Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Today is Bison Yell Day, Toys for Executive Testing Day, and Adjust Your Calendar Day.

Author of the Day: Angela Shelf Madearis, amateur genealogist, cookbook author, and children's author.

Word of the Day: vituperative

Gifted English II: Today, we are going to review words #21-40 for this week's vocabulary quiz and then have a Title Parade for the Stranger essays. If we finish with time to spare, we are going to review a brief history of the etymology of our entire language preparatory to our next unit. Exciting times in Gifted class! Remember: Underclass Picture Day is TOMORROW. You may either bring payment with the form I gave you in class, or have your parental units pay online at dsp.com in the next few days. Dress nicely!

AP Lit and Comp: First multiple choice practice session, followed by analysis of Tess with respect to diction, syntax, and tone. 6th and 7th period classes will probably have a moderate amount of HW tonight due to the fire drill yesterday and its resultant distractions. Bring a pencil, please!

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.

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!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Gifted English II: We're registering for next year's classes today; meet in 313 and we will proceed to the Media Center together as a happy learning family. If we finish early, we can move on to the next exciting activity in Giftedland. Bring a pencil tomorrow, btw.

APees: Syntactical analysis of a passage from Jane Eyre; the current reading assignment is Chapters 21-26. We're also going to take a close look at one multiple-choice passage and related strategies. Tomorrow: Two Renaissance-themed sonnets, TP-CASTT style.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Word of the Day: averse

Holiday of the Day: Inconvenience Yourself Day. (Does this mean to avoid 7-11 all day, or take alternate pathways around buildings, or what? I have no idea. Anyone who can shed light on this little mystery will be gratefully acknowledged.)

Gifted English II: The Elements of Style, Rules 1-11. We discussed Webster's definition of grammar yesterday, and today the Real Fun begins. At long last. And then, more Othello-osity. Although some of the choicest lines were uttered yesterday. . .

APees: Now that you have survived Multiple Choice Practice Session Infinity, I'll give you back your scan sheets and you can weep privately. AND we are going to discuss "The Cormorant" by Rosanna Warren (awesome, if sad) and Jane Eyre, chapter one. Nothing like a little old-fashioned explication de texte to get things rolling.

Note: See upcoming post later this evening on registration and FCAT. Importante!!!!

Shelley paper is due by Friday, February 26, oh APees. Although I will take it early and in fact already have a few. . .

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Happy Wednesday!

Gifted English II: We will encamp in 313 and read, read, read. Reading is fundamental. See me if you need a copy of the CMC Character List.

APeeps: Multiple Choice Practice Session #2 (there are eight total) in the CLIFF book. You will thank me later--I hope! These practice sessions are geared to imitate the actual exam you will be taking in May, and I tried to select passages that judiciously reflected what we have been studying in class--in concept if not entirely in content. More Hamlet shenanigans tomorrow, possibly related to a timed writing of some sort. Possibly. NOTE: If you come to the Writing Center today or tomorrow with your MacPaper, you get FIVE POINTS on the final draft. FIVE POINTS. Think about it in this economy--FIVE POINTS!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Sorry about the delay in posting--I was reading a book on efficiency and lost track of the time. I was so wrapped up in learning how to be efficient and not procrastinate that I procrastinated on updating my assignment blog. Since the sophomores are learning all about irony this week, this little blip on the radar is strangely appropriate, but I'm still embarrassed to be so off-schedule. A thousand apologies. Well, that and I've been grading myself stupid with focus papers, make-up tests, and multiple choice practice sessions.

On to the lessons for tomorrow!!!

Sophys: Our Author of the Day resumes tomorrow with the incredible Toni Morrison, one of my favorite writers. Afterwards, we will go over the expectations for the final copy of the Stranger paper which is due Friday for many of you--and to that end, I have a neato handout to give you called Guidelines for Solid Writing. After we go over this, I'd like to go over some of this week's vocabulary words--#21-40 on your literary terms list, and assign AWESOME homework that I meant to assign yesterday.

APees: Yesterday, I watched in amazement as some of you twitched in fear as you took your first multiple choice practice session. Never fear! I will give you back your scantrons so you can monitor your scores, and then we will go over the two prose passages. One of the passages is reprinted for you to annotate as we go. It should be a fun time for everyone!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

A new month is upon us!

The Writing Center is now formally open for clients, for anyone who needs assistance with anything from college admission essays to class assignments, during both lunch shifts. Bring your lunch with you to room 315 if you need help with anything.

Sophys: After a brief and awesome post-it note quiz on "The Storyteller" most of you are taking the Stranger/Death check-reading test. Yeah, yeah, two tests in one day is just mean, but that's how I roll. You will be fine! Post-it note quizzes are only five questions long (and are on actual Post-it brand stickynotes) and then the check-read test itself features 50 magical multiple choice and true/false questions that has never taken anyone longer than 35 minutes to answer. Students not testing are expected to read silently. Good times! Due to time constraints today we are skipping Author of the Day.

APees: Today is our first multiple-choice practice session; I will provide the scantrons and testing booklets, and you will provide the pencil and the brainpower. On the actual AP exam, you will have 60 minutes to complete 54 or 55 questions (it varies from year to year) and you are expected to answer 50% of them correctly to score a 3. I do not expect any of you to finish this test in our time allotted today. Do the best you can; we will go over the scoring and at least two of the passages tomorrow in class. You will earn ten points for your efforts regardless of your score.

Monday, February 9, 2009: Lupercal Edition

This was the only image of Lupercalia that was safe for a website of this readership. Some of the stuff out there on the old Internets is. . .scary. . .

Sophys: Today is our Lupercal festivity! Each group will present their research to the class, complete with food, togas, and other regalia. All will be well. I hope. Tomorrow is FCAT Writes!

APees: Review "The Cormorant" by Rosanna Warren, discuss Jane Eyre, and introduce "Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats. Next reading assignment for JE: Chapters 5-12, due Friday.

NOTE: There is no school on Monday, the 16th, due to Presidents Day.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

There was a delay in posting created by two factors: A) my blog has now been blocked again, thus necessitating my updating only from home, again, and B) the fact that I haven’t been home much lately due to family issues. A thousand apologies.

Sophys: Viewing Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, preparatory to an essay assignment about the satirical elements of said film. Bring a beverage or snack if desired. HW: Please keep reading Candide; we will be discussing in class over the next few days, as well. Author of the Day presentations will continue as normal.

APees: Quotations from Hamlet, Acts I-III, and discussion of the multiple choice selections from this practice session. See notes below. HW: Read Act IV, scenes i-iii.

NOTES ON THE MULTIPLE CHOICE PRACTICE SESSION, 6th Edition Text

Passage One: from “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce, American writer from the late 1800’s. This passage highlights the sensory details and horror of a man who is being hanged from a bridge during the Civil War, and in the descriptions of his subsequent escape and flight into freedom, many metaphors, vivid details, and high-diction terms are utilized. Prose passage with 12 multiple choice questions; remember, you’re shooting for at least fifty percent. If you missed the answer discussion see me and I’ll give you my key.

Passage Two: “The Fire Fetched Down,” a post-modern poem about Prometheus and the pain knowledge can bring. The people (“They” in the opening line) are at first askance about the acquisition of fire, and are suspicious. Of course, knowledge of the Promethean myth is critical to understanding the poet’s intentions in this piece, and most of the questions are dependent on relating the poem’s content to the myth. However, even if one didn’t parse out the true meaning of the poem, several questions could be answered successfully about particulars in figurative language.

Passage Three: An excerpt from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson. This passage, from an expository section of the Gothic novel, relates Jekyll’s scientific process (while refusing to disclose too many details of the actual chemical combination he uncovers) and reveals the exhilaration of embracing one’s inner evil. Many of the questions focus on characterization for this passage, and the high diction Stevenson uses make deciphering his narrator’s intentions a bit of a challenge.

Passage Four: A wonderful poem by Robert Frost, “A Roadside Stand” features two meanings in its title. Ostensibly about a fruit and vegetable stand on the side of a rural road, the poem is really more focused on the disparity between the needs of the urban population and the values of the countryside. Romantic in predisposition, this poem seems topical for its publication timeframe—the Eisenhower era of prosperity—and criticizes the hustle and bustle of materialistic city dwellers who only stop by the stand for directions or to form a U-turn. The questions related to this passage focus on both content and form, and ask several detailed queries about figurative language. This poem overall is much more readable and easy to analyze than the Promethean poem of the second passage.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Project X-Mas students:  We need to deliver more jars to new classrooms and offices this morning, so please try to be in my classroom a little before nine a.m. so we can accomplish this important work.

Also--today is the second Senior Blood Drive.  I think it is vitally important to donate blood, but please try to schedule your appointment to not conflict with your AP classes.  

Gifted English II:  After Author of the Day, we are going to finish "The Lowest Animal" by Mark Twain in the textbook, after which we are going to answer some questions related to the satire inherent to the essay and address A) characterization issues in Candide, and specific things to look for, B) introduction of themes in a satirical film that we are going to be evaluating (read:  written analysis!) and C) returning a pile of graded work, including the CMC essays that a handful of you may wish to re-submit.  I am almost completely out from under the pile of paperwork that landed on me when my family needed the majority of my attention, and I need to schedule some make-up work with some of you.

APees:  We are going to go over the four passages from last week's multiple choice test, and look at specific strategies for addressing some of these questions.  Afterwards, I'll return the Hamlet Act II and Act III quizzes and begin discussing elements of Act IV.  If you were absent on Friday you need to pick up the next focus paper assignment ASAP.  

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

I am not here today, but I will be posting more information on Hamlet for the APees once I return from taking my father to see his physician. No, I'm not out due to the election--although it is a happy coincidence that I get to spend some time with my dad today, since he stayed up far too late last night watching the returns and listening to the speeches and is now very discombobulated.

Both candidates for President of our country ran exhausting and comprehensive campaigns, and now, a victor has been declared. Both candidates last night pledged support to the other and promised to work together to forge ahead against a tide of problems facing our country, and both last night expressed devotion to our country and its founding principles. I know that some of you are disappointed today; I know that some of you are ecstatic. Regardless of who takes up occupancy at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we are all Americans and we all have a common purpose, and I am proud of both Senators McCain and Obama for handling themselves last night with dignity and decency. It's a message we can all benefit from, and that's all I will say about politics in this space.

Okay, that's not true--I'd like to pontificate on one issue, for just a moment. So often the youth of our country are accused of apathy and narcissism; this is nothing new. Your parents were probably told by their older generation to stop slacking off, and their parents before them. I remember reading a news article that I'll paraphrase thus: "The kids today are irreverent, and listen to disrespectful music, and care for nothing but their own needs, and wear sloppy and casual clothes, and don't invest in anything but their instant pleasures and distractions." That editorial was written in 1902. Now, here we are in 2008, and I still hear that chorus: The kids are not interested in the world around them.

I have to respectfully disagree, and I think it is a testament to your generation and your peers that I have never seen so many students involved in an election before. Yesterday at school, students were wearing their "I Voted" stickers, or party buttons, or T-shirts touting their candidate of choice. Several students volunteered for a campaign, or volunteered with their church community to get out the vote, or simply maintained a high level of awareness that I had not seen before. And on an analogous note, the number of volunteer hours pouring into Guidance this year is staggering. So many kids have gone beyond the 75 that are required for Bright Futures that it is positively inspirational how much you are willing to give of yourselves.

This year's senior class has high grades, high test scores, high levels of involvement, and serious goals for college admission. I see similar patterns of greatness in the younger groups, too. Oh, and our football team rocks. Not to sound like Candide, but I do have to say: Optimism Now! Your attitudes and willingness to cooperate in a budget crisis year have been inspiring, especially amid the bell schedule change, and I am proud to teach at Boone High School and work with you.

OK, soapbox over. Here's the lesson for today:

Gifted English II: Please read "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, and answer the brilliantly insightful questions after the essay. It is in your satire packet and Mrs. Jones has extra copies should you need them.

APees: Don't hate me, but we never finished the last multiple choice practice session, and we are taking a very, very big test in May. Sample Test IV in the beige book (edition six, by the light switch) starts with a bang--the first passage is a lu-lu. Enjoy! We are returning to Hamlet tomorrow, so have Act III read and digested before coming to class.

Have a great day, and remember that today is Gunpowder Day (remember, remember, the fifth of November) and tomorrow, oddly enough, is Marooned Without a Compass Day and Saxaphone Day. I love that Eric K. brings us these weird holidays. Off to fetch my parental unit now, so over and out, Braves!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Another great day on the Res!

Here's some semi-random clip art to share:







Cookie Monster!

Now on to the World of Academics:

Sophys: Author of the Day presentations, followed by shared Awesome Homework Assignments. I want to go over some PSAT tips and let you know where you are testing tomorrow. Good luck to all; it looks like I will be proctoring the test for juniors from Ca-Cu.

APees: 4th and 5th will take multiple choice practice test #2 from the CLIFF book; 6th and 7th will be going over the Frost poem and then reviewing both the sonnet and the prose passage from Dickens. I will also be going over the relocation list for tomorrow's PSAT.

Monday, October 13, 2008

22 days until the National Election!

1 week until Homecoming Festivities begin!

2 days until the PSAT!

Sophys: Distribute the Count of Monte Cristo focus paper assignment and discuss; review PSAT vocabulary; distribute HW for this evening and go over (monosyllabic critical thinking fun times!)

APees: Analysis of Frost poem in relation to Macstuff; multiple choice practice. I know you can't wait!

If you need to take the make-up version of the Mactest, see me after class today to schedule some time tomorrow or Wednesday. I cannot give a makeup test today due to other commitments.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Writing Center will be open today during both lunch shifts. Tell your friends! We need clients or we will no longer remain a viable institution of help, support, and love.

Today is a day of recess for those observing Ramadan, and is Rosh Hashanah for those celebrating the Jewish New Year. It's also, apparently, the culmination of Backpack Safety Awareness Month AND Subliminal Awareness Month. Can you subliminally clean out your backpack> Or should we have asked that on Sunday--"Ask a Stupid Question" Day?

Sophys: CMC Q&A session and critical analysis essay on Dumas. Segue back to Antigone--we're almost finished with this play!

APees: MacStuff, again. Bring a pencil tomorrow for MC #2--necessary evil. It shall be done.

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.