Thursday, May 30, 2013

Free Audiobooks: Shakespeare's Tempest and a Mermaidish Story

Two audiobooks are available for free from SYNC this week (through June 5th).

The Tempest
by William Shakespeare

A storm rages. Prospero and his daughter watch from their desert island as a ship carrying the royal family is wrecked. Miraculously, all on board survive. Plotting, mistaken identities, and bewitching love follow as the travelers explore the strange place of spirits and monsters.

This is one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies (not necessarily ha-ha funny, but it doesn't end in a bloodbath like most Shakespearean tragedies or histories). Please check it out. (Follow along with the No Fear version here; download the text from Project Gutenberg here.)

Of Poseidon
by Anna Banks

Galen, prince of the Syrena [mermaids/mermen], is sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish and after several encounters with her Galen becomes convinced Emma holds the key to his kingdom.

To get either audiobook (or both!) start at the download page.

You'll need to install the OverDrive® Media Console™ first, but the page walks you through that. The audiobooks have download buttons below the green sync-head thing in the third column of the page.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

AP III Summer Assignment

AP English Language and Composition – Grade 11 Summer Reading and Writing Assignments

AP English Language and Composition, a college-level elective exploring the uses and power of language, challenges students to develop habits of analytical reading, critical thinking, and persuasive writing. It is actually two courses for the price of one, in that the journey we take toward becoming “effective citizen rhetoricians,” as the College Board intends, travels along the road of literature. Everything we study in some way touches on the two essential questions: “How and why do writers do what they do to say what they say?” and “What is American?” Your summer assignments will introduce you to the fundamental reading and writing processes we will continue to develop throughout the course, as preparation for the AP English Language and Composition Exam next May, as well as for rich and rewarding lives using and enjoying the power of language.

Major Works
Animal Farm by George Orwell. You are to read and annotate this novel and use it as your basis for the essay prompt. You are expected read actively and analytically, which will be demonstrated by the notes you take in your copy of Animal Farm. Simply underlining sections of the novel is not sufficient.

Essay
As we will explore this year, much of our study of literature and rhetoric revolves around the idea that America is itself an argument, both as an idea as well as a tension arising from the conflict between competing ideas. Choose one of the following prompts and compose an essay (not to exceed two typed, double-spaced pages) in which you articulate your argument.
  1. George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” In a well organized essay, defend, challenge or qualify the validity of this statement. Use examples from your own reading, observation, or experience to support your position.

  2. Ralph Waldo Emerson an American rhetorician and essayist wrote, “The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.” In a well organized essay, defend, challenge or qualify the validity of this statement. Use examples from your own reading, observation, or experience to support your position.
All assignments are due on the first day of class in August. No exception or any excuses will be accepted. Obviously, since you enrolled in this course, you already enjoy language and ideas. In addition to the above, we hope you will also read books of your own choosing for pleasure anyway this summer (which we strongly encourage you to do).

For questions about your assignment or the course, please contact:
Mrs. Sustaita (Scheffers): kscheffers@dallasisd.org
Mrs. Dorman: adorman@dallasisd.org

Friday, May 24, 2013

All Classes: 20% at Half Price Books


Half Price Books is having a 20%-off sale this (long) weekend. A perfect time to pick up a copy of George Orwell's Animal Farm and/or Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.

Or a nice gift for Mr. Mikesell.

You decide.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

English Students: Public Education Problems/Solutions

In class, you were given a packet of two articles: In a well-developed paragraph, respond to the following prompt:
Which essay (if either) do you agree with and why? Support your response with at least two well-chosen pieces of embedded text evidence.
The assignment is due on the day of your course ACP (periods 1 and 2, 5/24; period 4, 5/28).

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

English Students: Terms You Should Know

Many of these we've been over before, but here's a reminder of some of the less-common literary devices and grammatical terms:

Anadiplosis
The repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause.
"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." —Yoda

Antimetabole
A sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in the second clause a reversal of the first.
Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. —John F. Kennedy

Antithesis
Juxtaposition of contrasting words or ideas.
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." —Abraham Lincoln

Assonance
Repetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and followed by different consonants (not necessarily the same letter).
The seargant asked Juan to bomb the lawn thoughtfully.

Asynedeton
deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series of related clauses.
Caesar: "I came; I saw; I conquered." (not "I came, I saw, and I conquered."

Consonance
The repetition of consonants in words stressed in the same place (but whose vowels differ).
Justin added mustard to his toasted roast beef sandwich.

Ellipsis
The deliberate omission of a word or words, which are readily implied by the context (does not involve …).
"The average person thinks he isn't." –Father Larry Lorenzoni
(average is implied at the end of the sentence)

Epanalepsis
The repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause.
"Believe not all you can hear, tell not all you believe." —Native American proverb

Epistrophe
The repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses (reverse anaphora.)
“…government of the people, by the people, for the people.” –Abraham Lincoln

Inversion
In grammar, a reversal of normal word order, especially the placement of a verb ahead of the subject.
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." —J.R.R. Tolkein, The Hobbit
(not A hobbit lived in a hole in the ground.)

Metonymy
Reference to something or someone by naming one of its attributes.
I hate when a bunch of suits come in my room to evaluate me. (people who wear suits)

Polysyndeton
The deliberate use of many conjunctions for special emphasis.
"[I]t is respectable to have no illusions–and safe–and profitable–and dull." —Joseph Conrad, Lord Jim

Pun
A play on words, either on different senses of the same word or on the similar sense or sound of different words.
I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden shoe? (Wouldn’t you? – wooden shoes are worn in Holland)

Synedoche
A whole is represented by naming one of its parts.
You've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels. (look at my car, which has wheels)

CLAUSES
A component of a sentence (or entire sentence) that has a noun and a verb.

Independent clause
Can stand on its own as a complete sentence.
Low pay and constant grief are two of my job’s perks.

Dependent/Subordinate clause
Cannot stand on its own; usually contains a WABU); followed by a comma if it comes at the beginning of a sentence.
  • When you get home, call me.
  • Call me when you get home.
PHRASES
A component of a sentence that does not have a noun and a verb (may have one or the other)

Appositive phrase
A noun phrase set off by commas that defines the noun next to it in a sentence.
Clifford, the messiest eater at the table, spewed mashed potatoes like an erupting volcano.

Infinitive phrase
A verb phrase beginning with the “to” form of a verb.
Lakesha hopes to win the approval of her mother by switching her major from fine arts to pre-med.

[if the infinitive phrase interrupts the sentence, it gets comma before and after:
Those basketball shoes, to be perfectly honest, do not complement the suit you are planning to wear to the interview.]

Participial phrase
A phrase beginning with a participle (often –ing or –en), usually set off by commas.
  • Dave saved his money, hoping he could afford a PS4 when it came out.
  • Driven by a need to succeed, Jill backstabbed co-workers whenever it worked to her advantage.
Prepositional phrase
A phrase beginning with a preposition (fills the gap in “the squirrel ran ________ the trees); followed by a comma if it comes at the beginning of a sentence.
  • From where I stand, it looks like students need to study more.
  • The family only buys clothes from Target.

Friday, May 17, 2013

All Classes: Free Audiobooks this Summer

As mentioned in some classes today, you have an opportunity to get 24 free audiobooks this summer. Check out the Download Schedule and sign up for text/e-mail reminders.

There are some very good titles here: Shakespeare's Hamlet (you'll read it as a senior) and The Tempest (one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies); Frankenstein (good chance you'll read that senior year, too); Bless Me, Ultima; and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

In addition to the dozen "classic" literature choices, there are also 12 "young adult" picks. Death Cloud, Rotters, and Once look interesting to me.

Enjoy!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Lost at Sea

As a means to understand that survival in a hostile environment (such as the one the boys in Lord of the Flies find themselves) we engaged in a little practice exercise where groups of 3 to 4 had to survive on a life raft carrying only a few items from their sinking yacht.

You can play along, too: Lost at Sea! (hint: you'll only be able to carry your top six things (#1-6) onto the raft.)

Pre-AP English II: Allusions, Allegories, and Analogies

In class today we began looking at a presentation on Allusions, Allegories, and Analogies. If you missed it, or wanted to revisit it, check it out, below.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

English Classes: Reading Reminders

Pre-AP English II: You need to have read through Chapter Four of Lord of the Flies by the time we come together tomorrow. (See this earlier blog post for a way to get the text of the novel free.)

English I (Pre-AP): You need to have read from Act 2, Scene 2, through Act 2, Scene 6 of Romeo and Juliet (Ms. Muñoz is going to talk to her students and see if some want to re-sell you their copies of the book. If you don't have a copy, start bringing $5 to school to pick up a copy as they come available).

Pre-AP English II: How Words Are Added To Dictionaries

Those students who were in class today were presented with these two brief articles
  1. Why F. Scott Fitzgerald Is All Over the Dictionary
  2. How do you decide what to include in a dictionary?
and then answered the following question:
Do you think the way words are added to the dictionary (as per the two articles) is fair? Support your reasoning with evidence from one or both articles.
Please do likewise.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Text of Lord of the Flies

Although you aren't enrolled in Mr. Heald's GCSE English class, I don't suppose there's anything to stop you from going to his website and availing yourself of the links to .doc and .pdf versions of Lord of the Flies for your digital device.

Enjoy.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Pre-AP English II: Bring Lord of the Flies Tomorrow

Practice bringing your copy of William Golding's Lord of the Flies to school every day next week by bringing it to school tomorrow!

(Your cover may differ.)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

English I (Pre-AP): Play-writing Preview

Tomorrow you'll be working on your play.

Your play should include:
  • 3 characters
    • #1 wants to befriend/have a relationship with #2
    • #3 likes #1 but hates #2
  • A prologue (basic plot)
  • 1 Act
  • 3 Scenes (beginning, middle, end)
    • Setting and introduction of characters at beginning of each scene
    • Everyone goes off stage (“exeunt all”) at end of each scene
  • At least 5 stage directions for each scene
  • Stage directions should be in square brackets [ ]
  • Play is 90% dialogue
  • Should last about 5-10 minutes