Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Merry Christmas!

This will be the last blog post of the year!

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas break, and that you get to spend a lot of well-deserved time with your family and friends.  May the season bring a time of true peace on earth.

See you all in 2015!

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Tuesday, December 16

AP Language and Composition
Students continued practicing for their midterm in class today.

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

A copy of the poetry PowerPoint can be downloaded from yesterday's blog post.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We finished the Torah in class today, discussing the transfer of leadership from Moses to Joshua.

Monday, December 15, 2014

Monday, December 15

AP Language and Composition
Today, we reviewed the Unbroken essay that students received back.  We also did a practice multiple choice assignment in preparation for the midterm.

Pre-AP English 9
Today, we reviewed for the midterm before beginning a survey of western poetry.

To download a copy of the PowerPoint notes on poetry, click here.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Today we reviewed for the midterm before starting a discussion on the Ark of the Covenant and its present location.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Friday, December 12

AP Language and Composition
We continued discussing visual rhetoric in class today.

Pre-AP English 9
We finished our discussion of The Odyssey in class today.

Reading the Bible as Literature
We continued discussing Deuteronomy as a  suzerainty treaty in class today, in preparation for studying how the tribal division of land plays into the eschatological action of Revelation.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Thursday, December 11

AP Language and Composition
We began discussing visual rhetoric in class today.

Pre-AP English 9
In today's class, we debated the extent of free speech rights when it comes to social media posts.  We also continued our discussion of The Odyssey.

Bible as Literature
Students finished presenting their "Promised Land" presentations in class today.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Wednesday, December 10

AP Language and Composition
Students debated the limits of free speech in the context of social media during class today.

Pre-AP English 9
We had a writing workshop in class today, as students received their last essays and were instructed to review and revise them.

Homework:  Students need to review and revise their Odyssey essays and bring them to turn in to class tomorrow.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Students continued presenting their "Promised Land" projects in class today.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Tuesday, December 9

AP Language and Composition
Students wrote their Unbroken essay in class today.

Pre-AP English 9
Students wrote an essay on the themes of The Odyssey in class today.

Homework:  Students need to obtain a copy of Of Mice and Men as soon as possible.  Students will be reading this novel over Christmas Break.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Students completed a reading guide for the end of Numbers and the beginning of Deuteronomy in class today.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Monday, December 8

AP Language and Composition
Students took their final Unbroken test in class today.

Homework:  Students should begin searching for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks so that they can buy a copy for as cheap as possible.  We will begin using this book next semester.

Pre-AP English 9
We reviewed books XVI-XX of The Odyssey in class today.

Homework:  Students need to obtain their copy of Of Mice and Men as soon as possible.

Reading the Bible as Literature
Students presented their findings on the "Promised Land" archetype in class today.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of December 8

This is your last blog post for the year!!

This really isn't a current event as much as it's a refresher of what we've covered in class.  As such, and as a reward for your effort, it will count as a forty point assignment, rather than the typical twenty. So, read the following webpage and answer the following questions.

Webpage
 https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/725/

Questions
1. What is the ultimate goal of rhetorical analysis?
2. What is justifying the text of your document?  How is this an example of visual rhetoric?
3. What is a rhetorical situation?
4. What is a "target audience"?
5. What are the four categories of visual rhetoric purposes?
6. What is rhetorical context?
7. Describe the "spatial ordering" organizational strategy.
8. After reading the page, describe how analyzing visual rhetoric is different than analyzing regular rhetoric.

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for the Week of December 8

This will be your last current events blog of the year!

Read the following article:

http://news.yahoo.com/least-13-killed-failed-u-bid-rescue-hostages-130544870.html

Answer the following questions related to the article:

1. Describe the situation in Yemen that precipitated the killings.
2. What does AQAP stand for, and what is it?
3. Did Yemeni forces help to plan the attempted rescue, or did the US act alone?
4. Name the two hostages, one American and one South African, who were killed in the attack.
5. Who is John Kerry?  What reason does he give for going ahead with the rescue attempt?
6. What efforts was South Africa making to rescue the South African teacher that was being held hostage?
7. Knowing the background of the situation, are the US armed forces to blame for the death of the hostages?  Why or why not?

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Thursday, December 4

AP Language and Composition
Students reviewed the multiple-choice practice test that they took in class on Tuesday.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Unbroken by Monday, December 8.

Pre-AP English 9
We reviewed the rules of capitalization in today's class.

Students need to make sure that they are trying to obtain their copy of Of Mice and Men.  By class vote, we will read this novella over the Christmas Holidays.

Bible as Literature
Students finished getting their group projects ready in class today.  We then began making our way further into the book of Numbers.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Monday, December 1

AP Language and Composition
We continued studying satire in today's class.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Unbroken by Monday, December 8.


Pre-AP English 9
We continued studying The Odyssey in class today.

Homework:  Students need to study for the first Odyssey test, which will be given on Wednesday, December 3.

Bible as Literature
In today's class, we reviewed for the test that will be given on Wednesday, December 3.

Homework:  Students need to study for test that will be given on December 3.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of December 1

Read the following article:

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/online-threats-case-show-u-justices-down-rap-130148691--finance.html

Answer the following questions related to the article:

1. In what state and year did the original threat take place?
2. Who all did Elonis threaten in his Facebook posts?  Who did he say he was emulating?
3. With what type of music are the Supreme Court Judges usually associated?
4. Does a Supreme Court judge have the right to tell someone that the music they make or listen to is too violent?
5. Do you agree with Elonis' lawyers that he and the rappers are being held to a double standard?
6. How much can a rapper or other celebrity be held responsible for Elonis' actions?
7. How far is morally too far when it comes to entertainment?

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of December 1

Read the following article:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20141130/us--supreme_court-facebook_threats-54ede78cfd.html

Answer the following questions that relate to the article:

1. In what city did the original threat take place?
2. How is this story related to the First Ammendment?
3. Where did Anthony Elonis work before he was fired?
4. How does the Supreme Court define "true threats"? Do you agree with this definition of a threat?  How far should someone be able to go before what they're saying is no longer considered free speech?
5. Is there any credence to the argument that at least Elonis only said these things online instead of acting on them?  Should people be allowed to vent and say whatever they want if it means that they won't act on their intentions?
6. Can celebrities like Eminem be held at all responsible for Elonis' act?  What is the difference between a celebrity saying whatever he/she wants and Elonis saying whatever he wants?

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Tuesday, November 25

I hope that everyone has a restful and reflective Thanksgiving Break!

AP Language and Composition
Students finished reading and analyzing Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Unbroken by Monday, December 8.

Pre-AP English 9
Students continued reading and studying The Odyssey in class today.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Book XII of The Odyssey for class on Monday, December 1.

Bible as Literature
Students finished studying the Ark of the Covenant's prominence in pop culture in today's class.

Monday, November 24, 2014

New Orleans Field Trip Photos

If you would like to view or download copies of my pictures from the New Orleans field trip, click here.

Monday, November 24

AP Language and Composition
Students continued studying satire today, starting their study of Swift's "A Modest Proposal."

Homework:  Students need to finish reading Unbroken by Monday, December 8.

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

Bible as Literature
Students continued learning about the Ark of the Covenant's portrayal in modern culture in today's class.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Wednesday, November 19

AP Language and Composition
Students took their Unbroken test in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read the rest of Unbroken (including the Epilogue) by Monday, December 8.

Pre-AP English 9
We finished our discussion of the Judgment of Paris and the Trojan War in class today and began looking at Book I of The Odyssey.

EXTRA: Click here to access the interactive map that we discussed in class.  This map chronicles the travels of Odysseus and shows where most scholars believe his adventures took place on the Mediterranean coastlines.

Reading the Bible as Literature
In today's class, we discussed the placement of the tribes of Israel around the tabernacle, and the report of the spies as the people entered the land of Canaan.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tuesday, November 18

AP Language and Composition
Satire was the object of our discussion in class today.  We discussed what it is and how to analyze it, and then we looked at different types of satire across different mediums.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by tomorrow.

Pre-AP English 9
We began talking about epic conventions and the epic hero cycle in class today.

Bible as Literature
We began a discussion of Levitical law and the Jewish sacrificial system in class today.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Monday, November 17

AP Language and Composition
Students debated the ethics of governmental sanctions in private business in today's class.

Homework:  Students need to finish reading chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday.

Pre-AP English 9
In today's class students finished presenting their research and then debated the common core standards.

Homework:  Students need to make sure to bring their copy of The Odyssey with them to class tomorrow (Tuesday, November 18).

Bible as Literature
We finished our discussion of the book of Exodus in today's class.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

AP Language and Composition and Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of November 17

There will be no current events blogs for the next two weeks.  I hope you all have a happy and festive Thanksgiving!!

Friday, November 14, 2014

Friday, November 14

AP Language and Composition
We finished our discussion of Hiroshima in class today. 

Homework:  Students need to finish reading chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19.

Pre-AP English 9
Students finished presenting their research in class today.

Bible as Literature
We finished reading about the disobedience of the children of Israel in class today.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Thursday, November 13

AP Language and Composition
We continued our study of WWII propaganda in class today.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19.

Pre-AP English 9
Students continued presenting their research in class today.

Bible as Literature
We began talking about the Tabernacle in class today.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Wednesday, November 12

AP Language and Composition
Today, students received several grades for classwork on which they have been working.  We also rhetorically analyzed an essay by Annie Dillard.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19.

Pre-AP English 9
Students took a pop quiz on their presentation notes in class today.  Afterwards, they began presenting the second part of their research project.

Bible as Literature
In today's class, students watched an Islamic scholar explain how the story of the Exodus is portrayed in the Qur'an.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Monday, November 10

Thank you to all of the men and women who have sacrificed or are sacrificing occupations, family, and even their lives to defend our country and the freedom it gives.  You are very much appreciated!


AP Language and Composition
Students debated the Common Core Academic Standards in class today and whether or not the best model of education has leadership at the local or federal level.

Homework:  Students need to read chapter 18-29 in Unbroken by November 19.


Pre-AP English 9
Students debated whether or not it is the government's responsibility to delegate morality to its citizens, particularly in the case of the town of Westminster, whose city government recently banned the sale of tobacco within city limits.

Homework:  Students need to finish the second part of their research project, which is due on Wednesday, November 12.

Bible as Literature
Students took their Exodus 13-20 test in class today.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Pre-AP English 9 Current Events Blog for Week of November 10

Read the following article:

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/08/20/common-core-support-waning-most-now-oppose-standards-national-surveys-show

Answer the following questions relating to the article:

1. Explain the Common Core Standards.  What are they?
2. Why have the Standards become so divisive among politicians and teachers?  What's the big deal?
3. What is the "Race to the Top" program?  In your opinion, is the federal government using this program to force the Common Core on state education systems? Explain.
4. What is Alabama's stance on the Common Core?  How does the Common Core relate to Alabama's College and Career Readiness Standards, adopted in 2010?
5. Who is Bobby Jindal?  How has his stance on the standards changed in the last couple of years?  Do you believe that this is politically motivated?
6. What is your opinion on the state of education in the nation?  In our state?
7. Is it better to run education at the state or federal level?  Why?

AP Language and Composition Current Events Blog for Week of November 10

Read the following article:

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/daily-news-article/massachusetts-town-wants-to-ban-tobacco-sales/

Answer the following questions related to the article:

1. Officials in Westminster want to ban all tobacco products in the city limits.  Why?
2. Who is Brian Vincent?  What does he claim the ban will do to local business?
3. Who is Robert Proctor?  Why would the journalist include Proctor's claims in the article?  Does this create a certain type of appeal?  (ethos, pathos, or logos)  Explain.
4. When will the Board vote to approve or disprove the ban?
5. What is your opinion on the banning of all tobacco products?  Is it right?  Legal?
6. If you don't know anything about Prohibition, look it up very quickly.  How could banning tobacco products be reminiscent of Prohibition?  Could the ban end up backfiring on Westminster, or will it be effective in improving the town's health?  Could Prohibition teach us lessons about this sort of governmental behavior? Explain.
7. Is it the government's responsibility to help people get healthy, as the proponents of the ban claim? Why or why not?

Friday, November 7, 2014

Friday, November 7

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

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19.

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

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

Homework:  Students need to study for the Exodus 13-20 test, which will be given on Monday, November 10.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Wednesday, November 5

AP Language and Composition
Students analyzed several WWII speeches in class today, including speeches from General Patton, President Eisenhower, and General MacArthur.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19.  They also need to study for their Word of the Day quiz, which will be given on Friday, November 7.  Finally, students need to finish analyzing Hitler's call to war and answer the accompanying questions, if they have not already finished them.  These are due tomorrow.

Pre-AP English 9
Students continued to present their research projects in class today.

Homework: Students need to study for their Word of the Day quiz, which will be given on Friday, November 7.

Bible as Literature
Students discussed the role of the Ten Commandments in the New Testament in class today.

Homework:  Students need to study for their Word of the Day quiz, which will be given on Friday, November 7.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Tuesday, November 4

AP Language and Composition
Students analyzed Haile Selassie's plea to the League of Nations for help after Ethiopia was invaded as a precursor to WWII.

Homework:  Students need to read chapters 18-29 in Unbroken by Wednesday, November 19. Students also need to study for their Word of the Day test, which will be given on Friday.  This test will cover words #1-20.

Pre-AP English 9
Students continued presenting their research projects in class today.

Homework:  Students need to study for their Word of the Day test, which will be given on Friday.  This test will cover words #1-20.

Bible as Literature
Students began studying the giving of the law in class today.

Homework: Students need to study for their Word of the Day test, which will be given on Friday.  This test will cover words #1-20.