river oaks [english]

Seniors Your assignment for tomorrow is to revise and type your Truman Show essay. Please bring two copies of your printed draft for peer review. The final draft is due on Wednesday . Dual enrollment students need to present two copies of the typed draft - one with the MLA heading and one without. Bring your copy of MAUS on Wednesday. Sophomores Your Frankenstein exam is scheduled for this Wednesday; however, based on my absence and our need to be thorough, I've moved it to Thursday . We will review on Wednesday, as well as discuss possible topics for Friday's in-class essay. Don't forget the vocabulary!

Sorry, but I will be out until Monday. If you have questions or concerns, please email me. Seniors Your essay for this week is to write a 750-word analysis of  The Truman Show . We have discussed various topics in class and throughout the movie. Please focus on ONE aspect of the film, and organize around a clear, critical thesis. I know it's tempting, but avoid summary of the plot. Instead, use specific examples and quotes from the film to develop your analysis. You should have at least one quote per paragraph, and your typed, revised version will also include a block quote. When you are finished today, put your essay in the box, and we will discuss your revisions on Monday. As this is your DE assessment essay, I will eventually need two copies - one with your name and one without. Please include your notes with the essay for help in the revision process. Remember that we will also start MAUS next week, so please bring your copies on Monday. Sophomores I know you will al

I will not be in class tomorrow. I have sick kids, and it's my turn to stay home. Mrs. D has instructions for you guys, and I will see you on Friday. Seniors Please PRINT a copy of the TOPIC LIST . You can choose from this list or adapt one from the homework. Come to class prepared to free write on possible topics. Sophomores You are taking a quiz on Part One of Frankenstein . Then, you will continue to read and work on Friday's question set. 

Seniors This week we are continuing to watch The Truman Show , and I have prepared a list of discussion questions for points. These are due on Thursday and should be answered citing specific examples from the film. I've asked all of you to take notes as you view the film because you will be writing an analysis essay at the end of the week. I will pass out a more extensive list of topics after we've finished viewing the film. AP students : your diagnostic test answers are due on Wednesday, on a separate sheet of paper. This is your base score, and you will be working to improve upon this in the coming weeks.  Sophomores We are continuing to read and discuss Frankenstein this week. Your EXAM is planned for next Wednesday (4/2). You should each have a copy of the study questions , but I've also linked them here. Answers should be typed, and the schedule is on the handout. All study guide questions and vocabulary for the novel exam come from Glencoe's Study Guide for

Seniors You'll be watching The Truman Show in class tomorrow. The movie is available on Amazon Prime , and it will take about three days to watch (Thursday, Monday and Tuesday). Friday most folks will be gone due to the ABC rally, but I will have something to do for those who come. For tomorrow, please watch carefully and thoughtfully. It's a movie that deserves close attention, even though the theme will be familiar. Pay attention to details; take notes. I'm going to have some questions for you as we proceed through the movie. Next week, we will write a critical analysis, so watch with that in mind. Sophomores Read through chapter two of Frankenstein . You are responsible for everything through chapter ten for Monday. I will leave study guides with the substitute tomorrow, and the first set of questions is due on Friday (for Letters 1-4).

Seniors Bring an article related to the subject of simulation. Your article can be in any field you find interesting. Some examples discussed include food substitutions, artificial tanning, and zoos. The over-arching question is based on Baudrillard's prediction that we will not only prefer the artificial to the real, but that the original will lose value: For example, people might prefer The Venetian in Las Vegas to actual Venice, Italy - staying there for their honeymoon and riding in the gondolas along the "canals" inside the mall. After all, the hotel is right there next to shopping and restaurants, and Paris is right across the street. The article should be credible , and it should support, not form, your argument. The tone of the article does not have to be negative, of course. We wouldn't be so apt to transition to artificial versions of things without good reason -- i.e. lower cost, convenience, and sometimes improved quality. Sophomores Don't forg

Seniors Revision essays are due Thursday, and AP essays are due Friday. The prompt for AP essays follows: Defend or challenge the inclusion of your book in an AP curriculum. Considering the goals of AP English, is your book instructive? What specifically makes it a valuable and useful text, or what specifically detracts from its educational value? Cite and discuss passages from the book as evidence for your argument. Consider such factors as the author's style, complexity of language, plot and/or subject matter, structure, cultural relevance, etc. Also, please purchase a copy of Art Spiegelman's MAUS sometime in the next two weeks. Sophomores Your test has been moved to Thursday , so that we will have more time to review. Your homework for tonight is to answer the following questions: #1-3 on 800, #1-3 on 802, and #2-3, 5 on 806. Honors papers are moved to Friday: I will give you the prompts in class on Friday.

We will use the following list of vocabulary words for the next three vocabulary exams (all on Fridays). The list was compiled by Kaplan and published by Washington Post as " The 100 Most Common SAT Words ." Know the first thirty words for this Friday.

Seniors Your essay this week is a revision of one of three essays. For prompts, please click the links below: Social Media and Body Image Scott McCloud's "Show and Tell" A.I. Article Summary and Critique   For each, your assignment is to type and revise the essay from your original draft, attaching the typed version to the original. The revision is due THURSDAY.  Sophomores We are discussing the work of John Keats in class Tuesday , including " Ode on a Grecian Urn ." We will have a quiz on Wednesday over the 2nd generation poets. Honors students will write their essays IN CLASS on Thursday , and I will introduce Frankenstein on Friday .