river oaks [english]

Seniors: Answer questions #1-8 on 475-6. Give me complete answers; in other words, write more than a sentence. Cite examples from the essay when appropriate. Juniors: You will have a quiz tomorrow (Friday) on "Wife of Bath's Tale." Honors students will start recitations tomorrow, as well. For audio versions of the "General Prologue" in Middle English, click here! On Monday, you will have a vocabulary test on all terms: of the forty, I will pick 30, and the test will be worth 60 points. We will also finish recitations. On Tuesday, you will have a 100-point exam on The Canterbury Tales

Juniors: Vocabulary worksheet - vocabulary test on Friday (terms on 111, 141, 154). Test next week on "The General Prologue," "Pardoner's Tale," and "Wife of Bath's Tale." Seniors: Read "For Fasting and Football" (p473-5). You might also want to read this article from USA Today on the school in Michigan that changed practice due to Ramadan.

Juniors: Everyone needs to read "Wife of Bath's Tale" in your textbook. As noted, it is a romance (not the kind with Fabio on the cover), and is also part of the "marriage group" of tales. Basically, the story answers the question: what do women really want in marriage? Also, I want you to start on the sample PSAT test I gave out last week. Non-Honors should complete the first page (#1-8), writing out the sentences with the correct vocabulary words. Honors should finish the first section (#1-24), writing only the answers. We will go over the correct answers in class and I will answer any questions you have as we proceed through the booklet. Seniors: Your FINAL DRAFT of the problem/solution paper is due on TUESDAY 9/21. Bring all sources used in the paper. Your final draft should be at least THREE PAGES. We will be writing an in-class ANALYSIS essay this week. We'll read a couple of articles/essays on football and write an analysis of the authors'

Juniors - Answer #2-6 & Comprehension Check on p152, Vocabulary Exercise A on p153 Seniors - Rough Draft of Problem/Solution due on MONDAY. The draft should include the following: Introduction - includes a transition from the career paper, a statement establishing the problem and a need for a solution, and an outline of the solutions Problem - description and definition of the problem, citing your sources as you use them; consider the causes of the problem and systemic effects Solutions - discussion of the solutions to the problem, including a consideration of factors such as cost, time, effectiveness, etc. Conclusion - statement about the best solution considering all variables Works Cited - using the MLA online guide , a list of all works used in the paper Type, format according to MLA, and print out. We will look at drafts in class on Monday.

Homework for tonight: Juniors need to study for a quiz tomorrow (Thursday) on the "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales . The best way to study for this is to make note cards on each of the pilgrims described. Don't forget about the author, setting, context and language. We'll talk about the memorization assignment in class, but to give you an idea of what it sounds like, check out the following clip: Seniors have two things to do, really: First, make sure you have at least THREE relevant and reliable sources for tomorrow. Try using Google News for recent articles. Second, because we will be writing about the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy, you need to decide how you feel about it. Read through the handout I gave you in class, and pick out quotes to support to refute; you'll be asked to refer to the handout at least three times. I thought about the question of "how far is far enough," and thought I'd look at the actual site. I found

For Wednesday , please answer questions #2-6 and the "Comprehension Check," all on p138. Also, I will pass out the "Prologue" in Middle English this week, so that you can start memorizing the first few lines! Expect a quiz on the "Prologue" on Thursday .

You have narrowed your topic down to ONE problem, and tonight you need to find at least TWO sources. Please print out those sources and bring them to class. Remember to judge your sources on the following criteria: What is the purpose for the site? To persuade? To inform? To sell something? Who wrote the information on the site? Is information about the author or publishers readily available? What qualifications do the authors have? You can sometimes find this info under "About Us". Is the information on the site documented? Often, sources (in the form of a works cited or bibliography) are provided to verify the reliability of the information. How recent is the information? Is the site updated frequently, or are there articles published on a regular basis? Your paper will begin to take shape as you read through your sources. You are looking for information about both the problem itself and the solutions a professional implements.

Just a reminder: all honors students need to be reading outside of class. Seniors , I have your revised, revised list of revisions, with corrections. Please request a copy. Or, you can simply read Fast Food Nation . Juniors , here's a recent (as in, today) NPR piece on Once And Future King . See? It's still relevant! UPDATE -- Wow, two stories in three days regarding your list! This one's on a new graphic novel version of Dante's Divine Comedy .

The following homework is due on Tuesday : Seniors: Write a letter (full block business letter) to me stating your topic for the problem/solution paper. Your letter can be short but should be specific and focus on ONE problem and the solutions that you as a professional would implement. Print and sign. Juniors : Write a one-page character analysis of the "Prologue" pilgrim you chose in class. The character should be analyzed on the basis of his/her physical description, what that person does and how that person acts, as well as the narrator's opinion. Use details and quotes from the text, referring to line numbers instead of page numbers. When you quote lines of poetry, remember to use a forward slash to indicate line breaks. Go here for examples.

Seniors: You are to write a one-page typed response paper over the weekend. Format according to MLA. The paper should explore possible topics for the problem/solution paper . Ask yourself what kinds of issues you will deal with daily as a professional in your field -- in other words, what kinds of problems are you as a professional expected to solve? Juniors: Read the rest of "The Prologue" to The Canterbury Tales (p113-36), and complete the vocabulary worksheet I handed out in class.

Your works cited page for the career paper is due Wednesday, Aug. 8th . The forms for MLA citation can be found at these two places: Purdue OWL's MLA Formatting and Style Guide Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation Online Remember that your works cited page should be numbered in sequence, or as an additional page in your paper. You can go to the end of your rough draft, hit CTRL-->Enter to insert a new page. Then print out only the last page. I'm giving you until Friday to finish the final version of the draft. You will turn in the paper along with your sources then. The interview letter -- due on Thursday, August 9th -- should formatted in full block style . The letter is single-spaced, with an extra space between the different sections and between paragraphs. Please include the following: One paragraph introducing your subject -- who you interviewed and why (to establish credibility), when and where the interview took place One or two paragraphs detailing th

Your interview letter is due next week, so if you haven't conducted the interview, you need to do so ASAP (as in NOW). In the meantime, even if you don't have the interview, it's time to write your first draft. Please include the following: A statement regarding your basic plan -- i.e. what you'd like to do later in life -- and a brief statement about why ; this is the reason you are planning at all. A description of the job/career, including everyday tasks, skills needed, benefits and drawbacks A discussion of the education involved -- both before and throughout your career The job outlook -- what kind of jobs are available, how much they pay, where they are (good place for data and statistics, even images) A discussion of your immediate plans -- where you are applying. who are you talking to, etc. As in any paper with sources, you will need to include a works cited page. I will go over the latest guidelines in class. Bring all of your sources with you. Your draft

Don't forget to STUDY for the exam. The exam covers the Anglo-Saxon period, including the following works: Beowulf "The Seafarer" "The Wanderer" "The Wife's Lament" Our discussion of the period included its history and poetics. Also, don't forget to study the vocabulary (Words to Know) for Beowulf . Click here for flipcards . The format is multiple choice, matching, short answer, and essay.