Friday, October 9, 2009

There might be a fire drill today during fifth period. Plan accordingly. I will be toting my SLOW CHILDREN AT PLAY sign, so if we get separated in the fray find the sign.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Elizabeth Barrett Browning, after which we are doing a grammar activity based on yesterday's chat in class. The Antigone test is Tuesday, and I will review you extensively on Monday in class. If we have time today, I'd like to read "Daedalus and Icarus" by Ovid in preparation for a mini-unit on language.

AP Literature and Composition: MacReview for the Mactest on Tuesday, followed by a Frost poem that is ideologically connected to the MacPlay. Guaranteed to leave you depressed. Fifth period, a thousand apologies--we will be deconstructing said poem on the practice field in the hot sun, in order to ensure Fire Safety.

NOTE: Thanks to all who came to the Project X-Mas meeting after school on Thursday; it was awesome.

NOTE NOTE: Poetry reading after school today from 2:30-4:00 in room 315. Please consider attending!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Can you believe that it's halfway through September already?

So much to do today, kids. Tragically, a typical Monday for so many of us. I'll be in 313 early in the morning, preparing for the onslaught and entering grades. Progress reports will go home at the end of this week, so if you think you're missing anything, come see me. I will happily print a grade slip for any student who asks nicely. Before class would be ideal--please don't interrupt one of my award-winning, deeply focused lectures to ask for your grade. (Note sarcasm regarding both descriptors of said lectures--I think my train derails as much as Listort's. I'm working on it, people. ADHD doesn't just affect adolescents.)

Announcements: Writing Center is open tomorrow! And sophys get textbooks tomorrow! and the fire drill that might have been scheduled for first period might have been rescheduled for third period in light of the Florida State counselor coming to speak to seniors in the auditorium. (Seniors, you can still get a pass before school from Mrs. Cadman in College and Career--and I highly recommend going if you are even contemplating attending this school. Relationships with college reps are exempt from "familiarity breeds contempt." Let them know who you are, and see your passion for attending their school. Do not show up and declare that "if I don't get in at my dream school, going to School A might not be too horrible". That happened last year, and it wasn't pretty for that kid.)

Sophys: After sharing our HW (grammar errors found in the public sphere; should be entertaining) we will have Amy Tan as our Author of the Day. We will also take notes on genres and review what we learned about irony--and do some more grammar! It will be a great, informative day.

APees: Two academic focii: (Latin scholars--is that the appropriate plural, or should I just say "focual points" and remove any doubt?) A) Glaysher, part II, and B) review for the super-duper ORex test tomorrow.

Word of the Day: picayune: (adjective) something trivial (oddly, there are several newspapers called "The Picayune"--I do not think it means what they think it means.)

Friday, August 29, 2008

ORANGE AND WHITE DAY!!!

Our first scrimmage is today--and due to flooding at Winter Springs, I think it's here at Boone. Wear orange and white today and go early to lunch, and some of your teachers will be thrilled to see your school spirit. Boone Braves! Whooooooo!!!

Gifted English II: Author of the Day is Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-winning novelist. Afterwards, we are taking an incredible vocabulary quiz on words 21-40, complete with an Art Opportunity on the back. Afterwards afterwards, we will be making a transition into Genre Studies and begin a newish unit. Please give me the long weekend to assess your papers--I just came out from under the AP focus papers and need a little time to get my bearings.

APees: Madame Bovary quizlet; might take most of the period. If we have time I would like to go over the second focus paper assignment with you and review common errors from the first paper. You will always have a week to resubmit a paper for further consideration, and as your papers are going back today, you have until next Friday to resubmit to me. Resubmits do not go on the website this time; staple the new copy on top of the first copy, and hand it in by the deadline. (Fifth period, you might not take this test until Tuesday due to the fire drill. We have to see how long that actually takes this time.)

AP Word of the Day: ABSTRUSE (adjective): difficult to understand; recondite

Thursday, August 28, 2008

I am sorry that this post is a little bit later than my normal pattern; I was watching Project Runway and got caught up in a lengthy post-show commentary about fashion, creativity, and the nature of this particular challenge. There are many, many things afoot at BHS tomorrow and here are the reminders!!!

LOCKERS will be distributed through your fourth period classes tomorrow. Each teacher has been given ten lockers for their class to somehow divide up, which seems like a cruelty joke until you realize that we have twice as many students as lockers, and the seniors have already ganked theirs. Sophomores: The back shelves WILL be cleared this week and you may leave your belongings in my classroom any time. I know the locker situation is unfortunate, but our new classroom building, complete with hundreds of new lockers, is still several years off. You may graduate from college before Boone gets new lockers; I really don't know. But in order to ameliorate your discomfort, come leave some stuff in my room!!!

UNDERCLASS PICTURES will be taken in the gym, so I will walk my sophys over there first and second period. Pictures are free if you just want to be in the yearbook, but you have the option to purchase them as well. If you forgot your money, have a weird face tomorrow, or are absent, the make-up day is next month.

TEXTBOOKS will be given out at some point. I'm still fuzzy on the details. Since my classes are still working on summer reading-related assignments, I haven't really noticed the lack of textbook, but I'm sure other teachers have and are trying to adjust. I'll let you know as soon as I know. If you have lost your student ID please go to the Media Center before or after school, or during lunch, to get a new one for the low, low price of five bucks. You'll need the ID to check out all of your textbooks with our new space-age distribution program.

The mandatory FIRE DRILL that we weren't having tomorrow during fifth period has now been rescheduled to not happen during the first five minutes of fifth period on Friday instead. Anticipating hot weather, I will be toting a battery-operated portable fan when this doesn't happen.

Now, on to curriculum. Whew.

Gifted English II: Our Author of the Day today is the awesome, awesome Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Then we have a field trip to the gym for pictures, followed by much rejoicing. If we get back on time we'll have a Title Parade for your first paper and make the transition to the first outside reading assignment.

APees: A handful of you in each class need to finish the multiple-choice practice session before se can start going over the passages; those of you who are already finished are welcome to peruse the Allusion Review packet or review your answers before we assess the damage and see how we did as a group. Also, I want to review with you before we take our awesome MB check-reading quiz tomorrow in class. It's a lulu but it's not too difficult.