Pre_AP
Students took their second quiz on Lord of the Flies today. After the quiz, we had a short lesson on Robert Frost and the ambiguity of his poetry. Since we are focusing on postmodernism, students received an extra credit opportunity to write a postmodern critique of a Robert Frost poem. Students can choose from "Mending Wall," "Birches," or "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and write a five-paragraph essay (MUST BE TYPED!) analyzing the poem from the postmodern perspective. The essay is due Monday, December 5th.
Homework: Students need to read chapters 6-8 in Lord of the Flies. The next quiz will be on Tuesday, December 6th.
AHSGE Reading Review
In an effort to prepare for next week's graduation exam, we blitzed through all of the standards in class today that the exam covers. Using O. Henry's short story "The Gift of the Magi," students worked through questions that covered each content standard.
A copy of this packet can be downloaded by clicking here.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 29
Today's class focused around the essential questions presented by Lord of the Flies, "Is humanity basically good?" and "What happens to cause a society to break down?" Some of the ideas we focused on included microcosms, utopias, dystopias, and civilization. After discussing adverbs and looking over a reference packet that the students received outlining many baisc grammatical prinicples, we looked in detail at chapter five of Lord of the Flies, and saw why it is the turning point of the novel as a whole.
Homework: Students should study their Words of the Day and review chapters 4-5 of Lord of the Flies for the quiz that they will take tomorrow (November 30th).
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's review class, students spent time on USATest Prep, a service that is offered through the school that gives extra practice for the graduation exam. Several seniors will be taking the exam next week, so students created accounts that would allow them to access the practice service from any computer with an internet connection.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 28th
"Piggy" from Lord of the Flies
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Sorry for not posting last week, but the school's internet was down again. Thankfully, everything seems to be straightened out now.
Pre-AP
In today's class, we reviewed adverbs and how they can be identified and used. We also had two writing assignments that students completed in their journals. To finish out the class, we watched the remainder of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students need to finish reading and reviewing chapters 4-5 of Lord of the Flies (with a special emphasis on chapter 5.) We will have a quiz on Wednesday, November 30th that covers these chapters, the grammar material we've covered in class, and the Words of the Day.
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, we reviewed the quiz that students took last Tuesday covering the concepts of comparing and contrasting, identifying sequence of events, and summarizing a text adequately. After our review, we finished watching Dead Poets' Society and completed the viewing guide that accompanied the movie.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Friday, November 18th
Pre-AP
Postmodernism and deconstruction dominated today's class discussion. Beginning our notes for William Golding's Lord of the Flies (students are responsible for obtaining their OWN copies of this book!!), we took notes on postmodernism as it manifested itself after WWII. To ensure a complete understanding of LOTF, students need to have a firm grasp of postmodernism and postmodern writing.
Homework: Students should study their notes on postmodernism and begin reading Lord of the Flies. They should have chapters 1-3 finished by Tuesday, November 22nd.
For a copy of the PPT on postmodernism, click here.
(PowerPoint was adapted from http://exchange.guhsd.net/details.php?object_id=513)
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, we will review all of the reading concepts that will be on Monday's test.
Postmodernism and deconstruction dominated today's class discussion. Beginning our notes for William Golding's Lord of the Flies (students are responsible for obtaining their OWN copies of this book!!), we took notes on postmodernism as it manifested itself after WWII. To ensure a complete understanding of LOTF, students need to have a firm grasp of postmodernism and postmodern writing.
Homework: Students should study their notes on postmodernism and begin reading Lord of the Flies. They should have chapters 1-3 finished by Tuesday, November 22nd.
For a copy of the PPT on postmodernism, click here.
(PowerPoint was adapted from http://exchange.guhsd.net/details.php?object_id=513)
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, we will review all of the reading concepts that will be on Monday's test.
Wednesday and Thursday, November 16th and 17th
Pre-AP
In Wednesday and Thursday's class, we finished our discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird and reviewed all of our grammar concepts for the Unit Test that we took on Thursday.
AHSGE Reading Review
Sequence of Events and Functional Literacy were the objects of our focus in Wednesday and Thursday's class.
Homework: Students should review over all notes for a concept test on Monday, November 21st.
In Wednesday and Thursday's class, we finished our discussion of To Kill a Mockingbird and reviewed all of our grammar concepts for the Unit Test that we took on Thursday.
AHSGE Reading Review
Sequence of Events and Functional Literacy were the objects of our focus in Wednesday and Thursday's class.
Homework: Students should review over all notes for a concept test on Monday, November 21st.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Tuesday, November 15th
Pre-AP
In today's class, students took their fourth quiz on To Kill a Mockingbird. They also completed a characterization activity where they created an acrostic poem using the name of one of the main characters. These poems paint an accurate picture of the characters as we read them in the book.
Homework: Students need to look back over all notes that they have taken or been given during our study of To Kill a Mockingbird. Their unit test will be on Thursday. It will cover the grammar white pages, commas, colons, semi-colons, the subjunctive mood, active vs. passive voice, the Harper Lee notes, Words of the Day, and all of the action of the novel.
Remember: a great grammar resource can be found by going to http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
AHSGE Reading Review
Sequence of events dominated the discussion today. After discussing sequence of events,students had several pieces of literature to read, and several questions which measured their grasp of sequence of events.
In today's class, students took their fourth quiz on To Kill a Mockingbird. They also completed a characterization activity where they created an acrostic poem using the name of one of the main characters. These poems paint an accurate picture of the characters as we read them in the book.
Homework: Students need to look back over all notes that they have taken or been given during our study of To Kill a Mockingbird. Their unit test will be on Thursday. It will cover the grammar white pages, commas, colons, semi-colons, the subjunctive mood, active vs. passive voice, the Harper Lee notes, Words of the Day, and all of the action of the novel.
Remember: a great grammar resource can be found by going to http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
AHSGE Reading Review
Sequence of events dominated the discussion today. After discussing sequence of events,students had several pieces of literature to read, and several questions which measured their grasp of sequence of events.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, November 14th
Pre-AP
Coming back from Veteran's Day, we hit the ground running to finish out our time in To Kill a Mockingbird. After a discussion on active and passive voice, students did several activities to ensure that they understood the concept. Then, as a class, we covered several important passages in the last part of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students need to ensure that they understand active and passive voice. They also need to study their Words of the Day and finish reading To Kill a Mockinbird for their quiz tomorrow. Also, students need to look back over all notes that they have taken or been given during our study of To Kill a Mockingbird. Their unit test will be on Thursday. It will cover, the grammar white pages, commas, colons, semi-colons, the subjunctive mood, active vs. passive voice, the Harper Lee notes, Words of the Day, and all of the action of the novel.
Remember: a great grammar resource can be found by going to http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, we discussed the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing. Students broke into groups and read several Cherokee creation myths. Then, as a group, students had to present the stories to the class. This was an exercise to prove the importance and ease of paraphrasing, a skill vital to a student's reading comprehension ability.
Coming back from Veteran's Day, we hit the ground running to finish out our time in To Kill a Mockingbird. After a discussion on active and passive voice, students did several activities to ensure that they understood the concept. Then, as a class, we covered several important passages in the last part of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students need to ensure that they understand active and passive voice. They also need to study their Words of the Day and finish reading To Kill a Mockinbird for their quiz tomorrow. Also, students need to look back over all notes that they have taken or been given during our study of To Kill a Mockingbird. Their unit test will be on Thursday. It will cover, the grammar white pages, commas, colons, semi-colons, the subjunctive mood, active vs. passive voice, the Harper Lee notes, Words of the Day, and all of the action of the novel.
Remember: a great grammar resource can be found by going to http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, we discussed the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing. Students broke into groups and read several Cherokee creation myths. Then, as a group, students had to present the stories to the class. This was an exercise to prove the importance and ease of paraphrasing, a skill vital to a student's reading comprehension ability.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Wednesday and Thursday, November 9th and 10th
Sorry for yesterday's non-posting! Our internet was down! Have a great Veteran's Day!
Pre-AP
In Wednesday's class, we discussed the importance of being able to wield our words well, and the fact that our writing needs to be clear, concise, and say exactly what we are trying to say. In this vein, we completed a sentence manipulation exercise where students were asked to choose a sentence from a paragraph they were given and manipulate it in certain ways.
We also began a discussion of active and passive voice, which we concluded in Thursday's class. For a good explanation of active vs. passive voice, you can click here.
Homework: Students need to finish reading chapters 22-31 (the end of the book) in To Kill a Mockingbird. They also need to study their Words of the Day, the active and passive voice, and all of their notes on To Kill a Mockingbird. Looking to the future, students need to study all of their notes that we've taken in this unit. We will have the comprehensive unit test on Thursday, November 17th.
AHSGE Reading Review
In Wednesday's class, we began a comparison/contrasting activity where we read through parts of Romeo and Juliet and watched Simon Birch and compared the two. As an exercise in literary analysis, in this activity students look beyond the surface differences of the two stories and begin to draw connections between their plot and the main characters.
In Thursday's class, students finished Simon Birch and took a test on the literary elements that we studied. (Freytag's triangle, figurative language, plot, etc.)
Pre-AP
In Wednesday's class, we discussed the importance of being able to wield our words well, and the fact that our writing needs to be clear, concise, and say exactly what we are trying to say. In this vein, we completed a sentence manipulation exercise where students were asked to choose a sentence from a paragraph they were given and manipulate it in certain ways.
We also began a discussion of active and passive voice, which we concluded in Thursday's class. For a good explanation of active vs. passive voice, you can click here.
Homework: Students need to finish reading chapters 22-31 (the end of the book) in To Kill a Mockingbird. They also need to study their Words of the Day, the active and passive voice, and all of their notes on To Kill a Mockingbird. Looking to the future, students need to study all of their notes that we've taken in this unit. We will have the comprehensive unit test on Thursday, November 17th.
AHSGE Reading Review
In Wednesday's class, we began a comparison/contrasting activity where we read through parts of Romeo and Juliet and watched Simon Birch and compared the two. As an exercise in literary analysis, in this activity students look beyond the surface differences of the two stories and begin to draw connections between their plot and the main characters.
In Thursday's class, students finished Simon Birch and took a test on the literary elements that we studied. (Freytag's triangle, figurative language, plot, etc.)
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday and Tuesday, November 7th and 8th
Pre-AP
In preparation for Tuesday's quiz, on Monday we read through Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson's testimony in the courtroom scene of To Kill a Mockingbird (found in chapters 17-18). We also discussed the subjunctive, imperative, and indicative mood as they relate to subject-verb agreement. (For quick grammar hints, students can access http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ and find many helpful grammar tips there.)
Homework: Students need to finish the "Bucket List" activity that we began in class. It is due tomorrow (Wednesday, November 9th). Students should also begin reading Chapter 22-31 of To Kill a Mockingbird (through the end of the book).
For a copy of the "Bucket List" activity, click here.
AHSGE Reading Review
We finished a discussion on figurative language and Freytag's triangle on Monday. On Tuesday, we read through a selection entitled "The Most Dangerous Game" and analyzed it by comparison and contrasting; we compared one of the story's main characters, General Zaroff, to the main character in The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen.
Tomorrow, we will have a test covering figurative language, Freytag's triangle, plot, comparing and contrasting, and cause and effect. Students should read over their notes that relate to these topics.
In preparation for Tuesday's quiz, on Monday we read through Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson's testimony in the courtroom scene of To Kill a Mockingbird (found in chapters 17-18). We also discussed the subjunctive, imperative, and indicative mood as they relate to subject-verb agreement. (For quick grammar hints, students can access http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ and find many helpful grammar tips there.)
Homework: Students need to finish the "Bucket List" activity that we began in class. It is due tomorrow (Wednesday, November 9th). Students should also begin reading Chapter 22-31 of To Kill a Mockingbird (through the end of the book).
For a copy of the "Bucket List" activity, click here.
AHSGE Reading Review
We finished a discussion on figurative language and Freytag's triangle on Monday. On Tuesday, we read through a selection entitled "The Most Dangerous Game" and analyzed it by comparison and contrasting; we compared one of the story's main characters, General Zaroff, to the main character in The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen.
Tomorrow, we will have a test covering figurative language, Freytag's triangle, plot, comparing and contrasting, and cause and effect. Students should read over their notes that relate to these topics.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Friday, November 4th
Reauxll Tide Reauxll
Pre-AP
In today's class, we studied about subject-verb agreement. All of our notes came from pages 166-179 of Elements of Language. We also watched and analyzed Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, discussing how it shows the true nature of prejudice and racism in the country at the time. Finally, we continued reading through Tom Robinson's trial in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students need to finish chapters 12-21 of To Kill a Mockingbird for the test on Tuesday, November 8th. They also need to study all of their comma rules, semi-colon rules, colon rules, and subject-verb agreement rules. Finally, they also need to be familiar with their Words of the Day and all of the "Grammar Rules" they received at the beginning of class each day.
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class we learned about figurative language and Freytag's Triangle. If you missed class today, you need to be sure to get the notes from a classmate you trust.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, November 3rd
Pre-AP
In today's class, we discussed how to use semi-colons and colons. We also completed a graded activity to ensure comprehension of these two types of punctuation. Following this, we started analzying the trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students should complete the comma practice, found on page 766 of their grammar textbook, if they did not complete it in-class. Students should also finish reading through chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird in preparation for their quiz on Tuesday. Also for the quiz, students need to make sure they understand how to use commas, colons, and semicolons; they need to understand the subjunctive mood; they also need to know all of their Words of the Day and grammar rules.
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, our school's senior counselor, Mrs. Coleman, came and talked to the class about college preparation, as well as take-taking skills. We also began discussing figurative language.
In today's class, we discussed how to use semi-colons and colons. We also completed a graded activity to ensure comprehension of these two types of punctuation. Following this, we started analzying the trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Homework: Students should complete the comma practice, found on page 766 of their grammar textbook, if they did not complete it in-class. Students should also finish reading through chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird in preparation for their quiz on Tuesday. Also for the quiz, students need to make sure they understand how to use commas, colons, and semicolons; they need to understand the subjunctive mood; they also need to know all of their Words of the Day and grammar rules.
AHSGE Reading Review
In today's class, our school's senior counselor, Mrs. Coleman, came and talked to the class about college preparation, as well as take-taking skills. We also began discussing figurative language.
Tuesday and Wednesday, November 1st and 2nd
Pre-AP
We are hitting the heart of To Kill a Mockingbird now, and we are making sure that we aren't missing any of the symbolism with which Lee filled her novel. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we had extra practice on comma and appostrophe usage, and then spent our time analyzing chapters 12-16 of TKAM. We used several of the devices off of the "grammar white pages" to see how Lee makes her story come to life.
Homework: Students should complete the comma practice, found on page 766 of their grammar textbook, if they did not complete it in-class. Students should also finish reading through chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird in preparation for their quiz on Tuesday. Also for the quiz, students need to make sure they understand how to use commas, colons, and semicolons; they need to understand the subjunctive mood; they also need to know all of their Words of the Day and grammar rules.
AHSGE Reading Review
In these days' classes, we finished up talking about propaganda, fallacious thinking, and fact vs. opinion. We did several activities making sure we understood these concepts.
We also review how to find main ideas (directly stated and implied), how to find supporting details, and how to summarize a passage adequately.
We are hitting the heart of To Kill a Mockingbird now, and we are making sure that we aren't missing any of the symbolism with which Lee filled her novel. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we had extra practice on comma and appostrophe usage, and then spent our time analyzing chapters 12-16 of TKAM. We used several of the devices off of the "grammar white pages" to see how Lee makes her story come to life.
Homework: Students should complete the comma practice, found on page 766 of their grammar textbook, if they did not complete it in-class. Students should also finish reading through chapter 21 of To Kill a Mockingbird in preparation for their quiz on Tuesday. Also for the quiz, students need to make sure they understand how to use commas, colons, and semicolons; they need to understand the subjunctive mood; they also need to know all of their Words of the Day and grammar rules.
AHSGE Reading Review
In these days' classes, we finished up talking about propaganda, fallacious thinking, and fact vs. opinion. We did several activities making sure we understood these concepts.
We also review how to find main ideas (directly stated and implied), how to find supporting details, and how to summarize a passage adequately.
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