river oaks [english]

Have a nice break...have fun and be safe. Read a book that's not required. See you in January (if not before).

Your research papers are due on Friday 12/9. Below is a summary of assignments and requirements for your final draft: 1. Abstract (due 12/7)-- a 200-word summary of the report, including ALL relevant information; should be clear and concise ; see examples here 2. Letter of Transmittal (due 12/8)-- a letter that accompanies the report, which states the contents and purpose of the report; should include contact information and signature; full block format 3. Cover Page -- should include the title of your report, author, date, course, and teacher; can use any readable font; remember that this is the first thing the reader will see! 4. Table of Contents -- Refer to section headings only 5. Final Report (due 12/9) should be presented in a report cover or binding; the order is as follows: title page, abstract, table of contents, introduction with title at the top (all CAPS), body of report, works cited, back page (blank)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving... Congratulations to the guys for the great win last week -- looking forward to the game on Thursday! This will be a short week, but we have much to do (of course): First, although I didn't give any homework over the break, you should be finishing up DEAR books and any other outside reading assignments. Your papers will be due soon on those. Seniors , I'll give you your research papers on Monday to REVISE. We'll discuss the final format and answer general questions concerning your papers. I'm happy to say that many (most?) of your papers are close to finished, and I believe you've produced some good writing overall. However, as noted, I have made corrections/suggestions on ALL of your papers (three each, for those who have completed the assignments), and I fully expect you to follow my suggestions for revision. Those of you who are behind need to catch up. All grades are due in about three weeks, which means you have ...

UPDATE: Rough draft is due Thursday 11/17, Final draft on 11/18 Your assignment is to write a two-three page essay on an aspect of medieval life (topics below). Your report must include information from no more than two sources, cited according to MLA. Note that all information from your sources – whether quoted directly, paraphrased or summarized – must be cited. MLA requires that the author include the author’s last name (or first word of the title in quotes) and a page number (none for web pages) at the end of the sentence, in parentheses. Your essay must be typed. With the final draft, you must also include a copy of each source you used. Print out web pages and make copies of books or magazines. Staple everything together, with the essay on top. Below is a list of possible topics: Social Order Knighthood Feudalism Chivalry & Courtly Love Slavery / Serfdom Religion in the Middle Ages Pilgrimage Heresy The Crusades Holy Grail Judaism Paganism Science & Medicine Humora...

For those interested, I've provided links to the E.A. Poe Society and the Edgar Allan Poe Museum . Both of these sites have numerous links to material on Poe, including biographical information (he was not a drug addict, as many have claimed) and literary criticism. We'll read " The Red Masque of Death " and " Fall of the House of Usher " and discuss a couple of his poems, as well.

Seniors, you'll need to know about the following for your exam: Early History of England Celtic ( Briton ) culture/influence Roman invasion/influence (for 400 years) Anglo-Saxon Period Anglo-Saxon invasion (5th century) Culture and Language Anglo-Saxon Poetry (scops,kennings, alliteration, caesura, etc) ~ Beowulf ~ The Seafarer Middle Ages Norman Conquest (1066) Culture (feudalism, plague, Magna Carta, crusades, etc) Romantic Literature (chivalry & courtly love) ~Frederigo's Falcon Arthurian Literature (sources and authorship) ~Sir Gawain & the Green Knight ~Death of Arthur Finally, you'll have to write about the Heroic Cycle (called the "monomyth" by Joseph Campbell).

Juniors , bring money for your book ASAP! We'll begin reading Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter later this week, and everyone needs the same edition . I'm placing a bulk order soon, so I need to collect $6.00 from everyone. Thanks.

UPDATE: Your rough draft is due Thursday; final draft is due Friday. Everyone should have now picked his/her character. If you have a serious problem with your choice, then please let me know via email and we'll discuss alternatives. The assignment for your essay on To Kill A Mockingbird is below: Overview Each of you will write a two-three page paper tracing a character’s development (Honors students will write at least three pages). Character selection will be random, and you will each then begin the process of accumulating evidence from the novel. The paper will be formatted according to MLA and will follow English Department guidelines – typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman. Organization Your paper should be developed around a central thesis – one that makes an overall statement about the character’s development and how changes in that character affect the overall narrative. Your introduction must include your subject and topic (the novel and character) and shou...

What better way to spend Halloween than reading a story that begins with a beheading? For the next week or so, we'll be discussing Arthurian Literature, beginning with a look at " Sir Gawain and the Green Knight ," the anonymous tale of a test of courtly love, involving a supernatural green knight and a bet. For more information on the poem, read this introduction . I've also included a prose translation that you can compare with the verse translation we have in our book.

Congratulations, Mustangs! Now, for your weekend homework: Seniors -- You're reading the remainder of the Anglo-Saxon unit, from Gilgamesh to the discussion of the language. There are questions to answer after the poem. Juniors -- You're reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and answering the "Analyzing the Poem" questions after each selection. Freshmen -- You're responsible for Chapters 12 through 16. Answer the questions for each chapter and write your "masterpiece" sentences with the vocabulary from each, as well. By "masterpiece," I mean write sentences that illustrate the meaning and usage of the vocabulary words. Remember to underline the vocab word in each sentence.

After the performance today of Beowulf , I was thinking how refreshing it is to hear Beowulf in its original language ( Old English ). Considering the fact that I am guilty of occasionally mangling the language myself, I thought I'd provide a link to the real thing . Also, several have wondered out loud what Beowulf and Grendel, especially, might look like. In addition to paintings on the subject, interestingly, there have been several comic books based on the poem. One of the best I've seen is Gareth Hinds' recent graphic novel. Finally, I just learned that Neil Gaiman -- author of the Sandman series of graphic novels and Good Omens (on the Senior list) -- just co-wrote the screenplay for a film version of Beowulf. Cool.

Hello Everyone... As you all know, independent reading essays for the Juniors and Seniors are due next week. ALL Juniors are required to turn in essays this nine weeks. Non-Honors Seniors get a break until the end of the semester. Requirements: All essays should be at least two typed pages, formatted according to MLA. Seniors -- Your paper should be a critical essay using one outside source. Pick an article from the Internet that relates to your topic, not necessarily your book. For example, if you were discussing 1984 , then you might find an article about some schools' decision to put cameras in classrooms. Juniors -- Your paper is a character analysis, tracing one character's development throughout the novel. Below is a suggested organization: Start out by introduce your topic, including the title of the book, the author, and the character you are examining. Next, continue by stating how and why you think the character has changed. Finally, try to find your thesis in ...

The latest edition of Musings is in. Go to the Musings website for more information. River Oaks Interact Club has elected officers for the 2005-2006 school year: President -- Sam Herman Vice-Pres -- Tyler Metzger Secretary -- Lauren Topakoglu Treasurer -- Mickel Husted Media Reps -- Taylor, Graves, Emilie, Leah (and others) Interact's first activity of the year is to gather supplies for hurricane victims currently sheltered at the Monroe Civic Center. Interact is also sponsoring Hideaway Road for the Adopt-A-Road campaign. Our new sign is up at the corner of Hideaway and Old Sterlington. We have our first Clean-Up scheduled for Monday (Labor Day) @ 10:00. Thanks again to all who have donated money to the River Oaks "Drum Corps." The new drums have been ordered and will hopefully be here in time for the next home game!

Hello everyone. I hope your summer was great and that you all are ready to get back to work (yes, I know...wishful thinking). Our schedule for the first week is the pretty much the same for all of my classes: Monday -- 1/2 day (assembly, short classes) Tuesday -- 1/2 day (go over syllabus and policies) Wednesday -- EXAM for the required summer reading book Thursday -- Summer reading reports are DUE at the beginning of class! Friday -- Flag ceremony and pep rally (we'll do some in-class writing) I plan to use this site regularly throughout the school year, so check back often. I'll see you in class!

Hello everyone! I hope your summer has been great so far.... I know most of you received a copy of the summer reading list with your report cards. However, if you lost the sheet, or never got one, you should be able to download a copy from the River Oaks site very soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd summarize the assignment for you. Non-Honors students will read two books -- one required and one chosen from the reading list for your grade. Honors students will read three books -- one required (same for all students in your grade) and two chosen from the reading list. ALL students will take an exam upon returning to school on the required book for your grade. In addition, ALL students will write a "reading guide" for the book(s) you chose from the list. The requirements are below: Format according to MLA (for an example, go to Purdue’s Online Writing Lab . Use 12-point Times New Roman font. Please use headings to identify each section of your reading guide. First,...

Your final exam will cover the following: Realism -- Information from pages 376-384, including general info about Douglass The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn -- remember the Study Guide Research Methods -- Finding, Evaluating & Citing sources Ambrose Bierce -- "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" & "The Devil's Dictionary" Modernism -- Information from lectures and introductory essays As usual, the exam will include a variety of question types (multiple choice, matching, fill-in-the-blank, short answer & identification) and, of course, a short essay.

To reinforce the lectures this week, and to cover information we won't have time to get to, I've assigned some readings in the big red book -- pages 494-500, 628-632, & 706-710 . Taken together, the essays cover everything you need to know for the "Modernism" portion of your final exam. Primarily, I want everyone to understand the "big picture," the development of literature in America as it enters the 20th century. As your book states, "[Modernism], swept along by disillusionment with traditions that seemed to have become spiritually empty, called for bold experimentation and a sweeping rejection of all traditional themes and styles" (495). The Modernist movement directed most everything that followed, propelled by Ezra Pound's edict to Make it new! For more information than you'd ever care to know on the subject of Modernism (including several links to even more information), look at this Wikipedia page. Finally, listen to/watch...

As promised, here is the link to Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary . No, it's not about the devil. First published in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book , it's a satirical dictionary with alternate definitions for common words. Your assignment is to copy & paste five definitions into a word processor (or you can type it). Please use a different letter for each word. In other words, no two words should start with the same letter. Look through the list and pick words that pique your interest.

Hello, and welcome Freshmen. As promised, I've added links to the Ad Council , makers of many of the PSA's you've seen growing up, and also two Frontline episodes -- Merchants of Cool and The Persuaders . We'll be talking about marketing as we are reading The Gospel According to Larry , and I thought these sites might help give you a broader understanding of the industry.

By now, you've all experienced the frustration of searching the internet for sources. It's a large place, and using Google alone (with keywords only) is not sufficient for finding everything you'll need for your paper. As you learned at ULM, the best way to find articles on topics pertaining to literature is to go through a database that collects articles in that field. Usually, these databases are subscription based, and this is why access is often restricted. However, one free service that I've found useful is Find Articles . Like JSTOR or other databases, Find Articles collects articles from (mostly popular) periodicals. You can search their database using keywords and print out full text articles. Note that when you use an article found through Find Articles, or any other database, you must include that information in the citation for the source. We will have citation workshops in class on Wednesday and Thursday. Finally, one last resource I just learned abou...

I just want to remind you, once again, that you must take careful notes when conducting your research. Duke's library has a page on avoiding plagiarism that I'd like for you all to read. Here's another site from Louisiana Tech's online writing center . A general rule is to always print out a copy of whatever you are working with. In fact, you are required to turn in a copy of every source you use with every quote and paraphrase highlighted. Also, for every source you use in your paper, we'll create a notecard with a citation and summary. This information will be used to compile an Annotated Bibiliography , something you have to do in many classes in college. Basically, an annotated bibliography is a list of citations of your sources (as they will appear in the Works Cited page) with a summary of each source, focused only on the material you used from that source. I've linked an example for you.

I hope you all got something out of our trip to ULM's library . I encourage all of you to utilize the resources they have available to us. Especially useful is JSTOR -- a collection of full-text periodical articles. Although we do not have access from off-campus without an ID, you can access the database from the terminals in the library, view records and take notes. You can also access the library's catalog from off-campus, so if you plan to visit the library you can save time by writing down call numbers before you go. I would like to schedule a time to meet those of you who are interested at ULM. Let's set up a time. As noted, not all of the services ULM offers are open to the public. For that reason, I encourage all of you to get a library card from the Ouachita Parish Public Library . With your card, you will have remote access to Galenet and other resources. As promised, I've linked the Duke site mentioned in the clinic. Remember that the sites linked i...

Now that the first draft of the research paper has been completed, it's time to begin gathering evidence from secondary sources. As noted in class, we are simply adding evidence to your first draft, and that evidence will come from your book and from sources "outside" of the book. We'll soon discuss the process of finding and evaluating those sources -- in class, and on Monday at ULM's library. To get us started, I'd like for you to check out Purdue's Online Writing Lab , perhaps the most extensive source online for resources related to writing. I've linked the portion of the site titled "Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format." You'll find information there that reinforces the concepts I've discussed so far. In addition, I would like for you to view and print out the sample research paper found on Diane Hacker's website. Her handbooks are used regularly in college classrooms around the country, and the site is a ...

We've talked a good bit about whether or not the novel is racist, and most of the class seems to agree that it is a product of its time. For example, it can be argued that the use of the N-word adds to the realism (or authenticity?) of the book. For more insight into the problem of racism in the 19th century (and beyond), check out The Authentic History Center's Teaching Diversity website. Prepare to be offended. According to the site, "these items reflect the history and societal values of the time period in which they were produced." However, it is hard to look at some of these images objectively, through a modern "lens." If you think the images are offensive, or if you think the images are funny (or a mixture of both), I want you to think about why . The images certainly don't represent reality, as in the way things actually are , but the stereotypes are very real. I would like you to form your own opinion. Please respond to the images in...

For those of you who are interested, here's an essay by Twain on the subject of lynching . The essay is critical and serious, and relates to Colonel Sherburn's argument in Chapter 22 (page 123 for those reading the Modern Library edition). It's worth the read if you can stomach it. Twain's The United States of Lyncherdom

Yes, we are back to work now. All of you have work to do, so get busy. English I -- You should be finished with Act Two. Quiz on Thursday . We'll get started on the video project fairly soon. Groups have not been selected yet, and I'm still deciding whether ot not you will have a choice. Once selected, groups will draw scenes from a hat. English III -- You're supposed to have read through Chapter 20. This weekend we'll move on. Quiz on Thursday .

Now that we have begun reading the book, it's time to look ahead to the assignments leading up to the big paper . First, here's a Study Guide that will help guide you in your reading. In addition to keeping up with the reading, each of you are required to keep a vocabulary log , looking up unfamiliar words as you come to them, and defining them in the context of the book. I'll explain further when I hand out the assignment. The first assignment due is the article summary . You've already received the handout. Learning how to summarize effectively is one of the first skills you need to master. It teaches you to avoid quoting except when absolutely necessary, which will help you maintain a fluid style throughout your paper. You will be synthesizing , or combining, several sources around a singular thesis, so your writing must act as the glue that holds them together. Next, we'll learn how to cite a source, cross-referencing a piece of information with the cit...

Before I forget, the Huckleberry Finn books are in (Modern Library edition). Get your copy now, if you don't already have one. It's best (although not cheapest) to get the same edition; otherwise, we'll all be on different pages. Plus, we're going to read some essays from the Modern Library edition. We'll start the book soon, and afterwards begin to talk about the research paper. For some background, check out the "Huck Finn Homepage" and the companion site to Mark Twain , a film by Ken Burns.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2004/2005 edition of MUSINGS. You can send your writing or artwork to the staff via email (rylands@mac.com) or by giving it to me at school. Also, if anyone is interested in making a monetary donation to MUSINGS, I have sponsorship forms available: Calliope ~ muse of epic poetry (100$ or more) Erato ~ muse of romantic poetry (50$ or more) Thalia ~ muse of idyllic poetry (10$ or more) Any amount is welcome. Thanks.