“The final weapon is the brain, all else is supplemental.”
― John Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights 

 WORD OF THE DAY>>suppliant (n):  one who makes a request humbly and earnestly

Period 1
English 12AP

Group work today, focusing on specific elements of Beowulf such a weaponry, role of women, motifs of old age...

Homework:  Modern Beowulf essays due Monday, 10-29-12.

Period 3
English 12CP

Test today on Medieval Romances.

Homework:  Don't forget your research paper books -- you should be re-reading and taking detailed notes.

Period 4
English 12CP

 
Test today on Medieval Romances.

Homework:  Don't forget your research paper books -- you should be re-reading and taking detailed notes.

WORD OF THE DAY>>maelstrom (n):  a whirlpool of great size and force (example:  caught in the maelstrom of revolution)

Period 1
English 12AP

Today we discussed the conclusion to Beowulf.  Tomorrow, in groups, students will focus more closely on one of six individual aspects of the poem and create an oral presentation for the class.  Also, there will be a vocabulary quiz.

Period 3
English 12CP

Vocabulary quiz today.  Afterwards, we began an introduction to Chaucer.

HW:  Study for the test on Medieval/Arthurian romances.

Period 4
English 12CP

Vocabulary quiz today. Afterwards, we finished up Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and discussed one of the themes of the poem in relation to Joseph Campbell's quotation.

HW:  Study for the test on Medieval/Arthurian romances.

Have a great night...See you tomorrow!!

WORD OF THE DAY>>propound (v):  to put forward, to offer, to suggest for consideration (ex:  propound a startling new hypothesis)

Period 1
English 12AP

We had a reading check today (aka "pop quiz") on last night's reading.  Then we discussed pages 120-165.

Homework:  Finish Beowulf.  Please do not forget the vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 10-25 and the writing assignment due on Monday, 10-29.

Period 3
English 12CP

Today we wrapped up "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" with a discussion of the Joseph Campbell quotation:  "We must die one way or another to the self-hood already achieved...I am not the final form of my being."  We also reviewed what you need to know for the "Medieval (Arthurian) Romance" test on Thursday.  Study guide includes:  be familiar with the definitions for medieval romance, chivalry; know the key players in the excerpt from Mort d'Arthur and from "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"; know the names of people in King Arthur's court like Lady Guinevere, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Morgan le Fay, Uther Pendragon, Merlin...

Homework:  Study for word quiz tomorrow and the literature test on Thursday.

Period 4
English 12CP

We are almost through with "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."  There will be a word quiz tomorrow and a test on medieval romances on Thursday.  Please note a brief study guide above.

Have a great evening...see you tomorrow!!

"Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls."
----Joseph Campbell 

WORD OF THE DAY>>incendiary (adj):  deliberately setting or causing fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion (example:  Thomas Paine wrote incendiary treatises to foment revolution.)

Period 1
English 12AP

I returned your responses to the Sally Kempton article.  We discussed the homework reading from Thursday night.  

HW:  Read to page 164 in Beowulf.  Also, the modern writing assignment for Beowulf now has a definite due date:  Monday, 10-29-12.

Period 3
English 12CP

I collected your research paper book projects.  We reviewed the symbolism of Sir Gawain's pentangle and completed the poem.

HW:  Study for vocabulary quiz which will be given on Wednesday, 10-24-12.  There will also be a Medieval Romance quiz on Thursday, 10-25-12.  

Period 4
English 12CP

Class dropped today.  For homework, please see period 3 above.

WORD OF THE DAY>>halcyon (adj):  calm, peaceful, happy (as in "halcyon days of my childhood")

Period 1
English 12AP

Discussed Thursday night's homework reading.  Do not neglect your research paper books.  If you have completed them, it is time to revisit them for a closer reading in preparation for your critical analysis.

Period 3
English 12CP

Class dropped today (D-day).

Period 4
English 12CP

Began Sir Gawain and the Green Night."  Familiarized ourselves with Sir Gawain's symbolic pentangle on his shield.

HW:  Reading projects due on Tuesday, 10-23-12.  Word quiz on Wednesday, 10-24-12 from words "accost" to "incendiary".

The following are the instructions for the "Theme Tracking Booklet Assignment":

Identify a significant theme in the novel
Develop a thesis statement about this theme
Compose three topic sentences that clearly support your thesis statement (in other words, create three sentences that you could use to begin three separate paragraphs in a critical essay)
Locate three passages that demonstrate the theme your thesis statement address (three significant quotations that point directly to your thesis)

Booklet should be 6 pages total (a front cover, a thesis statement page, 3 topic sentence pages, and a final page with a proper MLA heading/title and author of novel/thesis statement re-typed here/topic sentences re-typed here/passages (quotations) with page numbers re-copied here/one paragraph (7-10 sentences) explanation of how novel clearly demonstrates the theme that you have identified in your thesis/and a proper MLA Works Cited entry for the novel.

Hope everyone had a great week-end!  See you tomorrow...

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson 


WORD OF THE DAY>>covenant (n):  a solemn agreement
WORD OF THE DAY for Wednesday, 10-17-2>>brackish (adj):  having a salty taste or something with a high salt content

Period 1
English 12AP

We had quite a spirited discussion of the Kempton article "Brave Heart" and its connections with Beowulf.

HW:  Read to page 120.

Period 3
English 12CP

We completed part I of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight."

HW:  study for word quiz on Wednesday, 10-24-12.  Continue working on book projects due on Monday, 10-22-12.

Period 4
English 12CP

We finished reading "Mort d'Arthur."

HW:  study for word quiz on Wednesday, 10-24-12.  Continue working on book projects due on Tuesday, 10-23-12.

This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. 
Dalai Lama  

WORD>celerity (n):  swiftness; rapidity of motion or action (Example:  reacted with surprising celerity)
Period 1
English 12AP

Discussed last night's reading.  For homework, read Yoga Journal article "Brave Heart" and write a 2-3 page response in which you compare the ideas in the article to what you know of Beowulf thus far.  Due on Thursday; will count for a quiz grade

Period 3
English 12CP

Began Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Reminded students that they have a project due next week on their research paper book.  Also, there is a word quiz on Wednesday, 10-24-12.

Period 4
English 12CP

Test on Beowulf today.  Reminded students about their reading projects due next week.  Also, there is a word quiz on Wednesday, 10-24-12.  Homework:  Read "Mort d'Arthur" and answer the five questions that were on the board.

Have a great night, everybody!!

WORD OF THE DAY>histrionic (adj):  pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial, melodramatic

The words in this second cycle so far are:  accost, animadversion, devious, avid, gambit (a noun...in chess, an opening move that involves the risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type), and histrionic

Period 1
English 12AP

Discussed our reading of Beowulf up to page 41 which included the topics of the tension between paganism and Christianity and characters exemplifying Anglo-Saxon ethic.  For homework, read to page 81 (the battle with Grendel and the "poem within a poem").

Period 3
English 12CP

I collected revised college essays today.  We continued with Mort d'Arthur and reviewed terms and names of Arthurian legends.

Period 4
English 12CP

I collected revised college essays today.  We reviewed for the Beowulf test tomorrow, then went over terms and names of Arthurian legends.  For the test, be sure to know:

main characters
the importance of a mead-hall in Anglo-Saxon society
Beowulf's battles with the three monsters
details of Shield's funeral and Beowulf's funeral
definitions for epic poem/epic hero/epic conventions

Have a great night...see you tomorrow!!

"We are all a paradoxical bundle of rich potential that consists of both neurosis and wisdom."  --Pema Chodron

WORD OF THE DAY>>avid (adj):  desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

Period 1
English 12AP

Discussed salient points presented by Heaney in his introduction.  Distributed a "modern day Beowulf" writing assignment.  Homework:  read to page 41.

Period 3
English 12CP

Reviewed for Beowulf test tomorrow; began unit on Arthurian legends.  Homework:  study for test.  Be familiar with main characters, plot details, definition of an epic poem, definition of an epic hero, and epic conventions.

Also, don't neglect your research paper books and the reading project due the week of 10-22-12!

Period 4
English 12CP

Class dropped today due to NECAP testing.

Have a great night...see you tomorrow!!

WORD OF THE DAY>>animadversion (n):  a comment indicating strong criticism or disaproval

Period 1
English 12AP

Distributed Beowulf books today (Heaney translation).  Introduced the 8 steps of the mythological hero's journey (first proposed by Joseph Campbell).  As a class, we began reading the Heaney's introduction.  For homework, work on revisions of college essays/study for word quiz tomorrow/and read the rest of introduction.

Period 3
English 12CP

I returned the corrected rough drafts of your college essays.  Your revisions are due no later than Monday, 10-15-12.  We reviewed the ending of Beowulf.  There will be a test on the epic poem on Friday, 10-12-12.  Also, do not forget your book projects!

Period 4
English 12CP

I returned the corrected rough drafts of your college essays.  Your revisions are due no later than Monday, 10-15-12. Be sure to finish reading Beowulf on your own.  We will review for test on the epic on Friday, 10-12-12, and the test will be on Monday, 10-15-12.  Do not forget your book projects!

Have a great night...see you tomorrow!!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain."
                                                                                               --Anonymous

WORD OF THE DAY>>tenable (adj):  capable of being held or defended

Period 1
English 12AP

Reviewed words for quiz next week.  I returned corrected college essays and discussed edits with students.

Period 3
English 12CP

Students with Mr. Bucci today while I proctored NECAP exams.  Vocabulary quiz tomorrow!

Period 4
English 12CP

Re-commenced Beowulf, picking up with the Unferth passage.  Then, we went on to "The Battle With Grendel."
Study for vocabulary quiz tomorrow!


Have a good night, everybody!!

"Let the streams of life flow in peace.
Turn from violence.
Learn to think for a long time how to change the world
How to make it better to live in."
                      --Quetzalcoatl

word of the day>>temporize (v):  to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision.

Previous words that I did not post earlier:  9/25>>reconnaissance; 9/27>>substantiate; 9/28>>intransigent; 10/1>>invidious; 10/2>>taciturn  (You can obtain definitions from other classmates, from me, or a dictionary.)

Period 1
English 12AP

Class dropped today due to NECAP testing.  Tomorrow, we begin Beowulf.  I continue to work on your college essays.

Period 3
English 12CP

We played "catch-up" today.  I also distributed a book project -- a theme tracking booklet.  Due date is Monday, October 22.  Tomorrow, the class will meet in Mr. Bucci's room (#805).  Your assignment is to complete Beowulf in your anthologies, study the words for your quiz on Friday, 10-5, and work on your projects.  You have much to keep you busy!

Period 4
English 12CP

We played "catch-up" today.  I also distributed a book project -- a theme tracking booklet.  Due date is Tuesday, October 23.  Tomorrow, we will pick up where we left off with Beowulf.  Be sure to study your words for the quiz on Friday, 10-5.

Just a brief note to thank all of you, my wonderful students, for your kind understanding during this time of sadness for my family and me.  My brother was a really cool guy; you would have liked him a lot.  I hope you will continue to be patient with me as I try to regain my equilibrium.  See you tomorrow!!