Sunday, March 24, 2013

“The year you were born marks only your entry into the world. Other years where you prove your worth, they are the ones worth celebrating. 
” 
― Jarod Kintz, This Book Title is Invisible



The following post will explain what's tentatively on tap for my 12th graders this week.

Period 1
Grade 12AP

We have begun reading Hamlet.  I expect you to keep a reading log as we journey through the text.  I will distribute instructions for each entry tomorrow, Monday, 3-25-13. 

Final drafts of your research papers are due tomorrow.

There will be a word quiz on Thursday, 3-28-13.  All words and their definitions appear at the end of this post.

Periods 3 and 4
Grade 12CP

Everyone should now have a copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  The reading assignment due on Monday is for reading up to and including Chapter 8.  Book projects (of your outside reading) are due on Wednesday, 3-27-13.  Please keep in mind that because this project was assigned weeks ago, it is considered a long-term assignment.  Fifty (50) points will be deducted for any project not handed in on time.  Only excused absences are exempt from this policy!

There will be a word quiz on Thursday, 3-28-13.  All words and their definitions appear at the end of this post.

VOCABULARY WORDS

allay (v):  to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relieve
bestial (adj):  beast-like; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility
convivial (adj):  festive, sociable; having fun together, genial
coterie (n):  a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest
counterpart (n):  a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complement
demur (v):  to object or take exception to
effrontery (n):  shameless boldness; impudence
embellish (v):  to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding details
ephemeral (adj):  lasting only a short time, short-lived
felicitous (adj):  appropriate, apt, well-chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happy
furtive (adj):  done slyly or stealthily; sneaky, secret, shifty
garish (adj):  glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive way
illusory (adj):  misleading, deceptive; lacking or not based on reality
indigent (adj):  needy, impoverished
inordinate (adj):  far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessive
jettison (v):  to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome
misanthrope (n):  a person who hates or despises people
pertinacious (adj):  very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of,       refusing to be put off or denied 
picayune (adj):  of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded
raiment (n):  clothing, garments
threshold (n):  the board or stone that lies under a door, sill, the place or point of entering or beginning, outset; the point at which a physiological or psychological effect is produced, brink
wraith (n):  a ghostly apparition, specter 

Enjoy the remainder of your week-end.  I hope to see you all tomorrow!






Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.
Hermann Hesse


Ok, kids!  Here goes...
asseverate   concord   grouse   disarray   flotsam
consummate  glean  exigency  frenetic  incarcerate
ludicrous  incumbent  mordant  jocular  nettle
pusillanimous  recumbent  pecuniary  stratagem  prepossessing
acuity  delineate  depraved  emend  enervate
esoteric  fecund  fiat  figment  garner
hallowed  idiosyncrasy  ignominy  malediction  mundane
nuance  overweening  penchant  reputed  sophistry
sumptuous  ubiquitous  abject  agnostic  complicity
derelict  diatribe  effigy  equity  inane  
indictment  indubitable  intermittent  meretricious  moot
neophyte  perspicacity  plenary  prestigious  surveillance
sylvan  testy  travesty    

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

“On the fifth day, which was a Sunday, it rained very hard. I like it when it rains hard. It sounds like white noise everywhere, which is like silence but not empty.” 
― Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time


Period 1
Grade 12 AP

Just a gentle reminder that there will be a test on Wednesday, 3-13-2013 on all previous vocabulary words beginning with asseverate.  There are 66 words total, but the test will contain only 50.

Also, please begin work on your portfolio reflective essays which are also due on Wednesday, the 13th.  These must be corrected and returned to you for submission to your portfolios by 4-1-2013.

We continue with the study of sonnets, both Petrarchan (Italian) and English (Shakespearean).  

Periods 3 and 4
Grade 12 CP


Just a gentle reminder that there will be a test on Wednesday, 3-13-2013 on all previous vocabulary words beginning with asseverate.  There are 66 words total, but the test will contain only 50.

Also, please begin work on your portfolio reflective essays which are also due on Wednesday, the 13th.  These must be corrected and returned to you for submission to your portfolios by 4-1-2013.

We are finishing Hamlet; Act V is up this week.  I will collect journals on Friday.  If you will be on a field trip that day, you must hand in the journal before leaving school.  If you are absent, you will be given one day to hand in the journal.

Finally, continue to read your outside reading books and to plan your projects.  They are due on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.

I hope to see you all tomorrow!


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

“Do you really want to be happy? You can begin by being appreciative of who you are and what you've got.” 
― Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

WORDS OF THE DAY (from 1-28-13 to 2-5-13)

derelict (n):  someone or something that is neglected or abandoned
diatribe (n):  a bitter or prolonged verbal attack
effigy (n):  a crude image of a despised person
equity (n):  the state or quality of being just or fair or impartial; fair and equal treatments
inane (adj):  silly; empty of meaning or value
indictment (n):  the act of accusing; a formal accusation
indubitable (adj):  certain; not to be doubted or denied
intermittent (adj):  stopping and beginning again; sporadic
meretricious (adj):  spuriously attractive in a showy, cheap or vulgar way; lacking sincerity and honesty
moot (adj):  open to discussion and debate, unresolved
motif (n):  a principal idea or feature; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

Period 1
English 12AP

We have begun the research paper process in earnest with many opportunities to think about direction and conduct research.  I hope to complete our unit on The Canterbury Tales by the end of the week and have students write an in-class essay on either "The Miller's Tale" or "The Wife of Bath's Tale" at the beginning of next week.  The rough draft of the thesis, outline, and works cited page are due on Monday, 2-11-13.

Periods 3 and 4
English 12CP

We are in the middle of Act III of Hamlet and working on the third soliloquy of our tragic hero.  By now, you should have 21 journal entries.  I will be collecting your journals when there are roughly 30 entries.  Everyone has handed in their final drafts of their research papers --Hooray!!  This quarter you will be reading independently a book by a British author and completing a reading project.  

I hope to see you all in class...be safe!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions" - Albert Einstein

WORDS OF THE DAY (from 1-22 to 1-25-13)

reputed (adj):  according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance; alleged
sophistry (n):  reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound
sumptuous (adj):  costly, rich, magnificent
ubiquitous (adj):  present or existing everywhere
abject (adj):  degraded, wretched, complete and unrelieved; contemptible
agnostic (n):  one who believes that nothing is known about God; a skeptic
complicity (n):  involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice

Period 1
Grade 12AP

The research paper process has begun.  Signed contracts were handed in on Friday, 1-25-13 and the class went to the library on Monday and Tuesday to begin hunting for secondary sources.  Students are working on an analysis of one essay of literary criticism which is due this Friday, 2-1-13.  We are also working on "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale."

Periods 3 and 4
Grade 12CP

We have begun reading The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in earnest with daily journaling to record thoughts, impressions, questions, etc.  As of today, everyone should have read through Act II scene i and should have 18 journal entries.

Do not forget to study for the word quiz on Thursday, 1-31-13.  Words to know are recumbent to nuance.

Have a wonderful night!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind. 
Samuel Taylor Coleridge


WORDS OF THE DAY (from 1-14-13 to 1-18-13)

garner (v):  to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away
hallowed (adj):  holy, sacred (as in this hallowed ground)
idiosyncracy (n):  a peculiarity that serves to distinguish or identify
ignominy (n):  public shame or disgrace
malediction (n):  a curse; an expression of hatred and condemnation
mundane (adj):  earthly, worldly, relating to practical affairs; concerned with what is ordinary
nuance (n):  a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality); delicate gradation or shade of difference
overweening (adj):  conceited, presumptuous, excessive, immoderate
penchant (n):  a strong attraction or inclination (as in a penchant for buying expensive shoes)

OK, so here's what's on tap for the coming week...

Period 1
English 12AP

Your original prologues ("Cranston-bury Tales") are due on Tuesday, 1-22-13.  I will also be distributing the research paper contract and accompanying documents to you.  The signed contract is due on Friday, 1-25-13.  You will also be presenting your shields on Wednesday and we will continue our discussion of "The Wife of Bath's Tale".  On Friday, there will be a word quiz.  The words you need to know are from consummate to enervate.  

HW:  Read National Review article by Daniel Prager, "What Do Women Want?"  Read "The Wife of Bath's Tale", and study vocabulary for quiz on Friday.

Periods 3 and 4
English 12CP

We will finish up the soliloquy presentations on Tuesday, 1-22-13.  We will continue our reading of Hamlet, with the hope of completing Acts II and III this week.  There may be a surprise quiz on the cast of characters, so keep up with your reading and journaling.

Monday, January 14, 2013

“It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live.” 
― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables


Below are the words from the week of 1-7-13.  A list of all other words can be found on the previous post.

acuity (n):  sharpness (particularly of the mind and senses)
delineate (v):  to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
depraved (adj):  devoid of moral principles; brought to a state of evil and corruption
emend(v):  to free from errors, correct; to alter to serve a new or different purpose
enervate (v):  to weaken, lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor
esoteric (adj):  intended for or understood by only a select few; private, secret
fecund(adj):  fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive
fiat (n):  an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness
figment (n):  a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion

Period 1 12AP
We have completed Chaucer's Prologue to The Canterbury Tales.  There will be a quiz on the characters on Wednesday, 1-16-13.  Be sure to familiarize yourself with Chaucer's text as many of the questions will contain quotations for you to identify.  You have also been assigned the task of writing your own poetic characterizations.  These "Cranston-bury Tales" are due on Tuesday, 1-22-13.  Homework tonight is to read pages 197-227 of "The Miller's Tale".

Periods 3 and 4 12CP
We have begun reading Shakespeare's Hamlet.  There will be a word quiz on Wednesday (for period 3) and on Thursday (for period 4).  The words you need to know are from atrophy to pusillanimous.

Have a wonderful night!  I hope to see you all tomorrow!!