river oaks [english]

Seniors Read the Best Non-Required Reading intro Guillermo Del Toro. Along with Sherman Alexie's "Superman and Me," these short essays will provide the basis for your analysis essay this week. On Friday, you will choose one of the two and write a 500-word critical analysis, focusing on the rhetorical strategies used by the author to achieve his purpose. Sophomores Answer questions following "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" (CC and #2-5) for Wednesday. Read "Death of Arthur" and answer the questions (CC and #2-5) for Thursday. We will review on Friday and the exam is on Monday. The exam will cover the notes, both stories, and the vocabulary for each. Below is the video referenced in class:

Seniors Read Sherman Alexie's " Superman and Me ," and answer the questions following the essay (110-13). Vocabulary test this Thursday on A-D. Sophomores Vocabulary quiz on Monday, and then begin the lecture on King Arthur. Please read "Sir Gawain and The Green Knight" tonight (209-222).

To clarify, please be prepared for the following: Seniors Revisions due by the end of classes Friday Submit via Google Docs with the file name "lastname-revision1" Sophomores  Quiz Friday on "Wife of Bath's Tale" and "Federigo's Falcon" Quiz Monday on the vocabulary ("words to know") on all THREE stories Homework due Monday from pages 153, 170, and 178

Sophomores Read "Federigo's Falcon" (172-76) for Wednesday, and answer the following for Thursday: Comprehension Check and #2-5 (177). You will have a quiz on Friday. Seniors We are discussing revision this week, and on Wednesday we'll talk about appositives. Exercises 2 and 3 (170-72) are due on Thursday. Please type if you are able. (Yes, you are required to write the whole sentence.) You may also begin working on your revision; you will have time in class Thursday and Friday to finish, as well.

Seniors This week, you will be revising one of the three essays we've written: Argument (various prompts) Analysis of "The Real New York Giants" Argument (fixing high school) We will focus in class on revision, in general, and one aspect of revision in particular--sentence combining. On Wednesday during class, we'll work on an exercise, and Thursday and Friday will be spent working on your essays--due at the end of class, with the filename "lastname-revision1." Sophomores Your homework for Tuesday is to finish reading "Wife of Bath's Tale" and to answer #2-5 and the Comprehension Check on p167. Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent discussing "Frederigo's Falcon" by Boccaccio. Plan on a quiz on Friday over the two stories.

Seniors For homework, please answer the following -- in complete sentences, citing specifics from the the text: Read pages 150-155 Answer questions on p153 and 155 Also consider the following for your (possible) in-class essay: How do we fix the obvious problems facing high school education? Consider the original goals of public education (as stated by Mann) and the suggestions from Botstein, as well. In addition, think of this as a way to propose solutions to the problem presented by the videos and statistics viewed in class. Pick ONE problem and propose a solution or multiple solutions, including appeals to ethos, logos, and pathos. Remember the classical model. Possibilities include (but are not limited to) the following: Poor teacher pay/shortage/qualifications/education Lack of incentives for schools to compete, for students to graduate Curricula - lack of college readiness, technical training Environment - institutional, bullying, rules, etc. Focus on athletics

Sophomores Tomorrow, we will begin discussing " The Pardoner's Tale ." We will read and discuss the poem in class, and you will have a quiz on Friday.  Seniors We are starting a unit on the educational system in America. Tonight, please read the handout I gave you, titled " Rethinking High School " -- an overview of some of the key elements of the debate -- and come to class ready to discuss. While the article focuses on the big picture, we can look at our own community in Monroe, and specifically at River Oaks. How do you believe we fare when compared to other schools, in terms of college-readiness? Is that in fact the goal of the American high school? And should it be? Look at the following for more overview of the problem: XQ: The Super School Project   Interactive statistics: ( college readiness ) and ( education funding ) ACT: College Readiness U.S. Department of Education: College and Career Readiness

Seniors are writing an in-class Friday on " The Real New York Giants " by Rick Reilly. This is an analysis essay , in that your task is to analyze Reilly's use of various rhetorical strategies to reach his audience and achieve his intended purpose. In this case, he has written an essay that strikes a chord with many Americans post-9/11, stemming from their desire to pick up the pieces and to move forward after a senseless tragedy. How does he achieve this? We talked about several ways his essay appeals to pathos, or emotion; it also makes a logical argument. Reilly uses the parallel images of "the pile" to balance the passages about football and recovery efforts. He also uses colloquial expressions, and the players' own voices, to humanize those lost and left behind. The anecdotes peppered throughout serve a clear purpose; his use of concrete description and figurative language is also important, as are the rhetorical questions posed at the beginning of

Seniors For homework, answer the questions on p37 in your text. Apply them to the excerpt from Berne, and use complete sentences. Sophomores Your exam on "The General Prologue" is on Wednesday. Here are the notes (it's a PowerPoint file). Remember to turn in your annotations tomorrow for homework credit, and continue to prepare for the recitation assignment. To help you with pronunciation, refer to your handout and the following: First 18 lines in Middle English (from Harvard) Prologue Rap (a la 80's Beastie Boys)

Seniors Today in class, Seniors are writing an argument essay on one of four possible prompts. This is an initial draft, and students will have the opportunity to revise later. On Tuesday, we will discuss Chapter Two on analysis and look at some sample texts. On Friday, we will write an in-class essay analyzing a specific text. Sophomores Notes continue on Monday and Tuesday, with an exam Wednesday on "The General Prologue." Recitations of the first 18 lines (in Middle English) are due Friday, and Honors students will take the essay test for their assigned texts on Thursday.

Seniors Tomorrow is a planning and discussion day in preparation for writing an argument essay. I will ask for a thesis and a general outline by the end of class. Topic to be announced. Your essays MUST follow the "Classical Model" (pp 13-14) outlined in class. Sophomores Please continue to annotate your text up through the Guildsmen and Cook. The current plan is to have an exam next Wednesday on the "General Prologue." Your recitations are Thursday, and Honors essay tests are on Friday, October 9th.