river oaks [english]

Sophomores Today we read " Ozymandias " and " To a Skylark ," both by Percy Bysshe Shelley . Answer questions at the end of each poem for tomorrow. Seniors Study your vocabulary terms . Use the definitions from Webster's (in the light blue box). Test tomorrow!

Sophomores Today we read Lord Byron 's " She Walks in Beauty " and " Childe Harold's Pilgrimage ." Answer the questions following those selections for tomorrow. Seniors Tomorrow in class, you are writing a summary/critique of an article on AI (artificial intelligence). Please consider the following: Who wrote the piece, and where was it published? How do you know the author and publication are credible? What is the main idea or thesis? Does the title have special significance? What support is offered? Is it cross-referenced or cited? Are there links within the article? Is the evidence or support clearly organized? Is there any particular pattern of organization? (i.e. comparison/contrast, definition, cause/effect, persuasive, etc.) What visual elements, if any, are used to enhance the presentation? Is the piece clear and easy to read? Do you detect any bias, or does the author seem objective? Your focus should be on summary, with minimal commen...

QUIZ TOMORROW on 1st generation of Romantic Poets: Burns, Blake, Wordsworth and Coleridge.

To summarize, here's your week: Monday - Bring an article on AI. Read it! Tuesday - Bring your AP worksheet with answers on a separate sheet Wednesday - Write AI essay in class Thursday - Vocabulary Test (based on terms chosen on Tuesday) Friday - Spring Break!

Seniors The natural extension of our discussion about robotics is the topic of artificial intelligence. If robots are going to be increasingly a part of our lives, then certainly they are going to become more "user friendly" and more autonomous. What are the implications of this trend? Here are some articles/sites to get you started: The AI Revolution Is On The Dawn of the Age of Artifical Intelligence Diverless Cars on CNN The Questions That Computers Can Never Answer Virtual Assistants IBM Watson Mars Rover - Discovery Please bring an article to class on Monday (from this list or one of your own). Please READ IT. We will discuss your articles in class, and each of you will choose one to summarize and critique in class on Wednesday. The AP worksheet is due on Tuesday, when we will generate a list of vocabulary terms for Thursday's test. Sophomores Your homework is to answer the "Reading Check" questions (a-e) following Rime of the Ancient Marine...

I will be out most of the morning, but I have given the substitute all the materials you will need for class: Seniors You will be writing your essay in class. You'll need the book and ONE other source. You will construct an argument that considers the positives and negatives of "living better with robots." Sophomores You are reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner   in class. We will discuss the poem and homework on Thursday, and you can expect a quiz on Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge on Friday.

Seniors Science Fiction’s role in the generation of innovative ideas for the future is well documented. As novelists and short story writers dream up imaginary technologies, scientists strive to make those ideas a reality. Nowhere is this more apparent today than in the field of robotics.   Citing examples from Brian Aldiss’s story “Super-Toys Last All Summer Long” and from at least one other article, your next essay will examine the pros and cons of, as MIT puts it, “living better with robots.” What positive and negative effects exist already, and how might this change in the future? How prophetic is “Super-Toys” and what connections can be drawn between the story and present reality? Below is a list of sites that might be helpful: Carnegie Mellon Biorobotics Laboratory MIT Personal Robotics Group Berkeley Robotics & Human Engineering Laboratory Boston Dynamics Willow Garage DARPA:  Defense  Advanced Research Projects Agency  iRobot Corporation...

I know it's been a crazy week, but we will move on. Your homework for Friday is below: Seniors Answer questions #1-7 on p671 following the short story " Super-Toys Last All Summer Long ." We will NOT write an essay in class tomorrow; instead, I will show you some video and hand out an article or two. Sophomores Read the Burns/Blake handout, and answer questions following the "Chimney Sweeper" poems (#2-9).

Seniors The essay today is on Scott McCloud's "Show and Tell." McCloud's "graphic essay" is actually Chapter Six of his Understanding Comics , and it discusses the ability of comics to communicate through a delicate balance of words and pictures. In fact, I would argue that this is increasingly becoming the way people communicate in the world today -- via technology like texting and social media. This balance, he argues, is what makes comics work. Your prompt follows: Analyze the rhetoric of McCloud's "graphic essay" on communicating ideas through the combination of words and pictures. How does he achieve his rhetorical purpose? In what ways does he employ the same techniques he is explaining? Consider his use of language and imagery, including rhetorical techniques such as juxtaposition, parallelism, allusion and figurative language.  Sophomores We are moving on to the Romantic Period. Please read the following introduction from your te...

Seniors Your homework is to read the rest of the Scott McCloud piece and to answer the questions at the beginning of the selection. Here is his TED Talk, by the way, in case you're interested: Sophomores Your homework is to read the handout on 18th century women writers. We will review tomorrow, and your exam is on Thursday. Sorry, doesn't look the weather is going to cooperate.