HAPPY (ALMOST) 2009!!!

I hope you have all had a relaxing holiday. I know I definitely needed a break with the rush that comes at the end of the semester. The good news is that we have another week of freedom to enjoy before we return to the everyday routine.

A break is a great time to reflect. The cliche of New Years resolutions aside, now is a perfect time to think about what is working for you and what isn't. Sometimes we don't have time to clear our brains during the hectic grind of the school year to think about where we might change course and where we are doing well.

THE START OF A NEW YEAR IS ALSO THE PERFECT TIME TO START THE SECOND SEMESTER WITH SOME BONUS POINTS, WHICH I "RESOLVE" TO RECORD DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES!

**Here's the bonus assignment WORTH 5 POINTS (remember that's one letter grade bump on a 50 point assignment)***

1) THINK of at least 5 areas of your life that you could address and 5 resolutions that make sense for you.

Examples: academics, health, personal fitness, spirituality, family and/or personal relationships, attitude, creativity, productivity, etc. The possibilities are endless.

2) POST at least 3 specific resolutions for yourself during the new semester. AT LEAST ONE MUST HAVE TO DO WITH OUR CLASS: AP LITERATURE AND COMP. (You can save the other, more personal, resolutions for your eyes only).

3) ALSO POST at least 2 activities that you have found most enjoyable over break.

***RULES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY:

1) resolutions must not closely resemble other classmates' posts, meaning......no copying; make your own resolutions

2) same goes for activities over the holidays. You can certainly RESPOND in agreement with someone else's post, but come up with your own ideas.

3) due date is January 4 by 9 p.m. The earlier you post, the fewer people will have taken your ideas.

I'LL LIST MY OWN SAMPLE TO START OFF THE POSTS. ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR BREAK!!!!

FINAL EXAMS AND FINAL GRADES

A few notes......

1. Our Final Exam is Tuesday.

2. Binders must be turned in by Tuesday. Here's a reminder about what goes in it.....

I. 4 Journals (40 points)---#1 1984 questions, #2 timed writing prep, #3 Animal Dreams questions, #4 This I Believe writing
(REMEMBER, EACH JOURNAL MUST BE ONE PAGE IN LENGTH TO RECEIVE ALL 10 POINTS)

II. 3 Grammar Edits (15 points)-- dates are 8/21, 8/29, and 10/1

III. 2 Notes (10 points)--- #1 Socratic seminar evaluation, #2 Hamlet characters

TOTAL 65 points

3. Act V script people-----I need the script by Tuesday so I can give you a grade.

4. FOR ALL WHO HAVE NOT YET TURNED IN BINDERS (AND ACT V SCRIPT PEOPLE), I am putting in a "missing" for your grade until you give it to me. AS SOON AS YOU TURN IT IN, I will change the "missing" and give you a grade which will raise your grade considerably.

BINDERS AND ACT V SCRIPT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED LATE UNTIL AFTER TUESDAY.

SEE YOU TUESDAY!!!

FRIDAY'S TO DO LIST

1. Performers show off memorized version of Act II

2. We watch the rest of Act V

3. We take the Act V quiz

4. We go over timed writings (Plath and Blake poetry)

5. We review literary terms that are on the final using our remote controls that didn't work last time (I'm pretty sure I've got it figured out!!)

6. We tie up loose ends before the final: grades, Act V script, makeup assignments from those who were absent, etc.

OUR TIME IS SHORT AND CLASS TIME IS BUSY. IF YOU HAVE A PRESSING QUESTION, IT HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING ANSWERED HERE.

See you tomorrow!!!!!!!

FINALS ARE ALMOST HERE!!!!

For tomorrow..........Act II WILL BE PERFORMED. Make sure it is memorized! Those with small parts, should be taking MANY small parts, so that Hamlet (and any other main speaking role) doesn't have to remember everything!

MUSIC PEOPLE: I must have some way to grade you for THIS SEMESTER. That means you must put something detailed in writing regarding exactly WHAT you are going to do with the music, WHO else besides yourselves are involved, WHERE you are going to record it, and WHEN (estimated dates) will it be recorded.

LITERARY TERMS will probably go on FRIDAY, assuming we can get Act V finished. I don't want to send any reading home if possible. Our goal for tomorrow is to finish.

I will have FINAL EXAM REVIEW sheets ready for tomorrow.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING FOR CLASS......PLEASE POST HERE SO WE CAN ADDRESS THEM.

We're almost to the break!!!!!

POWER POINTS DUE MONDAY

Please refer to the handout I gave you a few weeks ago for guidelines about your power point presentations.

If you have any questions, please ask in class or post them here.

Sorry this is not much of a post, but like you I find myself with less time as the semester nears it's end. Also, I'm pregnant and tired, so I'm blaming it on the baby.

By the way......we found out tuesday IT'S A BOY!

HAMLET ACT I PERFORMANCE

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. It was a much needed break. AND NOW, back to our world of due dates:(

PERFORMERS.......You need to be prepared to perform Act I WITHOUT A SCRIPT!!!!! It must be memorized.

SET group......You need to have a presentation of photos/sets ready to put on the projector for Act I.

MUSIC group.....You need to have your music recorded. (I haven't heard anything from this group. Have you made arrangements to record Act I already? I am happy to help you set something up, but you'll have to tell me what you need).

IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF ONE OF THESE GROUPS, you need to let me know how you are contributing at this point.


We will read and watch Act IV in class tomorrow.

If you have any questions, please post them here.

THANKSGIVING FEAST

Since many of you decided you'd rather have a potluck Thanksgiving feast than boring old donuts, I thought we might organize ourselves and post what we're bringing so that we don't have 17 people bringing cookies.

For anyone who doesn't feel like making food, we also will need PLATES, FORKS, AND CUPS (if someone volunteers for drinks).

REMEMBER, you are NOT required to bring anything. You just shouldn't eat or drink if you don't contribute.

ALSO, LETS MEET IN THE CAFETERIA AT 7:40, so we are legal and not breaking any school rules about eating in the classroom.

SO...... GO AHEAD AND POST WHAT YOU PLAN TO BRING, so everyone can plan accordingly. I'll bring something too....
I haven't decided what yet.

Senior projectpowerpoint

The topic of my senior project powerpoint is whether or not elementary schools should offer foreign languages. I think it should be offered because young minds have the ability to absorb information better, it helps to learn another language later in life, and children are better able to mimick the pronunciations correctly.

TIME TO POST! 10 POINTS

PLEASE POST YOUR TOPIC AND THREE-PART THESIS STATEMENT FOR YOUR SENIOR PROJECT POWER POINT. ALSO POST HOW YOUR TOPIC CONNECTS TO YOUR SENIOR PROJECT.

I want us to do this publicly, for a couple of reasons:

1. We can't have duplicate topics, so once your topic is posted and approved no one else can take it. By posting it, we can all see the topics as they are approved.

2. I will provide comments and guidance on your topic, and everyone can get a better sense of what the guidelines are if we can all read the feedback.

SO, YOU NEED TO INCLUDE THREE PARTS TO YOUR POST.

1. Your research topic (you MUST take a position).

Example: The U.S. should adopt a policy of universal health care.

2. Your three part thesis statement.

Example: The U.S. should adopt a universal health care policy because it would be less expensive; it would be more equitable for all people; and it would improve the overall quality of health care in the United States.

***You could also argue AGAINST universal health care and provide three reasons.

3. Explain the connection to your senior project.

DUE DATE FOR THIS POST IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 BY 7:40 A.M.

HEROES WIN AGAIN!!

IS THERE ANY STOPPING THEM?

Iguanas, you gave them a run for it this time, but Ashley, Colten, and Tyler came on strong in the end. 5 bonus points to all heroes. Iguanas, better luck next time.

TEAM COMPETITION FOR EXTRA CREDIT

WHO WILL WIN?



I know it's been awhile since we've done anything with our teams: the iguanas and the heroes, but in looking at the current grade book, I thought we could all use a little extra credit, SO......

Here's the competition:


INSTRUCTIONS: Provide the definition (please be thorough) of ONE of the following literary terms AND provide an example:

allusion, foreshadowing, hyperbole, cliche, metaphor, irony, imagery, personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, genre, connotation, denotation, stream-of-consciousness, oxymoron, allegory, reversal

EXAMPLE: narrator: the voice of the person telling the story, not to be confused with the author's voice. Much of Animal Dreams is narrated by the main character, Codi. She narrates from first-person, limited point of view.

***The first team to have 6 DIFFERENT team members respond to a DIFFERENT TERM wins 5 extra credit points per team member. (REMEMBER: 5 points raises a timed writing by one letter grade). Team members MUST list their team name after their response or it doesn't count.

***RULE: once a term is used by a team member, no member of either team may use it again. This is so we don't have 12 people define hyperbole, giving the same definition and example. The idea is for everyone to define a different term.

***If you have forgotten which team you are on, check the archived posts. I posted it some time ago, and you can still find it on the blog.

LAUREN'S IN ORLANDO!

Sorry about the picture, Lauren. If you email me an actual picture of you from this week, I'll use that instead. Until then, all we have is this cheesy movie poster.

As many of you already know, Lauren has been in Orlando all week competing in a Karate tournament.

She was supposed to compete starting Tuesday of this week, SO.....how is it going?

Any news you can post here, Lauren, would be most interesting to all of us. Hope things are going well and that you're having a great time!

SENIOR SCRAPBOOK REMINDERS

The senior scrapbook is primarily a second semester project; however, several of you have asked a variety of questions about it, so I thought I would post some information here.

Some things you should know:

1. If you haven't already, go to my teacher web page (you can click on the Reitz Web page linked to this blog and get there from here) and print the three options for scrapbooks for AP students.

You can do 1) a regular scrapbook
2) a video scrapbook
3) a historical/cultural anthology

Make sure you read the descriptions for each project.


2. Sometime in January, you will be required to have your actual book. You should start thinking now about whether you'd like to use a photo album or a traditional scrapbook. For video projects, you'll need to see me about what to have in January.

3. Your friday essays are actually your scrapbook writings, so you are working on that part of the assignment already. Make sure you save all of your friday essays. You'll need to revise and print clean copies of all writings for the book.

4. Any other questions? Post them here.

SENIOR PROJECT REMINDERS

Here are some photos I took at Tamara's senior project on Saturday. Things seemed really organized and everyone there was having a lot of fun.

Just a couple of reminders for your own senior project:

1. Take lots and lots of pictures. You'll need them for your presentation in February.

2. Refer to the handbook I passed out at the beginning of the school year and/or the senior project website. Make sure you are logging your hours and looking over the other items you are supposed to be filling in as you go.

3. If you haven't started organizing your project, now is the time. You must have everything completed by January.

4. Any questions???? Post them here.

TAMARA'S SENIOR PROJECT

Tamara's senior project is this Saturday at the Barker Complex. It begins at 11 a.m. She's doing a mother/daughter softball tournament to support breast cancer research.

Anyone who is free, should stop by to support her and her very important cause.

FRIDAY ESSAY DUE: WHO IS YOUR HERO AND WHY?

Don't forget that you have your "hero" essay due this Friday.....Remember that handout I gave you a few weeks ago?

You may write about a family member, famous person, or anyone else that inspires you to achieve more, appreciate life, etc.

Please type the essay in MLA format and PROOFREAD!!!!!!! The essay must be a MINIMUM OF ONE PAGE in length. I will evaluate you on content, grammar, mechanics, and proofreading ability.

If you have any questions, post them here as usual.

ELECTION DAY!!!!

This is a very important day for our country. If you are 18, please vote! It is your patriotic duty as an American.

I know that you are a responsible group of young people, and you represent your generation well. Today is an important day to live up to the ethics and patriotism that I have seen in all of you.

If you haven't already, you must go to the polls and cast your ballot!

ASHLEY'S SENIOR PROJECT

I hope the health fair went well. I, and my girls had planned to come; however, Kate and I were struck with a stomach virus that had us on the couch most of the weekend. I am starting to feel a little better this evening, so fear not everyone.......The literary terms will still be presented Monday.

Anyway.....I hope you had a good turnout, and I'm sorry I missed it. Did anyone else from class attend?

LITERARY TERMS PRESENTATIONS......POST YOUR QUESTIONS HERE!

Remember that tomorrow everyone will present ONE of the their literary terms. Please refer to the handout I gave you several weeks ago for the directions and rubric that details how you will be graded.

**You must include a VISUAL AID (power point, movie clip, poster with VERY LARGE TYPE).

**You must provide a handout for the entire class (17 students plus me).

**You must involve the class in an activity that helps teach the term.

**You must stay within the time limit.

PLEASE POST ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENT HERE. I'LL TRY TO CHECK IN MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY SO I CAN ANSWER YOU. (KEEP IN MIND THAT I'M OLD AND GO TO BED AT A REASONABLE HOUR....OR TRY TO AT LEAST......THE EARLIER YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTIONS, THE BETTER).

RESEARCH PAPER TURN-IN

Research papers due tomorrow. Here is how you should turn it in.

1. Put the final paper (with the works cited page) in the RIGHT HAND pocket of a two-pocket folder.

2. Put all notes, outline, and draft in the LEFT HAND pocket.

3. ON TOP of the notes, outlines, etc., put all of your sources (photocopies or printouts) in the LEFT HAND pocket.

4. Be sure to HIGHLIGHT ALL USED MATERIAL!

Yeah!!!! You're finished!!!!!

TIME TO POST!

It's time for required post #3 DUE BY THURSDAY AT 7:40. Please reflect on today's discussion over "Popular Mechanics" and "Soldier's Home."

QUESTIONS
1. Who made you think during today's discussion? What did they say that either changed your reading/interpretation of the stories, OR what did they say that you had not previously considered?

2. What additional comments or observations do you have about the stories?

**AS IN CLASS REFLECTION, PLEASE TRY NOT TO SIMPLY REPEAT WHAT OTHERS HAVE ALREADY POSTED. If someone posts what you also had for reflection, try to add something original or look at a different aspect of the story or discussion. It's ok to agree with what has already been posted, but YOU MUST ADD YOUR OWN ORIGINAL ideas as well.

**ALSO, PLEASE CONSIDER RESPONDING TO THE POSTS OF OTHERS IN YOUR REFLECTION. YOU MAY POST MORE THAN ONCE IF SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING TO WHICH YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND.

SEMINAR TOMORROW!

We'll begin class tomorrow with a seminar over the short stories "Popular Mechanics" and "Soldier's Home."

Please come to class with at least one full page of annotations/ notes over the stories. You should all plan to participate in the discussion, and it should be clear that you have read the stories.

As you read, pay attention to the following:

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: before each story, your anthology usually includes information about the author and the story itself. This info can be really important in understanding underlying concepts and themes in the writing.

2. TIME PERIOD: often, the year of publication is included at the beginning of the work. Again, this will affect how you read the story.

3. LITERARY DEVICES: what elements of literature are used, and how does it affect the story?

4. QUESTIONS AT THE END: read the questions at the end of the story, and see if they change your ideas or enhance your understanding of the story.

As usual, I will take a grade on the seminar. Please come prepared!!!!

THE HALLOWEEN ANGELS SAY "SIGN UP FOR LITERARY TERMS!"

If you don't sign up for literary terms by Tuesday's class, you will have them assigned to you. Please choose your own on the post below ASAP.

Also, a shout out to Rachel, Sarah, Shawn, and Lauren who are cutting the Act I script. They appeared in my room during enrichment Friday and were hard at work pulling three minutes of text out of 40 minutes of Shakespeare. Way to get going right away on a challenging project. "Hooray for you!" as Meg, my 2-year-old would say.

As for the photo.....we obviously went to a Halloween party this weekend. What are you all planning to be????? Or have you left your trick-or-treating days behind?

SIGN UP NOW if you haven't already....the list of available terms is below.

LITERARY TERMS SIGNUP

It's getting more difficult to figure out what's been taken, so let's continue posting here instead of the previous posting site.

HERE'S WHAT'S LEFT:

plot
setting
allusion
resolution
stream-of-consciousness
character
theme
tone
allegory
ambiguity
colloquialism
convention
denouement
epiphany
narrator
paradox
reversal
suspense

HEROES RULE!

Heroes, you look so fierce in your masks! Great job on winning the first competition by a landslide. You are all good sports.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20

Think about which act of Hamlet you would like to cut. Also decide with whom you would like to work. On Wednesday, you will need to choose an act and a group.

Act I needs 4 people

Act II needs 3

Act III needs 3

Act IV needs 3

Act V needs 4

Also, Mr. Hughes is coming to class on Wednesday to talk with you about what is involved with the music and set design should you choose not to perform.

We probably need AT LEAST 6 of you to perform (some of the parts are small). Everyone else can choose music or set design. If those choices don't appeal to you, we might be able to come up with something else; for the most part though it's either performing, music, or sets.

This is going to be a VERY neat project that will be seen be a variety of audiences, depending on how we put it together. Also, you will know the play EXTREMELY well by the time we finish, so that's always a good thing. Think about how you'd like to contribute.

Also, please sign up for your literary terms on the post below!

LITERARY TERMS

If you want to stake your claim on your literary terms for presentations, go ahead and post yours here. That way, everyone knows what's been taken.

Ashley has point of view and irony. Everything else is still open.

Where are my poll questions??? I know you all have it in you.

NEW POLL QUESTION (S)

I need some good poll question ideas.

My well of creativity has run dry, metaphorically speaking (see the image above for a visual).

Several of you have said you like the surveys, so here's your chance for input.

Colten already promised to come up with at least one. How about the rest of you???

ON TO GRADING PERIOD #2

(The horse is in honor of Kaity's "This I Believe" essay, offered as a distraction from her bad start to this morning!)

What a strange week this has been.......PSAT, Chinese Acrobats, recording essays, short classes! Well, we made it anyway and got our essays recorded and research drafts turned in, so all is well.

PLEASE COME GET YOUR GRADE SHEETS IF YOU HAVE TIME. I have printed them, and you may want to check yours over to make sure everything looks as you think it should.

On Monday, we WILL TAKE THE HEROES' PICTURE!!! We will do it first thing, so we don't get caught up with something else. Also, we will continue with Shakespeare and begin Hamlet. Think about your groups of 3 or 4 that you'd like to work with for cutting Acts I-V. On Monday, we will also discuss research papers and common problems, etc. PAPERS DUE ON FRIDAY of next week.

Also, you may sign up for literary terms anytime. Email me if you know what you want. First come, first serve.

FOR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15

Short on time today, so this will be a quick post. Here's what you need for tomorrow:

1. revised outlines

2. complete revised rough draft of research paper, INCLUDING a works cited page (I must have this to make sure you are doing this correctly).

ESSAY RECORDINGS TOMORROW!

I hope you have all practiced reading your essays slowly and clearly for tomorrow's recording. The ICATS are bringing 5 or 6 laptops, so we'll have 5-6 of you recording at a time, while others work in the library on research.

Please bring a flash drive or other such device for saving work. After I go over outlines with you, some of you will want and need to make changes to both your outlines and your drafts.

HEROES....WE'LL TAKE YOUR PHOTO TOMORROW. PLAN TO LOOK HEROIC!

CITING SOURCES

I have added a link to a very helpful page that addresses citations for MLA format (scroll down to "Helpful Links"). The topic that you'll get when you click on it is "in-text citations"; however, if you scroll to the bottom you'll see links to all the MLA Format subjects. As much as I hated to link you to a Purdue site, this one is good. See you tomorrow.

TIME TO POST

It's time for another REQUIRED POST. Please respond to the following questions by TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 by 7:40 A.M.

1. What novel are you reading for the research paper, and who is the author?

2. How interesting and engaging have you found the novel; basically, was it a good choice for you?

3. What are you finding most difficult with your research right now?

4. What can I do to help you?

5. What should you do to better help yourself?

I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A PRODUCTIVE DAY TODAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OR NEED ME TO LOOK AT ANYTHING RESEARCH RELATED, STOP BY TOMORROW WHEN YOU HAVE TIME. WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN-TEXT CITATIONS AND WORKS CITED PAGES ON THURSDAY.

ALSO, WE STILL HAVE SOME "THIS I BELIEVE" ESSAYS TO READ ON THURSDAY!

HEROES, WE NEED TO TAKE YOUR WINNING PHOTO.

OUTLINE

Your typed outline should be a total of 18-22 COMPLETE SENTENCES. You should follow the template of the outline worksheet I gave you in class.

REMEMBER.....EVERYTHING IN COMPLETE SENTENCES. Begin the outline with your thesis statement (as shown on the worksheet), and go from there.

TUESDAY'S CLASS

Ok, guys. Thanks to a plea from Rachel, I will let you turn in the typed outline on Thursday. You should then have a THREE PAGE DRAFT for the following Tuesday, since you are getting extra time.

I am about to leave school to run my children to various lessons and activities, and I won't be back at a computer until after 8 p.m. I will update the blog tonight regarding tomorrow's class.

So, the important thing for you to know is that you WILL be in the library tomorrow during the first half of class. You WILL be expected to spend the class period on research. You WON'T need to turn in the typed outline until Thursday. I hope this is good news to you. If so, you owe Rachel.

More later....

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3

I've gone over and graded thesis statements for all who turned one in on Friday. If you'd like me to go over it with you, stop by when you have time. It will probably make your work time on Tuesday more productive.

NEED FEEDBACK ON YOUR THESIS STATEMENT? STOP BY ROOM 350!

The smiley face is in honor of Alyssa's "This I Believe" essay. It's also for you to look at in case you feel cranky about the research paper. If you keep up with your reading and writing assignments, we will work together on organizing your paper. Just try your best and think positively!!! There will be much more opportunity for guidance on your paper.

This brings me to THESIS STATEMENTS: I am in the process of going through each of your thesis statements, and in some cases going ahead and starting an outline for you as well. I have tried to write enough comments and suggestions to help get you to the next step, especially since I won't see you until Thursday.

Please stop by when you get time to talk about your thesis statement. I have some of them finished now, and I should have all of them finished by Monday. If you don't get a chance to come by the room, I'll leave your graded thesis statement in your mailbox in the back of the room (in the crate labeled "1").

THIS I BELIEVE ESSAYS

Great job on the essays we read today. I can't believe I forgot about the pep assembly!!!!! Sorry to those of you who didn't get to read yours. We'll look forward to hearing from you on Thursday.

I enjoyed all of the essays......I especially loved Lauren's analogy comparing the isolation at the lunch table to the social structure of life.

I also loved Sara F.'s belief statement that everyone is an artist. I don't think of myself that way, but her essay made me start thinking about different areas of my own life that really do require the "artist" in me.

Also, Alyssa's essay about the importance of smiling was about a simple concept, but the essay points out how much good it can do for someone to be the recipient of a smile; it represents so much more than what it seems on the surface. I'm not sure any of us spend as much time smiling as we could or should.

I enjoyed every essay read today. They were all creative and definitely unique. Round 2 on Thursday!

DON'T FORGET TO RESPOND TO THE FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BLOG IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!! THIS MUST BE DONE BY MONDAY, OCTOBER 6.

HEROES WIN!

Great Job to the fast-posting Heroes! We will have to take a lovely blog photo next week to break up the monotony of research. While the Heroes may not be gregarious talkers, you've proven yourselves to be formidable posters. Good teamwork.

IGUANAS???? WHAT HAPPENED? I KNOW YOU KNEW THE ANSWERS!! In your defense, however, your discussion of the "This I Believe" essays was very insightful. I liked Max's comment about the 16-year-old who managed to include positive historical events to balance out the negative. Also, Tamara's comment connecting the author who believed in poetry to her own experiences was good. As a group, you had a very nice mini-discussion.

As for today's class.....I really enjoyed reading your essay drafts. Your belief statements were all very different and creative. Remember that these are PERSONAL essays, so by definition you are including personal information. Don't completely leave that part out or the essay won't be as effective. Overall, though, nice job on these. I can't wait to hear them on Friday.

PLEASE REVIEW THE GUIDELINES FOR THESE ESSAYS (DOWN A COUPLE OF POSTS).

Keep reading those research novels. We'll talk about sources on Friday.

IF YOU HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE BLOG POST ASSIGNMENT (SEE LAST WEEK'S POST WITH MY PHOTO), YOU MUST DO THIS BY OCTOBER 6!

CLASS TEAMS! FIRST COMPETITION!

Ok, here are the teams.......

THE ORANGE IGUANAS
Tyler T
Max
Tamara
Coleigh
Rachel
Lauren
Kirstie
Ben

HARL'S HEROES
Alyssa
Kaity
Sara
Colten
Sarah
Shawn
Ashley
Tyler V.
Wes

HERE'S THE COMPETITION.......

The first team that has 5 separate representatives answer the following questions correctly gets a picture on the blog of their team with the caption ORANGE IGUANA'S RULE! or HARL'S HEROES RULE!

Questions for the IGUANAS:

1. Who is the author of Brave New World? (first and last name)
2. What is the definition of figurative language?
3. Where should the thesis statement go in a timed writing for Mrs. Harl's class?
4. What is the setting (time and place) for 1984?
5. Barbara Kingsolver's educational degrees were in what subjects (hint: it's on the podcast)?



Questions for the HEROES

1. Who is the author of 1984?
2. What is the definition of alliteration?
3. What two pieces of information should the opening sentence of a timed writing for Mrs, Harl's class include?
4. What is the setting for Brave New World (time and place)?
5. What are two of the main symbols used in animal dreams (hint: it's on the podcast)?

**YOUR ANSWER MUST BE CORRECT AND YOU MUST LIST YOUR TEAM NAME OR YOUR ANSWER DOESN'T COUNT!

TIMED WRITING MONDAY

As you prepare for Monday's timed writing, be sure to do the following:

1. Decide on a thesis statement. MAKE SURE ALL THREE POINTS ARE ARGUABLE, NOT FACTUAL. On a scratch piece of paper, WRITE IT OUT.

2. Write down at least 3 specific examples to support each thesis point.

3. Write down one or two significant themes from the novel. (Hint: think about the author's overall message)

4. Connect the examples to the overall theme, showing how your thesis is SIGNIFICANT TO THE NOVEL AS A WHOLE!

5. Give yourself 40 minutes and do a practice timed writing (one that you will bring with you to class). Try not to peek at your notes if possible.

6. Go back to my TEN TIMED WRITING TIPS post from August and review my advice.

7. Edit your draft.

**You should now be prepared for your 50 point timed writing tomorrow.

TIME TO POST!

Every time you see my smiling face with the "Time to Post!" heading, you'll know it's time for another blog post assignment. Your first posting assignment is the following: (due by Monday, Oct 6).

Answer the following questions:

1. How would you improve this blog to make it more useful to you?
2. What elements do you like and why?
3. How could this blog be used to enhance class?
4. In what ways can you contribute to the blog?
5. What could I add or remove to make this blog more useful?

Happy Posting! BONUS POINTS GO TO THE FIRST 3 PEOPLE THAT POST!

GUIDELINES FOR THIS I BELIEVE ESSAYS

BELOW IS A REMINDER ABOUT GUIDELINES FOR YOUR "THIS I BELIEVE" ESSAYS

This I Believe Essay-Writing Instructions

We invite you to contribute to this project by writing and submitting your own statement of personal belief. We understand how challenging this is—it requires such intimacy that no one else can do it for you. To guide you through this process, we offer these suggestions:

TELL A STORY: Be specific. Take your belief out of the ether and ground it in the events of your life. Consider moments when belief was formed or tested or changed. Think of your own experience, work, and family, and tell of the things you know that no one else does. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your daily life philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs.

BE BRIEF: Your statement should be between 350 and 500 words. That's about three minutes when read aloud at your natural pace.

NAME YOUR BELIEF: If you can't name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about belief. Also, rather than writing a list, consider focusing on one core belief, because three minutes is a very short time.

BE POSITIVE: Please avoid preaching or editorializing. Tell us what you do believe, not what you don't believe. Avoid speaking in the editorial "we." Make your essay about you; speak in the first person.

BE PERSONAL: Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to speak. We recommend you read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly echo your belief and the way you speak.

THINKING ABOUT RESEARCH

Over the weekend, be sure to investigate novels for your upcoming research paper.  You should have your novel in class on Tuesday.

Also, go to the "This I Believe" website (you can find it under "Helpful Links" on this blog), listen to an essay, and fill out the worksheet I gave you on Friday.  

FOR TOMORROW, FRIDAY SEPT. 19

1. BRING CAP APPLICATION AND TRANSCRIPT RELEASE
2. STUDY FOR BNW EXAM
3. NAME RESEARCH ESSAY DUE
4. STATEMENT OF BELIEF DUE (ONE SENTENCE)

As for today's discussion......some of you did a very nice job of offering opinions, adding insight, and asking questions. However, it is difficult to have a discussion that really makes us think, when only a third of the group are actively participating. I got the impression that a few of you perhaps hadn't finished the book. This makes it difficult to discuss, of course.

Remember, it is EVERYONE'S responsibility to add to our discussion. If we're not actively discussing, then I'm just standing in the front of the room telling everyone what to think and what they should know. Hmmm... that sounds a lot like the societies in 1984 and Brave New World!!

See you tomorrow. Think about what you believe.

BRAVE NEW WORLD EXAM

Can you answer the following exam questions?

1. 70% of female embryos are treated to become freemartins, ensuring that they are ____________________.

2. The Director states that the secret of happiness and virtue is........

3. Sleep teaching is NOT used for ____________________ education but for _____________________ education.

4. Who taught John to read?

5. The controller tells John that the chief reason Shakespeare is prohibited is because.......

Who is the speaker for the following quotes?

1. "Well, the next day there was a search. But we couldn't find her. She must have fallen into a gully somewhere; or been eaten by a mountain lion. Ford knows. Anyhow, it was horrible. It upset me very much at the time. More than it ought to have done."

2. "Oh my dear, my dear. If you knew how glad--after all these years! A civilized face. Yes and civilized clothes. Because I thought I should never see a piece of real acetate silk again."

3. "Most of our girls are freemartins, of course, I'm a freemartin myself. But we have about eight hundred unsterilized ones who need constant drilling."

4. "Well, I'd rather be unhappy than have the sort of false, lying happiness you were having here."

5. "Happiness has got to be paid for. You're paying for it, Mr. Watson--paying because you happen to be too much interested in beauty. I was too much interested in truth; I paid too."


It's a 50 question test. You've now seen 20% of it here. Also, our discussion Thursday will be worth 20 points (almost half your test grade), so come prepared to ask questions, state opinions, discuss themes, and most importantly make each other think!

CAP APPLICATIONS DUE THURSDAY

Please bring your CAP applications to class on Thursday, Sept 18!

BRAVE NEW WORLD

Remember that we will discuss the novel on Thursday of this week with the exam on Friday. As you read, make a list of similarities and differences between Huxley's novel and 1984. This will be one of the items for discussion on Thursday. While there are several obvious thematic similarities, the authors use very different details and plot devices to present their messages.

Here are some terms from the novel you should be familiar with. Can you explain their meanings within the context of the novel?

1. Bokanovsky group
2. Decanting room
3. Ford (what's the significance?)
4. Hypnopaedia
5. Malthusian belt
6. Nine Years' War
7. Podsnap's technique
8. Savage Reservation
9. Solidarity service
10. Pneumatic

Also, see "helpful links" below for some websites that might help your navigation of this novel.

SEE POST ABOUT SENIOR PROJECTS BELOW!!!

I have purposely not posted anything new because I want you all to review the previous post regarding proposals. Please follow the directions below for submitting proposals.

If you were asked to make changes during your proposal session, be sure to submit those by Monday morning AT THE LATEST. Remember, you need to use the format provided on the Senior Project Web Page.

Email with any questions.

Good luck!

THINGS TO DO

Remember that your dossier is due this Friday. Also remember that you must include a picture of yourself somewhere on the page.

Senior Project proposals are next week, so be sure to go to the Senior Project website. You can access it from my teacher webpage under "Links" OR more simply click on the Senior Project link under "helpful links" on this blog.

Once on the Senior Project site, click "Portfolio." There you will find the proposal template upon which you can type.

Be sure to complete ALL sections of the proposal, including the section that requires mentor and parent signatures.

Another imporant aspect of the proposal is the research section. You need to take a position on an issue that a reasonable person could argue. For example "Smoking is bad for your health" is not a position that invites a reasonable alternative argument.

Bring me your drafts on Friday (or even Monday) if you want some help. Don't forget to bring THREE COPIES on proposal day.

Good luck! Let me know if you need some help or feedback.

ANIMAL DREAMS TEST PREP III

By now, I hope you have reviewed your notes and taken time to at least view the podcast once. (As I said in class, you can listen to it on many of the computers in the school library). I took several test questions directly from the podcast, so it's worth a second listen if you have time.

Here are some of the quotes you will see on the exam. Can you identify the speaker?

"Mom says she'll break your face if you don't come over for breakfast."

"I told you I want Apodaca's line and not any of the others. I want gaffers. I'm not interested in knife birds."

"Oh, I know Doc's glad to have you back. He's been poorly. I don't expect he'd tell you but he is. They said when you was overseas you learned the cure they used on that actress in Paris, France. Bless your heart, you're a dear child. You don't remember me do you?"

"I know you're worrying, but you don't have to since we've established that I'm the luckiest person alive."

"If you want sweet dreams, you've got to live a sweet life."

ANIMAL DREAMS TEST PREP PART II

Our initial A.D. discussion got off to a slow start; then, once in small groups, the ideas took off. There were a lot of very insightful and original comments in your groups which carried over when we got back into a large group.

Something we, as a class, need to consider is that in order to have really productive discussions, everyone needs to feel free to express ideas in a safe and encouraging environment. We need to make an effort to encourage each other to participate. Also, we need to be quick to acknowledge classmates when they come up with thought-provoking, insightful, or interesting ideas. A little encouragement and positive reinforcement goes a long way to creating a trusting, safe, positive classroom enviroment for discussion. Thoughtful discussion is SO important for us to challenge ourselves as thinkers.

Some examples of encouragment include the following:
"That's an interesting idea."
"I like what Jenny said earlier about....."
"John made a good point about...."

Now.....on to the test. Here are a few more questions you will see on Friday's exam.

1. What does Codi mean when she says "Grace is a memory minefield."
2. Doc Homer said, "The seat of human emotion should be the _________________. We don't hold love in our hearts. We hold it in our _________________."
3. What item does Codi choose to honor and remember Hallie?
4. Who takes Codi to the place where her mother had left in the helicopter?
5. What is Loyd's hobby?

I'll post some more on Thursday.

Also, if anyone would like a Brave New World book before Friday, you are welcome to pick one up in room 350 at any time.

ANIMAL DREAMS TEST

I think of Jack, the coyote-dog, when I look at this picture.


Here's a sneak peak at a few of Friday's test questions. Do you know the answers?

1. Why does Codi feel embarrased for yelling at the children to "stop killing that bird" ?
2. Why does Codi say she went to medical school?
3. How did Codi's mother die?
4. Who is John Tucker?
5. What does Codi say is one of her biggest fears?

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAYS

I've finished your essays about what it means to be a scholar. Here are some of my favorite lines. I've kept it to just a few, though I could have included many more.


"I think being a scholar is not only being knowledgeable, but also putting forth the effort and having the desire to learn."

"One quality I think is important to be considered a scholar is to challenge yourself."

"Scholars have to be well-rounded as people."

"A scholar is someone who works hard and never gives up."

"This might just be the resultant debris from the collision between my cynicism and popular idealism, but I do not believe that every person can do anything even when they do everything in their power to achieve it."

"....if a person's car gets bad mileage, he or she will need a good amount of fuel to reach Scholarville. The luckier ones, though, can travel at light speed the entire way and scarcely ever stop for a refill."

"I like to think that the best kind of scholar is a mixture: someone who is well educated but is also a believer that not everything can be answered by logic."

"Organization is the key to being successful at anything."

TEN TIMED WRITING TIPS

As you prepare for Thursday's timed wrting, keep the following in mind:

1. Your opening sentence should include the name of the novel, the name of the author, and something of significance about the work (preferably related to the focus of your essay).

2. Make sure your thesis statement has 2-3 clear, debatable parts. Each part of the thesis must be something that can be argued rather than a fact. For example, if part of your thesis states that Winston has a relationship with Julia, there's not much more you can say about that. You would need to argue that Winston's relationship with Julia demonstrates a major theme in the novel (and then, of course, mention WHAT THAT THEME IS).

Also, try to avoid a convoluted, overly wordy thesis. You don't want your reader (ME) to have to read it over and over again trying to figure out what you mean.

3. Avoid figurative language, unless quoting from the novel. EXAMPLE of language to AVOID: " Winston is on cloud 9 when he is able to read a copy of Goldstein's book."

4. Use active voice rather than passive voice. EXAMPLE: "O'Brien invites Winston to his house" is better than "Winston is invited to O'Brien's house."

5. Set a goal of including 7-9 specific examples from the novel in your essay.

6. Don't repeat yourself to fill space.

7. Watch your time. I'll give you an end time at the beginning of the writing, and you need to make sure you don't run out of time before your conclusion.

8. DO NOT BEGIN YOUR CONCLUSION BY WRITING "IN CONCLUSION"!!!! Just jump right in by making an overall statement about the topics you've covered in the essay.

9. Write as legibly as possible. Keep in mind that if I can't read your handwriting, I can't give you the credit you may deserve.

10. HAVE FUN!!! Ok, just kidding. But seriously.....writing a solid essay with thoughtful examples and academic/ scholarly vocabulary can be very satisfying, especially when you start to get better and better at it. See this as the beginning of our journey to becoming master essay writers.

***DON'T FORGET TO BRING A COMPLETED TIMED WRITING DRAFT FOR SUBMISSION TO ME BEFORE YOU SIT FOR THE WRITING IN CLASS. THIS SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE JOURNAL YOU DID IN CLASS.

END OF FIRST WEEK

It was a great first week with a nice lead-off discussion of 1984 on Wednesday. There were some thoughtful (and I'd even venture to say insightful) comments and questions from the text. We could have gone on for quite awhile had we a little more time. I was really happy to see several of you step up and take the lead during discussion.

I am enjoying your writings about scholarship. I have already picked out some of my favorite lines from your essays. Look for some of them (anonymous selected lines, not entire essays) to be posted next week.

Don't forget to come prepared on Tuesday for timed writing prep. This means you should scratch out some ideas about BOTH possible essay questions.

Also, it is time to go to the senior project website and start coming up with some concrete ideas for your proposals.

I have really enjoyed talking with those of you who have stopped by class early to discuss project ideas and 1984. Keep those questions and ideas coming!

SUMMER WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE MONDAY!!! IF YOU'VE LOST YOUR HANDOUTS OR ARE JUST FEELING LOST IN GENERAL, GO TO MY TEACHER WEBPAGE FOR HELP!

Don't forget that on MONDAY (yes, it's true.....THIS COMING monday) you will need to TURN IN YOUR SUMMER WRITING ASSIGNMENT!!!

If you have lost the handouts we gave you before the end of school, you can find them on MY TEACHER WEBPAGE.

Go to www.evscschools.com/reitz

Then click on "Faculty and Staff".

Then click on "Teacher Websites".

Then find my name.

I have also placed a link to the Reitz Webpage on this blog under Helpful Links.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER WHAT YOU NEED FOR MONDAY, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO EMAIL. I will check it everyday until the start of school.

GOOD LUCK! I'LL SEE YOU ON MONDAY!

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS OVER ANIMAL DREAMS?

1. What is Loyd's hobby?
2. How does Codi save the life of Emelina's baby?
3. Where do Codi and Loyd go for the holidays?
4. What eventually happens to Hallie?
5. What do the women of "the club" sell in Tuscon?
6. At the end of the novel, what has helped Codi to stop focusing on the things she couldn't forgive before? How is the focus of her life now different?