Periods 3 and 7 Grade 12
WORD OF THE DAY:  acrid (sharp and harsh)


Today, students took one more look at the John Donne poem "Song".  Then, they read "Holy Sonnet 10" (the "death be not proud" poem).  They discussed their personal views about death and life beyond death; then, they applied those beliefs to the sentiments of the poet.  Students identified apostrophe, paradox, and personification in the poem.  They went on to read "Meditation 17" ("no man is an island").  For homework, students must read an excerpt from David Foster Wallace's commencement speech to the graduates of Kenyon College, noting as they read the similarities between Wallace's ideas about humanity and Donne's.  


There will be a quiz on the introduction to Metaphysical Poetry on Wednesday 3-21 (for period 3) and Thursday 3-22 (for period 7).  In addition, there will be a word quiz on the last 24 words on Friday 3-23 (for period 3) and Monday 3-26 (for period 7).


The words to know are:  ebullient, desiccate, debilitate, inchoate, insolvent, winsome, meager, cachet, arbiter, infinitesimal, supplementary, vivacious, ambivalent, visceral, disparity, hue and cry, sedulous, behoove, aviary, palaver, frangible, redundant, refute, acrid.


Periods 4 and 6
Grade 10


Julius Caesar continues.  The class will begin practice in writing persuasive essays in preparation for the 3rd quarter common task.


Period 1
Grade 10


The students finished up their outside reading presentations.  We continued with Julius Caesar.  He is about to get killed (Act 3 scene 2-3).


Have a great night!