFA Quiz; Elements of Style part II.

APees: Focus Paper due on Jane Eyre with title parade; Heart of Darkness passage analysis ("The Accountant")

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Today is Tax Day. Many of you don't have to file at all, since you made below the national minimum, but I encourage any of you who worked in fiscal 2009 to file since you may get a refund AND learning to fill out government paperwork is a critical life skill that will take up much of your first year of college. Just saying.

Author of the Day: Thomas Aquinas

Word of the Day: vacillate

Holiday of the Day: IRS Awareness Day/McDonald's Day

Gifted English II: Content vocabulary for Things Fall Apart; review for Part I of the novel; grammar.

APees: Farewell to Romanticism; peer review of prompts in class preparatory to AP exam; Heart of Darkness again.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Today is the first opportunity to test in the Media Center after school for the AP Practice Exam. PLEASE see me immediately if you cannot make it today OR next Wednesday due to LEGITIMATE conflicts so that I can find time for you to take this. THIS IS MANDATORY.

Author of the Day: Sophie Kinsella

Word of the Day: truculent

Holiday: Be Kind to Lawyers Day (you never know when you might need one!)

Gifted English II: In-class "Review of a Review" assignment. It's a little bit of a meta-cognition thing, but I think it's pretty cool. And don't forget that the quiz on Part I of Things Fall Apart is Friday.

APees: Heart of Darkness background; super-review packet #1; MC passage analysis. Exam is hurtling towards us like a freight train.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

I know that some of you will be out today for the Photo III field trip with Mr. Allen. If you see something cool in Augie that would make our classroom even weirder, get it!

Author of the Day: Truman Capote

Word of the Day: calumny

Weird Holiday Day: Thomas Jefferson Day (remind me to tell you a cool anecdote about something Kennedy once said about Jefferson.)

Gifted English II: Notes on the board regarding criteria for writing reviews; example of a review by Anthony Lane from The New Yorker. Our next non-fiction foray is writing a review of a cultural text from the past three years; anything from a concert to a CD release to a movie. I hope I don't get 58 reviews of Avatar.

APees: The transition to Heart of Darkness begins with a reading of T.S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men". The epigraph at the top of the poem is from the novel.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Mr. Bailey is my sub today due to various doctor appointments. I am NOT out in political protest over SB 6, although I strenuously oppose the measure. Let me be clear: I am all for teacher accountability, but not this way. This is an unfunded mandate that will cut another five percent from our already-slashed budget and it will ultimately harm kids. HOWEVER I also do not support skipping work to protest. I have sent letters, waved signs, and spammed e-mail boxes, and I will continue to do so--on my own time.

Gifted English II: Grammar assignment (sentence modeling, really) and a chance to finish your memoir.

APees: Three assignments! Yeah!

1. Read a passage from Jane Eyre, then answer the multiple choice questions from a past AP test.

2. Read another passage from Jane Eyre, then answer the discussion questions with a partner/partners.

3. Work on your focus paper! Due Friday!

Friday, April 9, 2010

So I completely forgot to post the assignment for this date. There was some learning, some fracas-happenings, and an art show. It was a good day, considering the weather and distractions. And the Jane Eyre test for the APees. Good times!

And now to post for Monday, April 12, since I forgot to do that, too. Call it middle age, call it teacher burnout, call it April. TS Eliot was right: April is the cruelest month. Love to all.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Word of the Day: anodyne

Weird Holiday of the Day: One Day Without Shoes Day, National Buddha Day, and National D.A.R.E. Day

Author of the Day: Believe it or not, Dan Brown. I'm bitter but willing to discuss him.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day, discussion of Things Fall Apart by Achebe, and further assignment of Elements of Style, Part II. Also, we are going to go over your memoir topics.

APees: Review Jane Eyre for the test tomorrow, and then peer-edit the timed writings from yesterday. I'd like to remind you that the Jane Eyre focus paper is due next Friday, 4.16, and you can earn five extra credit points by taking your work to the Writing Center by the 15th.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Today's Word: faux pas

Today's Odd Holiday: National No Housework Day, National Day of Hope, and (dare I print this in a high school student blog--be mature, people--we are talking about the dam-builder here) National Beaver Day.

Author of the Day: Tom Stoppard

Gifted English II: Author of the Day, followed by "A Whole Society of Loners and Dreamers" by William Allen, since we did "Porphyria's Lover" on Monday instead. And a review of memoir-writing. And various other cool things.

APees: Yes, you are going to hate me, but it is incumbent upon me to adequately prepare you for the upcoming AP exam. To wit: Timed Writing on a DBQ. We have been FRQing our brains out, and now it's time to put the D in DBQ. Yep. And it's about Jane Eyre! I am so, so relevant. :-)

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Word of the Day: specious

Author of the Day: James Joyce

Weird Holiday: Tartan Day, Teflon Day, and Drowsy Driver Awareness Day

Gifted English II: Bring your ID; we are going to the Media Center to pick up copies of Things Fall Apart, available earlier than I anticipated. (Yay!) Remember the rules: Silence in the halls, the scamper across the KemoSabe Commons, then silence, then scampering, then silence. THEN: Memoir studies and transition to other examples of nonfiction.

APees: There might be an outdoor activity third period. If you know what I mean. Afterwards, sharing Bertha info, and beginning the review for Friday's Jane Eyre test. Tomorrow: TW on a DBQ. Necessary evil; don't say I didn't warn you. And remember please that the AP Practice Exam is either next Wednesday (4/14) or the following Wednesday (4/21).

Monday, April 5, 2010

Welcome back from Spring Break, kids! I hope you paid attention to the Spring Break Speech and made good, judicious choices. I hope to see all of you in good health, ready for the last quarter of your sophomore year (brace yourself for junior year, sophys!) or the last quarter of high school (OMG, APees. Here goes the rollercoaster. . .) I must say that the students who went to Ireland with me this past week were an absolute joy, even amid travel complications with flights and with occasional hailstorms on the Dingle Peninsula. If you know any of the following students, ask them about Eire 2010; they were WONDERFUL. I have been blessed to have taken many trips with many special students, and I was so glad that this trip--my last for a long while--was filled with so much positive energy. Thanks to Brittani A., Alex C., Amy C., Spencer C., Margaret D., Liz G., Julianne H., Madeline J., Corry M., Erin McD., Emily O., Colby S., and Olivia S. Awesome kids, every single one of them.

Welcome back!

Today's lessons:

Word of the Day: surcease

Today's Odd Holiday: National Deep Dish Pizza Day and White House Egg Roll

Author of the Day for the sophys and other curious types: OSCAR WILDE

Gifted English II: Author of the Day and new protocol for this activity; review of the memoir genre; review of "Once More to the Lake" by EB White; "A Whole Society of Loners and Dreamers" by William Allen. Our next outside reading is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, but the novels won't be available for another week or so from the Media Center. If you wish to purchase your own copy for annotation go ahead and order it on Amazon, but be aware that copies will be provided for you eventually.

APees: The Jane Eyre check-reading test is Friday. Yes, that's the Art Show, but since you can pop in and test at any point during the day I fail to see the problem, unless you are like one of the students on the Ireland trip who confessed to having read only four chapters. I proceeded to tell him that he HAD to keep reading to find out about the robots. He is now excited about the novel and I hope he's not too disappointed. . .it's like when you bite into an eclair, waiting for the custard, and you keep going and there is no custard, but you hope fervently that you will hit the custard at some point so you keep going. The robot motif will be his missing custard, if you can follow that analogy. (I have had very little sleep.)

Today, though: Creative Writing based on Jane Eyre. Imagine the strangest character in the novel, and then re-imagine ANY scene from the novel (or that could conceivably be in the novel) from HER point of view. This could be fun.