Mr. Mikesell's Class Notes

English I (Pre-AP): Intro to Greek Mythology Presentation + Homework

2012-01-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

Below is the presentation we reviewed in class yesterday and today. If you didn't copy down everything you wanted to copy down, do so now.

The homework assignment on the final slide reads:

If you could be the god or goddess of anything (classroom-approprite ... no sex gods), what would you be and why?

What myths would people tell about you?

5-7 sentences. Finish as homework.

Due: Friday, January 27, 2012.

Pre-AP English II: Anthem Test Preview

2012-01-25T12:30:00.000-08:00

Be sure you have read at least Chapter I of Anthem.

You should know the following literary devices:

Alliteration
Allusion
Anaphora
Apostrophe
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphor
Metonymy
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron
Paradox
Personification
Simile

You should know the three types of irony:

Dramatic
Situational
Verbal

And the Aristotelean (persuasive) appeals:

Logos
Pathos
Ethos

Pre-AP English II: Anthem Socratic Seminar Question Types

2012-01-25T10:42:00.000-08:00

Submit two (2) of each of the following by Friday, January 27. I will pick several and post them to the website that evening. Be prepared to discuss them in class on Monday, January 30th. Questions may come from any section of Anthem. Include answers for each question.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
Write two questions connecting the text to the real world.

Example: If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Write two questions about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text. This question usually has a “correct” answer.

Example: How did Equality-7 make light?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Write two insightful questions about the text that will require proof and group discussion and “construction of logic” to discover or explore the answer to the question.

Example: Why did Equality-7 rename Liberty-5 "The Golden One"?

UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTIONS
Write two questions dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.

Example: Why is it wrong to not be given a choice in determining your destiny?

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
Write two questions dealing with HOW an author chose to compose a literary piece. How did the author manipulate point of view, characterization, poetic form, archetypal hero patterns, for example?

Example: Why is Equality-7's/Liberty-5's/International-6's name ironic?

All Classes: 2012 TAKS Challenge

2012-01-23T13:51:00.000-08:00

In case you wake up in the middle of the night wondering if I really said what I said, here's the 2012 TAKS Challenge.

If 95% of my students pass their EOC/TAKS test, I will celebrate their achievement by getting in touch with my inner diva and wear a prom dress/shoes during the Spring ACP review week*.

If 20% of students get commended, I will also wear make-up and a wig**. (The higher the commended rate, the more likely things like earrings, shaved legs, etc., become.)

*Like last year's gorilla-suit "celebration," this will be a one-day-only event.

**This will only happen if the 95% threshold is crossed. I won't be wearing the make-up and wig unless I am also in a prom dress.

Pre-AP English II: Free Anthem Audio Book

2012-01-22T18:47:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to listen to Anthem as you read it, check out these two free options:

Librivox recording read by Chere Theriot

ThoughtAudio recording read by Michael Scott

Remember, you still have to read the book. Listening along with the audio recording, however, will enable you to finish in just over two hours.

You're welcome.

Pre-AP English II: IWA #4

2012-01-20T10:53:00.000-08:00

Write a well-organized essay on the following prompt:

Novelists and playwrights often use the names of their characters to add meaning to their work. In a well-organized essay, analyze the significance of character names and name-changes in Anthem, and explain how they contribute to the novella’s meaning.

Extensive plot summary will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REVISE (85 points). Look at diction, metaphor, imagery, etc., and how the author’s use of these techniques — tied to the characters’ names — contributes to meaning.

Remember that only REVISE and ACCEPTED essays will be taken for a grade, so submit your IWA early, rather than at the last minute to ensure that your essay will count!

*** More than 10 careless spelling mistakes ***
*** will result in a REDO grade ***

All essays must be typed and adhere to the MLA formatting requirements (see below). All essays must be submitted with the draft in the LEFT pocket (inside front cover) of a 2-pocket portfolio folder. Failure to meet these minimum requirements will result in the draft being returned to the student unevaluated and with no score recorded.

Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.

Double-space the text of your paper (paragraph settings). Use Times New Roman (Garamond if you're “fancy”); the font size should be 12 pt. (font settings).

Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.

Set the margins of your document to 1" on all sides.

Indent the first line of paragraphs one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the Tab key as opposed to pushing the Space Bar five times, or set your paragraphs to indent the first line 0.5". Do not skip a line (i.e., leave a blank line) between paragraphs.

Daily P.A. unless draft submitted: Friday, February 3.

Daily P.A. unless Revise/Accepted grade achieved:
Friday, February 10.

Drop-Dead Deadline: Friday, February 17.

IWA 4.1 delivered to students unsuccessful on IWA 4.0:
Monday, February 20.

All Classes: ACP Tips

2012-01-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

Pre-AP English II: Poems for IWA 3.1 ("Richard Cory")

2012-01-09T05:46:00.001-08:00

Use these two poems to address the prompt for IWA 3.1 ("Richard Cory").

Richard Cory
by Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935)

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king,
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Richard Cory
by Paul Simon (1941- )

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town,
With political connections to spread his wealth around.
Born into society, a banker's only child,
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.

[Chorus]
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard Cory.

The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:
Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show.
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything he's got.

[Chorus]

He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,
And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head."

[Chorus]

Pre-AP English II: IWA #3.1 ("Richard Cory")

2012-01-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

The images and word choices an author chooses have a direct impact on their readers’ moods. In a well-developed essay analyze and explore how Edwin Arlington Robinson and Paul Simon use diction and imagery to build narrative tone and consequently evoke different responses from the reader.

Tips to success:

Focus on both of the poems. Focusing on only Robinson’s or Simon’s poem will immediately result in a REDO grade (no points). Your conclusion should reveal how the speakers’ different choices of words and images result in different reader responses.

Do not simply recount the plot or attributes of the characters (speaker, Richard Cory, etc.). You must specify what tone(s) the speakers reveal through their selections of images and words and what reaction(s)—mood(s)—they produce in a hypothetical, typical reader. Extensive lack of focus on diction and imagery will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points).

The earlier you turn in a draft that you expect to earn an 70 (only revision is needed) the more likely you are to eventually receive an 70 (your idea of what is revision-only and my idea of what is revision-only may differ) or higher (because you’ve refined your essay on your own before you turned it in).

This will be the last time a70-point grade will be given on an IWA. Last year many students who had never bothered to rewrite an essay during the first semester had a very difficult time during the second semester when an 85 was required to avoid P.A. and/or IWA n.1.

This is also the last time IWAs may be turned in handwritten. Please see the note on the bonus in the next paragraph.

Paper should be about two-pages long, handwritten, or one-page long, typed, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond. Five bonus points will be awarded to properly typed essays.

Daily P.A. for all students writing IWA 3.1 begins Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Drop-Dead Deadline: Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

P.A. will be assigned every day (including ACP test days) until a grade of 70 is achieved.

All Classes: The Gift of Extra Credit

2011-12-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

In the need of some holiday cheer? Then grab yourself a book and photograph yourself reading it (do not photograph yourself reading it using the bathroom mirror). E-mail me the picture to me (cmikesell -at- dallasisd -dot- org -- be sure to change the -at- and -dot- ) and Santa will stick some extra-credit in your stocking (metaphorically-speaking).

Classroom-appropriate books. Classroom-appropriate pictures. Actually reading the book is highly encouraged.

Please spread the word to your classmates.

Cut-off: January 2, 2012.

English II (on-level): "Abolishing the Penny" Test Preview

2011-12-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

To prepare for the test, please review today's Jeopardy game.

Also, the full text of the article may be found here.

Pre-AP English II: "Fish Cheeks" Test Preview

2011-12-14T15:11:00.000-08:00

You may pre-read the story "Fish Cheeks," if you choose to. The story ends with just before the "Questions on Meaning."

You should know the following literary devices:

Alliteration
Allusion
Anaphora
Apostrophe
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphorv
Metonymy
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoronv
Paradox
Personification
Simile

You should know the three types of irony:

Dramatic
Situational
Verbal

In addition to any vocabulary words you don't know in the story, you should know the following tone/mood words:

Agitated
Appreciative
Curious
Jubilant
Melancholy
Morose
Satisfied
Shocked

English II (on-level): "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" Test Preview

2011-12-08T15:17:00.001-08:00

Review for tomorrow's test by replaying today's Jeopardy game!

Don't forget to reread the story if there are things you need to review.

Pre-AP English II: Timed Writing Preview for 12/9

2011-12-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow in class you will receive a copy of the poem "Digging" by Seamus Heaney. You will be asked to use the text of the poem to address the following prompt:

Texts often reveal how subjects like traditions may change on the surface but still keep a link to the past. Using the text of the poem “Digging,” discuss how the poet Seamus Heaney uses imagery and diction to provide a link between his life and those of his father and grandfather.

You will have all class period and be allowed to use dictionaries and any dialectical journal entries you care to write about the poem this evening.

English I (Pre-AP): TKaM Test Preview

2011-12-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's test will be over one of the chapters assigned for reading tonight (28-31). In addition to knowing what occurs in the story, I'd recommend knowing these words that appear on the test (either in a question or as a possible answer).

(There will also be a four-question quiz on the events in chapters 28-31.)

Do not infer that any of these words indicates a correct answer simply because I'm suggesting you know it prior to the test.

Anticipation

Conjecture

Contradict

Defer

Disorientation

Introspection

Latent

Oblige

Reticence

Scornful

Sentimentality

Syntax

Pre-AP English II: Christmas Carol Socratic Seminar (Staves 1 & 2)

2011-12-07T13:51:00.000-08:00

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Thursday, December 8, 2011. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
If you work with someone who has a bad attitude, what can you do about it? --S.N. (6th)

How do you treat people who approach you to give to charity? --A.C. (7th)

Do you believe in ghosts? Explain. --Mikesell

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
How are Scrooge and Fred related --S.P. (1st)

According to Marley, how did he obtain the chain he carries? --M.R. (6th)

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why does Marley's ghost come to Scrooge? --M.R. (1st)

Why does the Ghost of Christmas Past show Scrooge scenes from his youth? --C.A. (6th)

UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
What does holding a grudge against others do to a person? --J.S. (1st)

Do you agree with Marley’s ghost, that “humanity should [be our] business”? Explain. --Mikesell

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
Why does Dickens use the simile, "the sound resounded through the house like thunder"? --M.O. (1st)

In Stave One, why does Dickens repeat that Marley is actually dead. --V.M. (7th)

Why is it important to the story that Dickens characterizes Scrooge the way he does at the beginning? --M.M. (7th)

Pre-AP English II: Christmas Carol Vocabulary Set 1 and Meaningful Sentences

2011-12-07T13:38:00.001-08:00

Use the vocabulary words above to write ten (10) meaningful sentences.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Carol (n.): a Christmas song.

a meaningful sentence would be:

I love hearing people sing carols during December; "Silent Night" is my favorite Christmas song.

Due Date: Friday, Dec. 9

All Classes: Interested in a Career in Mobile Game Development?

2011-12-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

This isn't English/Yearbook related, but it does fall under the categories of "free" and "things you should think about."

If you are interested in a career designing games for mobile devices (iPhone, iPad, Android devices, etc.), there's a free seven-week course being offered by LiveCode.

Lessons include:

Game design considerations

Coding basic gameplay

Animating game pieces (eg. Manipulating sprites)

Working with layers and backgrounds

Optimizing your game performance

Managing different devices and resolutions on iOS and Android

Deploying to your iOS or Android device

Marketing your game

Going social: integrating Facebook and other social networks into your game

Game business models: Freemium (free with in-app purchases) and paid

Submitting to the app store and Android marketplace

I encourage all of you to consider at least checking this out, even if you don't think it's the sort of thing you'd be interested in as a career. If you're concerned about not having enough options in life, this is an opportunity to increase those options at no cost to you. That doesn't happen often.

Pre-AP English II: Christmas Carol Socratic Seminar Question Types

2011-12-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

Submit two (2) of each of the following by Wednesday, December 7. I will pick several and post them to the website that evening. Be prepared to discuss them in class on Thursday, December 8th. Questions should be based on the first two staves of A Christmas Carol.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
Write two questions connecting the text to the real world.

Example: When you realize how badly you’ve mistreated someone, how do you go about making things right between you?

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Write two questions about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text. This question usually has a “correct” answer.

Example: Based on evidence in Stave Two of A Christmas Carol, what texts did Young Scrooge imagine characters from?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Write two insightful questions about the text that will require proof and group discussion and “construction of logic” to discover or explore the answer to the question.

Example: After reading the first two staves of A Christmas Carol, why was Scrooge such a jerk?

UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTIONS
Write two questions dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.

Example: Do you agree with Marley’s ghost, that “humanity should [be our] business”? Explain.

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
Write two questions dealing with HOW an author chose to compose a literary piece. How did the author manipulate point of view, characterization, poetic form, archetypal hero patterns, for example?

Example: In A Christmas Carol, why is it important that the Ghost of Christmas Past provided flashbacks of Scrooge’s life?

English II (on-level): "How Much Land Does a Man Need?"

2011-12-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Here's an online copy, in case there's an assignment you need to work that requires text evidence/support from the story: "How Much Land...".

English II (on-level): "Doing Nothing Is Something"

2011-12-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

If you would like to (re)read Anna Quindlen's essay "Doing Nothing Is Something," as you prepare for the version you'll write in class tomorrow, here it is!

Pre-AP English II: Dickens/Christmas Carol Presentation

2011-12-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

No Scrooge am I. Enjoy the bounty of this presentation as often as you wish.

Pre-AP English II: Metamorphosis Socratic Seminar Questions

2011-11-30T18:50:00.000-08:00

For this Friday's Socratic Seminar, you need to compile dialectical journal entries that will engage the classroom in discussion.

You (and your group) need to come up with a total of ten dialectical journal entries. Five of the entries should include a quote from Metamorphosis, a brief analysis of the literary device(s) Kafka used, and your interpretation of why Kafka used the literary device in the way he did. The other five entries should not have the interpretation information.

If you did not participate with a group, you need a total of two entries with and two without the interpretation.

Due tomorrow, Thursday, December 1.

Pre-AP English II: Christmas Carol Audio Files

2011-11-29T18:35:00.001-08:00

If you would like a copy of A Christmas Carol on audio files, please bring a USB drive to class tomorrow.

For those of you freaking out about having to read the entire book over two weekends. please be aware that the entire audio recording (all five chapters) runs only 2.5 hours. That means just over an hour per weekend.

You can do this!

Please do do this.

All English Classes: Graded Bellringer

2011-11-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

The following bellringer will be taken for a grade. Please be sure to write to the appropriate length as well as observe proper conventions of grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

What did you do (classroom-appropriate) over the Thanksgiving break that will have a significant impact on your future?

5-7 sentences (again, classroom-appropriate)

The "significant impact" may be positive or negative. If you cannot think of anything, you may "make it up," but please keep it within the realm of possibility and classroom appropriateness.

Pre-AP English II: Socio-Economic Analysis Presentation

2011-11-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

In case you lose your notes or just want to relive the experience....

Pre-AP English II: Free Christmas Carol

2011-11-27T07:21:00.001-08:00

If you have the Kindle app on your computer or smart device, you may download a copy of A Christmas Carol from the Amazon store for free. (You must download the book from your computer or web browser on your smart device; the book will by synced to the app the next time you run it.)

My preferred e-reader for iOS devices is Stanza. It has a few features the Kindle app lacks, including the ability to directly download e-books from Project Gutenberg. After you download the app, click "get books" and then choose Project Gutenberg. Christmas Carol and 33,000+ books will be yours for the (free) downloading.

Pre-AP Classes: Assignment Reminders

2011-11-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

English I (Pre-AP): Please remember that you should be through Chapter 12 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Monday. You also have the ongoing "Facebook Page" project assignment to be thinking about/working on.

Pre-AP English II: You should be done reading Metamorphosis by Monday. There will be a book check for A Christmas Carol on Wednesday, Nov. 30 (check back tomorrow for information on how to get a free e-book copy). You may turn in a draft of your IWA at any time (remember, the deadline for a successful first draft is Friday, Dec. 9 -- only two weeks away!)

Above all, have a safe final couple days of your break. See you Monday.

Reminder: Tomorrow Is Coupon Day at Half Price Books

2011-11-24T17:34:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, Half Price Books will be offering 40% off one item (or $15 off purchases of $50 or more). Use this opportunity to pick up a novel or play for second semester, or a DVD, CD, video game, etc.

Should anyone one want to be up at 7am and get the free $5 gift card, I'll be waiting in line at the Half Price Books in Richardson (75/Central and Campbell). Let that be an incentive or a warning, as you choose to take it.

Here's a list of all the stores in the Metroplex.

Enjoy!

One Week Warning: Save 40% at Half Price Books

2011-11-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

As mentioned in class today, next Friday (aka Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, or just plain November 25th) Half Price Books will be offering 40% off one item (or $15 off purchases of $50 or more). Use this opportunity to pick up a novel or play for second semester, or a DVD, CD, video game, etc.

Here's a list of stores in the Metroplex.

Enjoy!

Pre-AP English II: Norm McDonald Tells the Moth Joke

2011-11-17T16:42:00.001-08:00

Want to see it again? Be my guest.

Pre-AP English Classes: Test Preview

2011-11-17T14:42:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow, Pre-AP English I and II classes will be taking an AP-style multiple choice test on the texts you are reading. You will need to know the sets of of literary devices we've been working on this semester.

Pre-AP English I
Bring your books tomorrow. You will be tested on Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird and will need to know the following literary devices:

Alliteration

Allusion

Diction

Hyperbole

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

Paradox

Personification

Simile

Pre-AP II
I will provide you with an excerpt of the novel. You will be tested on the following literary devices:

Alliteration

Allusion

Anaphora

Apostrophe

Diction

Foreshadowing

Flashback

Hyperbole

Imagery

Metaphor

Metonymy

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

Paradox

Personification

Simile

you will also need to know the three types of irony

Verbal

Dramatic

Situational

English I (Pre-AP): Mockingbird Vocabulary/Meaningful Sentences #1

2011-11-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

Use the vocabulary words above to write meaningful sentences. For slides that have multiple words, you need only write one sentence.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Mockingbird (n.): any of several gray, black, and white songbirds of the genus Mimus, especially M. polyglottos, of the U.S. and Mexico, noted for their ability to mimic the songs of other birds; the State Bird of Texas.

a meaningful sentence would be:

This morning I heard a mockingbird sing outside my kitchen window; its song was so pretty, I can see why Texas made it its State Bird.

Due Date: Friday, Nov. 18

English I (Pre-AP): TKaM Facebook Project

2011-11-16T14:53:00.000-08:00

To complete this project you must create a fake Facebook page for one of the characters of To Kill a Mockingbird. You may use any character except Boo Radley (or any other character for which you cannot come up with five "friends").

Please lay out your page (I will provide 11"x17" paper; you may also use your own paper that size or larger), to include the following:

A large picture of your character. It can be a hand-drawn picture of a person or a symbol/icon representing that character.

Background information about that character:
- Age
- Gender
- Where they go/went to school
- Hobbies/Interest
- Occupation (if an adult)
- Etc.
At least five Facebook "friends." Each friend needs a picture/symbol/icon representing him/her.

At least three status updates. Updates can either be based on events in the book or a photo they're sharing of something that exists/happens in the book (for instance a picture of a tree similar to the one in the Radley yard that things are hidden in). Please try to speak in the same voice as the character. It is doubtful that Atticus would post "'sup holmes?"

You should have likes/comments for your posts. At least one post must have a comment thread with five or more entries. The comments should be accompanied by the picture/symbol/icon for that character.

If you are making a paper Facebook page, you may add yourself to as a "friend" of your character, but you may not add anyone else outside of the book. If you and a group are going in and creating profiles actually on Facebook, you may not add non-story characters.

You may add ads, tickers, "you may also know"s, etc., for additional credit.

Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011.

Pre-AP English II: IWA #3

2011-11-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Use either Metamorphosis or A Christmas Carol to help you write a well-organized essay on the following prompt:

Authors not only create memorable characters and plots to tell their stories, but they also carefully guide their readers’ reactions to those characters and their actions. In a well-developed essay analyze and explore how Kafka or Dickens uses diction and imagery to build narrative tone and consequently evokes specific responses from the reader.

Tips to success:

Focus on only one of the novellas. Focusing on both Metamorphosis and A Christmas Carol will immediately result in a REDO grade (no points). If you want to use A Christmas Carol, you must complete reading it in time to proceed through the IWA process.

Do not simply recount the plot or attributes of the characters. You must specify what tone(s) the narrators use and what reaction(s)—mood(s)—they produce in a hypothetical, typical reader. Extensive lack of focus on diction and imagery will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points).

The earlier you turn in a draft that you expect to earn an 85 (only revision is needed) the more likely you are to eventually receive an 85 (your idea of what is revision-only and my idea of what is revision-only may differ) or 100 (because you’ve made the necessary revision, or you refined your essay on your own before you turned it in).

This will be the last time a70-point grade will be given on an IWA. Last year many students who had never bothered to rewrite an essay during the first semester had a very difficult time during the second semester when an 85 was required to avoid P.A. and/or IWA n.1.

This is also the last time IWAs may be turned in handwritten. Please see the note on the bonus in the next paragraph.

Paper should be about two-pages long, handwritten, or one-page long, typed, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond. Five bonus points will be awarded to properly typed essays.

Daily P.A. for non-/unsuccessful-submitters begins Friday, December 9, 2011

Drop-Dead Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2011.

IWA 3.1 will be assigned on Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Pre-AP English II: Metamorphosis Vocabulary Set 1 / Meaningful Sentences

2011-11-16T14:32:00.000-08:00

Use the vocabulary words above to write meaningful sentences. For slides that have two words, you need only write one sentence.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Metamorphosis (n.): a complete change of form, structure, or substance, as transformation.

a meaningful sentence would be:

The caterpillar went through a metamorphosis; when it came out of its chrysalis it had transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Due Date: Friday, Nov. 18

Pre-AP English II: Franz Kafka Presentation

2011-11-15T15:52:00.001-08:00

If you missed any part of today's presentation, or just want to relive the moment, please play through it at your own pace. (First period: There are some new slides for the information I wrote on the board. Enjoy!)

Pre-AP Classes: Weekend Reading Assignment

2011-11-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

Please come to class on Monday having read the following:

Pre-AP English II:
Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka, Section I

English I (Pre-AP):
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Chapter 1.

Don't forget to use the Half Price Books coupon(s) I mentioned in class.

Pre-AP Classes (and everybody else): Half Price Books Coupons

2011-11-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

Half Price Books has a series of coupons available this weekend. Save 30% tonight; 20% Friday and Saturday; and 50% on what's left, come Sunday.

Pre-AP classes: You may not be able to find the book for the next six-weeks in the store, but bring your book list and get something for later in the year. Everybody else: reading is your friend; look it up.

Print your coupons here. (Coupons valid in-store only.)

Here's a list of stores in the Metroplex.

English II (on-level): Jeopardy Study Guide for Haiti Article Test

2011-11-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

Your six-weeks' test tomorrow will cover the Haiti article we've been working on. Please use these resources to help you prepare.

The article, itself. If you've lost your copy, it's also available online.

Your vocabulary notes; also available online.

The Jeopardy Game we played in class, available exclusively online.

English I (Pre-AP): Six-Weeks' Exam Essay Prompt

2011-11-10T08:05:00.002-08:00

Write a brief essay explaining how the author uses FORESHADOWING to reveal the journey to self discovery in the stories of “The Most Dangerous Game” and The Alchemist.

Use your notes and books in order to provide textual evidence to support your analysis.

“The Most Dangerous Game” may be located in your textbook page 60, your English binders, and online here.

English II (on-level): Vocabulary for Haiti Article

2011-11-09T11:24:00.000-08:00

Use the the ten words above to write meaningful sentences.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Haitian (n.): a resident of or person whose nation of origin is Haiti.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Willie Samson, my next-door neighbor, is a Haitian; I never knew anyone from Haiti until he moved in.

Due Date: Friday, Nov. 11

Pre-AP English II: Timed Writing Preview for 11/11

2011-11-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

If you are going to be absent on Friday for the Veterans' Day Parade, please plan on staying tomorrow afternoon (11/10) to take your 6-weeks' timed writing exam. Here's the prompt:

Irony is one of the major literary components of Lord of the Flies. For instance, in the early parts of the novel it is ironic that Piggy is the person the boys should listen to, but Golding has characterized him in such a way that he is the last person the boys will listen to. In a well-developed essay explore and analyze the ironies of the final chapter of the novel and discuss their effect on the novel as a whole.

You will be allowed to use your copy of the text and your dialectical journal to help you write your essay.

Pre-AP English II: Metamorphosis for Free: More Options

2011-11-09T10:40:00.001-08:00

If you have not yet acquired a copy of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, here are a couple other ways of obtaining a digital copy free.

1) Scan the QR-Code at left or visit m.gutenberg.org on your mobile device. Enter metamorphosis into the search bar and select the Franz Kafka version. Follow instructions to download and install book for your e-reader app/device.

2) If you have the iBooks app on your Apple device, click the "store" button and search for metamorphosis. The green-covered book is free.

There will be a book check on Friday, November 11. Be prepared.

Pre-AP English II: Sample Dialectical Journal

2011-11-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

If you've lost your copy of the sample Dialectical Journal entries we reviewed in class, download another copy.

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies Chapters 5-12 Socratic Seminar Questions

2011-11-08T14:51:00.000-08:00

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
If a freshman came to you looking for help, what would you do? --RM.P. (6th)

If you were convinced that there was a beast, boogeyman, or other intruder in your bedroom/house, what would you do? --M.M. (7th)

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why does Jack camouflage his face --J.S. (6th)

Why do the boys kill Simon? --A.S. (7th)

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Would the kids have had a better chance of being rescued if they hadn't split into two groups? --L.C. (1st)

Why does Jack hate Piggy and Ralph? --J.S. (1st)

Who is a better leader, Ralph or Jack? --L.F. (1st)

UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
What actions should a person take to survive if they find themselves in a situation where they do not belong? --V.M. (6th)

Golding contends that children are NOT the embodiment of innocence that some novels have claimed them to be. Do you agree or disagree, and why? --M.R. (6th)

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
Which point of view did Golding choose for the novel, and why was that the right choice? --M.M. (7th)

Where has Golding employed irony in the second half of the story, and what does it accomplish? --Mr. Mikesell

Pre-AP English II: IWA 2.1

2011-11-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

If you did not turn in an essay for IWA 2.0, here's your new prompt:

One of the ways of looking at Lord of the Flies involves seeing it as an allegory about the conflict of Good and Evil, particularly as it relates to the Creation and Cain & Abel stories in Genesis. In a well-developed essay, analyze the allegorical connections between Lord of the Flies and The Bible, and discuss their overall effect on the novel.

Tips to success:

Do not simply recount the plot or attributes of the character.

You must cite specific evidence from both Lord of the Flies and The Bible.

If you cannot find links to The Bible online, speak soon to Mr. Mikesell.

If you do not believe the Biblical account of creation, do not waste time in your paper criticizing it. You do not have to believe The Bible in order to look at it as literature, as we are doing here.

Extensive lack of focus on allegory will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points).

The earlier you turn in a draft that you expect to earn a 70, the sooner you will stop needing to go to Patriot Academy to work on this assignment.

Paper should be about two-pages long, handwritten, or one-page long, typed, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond.

Daily P.A. for non-submitters begins November 7, 2011

Drop-Dead Deadline: Tuesday, November 22, 2011.

English I (Pre-AP): Thesis/Essay Prompt

2011-11-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

Write a thesis paragraph for the following essay prompt.

"The closer one gets to realizing his destiny, the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being, thought the boy." Paulo Coelho references "destiny/personal legend" many times in The Alchemist. What role does it play in the novel? Many times Santiago comes close to giving up on his destiny; why doesn't he? What keeps him moving forward toward his destiny? In a well-developed essay examine and analyze the role of "destiny/personal legend" in the novel, and its importance to specific characters.

Remember, the first sentence is what you'll prove (your thesis or "big idea"). Your second sentence briefly states what evidence you'll use to prove your thesis/"big idea." There is no third sentence.

English I (Pre-AP): Poem/Alchemist Paragraph

2011-11-03T08:40:00.001-07:00

When you have finished analyzing (TPCASTTing) your poem, write a 5-7 sentence paragraph addressing the following prompt.

How does your song lyric relate to a major theme of The Alchemist (either the Principle of Favorability, The World’s Greatest Lie, or one or more of the Obstacles to achieving your Personal Legend)? Quote both the song and the novel.

English I (Pre-AP): Vocabulary/Meaningful Sentences

2011-10-31T21:46:00.000-07:00

The following vocabulary words come from The Alchemist. Use them to write meaningful sentences (meaningful sentences do not need to have anything to do with The Alchemist; page numbers are included for context within the story).

Convey (v): to communicate or make known—p. 139

Luminous (adj): radiating light; shining; bright—p. 130

Neutral (adj): not taking sides in a conflict or disagreement—p. 106

Oasis (n): a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well—p. 104

Paradise (n): a place of extreme beauty, delight, or happiness—p. 127

Proverb (n): a short popular saying that expresses a common truth or useful thought—p. 132

Reiterate (v): to say again; repeat—p. 115

Scimitar (n): a curved, single-edged sword of Oriental origin—p. 112

Treasonous (adj): traitorous; involving the betrayal one’s country—p. 129

Vulnerable (adj): capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt—p. 107

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

shepherd (n.): someone who raises or tends to sheep.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Joe was a shepherd; he has raised sheep in Montana for twenty years.

Due Date: Wednesday, Nov. 2

Pre-AP English II: Vocabulary/Meaningful Sentences

2011-10-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

The following vocabulary words come from Lord of the Flies. Use them to write meaningful sentences (meaningful sentences do not need to have anything to do with LotF; page numbers are included for context within the story).

Daunted (adj): Overcome with fear; intimidated—p. 161

Garland (n): a wreath or string of flowers—p. 149

Impenetrable (adj): unable to be penetrated, pierced, or entered—p. 174

Lethal (adj): able to cause death; deadly; fatal—p. 177

Ludicrous (adj): causing laughter because of absurdity; ridiculous—p. 176

Luminous (adj): radiating light; shining; bright—p. 174

Meek (adj): overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame—p. 147

Prosper (v): to be successful or fortunate; thrive; flourish—p. 145

Rebuke (v): to express disapproval of; reprove; reprimand—p. 165

Torrid (adj): oppressively hot, parching, or burning—p. 159

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

myopic (adj.): having myopia; nearsighted.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Piggy was myopic; his nearsightedness meant that he had to wear glasses to see things far away.

Due Date: Wednesday, Nov. 2

Pre-AP English II: Literary Devices Test Preview

2011-10-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (10/31) you will have an exam on the following literary devices. You will need to be able to recognize examples of them and produce your own sentence-length examples, as well:

Alliteration

Allusion

Anaphora

Apostrophe

Diction

Foreshadowing

Flashback

Hyperbole

Imagery

Metaphor

Metonymy

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

Paradox

Personification

Simile

Be sure to bring your copy of Lord of the Flies with you, as you'll need it to understand the context of some examples and find examples of your own in the text.

Failing this test will result in your automatic assignment to Patriot Academy on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd, and you will be unable to retest or submit corrections until you have attended a post-test tutorial.

Yearbook: Preview Irma's Animoto

2011-10-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

If you have a barcode scanner on your smartphone, scan the QR Code to the left and preview Irma's animoto yearbook ad. If you don't have a QR Code scanner, get one and then scan the QR code.

If you experience difficulty, please let me know. I'd like to put of pages of the code so people can scan them and see the ad, and the problems you have will likely be the same others experience.

Thanks.

English II (on-level): Jeopardy Study Guide for Katrina Article Test

2011-10-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Please review the Katrina article and the Jeopardy game we played in class (as well as your vocabulary) to be as prepared as possible for Monday's test.

English II (on-level): Vocabulary for the Katrina Article

2011-10-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Following are the vocabulary words you chose for the Katrina article. You are responsible for the definitions of each. You will need to pick ten to write meaningful sentences for (see below list).

Apparent

Choicest

Convenience

Debris

Immersed

Intact

Interview

Inundated

Memorabilia

Referral

Restoring

Ruined

Sheetrock

Swamped

Wreckage

Pick any ten words and use them to write meaningful sentences.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

hurricane (n.): a violent, tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of or in excess of 72 miles per hour (32 m/sec).

a meaningful sentence would be:

The hurricane destroyed the coastal town of Mikesell City, Florida; after the foot of rain and 100-mile-an=hour winds blew onshore, all that was left were traffic signals and a lighthouse.

Due Date: Wednesday, Nov. 2

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Part II Test Preview

2011-10-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow in class you will have an AP-style multiple choice test based on pages 94-99 of The Alchemist (also pages vi-viii of the introduction). Please annotate the pages before the test.

You will be expected to know what goes on in the story as well as be able to identify or explain the following literary devices:

Alliteration

Allusion

Diction

Hyperbole

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

Paradox

Personification

Simile

Pre-AP English II: Allusions, Allegories, and Analogies

2011-10-27T14:37:00.001-07:00

Today we took notes on the first two-thirds of this presentation. Tomorrow we'll finish (that means your literary terms test will be on Monday, Oct. 31).

Be prepared to discuss how The Lord of the Flies is allegorical to the Bible story of the Garden of Eden. And if you want to see that "homework heads-up," it's at the end of the Allusion section of the presentation.

Pre-AP English II: Archetypes of Blindness and Illness

2011-10-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Want to review today's Prezi on Blindness and Illness Archetypes? Good for you; it's right below.

Want to check out Piggy in his BVDs again? Please seek counseling.

English II (on-level): "Life after Katrina: Day 26"

2011-10-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

If you lose your copy of the Katrina article, you should print out another.

English II (on-level): Katrina Presentation

2011-10-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to re-watch the presentation on Hurricane Katrina (and maybe try to find more dead bodies), here you go: Hurricane Katrina Tribute.

Pre-AP English II: Timed Writing Thesis Revisited

2011-10-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

In class we discussed the abstract and concrete aspects of an AP-style prompt.

The abstract aspect is the general claim the prompt makes that you have to make specific. This will usually involve some interpretation of the theme, mood, tone, irony, etc. The way the prompt is made specific will vary from student to student.

The concrete aspect deals with the means you will use to prove your specific claim. This will usually involve the literary devices you use to make your case.

We also talked about how to address last Friday's prompt. These included the following theses:

In Lord of the Flies, Golding shows Jack becoming a "savage" in order to suggest to the reader that Jack will begin acting "savagely."

In Lord of the Flies, Golding shows Jack putting on "war paint" in order to suggest to the reader that Jack will go to war with Ralph and Piggy.

In Lord of the Flies, Golding shows Jack putting on a mask in order to lose his identity/humanity.

In Lord of the Flies, Golding shows Jack behaving in an uncivilized way to demonstrate that he will separate himself away from Ralph's "civilized" society.

Come to class tomorrow with pages 62-64 annotated and ready to redo your timed writing.

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist 65-104 Study Questions

2011-10-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Answer each question with supporting evidence from the text.

Pages 65-79

The Englishman, whom Santiago meets when he joins the caravan to the Egyptian pyramids, is—like Santiago—joining the caravan as part of a quest. What is the Englishman searching for?

As the caravan travels, the Englishman spends his days poring over his books to learn the secrets of alchemy; Santiago, meanwhile, throws his book away, instead opting to observe the desert and listen to the wind. The Englishman tries to learn alchemy through the intellect. Santiago has rejected the life of the mind for a life of interaction and a journey of purpose, which he believes will bring him closer to understanding the language without words…the universal language. Based on the conversation between Santiago and the Englishman on page 79, does it appear that the two have anything to learn from each other?

Pages 80-104

As the caravan crosses the Sahara, Santiago and the Englishman each make an effort to gain new insights by practicing the other’s method of learning. When the Englishman asks Santiago what the boy learned about alchemy from reading his books, Santiago sums up his reading in a few short sentences (on page 83). What does he say he learned?

Santiago says he believes all the things he learned about alchemy are so simple they could be written on the surface of an emerald. This description, of course, depicts the Emerald Tablet the Englishman told Santiago about. The Englishman is exasperated because he believes Santiago is simple-minded and has failed to grasp the complexity of alchemy. Yet, the gypsy Santiago met in Tarifa told him, “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary; only wise men are able to understand them.” Who is right— the Englishman or Santiago? Defend your answer.

According to the Englishman, how were the alchemists he read about changed by the years they spent “in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals”?

Nearly every encounter Santiago has contains a lesson for him, if the boy is observant enough to perceive it. Read the conversation on pages 84-85 between Santiago and his new friend, the camel driver. What life lesson is the camel driver trying to impart to the boy? As you read about Santiago’s response to the appearance of the oasis on the horizon, what evidence do you see that Santiago has internalized the bit of wisdom offered by the camel driver?

How does Santiago feel when he meets Fatima? How does he know this is love?

Who finally shows Santiago how to find The Alchemist? Why is it significant that it is this person who is the key to Santiago’s search?

Why do you think The Alchemist gives the Englishman the response he does when the Englishman tells him what he is seeking? What point do you think the author is trying to make by showing how the Englishman feels once he spends some time following the advice given to him by The Alchemist?

Recall that each encounter Santiago has presents him with the opportunity for personal growth provided that he can understand what it is he should learn from the interaction. What lesson is there for Santiago to learn from the fact that Fatima tells him not to stay at the oasis but to go to the pyramids after he has pledged his love for her?

Santiago thinks he has seen an omen in the desert. What has he seen, and what does he think it signifies?

According to the camel driver, why would God allow Santiago to see this vision of the future?

Original Source: here

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Jeopardy Questions

2011-10-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, October 25th we'll be playing a special Alchemist edition of Jeopardy in class. Please come up with questions AND answers. 20 would be good. 30 would be better.

Please ask questions about anything we've read up through page 65. Keep them close-ended, that is they have a definite right/wrong answer rather than being opinion-based.

You may ask regular questions or make them Jeopardy-style answers.

Regular: What was the King of Salem's name (Answer: Melchizedek)
Jeopardy-style: His name was Melchizedek (Question: Who was the King of Salem?)

Due: end-of-class 10/24.

Pre-AP English II: Timed Writing Preview for 10/21

2011-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Below is the prompt you'll be writing on in class.

Authors often use physical changes of characters or the setting to suggest to the reader that deeper changes are going on beneath the surface of the story. Consider the section of Lord of the Flies that begins on page 62 with the single-word paragraph
"Roger."
and continues through the end-of-the-section break on page 64, and then write a well-constructed essay discussing how Golding uses literary devices (including, but not limited to, diction, imagery, metonymy, simile/metaphor, etc.) to suggest a significant transition is occurring in the story.

Because we will have a shortened class time tomorrow (due to CAT), you will not necessarily finish your paper. However, your essay must be well-structured (thesis paragraph, logically ordered body paragraph(s), appropriate evidence embedded in your writing, etc.) and well-enough along that I can fairly speculate on a rating.

You will need to use your copy of the book to write your essay, and any notes you may have written there may be used to your advantage on the timed writing.

All English Classes: Writing Benchmark

2011-10-18T14:32:00.001-07:00

We'll spend the next two days in class working on a Writing Benchmark. Please bring a copy of the 8-Step Writing Process foldable we worked on in class (English II, we did this several weeks ago).

Be prepared to write on prompts similar to:

English I: Write an essay about a person/group struggling to overcome a challenge (may either be a fiction short story or a non-fiction article.)

English II (On-level and Pre-AP): Write an essay about the effect a relationship can have on two people.

You may come to class tomorrow with brainstorming and bubble-mapping done. Do not begin to write the rough draft before class.

English II (on-level): Dialogue Rules

2011-10-18T11:37:00.000-07:00

Please write two sample lines of dialogue and bring them to class tomorrow (10/19). Be sure to follow the two examples below (use them as models), as well as the Rules of Dialogue that follow.

Examples:

“That was a real pretty dance, that dance they just did,” said Hazel.
“Huh?” said George.

“One can only hope,” he said, reaching for another, “that Dacca’s refugees are as heartily fed. Which reminds me.” He reached into his suit pocket….
My father said, “They are estimating nine million at the last count.”

Rules of Dialogue

Every time someone new speaks, start a new paragraph. Skip to the next line and indent.(1-4)

Quotation marks signify that someone is about to speak. (1-4)

Capitalize the first word they are saying inside the quotation mark. (1-4)

If a sentence continues outside the dialogue, put a comma and then a quotation mark at the end of the dialogue. (1-2)

If a sentence ends with the dialogue, put a period and then a quotation mark at the end of the dialogue. (4)

If the dialogue is a question, put a question mark, then a quotation mark. (2)

If the dialogue is an exclamation, put an exclamation point, then a quotation mark. (“Wow!”)

If a dialogue tag comes after the dialogue, the first word is not capitalized. (1-2)

If a dialogue tag comes before the dialogue, put a comma BEFORE the quotation mark. (4)

If a dialogue tag interrupts the dialogue, put a comma INSIDE the first
quotation mark and a comma BEFORE the next block of dialogue. Do not
capitalize the first word of the next block. (3)

If a dialogue tag interrupts the dialogue and the first section of dialogue is a complete sentence, you may follow the dialogue tag with a period. The next section of dialogue would begin with a capital letter inside the quotation mark. There is no need to start a new paragraph. ("Juliet, I love you," said Romeo. "I really, really do.")

Pre-AP English II: Metamorphosis for Free

2011-10-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

Amazon is currently giving away Kindle copies of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis for free (normally $2).

If you have a Kindle or an Android or iOS device with the Kindle app, get the book for free. (If you don't have the app, get it, then get the book!)

English I (Pre-AP): End of Course (EOC) Essay Rubrics/Criteria Charts

2011-10-17T13:48:00.001-07:00

If you lose your copy of the EOC Essay Rubrics/Criteria Charts, please download new copies from the TEA website:

Literary (Story) Composition

Expository Essay

All English II Classes: TAKS Essay Rubric/Criteria Charts

2011-10-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

If you would like your own copy of the TAKS Essay Rubric/Criteria Charts, please go to page 17 of this document from the TEA website.

The PDF file also includes information on Score Points 1, 2, and 4, as well as examples and explanations of why the examples scored the way they did. Good times.

Pre-AP English II: QWOP

2011-10-17T13:38:00.001-07:00

If you would like to try your hand at QWOP, visit this website.

Remember, trying to write your own thesis paragraph when you don't know what you're doing is as elegant (I'm being ironic) as QWOP running his race. Avoid embarrassing yourself unnecessarily.

English II (on-level): Embedding Quotes in "Man in the Water"

2011-10-17T10:18:00.001-07:00

As we discussed in class today, many of you had difficulty supporting your answers (assertions) with text evidence on last Thursday's test. In class we discussed embedding quoted evidence in your own sentences to support your argument. Please copy the following response that we generated in class (word for word, letter for letter, punctuation mark for punctuation mark).

One difficulty with the rescue was the extreme cold. The man in the water “had to know…no matter how gradual the effect of the cold,” eventually it would kill him. Another difficulty was that the helicopter couldn’t pick up everyone at once. “Every time they lowered a lifeline and floatation ring to [the passengers in the water, the man in the water] passed it on” so someone else could be saved.

English I (Pre-AP): "Personal Legend" Song

2011-10-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

In class today we looked at Randy Stonehill's "The Dying Breed" and discussed how it shared some thematic ideas with The Alchemist. Prior to performing some poetry analysis next week, you need to find your own song lyric that deals with Coelho's idea of a Personal Legend (or the Man-vs-Society conflicts that emerge when an individual pursues his or her destiny).

Remember: you should not "follow the crowd" when finding your lyrics. Your grade drops 10 percent for every other person who submits the same song (i.e., if you and another person turn in the same song, both get 90%; if five people turn in the same song, each gets a 60%).

Also, black out all but the first letter of curse words. If your song has more than five black scratch-outs, you need to find another song. Your Personal Legend does not involve being a potty mouth.

If possible, I'll share/play the songs (or parts of them) in class so we all get an idea of the songs you've picked.

Here's the Randy Stonehill song again: "The Dying Breed."

Due date: Tuesday, October 18.

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies / Simpsons Venn Diagram

2011-10-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

IF you missed comparing and contrasting Lord of the Flies with an episode of The Simpsons (because you're in first period or were absent today), or you want to work on your Venn Diagram again, or you just want to watch the episode again, here's the episode: #5F11 "Das Bus".

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies 1-3 Socratic Seminar Preview

2011-10-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Thursday, October 12, 2011. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

If you missed the seminar, submit well-thought out written responses to two questions (100%; one question=80%).

If you were in class and did not respond twice, use the back of your remaining half-sheets ("buns") to respond to the questions. If you respond to a question discussed in class, your response must refer to the text and add to the conversation we had. (+20 points for the first, +10 points for the second)

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
If you were in a situation with a leadership vacuum, how would you convince others to follow you? --M.R. (6th)

When overwhelmed with fear, how do you keep cool? --J.M. (1st)

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why does Ralph blow the conch? -K.M. (7th)

Who helps Ralph with most of the work on the island? --J.S. (6th)

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
After reading the first three chapters, who do you think is best suited for leadership? --E.M. (7th)

Did Ralph make the right decision to have Simon investigate the island with him and Jack, rather than Piggy? --L.C. (1st)

UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
What is required in order for a society to be considered civilized? --E.M. (6th)

What characteristics make a person a good leader? --J.L. (1st)

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
What mood does Golding set at the beginning of the story? --K.L. (7th)

Why do you think Golding characterizes Piggy as a fat, annoying boy? --B.L. (6th)

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Part I Test Preview

2011-10-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

For the test tomorrow you should

Review and annotate the section beginning on page 33 with “How strange Africa is, thought the boy” and ending on page 42 with “’I’m an adventurer, looking for treasure,’ said the boy.”

Review all 10 literary devices you've been studying
1. Alliteration
2. Allusion
3. Diction
4. Hyperbole
5. Metaphor
6. Onomatopoeia
7. Oxymoron
8. Paradox
9. Personification
10. Simile

Review the study questions from earlier in the week.

Be prepared. Do well. Succeed.

Pre-AP English II: IWA #2 Thesis Paragraph Model

2011-10-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Consider using the following as a thesis paragraph for your second IWA.

Feel free to use the exact wording, punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc., above.

Failure to include a thesis paragraph in your IWA will result in an immediate REDO grade (no credit).

English II (on-level): "Man in the Water" Questions 9 + 10

2011-10-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Refer to the article "The Man in the Water" online at Time Magazine's website when answering the following questions.

Rosenblatt states that "we do not even really believe that the man in the water lost his fight [against nature]." Do you agree or disagree with what Rosenblatt says? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Are most people able of acting in a heroic way like the man in the water? Support your assertion with evidence from the text as well as your personal experiences with people behaving sacrificially.

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Study Questions (pp. 1-42)

2011-10-10T11:05:00.001-07:00

After reading the first 42 pages (or a few more pages to finish Part One), answer the following questions. Be sure to cite evidence (i.e., quote material) from the text:

Explain the stereotype created on pages 5-6.

Explain the connection between the following quote and “destiny.”
“If I became a monster today, and decided to kill them, one by one, they would become aware only after most of the flock had been slaughtered, thought the boy. They trust me, and they’ve forgotten how to rely on their own instincts, because I lead them to nourishment.”
What is a seminary?

Describe Santiago’s father’s feelings towards his son’s idea of becoming a shepherd.

Why does the “Sacred Heart of Jesus” picture inspire peace in Santiago’s heart when he visits the gypsy?

Explain the “world’s greatest lie.”

What is the “principle of favorability”? Give an example.

Locate and explain the simile on page 38.

On page 42 explain the two ways of looking at Santiago’s problem.

Choose a quote (not one listed above) and explain its significance to the novel.

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies Chapters 1-3 Socratic Seminar Question Types

2011-10-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Submit one (1) of each of the following question type by Tuesday, October 11. I will pick several and post them to the website Wednesday night. Be prepared to discuss them in class on Thursday, October 13.

You also need to provide a possible answer with a reference to the text for each questions.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTION
Write a question connecting the text to the real world.

Example: When you are lost, what strategies do you use to get “found”?

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTION
Write a question about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text. This question usually has a “correct” answer.

Example: Why do Jack Merridew and his friends dress in uniform?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTION
Write an insightful question about the text that will require proof and group discussion and “construction of logic” to discover or explore the answer to the question.

Example: After reading the first three chapters of Lord of the Flies, what conclusions can you draw about Piggy’s personality?

UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTION
Write a question dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.

Example: After reading the first three chapters of Lord of the Flies, what responsibilities do you feel the strong have toward the weak?

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTION
Write a question dealing with HOW an author chose to compose a literary piece. How did the author manipulate point of view, characterization, poetic form, archetypal hero patterns, for example?

Example: In the opening line, Golding describes Ralph as “[t]he boy with the fair hair.” What implications might his diction choice, “fair,” suggest to the reader?

Pre-AP Students: Reading Assignment Reminder

2011-10-09T11:55:00.001-07:00

Pre-AP English I: It is part of your Personal Legend to read through page 42 of The Alchemist by tomorrow.

Pre-AP English II: You need to have read through Chapter 3 of Lord of the Flies by tomorrow so you can participate in the Socratic Seminar question writing assignment in class. I will bring audiofiles of chapters 4 and 5 if you want copies to help you with next week's reading assignment.

Free SAT Prep App

2011-10-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in class, SAT Connect is a free SAT-prep application for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). Even if you're a freshman or sophomore, this is an app worth downloading and exploring.

Please use the link above, or make sure you download SAT Connect and not SAT Connect Free (both apps are, in fact, free) -- the "Free" app is limited and since you can get the full version also for free, get that one.

Pre-AP English II: IWA #2 - Lord of the Flies

2011-10-06T16:02:00.001-07:00

Write a well-organized essay on the following prompt:

Lord of the Flies features three characters vying for power (Ralph, Jack, and Piggy), each with their own approach to leadership. Considering the three “appeals” (ethos, logos, and pathos), identify the primary approach taken by ONE of the three main characters and support your claim by analyzing the literary devices (e.g., diction, imagery, simile/metaphor, etc.) Golding utilizes in their attempt to sway the crowd to follow their vision.

Tips to success:

Do not simply recount the plot or attributes of the character. Do not discuss more than one character or more than one appeal. Extensive lack of focus on literary devices will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points). Look at diction, metaphor, imagery, etc., and how the author’s use of these techniques establishes an ethical, logical, or pathetic appeal.

The earlier you turn in a draft that you expect to earn an 85 (only revision is needed) the more likely you are to eventually receive an 85 (your idea of what is revision-only and my idea of what is revision-only may differ) or 100 (because you’ve made the necessary revision, or you refined your essay on your own before you turned it in).

Paper should be about two-pages long, handwritten, or one-page long, typed, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond.

Daily P.A. for non-submitters begins September 28, 2011

Drop-Dead Deadline: Friday, November 4, 2011.

English I (Pre-AP): Quest Archetype / Movie Storyboards

2011-10-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Here's today's presentation on the quest archetype:

MOVIE STORYBOARDS
Please select any movie, book, episode of television, etc., that fits the Quest archetype we've been looking at. Using a storyboard handout, please draw and discuss how the work you've selected meets the six criteria:

Quester: Who goes on the quest?
Destination/Prize: What is it the quester wants?
Mentor: Who give the quester guidance or whatever else s/he will need to fulfill the quest?
Challenges/Trials: Give two examples of things the quester must overcome.
Underworld: Where does the quester have to face down death or come to terms with mortality?
True Objective: What does the quester ultimately get that surpasses what s/he went on the quest to get in the first place?

Due Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Pre-AP English II: Socratic Seminar Intro

2011-10-06T15:34:00.001-07:00

Here's the presentation on Socratic Seminars from class today:

Pre-AP English II: Persuasive Techniques (Logos/Pathos/Ethos)

2011-10-05T18:02:00.001-07:00

Here's the presentation we discussed in class today:

English II (on-level) "Man in the Water" Vocab and Meaningful Sentences

2011-10-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Please create meaningful sentences for each of the vocabulary words in the presentation, above. On slides that have two words, please pick only one of the two; be sure to use it correctly in your meaningful sentence.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

hero (n.): someone brave and selfless.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Mac the mechanic is my hero; he rushed into the five-car pile-up to rescue my kitten even though he could have been killed.

Due Date: Friday, Oct. 7

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Vocab 1 and Meaningful Sentences

2011-10-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

Please create meaningful sentences for each of the vocabulary words in the presentation, above.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

shepherd (n.): someone who raises or tends to sheep.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Joe was a shepherd; he has raised sheep in Montana for twenty years.

Due Date: Friday, Oct. 7

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies Chapter 1 Vocab and Meaningful Sentences

2011-10-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Please create meaningful sentences for each of the vocabulary words in the presentation, above.

Remember:

a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)

the first sentence includes a vocabulary word

the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word

the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized

you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

myopic (adj.): having myopia; nearsighted.

a meaningful sentence would be:

Piggy was myopic; his nearsightedness meant that he had to wear glasses to see things far away.

Due Date: Thursday, Oct. 6

Pre-AP English II: Lord of the Flies Audio Files

2011-10-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of acquiring audio files of Lord of the Flies. I'll bring the first three chapters with me on Monday. If you'd like copies to listen to as you read, please bring a flashdrive with you to class.

(Listening to the audio files does not relieve you of the responsibility of reading and annotating the book. The intent is to enable you to hear the words as you read, as there are words you understand when you hear them that you may not recognize when you see them.)

Pre-AP Reading Assignments for Week of Oct. 3-7

2011-09-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

By Monday, Oct. 3, Pre-AP I students should have read the following parts of The Illusionist:

The introduction
The preface
Through the * on page 21

Pre-AP II students should have read the first chapter of Lord of the Flies, "The Sound of the Shell."

By Oct. 10, Pre-AP I students should have read through the * on page 60. Pre-AP II students should have read to page 58 (chapters 2 & 3; "Fire on the Mountain" and "Huts on the Beach").

All Pre-AP Classes: Literary Terms Six-Weeks' Test Preview

2011-09-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (9/29) you will take your exam for the first six-weeks' grading period. Please be prepared. In case you have forgotten, you will need to demonstrate your mastery of these literary devices by being able to recognize examples of them and produce your own sentence-length examples, as well:

Alliteration

Allusion

Diction

Hyperbole

Metaphor

Onomatopoeia

Oxymoron

Paradox

Personification

Simile

Additionally, Pre-AP II students are responsible for the following terms:

Anaphora

Apostrophe

Foreshadowing

Flashback

Imagery

Metonymy

Remember, failing this test will result in your automatic assignment to Patriot Academy on Friday Sept. 30th, and you will be unable to retest or submit corrections until you have attended a post-test tutorial.

English II: 8 Step Writing Process

2011-09-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

We have just finished reviewing the 8 steps of the writing process. If you lose your illustrated copy, download another.

On Friday you will need to to turn in your evidence for steps 2 (brainstorming), 4 (bubblemapping), 6 (rough draft), and 8 (final draft). I will be looking for evidence of revising and editing on your rough draft (this is technically step 7).

All of the above will be graded separately and then collectively for a 6-weeks final grade.

In case you have forgotten the prompt it was along the lines of

Write ~~an essay~~ a story about a time you struggled with doing the right thing and the lesson you learned as a result.

English I (Pre-AP): Geography in The Alchemist

2011-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

In class we completed a map of locations Santiago visits in The Alchemist. Use your online search skills to place the locations on page 1 of this PDF on the map on second page.

You may color and otherwise annotate the map as you choose.

Pre-AP English II: Lost at Sea

2011-09-28T13:48:00.001-07:00

Test your survival skills: Play Lost at Sea!

Follow the link, read the scenario, and select your six items (a sextant is a navigational tool, C rations are food, and you're too young for the Puerto Rican rum).

If you didn't do this in class, print out the results after you press the "submit query" button. Turn in your original results (you can play multiple times to see what helps (or doesn't) your survival rate, but be honest with the results of your first attempt).

Good luck!

Pre-AP English II: IWA #1b

2011-09-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

Authors carefully select the literary devices they use in order to produce a specific effect in their readers' minds. While Benet’s “By the Waters of Babylon” and Shelley’s “Ozymandias” share setting elements, the writers create drastically different moods. In a well-developed essay compare the writers uses of imagery and diction in the development of the contrasting moods of their works.

Review your packet on mood and tone for “By the Waters of Babylon” and repeat the mood exercises for “Ozymandias” (see below).

Tips to success:

Do not simply recount the tragedies the characters encounter. Extensive plot summary will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points). Look at diction, metaphor, imagery, etc., and how the author’s use of these techniques changes over the course of the story to help you explore the subject of the cost of wealth/money.

All essays must be submitted with the draft in the LEFT pocket (inside front cover) of a 2-pocket portfolio folder. Failure to meet these minimum requirements will result in the draft being returned to the student unevaluated and with no score recorded.

You will be sent to P.A. every day until you have submitted an a draft that earns at least a 70.

Drop-Dead Deadline: Tuesday, October 11, 2011.

"Ozymandias"
by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
‘My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

English I (Pre-AP): Venn Diagram for "Most Dangerous Game" Part II

2011-09-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

In class today we finished our "MDG"/Buffy Venn Diagram and then compared and contrasted "MDG" and a segment of a Simpsons episode. If you missed today or world like another run at it, you can view "Survival of the Fattest" online.

English I (Pre-AP): Test Preview for 9/23

2011-09-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (9/23) you will be taking an AP-style multiple choice test on "The Most Dangerous GAme."

Please be familiar with the following literary terms, and vocabulary prior to the test. (Just because a word appears below doesn't mean it's the "right" answer.)

Literary Terms:

Alliteration
Allusion
Hyperbole
Metaphor
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron
Paradox
Personification
Simile

Tone/Mood:

Desperation

Vocabulary:

Futile
Inevitably
Impulsive
Rude

Pre-AP English II: Test Preview for 9/23

2011-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow (9/23) you will be taking an AP-style multiple choice test on "By the Waters of Babylon."

Please be familiar with the following literary terms, and vocabulary prior to the test. (Just because a word appears below doesn't mean it's the "right" answer.)

Literary Terms:

Alliteration
Allusion
Anaphora
Apostrophe (not the punctuation)
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Hyperbole
Imagery
Metaphor
Metonymy
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron
Paradox
Personification
Simile

Vocabulary:

Elusive
Forbade
Idly

Pre-AP English II: Movie Quest Storyboards

2011-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

Please select any movie, book, episode of television, etc., that fits the Quest archetype we've been looking at. Using a storyboard handout, please draw and discuss how the work you've selected meets the six criteria:

Quester: Who goes on the quest?
Destination/Prize: What is it the quester wants?
Mentor: Who give the quester guidance or whatever else s/he will need to fulfill the quest?
Challenges/Trials: Give two examples of things the quester must overcome.
Underworld: Where does the quester have to face down death or come to terms with mortality?
True Objective: What does the quester ultimately get that surpasses what s/he went on the quest to get in the first place?

Due Wednesday, Sept. 28.

English I (Pre-AP):Venn Diagram for "Most Dangerous Game"

2011-09-21T18:41:00.001-07:00

In class we watched an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and compared and contrasted it to "The Most Dangerous Game" with a Venn Diagram. Unfortunately, the "Homecoming" episode is not currently available online for free. This means if you missed it, you'll need to come in before or after school to work on the assignment.

If by some chance, however, you know someone cool enough to own Season Three of BtVS or if you pick up the episode via iTunes or Amazon Video on Demand (both $1.99) or your Netflix account, you may work on the Venn Diagram on your own time. Just make the left-hand section "Most Dangerous Game," the right-hand section "BtVS: Homecoming," and the middle section "Both." The more quality entries on the chart, the higher your grade.