Assignments for March 28 - April 1, 2011

Pre-AP English I -

• Discuss expectations for the independent reading project


• Introduce Elizabethan/Renaissance theater


• Learn about Shakespeare's background and writings


• Complete background test

Dual Credit 1302 -

• Discuss expectations for the Scarlet Letter novel project


• Prepare poetry explication lessons regarding Dickinson, Frost, Hughes, and Plath


• Begin presenting poetry lessons on Friday

Assignments for March 21 - 25, 2011

This is the last week of this nine-weeks term.

I will probably be absent on Friday.

All grade/late work concerns need to be handled before then.

Pre-AP English I -

• Discuss Animal Farm as an allegory
• Review persuasive appeals in Animal Farm
• Nine-weeks exam on Thursday
• Pamphlets due by Wednesday
• Coming up: Romeo & Juliet

Dual Credit 1302 -

• Introduction to library databases on Monday
• Review literary analysis paragraphs in class on Tuesday
• Discussion of poems in first three chapters of poetry unit
• Remember: Research topics must be approved prior to starting research. Unapproved topics will earn a 0 on the research paper. Get topics in quickly!

Assignments for March 7 - 11, 2011

**Because I will be in a parent conference, there will be no tutoring Monday after school.

***It has not yet certain whether or not I will be in school on Thursday. Please check with me Wednesday to find out if I will be in school for tutoring on Thursday.

Pre-AP English I -

• Students will finish reading Animal Farm, 2 chapters per evening
• Reading check quizzes will be administered daily
• Students will begin preparing and publishing an objective newspaper article and a persuasive pamphlet in response to portions of Animal Farm
• Students will note and discuss propaganda techniques illustrated through Animal Farm
• Students will work on grammatical elements commonly found in the research papers

Dual Credit 1302

• Students will discuss the research process, focusing on the annotated bibliography and noted and source cards
• Students should independently read chapters 32-36 in the Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers
• Students will discuss the different types of plagiarism and how to avoid them
• Students will begin explicating poems in class

Super Saturday TAKS Tutoring Offered 2/26 AM

Based on student feedback, I have opened a Super Saturday TAKS preparation/review session for this Saturday only. I will be in the classroom between 9:00 and 12:00 Saturday (2/26) morning. Students may come to the room for TAKS practice, preparation, and review at that time if they wish to do so.

Assignments for Feb. 21 - 25, 2011

Due to a parent conference, Tuesday's before school tutoring has been cancelled.

Also, Thursday's after school tutoring session will be shortened, ending at 4:35, to allow for my attendance at an important teachers' informational meeting.

Students may come in on Wednesday or Friday for additional assistance.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

***UIL Grade Check is Friday, Feb. 25th.

Make sure all work has been submitted!!!

English Language Arts TAKS is March 1st. Are you ready?????

Pre-AP English I -

• Research paper revisions due Feb. 25th.
• This week, we will review short responses/crossover responses, literary terminology, and TAKS strategies.
• Students will be reading short selections at home and/or preparing short responses to the texts read each evening.

Dual Credit 1302 -

• Short story analysis essay due March 4th--MLA format.
• Short story test is Feb. 28th.
• Reading schedule: Tuesday, chapter 8 overview and "The Hammon and the Beans"; Wednesday, "Sonny's Blues" and "The Lesson"; Thursday, Poe overview as well as "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Cask of Amontillado"; Friday, "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Black Cat."
• Though they are not assigned readings, the critical essays following the Poe chapter are recommended reading.

Assignments for Feb. 14 - 18, 2011

Pre-AP English I -

• Research papers are to be revised by Feb. 25th. Remember, the old draft and rubric must be submitted with the new revisions. Summative grade.
• Rhetorical Valentines are due by Monday. We will probably have to swap Tuesday. Remember to write your messages on a separate sheet of paper and identify the rhetorical device used in the Valentine. I will use this for grading the written portion of the card.
• We will finish the short response graphic organizer on Monday or Tuesday. You will have reading homework each night next week. Be prepared to read and annotate carefully. You will have a daily mini-quiz over the previous night's reading.
• You will complete both a STARS report and a graphic organizer for selected texts next week.
• Grammar Focus: Commas and Capitalization

Dual Credit 1302 -

• Discussion entry for "Blue Winds Dancing" due by Wednesday. It's posted on the Dual Credit Combined discussion forum.
• Short responses will be assigned for "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall." An additional crossover response will be required.
• Readings: Monday - "Hills Like White Elephants," Ch. 7 opening, and "Unfinished Masterpieces"; Tuesday - "Young Goodman Brown"; Wednesday - "The Chrysanthemums" and "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall"; Thursday - Ch. 8 overview, "The Lesson," and "The Hammon and the Beans"; Friday - "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" and "The Yellow Wallpaper."
• Start working on your first essay. It will be due March 4th.
• The short story exam will be February 28th.

Pre-AP English I Adjustment

Because of the day out and the time we're taking for the TAKS short response introductions, DIDLS, "On Summer," and the research paper revision have been postponed. These will be addressed more fully in classes next week. The revised research paper draft will now be due Feb. 25th.