Tuesday, December 18 ... EXAM REVIEW

• Continue working on the "Character Analysis Essay - Letter to Santa"
• MAKE SURE YOU POST IT TO CANVAS - IT WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED IN ANY OTHER FORMAT!
• Remember is is due by midnight tomorrow (Wednesday, December 19); but this is the last day of classtime you will have on it.
• Canvas is set up to accept it until midnight on Friday, December 21.  However, anything submitted after the Wednesday deadline will be considered late and will have points deducted per the district grading policy.
• The essay will not be accepted after midnight on Friday.

• EXAM REVIEW... ours will be a CBA/STAAR style exam with cold reads and questions from them as well as some questions over editing and revising.  You may want to review the following
• WORDS TO REVIEW: Rectitude, Sophisticated, Elegant, Candid, Ponderous, Refined, Plausible, Forthright, Transparency, Desperation, Decisiveness, Uprightness, Induced, Retinue, Savor, Piety, Clemency
• LITERARY CONCEPTS TO REVIEW: Figurative Language, Symbol, Tone, Theme, Conflict, Summary
• REVISING/EDITING REVIEW: Capitalization Rules, Using Hyphens, Writing Numbers in a Sentence, Comma Rules, Using Colons and Semicolons... 

Monday, December 17 ... Character Letter to Santa and EXAM REVIEW INFO

• Choose any character from our readings thus far this year, and think about the 4 things that character most valued or wanted (and what motivated that character to want or value those things), then ....
  
  
• TYPE THE FOLLOWING IN THE ASSIGNMENT "Character Analysis Essay - Letter to Santa" on CANVAS
  
• Write a letter to Santa from that character's perspective and in that character's voice.
• Ask for 4 things
• Be very specific as to why you want those things
• Stay true to your character's personality and sense of self
• 250-400 words
• Due by Wednesday, December 19
• TEST GRADE (even if I signed your exemption forn, you are not exempt if you faill to turn this in)

• EXAM REVIEW ... ours will be a CBA/STAAR style exam with cold reads and questions from them as well as some questions over editing and revising.  You may want to review the following
• WORDS TO REVIEW: Rectitude, Sophisticated, Elegant, Candid, Ponderous, Refined, Plausible, Forthright, Transparency, Desperation, Decisiveness, Uprightness, Induced, Retinue, Savor, Piety, Clemency
• LITERARY CONCEPTS TO REVIEW: Figurative Language, Symbol, Tone, Theme, Conflict, Summary
• REVISING/EDITING REVIEW: Capitalization Rules, Using Hyphens, Writing Numbers in a Sentence, Comma Rules, Using Colons and Semicolons,

Wednesday, December 12 ... Act IV of Macbeth

• Read Act IV of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare video/reading of the play as an additional resource.

Check your findings for the study questions from your reading below ... 

A IV; S 1

1. How has Macbeth's attitude toward the witches changed since his first meeting with them?

When he first met the witches, he regarded them with as odd/weird figures and did not trust them or believe what they say could even be possible.  Now he consults with them and seeks their advice over that of his wife and others.  A once good man now openly conspires with these supernatural figures.

2. What 3 apparitions rise from the witches' cauldron?

An armored head (as a symbol of war), a bloody child, and a child wearing a crown and carrying a tree in his hand

3. What does each warn/predict?

The Head - Beware Macduff

The Bloody Child - Macbeth cannot be killed by any man who was born of woman

The Crowned Child - Macbeth will remain kind until Birnam Wood (a forest) comes to Dunsinane (his castle now as king)

4. What does Macbeth decide to do to Macduff and his family?

He decides to have them murdered - all of them ... Macduff, Lady Macduff, and their son.

A IV; S 2

1. What does the murder of Lady Macduff and her son show about the descent of Macbeth's character?

While Macbeth has done evil things previously, there was at least a reason/motivation for doing so.  He killed Duncan to become king.  He had Banquo murdered to protect his throne.  However, the murder of Lady Macduff and her son is truly the murder of innocents who pose no threat to him.

A IV; S 3

1. What is Macduff's plan of revenge?

Macduff plans to return to Scotland with Malcolm and an army of 10,000 soldiers in order to overthrow Macbeth - and to confront him directly and avenge the murder of his wife and son himself.  He will kill Macbeth.

Tuesday, December 11 ... Macbeth Test, Acts I-III

• The Macbeth: Acts I-III test is on Canvas and should be available to you.  You can review for as long as you would like - but once you get a laptop out, your desk must be clear of all other items (no phones, no paper, no writing utensils, etc.).

• You will be allowed one chance to retake the test today - you may review your notes/etc. before you attempt the retake.  You do NOT have to retake it during class, but it must be completed before 3:00pm today.  You will receive the higher of the scores if you take advantage of the second attempt.

• If you do not pass either attempt, you will have an opportunity to retest this week to recover up to a 70.

Monday, December 10 ... Macbeth, Reflecting on Acts 1-3

• Consider the essential question of this unit of study ... Can you ever be too ambitious? ... and the events of the play through Act III.
• Today in class ... 
• Write a journal (250-400 words) within the time allowed.  It is due by the end of the period, so manage your time accordingly. Quiz grade.
• Can you ever be too ambitious?  Who is more ambitious, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth (Explain.)?  Who is more evil, Macbeth or Lady Macbeth?  Do you think that if Macbeth had let chance run its course that he would still have become king - or was his over-reaching ambition an unspoken part of the witches' prophecies?
• Tomorrow - Objective Test over Acts I-III ... be familiar with the events of our reading so far.  Study questions should guide your review - as well as being familiar with the characters (who they are ... what they do ... etc.)

Friday, December 7 ... Macbeth, Act III

Read and discuss Act III of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare: Macbeth video as a supplementary reference.  As we read and discuss, work on the Act III Study Questions.

• Act III begins on P. 383 in your literature books.
• The Study Questions are on the side table.

Thursday, December 6 ... Act II of Macbeth

• Read and discuss Act II of Macbeth in class using the Wordplay Shakespeare: Macbeth video as a supplementary reference.  As we read and discuss, work on the Act II Study Questions.
• Act II begins on P. 368 in your literature books.
• The Study Questions - if you did not get a copy on Thursday - are on the side table.

Monday, December 3 ... Wrapping up Act 1 .. beginning Act 2

• Today, we will analyze and summarize key elements of Act One using the Say, Mean, Matter Summary Chart provided.  For each scene, I will provide you with the key event ... you (working with the folks around you in your pod) will provide the most important quote from the act that emphasizes the key event to the reader - then you will paraphrase what it means and why it is important.
• Due Today.

• After you complete the chart, you may begin (individually) reading Act II and working on the study questions - you can find them on the cart at the front of the room.

• WEDNESDAY ... I will be proctoring a STAAR test ... this class will meet in the Cafetorium.

Thursday, November 29 ... Continue Act I of Macbeth

• Get a literature book from somewhere around you ... open to where we left off yesterday... grab a copy of the study questions from the top of the laptop cart (if they aren't there, they will be distributed).

• You don't need your phone - or anything else ... need to focus on this.  The audio of the play with the text and performance will be on the overhead, but you need to be following the play there or in your book.  You may work on the questions as we read/listen.

• Hold on to your study questions - even if you finish them today - they will be your review for possible quizzes and for the exam at the end of the play.

Wednesday, November 28 ... Begin Act I of Macbeth

• Get a literature book from somewhere around you ... open to page 350 ... grab a copy of the study questions from the top of the laptop cart (if they aren't there, they will be distributed).

• You don't need your phone - or anything else ... need to focus on this.  The audio of the play with the text and performance will be on the overhead, but you need to be following the play there or in your book.  You may work on the questions as we read/listen.

• Hold on to your study questions - even if you finish them today - they will be your review for possible quizzes and for the exam at the end of the play.

Tuesday, November 27 ... Macbeth Pre-Reading Journal

400 Words Total ... Choose up to 4 of the questions ... Due before you leave.  Quiz grade.

1. Is evil inherent in human nature? That is, are some people just “born evil,” or is evil caused by circumstance or environment?

2. Are women “naturally” more evil than men?

3. Are our lives determined by fate (predestination), or by the acts of our free will?

4. Is redemption truly possible? That is, is it possible to commit an act of genuine evil and truly recover from it?

5. Is it possible to admire or respect a person whom you know has committed acts of genuine evil?

6. Do “the ends justify the means”? That is, if one uses morally evil or unjust methods to acquire a goal, is that goal forever tainted or polluted by the actions one has taken to achieve it?

Monday, November 26 ... Hitting the Refresh on Shakespeare

• You don't need anything except a pen and a clean sheet of paper - As you watch the documentary on Shakespeare's life and times, make note of 15 things you either didn't know OR 15 things most people wouldn't know about Shakespeare, his works, or the time period in which he lived and wrote.  Turn it in before you leave today.
• Where There's a Will ... The Life and Times of William Shakespeare

November 14 ... "A Modest Proposal" and the Quote (SAY/MEAN/MATTER) Chart

TODAY ... finish the chart for "A Modest Proposal" in the literature book ... pages 622-631.

Mak sure you've selected 14 quotes from within the reading - try to find what you feel are the most important sentences from the reading to select - and put them in the "QUOTE" column of the chart provided.  You do not have to write the entire sentence - you may/should use ellipsis (...) to condense ... for example in paragraph 1:

"These mothers ... or sell themselves to the Barbadoes."

Then, for each quote, you will explain briefly in your own terms what it means (PARAPHRASE) and explain briefly why it matters to the passage (IMPORTANCE).

For pacing's sake you might stay to the following ... P. 624 (2 quotes), P. 625 (2 quotes), P. 626 (1 quote), P. 627 (1 quote), P. 628 (2 quotes), P. 629 (2 quotes), P. 630 (1 quote) ... you can vary from that, but that formula plus the 3 examples will give you your 14.

See the example on the side board of what he chart should (sort of) look like.  The examples include quotes that I chose as my 1st, my 13th, and my 14th.  As you work, try to keep them in order as they occur in Swift's essay as much as possible.

November 13 ... Continuing "A Modest Proposal" ... Say, Mean, Matter

TODAY ... finish reading "A Modest Proposal" in the literature book ... beginning on page 622-631.

After you read, you will select 14 quotes from within the reading - try to find what you feel are the most important sentences from the reading to select - and put them in the "QUOTE" column of the chart provided.  You do not have to write the entire sentence - you may/should use ellipsis (...) to condense ... for example in paragraph 1:

"These mothers ... or sell themselves to the Barbadoes."

Then, for each quote, you will explain briefly in your own terms what it means (PARAPHRASE) and explain briefly why it matters to the passage (IMPORTANCE).

For pacing's sake you might stay to the following ... P. 624 (2 quotes), P. 625 (2 quotes), P. 626 (1 quote), P. 627 (1 quote), P. 628 (2 quotes), P. 629 (2 quotes), P. 630 (1 quote) ... you can vary from that, but that formula plus the 3 examples will give you your 14.

See the example on the side board of what he chart should (sort of) look like.  The examples include quotes that I chose as my 1st, my 13th, and my 14th.  As you work, try to keep them in order as they occur in Swift's essay as much as possible.

November 12 ... Reading a Modest Proposal

SATIRE ... is a literary technique in which people's behaviors or society's institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of bringing about social change.  It often relies on sarcasm or VERBAL IRONY (when one thing is said but another is clearly meant) to be successful.  Satire may come across as a very dry, or even logical set of ideas - but will almost always have a deeply mocking undertone.

• In the 1700s, English rule over Ireland was borderline tyrannical.  Poor agricultural conditions in the 1720s resulted in widespread starvation.  This society consisted of ... essentially ... the haves and the have nots.  The rich and the poor.  The poor had no money.  The rich had difficulty obtaining food ... THUS, satirist Jonathan Swift penned "A Modest Proposal" to prevent the children of the poor people of Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country and for making them beneficial to the public.

TODAY ... begin reading "A Modest Proposal" in the literature book ... beginning on page 622-631.

After you read, you will select 14 quotes from within the reading - try to find what you feel are the most important sentences from the reading to select - and put them in the "QUOTE" column of the chart provided.  You do not have to write the entire sentence - you may/should use ellipsis (...) to condense ... for example in paragraph 1:

"These mothers ... or sell themselves to the Barbadoes."

Then, for each quote, you will explain briefly in your own terms what it means (PARAPHRASE) and explain briefly why it matters to the passage (IMPORTANCE).

November 9 ... RIME Essay Test ... Last Call and Veteran's Day

• Veterans' Day Ceremony Schedule

1. 7:05 - 7:55
2. 7:59 - 8:30
3. 8:34 - 10:40
• Take attendance by 8:40, attend ceremony, return to 3rd period.
• During the ceremony, stay off your phones and be respectful.
4. 10:44 - 11:21

Regular Schedule the remainder of the day.


RIME ESSAY TEST INFO (In case ... for some reason you haven't gotten yours in yet).  LAST CALL FOR THESE.

• Answer the following on your own paper ... OR you can type your responses and share them with me ... whichever works best for you.  Be sure to answer all parts of the prompt - but structure your writing as a single essay.  300-400 Words.  You will work on this in class today and on Monday.

• Part ONE - Guilt and the Poem
• The Mariner’s senseless killing of the albatross (which symbolizes innocence as well as man’s connection to nature - an important theme of the Romantic Period) sets off all the negative events/consequences withn the story. Even though he eventually is forgiven by nature for his sins (when he blesses the sea serpents), he is nonetheless doomed to forever walk the earth sharing his tale (which is the frame for the entire story). Why is this fate - and the fact that he must forever carry the guilt for his actions - a fate worse than death for him?

• Part TWO - Guilt and Your Own Perspective
• Generally speaking, it is right that even though he is forgiven for what he has done, he must still face the consequences? Explain. Do you feel that an apology - if accepted - should be enough to make up for doing something wrong? Explain. Is it important that people feel guilty when they wrong or harm someone or something else? Explain. Would we be better off if guilt didn’t exist? Explain. 

AGAIN ... answer both parts in a single essay response.  But be sure to hit it from both the literary and personal angles.

November 7 ... Getting to Know Shakespeare

• As you enter, get yourself a copy of the Shakespeare biography on top of the laptop cart AND get a highlighter (color doesn't matter).  Make sure you put your name on your copy of the article and number the paragraphs.

• We'll look at a couple of paragraphs together - but eventually, as you read the article, you will highlight what you feel is the most important sentence (or sentences) within each paragraph (except paragraph 1 ... it's just one sentence ... read it and move forward).

November 2 ... Rime of the Ancient Mariner ... Essay Test Prompts

• Answer the following on your own paper ... OR you can type your responses and share them with me ... whichever works best for you.  Be sure to answer all parts of the prompt - but structure your writing as a single essay.  300-400 Words.  You will work on this in class today and on Monday.

• Part ONE - Guilt and the Poem
• The Mariner’s senseless killing of the albatross (which symbolizes innocence as well as man’s connection to nature - an important theme of the Romantic Period) sets off all the negative events/consequences withn the story. Even though he eventually is forgiven by nature for his sins (when he blesses the sea serpents), he is nonetheless doomed to forever walk the earth sharing his tale (which is the frame for the entire story). Why is this fate - and the fact that he must forever carry the guilt for his actions - a fate worse than death for him?

• Part TWO - Guilt and Your Own Perspective
• Generally speaking, it is right that even though he is forgiven for what he has done, he must still face the consequences? Explain. Do you feel that an apology - if accepted - should be enough to make up for doing something wrong? Explain. Is it important that people feel guilty when they wrong or harm someone or something else? Explain. Would we be better off if guilt didn’t exist? Explain. 

AGAIN ... answer both parts in a single essay response.  But be sure to hit it from both the literary and personal angles.

October 30 ... Analyzing Rime

• Yesterday we had the chance to read the poem "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" for general understanding - today you will use the reading questions to go back and re-read parts of the story to analyze literary and poetic elements of the poem.  Answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper ... and make a list of any questions YOU have about the poen (or note any of the reading questions you want to ask about or have further discussion on tomorrow).  Try to get through as many of #s 1-29 as you can today.
• The poem begins on P. 814 in the literature book.
• The questions are on top of the laptop cart.

October 29 ... Reading "Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

• Today we will read (and listen to a reading of) "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" ... read/listen for understanding today.  We will work with it more in the next few days to analyze.
• Pages 814-834 in the Lit Book.
• Rime ... Read by Ian McKellen

October 26 ... The Romantic Era and Nature and Rime of the Ancient Mariner (RotAM)

The Romantic Era (roughly 1800-1850) ... artistic revival on the back end of the Age of Enlightenment during the 18th Century (1700s).  Literary, musical, and intellectual movement that focused on the human condition and on nature and on ideas of eternity ... and on a more visceral lifestyle than the largely industrial and commercial Enlightenment.  In a nutshell, after 100 years of deep though and analysis, art and literature turned back toward the emotional and Romantic ideals of what living (and all things associated with living ... including death) is.

The Romantic Era throughout Europe was largely influenced by the French Revolution - with the execution of Louis XVI kicking off the notion that a "new world" could exist.  The Romantic Period included, for the first time, writers and artists and social commentators who embraced the notion of revolution .. both against government and the church.  Governments were challenged.  The very basis of Christianity ... that there is a God ... was challenged.  It is very much an age of rebellion and change (and had a strong influence on the American Revolution).  Romantics were, largely, libertarians fighting back against the European monarchies and control by the wealthy.

• As we watch a portion of the YouTube video about the Romantic Era and the focus on Nature, make a list of 15 things you learned from it.  Focus on the concept - you do not have to write complete sentences ... bullet points are fine as long as they are clear and not overly vague.
• The Romantics - Nature (YouTube)

October 25 ... Finishing Vocab and Timeline

Sorry - got up to a dead car battery this morning.  If you have questions or issues with the assignment, email me at richard.davis@sfisd.org or I should be in the fieldhouse by 11:00.

Othewise, finish the assignment over the Rime of the Ancient Mariner vocab and timeline (be sure to find additional life events online for Coleridge to fill out your timeline more than the minimal stuff on the handout). See yeaterday’s Blog if you need a copy of the assignment.

October 24 ... Vocab and Author Notes for RIME

You should have received the handout for this in class, however if you lost it or didn’t get one, you can either print the assignment from here or complete it on your own paper ...


Name:
Period:

“The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” 

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Vocabulary – Briefly define the following vocabulary words using the literature book, dictionary, or laptop.  The narrative poem begins on p. 814 in the literature book.  You will definitely have to Google #10.

1. Mariner
2. Albatross
3. Seraph
4. Kirk
5. Hermit
6. Skiff
7. Swound
8. Penance
9. Smote
10. Spectre-bark


Using a laptop, research the life of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Some of this information can be found on pp. 812, 813 in your literature book. Record your findings on a timeline you create below.

-Birth
-Early years (before orphanage)
-Life in the orphanage
-Opium addiction
-College/Army years
-Married life/children
-Friends
-Life as a poet/greatest accomplishments
-Death

October 23 . . Finishing the Theme Journal

As we move forward to our next Unit of study and to reading the poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” you will take time today to finish your journal about how you relate and perceive themes that relate to the poem (and it’s all about you .. so you don’t have to have READ the poem to do this). Choose one or two of the topics below to journal about. 300-400 words. Quiz grade. Due today.

1. PRIDE ... How can pride be both a good thing and a bad thing?  Have you ever experienced or witnessed where pride caused something bad to happen?  Does life sometimes humble those who may be too prideful?

2. SUFFERING ... Why is it necessary to have consequences sometimes for our actions? What is the point of consequences?  Does suffering through these consequences make us better people? 

3. ISOLATION ... Think about a time when you were alone for a long period of time ... how did it affect you?  How do our minds work differently when we are isolated from other people as opposed to when we are surrounded by friends and family?  What effects does isolation have on relationships? 

4. TRANSFORMATION ... Discuss a time when you (or someone you know) became a different kind of person because of life changing events.  Are these kinds of transformations always positive? Always negative? Is it possible to live an entire life and NOT be transformed in some way by what we go through? 

4 options. You can write about 1 or 2. 300-400 words total/combined. Quiz grade. 

October 22 .... Theme Journal

As we move forward to our next Unit of study and to reading the poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” you will take time today to journal about how you relate and perceive themes that relate to the poem (and it’s all about you .. so you don’t have to have READ the poem to do this). Choose one or two of the topics below to journal about. 300-400 words. Quiz grade. Due today.

1. PRIDE ... How can pride be both a good thing and a bad thing?  Have you ever experienced or witnessed where pride caused something bad to happen?  Does life sometimes humble those who may be too prideful?

2. SUFFERING ... Why is it necessary to have consequences sometimes for our actions? What is the point of consequences?  Does suffering through these consequences make us better people? 

3. ISOLATION ... Think about a time when you were alone for a long period of time ... how did it affect you?  How do our minds work differently when we are isolated from other people as opposed to when we are surrounded by friends and family?  What effects does isolation have on relationships? 

4. TRANSFORMATION ... Discuss a time when you (or someone you know) became a different kind of person because of life changing events.  Are these kinds of transformations always positive? Always negative? Is it possible to live an entire life and NOT be transformed in some way by what we go through? 

4 options. You can write about 1 or 2. 300-400 words total/combined. Quiz grade. 

Friday, October 12 .... 9 Week Exam Review Notes & Continuing Gawain

• Continue reading the Arthurian Romance (meaning it's from the time of King Arthur - thus, Arthurian - and it's about knights and chivalry - thus, Romance): Gawain and the Green Knight
• Work on the Study Questions as you read.
• It begins on Page 230 .. there is some background information on Page 228 you will need for the questions.
• Quiz Tuesday - it will be open note/Reading Questions

• Literary Concepts to Review/Know:
• Hyperbole - exaggeration (or over exaggeration) for the purpose of effect
• Simile - Comparison of two unlike things using LIKE or AS
• Metaphor - Comparison of two unlike things ... but one is spoken of as if it IS something else ... tends to have deeper, more prolonged meaning than a simile
• Personification - when something inanimate is spoken of in terms of human qualities
• Summary - Condensing the most important plot points of a reading ... 
• SOMEBODY WANTED, BUT ... SO 
• SOMEBODY (the main character) WANTED (what that desire or what motivates them) BUT (the conflict) SO (the resolution)
• IE ... Cinderella wants to go to the ball but her wicked stepmother and stepsisters do everything they can do to stop her ... so her fairy Godmother appears and makes it possible, she meets Prince Charming, and (eventually) they live happily ever after.
• Vocabulary Terms to Review/Know (dictionaries will be allowed):
• DOTED
• USURPED
• REIGNED
• FORLORN
• BANISHED
• TRIUMPHANT
• DEPOSED

Thursday, October 11 ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

• Begin reading the Arthurian Romance (meaning it's from the time of King Arthur - thus, Arthurian - and it's about knights and chivalry - thus, Romance).
• Work on the Study Questions as you read.
• It begins on Page 230 .. there is some background information on Page 228 you will need for the questions.
• We will work on this in class today and tomorrow.  Tomorrow we will briefly discuss what will be on the 9 Weeks Exam (scheduled for Monday!).

Tuesday, October 9 ... Journal Make Up Day

Today is your last chance in classs to make-up and turn in missing journals ..

Professor Letter Response Journal - http://daviseng4.blogspot.com/2018/10/thursday-october-4-professor-letter.html?m=1

Stereotypes Journal - http://daviseng4.blogspot.com/2018/09/tuesday-september-canterbury-tales-pre.html?m=1

Hero Journal - http://daviseng4.blogspot.com/2018/09/monday-september-10-hero-journal.html?m=1


All of them are quiz grades .. 300-400 words. Last call.

Thursday, October 4 ... Professor Letter Response Journal

Read the following article: https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_7275016

Think about what this professor is saying about you and your generation - he, like Chaucer, is working on the basis of stereotypes. In this case, it is as he describes what he was told to expect from incoming college freshmen.

Write a letter of reply to this professor ... you may agree or disageee with anything he says ... you may discuss any point he makes ... the content of your writing (as long as it pertains to his original letter) is up to you.

QUIZ GRADE. 300-400 Words. If you don’t finish today, we will finish in class (remember we will have short class periods) tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 25 ... Canterbury Tales Pre-Reading Journal - Stereotypes

A STEREOTYPE is defined as "a widely believed but often oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing."

Chaucer’s characters are “stereotypes;” they are given no names and are meant to symbolize all people of their given profession. Put together, the characters outlined in the General Prologue create a microcosm of Medieval English society.

Name and describe 3 stereotypes you might see in the hallways here at school.  Don't name names - deal in the overall concept of what people see or judge about those people (it doesn't HAVE to represent your views on people ... just the widely held or believed views of them).

What are the problems with believing in stereotypes?

Do you fall into a stereotype?  Why or why not?

300-400 words. Quiz grade.  If you don't finish in class, it's homework and due when you walk in tomorrow.

Monday, September 24 ... More Info on the Medieval Period

As we watch the YouTube video on the Norman Invasion of England, you will ... on a sheet of your own paper ... make a list of 12 things you didn't know about it.  You will turn your list in at the end of the period.

NO PHONES ... NO HEADPHONES ... PAY ATTENTION.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWfFh2uw838

Tuesday, September 18 ... Beowulf Review and Test

Use the time today to finish the Beowulf review - and to ask questions about it if you have them.  You may work with a partner or in a small group on the review ... just remember that you are responsible for knowing the information on it.

We will test in class tomorrow.  There will not be any additional time to work on it.  So make sure you are prepared.

Also, as a heads up ... I will not be in class tomorrow.  I will be at a training at the Administration Building all day.  I will leave specific information for my sub regarding testing procedures ... but ... to clarify today ...

1. ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES MUST BE PUT AWAY AND OUT OF SITE WHILE TESTING.  Yes, you may put it on to charge.  Otherwise, put it in your bag or purse or pocket.  If you have any kind of electronic devices out during testing, you will receive a zero and will not be allowed to re-test.
2. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be allowed to use any print resources (books, reviews, notes, etc). on the test.
3. Once you finish your test, remain quiet so that others can have the same opportunity to focus and finish their test.
4. Tests must be turned in before you leave the room - if you leave the room with a copy of the test, your grade will be a zero and you will not be allowed to re-test.
5. If you fail a test, you will be allowed to re-test for the opportunity to earn a 70 - however, you may not be given the same test (or even the same format of test) to assess your knowledge on the re-test.

Thursday, September 13 ... Continuing with Beowulf

Four more things to know about Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon England ...

1. The tale is set in Scandinavia (Denmark, Sweden - the Geats resided in the southern part of Sweden) in the 500s.  The Anglo-Saxon period in England stretched from when the Roman Empire pulled out in 410 until the Norman Invasion in 1066.
2. The tale of Beowulf is the first "story" in the history of the English Language (even if Old English sounded way more Scandinavian than "English" ... and it is a reflection of changing society in England during the A-S Period (primarily the switch from a polytheistic pagan society - part of A-S culture - to a Christian society stemming from spread of Catholicism throughout Europe.
3. The Mead Hall (Herot was Hrothgar's great mead hall) was the social center of A-S Soiety and was where king's would provide for their people.  As societies evolved and became more sophisticated (and the need for security increased) the mead hall .. which was more like a large, long banquet hall with a hole in the center of the roof so that the smoke from the fire could escape ... would later be replaced by castles.
4. Beowulf sets the standard for the notion of the "Epic Hero" in our culture - the hero that represents what his society most prizes.

• The hero possesses superhuman (possibly supernatural traits).
• Hero usually has a wise mentor.
• He/She is called on a quest to serve the needs of  or to save/protect others.
• Hero is tested and must prove himself/herself.
• Hero conquers biggest evil/threat (which also usually has superhuman or supernatural traits).
• Hero is rewarded and returns home (or to a peaceful existence) until called on another quest.

NO PHONES OR MUSIC TODAY UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE READING AND QUESTIONS THAT GO WITH IT.

• Make sure you have a copy of the lit book to read from.
• If you were not here yesterday and need a copy of the interactive reading questions, they are on top of the laptop cart.

• Reading Schedule ... 
• Wednesday, 9/12 - pages 40-41 for intro material and then pages 42-49 into Beowulf
• Thursday, 9/13 - Beowulf pages 50-61
• Friday, 9/14 - Beowulf pages 62-70

Wednesday, September 12 ... Reading Beowulf

Poetic Terms We Need to Know ... 

• Caesura - pause in the middle of a poetic line; usually noted by a large space or comma or semi-colon
• Alliteration - repetition of initial consonant sounds (the sound words begin with)
• Kenning - metaphorical compound word or phrase that substitutes for a noun or name (ie. a "whale road" would be the ocean ... "mankind's enemy" would be Grendel etc.)
• Epithet - titles or names that add depth or background to a character ... Beowulf is known as "Prince of the Weders" or "Edgetho's son" or "the Geatish Hero" etc.)

NO PHONES OR MUSIC TODAY UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE READING AND QUESTIONS THAT GO WITH IT.

• Make sure you have a copy of the lit book to read from.
• Get a copy of the Interactive Reading Questions from the top of the laptop cart.  The sections of the story are brief(ish), but the language is translated from the original (mostly orally communicated) story and can be challenging in sections.  Take your time and re-read as necessary.  Answer the questions for each section as you go - page numbers should correspond with the literature book.  Should.

• Reading Schedule ... 
• Wednesday, 9/12 - pages 40-41 for intro material and then pages 42-49 into Beowulf
• Thursday, 9/13 - Beowulf pages 50-61
• Friday, 9/14 - Beowulf pages 62-70

Monday, September 10 ... Hero Journal

JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT - QUIZ GRADE - Due Today!!

All classes will write a journal (for a quiz grade) over the following prompt. It is due today before they leave. If it is not turned in today, it will be considered “late” and the 25 point late penalty will be assessed. Their response must be 300-400 words and must be handwritten. 

Prompt:

Discuss someone you see as a hero - what qualities of theirs make them a hero? What qualities does our society look for in someone to qualify them as a hero? Why are heroes inportant to society - what impact do they have?

This is not a process paper ... they do not need to prewrite or rough draft. Just put pen to paper and go. Students may listen to music through earbuds as they write if that helps them focus. Regardless, their writing is due before they leave and must be turned in. 

Friday, August 24 ... Finishing College Application Essay Rough Drafts

OBJ:   Students will use the writing process to create a well thought out and personal College (or Scholarship) Application Essay.

• Final Drafts are DUE a week from today - Friday, August 31, 2018

• By the end of class today, you should have completed the following:
• Topic Selection
• Pre-Writing (any format that works for you - but you MUST show evidence of pre-writing/planning your rough draft)
• The Rough Draft of your essay
• ALL OF THIS WILL BE SUBMITTED ON AUGUST 31 WHEN YOU SUBMIT THE FINAL DRAFT ON CANVAS - IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT, IT WILL ADVERSELY IMPACT YOUR GRADE.

• Need some pointers or ideas on how to structure your essay?
• https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay
• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

May 16 ... The LAST TWO MAJOR GRADES .. of English IV ...

• Your essay exam over Brave New World is posted and available (or should be - let me know if you cannot get access to it) on Canvas.  One question comparing and contrasting BNW and The Hunger Games as well as some analysis into what YOU think the authors of the work are trying to convey to you (the reader).
• It is due by Midnight, Tuesday, May 22.  It will not be accepted after that point.
• It is open book .. open note .. but if you plagiarize or copy at all, it will become a zero and there will not be a change to "fix it" or "make it up" - answer the questions with original thoughts and ideas of your own and use evidence and specific examples from the stories to back up your statements.

• The instructions for the "Black Out Poetry" project are as follows ...

Blackout Poetry Assignment

Assigned: Wednesday May 16^th, 2018

Due: Tuesday, May 22^nd, 2018

Background:  Blackout poetry is a type of poetry that takes words from an existing text to create a new work. Usually, the poem expresses a similar theme to the work it pulls from. It does not have to rhyme, but it should create true meaning (i.e. not just nonsense) with few words.

Directions and Criteria:

1.     Select one page of text from anything you have read since day one of your freshman year. Original text must be typed (it does NOT have to have the MLA header, but should be in Times New Roman 12 or Calibri 11). So, either find a PDF of the novel or reproduce a page out of the text.

2.     Lightly box out your words as you create your poem. Poem should consist of 10-25 words.

3.     Begin blacking out the remaining text/creating your background image. The image (in the background of the text, or around the text somehow) should also relate to the theme of the poem and/or of the novel/play as a whole.

4.     Poem should make sense and flow from top to bottom and left to right (like normal text is read in Western societies).

5.     Project should be neat! Messy coloring, scribbling, incomplete drawings, and simply blacking out the entire page are not acceptable!

*Please see the examples (below) for further clarification. If you choose not to blackout the lines of text (and you use color instead), that is totally fine. Then, we’ll call it “found” poetry instead. J

EXAMPLES 

May 4 ... Brave New World Test ... Chapters 1-8

• Absolutely no phones or electronic devices of any kind allowed while you are testing - any phones picked up will go to the office and your test will be taken as well and will be a zero (and no opportunity to re-test will be allowed).

• It is OPEN BOOK ... if you don't have your copy of the novel with you, you may borrow one from the set in the crate up front.

• It is due today and must be completed within the class period - anything you do not complete will be wrong.

• However ... I will give you two free questions (for a value of 10 points) if you need them.  But you must write "FREE" as your response ... if you leave it blank, it will be marked wrong and points will be deducted.  You may only use this for two items - if you try to use if for more than two, then they're all wrong and you will be taxed an additional 10 points.

May 3 ... Brave New World (Chapters 1-8) Test Review Info

We will test tomorrow over Chapters 1-8 of the novel .. you will need to be familiar with the following:

Characters: Bernard Marx, Lenina Crowne, Mustapha Mond, Henry Foster, Helmholtz Watson, the Director of Hatcheries (DHC), Linda, and John the Savage

Other info ...

• Where did Huxley get the title for the novel?
• What events led to the creation of the World State?
• What happens (specifically) at the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre?
• What do people do for fun?
• What is the DHC/s dark secret?
• What does the phrase "history is bunk" mean (and who says this)?
• Describe the reservation?  How does Lenina react seeing it for the first time?
• What do John and Bernard have in common?
• Why does John want to go to the "other place"?
• Why does Bernard take John and Linda back with him?
• What happens to people in the World State when they get old?
• What influences John as he grows up on the reservation?

April 19 .. Brave New World Chapter 3-4 Study Questions

I am out today for the area track meet - but you will continue reading Brave New World (Chapters 3-4) and working on the Study Questions. If there are not copies of the questions available, you can find the questions below and answer on your own paper. (And no, you do not have to write the questions).

Brave New World Chapters 3-4 Study Questions 

Chapter 3 

1. Why is it considered a bad idea in this society to allow people to develop games for which no equipment is needed? Name 2-3 game you have played that require no equipment? 

2. What happens on the playground that we would consider morally wrong? 

3. Who is Mustapha Mond? What advice does he give the students? 

4. What does the extended simile on page 34 “he waved his hand…” mean? What does Huxley accomplish by employing this simile? 

5. What does Mustapha Mond have to say about the kind of family life we consider normal? 

6. Who are Lenina Crowne and Fanny Crowne? Why does Fanny criticize Lenina? 

7. According to the Controller, what is the “primal and ultimate need”? What causes a lack of this? 

8. Who is Bernard Marx, and what makes him a “square peg in a round hole”?

9. How does Lenina feel about Bernard? How do the other women regard him? 

10. What has Bernard asked Lenina to do? 

11. What does the name “Savage Reservation” suggest this place would be like? What is it actually? 

12. What is soma? Does it remind you of anything? 

13. Why does Huxley have the Controller say, “suffer the little children”? 

Chapter 4 

14. How does Lenina surprise Bernard? How does she view his reaction? 

15. How is Bernard’s “abnormality” rumored to have happened? What does this remind you of? 

16. How does Huxley use the Red Rocket to satirize the perfection of the new world? 

 17. Who is Helmholtz Watson? What do he and Bernard have in common? 

18. How does Bernard define the “something inside that was only waiting for you to give it a chance to come out”?  Is Bernard right?

April 16 ... Brave New World ... Reading Schedule and Possible Quiz Dates

Be aware that - much like a college syllabus - these due dates will be maintained regardless of whether you are present in class on a particular day or even if class meets.  You will be expected to have read each assigned portion by the due date and if a quiz is given on a possible quiz date, you will have to take the quiz on that date.  If you miss a quiz, it is your responsibility to ensure that you make arrangements to make it up as soon as possible or it will become a 0.


Chapters 1-2 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 4/17
Quiz 1-2 - 4/18

Chapters 3-4 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 4/20
Quiz 3-4 - 4/23

Chapters 5-6 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 4/25
Quiz 5-6 - 4/26

Chapters 7-8 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 4/30
Quiz 7-8 - 5/1

Chapters 9-11 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 5/3
Quiz 9-11 - 5/4

Chapters 12-13 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 5/8
Quiz 12-13 - 5/9

Chapters 14-16 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 5/11
Quiz 14-16 - 5/14

Chapters 17-18 - Reading and Reading Qs due by 5/17
Quiz 17-18 - 5/18

April 11 ... Brave New World ... Background and Beginning Chapters 1 & 2

***Start thinking about the things that make us "HUMAN"***

Background Information:

Top 10 Things (About BNW) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeEohZA3OGo

Thug Notes: BNW ... (First 1:00 only) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPO3aenqT4o


Read & Listen ... while you work on your reading questions over Chapters 1 & 2.

AudioBook ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4TY4IBIAFc


Quiz over Ch. 1-2 on Monday.  (Possibly).

April 4 ... Happiness Journal

Consider the following quote ...

“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.”
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Write a 200-300 page SHORT journal explaining this quote in your own words and discuss whether Huxley is correct or not (and explain your stance).

Due today. Quiz grade.

April 3 ... Brave New World Prereading Activity

Brave New World - Prereading Activity

Complete the following on your own paper ...

I. Identify if you agree or disagree with a statement and explain your position in a sentence or two. YOU MUST EXPLAIN .. its wrong if you just Agree or Disagree. Have a reason.

1. Birth control should be practiced by all sexually active adults. Agree or Disagree

2. It is the responsibility of the females only to take birth control. Agree or Disagree

3. Birth control should be regulated by the government.Agree or Disagree

4. Sex education should be taught in schools.Agree or Disagree

5. There is too much emphasis placed on sports in this country.Agree or Disagree

6. Only a handful of people in the world make the most important decisions regarding
laws, freedoms, and policy. Agree or Disagree

7. A majority of people in the world have absolutely no power to make important
decisions regarding laws, freedoms, and policy. Agree or Disagree

8. It is possible to climb the socio-economic ladder in America (for example, become
rich even if you were born into poverty). Agree or Disagree

9. The mass media (television/movies, music/radio, books) programs us to feels fear
and bias toward others. Agree or Disagree

10. America is a utopia of freedom and democracy. Agree or Disagree

11. Humans should not be cloned. Agree or Disagree

12. Human organs should not be cloned for implantation. Agree or Disagree

13. Test tube baby conception (joining sperm and egg in a lab) is morally wrong.
Agree or Disagree

14. The mass media (television/movies, music/radio, books) promotes sex.
Agree or Disagree

15. It would be better if young adults had more sexual freedom. Agree or Disagree

16. Science is pushing mankind into dangerous moral territory. Agree or Disagree


II. Define the following terms using Google ...

17. Science Fiction

18. Dystopia

19. Utopia

20. Satire

21. Totalitarian

22. Caste

23. Genetic engineering


III. Describe the following relationships in a brief paragraph.

24. Henry Ford and the Assembly Line

25. Pavlov and  Classical Conditioning

April 2 ... Dystopian Society Journal

1st-4th Periods ... 

Using the information at the following link: 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/1lks-CVrymgSiaCNBjCTAERsxIcZ8McUIJRjgFNhWesNlr6E_2rm_E3d8xFKIvzgFnoCf42VzrN76YfdF/edit

Write a journal describing how either Fahrenheit 451 or The Hunger Games meet the criteria for a Dystopian Society.  Which characteristics do they fulfill and how?  What types of Dystopian Controls do we see in these stories?  How does the main character/protagonist exemplify the Dystopian Protagonist as described in those notes?

Journal response. 300-400 words. Quiz grade. Due today. You may hand write your responses or type then since you’ll need the laptops anyway to access the notes on Dystopian Societies.

March 8 ... 3rd 9 Weeks CBA .. Research Paper Final Drafts ... Pandemonium Ensues

• We have to take our 3rd 9 Week Exams TODAY.

• FINAL DRAFTS will now be submitted electronically to me either today or tomorrow (since you'll lose the period today due to the 3rd 9 Week Exam.
• Even if you shared it with me once already - SHARE it again.  The date and time on the email I receive to show that it has been shared will serve as your official time and date of submission. Anything not turned in by 2:35 tomorrow, Friday 3/8 will be late.

• No phones, computers, or electronic devices of ANY kind during the exam.

March 6 ... Self Check ... Editing/Revising

• Grab a copy of the research paper checklist from the top of the laptop cart
• It is modified from a peer evaluation/editing assignment - so there are some things that are slightly changed or crossed out.  When in doubt, refer to the requirements for our paper.
• It is an optional quiz grade - but you MUST turn in a completed rough draft to receive that grade.  No rough draft, nothing to self-check/edit ... thus, no grade.

• Once you finish the checklist (you have today and tomorrow to work), finish your editing and revising on your rough draft so you are ready to print when we are in the lab on Thursday (3/8) when your paper is due.

• Once you have finished cleaning up your paper, copy and paste your works cited page to the end of the paper (make sure it starts on its own page).  Works Cited do NOT count toward your word count, just FYI.

***Also ... one last time ... the Advisory Passports cannot be used to substitute for the rough draft***

March 5 .. One More Week (and Research Papers are due Thursday!)

The rubric for grading your Final Draft is below - remember it is due on Thursday.

Also ... your notes and sources need to remain in the room starting today to receive a grade.  If you need them to work on your paper outside of class, you need to make sure I am aware of that.

• Rough Drafts are late ... they were due on Friday 3/2
• We will have a revising/editing/MLA checklist activity for you to complete in class tomorrow
• Final Drafts are due on Thursday, 3/8 ... we will be in the lab that day to print them.

Feb 28 - Mar 2 ... Calendar Update and Rough Draft Workdays

• ROUGH DRAFTS must be submitted to me/shared with me electronically by midnight on Friday, March 2.  I will still accept them after that and you should still turn it in, but they will be subject to a late penalty in accordance with the grading policy.

• FINAL DRAFTS .. we will be in the computer lab (A102) on 3/8 to print our FINAL DRAFTS!  You must turn in a printed copy in addition to the electronic copy you've already shared with me (the rough draft, prior to editing).

February 26 ... Updated Research Calendar - R/D due 2/28 ... F/D due 3/8

Research Paper Calendar ... the rest of the way ...

• 2/26 - 2/27 ... Work on Rough Drafts (I will be out for a teacher workshop on 2/21)

• 2/28 ... Rough Draft DUE / Submit an electronic copy of your Rough Draft (QUIZ)

• 3/1 ... Peer Editing Activities (DAILY)

• 3/2 - 3/8 ... Work on your Final Draft (Class in lab A202 on 3/6 and 3/7 to begin printing Final Drafts)

• 3/8 ... FINAL DRAFTS DUE (Classes will meet in Library Lab A202 to print on 3/7) / Students MUST turn in a printed copy AND submit or share an online copy as well (2x MAJOR GRADE FOR FINAL DRAFT)

Info on Parenthetical Citations to review ...

http://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/how-to-cite-a-parenthetical-citations-mla/

https://www.ccis.edu/~/media/Files/Academic%20Resources/Writing%20Center/mla_examples.pdf


You can find MLA sample argument papers here to ensure you are on the right track with yours - or see me and we can go over what you have: MLA Sample Argument Papers

You may also want to look at the standard outline for an argument paper as you consider how to structure your paper: Argument Paper - Sample Outline


WORKS CITED INFO ... ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE IN WORD ONLINE, BE SURE TO SHARE IT WITH ME - richard.davis@sfisd.org

• Works Cited Page
• 8 QUICK RULES FOR YOUR WC PAGE
• Start a new page for your Works Cited list (e.g., if your paper is 4 pages long, start your Works Cited list on page 5).
• Center the title, Works Cited, at the top of the page and do not bold or underline it. Use 12 point Times New Roman in both the title and the entries.
• Double-space the list.
• Start the first line of each citation at the left margin; indent each subsequent line five spaces (also known as a "hanging indent").
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the citation. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first name followed by a period.
• Italicize the titles of full works: books, audiovisual material,websites.
• Do not italicize titles of parts of works, such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document. Instead, use quotation marks.

• Sample of what a Works Cited page should look like - https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/
• The information you need for each citation is at the end of each source from the Gale database.  You can copy and paste the MLA Citation from there - but you may have to adjust the formatting (size, font, etc.) to make sure it is within MLA rules.

ARGUMENT THESIS STATEMENT INFO ... 

• As you work, it is time to begin considering what your thesis statement will be.  Read over the following website if you need some assistance developing your thesis statement.
• Writing the Argumentative Thesis

February 20-23 ... Works Cited, Outline Example, and Writing the Rough Draft

Today you need to finish your Works Cited page and, hopefully, begin writing your rough draft.  Before you begin drafting, take a look at at least one of the MLA Sample Argument Papers at the link here: MLA Sample Argument Papers

You may also want to look at the standard outline for an argument paper as you consider how to structure your paper: Argument Paper - Sample Outline


WORKS CITED INFO ... ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE IN WORD ONLINE, BE SURE TO SHARE IT WITH ME - richard.davis@sfisd.org

• Works Cited Page
• 8 QUICK RULES FOR YOUR WC PAGE
• Start a new page for your Works Cited list (e.g., if your paper is 4 pages long, start your Works Cited list on page 5).
• Center the title, Works Cited, at the top of the page and do not bold or underline it. Use 12 point Times New Roman in both the title and the entries.
• Double-space the list.
• Start the first line of each citation at the left margin; indent each subsequent line five spaces (also known as a "hanging indent").
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the citation. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first name followed by a period.
• Italicize the titles of full works: books, audiovisual material,websites.
• Do not italicize titles of parts of works, such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document. Instead, use quotation marks.

• Sample of what a Works Cited page should look like - https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/
• The information you need for each citation is at the end of each source from the Gale database.  You can copy and paste the MLA Citation from there - but you may have to adjust the formatting (size, font, etc.) to make sure it is within MLA rules.

ARGUMENT THESIS STATEMENT INFO ... 

• As you work, it is time to begin considering what your thesis statement will be.  Read over the following website if you need some assistance developing your thesis statement.
• Writing the Argumentative Thesis

REMINDERS ABOUT DUE DATES ...

Keep our updated dates in mind as you work ... it seems like a LOT of time ... but if wasted, it won't be.  Also, keep in mind that I am here to help you in this process ... but I am not a mind reader.  I can't tell the difference between someone who is working on something else because they are finished from someone who is working on something else because they aren't planning to do this assignment from someone who is working on something else because they "don't know what to do."  You're all adults (or close) ... so I expect that you will communicate questions or issues clearly.

• 2/12 - 2/16 ... Analyze Sources and Highlight Notes

• 2/19 ... STUDENT HOLIDAY

• 2/20 ... Sources and Highlighted Notes DUE (MAJOR) - all work must be in your envelope and turned in to the crates in the classroom.
• Works Cited Page - In Class (QUIZ) ***Papers MUST have a Works Cited page or they will be penalized as plagiarism*** and review parenthetical documentation

• 2/21 ... Review options for paper organization - begin working on Rough Draft.

• 2/21 - 2/27 ... Work on Rough Drafts (I will be out for a teacher workshop on 2/21)

• 2/27 ... Rough Draft DUE / Submit an electronic copy of your Rough Draft (QUIZ)

• 2/28 ... Peer Editing Activities (DAILY)

• 3/1 ... Self-Editing and Revisions Activity (DAILY)

• 3/2 - 3/6 ... Work on your Final Draft (Class in lab A202 on 3/6 to begin printing Final Drafts)

• 3/7 ... FINAL DRAFTS DUE (Classes will meet in Library Lab A202 to print) / Students MUST turn in a printed copy AND submit or share an online copy as well (2x MAJOR GRADE FOR FINAL DRAFT)

***Any date that does not have a grade specifically attached to it may have a participation grade assessed.  Students are expected to use class time on the assignments as noted to stay on schedule - students who are wasting time, talking, sleeping, daydreaming, playing on their phones, etc. will lose points on participation grades.***

***Students who have not completed a major phase of the paper will not be allowed to continue to the next step until the previous major step is completed.  You cannot write a rough draft without research.  You cannot produce a final draft without first writing a rough draft.***

***Late assignments will be penalized per the grading policy regardless of the type of grade attached.  Assignments will be accepted up to three days late with a 30 point penalty.  Assignments will be accepted beyond that at the teacher's discretion and will be penalized 50 points.***

February 15 ... Working with sources (and some Works Cited page information)

You have today and tomorrow in class to finish working with your source material - remember sources are due, with highlighted notes, on Tuesday 2/20.  Keep in mind your sources and notes are a major grade - whatever is in your envelope will be graded.

Yesterday we included some info on argument thesis statements for those of you ready to start moving forward (that information is copied on down the page here as well).

WORKS CITED INFO ...

• Works Cited Page
• 8 QUICK RULES FOR YOUR WC PAGE
• Start a new page for your Works Cited list (e.g., if your paper is 4 pages long, start your Works Cited list on page 5).
• Center the title, Works Cited, at the top of the page and do not bold or underline it. Use 12 point Times New Roman in both the title and the entries.
• Double-space the list.
• Start the first line of each citation at the left margin; indent each subsequent line five spaces (also known as a "hanging indent").
• Put your list in alphabetical order. Alphabetize the list by the first word in the citation. In most cases, the first word will be the author’s last name. Where the author is unknown, alphabetize by the first word in the title, ignoring the words a, an, the.
• For each author, give the last name followed by a comma and the first name followed by a period.
• Italicize the titles of full works: books, audiovisual material,websites.
• Do not italicize titles of parts of works, such as: articles from newspapers, magazines, or journals / essays, poems, short stories or chapter titles from a book / chapters or sections of an Internet document. Instead, use quotation marks.

• Sample of what a Works Cited page should look like - https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/12/
• The information you need for each citation is at the end of each source from the Gale database.  You can copy and paste the MLA Citation from there - but you may have to adjust the formatting (size, font, etc.) to make sure it is within MLA rules.

ARGUMENT THESIS STATEMENT INFO ... 

• As you work, it is time to begin considering what your thesis statement will be.  Read over the following website if you need some assistance developing your thesis statement.
• Writing the Argumentative Thesis

REMINDERS ABOUT DUE DATES ...

Keep our updated dates in mind as you work ... it seems like a LOT of time ... but if wasted, it won't be.  Also, keep in mind that I am here to help you in this process ... but I am not a mind reader.  I can't tell the difference between someone who is working on something else because they are finished from someone who is working on something else because they aren't planning to do this assignment from someone who is working on something else because they "don't know what to do."  You're all adults (or close) ... so I expect that you will communicate questions or issues clearly.

• 2/12 - 2/16 ... Analyze Sources and Highlight Notes

• 2/19 ... STUDENT HOLIDAY

• 2/20 ... Sources and Highlighted Notes DUE (MAJOR) - all work must be in your envelope and turned in to the crates in the classroom.
• Works Cited Page - In Class (QUIZ) ***Papers MUST have a Works Cited page or they will be penalized as plagiarism*** and review parenthetical documentation

• 2/21 ... Review options for paper organization - begin working on Rough Draft.

• 2/21 - 2/27 ... Work on Rough Drafts (I will be out for a teacher workshop on 2/21)

• 2/27 ... Rough Draft DUE / Submit an electronic copy of your Rough Draft (QUIZ)

• 2/28 ... Peer Editing Activities (DAILY)

• 3/1 ... Self-Editing and Revisions Activity (DAILY)

• 3/2 - 3/6 ... Work on your Final Draft (Class in lab A202 on 3/6 to begin printing Final Drafts)

• 3/7 ... FINAL DRAFTS DUE (Classes will meet in Library Lab A202 to print) / Students MUST turn in a printed copy AND submit or share an online copy as well (2x MAJOR GRADE FOR FINAL DRAFT)

***Any date that does not have a grade specifically attached to it may have a participation grade assessed.  Students are expected to use class time on the assignments as noted to stay on schedule - students who are wasting time, talking, sleeping, daydreaming, playing on their phones, etc. will lose points on participation grades.***

***Students who have not completed a major phase of the paper will not be allowed to continue to the next step until the previous major step is completed.  You cannot write a rough draft without research.  You cannot produce a final draft without first writing a rough draft.***

***Late assignments will be penalized per the grading policy regardless of the type of grade attached.  Assignments will be accepted up to three days late with a 30 point penalty.  Assignments will be accepted beyond that at the teacher's discretion and will be penalized 50 points.***

February 14 ... Continuing our Research Analysis

• Continue reading, analyzing, and highlighting your notes within your sources.  Remember that all sources should be highlighted/noted .. but you do not have to continue counting notes past 65 for the A level paper.

• As you work, it is time to begin considering what your thesis statement will be.  Read over the following website if you need some assistance developing your thesis statement.
• Writing the Argumentative Thesis

Keep our updated dates in mind as you work ... it seems like a LOT of time ... but if wasted, it won't be.  Also, keep in mind that I am here to help you in this process ... but I am not a mind reader.  I can't tell the difference between someone who is working on something else because they are finished from someone who is working on something else because they aren't planning to do this assignment from someone who is working on something else because they "don't know what to do."  You're all adults (or close) ... so I expect that you will communicate questions or issues clearly.

• 2/12 - 2/16 ... Analyze Sources and Highlight Notes

• 2/19 ... STUDENT HOLIDAY

• 2/20 ... Sources and Highlighted Notes DUE (MAJOR) - all work must be in your envelope and turned in to the crates in the classroom.
• Works Cited Page - In Class (QUIZ) ***Papers MUST have a Works Cited page or they will be penalized as plagiarism*** and review parenthetical documentation

• 2/21 ... Review options for paper organization - begin working on Rough Draft.

• 2/21 - 2/27 ... Work on Rough Drafts (I will be out for a teacher workshop on 2/21)

• 2/27 ... Rough Draft DUE / Submit an electronic copy of your Rough Draft (QUIZ)

• 2/28 ... Peer Editing Activities (DAILY)

• 3/1 ... Self-Editing and Revisions Activity (DAILY)

• 3/2 - 3/6 ... Work on your Final Draft (Class in lab A202 on 3/6 to begin printing Final Drafts)

• 3/7 ... FINAL DRAFTS DUE (Classes will meet in Library Lab A202 to print) / Students MUST turn in a printed copy AND submit or share an online copy as well (2x MAJOR GRADE FOR FINAL DRAFT)

***Any date that does not have a grade specifically attached to it may have a participation grade assessed.  Students are expected to use class time on the assignments as noted to stay on schedule - students who are wasting time, talking, sleeping, daydreaming, playing on their phones, etc. will lose points on participation grades.***

***Students who have not completed a major phase of the paper will not be allowed to continue to the next step until the previous major step is completed.  You cannot write a rough draft without research.  You cannot produce a final draft without first writing a rough draft.***

***Late assignments will be penalized per the grading policy regardless of the type of grade attached.  Assignments will be accepted up to three days late with a 30 point penalty.  Assignments will be accepted beyond that at the teacher's discretion and will be penalized 50 points.***

Spring Semester - Expectation Reminders

Per the faculty meeting last Thursday ... we need to increase our compliance (as teachers and students) with the following ...

• No Fly List
• Cellphones MUST be turned in before leaving the classroom for any reason
• Do not allow students to leave early for lunch
• Students need to be seated until the bell rings - not at the door or spilling into the hallways
• Hall Passes - students are not allowed out of class for any reason without a pass

UPDATE TO IMPORTANT RESEARCH PAPER DATES!!!

Updated Dates for Research Paper.

• 2/12 - 2/16 ... Analyze Sources and Highlight Notes

• 2/19 ... STUDENT HOLIDAY

• 2/20 ... Sources and Highlighted Notes DUE (MAJOR) - all work must be in your envelope and turned in to the crates in the classroom.
• Works Cited Page - In Class (QUIZ) ***Papers MUST have a Works Cited page or they will be penalized as plagiarism*** and review parenthetical documentation

• 2/21 ... Review options for paper organization - begin working on Rough Draft.

• 2/21 - 2/27 ... Work on Rough Drafts (I will be out for a teacher workshop on 2/21)

• 2/27 ... Rough Draft DUE / Submit an electronic copy of your Rough Draft (QUIZ)

• 2/28 ... Peer Editing Activities (DAILY)

• 3/1 ... Self-Editing and Revisions Activity (DAILY)

• 3/2 - 3/6 ... Work on your Final Draft (Class in lab A202 on 3/6 to begin printing Final Drafts)

• 3/7 ... FINAL DRAFTS DUE (Classes will meet in Library Lab A202 to print) / Students MUST turn in a printed copy AND submit or share an online copy as well (2x MAJOR GRADE FOR FINAL DRAFT)

***Any date that does not have a grade specifically attached to it may have a participation grade assessed.  Students are expected to use class time on the assignments as noted to stay on schedule - students who are wasting time, talking, sleeping, daydreaming, playing on their phones, etc. will lose points on participation grades.***

***Students who have not completed a major phase of the paper will not be allowed to continue to the next step until the previous major step is completed.  You cannot write a rough draft without research.  You cannot produce a final draft without first writing a rough draft.***

***Late assignments will be penalized per the grading policy regardless of the type of grade attached.  Assignments will be accepted up to three days late with a 30 point penalty.  Assignments will be accepted beyond that at the teacher's discretion and will be penalized 50 points.***

February 7, 8, and 9 ... Printing and Analyzing Research

• Hopefully by now, you've gotten most of your sources identified and saved to your OneDrive.  Our purpose in being in the lab is to get them printed so we can begin highlighting our notes from each.

• The picture below shows what your highlighted notes should look like - make sure your last name is at the top, number each source, and count up the total notes highlighted on each.  As you highlight, clearly mark in the left margin what your count is as you go.  Your notes should be numbered individually to the left and the total at the top of the first page.

• Before you leave ... put your printed sources in your research envelope (they're on the desk - already labeled with your name, topic, and class period).  Turn in your envelope when you are finished and you can pick it back up at the beginning of class tomorrow.

Research Paper - Research Journal and Brainstorming

These assignments were originally given when I was out with the flu last week - however, many students chose not to do them or were out sick as well.  I will still accept them UNTIL Friday - if you were absent on that date and are making up the work, it will be accepted for full credit ... if you chose not to do it when it was assigned, it will be subject to late penalties.  Regardless, it will not be accepted after Friday ...


1/30 - Research Journal (300-400 Words) - QUIZ GRADE

Tell me what you know about your research topic .. then discuss what you need to learn about your topic and about the research process in order to be successful with this paper. Why do you think research is important?

1/31 - Brainstorming / 10 Things - DAILY GRADE

Use the library database to begin casually researching their topics. The link is in several blog entries (including the blog from 2/5 & 2/6 outlining our research and finding sources.  You need to make a list of 10 things you learned about your topic through your preliminary research.

2/1 & 2/2 - MLA/Research Webquest

Copies of the webquest are available on the laptop cart - you can also find a copy online posted to the blog entry from those days.