Tuesday, October 26, 2010

26 October 2010 (THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Insist on yourself; never imitate." )


English 10 CP  
Periods 1 & 4  Today, we had a quiz on Greek theatre; reviewed for Antigone test tomorrow.  Be sure to look over the important quotations that I highlighted with you today.

English 12 CP
Word of the Day:  chasm
Period 6  No class today!  Remember:  "Cranstonbury Tales" are due tomorrow.

Period 3  Presented "Cranstonbury Tales" today...a really fine job, guys!

Monday, October 25, 2010

25 October 2010  Thought for today:  "Sincerity is everything; once you can fake that, you've got it made!"

Grade 10 CP


Period 4  Outside Reading Projects were due today.  Good job, guys!  We had 10 new vocabulary words to define.  We completed discussion of Antigone.  Tomorrow, there will be a quiz on the history of Greek theatre; Wednesday, there will be a test on the play itself.  The test will consist of 4 parts:  identifying quotations; character identification; short answer comprehension questions; and 1 discussion question.

Homework due tomorrow, Tuesday, 10-26-2010>Write a paragraph using no fewer than 8 of today's new vocabulary.

Period 1  Outside Reading Projects were due today.  Good job, guys!  We had 10 new vocabulary words to define.  We are almost through with Antigone.  Tomorrow, there will be a quiz on the history of Greek theatre; Wednesday, there will be a test on the play itself.  The test will consist of 4 parts:  identifying quotations; character identification; short answer comprehension questions; and 1 discussion question.

Grade 12 CP

Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY:  restive (and from Friday, rapacity)
Mr. Centore and Mrs. Murphy from Guidance spoke to our class today.  The "Cranstonbury Tales" writing assignment was due today as well as the Beowulf re-writes.  Tomorrow, students will present their poetry.  Word quiz on Friday, 10-29-2010 (from banal to placid).

Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY:  restive (and from Friday, rapacity)
Today, we discussed "The Nun's Priest's Tale" with a view towards writing an essay.  No class tomorrow; on Wednesday, "Cranstonbury Tales" writing assignment due -- be prepared to present to your classmates!  Word quiz on Monday, 11-1-2010 (from banal to placid). 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

21 October 2010  (So glad to see I have some followers!)

Grade 10 CP

Period 1  Today, we continued our reading of Antigone and reviewed for the vocabulary quiz tomorrow, Friday, 10-22-2010.  Do not forget your projects due on Monday, 10-25-2010 (typed and ready to be handed in -- no excuses!)

Period 4  Vocabulary quiz today; also, completed our reading of Antigone and began a discussion of the duality inherent in the play.  There will be a quiz on the history of Greek theatre on Tuesday, 10-26-2010 and a test on the play itself on Wednesday, 10-27-2010.  Do not forget your projects due Monday, 10-25-2010 (typed and ready to be handed in -- no excuses!)

Grade 12 CP

Period 3 WORD OF THE DAY:  paean
NO CLASS TODAY! 
Be sure to study for Prologue quiz tomorrow, Friday, 10-22-2010.  Also, Beowulf re-writes due tomorrow as well.  (Billy, if you are reading this note, do not be stressed.  I remember that you asked and I told you Monday...it's OK.)
One more thing>>"Cranstonbury Tales" are due on Monday, 10-25-2010.  Can't wait to hear you guys presenting your poetic characterizations!!

Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY:  paean
Students handed in their Beowulf re-writes today.  Mrs. Murphy from Guidance spoke to the class about colleges and applications.
Be sure to study for the Prologue quiz tomorrow, Friday, 10-22-2010.
One more thing>>"Cranstonbury Tales" are due on Wednesday, 10-27-2010.  Can't wait to hear you guys presenting your poetic characterizations!!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

20 October 2010

Grade 10 CP


Period 1  Began reading Antigone today.  No homework, but study for vocabulary quiz on Friday, 10-22-2010.  Also, don't forget your outside reading projects due on Monday, 10-25-2010.

Period 4  Almost done with out reading of Antigone.  No homework, but be sure to study for vocabulary quiz tomorrow, Thursday, 10-21-2010.

Grade 12 CP


Periods 3 & 6 WORD OF THE DAY:  cozen

Reading "The Nun's Priest's Tale" by Chaucer.  Prologue quiz on Friday, 10-22-2010.

Have a great evening!!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

19 October 2010

 I apologize for the brief interruption in my postings...mmm, wonder if anyone noticed.

Grade 10 CP
Period1  NO CLASS TODAY.  On Monday, we began a new unit on Drama.  We started with a brief history of Greek theatre and assigned roles for the reading of Antigone.
DATES TO REMEMBER:  Vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 10-21-2010; Outside reading projects due Monday, 10-25-2010.

Period 4  Today, we continued our reading of Antigone.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  Vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 10-21-2010; Outside reading projects due Monday, 10-25-2010.

Grade 12 CP
Periods 3 & 6  WORDS OF THE DAY FROM TUESDAY 10-12-2010 TO 10-19-2010: banal/encomium/circumspect/emulate/pragmatic.

We have finished "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales; there will be a quiz on the characters on Friday, 10-22-2010.  Today, we learned "how to read a Canterbury Tale."  There are seven basic questions readers should ask themselves as they read (and re-read) in preparation for writing an analysis.  We began "The Nun's Priest's Tale."

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Thursday, 10-21-2010>Beowulf revisions due for Period 6 class
Friday, 10-22-2010>Beowulf revisions due for Period 3 class; Prologue quiz for both classes
Monday, 10-25-2010>"Cranstonbury Tales" writing assignment due for Period 3 class
Wednesday, 10-27-2010>"Cranstonbury Tales" writing assignment due for Period 6 class

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

13 October 2010

Grade 10 CP
Period 1  Today, we finished reading "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop.  The students made charts in their notebooks and categorized the various images by sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, movement, and emotion.  Then, they responded to another poem entitled, "For Julia in the Deep Water" and handed in their work.  We worked on the second half of the vocabulary.

Homework due tomorrow, Thursday, 10-14-2010>Write 10 sentences using 2 vocabulary words per sentence.

Period 4  NO CLASS TODAY  Please remember to study for your poetry test tomorrow, Thursday, 10-14-2010.  Review your poetry terms as well as the forms for a sonnet and villanelle and be prepared to write an essay analyzing a poem.

Grade 12 CP
Period 3  and Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY:  encomium
Today, we had our second Word of the Day quiz (words from engender to efficacious).  We continued reading the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales.

Homework due tomorrow, Thursday, 10-14-2010>Read up to and including page 99 and take good notes!  Be prepared for a reading check!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

12 October 2010

English 10 CP
Period 1  Today, I collected the poems you created from the metaphor activity as well as the brainstorming worksheets.  In addition, I also collected your vocabulary homework.  We read an article from the New York Times called "Redefining Definition" which explained how dictionary definitions of words are limited at best.  We learned that imagery is language used to appeal to our senses and read "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop.  Breaking up the poem into sections, we mined for varying types of imagery.

10-15-2010>Test on poetry

Period 4  I collected your vocabulary homework and we reviewed definitions.  Then we participated in a "Poetry Gallery" where you read eight different poems displayed around the room and completed a poetry response sheet.

10-14-2010>Test on poetry

English 12 CP

Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY:  banal
NO CLASS TODAY/Word of the Day quiz tomorrow, Wednesday, 10-13-2010

Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY:  banal
Began Chaucer's "Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales
Homework due tomorrow, Wednesday, 10-13-2010>Read to page 91 of the Prologue; study for word quiz

Friday, October 8, 2010

8 October 2010

Grade 10 CP

Period 1  Today, we completed our activity of using concrete/abstract images to create metaphor; now, you must create a poem in which you use an image to say something on a deeper, more emotional level.  In completing this assignment, think about the connections you've made on your work sheets, then ask yourself:  what can I AS A POET say about one of those connections and can it stand as a metaphor for a deeper feeling or emotion?

Homework due Tuesday, 10-12-2010>your poems AND definitions of new vocabulary words with either a paragraph using 5-7 of the words or two sentences for each word.

Period 4  Today, I collected the poems you created using the connections you made from your concrete/abstract images.  I thought many of the poems were outstanding and showed a real evolution in your skill as writers -- an ability to think and write symbolically!  Hooray!!  The last 15 minutes of class were devoted to responding to "For Julia in the Deep Water."

Homework due Tuesday, 10-12-2010>definitions of new vocabulary and 2 meaningful sentences for each word.

REMEMBER:  Poetry test on Thursday, 10-14-2010.  Review poetry terms and be prepared to write an essay analyzing a poem.

Grade 12 CP


Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY:  efficacious
Beowulf writing assignment due today.  I introduced a bit of Medieval history to familiarize ourselves with the world in which Chaucer was writing.  We also read the first 18 lines of the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales.

Homework due Tuesday, 10-12-2010>Study all words from engender to efficacious for the quiz; read to line 102 on page 91.  Be prepared to prove that you read what you were supposed to read!

Period 3 NO CLASS TODAY.

BE SURE TO SPEND SOME TIME OUTDOORS THIS WEEK-END TO CLEAR YOUR MINDS AND GAIN SOME PERSPECTIVE ABOUT YOURSELVES AND YOUR PLACE IN THIS AWE-INSPIRING WORLD!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

6 October 2010

English 10 CP

Period 1  Vocabulary quiz today; then students began an activity using abstract images to create metaphor that we will continue on Friday (no class tomorrow).

Period 4  Today, students completed their "brainstorming" work on their metaphorical poems; we re-read "Meeting at Night" concentrating specifically on the abundant images in that poem; then, we read Elizabeth Bishop's "The Fish"; for homework (due tomorrow 10-7-2010), students must categorize and list as many images as they can find in the poem.

English 12 CP  WORD OF THE DAY:  harangue

Period 3  NO CLASS TODAY

Period 6  Beowulf quiz today; Beowulf essays handed-in today; completed discussion of college essay.  Rough drafts of college essays are due no later than 11-1-2010.  DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!

One final note:  No class tomorrow and on Friday, 10-8-2010, students must report to Room 709 during NECAP testing where you should be working on your outside reading projects.

I'll miss you...have a great, sunshine-y week-end!!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

5 October 2010

English 10CP

Period 1 NO CLASS TODAY

Period 4  Today, there was a vocabulary quiz; then, students began an activity in which I hope they will create metaphors from abstract/concrete images.

English 12 CP

Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY:  germane
Today, there was a quiz on the basic facts of the Beowulf story; afterwards, I offered some ideas to help the class begin to develop their Beowulf essays which are due on FRIDAY, 10-8-2010.

Period 6 NO CLASS TODAY

Monday, October 4, 2010

4 October 2010

English 10 CP

Periods 1 & 4  Today, the class finished their illustrations of the poems from Gary Soto's Neighborhood Odes.

There is a vocabulary quiz for Period 1 on Wednesday, 10-6-2010 and for Period 4 tomorrow, Tuesday, 10-5-2010.

English 12 CP

Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY:  belabor

Today, we finished our reading of Beowulf.  I also shared "Beowulf Shrink-Lit" with the class and assigned the modern day writing assignment which is due on Friday, 10-8-2010.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, 10-5-2010>quiz on the basic facts of the Beowulf story.

Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY:  belabor

Today, I clarified the process of completing the Beowulf writing assignment which is due on Wednesday, 10-6-2010.  Alslo began the college essay (a portfolio artifact and common task).

On Wednesday, 10-6-2010>quiz on the basic facts of the Beowulf story.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

2 October 2010

English 10 CP

Period 1  On Thursday, we read Sonnet #29 by Edna St. Vincent Millay (to give us another perspective of the sonnet form from a more contemporary poet); we learned about the structure of a villanelle and read "The Waking" (an example of villanelle in your books).

On Friday, I collected your original poems (written in the symmetrical style of "Swift Things Are Beautiful"); we read another villanelle -- "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas; we learned what an "ode" is and read several examples from Gary Soto's Neighborhood Odes; then, using plain paper and colored pencils and markers, the class chose an image from one of the poems and illustrated it.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  10-6-2010>vocabulary quiz from admonish to unbridled
10-25-2010>Outside reading projects due

Period 4  On Wednesday, I collected your original poems (written in the symmetrical style of "Swift Things Are Beautiful"); we read Sonnet #29 by Edna St. Vincent Millay (to give us another perspective of the sonnet form from a more contemporary poet); we learned about the structure of a villanelle and read "The Waking" (an example of a villanelle in your books).

On Thursday, we read another example of villanelle -- "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas; we learned what an "ode" is and read several examples from Gary Soto's Neighborhood Odes; then, usinf plain paper and colored pencils and markers, the class chose an image from one of the poems and illustrated it.

No class on Friday.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  10-5-2010>Vocabulary quiz from admonish to unbridled
10-25-2010>Outside reading projects due.

English 12 CP

Period 3  WORD OF THE DAY (for Thursday):  nuance/(for Friday):  bibulous 

On Friday, we continued our reading of Beowulf and the class wrote a response to a writing/reading prompt for the last 15 minutes of class.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  quiz on the basic facts of the Beowulf story Tuesday, 10-5-2010
Beowulf modern day writing assignment due Friday, 10-8-2010
Outside reading projects due 10-18-2010

Period 6  WORD OF THE DAY (for Thursday):  nuance/for Friday:  bibulous

On Thursday, we finished reading Beowulf; I shared a "Beowulf Shrink-Lit" with the class and assigned the Beowulf modern-day writing assignment.

DATES TO REMEMBER:  Wednesday, 10-6-2010>quiz on basic facts of Beowulf story
Wednesday, 10-6-2010>writing assignment due
10-18-2010>Outside reading projects due.

Hi everyone!  I apologize for missing my posting on Thursday, but I think I've brought you all up to speed this morning.  I hope you are enjoying the weather as much as I am (cool and dry is good)!  See you all tomorrow!