The First Day of School: August 7, 2006

Welcome back to Boone High School, team! Here we go:

AP Literature and Composition: Quiz (har har), syllabus, review the requirements for the first focus paper, discuss whether or not Marlow is a reliable narrator. Oh, and that school paperwork that we all have to do on Day One.

Gifted English IV: Distribute Frankenstein, distribute syllabi and other school-related forms, discuss Why We Care About Dead White People. Note: You have a senior assembly tomorrow during this class; report here first and then I will walk you over to the auditorium.

Gifted English II: A veritable river of handouts today--syllabi, literary terms lists, essay assignments, style sheets, and other Fun Things. You have a check-reading test tomorrow in this class on The Stranger and Death of a Salesman. Bring a pencil!!!

The sophomore assembly will be on Thursday during 3rd period.

Also, the first meeting of my club--INFORMATION SOCIETY--will be Friday after school. This is a club for the "intellectually curious" students who would like to usher with the Orlando/UCF Shakespeare Festival, travel to foreign countries, participate in charitable drives, and go to chocolate-making parties. In other words, the best club on campus. There are no dues and everyone is an officer, so I hope to see you after school on Friday!!!

SENIORS ONLY

Dear Class of 2007,

You should have received a letter at home by now, but in the event that you haven't:

You can come to BHS on Friday, August 4, from 2-4 p.m. and do the following:

• Select your locker in the 100 hall (bring a lock)
• Pick up your schedule ahead of time
• Get your parking decal at a kiosk outside the Media Center

Hope to see you there!

Finish your summer reading! Remember--SparkNotes=Evil!

Friendly Summer Reading Reminders

Rising sophomores: Please have The Stranger by Albert Camus and The Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller read by the first day of school. I'm not above hitting you with a test on Day One.

Rising seniors, Gifted-style: You have a recommended reading list. If you'd like to work ahead, though, I will be distributing copies of Frankenstein on Day One for your first outside reading.

Rising seniors, APee-style: Hopefully you have already re-read Gatsby and read How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Heart of Darkness can be a pip, but you will be profoundly grateful to have read it. Go carefully through that packet before Day One. We have a long, tumultuous journey ahead of us. . .

Thursday, May 4, 2006

TODAY IS THE AP LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION EXAM.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL TESTING CANDIDATES!!!!!!

Whew.

Gifted English IV: Check-reading essay exam on Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory.

Gifted English II: Discussion questions on Schindler's List; read "No News from Auschwitz" by A.M. Rosenthal; "Grass" by Carl Sandburg. Good luck tomorrow on the AP Euro exam, guys!

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Good luck to all the AP test-takers! Today is AP Calc; yesterday was AP Spanish and Stats; Monday was the AP Language test for juniors. Our AP Lit test is tomorrow. ::squee::

AP Literature: Final review; focus--figurative language. A group will meet for breakfast at Uncle Henry's on South Orange Avenue at 6 a.m. Thursday morning for final reviews. I'll see you there!

Gifted English IV: The Power and the Glory; distribute final exam review sheets.

Gifted English II: After letting some of our colleagues finish their check-reading tests (and some begin) we are delving into the Literature of the Holocaust through the eyes of Thomas Keneally.

Tuesday, May 2, 2006

Reminder for rising AP Lit students: Meeting after school today for summer reading and practice session.

Advanced Placement Literature: Read critical passage from Foster on Beloved and watch the first 25 minutes of the film.

Gifted English IV: Finish O'Connor, begin final writing assignment. Assessment on The Power and the Glory by Greene will be Thursday.

Gifted English II: Check-reading tests on Crime and Punishment, Notes from the Underground, or Utopia. You'll thank me later. Really.

Monday, May 1, 2006

This afternoon will be the first in the series: AP Lit 2006-2007 Meetings! Be here in 313 after school for a session going over the summer reading packet and a sample multiple choice test.

AP Literature: Review, and work on Beloved paper. Due May 8th (unless you are taking the AP Physics exam that day. . .)

Gifted English IV: "My Oedipus Comlex" by Frank O'Connor

Gifted English II: Finish poems from Friday, and read Anne Sexton's "Cinderella." Please bring your novel with you tomorrow for the check-reading test.