Pre-AP English Students: Reading Assignments

English I: You need to have read through Chapter 19 of Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief. Better yet, finish the novel!

English II: You need to have finished all five staves (chapters) of A Christmas Carol. (You also have an IWA deadline and a Socratic Seminar to prepare for.)

You've got one week left of break. Plenty of time to enjoy yourself and complete your assignments.

Pre-AP English II: Pearl & Christmas Carol Socratic Seminar Questions

When we return from break, we'll have a Socratic Seminar for Pearl & Christmas Carol. If you were absent on the 21st (or didn't finish the assignment in class) please email me two examples of each of the following question types (answers not needed this time). Whenever possible, ask questions that could be answered with evidence from either book.:

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
How do you treat people who approach you to give to charity?

Do you believe in ghosts? Explain.


CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
How are Juana and Juan Tomas related?

According to Marley, how did he obtain the chain he carries?


OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why does Kino see the things he sees in the pearl?

Why does the Ghost of Christmas Past show Scrooge scenes from his youth?


UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
What does holding a grudge against others do to a person?

How does Marley’s ghost’s statement “humanity should [be our] business” apply to The Pearl and real life?


LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
How might Dickens have written The Pearl if the purpose was to convince the doctor to change his ways?

In Stave One, why does Dickens repeat that Marley is actually dead.

Pre-AP English II: IWA #2 (Better Late Than Never)

[Wasn't aware I hadn't posted this....]

Write a response to the following prompt:

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Money often costs too much.” Both The Pearl and A Christmas Carol explore the paradox that wealth can carry a great cost to an individual, a family, and/or a community. In a well-developed essay explore the literary strategies Steinbeck or Dickens uses throughout his novella to communicate this idea to the reader.

Tips to success:

Focus on only one of the novellas. Focusing on both The Pearl and A Christmas Carol will immediately result in a REDO grade (no points). If you want to use A Christmas Carol, you must complete reading it in time to proceed through the IWA process.

Do not simply recount the plot or attributes of the characters. Extensive lack of focus on literary devices/technique will result in a REDO grade (no points), not a REWRITE (70 points).

The earlier you turn in a draft that you expect to earn an 85 (only revision is needed) the more likely you are to eventually receive an 85 (your idea of what is revision-only and my idea of what is revision-only may differ) or 100 (because you’ve made the necessary revision, or you refined your essay on your own before you turned it in).

This will be the last time a 70-point grade will be given on an IWA. Last year many students who had never bothered to rewrite an essay during the first semester had a very difficult time during the second semester when an 85 was required to avoid P.A. and/or IWA n.1.

This is also the last time IWAs may be turned in handwritten. Please see the note on the bonus in the next paragraph.

Paper should be about two-pages long, handwritten, or one-page long, typed, double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman (or Garamond, if you’re fancy). Five bonus points will be awarded to properly typed essays.


Daily P.A. for submitters not having achieved a 70 begins Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Drop-Dead (“For Reals”) Deadline: Tuesday, January 8, 2013.

IWA 2.1 and Daily P.A. will be assigned on to students who do not successfully complete this assignment begins Wednesday, January 9, 2013.

English I (Pre-AP): TPCASTT / "Theme for English B"

In class we began exploring Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B" using the TPCASTT method of poetry analysis. Although I took up your papers before you left class, please continue working on your analysis.

Find an explanation of the TPCASTT method, here.

Find a copy of Hughes' poem, here.

English I (Pre-AP): Poem about Brueghel's "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus"

In class we discussed William Carlos Williams' poem "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," an ekphrastic poem (a poem written about another work of art) about Pieter Brueghel's painting of the same name.

Look at the painting below, and then write a poem about it. (It doesn't have to rhyme; it can be a haiku as long as it follows the 5-7-5 syllable rule.)

Click image for larger version

English I (Pre-AP): Punctuate "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus"

Please punctuate William Carlos Williams' poem "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus." There are a total of five sentences, so please add capital letters(4) and periods (5), where appropriate. Adding commas may help you make better sense of the poem, too.

If you lost the copy you received in class, copy or print out the poem here.

Due: Monday, December 17, 2012.

Pre-AP English II: Pearl Chapter 4-6 Test Preview

Tomorrow, you will have a test on Chapters 4-6 of John Steinbeck's The Pearl. Be prepared.

If you do not already know what the following literary terms, mood/tone words, and vocabulary words mean, please take this opportunity to (re)familiarize yourself with them.

Literary devices/techniques

• Anaphora
• Antithesis
• Foreshadowing
• Hyperbole
• Irony
• Oxymoron
• Paradox
• Personification
• Symbolism

Mood/Tone words

• Apprehensive
• Desperate
• Disdainful
• Jovial
• Mournful
• Ominous
• Reflective
• Resigned
• Reverent

Vocabulary words

• Condemnation
• Cunning
• Livelihood
• Persevere
• Prevalent
• Swindled

Pre-AP English II: Symbolism Presentation and Assignment

If you missed class today or just want to revisit the fun, check out the presentation below.

Assignment: Complete the grid below (click to enlarge). You need to only do one of the three (dog, rifle, canoe), but you must do "the pearl." Running through the "how do I determine what symbol may mean" slides in the presentation to help you think through the process.

Due date: Monday, December 10.

English I (Pre-AP): Test Preview

Due to circumstances beyond my control, there will not be a test tomorrow. I know you were all eagerly anticipating the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and mastery of the material, but the test will have to wait until Monday.

Please do your best to contain your disappointment.

Pre-AP English II: Pearl Vocabulary

I've created a set of vocabulary flashcards over at quizlet.com. Load them onto your digital device and show me by Friday for extra credit. (Or go old-school and copy onto 3x5 cards.)

You can also view the flashcards below and play vocabulary-based games (no extra credit, but it's fun).

English I (Pre-AP): Lightning Thief Vocabulary

I've created a set of vocabulary flashcards over at quizlet.com. Load them onto your digital device and show me by Friday for extra credit. (Or go old-school and copy onto 3x5 cards.)

You can also view the flashcards below and play vocabulary-based games (no extra credit, but it's fun).

Pre-AP English II: EOC Reading Retest Tips

Remember: for the Short-Answer responses, your answer (idea) must be expressed differently than what text evidence you use to support it. If you repeat the information in the supporting text, you run the risk (likelihood) of scoring a zero (0) rather than a one or two (1 or 2).

Your text evidence needs to be embedded in your own words. At least start off with a citation from the text: As Clarence says in paragraph 14, "blah blah blah."

Better yet, follow up the quote with analysis that clarifies an explanation of your original answer: When the author says "yadda yadda yadda," it makes it clear that .... (Your clarification should be expressed in different words than your original answer and the supporting text.)

Crossover: For a graphic organizer to help you with the crossover (or "multiple selection" short-answer), click the graphic, above. Essentially, it's two single-selection responses with an "umbrella" response covering both.

Multiple Choice tips
On questions asking for definitions, make sure that the definition you pick fits the context of the sentence/paragraph where it is being used. It is likely that multiple answers will match definitions given in the dictionary.

On questions that ask "what word/phrase helps you understand the meaning of" a phrase in the text, what they're looking for is what word is a synonym for the word/phrase in question or which answer best matches the definition of the word/phrase in question. Again, it is likely that all the answers appear in the portion of the text being looke at.

English Classes: Timed Writing (Perseverance)

Read the information below.

“I think I can ― I think I can ― I think I can. ... I thought I could. I thought I could. I thought I could”

― The Little Engine That Could
( ^ link to book ^ )

Although many people quit when things get difficult, others keep trying until they accomplish what they set out to do. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay exploring the role perseverance plays in success.

Be sure to

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Time limit: one class period.

English Classes: Ang Lee Video

If you would like to re-visit the video we watched class, it's below.

Enjoy!

English I (Pre-AP): Haiku Presentation (and Assignment)

If you missed class today, below is the presentation on Haiku. After viewing the presentation -- and taking notes -- please create your own haiku. On a full sheet of plain white paper write your haiku and illustrate it.




You can view the Avatar: The Last Airbender clip we watched in class at the Nickelodeon website ("Sokka's Story" begins at the 13 minute mark.)

And here's another fun haiku-related video.

Pre-AP English II: Pearl Chapter 1-3 Test Preview

Tomorrow, you'll have a test on Chapters 1-3 of The Pearl. Among the many things you should know are:

Literary Devices:

• Alliteration
• Allusion
• Analogy
• Anaphora
• Antithesis
• Contrast
• Foreshadowing
• Hyperbole
• Metaphor
• Mood
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Situational Irony
• Symbol
• Theme

Tone Words:

• Anxious
• Apathetic
• Apathetic
• Contemptuous
• Indifferent
• Paranoid
• Reverent
• Sarcastic
• Sinister
• Tragic
• Tranquil

English Classes: Binder Check Tomorrow

Be sure to bring your English Binders to class tomorrow for a binder check.

Your three-ring binder needs to have the following tabs:

1. Classwork/Homework
2. Essays
3. Tests
4. Personal Dictionary
5. Extra Paper

Your TransAmerica Tower/Bloom's Taxonomy handout belongs in the CW/HW tab. (If you lost yours, click the link and print another.)

Pre-AP English II: Please have your 6-weeks test (Timed writing on "greed") in the ESSAYS tab.

Multiple choice tests belong in the TESTS section.

Pre-AP English II: Six Weeks' Test Preview

If I mentioned that your test tomorrow would be multiple choice ... psych!

It'll be an essay thematically linked to The Pearl.

English I (Pre-AP): Six Weeks' Text Preview

Tomorrow your test will be on an excerpt of a memoir written by Richard Rodriguez. You're invited to preview it. Enjoy.

English I (Pre-AP): Lightning Thief Mythology Log

Please begin a log citing Mythological appearances in the novel. For instance, you should put things like:

Page 5: Kronos eats his children

Page 6: Kronos barfs up (disgorges) his children

Page 7: Mr. Brunner described as having eyes that "could've been a thousand years old"

Page 9: Out of nowhere, Ms. Dodds "materialized" next to Percy.

etc.

Not every page will contain the appearance of something mythological, but you should have quite a few per chapter.

Right now, catch up through Chapter Five, and then continue the log with each assigned chapter.

Pre-AP English II: Pearl Chapter One Open-Ended Questions

Thoughtfully respond to the following prompts. Support your answers with text evidence.

Responses should be no longer than 10 lines long. (#4 and the best response from #1-3 will be taken for a grade.)

1. Contrast the character Juana from The Pearl with Mildred from Fahrenheit 451. (You may generalize for Mildred, but please embed specific text evidence for Juana in your response.)

2. Describe an Internal Conflict (person vs. self) and an External Conflict (person vs. other, nature, society, etc.) that occur in Chapter One of The Pearl. (Embed specific text evidence.)

3. Discuss two ways colonialism (Spanish colonizing Mexico) transformed the lives of native people like Kino and his family. (Embed specific text evidence.)

4. How does the introduction of evil (the scorpion) into the story transform the good characters (Kino, Juana, and Coyotito)? (Embed specific text evidence.)

Pre-AP English II: Free Christmas Carol e-book

If you have the Kindle app on your computer or smart device, you may download a copy of A Christmas Carol from the Amazon store for free. (You must download the book from your computer or web browser on your smart device; the book will by synced to the app the next time you run it.)

English I (Pre-AP): The Lightning Thief – Vocabulary Set 1

Look up each vocabulary word in the dictionary (or dictionary.com) and write the definition below. Check the context of the word in sentence that appears at the bottom of the page to make sure you are using the proper choice. (The page number appears in parentheses after the sentence in case you need additional context from the story.)

Absorbed (adj.)-

Cloven (adj.)-

Disgorge (v.)-

Dyslexic (adj.)-

Envy (v.)-

Kleptomaniac (n.)-

Lug (v.)-

Squall (n.)-

Terminal (n.)-

Wrenched (v.)-




I envy you for being able to believe that none of this ever happened. (1)

…I put up with Nancy Bobofit, the freckly, redheaded kleptomaniac girl…. (3)

Zeus [fed] Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine*, which made him disgorge his other five children…. (6)

…but Mr. Brunner was absorbed in his novel. (11)

...we studied … the unusual number of small planes that had gone down in sudden squalls in the Atlantic that year. (17)

The card was in fancy script, which was murder on my dyslexic eyes…. (24)

…the driver wrenched a big chunk of metal out of the engine compartment. (26)

I ditched Grover as soon as we got to the bus terminal. (29)

Gabe took a break from his poker game long enough to watch me lug my mom’s bags to the car. (36)

There were cloven hooves. (43)




*do not drink mixtures of mustard and wine.

Pre-AP English II: Steinbeck and The Pearl

Today's presentations on John Steinbeck and The Pearl are below. If you missed class or some of the info, add this to your notes.

John Steinbeck

The Pearl

Quickwrite: As mentioned in the Steinbeck presentation, migrant workers were paid for their stories, which Steinbeck incorporated into his novels. In 3-5 sentences, please explain your feelings about the rightness/wrongness of someone profiting from someone else's stories if it's the only way for that person's stories to be heard.

English I (Pre-AP): Heroes Presentation

Below is the presentation we looked at in class (including the bonus Jason notes). You need to know this stuff.

Pre-AP English II: Quickwrite on Faber's "Three Things"

In "The Sieve and the Sand" Faber mentions that society needs three things in order for books to make a difference in the world:

1. Quality of information: Books must reflect life.
2. Leisure to digest it: Books must be thought about, though not necessarily agreed with.
3. The right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the interaction of the first two (the "life" in the text and the reflection upon it).

In 2-3 sentences, discuss whether you agree with Faber's three things and why you feel the way you do.

All Students: Half Price Books Coupon Week

Half Price Books is running a series of special offers this week. If you sign up for their mailing list you'll receive a set of coupons that lower their already low prices.

On Monday and Tuesday you'll save 40% on the most expensive item you buy either day.

Wednesday and Thursday the savings is 30%. Friday and Saturday it's 20%.

Sunday's the biggest savings (though on the least inventory): 50%.

Incoming Pre-AP English II students, consider getting any of these books: The Pearl by John Steinbeck, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, or Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

English I (Pre-AP) students, pick up The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, or Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

English students, if you haven't already acquired the current novel, don't wait for the big coupon on Sunday. Use the 40% coupon now and pick up a second book later on.

Here's a list of local stores.

Pre-AP English II: IWA Conclusion

Last week we looked at how to write a thesis paragraph and two body paragraphs (#1, #2). Today in class we looked at writing a conclusion. Essentially, the conclusion is a restatement of the thesis paragraph (make sure you use different words).

Here's an example:

In the end, Bradbury has created two highly-engaging characters in Faber and Montag. If the reader is unaware of the paper/pencil allusions in their names, the experience of reading is still more than worthwhile. If, on the other hand, the reader does have an awareness of the connection between the names and the pencil/paper and mentor/mentee relationships, it takes their appreciation of Bradbury’s work to a much deeper level.

You now have everything you need to write your IWA. Please compile the blocks of body text -- add some transitions of your choice to make it your own -- and turn it in in the inside front pocket of a plain two-pocket portfolio by Thursday, November 8.

English I (Pre-AP): Mythology Family Tree

If you missed the Mythology presentation or the Family Tree notes, please take a look below.

Here's the Family Tree:

And here's the presentation (it goes on more than we will get to in class; check it out for bonus knowledge!):

Intro to Greek Mythology on Prezi

Pre-AP English II: 451F (Part 2) Socratic Seminar Questions

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

If you missed the seminar, submit well-thought out written responses to two questions (100%; one question=80%). You may NOT answer a close-ended question.

If you were in class and did not respond twice, use the back of your remaining half-sheets ("buns") to respond to the questions. If you respond to a question discussed in class, your response must refer to the text and add to the conversation we had. (+20 points for the first, +10 points for the second)

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
What would do if you knew a loved one was breaking the law? --M.P. (2nd)

If your house caught on fire, what would be the most important thing for you to save? --N.O. (1st)

If you had to choose between friends and family, who would win out? --N.B. (6th)


CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
How does Faber react when Montag rips the Bible? --A.P. (2nd)

What did Montag think Beatty wanted to happen when he ordered Montag to burn his house --P.P. (2nd)


OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
What does "the sieve and the sand" represent in the second section of the novel? --J.M.S. (2nd)

Why does Granger trust Montag --O.M. (1st)

Why does Mildred think of the people in the parlor as "family"? --A.G. (6th)


UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
If you were running away from society, where would you go? --B.C. (2nd)

If the government required you to inform on your neighbor, what would you do? --Anon. (1st)

If you could memorize any book in the world, what would it be? Why? --Mr. Mikesell


LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
What is the significance of the Phoenix in the novel (how does the symbol change from the beginning of the novel to the end)? --A.E. (2nd)

What does Faber's comparison between himself and a queen bee reveal about his character? --M.C. (1st)

English I (Pre-AP): Timed Expository Writing (Fear in Society)

Read the information in the box below.

In 1933, when taking office for the first time, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced in his inaugural address, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Sometimes fears become overblown, while other times they’re justified. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay explaining the role fear plays in society.

Be sure to —

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Maximum length: 26 lines

Pre-AP English II: IWA Body Paragraphs, Pt. 2

Yesterday we looked at how body paragraphs should be written in an IWA. In general, each body paragraph should have two to three pieces of evidence from the text to support the main idea of the paragraph.

Yesterday's body paragraph carried the idea that the paper is dependent upon the pencil to give it meaning or significance (similar to the mentee's dependence on the mentor). Today, we'll create body text that shows how over time the mentee becomes more and more like the mentor. For instance:

In “The Sieve and the Sand,” Faber gives Montag instructions via ear-radio on how to get out of trouble. At one point he tells Montag to “‘Say ‘yes,’” and then “[Montag’s] mouth moved like Faber’s.” This simile indicates that people are seeing Faber’s influence on Montag,just as they would notice what is written on a piece of paper, rather than the paper itself.

Likewise

In the “Burning Bright” section of the book, the mentor-mentee (pencil/paper) relationship between Faber/Montag becomes complete. Montag symbolically becomes Faber when he “[dresses] in Faber’s old clothes and shoes,” escaping from the Hound at the river. Like a piece of paper virtually disappears when covered in writing, Montag becomes invisible and only what appears to be Faber remains.

(These two blocks of body paragraph text also demonstrate the direct answer/topic sentence, text evidence/support, commentary/connection of a good open-ended or short-answer response to an EOC question.)

Our body paragraphs need a bit more detail and transitional material, but they're in pretty good shape.

Next Monday: Conclusions

Pre-AP English II: IWA Body Paragraphs Pt. 1

Yesterday we looked at the thesis paragraph of the IWA. One reason the thesis paragraph is so short is because the bulk of your effort should go to your body paragraphs.

It's easy to fall into the trap of plot synopsis in an IWA, so don't. Make sure that you're analyzing the text (how Bradbury writes, in this case) rather than summarizing it (what Bradbury writes). Keep focused on the literary and rhetorical techniques he employs instead of the plot details.

We want to focus on moments in the text where the literary technique demonstrates the mentor-mentee relationship. For instance, on page 85 (81, new edition), Faber states

Now, if your suggest that we print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen’s houses all over the country, so that seeds of suspicion would be sown among the arsonists, bravo, I'd say!”

Montag takes Faber seriously, missing out on his verbal irony (Faber's next line includes the comment "I was joking"). Montag demonstrates, however, that he's unable to question what Faber says, just as a piece of paper cannot question what the pencil writes on it. We can analyze this in our essay as:

One place where this is evident is in the “Sieve and the Sand” section of the story. Faber employs verbal irony when he suggests that they “print extra books and arrange to have them hidden in firemen’s houses…, so the seeds of suspicion would be sown among the arsonists[. Bravo!]” Montag, like a piece of paper that cannot question what is written on it, believes Faber to be sincere in what he says.

We can also use part of the story, a little earlier on page 85, where Faber remarks on a paradoxical comment Montag makes:

When Montag uses the paradox “That’s the good part of dying; when you’ve nothing to lose, you run any risk you want,” Faber congratulates him. He says, “There, you’ve said an interesting thing … without having read it.” In this way Faber mentors and encourages Montag, imprinting his wisdom like a pencil tracing across a piece of paper.

We'll need to keep adding more evidence and more body paragraphs, but this is a good start.

Next: More Body Paragraphs!

Pre-AP English II: The Pearl for Cheap

Word is that copies of The Pearl are hard to find. If you find yourself stuck without a copy, don't despair. You can find the text free at Scribd.com. If you want to subscribe to their service, you can download a .pdf or .doc file.

Oooorrrr you can copy the text and paste into your own MS-Word (or equivalent) document. From there you can either print it out (you might want to adjust margins, columns, and font size to save on paper) or upload it to your digital device. (If you have a Kindle or Kindle app, Send to Kindle is a free PC/Mac app to easily upload a .doc file.)

To get credit for Friday, print at least the first chapter and bring it with you to class.

Pre-AP English II: Socratic Seminar Questions Due Tomorrow

Please turn in your Socratic Seminar questions tomorrow. You've already turned in some, so you just need to make up the balance.

Remember, you need two questions and viable answers for each of the five question types (total: 10). If you can't remember what the question types are, see this earlier post.

All Classes: Save Extra 10% at Half Price Books

Half Price Books is running a "Save 10%" offer, good tomorrow only. Please vote for either Team Zombie or Team Alien to get your coupon.

English I: Please get The Lightning Thief from the Percy Jackson series. Rick Riordan is the author.

English II: Please Get The Pearl by John Steinbeck, and while you're saving money, pick up A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, too.

Remember, the coupon is only good tomorrow, 10/31, and the Northwest Highway store closes at 11.

English I (Pre-AP): "Sorry, Right Number" Test Preview

Tomorrow, 10/31, you will have a test on Stephen King's teleplay "Sorry, Right Number." If you missed Act I (yesterday) or Act II (today) -- or you'd just like to read the play again -- please download a copy (MS Word .doc format).

There may be some slight variations from the text in the textbook, but the gist is the same.

The test will EOC format (open-book, open-dictionary). As a special treat, it will also be open-note. You're welcome.

Pre-AP English II: Intro to the IWA

Beginning with this six-weeks, students will complete an Individual Writing Assignment every six-weeks. The first one we'll write together.

The IWA begins with a prompt:

In many novels character names do double duty. Not only do they suit and identify the character, but they may also act symbolically and deepen the meaning of the story. In a well-developed essay, explore how Ray Bradbury’s choice of names in Fahrenheit 451 enhances the reader’s appreciation of the work.

The prompt not only tells you what to do (write about how an author's choice of character names enhances the reader's experience), but also offers a suggestion as to how you should prove your thesis (symbol).

At the end of the Afterword printed in many editions, Bradbury writes

Only recently, glancing at the novel, I realized that Montag is named after a paper manufacturing company. And Faber, of course, is a maker of pencils!

Therefore we can see that symbolically the relationship between Faber and Montag is similar to the relationship between Pencil and Paper. This helps greatly in deciding the direction of our essay.

We'll start out writing two-sentence thesis paragraphs. (Once this is mastered, you may get "fancy" if you choose.) The first sentence is the thesis (what you're going to prove); the second sentence is your method (how you're going to prove it).

As the IWA is a work in progress (You write a draft, I annotate corrections on your draft essay, you revise, the cycle continues until your essay is satisfactory), we won't come up with a perfect thesis to start with, but let's try:

In Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury chooses names that enhance the reader’s appreciation of the novel. As he says in the “Afterword,” Montag is symbolic of a paper company, and Faber is symbolic of a pencil manufacturer – mirroring their relationship in the story.

Next up: Body Paragraphs!

All English Classes: Quest Archetype Storyboard

In class today, students expanded the six key details of a quest story/movie/video game they listed at the end of class. Using the storyboard template describe the

1. quester (who goes on the quest),
2. his/her goal/objective (why they go on the quest),
3. the mentor (who gives wisdom/guidance/etc. to quester),
4. 2 obstacles the quester faces (divide the 4th box in half),
5. the underworld moment (when the quester find him/herself "reborn"),
6. and the "true objective" of the quest (what the quester actually gains regardless of whether the quest was a success or not).

Below is a sample storyboard for Star Wars.

IMDB.com is an excellent resource to find out character names you may have forgotten.

All English Classes: Hero Cycle

Today in class we reviewed the Quest Archetype, sometimes called the Hero Cycle or Hero's Journey. Please watch the presentation below to bring yourself up to speed.



In English I, we discussed that in "The Most Dangerous Game," Rainsford was the quester, and he was on a quest for survival. General Zaroff, although he was the villain, was also Rainsford's mentor (slowly turning him to the kill-or-be-killed way of thinking). The challenges/obstacles like hiding and eluding Zaroff were obvious, and the key Underworld moment was when Rainsford dove into the sea, risking his life for survival. In the end, he does achieve his quest (surviving), but it's not clear quite how he may have changed.

In English II, we discussed that in "By the Waters of Babylon," John was the quester, searching for the Place of the Gods. His father was his mentor. Again, the obstacles were obvious: his fear, the river, the dogs. John faced the Underworld in the hotel room where he found the skeleton and was shown the vision of what happened to New York. In the end, John also achieves his goal, but also has matured to the point that he can lead his tribe in a way that, perhaps, his father couldn't.

Assignment: Pick a movie/book/video game that involves a quest and identify the 6 key elements of the quest from the presentation. Don't forget to provide the name of the movie/book/video game.

All Students: Quizlet

The flashcard website I showed in class today is Quizlet.com. Please check it out.

Also, try loading this sample set of cards.

Please let me know if you encounter any difficulty using on your mobile device(s).

English I (Pre-AP): What to Know for Tomorrow's Test

The test tomorrow will be on Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays." Preview this poem online, here.

You should know these literary/grammatical devices/terms

• Adjective
• Adverb
• Compare
• Conjunction
• Contrast
• Declarative sentences (Statements)
• Interrogative sentences (Questions)
• Noun
• Rhetorical/poetic shift
• Verb

... and these tone/mood words:

• Anxious
• Appreciative
• Ebullient
• Indifferent
• Menacing
• Practical
• Regret/regretful
• Solemn
• Sympathetic

... and this vocabulary:

• Gratitude
• Ignorant
• Stark
• Vivid
• & any other word you don't understand in the poem.

English I (Pre-AP): TPCASTT & Jabberwocky, Pt. 2

Yesterday, we began analyzing the poem "Jabberwocky" by Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll. The method we used is called TP-CASTTing: each letter stands for a different step in the process. Here's a review of what we covered:

T is for Title: Make a prediction about the focus of the poem before you read the poem.

Read the Poem
P is for Paraphrase: Rewrite the poem sentence/stanza by sentence/stanza in your own words.

C is for Connotations: Analyze what the literary devices incorporated into the poem add/mean:

• Diction/word choice
• Imagery
• Metaphors
• Similes
• Rhyme scheme/patterns
• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Allusions
• Personification
• etc.

A is for Attitude: What is the speaker's attitude toward his or her subject? (aka: TONE)

And here's what we covered today:

S is for Shift: A shift (sometimes called rhetorical shift or poetic shift) occurs when the focus/tone/technique/etc. changes in the poem. Every poem has at least one major shift. Some poems have multiple major and minor shifts. In "Jabberwocky," a minor shift occurs between the second and third stanzas as the speaker's focus changes from the warning about the Jabberwock to the beginning of the hunt. A major shift occurs before the final stanza when the speaker reveals that the world is the same as it was at the beginning of the poem despite the elimination of the Jabberwock.

T is for Title (again!): Look at the title again, using what you now know of the poem, and look for metaphorical or symbolic meanings.

T is for Theme: What does the speaker/poet want you to learn or understand as a result of having read the poem (how should your life or the way you see the world change)?

What is the theme of the poem? How do you know? Embed evidence!

Pre-AP English II: TPCASTT & Digging, Pt. 2

Yesterday we began analyzing the poem "Digging" by Seamus (pronounced SHAY-mus, no one would name their child SEA-mus) Heaney. The method we used is called TP-CASTTing: each letter stands for a different step in the process. Here's a review of what we covered:

T is for Title: Make a prediction about the focus of the poem before you read the poem.

Read the Poem
P is for Paraphrase: Rewrite the poem sentence/stanza by sentence/stanza in your own words.

C is for Connotations: Analyze what the literary devices incorporated into the poem add/mean:

• Diction/word choice
• Imagery
• Metaphors
• Similes
• Rhyme scheme/patterns
• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Allusions
• Personification
• etc.

A is for Attitude: What is the speaker's attitude toward his or her subject? (aka: TONE)


And here's what we covered today:

S is for Shift: A shift (sometimes called rhetorical shift or poetic shift) occurs when the focus/tone/technique/etc. changes in the poem. Every poem has at least one major shift. Some poems have multiple major and minor shifts. In "Digging," a minor shift occurs between the first and second stanzas as the speaker's focus widens from his squat pen to the wider world. A major shift occurs after the second stanza when the end-rhyme disappears and the speaker's character seems to begin maturing.

T is for Title (again!): Look at the title again, using what you now know of the poem, and look for metaphorical or symbolic meanings.

T is for Theme: What does the speaker/poet want you to learn or understand as a result of having read the poem (how should your life or the way you see the world change)?

What is the theme of the poem? How do you know? Embed evidence!

Pre-AP English II: What to Know for Tomorrow's Test

The test tomorrow will be on Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach." Much of this poem appears on page 100 of Fahrenheit 451, but can also be found here.

Below is the presentation we reviewed in class today:



You will also need to know these literary devices:

• Anaphora
• Allusion
• Appositive phrase
• Independent clause
• Prepositional phrase
• Rhetorical/poetic shift
• Subordinating conjunction (WABU)

... and this tone/mood word:

• Disillusionment

... and this vocabulary:

• Ebb and flow of the sea
• Ominous
• & any other word you don't understand in the poem.

Pre-AP English II: TPCASTT & Digging, Pt. 1

Today we began analyzing the poem "Digging" by Seamus (pronounced SHAY-mus, no one would name their child SEA-mus) Heaney. The method we used is called TP-CASTTing: each letter stands for a different step in the process.

T is for Title: Make a prediction about the focus of the poem before you read the poem.

Read the Poem
P is for Paraphrase: Rewrite the poem sentence/stanza by sentence/stanza in your own words.

C is for Connotations: Analyze what the literary devices incorporated into the poem add/mean:

• Diction/word choice
• Imagery
• Metaphors
• Similes
• Rhyme scheme/patterns
• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Allusions
• Personification
• etc.

A is for Attitude: What is the speaker's attitude toward his or her subject? (aka: TONE)

What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? Embed evidence!
S is for ???

T is for ???

T is for ???

Come back soon for Part 2.

English I (Pre-AP) TPCASTT & Jabberwocky, Pt. 1

Today we began analyzing the poem "Jabberwocky" by Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll. The method we used is called TP-CASTTing: each letter stands for a different step in the process.

T is for Title: Make a prediction about the focus of the poem before you read the poem.

Read the Poem
P is for Paraphrase: Rewrite the poem sentence/stanza by sentence/stanza in your own words.

C is for Connotations: Analyze what the literary devices incorporated into the poem add/mean:

• Diction/word choice
• Imagery
• Metaphors
• Similes
• Rhyme scheme/patterns
• Alliteration
• Assonance
• Allusions
• Personification
• etc.

A is for Attitude: What is the speaker's attitude toward his or her subject? (aka: TONE)

What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? Embed evidence!
S is for ???

T is for ???

T is for ???

Come back soon for Part 2.

Pre-AP English II: Timed Expository Writing (Tienanmen Square)

Read the information in the box below.

In 1989, when the Chinese government declared a protest in Tienanmen Square illegal, one man chose to stand in front of a column of tanks to stop them from advancing on the protesters.

Although many people obey all laws, some people choose to disobey those they feel are unjust. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay explaining whether people should follow the law regardless of whether they feel the law is right or wrong.

Be sure to —

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Maximum length: 26 lines

English I (Pre-AP): Timed Literary Writing (Batboy)

Look at the "photograph."



Write a story about a terrifying event. Be sure that your story is focused and complete and that it has an interesting plot and engaging characters.

Maximum length: 26 lines.

All Students: Say Hello to My Little Friend

If you weren't in my 6th or 7th period class this afternoon, you missed meeting Joe (aka "Geico" and/or "Jonathan"), a gecko/lizard that was crawling on the floor by my desk during C lunch. That's him over to the left.

He's enjoying his long weekend out in the bushes outside the classroom.

You should enjoy your long weekend, too. (Do the reading!)

Pre-AP English II: 451F Socratic Seminar Questions

Be prepared to discuss these questions in class on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012. Remember to support your answers -- even the World Connection questions -- with evidence from the book.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTIONS
Some people say that football is too violent and dangerous (think concussions). How would you react if football were banned? --A.M. (1st)

Would you like a robotic dog? --M.G. (2nd)


CLOSE-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why did Montag become a fireman? --M.B. (1st)

What significance does Benjamin Franklin have for the people in Montag's society? --R.S. (2nd)

What did Clarisse's uncle do to wind up being put in jail? --R.B. (2nd)


OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Why is Montag with his wife if they don't love each other? --J.M. (1st)
(classroom-appropriate, evidence-backed answers only. --Mr. Mikesell)

What effect does Clarisse have on Montag? --K.L. (1st)

Why would Montag take the books when he knew the consequences? --J.M.S. (2nd)

What did Beatty mean when he said that "'Books say nothing'"? --J.J. (2nd)


UNIVERSAL THEME / CORE QUESTIONS
In what ways do "the powers that be"/society affect what you can and cannot think? --M.C. (1st)

If people were to treat you like an outcast because you "thought differently," what would you do? --J.J. (2nd)

Are you happy? How do you know? --Mr. Mikesell


LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
How does the simile "They fell like slaughtered birds" contribute to the development of the story? --O.M. (1st)

How does the simile "[Clarisse's] dress was white and it whispered" contribute to the development her character? --F.L. (2nd)

How does the allusion the woman who burned herself further the development of the story? --J.C. (2nd)

All English Classes: Sentence Types (Complex/WABUs & Prepositions)

In class today we looked at subordinate conjunctions (aka WABUs) and prepositions. WABUs are words that begin clauses that are secondary to the main independent clause of a sentence. They're similar to the FANBOYS, except they can unquestionably start a sentence as well as come in the middle of a sentence. The WABUs are:

Wh- words like Who, Where, Why
After
Before
Unless

Wh- words like When, Wherever, Whoever
As
Because
Unitl

Wh- words like Which, Whichever, Whenever
Although/Though
That
If
Since
Than

Note the acronym formed by the first letters: WABU WABU WATIST

If you have an independent clause (simple sentence) like I brushed my teeth and add a subordinate clause at the beginning -- Before I ate breakfast -- you'll separate the two with a comma.

Before I ate breakfast, I brushed my teeth.

If the subordinate clause comes after the independent clause, no comma is needed.

I brushed my teeth before I ate breakfast.

We also looked at prepositional phrases. Prepositions are words used to link little bits of information together. Pretty much any word that fills in the blank in the sentence THE SQUIRREL RAN ______________ THE TREES is a preposition (because these are magic trees BEFORE, AFTER, WITH, FROM all work. Note: BEFORE and AFTER are both WABUs and prepositions; what makes a clause different from a phrase is that a clause has a noun/subject and a verb, a phrase has one or the other).

As with WABUs, if the preposition starts the sentence, the phrase is set off from the independent clause by a comma; if it comes after the independent clause, no comma is needed.

Before breakfast, I brushed my teeth.

I brushed my teeth before breakfast.

You can string together prepositional phrases without inserting commas between them.

I brushed my teeth with my Mickey Mouse toothbrush before breakfast.

Please create two sentences. One must have a WABU. The other must have a prepositional phrase.

English I (Pre-AP): Alchemist Theme Quickwrite

In class we discussed how theme revealed itself in The Alchemist through the use of TILL statements (This Is Like Life because...).

In a Quickwrite, please explore how the lessons Santiago learned about the need for and difficulties in pursing his personal legend are similar to your experiences.

Areas to explore include the need to fully explore your dream or shift it if you've dreamt too small, the betrayal of "friends," and the dangers of becoming comfortable while pursuing something other than your destiny.

Pre-AP English II: Socratic Seminar Question Types (Fahrenheit 451)

In class Tuesday, Oct. 9th, we began creating Socratic Seminar questions the class will respond to on Thursday, Oct. 11th. Students must create one original question of each of the following question types; students must also provide a plausible answer to their question.

All questions must come from the "Hearth and the Salamander" section of Fahrenheit 451.

WORLD CONNECTION QUESTION

Write a question connecting the text to the real world.

Example: Where do you draw the line between the needs of society and the rights of an individual?

CLOSE-ENDED QUESTION

Write a question about the text that will help everyone in the class come to an agreement about events or characters in the text. This question usually has a “correct” answer.

Example: Based on evidence in "The Hearth and the Salamander," how does the Mechanical Hound operate?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTION

Write an insightful question about the text that will require proof and group discussion and “construction of logic” to discover or explore the answer to the question.

Example: How does Clarisse's question "Are you happy?" effect Montag?

UNIVERSAL THEME/ CORE QUESTION

Write a question dealing with a theme(s) of the text that will encourage group discussion about the universality of the text.

Example: After reading "The Hearth and the Salamander" what likelihood do you feel there is that society will develop the way Bradbury imagines?

LITERARY ANALYSIS QUESTION

Write a question dealing with HOW an author chose to compose a literary piece. How did the author manipulate point of view, characterization, poetic form, archetypal hero patterns, for example?

Example: What does Bradbury accomplish by contrasting the sensually-charged opening scene with the sterility of Montag's arrival home and discovering Millie's suicide attempt?

English I (Pre-AP): Open-Ended Question

If you didn't complete your open-ended response in class today, please do so now (replace the partial response with your completed response once your response is complete):

Which "lie" mentioned in the introduction of The Alchemist did the crystal merchant believe, and in doing so, prevented him from realizing his personal legend (i.e., stopped him from making his pilgrimage to Mecca)? Support your response with evidence from the text.

10 lines maximum.

Pre-AP English II: 451F Open-Ended Question

If you didn't complete your open-ended response in class today, please do so now (replace the partial response with your completed response once your response is complete):

What reasons did Beatty give for the banning of books? Are his reasons legitimate? Support your response with evidence from the text.

10 lines maximum.

English I (Pre-AP): Short-Response Questions (Crystal Merchant)

In class we wrote answers to the following short-response question.

Which of the four obstacles to realizing his dream (lies) did the Crystal Merchant believe? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Maximum length 10 lines.

English I (Pre-AP): Things You Should Know for Your Six-Weeks' Exam

You should know the following literary terms for tomorrow's 6-weeks' exam:

• Alliteration
• Allusion
• Hyperbole
• Metaphor
• Onomatopoeia
• Oxymoron
• Personification
• Simile

You should also be aware of these terms -- we've mentioned them in class, but they haven't necessarily been emphasized:

Flashback: a figure of speech where reference is made to something that occurs earlier in the story's timeline.

Paradox: a statement that appears self-contradictory but is actually true.

While you're learning new things, make sure you know the meanings of these words (you already should, but in case you don't...).

• Discourteous
• Futile
• Inevitably
• Vulgar

Also, be sure to review your notes for responding to an open-ended or short-response question.

Pre-AP English II: Things You Should Know for Your Six-Weeks' Exam

You should know the following literary terms for tomorrow's 6-weeks' exam:

• Alliteration
• Allusion
• Anaphora
• Flashback
• Foreshadowing
• Hyperbole
• Imagery
• Metaphor
• Mood
• Paradox
• Personification
• Simile
• Tone

You should also be aware of this new term:
Metonymy: a figure of speech where someone or something isn't called by its own name, but by the name of something closely associated with it. For instance, instead of saying that President Obama or his spokesperson announced something, you could say "The White House" announced it. It means it came from the president (the White House can't actually talk).

While you're learning new things, make sure you know the meanings of these words (you already should, but in case you don't...).

• Antlers
• Elusive
• Forbade
• Idly

Also, be sure to review your notes for responding to an open-ended or short-response question.

All Pre-AP Students: Reading Assignment for the Week

Pre-AP English II: Read Fahrenheit 451 through the end of the first section ("The Hearth and the Salamander"). (You left off around page 40.)

English I (Pre-AP): Read The Alchemist through page 79. (You left off around page 51.)

Pre-AP English II: Final Draft of Expository Essay

If you weren't in class yesterday, please complete the final draft of your essay. Use this 26-lined page rather than numbering 1-26 on a lined sheet of paper.

Remember to shoot for a score point 3 or higher. Revisit this blog post for the criteria.

All Pre-AP English Students: EOC-Style Expository Essay Prompt

If you weren't in class today, please write an expository essay responding to the following prompt:

Write an essay explaining the importance receiving a good education has in today's society.

Please number the lines on your paper 1-26. This is about the space you'll have available for your final draft on Friday. Feel free to go beyond the 26th line on your draft. You'll need to revise it anyway.

All Pre-AP English Students: EOC Essay Rubric

In class today we looked at the End-of-Course (EOC) rubric for the Expository Essay. Good times.

If you missed class or would like a complete rubric of your own, please download a copy.

We looked at the information for Score Point 3 and considered the "Big Ideas" of each bullet point as follows:

• You must write an expository essay!
• You must have a clear thesis statement that is focused on the topic of the prompt.
• Your essay must "flow."
• You support your thesis with "specific and appropriate" details.
• Your response is "original" rather than "what everyone else is going to write about."
• Your essay has a "sophisticated" tone and demonstrates an advanced vocabulary.
• You use a variety of sentence types appropriately.
• Spelling, grammar, punctuation, usage, and other mechanics/conventions are all employed properly.

If you want to see the examples of essays we looked at in class -- including the TECHNOLOGIE! essay -- and dig deeper into what make an essay "worth" a score point 3 or 4, please download this document.

Pre-AP English II: Audio File of Fahrenheit 451

If you have a copy of Fahrenheit 451 and would like to listen to a recording of the book as you read, please bring me a USB drive so I can pass the file(s) along.

This offer only available to students who have acquired a copy of the book. You still have to read the story.

Pre-AP English I: The Four Obstacles to Achieving Your Dream

In class today, many of us looked at the central idea of the introduction to The Alchemist. If you missed the opportunity to critique Coelho's claim, here's your chance to make up the assignment.

Coelho claims that there are four things that prevent people from achieving their dreams (aka "personal legend"):

1. Being told the dream is impossible
2. Fear of abandoning those who love them in order to achieve their dream
3. Fear of difficult obstacles/set-backs along the way
4. Fear of success

After analyzing Coelho's claims, write 2-3 sentences to take a stance in agreement or disagreement with what he says. Be sure to embed quoted evidence from the introduction to support your argument on way or the other. (Do not debate the existence of one's personal legend or Coelho's claim that God gives everyone a personal legend to pursue; focus only on the four obstacles.)

Pre-AP English II: Pleasure and Burning in Fahrenheit 451

In class today we looked at the opening line of Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451

It was a pleasure to burn.

If you missed your opportunity to construct a T-Chart of "pleasure" and "burning" references in the opening scene of the novel, here's your chance.

Please make a T-Chart and label the left-hand column "Pleasure" and the right-hand column "Burn." Anything (diction, imagery, detail, figurative language, etc.) that has a connotation of either pleasure or burning should be placed in the appropriate column (or both columns, if it has connotations for both).

At the bottom of the T-Chart, please complete the following sentence and add one or two more sentences of your own; embed material quoted from the story to help support your response:

In addition to drawing the reader into the novel, Bradbury opens with a paradox because it is likely that by the end of the novel...

(Bear in mind that Flannery O'Connor employed a similar paradox at the end of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" when The Misfit said, "No pleasure but meanness." How does the appearance of the paradox at the beginning of the story versus the end allow the reader to make different inferences about the outcome of the novel?)

Pre-AP English I: Timed Writing (Destiny)

Read the information below.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”

― William Jennings Bryan

Although many people believe that their destinies will just happen to them by fate, other people believe that their destiny will only happen if they work at it. Think carefully about this statement.

Write an essay explaining whether people should take what life gives them as their destiny or work toward their dreams.

Be sure to

• clearly state your thesis
• organize and develop your ideas effectively
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling

Time limit: 25 minutes.

Pre-AP English II: Timed Writing ("By the Waters of Babylon")

In a well developed essay, identify the tone of the passage (see this post) and analyze how the author establishes the tone using techniques such as diction, imagery, details, figurative language, and point-of-view. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Time limit: 25 minutes.

Pre-AP English II: Text for Tomorrow's Timed Writing

Below is the text from Stephen Vincent Benét's "By the Waters of Babylon" that you will have to analyze for tone in class tomorrow. You will have just under 30 minutes to write, so please use the graphic organizer on the back of your packets to prepare for your essay.
* * * * *

Now I tell what is very strong magic. I woke in the midst of the night. When I woke, the fire had gone out and I was cold. It seemed to me that all around me there were whisperings and voices. I closed my eyes to shut them out. Some will say that I slept again, but I do not think that I slept. I could feel the spirits drawing my spirit out of my body as a fish is drawn on a line.

Why should I lie about it? I am a priest and the son of a priest. If there are spirits, as they say, in the small Dead Places near us, what spirits must there not be in that great Place of the Gods? And would not they wish to speak? After such long years? I know that I felt myself drawn as a fish is drawn on a line. I had stepped out of my body—I could see my body asleep in front of the cold fire, but it was not I. I was drawn to look out upon the city of the gods.

It should have been dark, for it was night, but it was not dark. Everywhere there were lights—lines of light—circles and blurs of light—ten thousand torches would not have been the same. The sky itself was alight—you could barely see the stars for the glow in the sky. I thought to myself "This is strong magic" and trembled. There was a roaring in my ears like the rushing of rivers. Then my eyes grew used to the light and my ears to the sound. I knew that I was seeing the city as it had been when the gods were alive.

That was a sight indeed—yes, that was a sight: I could not have seen it in the body—my body would have died. Everywhere went the gods, on foot and in chariots—there were gods beyond number and counting and their chariots blocked the streets. They had turned night to day for their pleasure-they did not sleep with the sun. The noise of their coming and going was the noise of the many waters. It was magic what they could do—it was magic what they did.

I looked out of another window—the great vines of their bridges were mended and god-roads went east and west. Restless, restless, were the gods and always in motion! They burrowed tunnels under rivers—they flew in the air. With unbelievable tools they did giant works—no part of the earth was safe from them, for, if they wished for a thing, they summoned it from the other side of the world. And always, as they labored and rested, as they feasted and made love, there was a drum in their ears—the pulse of the giant city, beating and beating like a man's heart.

Were they happy? What is happiness to the gods? They were great, they were mighty, they were wonderful and terrible. As I looked upon them and their magic, I felt like a child—but a little more, it seemed to me, and they would pull down the moon from the sky. I saw them with wisdom beyond wisdom and knowledge beyond knowledge. And yet not all they did was well done—even I could see that ? and yet their wisdom could not but grow until all was peace.

Then I saw their fate come upon them and that was terrible past speech. It came upon them as they walked the streets of their city. I have been in the fights with the Forest People—I have seen men die. But this was not like that. When gods war with gods, they use weapons we do not know. It was fire falling out of the sky and a mist that poisoned. It was the time of the Great Burning and the Destruction. They ran about like ants in the streets of their city—poor gods, poor gods! Then the towers began to fall. A few escaped—yes, a few. The legends tell it. But, even after the city had become a Dead Place, for many years the poison was still in the ground. I saw it happen, I saw the last of them die. It was darkness over the broken city and I wept.

All this, I saw. I saw it as I have told it, though not in the body. When I woke in the morning, I was hungry, but I did not think first of my hunger for my heart was perplexed and confused. I knew the reason for the Dead Places but I did not see why it had happened. It seemed to me it should not have happened, with all the magic they had. I went through the house looking for an answer. There was so much in the house I could not understand—and yet I am a priest and the son of a priest. It was like being on one side of the great river, at night, with no light to show the way.

Pre-AP English II: "Babylon" Tone Packet

If you've been absent or have lost your packet, please e-mail me and I'll send you a PDF file. (You'll need to print it out and bring it to class.)

Assignments from the packet so far:

• 7/14: Questions 1-5


• 7/17: Questions 6-11


• 7/18: Questions 12-19


• 7/19: Questions 21-32

Pre-AP English I: "Most Dangerous Game" Literary Writing Assignment

Bearing in mind the TEA's rubric for Literary Writing, write a short story detailing what happens to Rainsford that begins after this passage where he escapes from Zaroff by jumping into the sea:

Rainsford had hardly tumbled to the ground when the pack took up the cry again.

"Nerve, nerve, nerve!" he panted, as he dashed along. A blue gap showed between the trees dead ahead. Ever nearer drew the hounds. Rainsford forced himself on toward that gap. He reached it. It was the shore of the sea. Across a cove he could see the gloomy gray stone of the chateau. Twenty feet below him the sea rumbled and hissed. Rainsford hesitated. He heard the hounds. Then he leaped far out into the sea. . . .

When the general and his pack reached the place by the sea, the Cossack stopped. For some minutes he stood regarding the blue-green expanse of water. He shrugged his shoulders. Then be sat down, took a drink of brandy from a silver flask, lit a cigarette, and hummed a bit from Madame Butterfly.

and concludes with him coming within sight of the chateau; the story should end with the line: At last, Rainsford could see the chateau, and -- even better -- he had a plan.

Please take into account that Zaroff thinks Rainsford died in the fall and that Rainsford says at the end that he swam most of the way to the chateau.

Limit your story to 26 lines.

Pre-AP English II: "Babylon" Quickwrite

In 5-7 sentences, describe the effect Benét's use of dramatic irony had on you as you read "By the Waters of Babylon."

You must support your response with text evidence (i.e., quote(s) from the text).

All Students: Free Smart Office 2 App

This weekend (Sept. 8-10) Smart Office 2, an Microsoft Office-type app, is free for iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch devices. It allows you to create and edit word processing documents, as well as spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.

Even if you've already done your literary terms presentation, this may be a handy app for the future.

(There are versions for other devices, but as far as I can tell, they're not free.)

All English Students: Literary Devices PowerPoint

All students must make a PowerPoint-style presentation of literary devices. Each slide must contain 3 things:

1. The literary device
2. The definition of the literary device
and
3. a creative example of the literary device

Presentations which include all three of those things on every slide will earn an 85%. In order to earn a 100%, every slide must also be creatively illustrated (fancy banners, drop-shadows, etc., do not count).

If you do not own a copy of MS PowerPoint, Open Office is a free office application that contains a presentation component. Google Drive also provides a free presentation software selection.

If a computer-based solution just isn't going to work out right now, you may create your presentation on paper. One literary device/definition/example per sheet (illustrations raise grade here, too).

See this earlier blog post for the terms and their definitions. You must come up with your own creative examples (taking them from the Internet will result in a Plagiarism=0 grade until a parent-student-teacher conference can be held).

Pre-AP English II: Summer Assignment with Links to Discussion Questions

9/26 Update: At this point all responses need to be made on paper. Please submit your COMPLETE (not partial) responses when all 12 questions have been answered.

Sophomores entering Pre-AP II will be expected to complete the following assignment prior to class beginning at the end of August. Estimated weekly commitment: 1 hour.

Following are six pairs of short stories. You are expected to read at least one of them (feel free to read both), and participate in an online discussion. You need to answer two questions for one of each of the short story pairs.

Week 1 (6/4-8): Irony

• The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
  (Listen to an audiofile of "The Lottery" as you read; right-click audiofile link to save file to your computer.)

Check out the discussion board questions for "The Lottery"


• The Open Window, Saki (H.H. Munro)
  (Click the yellow player link on this website to listen to the story as you read; right-click this link to save file to your computer.)

Check out the discussion board questions for "The Open Window"

Week 3 (6/18-22): Coming of Age

• Araby, James Joyce
  (Listen to an audiofile of "Araby" as you read; right-click audiofile link to save file to your computer.)

Check out the discussion board questions for "Araby"


• A&P, John Updike

Check out the discussion board questions for "A&P"

Week 5 (7/2-6): Horror

• Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe (listen here)

Check out the discussion board questions for "Fall of the House of Usher"


• Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe (listen here)
  > Abridged Graphic Novelization Supplement

Check out the discussion board questions for "Tell-Tale Heart"

Week 7 (7/16-20): Prejudice

• Barn Burning, William Faulkner (listen here)

Check out the discussion board questions for "Barn Burning"


• Cathedral, Raymond Carver

Check out the discussion board questions for "Cathedral"

Week 9 (7/30-8/3): Magic Realism

• Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, Gabriel Garcia Marquez (listen here)

Check out the discussion board questions for "Very Old Man with Enormous Wings


• The Monkey’s Paw, W.W. Jacobs (listen here)
  

Check out the discussion board questions for "Monkey's Paw"

Week 11 (8/13-17): Irony (yes, again!)

• The Bet, Anton Chekhov (listen here)

Check out the discussion board questions for "The Bet"


• The Yellow Pill, Rog Phillips

Check out the discussion board questions for "The Yellow Pill"

English Students: Literary Devices

Missed today's presentation? Not any more.



You need to come up with one example for each literary device for your PowerPoint homework (more details to come).

Freshmen, you do not have to do: Adage/Aphorism/Axiom, Flashback, Foreshadowing, Dramatic Irony, Verbal Irony, or Paradox.

All Students: Half Price Books' Labor Day Sale

Half Price Books stores are selling everything for an extra 20% off this weekend. It's a great opportunity to get your texts at a low price -- while they last.

Sale runs from the August 28th through September 4th (Monday).

Here's a list of stores in the Metroplex.

ACT Prep: Syllabus

Please print a copy of this syllabus, have a parent sign it, and bring it to class

Mr. Mikesell - Rm. 138
cmikesell@dallasisd.org
http://mikesell128.blogspot.com
Tutorial hours: Mon. & Thurs. 4:30–5:30p
Mornings by appointment

ACT Prep SYLLABUS

“Life is short. Learn hard.”

Course Outline
Through this course students will develop skills necessary to excel at the ACT exam. This course is based on materials developed by The Princeton Review; while other techniques may also lead to success, students are expected to conform to the methodologies of Princeton Review.

Class Norms

• Be Prepared
• Be Positive
• Be Polite
• Be Participators

(Campus/district policies will be observed also)

Homework
Homework will be assigned regularly. Much of it will be outside reading; otherwise it will usually be due before the tardy bell rings two days after the assignment. Homework will not be accepted the same period that it is assigned. Classwork not finished in class will be treated as homework, with the same deadlines/penalties.

Late Work
Students who have not turned in homework within the first 5 minutes of class the day it is due will be assigned to the after-school Patriot Academy. Work turned in within two days of the due date will be accepted with a 15% grade reduction. Each week an assignment is late will result in an extra 15% reduction in grade.

Consequences
1st Offense: warning
2nd Offense: hallway “conference”
3rd Offense: call to parent
4th Offense: administrative referral
(Fighting, drug- and gang-related activity will result in immediate administrative/security involvement)

Classroom Entry Procedure
To make entry into the classroom as smooth as possible, please make sure you’re observing dress code policies. Do not block the door tucking in your shirt, adjusting your ID badge, etc. Once you’ve entered the room, please get your journal. Find your desk and begin the bellringer exercise. Pencils should be sharpened before the tardy bell rings.

Spelling / Vocabulary / Grammar / Punctuation
All are important, and students are expected to turn in assignments with proper care taken in each of these areas.

Notes and Keeper Sheets
Take notes (we will review the Cornell system in the first semester). You will also be provided with “Keeper” sheets reviewing the basics of key areas we’ll be studying. Keep them all handy. Use them for studying.

Classroom Supplies
Bring these to class every day:

• A 3-ring binder, at least an inch thick
• A 70-page spiral notebook or loose-leaf paper
• Blue or black pens, pencils, highlighters
• A great attitude

Dishonesty
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. At a minimum, zeroes will be recorded in the grade book for either offense, for all parties involved in the cheating or copying. Additional consequences may apply.

Grading Scale (district standard)
40% Classwork/Homework
25% Tests
20% Projects
15% Six-weeks Exam

Essays
While the essay is an optional part of the ACT, all students will practice essay-writing techniques.

Leaving the Classroom
Permission to leave the classroom once the tardy bell has rung will be granted in emergency situations. Please monitor your liquid intake: only one restroom pass per student will be granted each month.

Test Make-Up
Students who fail a test will be assigned to the next Patriot Academy opportunity. Students MUST attend the Post-Test Tutorial before they may retest or submit test corrections.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My child has shown and discussed with me the syllabus for his/her ACT Prep class.

I will do my best to provide the support he/she needs to be successful in class.

____________________________________
Student Name

____________________________________
Parent Signature

____________________________________
Phone number

Pre-AP English II: Syllabus

Please print a copy of this syllabus, have a parent sign it, and bring it to class

Mr. Mikesell - Rm. 138
cmikesell@dallasisd.org
http://mikesell128.blogspot.com
Tutorial hours: Mon. & Thurs. 4:30–5:30p
Mornings by appointment

Pre-AP English II SYLLABUS

“Life is short. Learn hard.”

Course Outline
Through this course students will continue to develop higher-order thinking skills through the analysis, evaluation, and critique of literature. This course is also designed to lay and/or build upon the foundation for students as they take advanced levels of English. Students will learn from set objectives established for them to be successful in exams, in other classes, and in life.

Class Norms

• Be Prepared
• Be Positive
• Be Polite
• Be Participators

(Campus/district policies will be observed also)

Homework
Homework will be assigned regularly. Much of it will be outside reading; otherwise it will usually be due before the tardy bell rings two days after the assignment. Homework will not be accepted the same period that it is assigned. Classwork not finished in class will be treated as homework, with the same deadlines/penalties.

Late Work
Students who have not turned in homework within the first 5 minutes of class the day it is due will be assigned to the after-school Patriot Academy. Work turned in within two days of the due date will be accepted with a 15% grade reduction. Each week an assignment is late will result in an extra 15% reduction in grade.

Consequences
1st Offense: warning
2nd Offense: hallway “conference”
3rd Offense: call to parent
4th Offense: administrative referral
(Fighting, drug- and gang-related activity will result in immediate administrative/security involvement)

Classroom Entry Procedure
To make entry into the classroom as smooth as possible, please make sure you’re observing dress code policies. Do not block the door tucking in your shirt, adjusting your ID badge, etc. Once you’ve entered the room, please get your journal. Find your desk and begin the bellringer exercise. Pencils should be sharpened before the tardy bell rings.

Spelling / Vocabulary / Grammar / Punctuation
All are important, and students are expected to turn in assignments with proper care taken in each of these areas.

Notes and Keeper Sheets
Take notes (we will review the Cornell system in the first semester). You will also be provided with “Keeper” sheets reviewing the basics of key areas we’ll be studying. Keep them all handy. Use them for studying.

Classroom Supplies
Bring these to class every day:

• A 3-ring binder, at least an inch thick
• 5 dividers for the binder (see "English Binder," below)
• A 70-page spiral notebook
• 2 2-pocket portfolios (see "IWA Portfolios," below)
• Filler paper (loose-leaf notebook paper)
• Blue or black pens, pencils, highlighters
• A great attitude

Dishonesty
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. At a minimum, zeroes will be recorded in the grade book for either offense, for all parties involved in the cheating or copying. Additional consequences may apply.

Grading Scale (district standard)
40% Classwork/Homework
25% Tests
20% Projects
15% Six-weeks Exam

Major Texts (Pre-AP English I)
How to Read Literature Like a Professor* by Thomas C. Foster
Mythology* by Edith Hamilton
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (6W2)
The Pearl by John Steinbeck (6W3)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (6W3)
Anthem by Ayn Rand (6W4)
(The past 2 years we've been able to get free copies of Anthem. Feel free to hold off on buying this book until I find out if we can get it again this year or not)
Othello by William Shakespeare (6W5)
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (6W5)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding (6W6)
*Strongly recommended

Essays
Writing is an integral part of this course. We will spend time reviewing and learning good grammar usage, style, and voice in class, but for many students class time is not enough. If this is the case for you, attending tutoring will help. The essay can “make or break” your EOC score as well as your 6-weeks grade.

Leaving the Classroom
Permission to leave the classroom once the tardy bell has rung will be granted in emergency situations. Please monitor your liquid intake: only one restroom pass per student will be granted each month.

Test Make-Up
Students who fail a test will be assigned to the next Patriot Academy opportunity. Students MUST attend the Post-Test Tutorial before they may retest or submit test corrections.

English Binder
You must bring an English Binder to class daily. This is a 3-ring binder at least 1-inch thick (if you are sharing the binder with another subject, it must be larger). There should be 5 tab dividers in the binder labeled as follows

1. Classwork/Homework
2. Essays
3. Tests
4. Personal Dictionary
5. Extra Paper

When this syllabus is returned to you, it should go in front of the first tab divider.

Up to two binder grades will be taken every 6-weeks, which will count as project grades.

You CANNOT leave your binder in this classroom. Not only is it a tool to help you study, but in the past, theft/vandalism has been a problem.

IWA Portfolios (Pre-AP English II)
Pre-AP students must provide two two-pocket portfolios for the submission and retention of their Independent Writing Assignments. One folder must be a plain, solid color with the student’s name written on the inside of the portfolio. The IWAs will be turned in using this folder. The second folder (any color/any style) will be used to keep the final drafts of the IWAs and will be passed to your AP III teacher.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My child has shown and discussed with me the syllabus for his/her English class.

I will do my best to provide the support he/she needs to be successful in class.

____________________________________
Student Name

____________________________________
Parent Signature

____________________________________
Phone number