Pre-AP English 9
We continued our practice with sentence combining in class today, before moving to a quick discussion of Norse mythology. Only taking a quick survey of the ancient myths and gods, we are setting the stage for our reading of Runemarks, which will begin Monday, September 3rd.
Homework: Students should finish reading The Odyssey Part 2 this weekend.
English 10
Finishing our study of Native American culture and folklore, we watched a 20/20 special on the Lakota Sioux of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in today's class. Far from being a culture that is long-gone and extinct, many Native American myths and religions are still practiced and believed today, and the students analyzed how modern Native Americans draw on their ancient beliefs to survive in today's more modern society.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Thursday, August 30th
Pre-AP English 9
Students took the first test on The Odyssey in class today.
Homework: Students should begin reading Part 2 of The Odyssey. Also, if they have not yet obtained a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks, they should do so ASAP. The first reading assignment will be given on Monday, September 3rd.
English 10
Student took the Oral Tradition / Native American folklore test today.
Students took the first test on The Odyssey in class today.
Homework: Students should begin reading Part 2 of The Odyssey. Also, if they have not yet obtained a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks, they should do so ASAP. The first reading assignment will be given on Monday, September 3rd.
English 10
Student took the Oral Tradition / Native American folklore test today.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Wednesday, August 29th
Pre-AP English 9
In today's class, we spent a majority of our time covering Part 1 of The Odyssey in preparation for the test that will be given tomorrow. We also reviewed the epic story arc, which gives a solid pattern for determining whether or not something is epic.
Here is what students should study for the test tomorrow....
... The Greek Pantheon notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Part 1 of The Odyssey
... The Fairy tales and Folklore / Oral Tradition notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Parts of Speech (for extra practice, click here)
... Words of the Day (there are seven of them)
... The rules of writing formal instead of informal sentences.
Homework: Study!! Also, students need to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks. The first reading assignment for Runemarks will be given on September 3rd.
English 10
We finished our discussion of Native American folklore and the Oral Tradition in class today, and briefly reviewed for the test that will be given tomorrow.
Here is what students should study for the test tomorrow...
... The Fairy tales and Folklore / Oral Tradition notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Parts of Speech (for extra practice, click here)
... The rules of writing formal instead of informal sentences.
... Words of the Day
... The Cherokee Myths covered in class (to download, click each of the following numbers... one , two , three , four , and five )
... The Cherokee culture notes
... The portrayal of Pocahontas by Disney as compared to the portrayal of Pocahontas in "John Smith's 1616 Letter to Queen Anne of England"
Homework: Study!!
In today's class, we spent a majority of our time covering Part 1 of The Odyssey in preparation for the test that will be given tomorrow. We also reviewed the epic story arc, which gives a solid pattern for determining whether or not something is epic.
Here is what students should study for the test tomorrow....
... The Greek Pantheon notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Part 1 of The Odyssey
... The Fairy tales and Folklore / Oral Tradition notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Parts of Speech (for extra practice, click here)
... Words of the Day (there are seven of them)
... The rules of writing formal instead of informal sentences.
Homework: Study!! Also, students need to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks. The first reading assignment for Runemarks will be given on September 3rd.
English 10
We finished our discussion of Native American folklore and the Oral Tradition in class today, and briefly reviewed for the test that will be given tomorrow.
Here is what students should study for the test tomorrow...
... The Fairy tales and Folklore / Oral Tradition notes (to download PPT, click here)
... Parts of Speech (for extra practice, click here)
... The rules of writing formal instead of informal sentences.
... Words of the Day
... The Cherokee Myths covered in class (to download, click each of the following numbers... one , two , three , four , and five )
... The Cherokee culture notes
... The portrayal of Pocahontas by Disney as compared to the portrayal of Pocahontas in "John Smith's 1616 Letter to Queen Anne of England"
Homework: Study!!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Tuesday, August 28th
Pre-AP English 9
Today's class was a mixture of grammar and literary analysis. We began the class by reviewing the basic parts of speech and parts of a sentence, and then we played a game to reinforce what we had learned and to apply the grammatical concepts in context. Finally, we finished by discussing Freytag's triangle and the Epic story arc.
For extra help with the parts of speech, please click here.
Homework: Students should finish reading Part 1 of The Odyssey and continue studying for the first test on the poem, which will be given on Thursday, August 30.
Students should also obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks. The first reading assignment from this book will be given September 3rd.
English 10
In today's class, we reviewed the basic parts of speech and parts of a sentence, and then we played a game to reinforce what we had learned and to apply the grammatical concepts in context. Afterwards, we continued our discussion of Native American life and folklore.
Today's class was a mixture of grammar and literary analysis. We began the class by reviewing the basic parts of speech and parts of a sentence, and then we played a game to reinforce what we had learned and to apply the grammatical concepts in context. Finally, we finished by discussing Freytag's triangle and the Epic story arc.
For extra help with the parts of speech, please click here.
Homework: Students should finish reading Part 1 of The Odyssey and continue studying for the first test on the poem, which will be given on Thursday, August 30.
Students should also obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks. The first reading assignment from this book will be given September 3rd.
English 10
In today's class, we reviewed the basic parts of speech and parts of a sentence, and then we played a game to reinforce what we had learned and to apply the grammatical concepts in context. Afterwards, we continued our discussion of Native American life and folklore.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Monday, August 27th
Welcome to the 2nd week of school!
Pre-AP English 9
In today's class, we finished our discussion of the Greek Pantheon and segued into a discussion of heroes and the epic heroic cycle.
Homework: Students should begin reading Part 1 of The Odyssey. Students should also make sure to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks by next Monday, September 3rd. Students will receive their first reading assignment from the book on this day.
English 10
"John Smith's 1616 Letter to Queen Anne" took up the majority of today's class. After finishing a character sketch of Pocahontas derived from pop culture, we then analyzed this letter to find differences and similarities of the historical figure from a source document.
Homework: Students should read "The Legend of Spear-Finger" that was assigned at the end of class. A short reading quiz will be given at the start of class tomorrow. The story can also be downloaded by clicking here.
Pre-AP English 9
In today's class, we finished our discussion of the Greek Pantheon and segued into a discussion of heroes and the epic heroic cycle.
Homework: Students should begin reading Part 1 of The Odyssey. Students should also make sure to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks by next Monday, September 3rd. Students will receive their first reading assignment from the book on this day.
English 10
"John Smith's 1616 Letter to Queen Anne" took up the majority of today's class. After finishing a character sketch of Pocahontas derived from pop culture, we then analyzed this letter to find differences and similarities of the historical figure from a source document.
Homework: Students should read "The Legend of Spear-Finger" that was assigned at the end of class. A short reading quiz will be given at the start of class tomorrow. The story can also be downloaded by clicking here.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Friday, August 24th
Happy Friday!
Pre-AP English 9
Our study of the Greek Pantheon began today. By having a firm grasp of the gods and goddesses that Greeks believed played a very important part in everyday-life, we can have a greater understanding of Odysseus' journey and crisis of belief, and we can more easily recognize the sophisticated religious symbolism that Homer employs in his poetry. If you would like to download a copy of the Greek Pantheon PowerPoint, you may do so by clicking here. (Be patient. It takes a little while to download.)
Homework: Students need to finish writing their Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes essays. (The prompts can be found on yesterday's blog post.) These are due on MONDAY. Students can also begin reading Part 1 of The Odyssey.
English 10
Cherokee traditions and culture took up the majority of our class time today. We discussed elements of Cherokee culture such as dress, food, authority, and, most importantly for this class, religion and values of the people. Beginning Monday, we will be dissecting John Smith's "1616 Letter to Queen Anne of Great Britain" so that we can compare an accurate picture of Pocahontas' character with the modernization of her character by companies like Disney.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thursday, August 23rd
Pre-AP
Today, the Pre-APers took their summer reading test on The Hobbit. They also received the essay prompt that they will write concerning their other summer reading novel, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. This essay is due on Monday, August 27th.
The essay prompts they can choose from are as follows:
"Write an essay in which you discuss the sources of conflict in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, and explain how the conlict between parent and child adds to the meaning of the work."
-OR-
"Characters, like people, are often torn between two desires or obligations. From Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, select a character who has faced this type of conflict. In a well-organized essay, identify the two conflicting desires or obligations, and explain how this conflict reveals the underlying meaning of the text."
Homework: Students should begin writing their essay which is due on Monday, August 27th. They should also start reading The Odyssey, Part 1, which can be found in their classroom textbook.
English 10
Students took the summer reading test assessing their understanding of 13 Reasons Why in today's class. After the test, the students completed a grammar review that covered the parts of speech and basic parts of a sentence.
Today, the Pre-APers took their summer reading test on The Hobbit. They also received the essay prompt that they will write concerning their other summer reading novel, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. This essay is due on Monday, August 27th.
The essay prompts they can choose from are as follows:
"Write an essay in which you discuss the sources of conflict in Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, and explain how the conlict between parent and child adds to the meaning of the work."
-OR-
"Characters, like people, are often torn between two desires or obligations. From Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, select a character who has faced this type of conflict. In a well-organized essay, identify the two conflicting desires or obligations, and explain how this conflict reveals the underlying meaning of the text."
Homework: Students should begin writing their essay which is due on Monday, August 27th. They should also start reading The Odyssey, Part 1, which can be found in their classroom textbook.
English 10
Students took the summer reading test assessing their understanding of 13 Reasons Why in today's class. After the test, the students completed a grammar review that covered the parts of speech and basic parts of a sentence.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wednesday, August 22nd
Pre-AP
In today's class, we began by discussing further characteristics of formal writing and speaking versus informal writing and speaking. Then, we analyzed a piece of southern folklore entitled "The Barefoot Woman." In this piece, we identified examples of tone and voice, diction used for characterization, and classical allusion. After describing the voice we had created for the narrator, we then listened to the author read the tale and compared the two voices. (http://themoonlitroad.com/the-barefoot-woman/) This led to a discussion of how the author uses diction to create voice.
Homework: Students need to finish the note card assignment for BOTH summer reading novels (The Hobbit and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes). These are due TOMORROW. Also, students need to study for the summer reading test on The Hobbit. It will be administered tomorrow as well.
They also need to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks by September 3rd. if ordering this book on-line, it should be ordered immediately to ensure delivery by the 3rd.
English 10
Today, we reviewed key themes and plot points of Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why in preparation for the summer reading test that will be given TOMORROW. Afterwards, we read through a story entitled "The Barefoot Woman" and analyzed it to find how the author uses diction to create a certain tone for the piece, as well as to create a distinct voice for the narrator.
Homework: Students need to finish the note card assignment for 13 Reasons Why in preparation for the summer reading test that will be administered tomorrow. They should also study for this test using their novel and the note cards.
In today's class, we began by discussing further characteristics of formal writing and speaking versus informal writing and speaking. Then, we analyzed a piece of southern folklore entitled "The Barefoot Woman." In this piece, we identified examples of tone and voice, diction used for characterization, and classical allusion. After describing the voice we had created for the narrator, we then listened to the author read the tale and compared the two voices. (http://themoonlitroad.com/the-barefoot-woman/) This led to a discussion of how the author uses diction to create voice.
Homework: Students need to finish the note card assignment for BOTH summer reading novels (The Hobbit and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes). These are due TOMORROW. Also, students need to study for the summer reading test on The Hobbit. It will be administered tomorrow as well.
They also need to obtain a copy of Joanne Harris' Runemarks by September 3rd. if ordering this book on-line, it should be ordered immediately to ensure delivery by the 3rd.
English 10
Today, we reviewed key themes and plot points of Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why in preparation for the summer reading test that will be given TOMORROW. Afterwards, we read through a story entitled "The Barefoot Woman" and analyzed it to find how the author uses diction to create a certain tone for the piece, as well as to create a distinct voice for the narrator.
Homework: Students need to finish the note card assignment for 13 Reasons Why in preparation for the summer reading test that will be administered tomorrow. They should also study for this test using their novel and the note cards.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Tuesday, August 21st
Pre-AP English 9
Welcome to a new year! I hope that everyone has had a productive and exciting start to what I am sure will be a benchmark year for each of us!
Our Pre-AP classes have gotten started on the right foot, and I am excited about what we will learn and accomplish this semester. Parents, please make sure to check this blog daily for updates as to what we did in class and what students will have for homework.
In today's class, we began background studies that will prepare us for our reading of Homer's The Odyssey. Analyzing the difference between the oral tradition and the written tradition, we discussed the two most common types of stories from the oral tradition: folktales and fairytales. (PowerPoint can be downloaded by clicking here.)
Homework: Students need to fill out and return their information sheets (the last page of their syllabus) by tomorrow (Wednesday, August 22nd). This is for a grade, so students do not need to neglect turning in this information.
Additionally, students need to complete and study their note cards for The Hobbit test. (Note cards for The Hobbit AND Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes will be due on Thursday.) The notes will be due, and the test will occur, on Thursday, August 23rd.
Also, students need to purchase a copy of Runemarks by Joanne Harris. We will begin reading this novel on Monday, September 3rd.
English 10
Welcome to a new school year! As said before, I hope that everyone has started off their year in a great, productive way!
In today's class, we completed a study guide to prepare students for the 13 Reasons Why test that they will take on August 23rd. We also discussed and analyzed the differences between stories told in the oral tradition and stories told in the written tradition (PowerPoint can be downloaded above).
Homework: Students need to fill out and return their information sheets (the last page of their syllabus) by tomorrow (Wednesday, August 22nd). This is for a grade, so students do not need to neglect turning in this information.
Additionally, students need to complete and study their note cards for the 13 Reasons Why test. The notes will be due, and the test will occur, on Thursday, August 23rd.
Welcome to a new year! I hope that everyone has had a productive and exciting start to what I am sure will be a benchmark year for each of us!
Our Pre-AP classes have gotten started on the right foot, and I am excited about what we will learn and accomplish this semester. Parents, please make sure to check this blog daily for updates as to what we did in class and what students will have for homework.
In today's class, we began background studies that will prepare us for our reading of Homer's The Odyssey. Analyzing the difference between the oral tradition and the written tradition, we discussed the two most common types of stories from the oral tradition: folktales and fairytales. (PowerPoint can be downloaded by clicking here.)
Homework: Students need to fill out and return their information sheets (the last page of their syllabus) by tomorrow (Wednesday, August 22nd). This is for a grade, so students do not need to neglect turning in this information.
Additionally, students need to complete and study their note cards for The Hobbit test. (Note cards for The Hobbit AND Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes will be due on Thursday.) The notes will be due, and the test will occur, on Thursday, August 23rd.
Also, students need to purchase a copy of Runemarks by Joanne Harris. We will begin reading this novel on Monday, September 3rd.
English 10
Welcome to a new school year! As said before, I hope that everyone has started off their year in a great, productive way!
In today's class, we completed a study guide to prepare students for the 13 Reasons Why test that they will take on August 23rd. We also discussed and analyzed the differences between stories told in the oral tradition and stories told in the written tradition (PowerPoint can be downloaded above).
Homework: Students need to fill out and return their information sheets (the last page of their syllabus) by tomorrow (Wednesday, August 22nd). This is for a grade, so students do not need to neglect turning in this information.
Additionally, students need to complete and study their note cards for the 13 Reasons Why test. The notes will be due, and the test will occur, on Thursday, August 23rd.
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