Monday, October 4, 2010

Ah, autumn--the best season of the year, IMHO. It's just now starting to feel cooler in the mornings and evenings (although it was plenty warm at the BHS rummage sale this morning) and the faintest hint of optimism is curling through the leaves. I love autumn, and think it is no small coincidence that the great poet Percy Bysshe Shelley immortalized it as "the dirge of the dying year" in his "Ode to the West Wind," in which he described the winds of autumn as capable of engendering creativity.

So let's get to it!

Gifted English II: Your HW this weekend was to create one sentence using at least five of the Word of the Day words; we will share them, then finish the last short bit of Antigone (period one) before moving on to Ovid (period two). You will not need your textbook this week. Our Author of the Day today is Nathaniel Hawthorne, and our new word is transmogrify.

Classwork: Transition from ancient Greek drama to Roman poetry with Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Homework: Enrichment opportunity with literary terms, due tomorrow for extra credit (see handout) and Antigone questions due tomorrow by 3 p.m.

APees: We finished Act I last week, so let's take a little quiz on Act I and see how much we recall from this introductory foray into MacStuff. Once we're done, we'll self-score and make the transition into Act II.

Classwork: Quiz, and explication de texte of Macb in class with discussion intertwined.

Homework: Content vocabulary for Act II.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Gifted English II: "Once More to the Lake" by EB White, a terrific example of memoir. Ready carefully, annotate, and answer the questions at the end. We're starting the fourth quarter with this amazing tale.

APees: Jane Eyre quiz, followed by more Jane Eyre. The test for this novel will be Friday, April 9, 2010. Yes, I know that's the Art Festival. Yep.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Word of the Day: norm-referenced

Holiday of the Day: Among a myriad of other weird days, the one I like the most is "March Forth--Do Something Day." I do think that everyone can benefit from a little bit of anti-procrastinatory impetus, so get to it! Whatever you have been postponing, from a HW assignment to a personal chore--get it done!

Gifted English II: We need to go over some FCAT stuff for next week, from test prep questions I will be sending home with you to the actual testing schedule. Afterwards, we will review The Elements of Style and take an awesome, if brief, quiz, before resuming our study of Othello. NOTE: There will be a quiz tomorrow on Othello, Acts I-III. If you have been conscious for the past few days you should be fine.

APees: Per my e-mail to each of you, today is Eyre in the Air! You will be given a reading pass and permission to sally forth and find a comfortable spot in which to engage in the world's most delicious activity: READING!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Be nice to my sub! I have a family ceremony to attend. I might be back, so be good. . .you never know when I will emo into the room expecting greatness.

Word of the Day: filial

Holiday of the Day: National Chili Day!

Gifted English II: Othello; finish the Act II questions. You may then watch Act I and part of Act II on the video, with careful fast-forwarding. I am leaving specific instructions for the sub. (Second period: you have a quiz, remember?)

AP Literature and Composition: Written response to a DBQ; this one is about Charlotte Bronte. AWESOMENESS PERSONIFIED. I love this prompt; love, love, love.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

I will not be on campus today, but I will be back by the end of seventh for my club meeting. Please come if you would like to A) help out with Project X-Mas next week, and/or B) join the newly reformulated Information Society. We need to design a t-shirt, select officer titles, and fill out membership forms. Short meeting, but deeply insightful.

During the day, I will be collaborating with Mrs. Covert on AP curriculum for College Board. We are required to do this once per year; I will, however, miss you. So be good for your substitute! I will check e-mail at least twice during the day, so those of you with pending recommendations on Common App websites can reach me if need be. (If you don't know what that message means, it doesn't apply to you, so please don't e-mail me any more knock-knock jokes just to be cute unless you want to end up on the List of Woe.)

Gifted English II: Continuing the satire unit today with the awesome Mark Twain. In the green textbook, please read "The Lowest Animal" and select ANY five questions at the conclusion to address. This essay, while humorous, deftly pokes fun of human foibles and cruelties, and is typically sardonic and representative of Twain's voice. Enjoy!

APeeps: After you take the Hamlet Act III quiz, work on your focus paper with the peer-edit handout the substitute will give you. Consider this a writing center consultation, even if you haven't settled on a topic yet--almost like a pre-edit. This paper is due next Thursday.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Today is Veterans Day, a day on which we honor the men and women who gave their time, talents, energies, and often their lives for our country. If you have a veteran in your family or in your circle of friends, find some time today to thank them for their service, or, better yet, to talk to them about their experiences and see if they have anything they'd like to share. Happy Veterans Day.

Gifted English II: The satire unit officially begins today, with Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." At least he doesn't provide specific recipes.

APeeps: Hamlet, Act III, explained. Prepare to take notes; the quiz is Thursday.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

How could I have forgotten to post on my lowly little blog? Well, I have a lot on my mind these days. A thousand apologies, o loyal readers. Here is what we did today!

Gifted English II: "Pit and the Pendulum" quiz, followed by a syntactical analysis of a passage from the story.

APees: Your homework tonight is to read Act III through scene iv, and today in class we watched the Zifferelli version of Act III with Mel Gibson, Helena Bonham Carter and Glenn Close.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Happy Friday, peeps!!! I hope everyone is well.

I sent everyone a reminder e-mail this evening about tomorrow's focus paper deadline. If you have questions or seek further clarification, please see me before school or e-mail me this evening (I'll be up until around 11:00 EST) at jennifer.hilley@ocps.net and I will answer whatever questions I can--within reason! "Can you write my paper for me?" is never an acceptable question.

Yet students still ask. . .,

Gifted English II: Collect focus papers on JC, and have a title parade, followed by Othello, Act I and a Lupercal group meeting for second period. If you were absent yesterday, be sure to get the notes from yesterday's lecture from a friend. PLAN AHEAD: We will be starting a grammar unit next Friday using The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Please get a copy of this book--you can even check one out of the library, or bug a junior for their copy, or see me for one of my spares--by that time. This book is life-alteringly good and will reshape the way you look at grammar. Also, while I do have a class set of Othello hidden in the burgundy Sound and Sense anthology, some of you may find it helpful to have your own. I found a No Fear: Shakespeare version on amazon for just over a dollar earlier today, so it can be done. NOT REQUIRED BUT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.

APees: After a stirring review of key concepts from "Wind" we are doing "Ozymandias" today, in the poetry paperback, for those who don't know it. Shelley's most genius (pardon the misuse of the adjective there, but I feel really strongly about this) sonnet, like, totally, like, ever. Wait until you see the award-winning cartoon on the board. Then: Quiz Fabulousness, followed by Title Parade for your Shelley Focus Papers. I know you won't wait until 5 p.m. to submit, eh?
PLAN AHEAD: Get Jane Eyre. Really. You won't regret having your own literary magic 8-ball to play with.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Seniors: Don't forget your TOGAS today!!! Loads of awesomeness await. I have safety pins if you run out.

Also, fifth period had expressed interest in acquiring a class pet. I decided to go ahead and get one:

I love fishes 'cuz they're so delishes. . .

Sophys: More Icarian fun with the Icarus packet and Author of the Day presentations. Our next novel will be Candide by Voltaire, so please add that to your shopping list this weekend if at all possible.

APees: Hamlet, Act I Quiz; if time permits, a screening of Act I via Mel and Friends. See the next post for a sample!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Note: If you have Ms. S. for American Government, please wish her a happy birthday today. Yes, she's 29--as are we all!

APees: Continuing with Macstuff (reviewing Act I and definitely taking that quiz we all avoided yesterday) and moving into Higher Levels of Meaning. You will have outside reading tonight, so be prepared for HW.

Gifted English II: AUTHOR OF THE DAY QUIZ AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. Do NOT forget your English notebook today, or you will be seriously out of gas. You are allowed to use your Author Log--consider this quiz a reward for taking daily notes. I expect all of you to make 100%, but as in years past, not all of you will. Truly tragic. After the quiz, more Greek fun!

I will be available before and after school and during lunch for make-up quizzes, college application essay help, or general existential crisis management (within reason.)

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Today is an anniversary felt very deeply and poignantly by many Americans; seven years ago, terrorists struck on American shores and the sense of complacency felt for so long here was shattered. I hope that none of you are particularly upset today, but I would ask you to take just a moment and consider how lucky we are to live in a country with all of the vast resources and freedoms as America, and if you know someone personally who suffered as a result of the 2001 attacks, you have my empathy.

On the the academic side of things:

Sophys: Thank you for being so focused and intensive with your reading day! Back to business today. Our Author of the Day is Margery Kempe. You have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow on the fourth subset of words; I am NOT reviewing this week (although I will make the distinction between oxymoron and paradox in class) so please be responsible and study diligently. Today: Finish "Billy" and analysis; short writing assignment.

APees: We need to talk about the T-shirt issue each period; there might be a pop quiz on ORex and we need to discuss the Glaysher essay in-depth. Focus papers due tomorrow; let's discuss themes and look at Jocasta's responsibility in all of this mess.

Writing Center training will be during A and B lunch shifts today in room 302. We relocate to 315 next week.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Good morning, sunshines! The amended schedule for today does involve the senior assembly, so listen carefully to the announcements to determine when and where to go.

Gifted English II: Author of the Day: Alice Walker. Peer review for the rough draft of The Stranger/Death of a Salesman paper; students new to the class need to read during this activity. First period has a little game to play, after which we will begin discussing existential theory as it relates to Camus. (Handout from your first-day folder.) Homework this weekend: Work on polishing your paper, which is due Tuesday on http://www.turnitin.com/, and study your first twenty literary terms for a super-easy quiz on Monday. (The quiz would normally be on Friday, but the storm precluded staying on schedule. My apologies for any "confusement.")

APees: Your first focus paper is due tonight at 11:59 p.m. on http://www.turnitin.com/. If you have any problems, e-mail me your paper by the deadline at jennifer.hilley@ocps.net and I will upload it for you. In class, we will be discussing Flaubert and Chopin some more--I'll bet you can't wait! We are also going to College and Career to see Mrs. Cadman this period.