Thursday, February 12

AP Language and Composition
In today's class, students wrote their third and final essay in a series of essays that they have been writing for their study of rhetorical analysis.

Homework:  Students need to read the rest of Henrietta Lacks by Tuesday, February 17.

Pre-AP English 9
Students took their Word of the Day quiz in class today before turning their attention to the plight of Romeo and Juliet.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 5-8 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 20.

Reading Bible as Literature
We finished our study of Esther in class today.

Homework:  Students need to familiarize themselves with their Job and Esther notes in preparation for the test that they will take tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 11

AP Language and Composition
Today, students wrote the second essay in a series of three in-class essays.

Homework:  Students need to read the rest of Henrietta Lacks by Tuesday, February 17.

Pre-AP English 9
We continued studying Romeo and Juliet in today's class.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 5-8 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 20.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We began studying the book of Esther in today's class.

Tuesday, February 10

AP Language and Composition
Students began writing a series of essays today, writing the first of this series in class.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Henrietta Lacks by Tuesday, February 17.

Pre-AP English 9
Students presented their "translated" versions of the Balcony Scene in class today and then continued reading through Act II.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 4-8 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 20.

Bible as Literature
Students began studying the book of Esther in class today.

Monday, February 9

AP Language and Composition
Students analyzed two varied passages today, including one released AP passage from an actual exam.  They then analyzed and deconstructed essay responses for the AP passage.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Henrietta Lacks by Tuesday, February 17.

Pre-AP English 9
Students worked on their Balcony Scene translations in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 4-8 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 20.

Reading the Bible as Lit
We finished our study of Job in today's class.

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of February 9

For last week's assignment, many of you posted articles about cloning or "test tube babies."  Read the following article about this being used for a penguin birth at Sea World:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/first-test-tube-penguin-says-hello-to-the-world-142643902.html

Answer the following questions related to the article:

1. What is the technical name for the "test-tube penguin"?
2. Who is Justine O'Brien?  What does she say is the goal of the research center?
3. How well is the test-tube penguin fitting in with the naturally-born penguins?
4. What type of penguin is it?
5. Cloning and artificial insemination is one of the major results that Rebecca Skloot claims come from the use of Henrietta Lacks' cells.  List out at least three advantages and disadvantages of this type of science.
6. What are your thoughts about cloning and artificial insemination?

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of February 9

Read the following article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/globalwarming/11395516/The-fiddling-with-temperature-data-is-the-biggest-science-scandal-ever.html

Answer the following questions based on the article:

1. Who is Paul Homewood?
2. What organization did Homewood discover first adjusted temperature readings at the South American Weather stations?
3. Who, until recently, has long been in charge of climate research for the Iceland met office?
4. What is Giss?  What does James Hansen have to do with the organization?
5. If the Arctic ice melt is not caused by rising global temperatures, then what does the author of the article claim does cause it?
6. What is your opinion on global warming?  Is it a hoax, or is it something that threatens our very existence?

Thursday, January 5

AP Language and Composition
Students continued rhetorically analyzing a wide variety of complicated passages today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Henrietta Lacks by Friday, February 13.

Pre-AP English 9
Students began "translating" Act II Scene II of Romeo and Juliet today and learned how to figure out unfamiliar words using context clues.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading chapters 1-4 of A Separate Peace by tomorrow (Friday, February 6).

Bible as Literature
Students took their Word of the Day quiz in class today.  Then we continued our study of the book of Job.

Wednesday, February 4

AP Language and Composition
We continued our rapid-fire rhetoric review in class today, reading through several student manifestos from the 1960s.

Homework: Students need to read the rest of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, February 13.

Pre-AP English 9
We continued reading Romeo and Juliet in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 in A Separate Peace by this Friday (February 6).

Reading the Bible as Lit
We began our study of Job in today's class.

Tuesday, February 3

AP Language and Composition
Students reviewed the multiple-choice exam that they took yesterday.

Homework:  Students need to read the rest of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, February 13.

Pre-AP English 9
We continued our study of Romeo and Juliet in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 6.

Bible as Literature
Students took the test on 1 Samuel - 2 Chronicles in class today.

Monday, February 2

AP Language and Composition
Students took a mock AP multiple-choice exam in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Henrietta Lacks by Friday, February 13.

Pre-AP English 9
We finished our study of Shakespeare's life in class today and began acting out Romeo and Juliet.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 in A Separate Peace by Friday, February 6.

Bible as Literature
We finished our study of 1 Samuel- 2 Chronicles in class today.

Homework:  Students need to make sure their class notes are complete and bring them with them to class tomorrow for the test.

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of February 2

This week's blog is a little different.

For this week's blog, you need to go and find a news article that is related in someway to medical ethics.  In other words, our reading of Henrietta Lacks has raised several questions related to ethics in the medical field.  I want for you to find articles that wrestle with this questions as well.  Your article DOES NOT have to be related to Henrietta Lacks, but it should cover ethical questions or issues related to the medical field.

In order to receive credit for this blog, you must copy and paste the URL link to your news article and give a paragraph-long summary of what your article discusses.

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of February 2

This week's blog is a little different.

For this week's blog, you need to go and find a news article that is related in someway to technological ethics.  In other words, a news article that has to deal with technology's influence over our everyday lives, whether for good or bad.

In order to receive credit for this blog, you must copy and paste the URL link to your news article and give a paragraph-long summary of what your article discusses.

Friday, January 30

AP Language and Composition
We read through and rhetorically analyzed several articles in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read Part 3 of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, February 13.

Pre-AP English 9
We continued our Shakespeare study in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 of A Separate Peace by Friday, February 6.

Bible as Literature
We continued our study of Kings and Chronicles in class today.

Thursday, January 29

AP Language and Composition
After taking their Word of the Day quiz, we rhetorically analyzed an article about popular culture,

Pre-AP English 9
After taking their Word of the Day quiz, we continued studying Shakespeare in today's class.

Homework:  Students need to read chapter 1-4 in A Separate Peace by February 6.

Bible as Literature
We continued our study of Saul and David and the establishing of Israel as a kingdom in today's class.

Wednesday, January 28

AP Language and Composition
Students took the second test on Henrietta Lacks in class today.

Homework: Students need to study for their Word of the Day quiz, which will be given tomorrow.

Pre-AP English 9
We continued our study of Shakespeare in class today.

NOTE: For a copy of the Shakespeare PowerPoint, please reference yesterday's blog post.

Homework: Students need to study for their Word of the Day quiz which will be given tomorrow.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Students took their Word of the Day quiz in class today.

Tuesday, January 27

AP Language and Composition
Students took a grammar review assessment today before watching a short news story on Henrietta Lacks.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Part 2 of Henrietta Lacks by tomorrow (Wednesday, January 28).

Pre-AP English 9
We did a short writing workshop in today's class before beginning our study of Shakespeare.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 in A Separate Peace by February 6.


Note:  To download a copy of the PowerPoint notes, click here.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We continued studying 1 Samuel in class today and learning about the beginning of David's reign over Israel.

Monday, January 26

AP Language and Composition
Students finished analyzing the State of the Union Address in today's class.

Homework:  Students need to read Part 2 of Henrietta Lacks by Wednesday, January 28.

Pre-AP English 9
Students took a punctuation test in class today.  We then took the time to review the test.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 1-4 in A Separate Peace by February 6.

Bible as Literature
We continued reading through 1 Samuel today, paying special attention to the story of David and Goliath and Saul's jealousy of David.

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of January 26

Read the following article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/business/media/unease-for-what-microsofts-hololens-will-mean-for-our-screen-obsessed-lives.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Answer the following questions that are related to the article:

1. Describe the new technology that elicited the writing of this article.
2. How does the author of the piece portray the current role technology plays in our lives?
3. The author claims that he is not nostalgic about days without modern technology, but does he contradict himself in his writing?  Why or why not?
4. How does the author use the show Black Mirror to underscore his argument?
5. Do you agree with, disagree with, or qualify the author's opinion about technology.  To receive credit for your response, explain your stance using a personal, first-hand account you have had with technology's influence over your life or the lives of those around you.

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events for Week of January 26

Read the following article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-wheres-the-empathy.html?ref=opinion

Answer the following questions:

1. Where did Kevin and the author of this article grow up?  What type of community was it?
2. What sort of man was Kevin's dad?  What sort of teenager was Kevin?
3. What are some of the factors that caused others to look down on Kevin before he died?
4. What are some of the ways that Kevin tried to make money when he couldn't work?
5. The author claims that a lack of empathy is what really killed Kevin.  What is empathy?  Do you think that Americans, as a whole, have a lack of empathy?  What about the people you are around most often?  Do they have a lack of empathy?
6. Compare Kevin with George or Lennie from Of Mice and Men (your choice of which).  How are their views of the American Dream similar?  How are they different?

Friday, January 23

AP Language and Composition
Students rhetorically analyzed President Obama's State of the Union Address in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Part 2 of Henrietta Lacks by Wednesday, January 28.

Pre-AP English 9
After reviewing the punctuation practice from yesterday, we began analyzing FDR's first inaugural address.

Homework:  Students need to have their copy of A Separate Peace by Monday, January 26.  They also need to have their copy of Romeo and Juliet within the next week as well.

Reading the Bible as Literature
After a short Word of the Day quiz, we continued studying about Samuel and Saul in class today.

Tuesday, January 20

AP Language and Composition
Students began writing a partner-essay in today's class responding to the 2009 AP Lang Exam prompt.

Homework: Students need to read Part 2 of Henrietta Lack by Wednesday, January 28.

Pre-AP English 9
Today, students debated the role of comedians in society, particularly focusing on the tragedy that recently occurred at Charlie Hebdo in Paris.

Homework: Students need to finish reading Of Mice and Men by tomorrow (Wednesday, January 21).

Bible as Literature
We began our study of the Biblical books of Deuteronomistic history (Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles) in class today.

For a copy of the class notes, click here.

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of January 19

Read the following editorial:

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20150114/NEWS/150119810/1012/opinion?Title=EDITORIAL-Tweak-law-but-drivers-should-have-permit

Answer the following questions:

1. What is an editorial? (The answer is not in the article; you'll have to look this up on your own.)
2. What state senator is trying to pass a bill related to carrying guns in a vehicle?  What is the main point of his bill?
3. As the law currently stands, in the authors' opinion, what are the major problems with obtaining a concealed-carry permit in Alabama?
4. How do the authors of this editorial feel about Americans' rights to bear arms?  What evidence do they give to support these rights?
5. Do you think that people should be able to carry weapons in their vehicles?  Do you think that people should be able to carry weapons at all?

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of January 19

You have two articles to read this week:

#1- click here  (for this article, read down until the you see the large title, "Free College for All: Dream, Promise, or Fantasy)

#2- click here

Answer the following questions based on article one:

1. Why did President Obama choose Tennessee as the place to promote his community college plan?
2. Who is Sara Goldrick-Rab?  Who is Sandy Baum?  How do each of these women feel about the President's plan?
3. What are some of the drawbacks (PLURAL!) of the government funding community college?
4. How would the plan impact the middle class?

Answer the following questions based on article two:

5. Why does Tom Hanks say that he went to Chabot Community College?
6. How does he say that it bridged the gap between high school and the State University for him?
7. Why does he think that community college is important for the current generation of Americans?

Answer the following questions based on your now-informed-opinion:

8. On what side do you stand of the community-college debate?  Should the government spend more money than it is already spending to pay for millions of students to attend community college for free?

9. If this were to happen, would community colleges take on the same drawbacks and problems as public schools?

Thursday, January 15

AP Language and Composition
Students took their Word of the Day test in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Part 1 of Henrietta Lacks by tomorrow (Friday, January 16).

Pre-AP English 9
Students took their Word of the Day test in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Of Mice and Men by Wednesday, January 21.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We covered the book of Ruth in class today.

Homework:  Students need to study for the test that they will be given tomorrow which will cover the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

Tuesday, January 13

AP Language and Composition
Students had time in class today to finish their partner essays from yesterday.  We also read over nationally-normed sample AP essays from the same prompt about which the students just finished writing.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Part 1 of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, January 16.

Pre-AP English 9
Students took time today to finish their poetry analysis that they began writing yesterday.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading pages 1-65 in Of Mice and Men by tomorrow (Wednesday, January 14).

Reading the Bible as Literature
We began studying through the book of Judges in class today.

Homework:  Students need to study through their class notes in preparation for the "Joshua, Judges, and Ruth" test that they will be given on Friday.

Monday, January 12

AP Language and Composition
Students worked on a partner essay in class today.

Homework: Students need to read Part 1 of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, January 16.

Pre-AP English 9
Students wrote a poetry analysis essay in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read pages 1-65 in Of Mice and Men by Wednesday, January 14.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Students watched a re-enactment of the books of Joshua and Judges in class today.

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of January 12

At the request of some of your classmates, read the following article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/opinion/the-charlie-hebdo-massacre-in-paris.html?ref=opinion

Answer the following questions based on the article:

1. Explain the events that took place at Charlie Hebdo this past week.
2. Who is Francois Hollande?  In regards to Islam, what did he have to say about these attacks?
3. Who is Marine Le Pen?  How does the writer claim that she has taken advantage of the attacks?
4. What is xenophobia?
5. Who is Dalil Boubakeur?  What did he have to say about the attacks?
6. The writer claims that some people accuse Charlie Hebdo of "tempting the ire of Islamic extremists one too many times."  What are your thoughts?  Did the cartoonists bring this attack on themselves, even to a small degree, by publishing something that they knew would be controversial?
7. How offensive should cartoonists, satirists, and comedians be able to be in the name of comedy?  Who should regulate them?

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for the Week of January 12

Read the following Op-Ed article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/opinion/sunday/when-art-is-dangerous-or-not.html?ref=opinion

Answer the following questions related to the article:

1. Who is Tim Kreider and what does he do for a living?
2. What two recent events involving popular art does writer mention?
3. What is Charlie Hebdo?  What significance has it had in the news recently?
4. How does the writer claim that American capitalism controls its artists?
5. Are the cartoonists in Paris at all to blame for the terrorist acts that have occurred there?  In other words, if they knew publishing the cartoon would have caused so much trouble, should they have just not published it in the first place?
6. How much liberty should satirists and comics have when making fun of certain facets of society?  Do comedians get a free pass to say / do what they want in the name of humor?

Friday, January 9

AP Language and Composition
Students took a short, practice multiple choice test in class today before beginning work on an in-class essay.

Homework:  Students need to read Part 1 of Henrietta Lacks by Friday, January 16,

Pre-AP English 9
We continued discussing poetry in class today, focusing on literary analysis for poems.

Homework:  Students need to read pages 1-65 in Of Mice and Men by Wednesday, January 14.

Bible as Literature
We finished the book of Joshua in class today, discussing the significance of the tribal land division in Israel as well as how the end of Joshua ties up the story of the Jewish occupation begun at the end of Genesis.

Wednesday, January 7

Welcome back!  I hope that everyone is ready for a challenging and great semester!

AP Language and Composition
In order to get back into the swing of things, students began rhetorically analyzing George Orwell's "Shooting an Elephant."

Homework:  Students need to read Part 1 of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (by Rebecca Skloot) by Friday, January 16.

Pre-AP English 9
We began our discussion of Of Mice and Men by reading and attempting to translate Robert Burns' "To a Mouse," from which the novel derives its name.

Homework:  Students need to read pages 1-65 in Of Mice and Men by Wednesday, January 14.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We started our study of the book of Joshua today.

Homework:  Students need to complete their Psalm Journal (for Psalm 27-30) by next Friday, January 16.