river oaks [english]

Juniors Everyone's sonnets are due today, and the Honors students are writing an analysis (in-class essay) of one of the sonnets we studied. The analysis includes a line-by-line reading of the poem, focusing on the development of the idea and the use of diction and syntax to achieve the desired effect. Seniors The paper this week is on the effect (or lack of effect) of media violence on kids. We studied six sources, and the "synthesis" essay requires the use of at least three. The sources cover the various opinions on the matter, as well as providing evidence supporting or refuting the connection between media violence and real-life violence. NO HOMEWORK this weekend! Happy Halloween ...

Juniors Expect a quiz/test on Wednesday over the renaissance poets discussed so far. Know the history and form of the sonnet , as well. Your on-going assignment this week is to write a sonnet of your own. It should have all of the required "ingredients" of an Elizabethan sonnet, including the subject of love. The "love" does not have to be romantic, nor does it have to be about a specific person, although that's fine too. Write about a pet if you want, or your grandmother, or pizza -- as long as it's about love. Perhaps the hardest part about writing a sonnet is meter -- iambic pentameter -- so remember to think of rhythm as well as your subject. Your grade will be based on both form and content. Seniors Your next essay is about violence in the media -- in TV, films, video games, the internet -- and to what degree it should be controlled and/or censored. Tonight, read "Is Media Violence Free Speech?" in your text (p783).

Juniors Read 297-312: Sonnets Seniors Do the READING section of the ACT -- bring the answers on a separate sheet of paper

Juniors After reading 283-94, answer the following: Thinking Through Literature on 285 & 291 Comprehension Check on 287 & 293 Seniors You are working on ACT Prep all this week. Your "optional" assignment was to complete the MATH portion of the ACT booklet. Tonight do the ENGLISH. This is not optional. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper - no credit if you do not Go over your answers in the back of the book -- yes, I realize you could simply cheat, but you'd only be cheating yourself, yada yada -- and come with questions about the questions

This week in English IV we are preparing for the ACT (which is on Saturday). We will be using the official practice booklet, the ACT site , and various prep materials I've acquired over the years. Come ready to take notes, for there will be a test on Friday covering everything we've discussed. Homework for Tuesday -- Do the Math section, and bring the answers on a separate sheet of paper -- Yes, I realize I teach English English III students are starting to read selections from the Renaissance: Homework for Tuesday -- Read 283-94, poems from Wyatt, Marlowe and Raleigh

Expect to see questions from the following: Federigo's Falcon Ballads (Barbara Allan, Sir Patrick Spens, Get Up and Bar the Door) Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Death of Arthur Book of Margery Kempe Medieval Theater Vocabulary on 209 & 225 (20 of the 30) The format for the exam will be multiple choice, matching, short answer and an essay or two.

Seniors , I've had to revise your assignment a bit. Apparently, tobacco ads are increasingly hard to come by in magazines these days. Therefore, you can bring ads for any of the major industries -- transportation, food and beverage, beauty and fashion, health, electronics, etc. The non-honors students are writing a 500-word essay on ONE print ad. Make sure it's FULL PAGE, and bring it to class on Friday. You might want to bring an entire magazine in case the ad you've chosen turns out to be hard to write about. The AP students are writing a 750-word essay on TWO ads. Pick two ads and bring them to class on Friday. Focus on some connection between your ads -- product, style, theme, methods. We will break into small groups and ask the following questions: Who is the intended audience for your ad? Think about where you found it. What is the intended purpose, beyond selling a product? In other words, what else are they selling? An idea? A lifestyle? A feeling? What me

Seniors: We are looking at advertising this week, specifically tobacco print advertising . Your assignment for Thursday is to bring in a magazine with at least one example. You can also print one off of the Internet. We will be analyzing your ads in class and writing a paper next week. Juniors: We have a few more notes and one more text to read from the Middle Ages - The Book of Margery Kempe - and then we'll have a test on everything except Chaucer. The test is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 18th.

College Board has a new site for PSAT preparation and explanation: PSAT Skills. A little preparation can go a long way, so it's well worth your time to look at this site as well as the PSAT Prep site. Come to class Tuesday with questions about the test or specific questions from the practice booklet!

Juniors: The next couple of days will be spent watching a film and studying for the PSAT . Honors students will have more take home work than the non-honors students. Please let me know if you don't have a test booklet. Also, don't forget: honors students are writing the in-class essay on Thursday, Oct. 7th. After the PSAT test next Wednesday, Oct. 13th, we will finish the Middle Ages and have our test. That brings us to the end of the nine weeks. Seniors: We are currently working on a take home essay on the drinking age debate . Your task for this evening is to integrate ONE credible source into your paper. Your typed draft is due Wednesday, Oct. 6. Final draft due on Friday. Honors students will write the in-class essay on outside reading on Thursday, Oct. 7th.