Reality Check!!!

IN-CLASS FINALS START ONE WEEK FROM TODAY (6/8).

Everyone needs to be here all four days.

Seniors and sophomores: Books need to be finished by Friday and handed in by the following Tuesday. The last class grades taken will be two more sets of reading logs. Set one will be checked tomorrow. (Seniors: chapters 11-15. Sophomores: 16 -20.)

Senior classes should have read through chapter 18 by tomorrow.

Sophomore classes should have read through chapter 22 by tomorrow.

I've been telling you it's almost June since September.

It's June. We've run out of extensions.

Sophomore classes can prepare for the final by reading over all reading logs for novels and Julius Caesar, notes and outlines for short stories and poetry. You should still have Short story and poetry packets. Review them!

Senior Classes final will be two essays: one personal essay which will require a central theme (such as the Hero Journey), and a critical analysis of the Sword and the Stone.

The Sword in the Stone XIV / Catcher in the Rye XVI

College Prep 12:

• Discuss chapter 14 focus question.
• Read and log chapter 15 for tomorrow.
• Looking ahead: Chapter 16 and 17 should be read and logged by Tuesday.\

Grade 10:

• Discuss chapter 17 focus question.
• Read and log chapter 18 for tomorrow.
• Looking ahead: Chapter 19 through 21 should be read and logged by Tuesday.

The Sword in the Stone XIII / Catcher in the Rye XV

College Prep 12:


• What kind of society does the ant’s represent? What is it lacking? How is it a reflection of our own? What does Merlyn want Wart to learn?

• Chapter 14 is a transition passage.

• What, specifically, does White want you to know in this chapter?

Grade 10:
 
• Answer chapter 16 focus question in notebook.


• Discuss chapter 16, with particular mention of his interaction with the children in the park, the hat and his comments about the museum exhibits.

• HW: read and log chapter 17

• Focus question: What is Holden’s real reason for asking Sally to run away with him?

FYI: Go to Bed!

This stuff is so simple it's scary:

Chronic Teen Sleep Deprivation and the Biology of Adolescence

A growing body of research shows that most teens suffer from chronic sleep

deprivation, due to a biological change that occurs during adolescence. It is well documented that such sleep deprivation impairs the ability to be alert, pay attention, solve problems, cope with stress and retain information. In consequence it:

.       Reduces academic results

.       Reduces athletic performance

.       Increases physical and mental health problems.

“Research shows the typical adolescent’s natural time to fall asleep may be 11 pm or later; because of this change in their internal clocks, teens may feel wide awake at bedtime, even when they are exhausted (Wolfson & Carskadon, 1998). This leads to sleep deprivation in many teens who must wake up early for school.”

School districts around the country have implemented later school start times to impressive outcomes:

.       23.4% Net decrease in teen crash rates

“Average crash rates for teen drivers in the study county in the two years after the change in school start time dropped 16.5 percent compared to the two years prior to the change, while teen crash rates for the rest of the state increased 7.8 percent over the same time period. “

       212 Point increase in SAT scores

“The best known of these is in Edina, Minnesota, an affluent suburb of Minneapolis, where the high school start time was changed from 7:25 a.m. to 8:30. The results were startling. In the year preceding the time change, math and verbal SAT scores for the top 10 percent of Edina’s students averaged 1288. A year later, the top 10 percent averaged 1500, an increase that couldn’t be attributed to any other variable.”

       15 minutes of sleep is worth a grade point

“Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom of the University of Minnesota surveyed more than 7,000 high schoolers in Minnesota about their sleep habits and grades. Teens who received A’s averaged about fifteen more minutes sleep than the B students, who in turn averaged eleven more minutes than the C’s, and the C’s had ten more minutes than the D’s. Wahlstrom’s data was an almost perfect replication of results from an earlier study of more than 3,000 Rhode Island high schoolers by Brown’s Mary Carskadon. Certainly, these are averages, but the consistency of the two studies stands out. Every fifteen minutes counts.”

The Sword in the Stone XII / Catcher in the Rye XIV

College Prep 12:

• Chapter 11: Why are wart and Key needed? What quality allows them into the castle? How does Kay demonstrate growth? What important experience does Wart have?
• Tomorrow: Chapter 12.
• Note to students: Get the reading done.

Grade 10:

• Group work!
• Holden Caulfield is a young man, in severe crisis, of extremes. One side of his hair is gray, the other side not. He is wise and ignorant. Innocent and experienced. Genuine and phony.
  Generate a list of character traits and/or experiences which define both sides.
• Classes went so well, quiz was postponed to tomorrow and all present will have 10 points added to the last quiz grade!
  
  

The Sword in the Stone XI / Catcher in the Rye XIII

College Prep 12:

• Discuss chapter 10.
• Go over quiz 1.
• HW: Chapter 11
• Focus questions: Why are Wart and Key needed? What quality allows them into the castle? How, again, does Kay demonstrate growth? What important experience does Wart have?

 Grade 10:

• Write answer to chapter 14 focus question. (See yesterday.)
• Discuss
• Review quiz 2.
• HW: Chapter 15
• Focus question: What is the importance of Holden’s conversation with the nuns?
• Quiz and log check on Thursday.

 

 

The Sword in the Stone X / Catcher in the Rye XII

College Prep 12:

• Read and log chapter 10. Focus question: Identify moments that indicate Key’s personal growth. What function does the forest serve in the story?
• Finish for HW.
• Portfolios due next week!

 Grade 10:

• Chapter 13: What do you learn about Holden’s morality?
• Discuss.
• Chapter 14, read and log. Focus question: Was Holden wise in refusing to give up the 5 dollars? If not, what does this reveal about him? Compare this with his comments about the theft of the gloves in chapter 13.
• Finish for HW.

 

The Sword in the Stone IX / Catcher in the Rye XI

College Prep 12:

• What qualities do the Wart demonstrate while a merlin? What significant events occur?
• Discuss.
• HW: Chapter 9: What is the purpose of the story of the Rabbi?

Grade 10:

• Discuss Holden’s relationship with Jane as revealed in chapter 11, especially the significance of the tear.
• What is the significance of the duck question? Write in journals individually and discuss in small groups.
• HW: Chapter 13: What is revealed about Holden’s morality?

 

 

 

The Sword in the Stone VIII / Catcher in the Rye X

College Prep 12
 

Yesterday:

• Ch. 6: How does Merlyn feel about the warrior class? How do you know? 
• Read and log chapter 7. (Note: What lesson does Merlyn wish wart to learn by watching the joust? Does he learn it?

Today:

• Quiz on chapters 1– 5
• Log check.
• Read and log chapter 8. What qualities does the Wart demonstrate? What is the significance of this chapter?

Grade 10:

Yesterday:

• Ch. 10: Holden puts down everything except, Allie, Phoebe and Jane. Why?
• Read and log chapter 11.

Today:

• Quiz on chapters 6-10
• Log check
• What did you learn from chapter 11?
• Read and log chapter 12.

The Sword in the Stone VI / Catcher in the Rye VIII

College Prep 12:

•  Ch. 5: What did Merlyn mean for the Wart to learn by turning him into a fish?
• Discuss
• Read and log chapter 6. (Note: Pay special attention to Kay and wart’s reaction to the crow.)

Grade 10:

• Chapter 9: Around what time is it by the end of the chapter? How do you know?
• Pd. 8: discuss imagery in the chapter, especially in the hotel room.
• Read and log chapter 10.

 

 

 

The Sword in the Stone V / Catcher in the Rye VII

College Prep 12:

• Chapter 4 discussion question: Was Merlyn's reaction to Kay appropriate? Why or why not? What is reveal;ed about Merlyn's nature?
• Read and log chapter 5, with special attention to the point of the Wart's "lesson."

Grade 10:

• Chapter 8 discussion question: Describe Holden's conversation with Mrs. Morrow. What was he trying to do?
• Read and log chapter 9.
• Warning! Overdue research papers MUST be handed in!

The Sword in the Stone IV / Catcher in the Rye VI

College prep 12

• Pd. 2:  What is Ironic about wart's meeting with pellinore?
• Pd. 7: Compre the adults in the story so far (Ector, Pellinore, Merlyn). What may the author be saying?
• Both: Read and log chapter 4. Should be at least halfway through 5 for Monday.
• Reminder: Research project due Monday.

Grade 10:

• "Almost every time someone gives me a present, it ends up making me sad." What does this say about Holden?
• HW: read and log chapter 8.

The Sword in the Stone III / Catcher in the Rye V

College Prep 12

• Period 2: Read chapter 3.
• Period 7: Discuss the irony of Wart's meeting with King Pellinore. Why may T.H. White be presenting him in this manner? Read chapter 3.
• reading logs for chapter 3.

Grade 10:

• Read chapter 7, write reading log.

The Sword in the Stone II / Catcher in the Rye IV

College Prep 12

• Stressed the importance of not getting lost in White's description. It is important for an concise concept of the setting, but not as important as the actions of the characters. chapter 1 can be broken down to the following: the governess is fired, Sir Ector discusses the need for a new tutor with Sir Grummore, the haying sequnce reveals important differences between Wart and Kay, as does the hawking sequnce that ends the chapter.
• Discussed the revealing details in chapter 1 about the characters so far; Sir Ector, kay and the Wart.
• Chapter 2 plus reading log for tonight. pay special attention to the irony in the scene where wart meets King Pellinore.

Grade 10

• Took quiz on chapters 1 through 5
• Discussed the importance of the death of Holden's brother.
• Reading logs: summaries must be brief. The majority of the log should be on character analysis and development. What is revealed? What lines revela it? What does this say about the character? What predictions can be made?
• HW: Chapter 6 + reading log.

Note: I will be proctoring the English Regents for the next 5 mornings and will miss periods 2,3 and 4. I deeply regret this. However, the time is to be dedicated to reading the books and writing the reading logs. Any questions or confusions should be noted in notebooks. I will address them.

The Sword in the Stone I / Catcher in the Rye III

College prep 12

• Intro the Legend of King Arthur
• Dist. Books.
• read + reading log chapter 1
• Note: This text may be challenging at first. Stick with it.

Grade 10

• Journal: Compare Holden's relationship with Ackley and Stradlater.
• Discuss, with special attention to Holden's reaction to Stradlater's mention of Jane Gallagher.
• HW: Chapter 5.

Hamlet Exam Review / Catcher in the Rye Chapters 1-3

College Prep 12

• Went over the hamlet exam. Addressed concerns.
• Handed back Hamlet essays. Discussed some grammatical issues and the need for act, scene, line text references to support an argument.
• Tomorrow:  Start The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White

Grade 10

• Pop quiz on chapters 2 and 3.
• Discussed the characteriztion of Holden Caulfield as revealed so far. There are a lot of contradictions in his narrative: "I am illiterate but I read books." He says he hates phonies but claims he is a terrific liar. What does this say about him? What is his self-image?
• HW: Chapter 4 and reading log.

Research - Last Day / Catcher in the Rye I

College Prep 12

• Last day in the library. Research papers due next Friday.

Grade 10

• Pop quiz on chapter 1
• Added the following vocab word:
• alienation: Emotional isolation or dissociation
• Discussed the title of the story.
• Gave directions for reading logs: Each chapter gets a brief summary plus a strong focus on Holden Caulfield's character development. Why does he act the way he does? Are his thoughts defensive? Accurate? Wrong? What do you learn about him?
• Logs for chapters one through three due on Monday.

Research / LOTF Video

College Prep 12

• We're in the library this week working on research.
• Don't forget that Hamlet essays are due on Wednesday. The play must be referenced in the paper, act, scene and line number.
• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation. (For those who need the reference.)

Grade 10

• Watch The Lord of the Flies today and tomorrow.
• Extra credit opportunity: Write a short critical analysis of the movie compared to the book.
• Research project due on Friday.

Hamlet Epilogue / Research

College Prep 12

• Finish exam
• Work on essays which must reference the play. (Act/scene/line #'s)
• Essay choices are:

1. Write an essay on the function of the soliloquies in Hamlet.


2. Examine how Shakespeare makes use of classical allusions.

3. Discuss Hamlet's "antic disposition." Is his madness feigned or real?

4. Conflict is essential to drama. Show that Hamlet presents both an outward and inward conflict.

5. Why does Hamlet delay taking revenge on Claudius?

6. The character Claudius has been compared to Macbeth. How similar are these two characters? In what ways are they similar?

7. Compare Laertes with Hamlet: both react to their fathers' killing/murder. Is the reaction of either right or wrong?

8. Although Hamlet ultimately rejects it at the end of the play, suicide is an ever-present solution to the problems in the drama. Discuss the play's suggestion of suicide and imagery of death, with particular attention to Hamlet's two important statements about suicide: the "O that this too, too solid flesh would melt" soliloquy and the "To be, or not to be" soliloquy.

9. Select one of Hamlet soliloquies and by a detailed attention to the poetry discuss the nature of Hamlet's feelings as they reveal themselves in this speech. What insights might this speech provide into the prince's elusive character?

10. Select a particular scene in and discuss its importance in the play. How does this particular part of the action contribute significantly to our response to what is going on? What might be missing if a director decided to cut this scene (e.g., Claudius at prayer, the scene between Polonius and Reynaldo, the gravedigger scene)

11. Discuss Hamlet's treatment of and ideas about women. How might these help to clarify some of the interpretative issues of the play? You might want to consider carefully the way he talks about sexuality.

12. Hamlet's flaw is that he fails to act on instinct - he thinks too much.

13. Discuss the importance of appearance and reality in Hamlet.

14. What is the role of symbolic image of the Yorik's skull in the play?

15. Is something rotten in the state of Denmark? If so, what precisely is it? Is anyone in particular responsible or is the rottenness simply a condition of life?

16. Think about Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia. Does he love her? Does he stop loving her? Did he ever love her? What evidence can you find in the play to support your opinion?

17. Analyze the use of comedy in Hamlet, paying particular attention to the gravediggers, Osric, and Polonius. Does comedy serve merely to relieve the tension of the tragedy, or do the comic scenes serve a more serious thematic purpose as well? 

• Essays are due Wednesday.
• We will be in the Library all next week for the research paper.

Grade 10

• Last day in the library. Research paper is due Next Friday.
• Monday we'll go over the  Lord of the Flies exam and start the movie.

Hamlet, Finally / Research

Apologies for being behind!

College Prep 12

• Finished reading Hamlet yesterday.
• Today and tomorrow: view Act 5
• Multiple choice exam after video.
• Hamlet essay due next Wednesday (4/28).
• Next week: library research!

Grade 10

• In library all week doing research. (Directions in THIS post.)
• Due Friday (4/30)

Hamlet XX / Lord of the Flies XVIII

College Prep 12:

• Finished viewing Act 4, started quiz.

Grade 10:

• Began exam. Will finish tomorrow.

Hamlet XIX / Lord of the Flies XVII

College Prep 12:

Note: The translation link has been wrong! Thanks A.V. for bringing that to my attention. Apologies for any confusion.

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Finished Act 4, started video.

Grade 10:

• Discussed "Notes on The Lord of the Flies" by E.L. Epstein in the back of the book. Reading this is highly recommended in preperation for writing the exam essay.
• Discussed the final two chapters.
• Exam tomorrow and Friday!!!
• Distributed directions for the research project which will start on Monday in the library. Directions are below. Topic must be decided by Friday. There will be no changes allowed!

The Day the Universe Changed


There are moments throughout human history that define a sharp border between what used to be and something new. These moments are all founded on a specific idea or event that changed how humans thought and behaved. Your goal is to choose one and explain, in detail, how it changed history. Tell the story. You need to not only describe what the idea or event is, but how it influenced history to the present moment.
Requirements:

• 3 sources, only 1 Internet source (except for images). Not Wikipedia.

• Font size 12, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins.

• Pages numbered, name in header

• Citations must be in MLA format

• Length: minimum three pages plus bibliography (without images)

• At least 2 images with citations.

• No more than 1 image per page
Some ideas:
1. Copernicus’s Heliocentric Theory of the Solar System.

2. Newtonian Physics

3. Adam Smith’s Theory of Capitalism

4. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

5. The Personal Computer

6. The Development of Agriculture

7. The Discovery of Germs and Bacteria

8. The Vaccine

9. The Discovery of Gunpowder

10. The Telegraph

11. The Internal Combustion Engine

12. The Television

13. The Printing Press

14. The Automobile

15. The Council of Nicea

16. The Black Death

17. Gregor Mendel’s Work with Peas

18. Charles Darwin and Evolution

19. Kitty Hawk: 12 seconds in the Air

20. Trinity: The First Atomic Detonation

21. The Magna Carta

22. Mary Wollstonecraft's "Vindication of the Rights of Women"

23. Karl Marx's "Das Kapital"

24. The Declaration of Independence

25. Pearl Harbor

26. Ancient Greek Philosophy

27. The Rediscovery of Greek Knowledge: Toledo Spain, 1105

Hamlet XVII-XVIII / Lord of the Flies XV-XVI

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Monday: read Act 4 through scene 4
• Tuesday: Act 4 through scene 7 line 39
• Note: Scene notes will be checked! Make sure they are done!
• Reflection journals: four through next Monday

Grade 10

• Monday: Journal: what is the symbolic meaning of Simon's death? Discuss chapter 10 with particular attention to the difference between Ralph's and Jack's groups handlingof Simon's death.
• Tuesday: Quiz on chapters 9-10
• Tomorrow: Final discussion. Book needs to be finished.
• Exam: Thursday and Friday

Hamlet XVI / Lord of the Flies XIV

College Prep 12

Completed viewing Act 3. Just enough time for a brief discussion before the end of the period. Quiz will be tomorrow.

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Grade 10

• Periods 3 and 8: Finished quiz. Started reading chapter 9.
• Period 4: finish discussing chapter 8, start quiz.
• Tomorrow: Discuss chapter 9. (Finish reading for homework.)

Hamlet XV / Lord of the Flies XIII

College Prep 12

Viewed Act 3 up to the end of the play within a play.

Will finish and take quiz tomorrow.

Note: If anyone misses the video, I'm sure you can find individual scenes on Youtube.

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Grade 10

• Periods 3 and 8: Discussed the significance of the 'baptism of blood',  fire theft and Simon's 'conversation' with the 'Lord of the Flies.' They took chapters 7 and 8 quiz.
• Period 4 was a reading period due to absences.
• Reading logs for chapters 7 and 8 were checked.
• Those not done will complete quiz tomorrow
• Chapter 9 should be done by tomorrow.

Hamlet XIV / Lord of the Flies XII

College Prep 12

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Finished Act 3. Scene 4 is pivotal to the story. If you missed class, make sure you read it. This link will help: Analysis of Act 3 Scene 4 of Hamlet.

Will watch video on Monday. Quiz on Tuesday.

Grade 10

• Began discussing Chapter 8, "Gift for the Darkness" with an analysis of the title. (Gift = tribute, offering; Darkness = beast, fear)
• Made special note of a) Jack's attempt at usurping Ralph's authority by using the conch to call an assembly, b) the indication that Simon is on a vision-quest, c) the killing of the sow as the completion of the transition of the hunters from civilized to savages.
• On Monday we will complete the discussion of the chapter and start quiz 4.

Hamlet XIII / Lord of the Flies XI

College Prep 12

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Finished Act 2 scenes 2 and 3. Discussed the allusion to Nero (scene 2, line 427). Reference HERE and Hamlets motivation for not acting in scene 3.

Tomorrow I will be attending a conference. Students may work in their reflection journals.

Grade 10

• Began reading chapter 8 in class. Finish for homework and complete reading logs.
• Quiz on chapters 7 and 8 tomorrow with subsitute. Note: On Monday we will discuss chapter 8 and students will have an opportunity to revise answers on quiz. No homework.

Hamlet XII / Lord of the Flies X

College Prep 12

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Read through Act 3, scene 2, line 404.

Grade 10

• Discussed the three major events of chapter 7:
• Simon's prediction that Ralph will make it home, reinforcing Simon's character as prophet/mystic.
• Encounter with the boar and subsequent reenactment of the event in which Robert was mistreated in an emotional frenzy. Ralph got caught up in it. Foreshadowing.
• Ralph's argument with Jack. he asked Jack why he hated him.
• HW: Catch up if you are behind!

Hamlet XI / Lord of the Flies IX

College Prep 12

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Read Act 3, scene 1. Discussed Hamlet's 'to be, or not to be' soliloquy and the reasons behind his treatment of Ophelia.

Grade 10

• Quiz on chapters 5 and 6.
• Finished checking reading logs.
• Returned poetry projects, placed in portfolios.
• Chapter 7 due tomorrow.

Hamlet X / Lord of the Flies VIII

College Prep 12

Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.

Finished viewing video for Act 2, took quiz.

Start Act 3 tomorrow.

Grade 10

• Discussed chapter 6 with particular attention to the changes in Ralph, Jack and the idea of "The Beast." Also, the flaw in Simon's character was mentioned (fear of public speaking).
• Reading logs for chapters 5 and 6 were checked in periods 3 and 4. rest will be checked tomorrow during quiz.
• Chapter 7 must be finished by Wednesday.

Hamlet IX / Lord of the Flies VII

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• As the importance of the classical allusions in the story are of growing importance, some time was spent discussing this. See this page: Classical Allusions in Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (1603). Not all of it was read, but this is an excellent source to understand the depth this factor brings to the play.
• We finished Act 2. Video tomorrow, quiz Monday.

Grade 10

• Went over quiz 1.
• Quiz on chapters 3 and 4
• No reading assignment for tonight, but all students should be done with chapter five and the reading logs for those chapters.
• We'll discuss chapter 5 tomorrow. Chapter 6 will be due Monday. Quiz on Tuesday.

Hamlet VIII / Lord of the Flies VI

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Read through line scene 2, line 391.

Grade 12

• Begin reading chapter 5 whiel logs for chapters 3 and 4 are checked.
• Quiz tomorrow on chapters 3 and 4.
• Finish reading chapter 5, do reading log.

Hamlet VII / Lord of the Flies V

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Started Act 2. Read through Scene 2 line 139

Grade 10

• Discussed chapter two with attention to the importance of the glasses, the "beastie" and the the consequences of the fire.
• Finish chapter 4 for HW. Reading logs wil be checked tomorrow.

Hamlet VI / Lord of the Flies IV

College Prep 12

• Took quiz on Act 1
• Checked reflection journals. Four more through next Monday.
• Start Act 2 tomorrow

Grade 10

• Took quiz on chapters 1 and 2.
• Checked reading logs for chapters 1 and 2
• Went over benchmark exams. Students were told that the paragraph may be rewritten after school to improve the grade.
• HW: Read through page 68 in the middle of chapter 4. Reading log.

Hamlet V / Lord of the Flies III

College Prep 12

• Finished watching Act I. Quiz on Monday.

Grade 10

• Reviewed directions for reading logs.
• Discussed chapter 2
• Chapter 3 for Monday. Reading logs will be checked for a grade.

Hamlet IV / Lord of the Flies

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Finished reading Act I, started video.
• Tomorrow we'll finish video and take Act I quiz.

Grade 10

• Finished model reading log for chapter 1
• Read chapter 2 for tomorrow.
• Poetry project due tomorrow. (Reminder: You were supposed to have chosen a poem or lyric from a song and written a critical analysis in the same manner as was done for "Danny Deever" and "Wreck of the Hesperus.")

Hamlet III / Poetry Exam - Lord of the Flies

College Prep 12

• Hamlet with line numbers. Hamlet with translation.
• Reviewed scene 3 so far, continued:
• Read through scene 5, line 97.
• Students were encouraged to work on their portfolios at home while Hamlet is being read in class.

Grade 10

• Periods 3 and 4 took the poetry exam again due to the poor report from the substitute. Let's just say test security would seem to have been compromised.
• Period 8: Discussed chapter 1 of Lord of the Flies; began notes on characters, symbols. Will finish tomorrow. Read chapter 2 for homework.

Hamlet II / Benchmark Exam Continued - Lord of the Flies

College Prep 12

• Discussed quality of unit exams. Due to the careless nature of too many of them, essay rewrites will require a conference with me first.
• Read Hamlet through line 94, Act 1, Scene 3. (Text with translation can be found HERE. The first link is used because it provides line numbers.)
• I will be out tomorrow. Students are to write in their reflection journals. 4 more need to be completed by next Monday for a total of 10 since the last grade assigned.

Grade 10

• Students edited Friday's benchmark.
• The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, was distributed. Chapter 1 should be read by Wednesday.
• Tomorrow they will take the poetry exam with the subsitute.
• Poetry essay due on Friday.

Mr L's Response to President Obama

 For context, read this article from the NY Times:

School’s Shake-Up Is Embraced by the President

Dear Mr. President,

If the best of us aren't safe, why should any of us become teachers? I was at work until six o'clock on Friday. Yesterday, Saturday, I graded essays for three hours. I'll do the same today. I worked a six day week this week. I do that often. I research and plan for much of the summer. I am not compensated for that. I also work in a district with significant social problems. Too many of our students don't do well. Your endorsement of the Central Falls, RI nuclear option is not only profoundly wrong for public schools in general... it threatens my family. Right now, smart people should avoid the profession. The Democratic Party has lost my membership and you have lost my vote.

While I agree teachers should be held accountable, to do so without holding anyone else accountable is nothing more than political scapegoating. All the electorate hears right now is that teachers are the problem.

How politically expedient.

Sincerely,
Michael Lambert

Hamlet I / Benchmark

College Prep 12

• Read Hamlet through line 89, Act 1, Scene 2. (Text with translation can be found HERE. The first link is used because it provides line numbers.)
• Class routine for Hamlet is as follows: Come in, grab a book. Preview annotations/footnotes for first few minutes to prep for the day's reading. After each scene, write summary/notes in notebook. Ask questions.
• If anyone is absent, the link to the text and the class' progress will be posted here.

Grade 10

• Benchmark exam

Hamlet Intro / Shakepseare's Sonnet

Haven't updated this site in a while due to a stacked inbox of papers and essays. Will try to post assignments, at least, in the coming days. All classes are reminded that interim reports go out next week.

College Prep 12

• Finished watching Paolini's Oedipus Rex yesterday. Discussed the psycho-social (Freud/Jung) implications of the story.
• Introduced Hamlet today. This link provides access to the text with numbered lines. Daily progress will be posted here so that absent students can keep up.
• Read a brief introduction and wrote down focus questions: What is the purpose of King Hamlet's ghost? Did Hamlet really go mad? Was he acting? Was Gertrude faithful to Hamlet's father? Was she complicit in his murder? Why did Hamlet wait so long to prove his uncle's guilt? Why didn't he act when he was convinced?
• Will begin reading tomorrow. Four more journal entries are due by Monday, for a total of six so far in the curent block.

Grade 10

• Read and discussed Shakespeare's SONNET 18
• Tomorrow: Benchmark #2
• Monday: Poetry exam.

Oedipus / "Wreck of the Hesperus" - Benchmark Prep

College Prep 12

• Yesterday Oedipus was brielfy discussed. Students took most of the period to reread and annotate. Annotations will be collected as part of the essay grade for this unit. (For link to oedipus, see link in 2/19 post.)
• Today we began watching Pasolini's Oedipus Rex, with particular attention to the filmaker's symbolism.
• Yesterday, the essay question: In a discussion including at least two of the five stories, analyze similarities and differences in event sequence, characterization, symbolism and theme. Be sure to tie these elements together in such a manner that supports each story’s purpose or message. (Think in terms of the hero journey and ‘atonement with the father’ in particular.)
• Also told period 7 that anyone who wishes can write on their own topic within the context of the five stories (and movie) in this unit. Due date will be extended to next Wednesday.

Grade 10

• Checked homework: annotation of Lonfellow's "Wreck of the Hesperus." Annotations should include literary elements such as foreshadowing, irony, personification, metaphor, simile, characterization and identification of words and phrases that indicate mood and tone.
• Today began work prepping for next week's benchmark. Passage and graph need to be annotated and multiple choice questions answered.

"The Three Ravens" / "Danny Deever" - Critical Analysis Model, continued

College Prep 12

• Review "The Three Ravens" (viewed yesterday, based on "The Six Swans")
• Notes: sequence of events, symbolism, theme
• HW: Read "Oedipus" handout.

Grade 10

• Check HW.
• Review method for constructing a critical analysis of poetry.
• Begin conclusion.

Story Analyses / "Danny Deever" - Critical Analysis Model II

College Prep 12

• Reminder about mindful sentence construction. Reading work out loud will make mistakes stand out and show where your writing weaknesses are.
• Continued working in groups listing main events, symbols and their meanings.
• Group rep reports to class. Question and comment.
• Reminder #2: Eden essays dus on Friday.
• Reflection journals will be checked tomorrow.

Grade 10

• Check homework. Students to annotate poem by quatrain. Annotations should answer two questions: What is going on? What is the author doing?
• Share homework.
• Write second paragraph, add to model:

   The first stanza introduces foreshadowing and suspense (lines 3,4) through the conversation between CS and FP. CS is “white” with “dread” about “what (he’s) got to watch.” The cause of the dread is introduced: Danny Deever is getting hanged. Kipling emphasizes the tone by repeating “hangin’” three times (lines 5-8).

• HW: write the next two paragraphs on seperate paper to hand in. Students were told to vary how they start the succeeding paragraphs. The following example was given for them to use: "The reaction of the regiment is illustrated in the second stanza."

The Garden Revisited-Story Analysis / "Danny Deever" - Critical Analysis Model

College Prep 12

• The Garden of Eden assignment was "rebooted." Most students did not personalize the story as directed: The story is your dream. Work the imagery and symbolism and write a critical analysis the conclusion of which will be something that is personally meaningful.
• Shared a web link that contains a good explanation of Campbell's "Monomyth" and hero cycle. The section "Atonement with the Father" was distributed in class and discussed. This is a major theme for the stories in the current unit. (Garden of Eden, Parable of the Prodigal Son, The Language of the Birds).
• Students were seperated into three groups. Each assigned one of the three stories. Groups are to compile a list of important events and possible symbolic imagery.

Grade 10

• Continue constructing intro pragraph of a critical analysis of Danny Deever by Rudyard Kipling together:

   Rudyard Kipling’s “Danny Deever” is a narrative poem about the hanging of a soldier and the emotions of his comrades. The structure of the poem is a conversation between two soldiers. Files-on-Parade is an inexperienced soldier who asks a lot of questions. The Color-Sergeant is an experienced soldier who answers the questions. Each stanza is composed of two quatrains. The first quatrain contains the questions and answers. Each line is either 14 or 15 syllables. The rhyme scheme is AAAA if read in the proper dialect, ABAB if not read in dialect. The second quatrain has 14 or 15 syllables in the first three lines and 12 in the last. The rhyme scheme is AAAB.The last four lines seem to be spoken by a narrator, and the first and last of them mention the hanging of Danny Deever.

• HW: Write an analysis of the first stanza on a seperate sheet of paper.

Genesis III / Poetry III

College Prep 12

Just quickly: We reveiwed working metaphoric imagery today. Going over the poetry projects i've noted that the imagery is not being worked as surgically as I wish, so rewrites may be in order when they are returned.

We reviewed yesterday's lesson in terms of archetypes. Students are to take the archetypal imagery from the Eden story and treat it as their own dream. Brainstorm personal interpretations and associations with the stories imagery and construct meaning in a personal essay. Primary archtypes: God, Adam, Eve, Tree, Serpent, Paradise, Forbidden Fruit. Due Monday.

Grade 10

Discussed the first three stanzas of "La Belle Dame sans Merci" by John Keats. (See yesterday's entry for link.) Reread the rest of the, the knight's response, and add to annotation already done.

Genesis II / Poetry II

College Prep 12

• Continued discussing Genesis 1, 2 and 3. Compared and contrasted language in 1 and 2.
• Garden of Eden: Viewed images of the Tree of Knowledge from other cultures with accompnaying serpent imagery: the Golden Fleece, Garden of the Hesperides, Buddha under the Bo Tree. Also discussed the parallel with the Cadeucis and the varying impulses from each story/image.
• Why was Eve made from Adam's rib?
• Associated the imagery with the concept of duality.
• Discussed historical context: desert culture, Fertile Crescent, etc.
• Excellent discussions in each class. Some very good ideas.

Grade 10

• Checked homework. Students were reminded that all writing for this class is to be in complete sentences unless otherwise directed.
• Discussed the importance of reading poetry out loud. Reviewed the definition of prosody.
• Examined the poem "Metaphor" by Eve Mirriam
• HW: Read "La Belle Dame sans Merci" by John Keats. Annotate.

Genesis / Poetry I

College Prep 12

• Yesterday, Genesis 1 and 2 was read in class (as literature/poetry/myth). Genesis 3 and the following worksheets had to done for HW.
• Today the first few paragraphs of Genesis 1 were considered. The concepts of 'duality' and 'empiricism' were introduced. I.e.: We live in a dualistic unverse of opposites, the empirical nature of which is applicable up to the point of ideas... where things get problematic. What is evil? Was the Haitian earthquake 'evil'?
• HW: In journals: What does, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness" mean?

Grade 10

• Yesterday we went over the Julius Caesar and benchmark exams.
• Begin poetry unit:
• Poetry needs to be read with the correct attitude to be understood.
• Understanding poetry is a process:

How to Interpret Poetry
1. Read it through. (out loud?)
a. Get initial impression/image/literal meaning/context
2. Second read
a. Examine vocabulary
b. Look for symbols and metaphors
i. free associate meanings/brainstorm
ii. group discussion if possible
iii. select meanings to match context
3. Third read
a. Make connections
b. Determine poem’s intent; what is being said at a figurative/abstract level.
c. Personal reaction

• Example of b (i):
• Example of free association: “O Rose, thou art sick.”
• Rose: is capitalized=importance or person, love, beauty, feminine/woman
• Sick: illness, flaw, imperfection
• O: exclamation of surprise or fear, communicates speaker's tone
• Thou art vs. you are: Thou art would be used to show respect and/or affection
• Meaning: There is a serious/tragic flaw in something or someone important to the speaker connected with love or beauty. A flawed romance?

The Sound of Silence & Comfortably Numb / Julius Caesar Exam (Essay)

College Prep 12

• Students were told that an extra credit major grade will be possible for an original poem. Any submission has to demonstrate effort at crafting language and communicating something that is obviosly of great importance to the author.
• We continued studying Paul simon's piece, "The Sound of Silence." Historical context was mentioned along with a theme of messianic failure.
• "Comfortably Numb" was distributed. Lyrics were read individually, discussed in groups. Song was played. To be continued tomorrow.
• Critical analysis of self-chosen piece due Monday.

Grade 10

• Day 2 of Julius Caesar essay. Any not finished must be done for homework.
• ATTENDANCE IS CRITICAL TOMORROW AND MONDAY. WE WILL BE TAKING THE BENCHMARK EXAM. ANY NOT COMPLETED DUE TO ABSENCE MUST BE FINISHED ON FRIDAY 1/29 AT 8 A.M.

Poetry VIII / Julius Caesar Act V Exam Part 1

College Prep 12

• Thursday and Friday: Classes wrote a critical analysis of "The Sick Rose" based on the outline done for homework.
• Today: Final discussion of "The Sick Rose." Essay due tomorrow.
• Read "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning.
• Look over "My Last Duchess" for further discussion.
• Bring in lyrics or poem titles (3) for project.

Grade 10

• Begin Julius Caesar exam. Multiple choice today, essay tomorrow.

Poetry VII / Julius Caesar Act V , continued

College Prep 12

• Check HW (finish outline for "The Chimney Sweeper" from Blake's Songs of Innocence. )
• Discuss
• Examine "The Chimney Sweeper" from Blake's Songs of Experience.
• Discuss: will complete tomorrow.
• Homework: Examine and annotate "The Sick Rose."
• Note: Submission policy for the second semester is going to be modified. Students will no longer be able to email me work. If there are printing issues at home, students can email the work to themselves, access it at work and either print it out in school or paste it to a class folder in the Student Directory. Work will be graded electronically.
• All work must be submitted by Friday!

Grade 10

• Give back Act IV quizzes.
• Continue Act V,
• Finish tomorrow and view video.

Poetry VI / Julius Caesar Act V

College Prep 12

• Discuss "The Chimney Sweeper" from Blake's Songs of Innocence.
• Worked on outlining a critical analysis through the fourth stanza:

I. Intro


a. Literal

i. Young chimney sweeper comforts friend whose hair is cut off.

ii. Friend has a dream of being brought to a wonderful place by an angel. He’s encouraged.

b. Figurative

i. The dream is a metaphor that turns life and death upside down. They are living a kind of death, salvation (life) comes from death (heaven).

II. Stanza 1

a. Begins with a death, related with childlike matter-of-factness

b. Key words:

i. “my father sold me”

1. consequence of extreme poverty

ii. “’weep, ‘weep”

1. Play on words: child too young to say “sweep.” “Weep” elicits the grief/tragedy of the situation.

III. Stanza II

a. Key words:

i. Lamb, white hair (innocence)

ii. “soot cannot spoil your white hair?” Innocence can’t be tarnished?

IV. Stanza III

a. Tom’s dream

i. Sweepers locked in black (death) coffins

1. metaphor for their lives; death in life

ii. The Angel

1. freedom, life, messenger, guardian, from God

2. bright key: moment of death, unlocking the coffin

iii. Imagery

1. green plain: contrast to black coffin; green = life

• Finish last two stanzas plus conclusion for homwork.
• Must have list of three poems (one favorite and two options) for critical analysis by Friday.

Grade 10

• Review story, start Act V.
• Will finish reading tomorrow.
• Video on Thursday
• Multiple choice exam on Friday.
• Essay on Tuesday.

Poetry V / Julius Caesar Act IV Quiz

College Prep 12

• Review projects, hand back
• Add to poetry notes:

How to Write a Critical Analysis

1. Intro
a. Title, author
b. Comment on literal context and figurative/abstract meaning. (thesis statement)
2. Select and discuss meaning of imagery/metaphors/symbols to support your thesis.
a. Stanza by stanza
i. Refer back and forward for support
3. Conclusion
a. Author’s purpose (thesis statement)
i. What larger statement is being made?

• Wrap up the Byron piece: What larger statement is Byron making with "So We'll Go No More A Roving?" (Life passes, we must let go, etc.)
• Intro William Blake; historical context.
• "The Lamb," From Songs of Innocence. Read, discuss.

Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life & bid thee feed,
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, wooly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb.
He is meek & he is mild;
He became a little child.
I a child & thou a lamb.
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!

• Read "The Chimney Sweeper" for homework.
• Highlight, underline, make notes.
• Poetry Project: Students will write a critical essay on a self chosen poem or song lyric. Names will be called at random for their choices as no one may do the same as another. First choice by Thursday.  Essay must include the poem or lyric.

Grade 10

• Act IV quiz
• Pg. 419 questions 1&2 (Must be finished for homework.)

Poetry IV / Julius Caesar Act IV

College Prep 12

• Notes on how to analyze a poem:

How to Interpret Poetry



1. Read it through. (out loud?)
a. Get initial impression/image/literal meaning/context
2. Second read
a. Examine vocabulary
b. Look for symbols and metaphors
i. free associate meanings/brainstorm
ii. group discussion if possible
iii. select meanings to match context
3. Third read
a. Make connections
b. Determine poem’s intent; what is being said at a figurative/abstract level.
c. Personal reaction

• Distribute Bryon's "So We'll Go No More A Roving"
• Read and analyze for discussion tomorrow:
  

So we’ll go no more a roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And love itself have rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we’ll go no more a roving
By the light of the moon.

Grade 10

• Finish Act IV
• Discuss
• Hand back Oration assignment
• Review and discuss

Poetry III? / Julius Caesar Act IV Scene iii, continued

College Prep 12

• The honors breakfast annhilated my second period class and the remaining five students were given a study hall.
• Period 7:  Journal: How are we supposed to feel about the subject of the poem? What is the author’s purpose? 
• Discuss.
• Note: Deadline for essay rewrites is Friday, January 15th.

Grade 10

• PSA: Timeline for rest of marking period is as follows: finish Act IV this week. Quiz next Monday. Finish Act V next week. This will leave about 5 school days for JC Exam and practice for Benchmark Exam before Regents week break.
• Journal: summary of Act IV so far.
• Continue reading. (Period 3,4 finish to line 228. Pd 8 finished the act.)

Poetry II / Julius Caesar Act IV Scene i,ii,iii

College Prep 12

• Review Ghosts/Platoon essay structure. The essay should illustrate the transformation of both characters by describing who they are at the beginning of their stories and describing specific events from those stories that show how they changed. Those events should be connected to the quote and to the various stages of the hero journey.
• Poetry: Journal- why did Simon use the word "underground" rather than "subway" in the title of the song?
• Check reflection journals.
• Discuss: brainstorm associations with the word "underground."
• Listen to the song.
• Discuss the poem one stanza at a time, identify key words, brainstorm associations, develop a character sketch of the "man."
• HW: Another reflection journal on the poem based on todays class discussion.

Grade 10

• Start reading Act IV aloud through scene iii. (pd 3 finished through line 106, pd 4 through line 64, pd 8 kine 152)

Poetry I / Julius Caesar Act IV Intro

College Prep 12

• Usual post-holiday prep talk (It is really almost June now.)
• Copied the defintion of and discussed:
• Context: the parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect; the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc. (This is a weakness in many of the Platoon/Ghosts of War essays
• In class journal: How to you read/process poetry. Share some answers and discuss.
• Distribute "Poem on an Underground Wall" by Paul Simon:

The last train is nearly due,
The underground is closing soon,

And in the dark deserted station,

Restless in anticipation,

A man waits in the shadows.

His restless eyes leap and scratch,

At all that they can touch or catch,

And hidden deep within his pocket,

Safe within it's silent socket,

He holds a colored crayon.

Now from the tunnel's stony womb,

The carriage rides to meet the groom,

And opens wide and welcome doors,

But he hesitates, then withdraws

Deeper in the shadows.

And the train is gone suddenly

On wheels clicking silently

Like a gently tapping litany

And he holds his crayon rosary

Tighter in his hand.

Now from his pocket quick he flashes,

The crayon on the wall he slashes,

Deep upon the advertising,

A single worded poem comprised

Of four letters.

And his heart is laughing, screaming, pounding

The poem across the tracks rebounding

Shadowed by the exit light

His legs take their ascending flight

To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night.

• Read the poem, identify key/high content words.
• Assign one stanza to each of six groups- discuss words chosen.
• Last five minutes: hand back graded essays. Encourage conferencing for rewrites. These essays are worth three major grades. Rewrite can change two of them
• HW: Reflection journal on the poem.
• Reminder: 5 reflection journals each week! (Two should have been done over the break. 

Grade 10

•  Usual post-holiday prep talk (It is really almost June now.)
• New vocab:
• 25. Context: the parts of a written or spoken statement that precede or follow a specific word or passage, usually influencing its meaning or effect; the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event, situation, etc.
• 26. Cynical: Believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others; Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness
• 27. Altruistic (adj): unselfishly generous; concerned for others. (noun = altruism)
• Journal: summarize story so far then discuss.
• Read and discuss Act IV summary.
• Will check crossword puzzles tomorrow and start reading the act.

Platoon Dénouement/ Julius Caesar Act III, continued

College Prep 12

• Finish watching Platoon
• Final discussion.
• Final reading log check
• Start planning essay:

…at the bottom of the abyss comes the voice of salvation. The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come. At the darkest moment comes the light. ~Joseph Campbell from The Power of Myth

Only after we have been completely destroyed can we begin to find ourselves. ~Ryan Smithson, from Ghosts of War

Hell is the impossibility of reason. ~Private Taylor, from Platoon

I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy; we fought ourselves. The enemy was in us. The war is over for me now, but it will always be there, the rest of my days. As I'm sure Elias will be, fighting with Barnes for what Rhah called "possession of my soul." There are times since, I've felt like a child, born of those two fathers. But be that as it may, those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again. To teach to others what we know, and to try with what's left of our lives to find a goodness and a meaning to this life. ~ Private Taylor, from Platoon

War is hell, but war is also paradise. ~~Ryan Smithson, from Ghosts of War

Discuss the theme of the Transformation of the Hero in both the film Platoon and the book Ghosts of War through the lens of one or two of the quotes above. Where appropriate, illustrate the transformation of the main characters using elements of Campbell’s hero formula. Your essay should include specific details from both stories. You may use your notes, reading logs and book for this assignment. Write in your own voice. This is not a Regents essay!

Grade 10

• Continue Act III (pd 3 up to line 108, pd 4 line 138, pd 8 line 158)
• LINK to play.

Grades officially close tomorrow!

Platoon Continued / Julius Caesar Act III

College Prep 12

• Continue watching Platoon
• Reminder: consider the application of Campbell's stages of the Hero Journey when studying Private Taylor and Private Ryan (Ghosts of War)
• Tomorrow we will finish the movie, final check of reading logs and start planning essay.

Grade 10

• Started Act III
• Read to line 210 in scene 1 (periods 3&8), and line 177 (period 4)
• LINK to play.
• Students were reminded to make sure work is made up.

Platoon / JC Act II

College Prep 12

• Watched Platoon through the beginning of the village scene.
• Note taken on the parallel between the 'straights' and 'heads' scenes; Taylor passes initiation, the lieutenant does not.

Grade 10

• Watched Act II
• Quiz tomorrow: study vocab and Act II

Ghosts Continued / JC Act II

College Prep 12

• Checked reading logs through "The End," chapter 23.
• Distrubuted submitted reading logs. Reviewed expectations.
• Collected permission slips for movie

Grade 10

• Distributed Act I questions (graded). Explained writing expectations and grading rubric.
• Finished reading Act II.
• Questions 3,4,5 page 381 to be handed in.
• Students were told that one point of extra credit will be added to a major grade for every full side of a page writtten in a reflection journal. Each entry has to be about something meaningful, not trite. More will be explained tomorrow.

Ghosts Project / JC Act II

College Prep 12

• Hand our project guidelines for Ghosts.
• Collect permission slips. (If you lost yours, copy-paste-print permission slip below).
• Reminder: Chapters 20-23 due on Monday.
• Movie starts tuesday.
• Permission slip:

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Our school requires parental permission for your student to view movies that are used in our curriculum, or that are selected by our teachers R.

We believe showing your son or daughter full-length movies such as Platoon enables them to benefit from another medium as a resource in their study of current events and history.

The students do not just watch the film. They must take notes and write an essay connecting the themes and contexts with a current unit, in this case Ghosts of War by Ryan Smithson.

Thank you for taking the time to read and sign this permission form.

Sincerely,

 

_____________________ 
Mr. Lambert
English Department
Gloversville High School

Name of Movie: Platoon

Date of Movie: 12/9 - 11

Movie Rating: R

Student Name_____________________________

____ Yes, I give my son/daughter permission to view curriculum and school appropriate full-length movies rated PG-13 or R.

____ No, I do not give my son/daughter permission to view curriculum and school appropriate full-length movies of the types mentioned in this letter. I understand alternate learning experiences will be provided for my child while the movie is being watched.

Guardian signature/date

__________________________

Grade 10

• Reviewed Act II so far. Discussed Brutus's role in the conspiracy.
• Read through the end of Scene ii.
• Will finish Act on Monday and begin the video.

Ghosts and Due Dates / JC Act I Quiz!

College Prep 12

• Project due date: 12/22
• Rd logs for chapters 20 to 23 due 12/7
• Rd logs for chapters 24 to 27 due 12/14
• Film: Platoon: 12/8-11
• Permission slips for movie were sent home
• Essay writing : 12/14-15 (in Computer Lab)
• Utilize class time productively for reading and book logs!

Grade 10

• Quiz on Act I and vocabulary.
• Read Act II summary, discuss play themes: "Does the end justify the means?" "Is such 'preemptive' action moral?"
• Don't forget crossword for Act II for extra credit!

Ghosts Continued / Julius Caesar Act I Video

College Prep 12

• Continued checking reading logs up through chapter 15. (Reminder: There is a 5 point deduction for each day late!)
  
• Checking reading logs through chapter 19 tomorrow.
  
• Print-out of one reading log from "Red Phase" due tomorrow.
  
• Targeting middle of next week for book completion. There are 2 projects attached to this book:
  

  
  

  Essay: this will be assigned after viewing the film Platoon.
  

  
  

  
  

  Self-chosen project from 50 Reading Related Responses sheet or one of your own choice to be approved by me. (Due dates are to be determined.)
  

  
  

  
  
  

  Grade 10
  
  
  

• Copied over answers to questions 6,7,8 from last Tuesday and handed in for a minor grade.
• Reviewed some flaws in the critical lens essays, especially the tendency to summarize rather than use specific details from the story.
• Began watching Act I, up to the middle of Scene ii (line 214: Casca: You pulled me...)
  

Ghost Continued / Caesar Act I, Scene iii

College Prep 12

• Gave one more day to complete up through Chapter 15.
• Should be done through 224, Chapter 19 ("Tears") a week from tomorrow.
• Also due on Dec. 1: one reading log from "Part 1: Red Phase," typed, double spaced to be handed in.
• Distrubuted directions for portfolio project:

1) General
    a) Appearance
        i) Neatly bound to the best of your ability and imagination
        ii) Cover should be sturdy
        iii) Titled
        iv) Designed in a manner indicative of who you are
         v) All pages typed unless otherwise directed
    b) Table of contents
         i) Separated by units/sections.
2) Sections

    a) College applications
         i) All drafts, final on top
    b) Reflection journals
        i) At least 5 per marking period, dated, titled
    c) Literature
        i) Ghosts of War reading logs
          (1) At least 3, one per “Phase”
          (2) Chapter titles, page numbers, date

Grade 10

• Continued reading the play finished:
• PD 3&8, up to Scene iii, line119
• Pd. 4, up to Scene iii, line 44
• Will finish Act I tomorrow. View the video after the break, then take the quiz.

Ghosts Continued / JC Act I Scene i and ii

College Prep 12

• Independent reading. Reminder to finish up through "Satan's Clothes Dryer" for Monday.
  
  

Grade 10

• Vocabulary:

21. iambic pentameter: The most common meter in English verse. It consists of a line ten syllables long that is accented on every second beat
22. Soliloquy: the act of talking while or as if alone
23. Monologue: is an extended uninterrupted speech by a character in a drama.
24. Aside: dialogue intended for the audience and supposedly not heard by the other actors on stage.

• Check crosswords for Act I
• Began reading Julius Caesar, Act I. Finished up through the middle of scene ii, line 178 (Enter Caesar and his Train.)

"This is the House That Jack Built..." / Julius Caesar Intro

College Prep 12

• 
  
  Discussed the parallel between the Mother Goose ryhme with the chjapter "The Town that Achmed Built." Smithoson's use of the rhyme provides a stark contrast with the events of the chapter and the innocence of childhood.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Students were given chapter 15, "Satan's Clothes Dryer," as the target for Monday. Logs will be graded at that time. Late logs will lose 5 points per day until each group of four is completed.
  
  
  

Grade 10

• 
  
  Julius Caesar by Shakespeare was introduced. Students were given the following handouts: act summaries, character descriptions and crossword puzzles for each act.
  
  
  
• 
  
  5 points will be added to each act quiz with the completion of that act's crossword before we begin reading that act.
  
  
  
• 
  
  10 points will be added to the unit test if all vocabulary from the crosswords is written in notebooks.
  
  
  
• 
  
  The major characters were introduced, and we read the summary for Act I, which we will start reading tomorrow.
  
  
  
• 
  
  Absent students NEED to check here for what was covered and use the above link to read what was missed.
  
  
  

More Ghosts / Critical Lens Continued

College Prep 12

• Since college application deadlines are fast approaching, I decided to give my seniors the rest of the week free from homework... unless they are behind. Many seemed very pleased with this idea.
• However, many are behind in the reading. I checked logs through chapter 11, "Basic Training Part II." I would like to be done through page 223 by next Monday.

Grade 10

• Continued writng critical lens essay. Time will be given tomorrow to finish up if necessary.

A Soldier and Death / Critical Lens Essay Take 2

College Prep 12

Last Friday 2nd period watched the video "A Soldier and Death" as period 7 was going to be attending an presentation by the author of Ghosts of War, Ryan Smithson. Today, period 2 went to an award assembly so period 7 watched the video, which is an old Russian folk tale. Students should have read through page 138 in Smithson's book, the end of "Relief." There should be a total of 12 reading logs so far.

English 10

• Critical lens essays from last week were returned. Students were reminded of the importance of including litereary elements as per directions. On the the Regents exam students will lose 3 out of 6 possible points for neglecting this directions. Many students neglected this on this last essay, which was scored as a minor grade.
• After review, a new critical lens exam was distributed. Appropriate parts were underlined. Students were offered 10 extra credit points for including a competent planning page. Essays were begun and colected. We will continue tomorrow.

Ghosts Continued / Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past week. I will be out again tomorrow.

Grade 12

• Continue reading Ghosts of War.
• Checked reading logs for first three chapters today. Will check through 6 on Thursday.
• Should be up to at least chapter 8 by Thursday.

Grade 10

• Finished kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour."
• Tomorrow is an exam on vocab 1-20 and the short stories done over the past two weeks: "The Monkey's Paw," "The River, the Bass and Sheila Mont," and "Story of an Hour."
• Vocab is as follows:
• 1. Theme: a unifying idea that is a repeating element in literary or artistic work
  
  Ex: “Never give up.” “Accept what can’t be avoided.” “The need of the one outweighs the need of the many.”
  2. Tone: a literary technique, that is a part of composition, that shows the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work. Tone may be formal, informal, intimate, solemn, sad, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, or many other possible attitudes.
  3. Irony is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is a clash or discordance between what a speaker / writer /actor says or does, and what he or she means or what is generally understood. There are three types of irony: verbal, dramatic and situational.
  4. Allusion: An indirect reference to some piece of knowledge not actually mentioned. Allusions usually come from a body of information that the author presumes the reader will know.
  5. Symbol: something used for or regarded as representing something else; ex. The grim reaper=death, huskie=football team, eagle=America
  6. Allegory: a story meant to be read symbolically.
  7. Elfin: Relating to or suggestive of an elf, Having a magical quality or charm
  8. Empathy: understanding and entering into another's feelings. Different than sympathy which is to feel sorry for; empathy is to feel the same as.
  9. Hedonism: Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses
  10. Anguish: excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain
  11. Anecdote: short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
  
  12. Profound: showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth; great, important meaning
  
  13. Thesis: A statement that is maintained by argument
  
  14. Annotate: to supply with critical or explanatory notes; comment upon in notes
  
  15. Poetry: the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.
  
  16. Prosody: study of poetic meters and writing verse; the particular system of verse in a poem.
  
  17. Prose: the ordinary form of spoken or written language
  
  18. Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily means one thing is used to mean another, thus making a comparison, as in "a sea of troubles" or "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare).
  
  19. Simile: a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared using ‘like’ or ‘as’, as in “she is like a rose.”
  
  20. Conundrum - (noun) 1. a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun 2. an intricate and difficult problem
  
  
  

Fertile Ground by Mr. Lambert / Poetry Intro

College Prep 12

• 
  
  Discussed chapter one of Ghosts of War, students gave feedback, all postitive
  
  
  
• 
  
  Identified the heart of the chapter as 9/11, and the authors visit to the site. I then read a personal essay to the class of my own visit to the site.
  
  
  
• 
  
  I will be out tomorrow. Essays are due. I will check logs for chapters one through three on Wednesday.
  
  
  

Grade 10

• Added the following vocabulary words:
• 15. Poetry: the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts.
  16. Prosody: study of poetic meters and writing verse; the particular system of verse in a poem.
  17. Prose: the ordinary form of spoken or written language
  18. Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily means one thing is used to mean another, thus making a comparison, as in "a sea of troubles" or "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare).
  19. Simile: a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared using ‘like’ or ‘as’, as in “she is like a rose.”
  20. Conundrum - (noun) 1. a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun 2. an intricate and difficult problem
  
• There will be a vocabulary test on all 20 words next week.
  
• Tomorrow, students will write a critical lens essay with the substitute.
  
  
  

Ghosts of War I / Critical Lens Paragraph 3 and Conclusion

College Prep 12

• Distrubute Ghosts of War by Ryan Smithson
• Reading Log Format is as follows:
• One log for each chapter. Use in-class journal.
  Each log must include the date, chapter title and page number.
  Log content:
  Brief summary
  A more extensive personal response. This may include:
  

  discussion of a particular quote from the chapter
  discussion of the
  significance of the chapter title
  personal opinion of something said or
  done
  Creative reaction: poetry, fiction, letter, drawing (occasionally)

• Finish chapter one plus log

Grade 10

• Continue critical lens essay prep. Write paragraph three and conclusion
• Study handout, book lists and literary elements, for assessment on Monday.

Orpheus and Eurydice / Critical Lens Essay II

College Prep 12

• Viewed the Orpheus and Eurydice video.
• Discussed themes and imagery.
• Tomorrow: peer review and distribute The Ghosts of War.

Grade 10

• Handed back Silver Kiss unit tests. Discussed essay performance.
• Wrote intro paragraph independently for:
  "Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts." (Arnold Bennett)
• Discuss quote interpretation.
• Tomorrow: body paragraph number 1.

Theseus, Finally / Critical Lens Part 1

Apologies for missing the last couple days' posts. My cup runneth over onto the table and all over the floor....

College Prep 12

• Yesterday I emphasized the importance of putting real effort into essay rewrites. If I keep making the same corrections, then we are spinning our wheels and not improving.
• Read from the book The Best College Admission Essays a sample essay and advice about mechanics.
• Today: read The Legend of Theseus and discussed the questions at the end of "The King Must Die."
• Tomorrow we will view a video of the story Orpheus and Eurydice.

Grade 10

• Yesterday we constructed the outline for "The Bass, the River and Sheila Mont:"
• 
  "The Bass, the River and Sheila Mant" by W.D. Wetherell
  The "Big Four"
  Characters: Sheila, W.D., the fish
  Theme: know what you really want, set your priorities correctly, be realistic about your chances, don’t let fleeting desires control you
  Plot: W.D. wants to go out with Sheila, she says yes, he puts his fishing stuff in the canoe and drops in the line, picks her up, hooks a huge bass, he is torn between the fish and Sheila who thinks fishing is dumb, chooses Sheila who doesn’t even care about him and gets left for another guy
  Setting: Vermont, on a river, summer, in the country
  Plot Breakdown:
  Motivation: W.D.’s attraction to Sheila
  Conflict: Fish or girl?
  Complication: he hooks a fish, she doesn’t care about him
  Suspense: keeping Sheila from finding out about the fish, what will he choose
  Climax: he cuts the line
  Denouement: she dumps him, he’ll never make the same mistake again
  Analytical Elements:
  POV: first person
  Other literary elements: imagery, characterization, irony, setting, conflict
• Today we studied the introductory paragraph for the critical lens essay. Students copied the following model:
• 
  According to Duff Brenna, "All literature shows us the power of emotion. It is emotion, not reason, that motivates characters in literature." In other words, literature shows us the power of feelings. Feelings, not thoughts, inspire characters in books to act. The Silver Kiss, by Annette Curtis Klause and Romeo and Juliet, by Shakespeare illustrate the truth of this theme.
• Then they copied the following quote:
  "In literature, evil often triumphs, but never conquers." (Anonymous)
• We discussed how to praphrase the quote. Specifically, identify the most improtant words and generate a list of synonyms. Choose the best ones. So this quote can be reworded to: In litereature, evil can win much of the time, but in the end does not succeed.
• A full introductory paragraph was generated from this.
• No homework.
  

Rewrites / Sheila Mont

College Prep 12

• The next two classes wil be dedicated to rewriting essays and completing "The King Must Die" and questions at the back of the story. Absences have been high and I hope everyone will be caught up by Monday

Grade 10

• Students finished reading "The Bass, the River and Sheila Mont." They are to annotate the text, concentrating on character development, plot and conflict. Story outlines must be completed for tomorrow. Both highlighting and outlines will be graded.

Ritual - The King Must Die Part 3 / Critical Lens Essay Prep

College Prep 12

• Define ritual, discuss
• Identify and discuss ritual in the story so far
• Discuss ritual in terms of myth functions
• Start reading "The King Must Die" pg. 248
• Finish tomorrow with subsitute.
• Thursday: essay rewrites

Grade 10

• Generate list of books read in preparation for writing critical lens essays
• Students should prepare for critical lens writing by: reviewing story characters, plot, themes, etc.
• Distribute critical lens handout:
• 
  Critical Lens Essay Layout
  Introduction Paragraph: All of the information in regular font is information that you will need to "plug in" to the critical lens introduction formula. All of the information that is in italics is information that you copy down- your formula.
  
• According to author of quote, "quote the critical lens statement word for word." In other words, re-word or paraphrase the critical lens statement in your own words. Title of work of literature by author’s name, and "Title of work of literature" by author’s name, illustrate the truth (or fallacy) of this theme.
  
  Body Paragraph One: In body paragraph one, you will be discussing the first work of literature, a literary element from that work of literature, and how they relate to the critical lens statement. This body paragraph should have a strong topic sentence, and should tie all of the above information together using SPECIFIC examples from the work of literature that have to do with the literary element of your choice. These specific examples should PROVE the quote to be true or false, depending on whether or not you agree with the critical lens statement. An example of a topic sentence (first sentence in paragraph) is as follows:
• 
  Title of work of literature, by author’s name, proves author of critical lens statement theme to be true (or false).
  
  Body Paragraph Two: For this paragraph, you will use the same directions and topic sentence as body paragraph one, only you will use a NEW work of literature, and a DIFFERENT literary element.
  
  Conclusion: In the conclusion, you should ALWAYS restate your thesis and your main ideas (it is okay to repeat, in other words, important points you have made, such as: what the critical lens statement means, briefly how it ties in with both works of literature, and/or the literary elements that you chose).
• New Vocabulary:
  Anecdote: short account of an incident (especially a biographical one)
  Profound: showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth; great, important meaning
  Thesis: A statement that is maintained by argument
  Annotate: to supply with critical or explanatory notes; comment upon in notes
  

Theseus Goes to War and other Dalliances/ The Silver Kiss Exam Part II

College Prep 12

• Review story so far. Continue reading, focusing on emerging character traits of Theseus, the main character.
• Finish for HW. Underline, highlight and annotate for a minor grade.
• Essay 5 due Tuesday.

Grade 10

• Period 3,4: Continue book exam
• Period 7: pep rally. Will finish exam on Monday.

Theseus Goes for a Swim and the 2nd Deady Sin/ The Silver Kiss Part X

College Prep 12

• Handed out the Second Deadly Sin of Writing.
• Discussed briefly
• Handed out chapter 3 from The King Must Die. Started reading.
• Tomorrow: peer review

Grade 10

• Journal: How did the story end? Was it a good ending? Why or why not?
• Discussed the dream imagery of chapter 13 and the significance of the discussions Zoe had with lorraine and her father.
• unit test tomorrow, including all ten vocab words:
  Theme: a unifying idea that is a repeating element in literary or artistic work
  Ex: "Never give up." "Accept what can’t be avoided." "The need of the one outweighs the need of the many."
• 
  Tone: a literary technique, that is a part of composition, that shows the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work. Tone may be formal, informal, intimate, solemn, sad, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, or many other possible attitudes.
• 
  Irony is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is a clash or discordance between what a speaker / writer /actor says or does, and what he or she means or what is generally understood. There are three types of irony: verbal, dramatic and situational.
• 
  Allusion: An indirect reference to some piece of knowledge not actually mentioned.
• Allusions usually come from a body of information that the author presumes the reader will know.
• 
  Symbol: something used for or regarded as representing something else; ex. The grim reaper=death, huskie=football team, eagle=America
• 
  Allegory: a story meant to be read symbolically.
• 
  Elfin: Relating to or suggestive of an elf, Having a magical quality or charm
• 
  Empathy: understanding and entering into another's feelings. Different than sympathy which is to feel sorry for; empathy is to feel the same as.
• 
  Hedonism: Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses
  Anguish: excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain
  

Hero Review - Passive Voice Oh No!/ The Silver Kiss Part IX

Apologies for the missed days. Sometimes some of the balls fall on the floor and roll under the couch...

College Prep 12

• Collected Essay #4
• Reviewed the two types of hero in terms of essay #3, which could have been done better in too many cases.
• distributed handout on the Passive Voice: The First Deadly Sin of Writing.
• Students were reminded that if they didn't know the rules for writing dialogue (essay #5) they had to find out!
• There will be a break after essay #5 for students to work on rewrites.

Grade 10

• Checked reading logs for chapters 10 and 11
• Discussed the significance of 'the silver kiss' in chapter 9, the emerging theme of the story (acceptance of death) and the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, grief and acceptance.
• HW: Finish the story. We will finish discussion tomorrow. Unit test on Thursday.

The King Horse Part III / The Silver Kiss Part VI

College Prep 12

• Continue and finish the story.
• Look for central theme(s)
• Define 'moira'
• Be ready to address the functions of myth in the story.

Grade 10

• As the copy machine was down, test is postponed until tomorrow.
• Logs for chapters 6 through 9 were checked.
• Students began chapters 10 and 11, to be finished for HW.

The King Horse Part II / The Silver Kiss Part V

College Prep 12

• Journal: Children live in a magical world and they swim in the functions of myth like a fish in water: unaware. Later in life, how might Thesues recall his encounter with the king horse? What function might be served? Why? Discuss
• Continue reading.
• Peer Review of Essay 4 this Thursday. Reflection journals due.
• Essay 5 will be question # 88: If you could meet any famous person, living or dead, who would it be? Write a dialogue between you and that person.

Grade 10

• Journal: Explain the nature of Simon’s attraction to Zoë.
• Discuss
• Review highlights of chapters 6 & 7.
• Continue reading. Chapters 8 & 9 due tomorrow.
• Test on book up to this point tomorrow.

The Horse King / The Silver Kiss Part IV

College Prep 12

• Applied Campbell's four functions of myth to the Greek creation story. Discussed.
• Began reading "The Horse King" in Man the Myth-Maker, with the purpose of applying the four functions.
• Final draft of essay 3 due tomorrow.

Grade 10

• Journal: What new information do we learn from about Simon in chapter four?
• Discussed chapter four and five.
• Started reading chapter six while I checked reading logs (major grade!).
• HW: Chapter six and seven plus reading logs.

Peer Review / The Silver Kiss Part II

College Prep 12

• Peer Review
• Students were informed of a college application process presentation at the high school on Wednesday October 7th at 6:00 P.M. Those interested signed up.
• Question number 59 (Explain how your experiences as a teenager significantly differ from those of your friends. Include comparisons.) was assigned for next Thursday.
• Students were reminded of the assignment due tomorrow. (See previous post.)

Grade 10

• Two new vocab words were introduced:
  Elfin: Relating to or suggestive of an elf, Having a magical quality or charm
  Empathy: understanding and entering into another's feelings. Different than sympathy which is to feel sorry for; empathy is to feel the same as.
• The reading log for chapter 1 was copied down as a model:
  Book Log Model
  Journal Section
  The Silver Kiss by Annette Klause
  Date 10/1 Chapter 1 Pg. 1-12 "Alone"
  Zoe’s Mom may be dying from cancer, her father has become distant, her best
  friend is moving. She’s alone, frustrated, hurt, and angry. Her friends don’t
  know how to deal with her, she isn’t allowed to spend time with her mother. She
  sits in the park at night, sees a boy whose beauty breaks through her defenses
  and she cries.
  The tone is lonely and sad. Death or abandonment seem to be
  developing themes.
  Author’s language is very descriptive.
• The parts are 1) heading, 2) plot summary, 3) theme/tone statement, 4) personal observation.
• Students read chapter 2 and wrote log in class. Chapter 3 + log for homework.
• Chapter 2 and 3 will be for a minor grade. However, every two chapters thereafter will be for a major grade.