Problems with the website

The narrative poem assignment should be back up now... if not, please email and let me know!

Homework

--Read the end of Book 8 (starting at page 207), then Book 9, Book 10
--Complete the appropriate sections of the study guide
--Draw a picture of one character interacting with Odysseus (as it happens in the text)

Homework 12/8

Sorry for the late post!
--Read books 6 & 7 of The Odyssey
--Complete the appropriate section of the study guide
--Study for your vocabulary quiz (lesson 7)

Homework Devember 4, 2008

--Read Books 1 & 5 of The Odyssey
--Complete as much of the character guide as you can (Characters in Books 1 & 5)
--Plan for a quiz on Monday

Trimester Two - December 1, 2008

Welcome back, little chickadees!

Homework today:
--Lesson Seven Vocabulary Note Cards
--Complete the mythology work sheet
--Read pages 48-64 and 96-104 in the mythology book you received in class today (you must do this in order to complete the worksheet!)

Homework 10/14

--Lesson 6 Vocabulary Note Cards
--Final assessment - Essay - Topic: Is Lord Capulet a Good Father?
-6 paragraphs (follow the 5 paragraph format, except in between the last body paragraph and conclusion, include a refutation paragraph)
-Include 20 of your vocabulary words from this year (these should be underlined or in another color)
-All rules learned this year apply (no first person, no starting w/conjunctions, etc).
DRAFT ONE DUE FRIDAY ON TURNITIN.COM

Homework 10/6

-Study for your Lesson 5 vocabulary quiz
-Finish reading Act III, scene 5
-In your journal, make two lists: 1. why Lord Capulet is a good father, 2. why Lord Capulet is a bad father

Survey Literature

-Lesson Five Note Cards
-Translation (into slang) Juliet's speech page 137 - turn it in to Turnitin.com on Thursday.

Homework 9/24

Parents, grade reports have been issued for English I. Please make sure you sign them and have your student return them to me.

--Complete the Language Network exercises A on page 168 and 170
--Get your grade report signed.
--Finish Act III, scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet, then tell me in your journal what you would do if you were Romeo. Explain why.

Homework

In your journals, list ALL of the relationships in Romeo and Juliet
Use one adjective to describe each relationship, but you may not use an adjective more than once.
For example:
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Benvolio
Romeo and Mercutio
Romeo and Tybalt
Romeo and Friar Lawrence
Romeo and Lord Montague

Study for your vocabulary quiz
First period - re-do your vocabulary for the week (list the definitions on paper, you do not need to make additional note cards).

Homework 9/18

--Language Network - Subject-verb agreement - read pages 158-161, then complete exercise A on page 158 and exercise A on page 161
-Finish reading Act II.

Homework 9/15

-Read Act II, scenes 1 & 2
-Translate either Romeo (But soft...) or Juliet's speech (Romeo, Romeo...) in Act II, scene 2 into SLANG. Go sentence by sentence. It does NOT need to be in verse.

Homework 9/11

-Read Act I, scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet
-Journal - Do teenagers really fall in love or are they just really emotional? Explain. How can people know if they are really in love? (1 page)

Homework 9/8

- Study for your vocabulary quiz!
- Finish Act I, scene 3 in Romeo and Juliet
- Complete your quote journal. Remember... 1/2 page per quote (question, attempt to answer, reason you chose the quote). This is to help you with your comprehension of Shakespeare's language.

Homework 9/4

- Read Scene 1 of Romeo and Juliet
- Complete a 10 quote double sided journal (2 quotes per page)
Left side - quotes
Right side - Why you selected the quote. Questions you have about the quote. Attempts to answer the quote (these will be used for discussion when we re-read the scene in class)
-Study for Toss Around!

Homework 9/2

-Lesson 3 Vocabulary Note Cards
- Journal entry - 1 page - Why do relationships fail? This should address all relationships (familial, friendships, etc), not just romantic ones...

Homework 8/25

-UPLOAD both drafts of "Who Are You Anyway?" to Turnitin.com
At 11.59 pm, no papers will be accepted!
-Complete the parts of speech review - pages 32-33 in the Language Network book
-Study for your vocabulary quiz and your The Curious Incident... test

Something is wrong with google docs

so here is the "Who Are You, Anyway?" assignment again for those who lost it.

Introductory Writing Assignment – Who Are You, Anyway?

As a student at LMSA, you will inevitably learn much about yourself and your peers as readers, writers and creative thinkers; however, before you begin this journey, it is important to reflect on how you already see yourself as a student of great literature.

Your first assignment is to write, directed to me, a letter of introduction. This letter should be at least two pages (typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 font… that’s the font that I am using right here. Know it, love it, and get used to it, my little chickadees!) It should describe the kind of student you are. Within this letter, you should:

• Start off with an anecdote (small story) about a reading experience you have had

• Explain your attitudes about reading and writing

• Identify texts that inspire you. (Texts include books, magazines, newspapers, music and movies.) What common element ties these together?

• Describe the best reading experience you ever had. What made this profound?

• If you don’t like to read, tell me why. (Was there a bad experience?)

• Tell me what literacy means for you. Look up the definition if necessary or create your own (and tell me how you created it).

• Define the goals you have for your English class this year, and explain how they relate to your experience in your Language Arts class last year. Consider relating it to your initial story. This will give your paper appropriate closure.

Make sure that you consider the practices of good writers. Do not forget to do the following:

• Consider your audience (me!)

• Organize your ideas (ONE idea per paragraph)

• Develop your points with supporting evidence

• Be specific in your language choices and in your ideas.

• Use spell check, grammar check, and watch your mechanics. (Woe to you should you spell any words as you might in a text message!)

It’s ok to be honest… I know some people don’t share my passion for English… yet! Remember that this is your opportunity to share with me something about yourself. Take advantage of it and good luck!

Due Dates:

Draft One – August 15, 2008

Draft Two—August 25, 2008

Homework 8/21

-Write ten discussion questions for the last part of The Curious Incident...
-Write your final draft of "Who Are You Anyway?" due on turnitin.com on August 25th. After 11.59 pm, you will not be permitted to submit and you will receive a zero on the paper.

A note to parents and Homework 8/18/08

-PARENTS-
Today students were given a Week 3 Progress Report. They will receive 10 points for getting those signed by you (and zero points if they do not get them signed). Please ask your students to keep you updated on their grades!

-Students will write discussion questions on pages 93-143 from The Curious Incident...
-Because this section is also very illustration/graph heavy, I want you to think about a journey you once took (it can be as small as your first trip to the grocery store), and create a pictoral representation of this journey. It can be a map, a graph, or anything you want to create. You can label places, but try to use as few words as possible.

Homework 8/14

-Review pages 90-140 of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
-Write ten discussion questions from the above pages
-Work on the parts of speech song you were assigned in class. If you have already finished, GREAT! If not, talk to your group members this weekend!

NOTE. The "Who Are You Anyway?" paper was to be typed in Times New Roman, size 12 font, double spaced. Double spacing means spacing between lines. This means, in Word, you go to Format, click on Paragraph, then when the box pops up, select Double in spacing. Handwritten papers are unacceptable.

Homework 8/11-8/12

-Study for your vocabulary quiz (Lesson One)!
-Complete draft one of "Who Are You, Anyway?"
-Write ten discussion questions for The Curious Incident... from pages 43-90
Both of my freshmen classes did an excellent job with discussion questions today! Keep up the good work!

Homework for 8/7 - 8/8

-In your reading journal, write 10 discussion questions from The Curious Incident... (pages 1-43). Make sure the discussion questions are not YES or NO answers. Those are not discussion questions! Your questions will be used to begin a class discussion on Monday/Tuesday, so make them good ones!
-In your journal, list some of your favorite things about reading, your favorite things about English class (in general, not mine), music, and movies. This list will be used for an assignment you will receive Monday/Tuesday.

First Homework Assignment - 8/4/08

--Have your contract signed by your parent (and don't forget to sign it yourself!) These points are easily earned!
--Write a biopoem for the character of your choice from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. In case you have forgotten the format, here's a link:
http://library.thinkquest.org/11883/data/biopoem.htm
--Complete your first twenty vocabulary note cards. Remember, the word and your initials on the front, the definition on the back.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Remember that there's a quiz on the first day of school!

School Starts

Get ready!

Summer Summer Summer

I hope you're reading!

Homework 5/19--5/20

--Read Chapter Three of Lord of the Flies
--Study for your vocabulary quiz
--Note taking!
For a half hour, observe teenagers who have NO adult supervision. Write down everything they do. (Do not talk to them). Be prepared to share with your group in the next class period.

Homework

-Read Chapter Two of Lord of the Flies
-Write in your journal - Which character do you like best? Why? Which character do you dislike most? Why?
This novel can be read as an ALLEGORY (look it up if you have forgotten the word!), so this journal is more important than it seems!

Homework

-Read Chapter one of Lord of the Flies
-Write ten discussion questions using the HOTS sheet I passed out a long time ago.
If you threw that away or lost it, you may use the link on this page to Bloom's Taxonomy to see different types of questions.

Homework

Write one page...
What would happen if you and your English class were stranded on a deserted island for a week? (Please make sure to use the names of ALL of your classmates! You received a list earlier this week, so utilize it. Also, please note that in this, your lovely teacher met with her untimely demise and is NOT on the island with you!)

oops

I posted World Lit's homework here. This is your work:
-Vocabulary note cards
-study for the Odyssey test if you were exempted
-Work on "Telling My Story" (final draft due next Monday/Tuesday)

Homework

-Study for your vocabulary quiz
-Finish Act I of Hamlet. Have 3 quotes (interesting, confusing, significant) per scene

More Homework!

-Read books 20 and 21 of The Odyssey
-Write a 1 paragraph prediction of what EXACTLY will happen in Book 22. Be specific and don't read ahead!
-Study for your vocabulary quiz

Homework

-Read Books 17 & 18
-Draw ONE picture for each book that captures the main idea of the chapter (two pics total)
-Study for toss around!

Homework!

-Read Books 10 & 11
-Prepare to ACT OUT one of those scenes on Monday/Tuesday

Homework!

-Read Books 8-9 of The Odyssey
-Take notes on ONE of the books in cartoon form (ie: make that chapter into a cartoon)
-Study for your vocabulary quiz

Homework!

-Read The Odyssey books 6-7. Complete the study guide for those books (except #2 of Book 7)
-Write the Ideal Graduate paragraph. Make it completely error-free

Homework 3/31, 4/1

-Read Book One of The Odyssey, then skip Books 2, 3, 4 (either read summaries or SEE ME for summaries), and read Book Five.
-Complete the character chart (Odysseus' friends, gods/goddesses, monsters, other people)
-Finish Lesson 13 vocabulary note cards

Homework 3/27

Hey kids... the mythology personal ads/myspace homework is due MONDAY (or Tuesday for 5th & 8th)

Homework

Welcome back from spring break....

--For those of you who completed the rough draft, your FINAL draft is due Thursday/Friday (according to your class)
--Vocab quiz on Thursday/Friday
--Choose either
1. create a myspace page for ONE of the 12 main gods of Olympus
2. write 12 short personal ads for ALL 12 gods of Olympus (no more than 4 lines each)
(due MONDAY/TUESDAY)

March 4, 2008 - Listen Up, Chickadees

--If I do NOT have your works cited page TODAY (March 4), you are not going to be able to complete this project.
--If I do NOT have your outline by TOMORROW (March 5), you are not going to be able to complete this project.
--If I do not have your rough draft by MONDAY (March 10), I cannot guarantee that you will have it back and graded before spring break.

-Rough drafts are due Thursday March 6, 2008. You will be required to upload your rough draft to Turnitin.com before I grade your essay. Do this immediately or you will be asked to do so on Wed. in class. You MUST have an electronic copy of your rough draft with you on Thursday, or have it uploaded to Turnitin.com before class begins. I will be having individual conferences with students in class on Thursday and Friday about the projects.

--Study for your vocabulary quiz (lesson 11)

Homework 2/25/08

VERY IMPORTANT! If everyone does their homework, the test on Things Fall Apart will be postponed until MONDAY.
--30 quote journal (you may use old quotes). 1 quote per chapter (25) + 5 quotes from anywhere. Quotes must be focused on ONE theme (either gender roles, fear of failure or disintegration). Double sided journal
--Notes due February 27! Don't get behind on the journals!

5th Period (Ms. Hayes)

HEY! I was too busy yelling at you guys to make sure you got this...
You are reading chapters 15-16 and completing the questions BELOW in my last post from chapters 15-16!

Also, the outline is due, but you have to turn in the Works Cited first... or else...

Homework 2/14--2/15

4th period... SEE ME!!!! I did not give you your homework questions!~ they will be posted at the end of this!

--Outline due Tuesday, Feb 19
--Read Things Fall Apart chapters 14-16
--Complete the journal questions for TFA 14-16

Chapter Fourteen
- In Part Two, how have things begun to fall apart?
- Is Okonkwo's exile in Mbanta is more than a personal disaster? How so?
-What is the significance of comparing Okonkwo to a fish out of water?
- How does Okonkwo's lack of understanding of the importance of women reflect on him?
Chapter Fifteen
-How does the story of the destruction of Abame summarize the experience of colonization?
-Did the people of Abame have good insight into the significance of the arrival of the whites?
-How the Africans treat the white man's language?
-How did white colonizers treat African languages?
-What sorts of stories had Okonkwo heard about white men before?
Chapter Sixteen
-The British followed a policy in their colonizing efforts of designating local "leaders" to administer the lower levels of their empire. If the men they chose were not the real leaders, was this an effective policy? Explain.
-Who have the missionaries designated as their contact man? How is this choice significant?
-Why do you think Nwoye has become a Christian?
-How does Achebe inverts the traditional dialect humor of Europeans which satirizes the inability of natives to speak proper English?
-What is the first act of the missionaries which evokes a positive response in some of the Ibo?
-Achebe focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity, the notoriously least logical and most paradoxical basic belief in Christianity. How does this belief undermine the missionaries' attempts to discredit the traditional religion?

Homework (Ms. Hayes) 2/13/08

--Finish your double entry journal (quotes on theme)
--Read chapters 13-14
--Do a double entry journal on the reading (8 quotes)
--Finish vocabulary flashcards

Homework - 11 Feb 2008

--Find 10 quotes from chapters 1-13 that supports one of the following themes: gender roles, fear of failure, disintegration (things falling apart). On the left side of your journal, give the quote. On the right side, show how the quote proves the theme.
--Works Cited Page due February 14/15
--Complete your vocabulary cards for lesson 10

Homework (Ms. Hayes)

-Read chapters 10-12
-Answer study guide questions
-Works Cited page due Feb 15

Weekend homework!

--Read chapters 11-13 of Thing Fall Apart
--Complete the journal questions for chapters 11-13
--Works cited page due February 14/15

5th Period HW (Ms. Hayes) 2/5/08

• Read Things Fall Apart through chapter 9 and complete study guide.
• Study for the vocabulary quiz!
  
• Fill out Research Proposal/ KWL sheets, except the L

Come see Ms. Hayes or Ms. P if you're confused about anything! We're both here to help!

Homework!

--Read chapters 9-10 of Things Fall Apart
--Complete the journal questions for chapters 9-10
--Study for your vocabulary quiz!
--Bring two research project sources to class!
--Your KWL/Research proposal is due February 7/8
--Works Cited page due February 14/15

5th Period HW (Ms. Hayes)

1) Study vocabulary and do exercises 1 and 2 from vocabulary book

2) Read TFA: Chapters 4-8 and complete study guide.

Also, don't forget the KWL/Research proposal!

URGENT NOTE TO STUDENTS!

Because of the snow day, I will not be at school! A couple of notes for you about homework.

--The contract (which is due today) should be left in the bin. If you are not at school to turn in your contract, you can run it in to me on MONDAY. You WILL NOT be penalized (unless you don't bring it in Monday!)
--I will collect your journals and vocabulary flash cards when I see you next Tuesday.
--Students who turn in the contract should pick up a KWL/research proposal sheet (they are sitting on the student desk nearest to mine in the back of the room).

All students can email me for any copies of homework. The chapter 5 journal questions are below.

Chapter Five
-Evaluate Okonkwo's attitude toward feasts.
-Briefly summarize the story of Ekwefi.
-What kind of a woman is Ekwefi?
-What do you think is the significance of women having to sit with their legs together?

Chapter Six
-This chapter introduces a much-discussed aspect of Ibo belief. As in most pre-modern cultures, the majority of children died in early childhood. If a series of such deaths took place in a family it was believed that the same wicked spirit was being born and dying over and over again, spitefully grieving its parents. They tended to be apprehensive about new children until they seemed to be likely to survive, thus proving themselves not to be feared ogbanje. What is your impression of this belief?
-What roles does Chielo play in the village?

Chapter Seven
-How has Nwoye begun to "act like a man"?
-What values does Okonkwo associate with manliness?
-How does Nwoye relate to these values?
-How does the village react to the coming of the locusts?
-What are locusts like in the Bible? How is this contrast significant?
-Why is Okonkwo asked not to take part in the killing of Ikemefuna?
-Why do you suppose they have decided to kill Ikemfuna?
-Why do you think Achebe does not translate the song that Ikemefuna remembers as he walks along
-Why does Okonkwo act as he does?
-Predict how Okonkwo and Nwoye’s relationship will change.
-Most traditional cultures have considered twins magical or cursed. Twins are in fact unusually common among the Ibo, and some subgroups value them highly. How do the people of Umuofia feel about twins?
-Give your opinion on the custom surrounding the birth of twins.

Chapter Eight
-What is Okonkwo's attitude toward his daughter Ezinma?"
-Bride-price is the opposite of dowry. Common in many African cultures, it involves the bridegroom's family paying substantial wealth in cash or goods for the privilege of marrying a young woman. Do you think such a custom would tend to make women more valuable than a dowry system where the woman's family must offer the gifts to the bridegroom's family?
-How do you think such a system would affect the women themselves?
-Young women were considered marriageable in their mid-teens. Why do you think this attitude arose?
-How is the notion of white men first introduced into the story?
-Why might Africans suppose that they have no toes?
-What sorts of attitudes are associated with white men in this passage?

Homework

--Read chapters 5-8 of Things Fall Apart
--Complete your study guide for chapters 5-8 in your journal
--Turn in your signed grade printout

Homework!

--Lesson 9 vocabulary note cards
--Turn in the contract for your research paper
--Study Guide for Chapters 1-4 of Things Fall Apart

Last homework of the semester (besides studying!)

--Write a practice essay in your journal... 5 paragraphs. Any topic!

2008 will be great!

It's final time! The focus of the next few classes will be on SKILLS that we have learned.

Homework - Write 20 vocabulary questions (for the final). Use the review sheet to study!

This is what you are working on (I passed this out in class today, but I'm posting it here in case anyone loses it):

Semester One Review – What Have You Learned So Far?

This is your chance to show me what you have learned… and possibly write your own test. I do not test by asking you random literal recall questions about books you read ages ago. It’s not fair and it’s not purposeful. I will test you on the skills you have acquired this semester.

In the next few classes, you will write questions that demonstrate your understanding of the following concepts. Today, you will work in pairs, using Maus for literary terms questions, theme, short answer and essay questions. In the next class period we meet, your group will choose a short story from the Points of View anthology, read it, then do the same thing.

Vocabulary
Literary Terms – you will have to be able to identify these. For example, I might give you a line from Romeo and Juliet and have you identify the literary device used in that line.
These are the terms we have had this year: characterization, conflict, metaphor, (point of view: first person, third person limited, third person omniscient), paradox, allusion, antagonist, dialogue, diction, epithet, hero, hyperbole, simile, stereotype, alliteration, assonance, climax, connotation, consonance, exposition, falling action, flashback, irony, symbol, epic, foil, epic simile, tone, denotation, foreshadowing, in medias res, onomatopoeia, meter, mood, allegory, comic relief, drama, dramatic irony, monologue, oxymoron, soliloquy, stanza, unreliable narrator, style, blank verse, couplet, elegy, enjambment, epigram, epitaph, free verse, haiku, limerick, sonnet, ballad, cliché, end rhyme, farce, foot, lyric, narrative poem, parody, personification, quatrain, act, fable, folk tale, homonym, homophone, legend, rhyme scheme, rhythm, scene, subplot
Other words – you’ll have to get the lists out! For example, I might ask you to define the word as used in a sentence, or have you choose the definition, or write a sentence using one or two of the words at a time.

Theme – you will read a piece of short fiction and you will identify its theme

Thesis statements – you will write an essay, possibly on the piece of short fiction, and you will have to use a clear thesis in the proper format

Using proper grammar – You may have to answer short questions on the piece of short fiction which show me that you know how to write with clarity, cohesiveness and maybe stylistic flair.

Writing – You will write an essay using the 5 paragraph format. Feel free to provide me with possible essay topics. Usually, I give students a choice of topics. I haven’t decided whether to have you respond to literature or have a topic for you.