river oaks [english]

Your honors essay exam assignment is posted below. DO NOT plagiarize your answers, or you risk earning a grade of ZERO on your exam. English II - Honors Exam

Seniors This week, we are preparing for the midterm/final and working on a revision: Monday-Wednesday Choose one of three essays to revise: Analysis 2, Analysis 3, or Synthesis 2 Print and share with at least two fellow students Due (shared) by end of class Thursday  Thursday-Friday Study rhetorical terms from three quizzes Annotate three analysis prompts in class ONE of these three will be your essay on the midterm/final  Sophomores We are finishing up discussion of Macbeth this week. Through quizzes and homework, I will give you a preview of questions to consider on the midterm, but there will be no exam on the play. Your summary of Engel's chapter on Shakespeare is due on Tuesday. It should follow the suggestions for summary discussed in class, and it should be around 250 words, formatted according to MLA. This is optional for non-honors students. Your midterm review is now posted, as well.

Sophomores Read Act One of Macbeth and answer questions at the end of the section (p346): Comp Check and #2-6. Quiz on Thursday over Act One and introductory notes. Seniors Annotate your handout (new copies by my door) and print ad. We will organize and plan your essays in class. 

Seniors You are writing a synthesis paper this week on advertising. Packets are by my door if you didn't get one. Read the packet for Tuesday, and we will discuss. The paper will be written in class on Friday. A secondary assignment involving advertising will be due for homework on Wednesday : Bring an effective print ad to class - can be printed from the internet or copied from a magazine Sophomores We are discussing Macbeth this week and next. Instruction will be on contextual notes primarily, and you should expect reading quizzes throughout. The first quiz (on Shakespeare's biography and the Elizabethan theater) is Wednesday, Dec 2nd . First, however, we must get everyone's sonnets. If you do not bring (or recite) your sonnet on Monday, please be prepared to do so Tuesday or Wednesday at the beginning of class.

Seniors Your profile essays are due by end of classes Thursday. Remember that the focus of this essay is a "profile" of your parent, not a biography. Focus on specific, sensory details of the interview (including body language and tone), and include a description of them then and now . Please see the following for specific guidelines and questions: Profile Essay Assignment Parent Interview Questions   Sophomores Your exam on lyric poetry in the renaissance is Tuesday . Please study your notes, and re-read the selections in your handouts. We will review in class, but the following will be included: lyric poetry - pastoral poetry, sonnets, and scansion (analyzing meter) poems by Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh, Christopher Marlowe poems by Sir Thomas Wyatt, Edmund Spenser, William Shakespeare Petrarchan, Spenserian, and Shakespearean sonnet forms The Faerie Queen , Amoretti, and Sonnets  For Thursday , you have TWO choices - to recite (or write down) one of Sh...

Seniors Read and annotate the piece from John M. Barry for tomorrow: from The Great Influenza . We will write an analysis essay this week. Also, now that you have a list of questions, you need to conduct your interview. If you need a copy of those questions, please see me. We will write those essays in class next Monday and Tuesday. Sophomores Please read the introduction to the Renaissance (p274-81) and be prepared to take a quiz tomorrow based on the reading and the notes. Honors students, don't forget about your second quarter books! Again, here is your English II-Honors Reading List.

Seniors On Friday, you will write your "This I Believe" essays in class. See the prompt here . Also, look ahead to next week when we will write the Profile Essays - based on the interview with a parent/guardian - depending on the schedule. Also, at some point soon, we will work on another Analysis Essay - this one from an AP prompt, as well. Sophomores Tomorrow is the day of your quiz on Margery Kempe (251-7), medieval theater (258-9), and ballads (192-8). Your homework is to answer the questions on p198 (CC and #2-5).

Seniors This week, you are revising the "This I Believe" synthesis from August. Make sure you keep the original file by copying into a new document named "lastname-believe2" and sharing that with me. You will have time to revise in class, and the final revisions are due by the end of classes on Thursday. Revisions should be 600-750 words. For homework Friday, please PRINT or write a short (150-200 words) narrative explaining your revisions. Don't forget the 2nd vocabulary quiz on Thursday (euphemism - oxymoron). And on Friday, you will all write your own " This I Believe " essays. Sophomores Answer the questions on p256: comprehension check, #2-6. Quiz FRIDAY on "Book of Margery Kempe," medieval theater, and ballads.

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.

Seniors For Thursday, find one logical fallacy, define it, and provide your own example. Examples can come from your experience, the news, or a website. However, if you use a source, you must also cite it properly according to MLA. Type this up and bring it to class. Use the following site for your definitions: thou shalt not commit logical fallacies . Sophomores Annotate the first twelve pages of " The General Prologue " handout. Create a two-color key on the front cover for (1) physical description and (2) personality characteristics. Highlight passages that correspond to each, and be ready to share yours with the class. The characters you are responsible for tonight are from the nobility and the church (Knight to Friar).

Seniors We are starting fresh tomorrow with a lecture on the principles of rhetoric. In preparation for our next essay, please read Chapter One of your textbook. The first concept we will discuss is the Aristotelian Triangle pictured below: Sophomores This week we are discussing Geoffrey Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales . Plus, you will all have the opportunity to learn some Middle English (from " The General Prologue "). For now, read the introduction on pages 107-111 to reinforce the lecture notes.

Your final draft of the research paper is DUE Friday by noon. Please observe the following requirements: title page with abstract at bottom 2000-2500 words in length same font throughout (including title page, headings and page numbers) bound in a report cover section headings throughout works cited page with citations only pages numbered from intro to works cited copies of all sources (exceptions noted) For reference, especially for the citation of images, VIEW the example mentioned in class. If you need more time, there is a 10-point penalty for turning this in on Monday (and 10 points/day after).

Seniors This next week we are finishing up the research paper (printed and presented by Friday). Now that you have submitted your annotated bibliographies, it's time to combine and revise your drafts. The front cover of your report will be a title page that includes an abstract, and your last page will be a revised works cited (including a citation for each image in the draft). Title page with abstract - due Wednesday Title page should include title of your paper, your name, the course, and the date Abstract should be around 100 words and at the bottom of the title page your career the problem related to your career possible solutions evaluation based on criteria your conclusion Combined draft with headings - due Thursday for peer review Draft will be a combination of all three papers (numbered in sequence) Headings will be inserted before every major section  Draft is saved as "lastname-research" Revised works cited (without annotations) - due Frida...

Sophomores You have a quiz tomorrow on The Exeter Book and The Venerable Bede . Read the texts (pages 84-105) in addition to studying the notes . If you'd like homework credit, then please do the following: Read the Grendel handout, and then answer  #1-4 Answer CC and #2-4 on p104 Remember to write in complete sentences and to CITE the text in your answers Seniors Your Solutions Essay (lastname-solutions) is due by the end of classes tomorrow. Your Annotated Bibliography (lastname-bib) assignment is due on Monday at the end of classes. This must be printed out and handed in. Keep up with your sources, and make sure you have copies in class on Monday (exceptions noted).

Seniors Continue to work on your Solutions Essay and Annotated Bibliography . Please bring your sources and questions, so that I can help you during class. Again, the forms for citation can be found on Purdue's Online Writing Lab . Sophomores Quiz on Friday. Re-read the poems discussed in class, and answer the following: #1-4 on p93 CC and #2-3 on p96 The riddles we covered in class are HERE , and you can find the complete list HERE .

Sophomores Read "The Seafarer" and answer #1-4 on p89. Use complete sentences and cite from the text. Seniors You have two assignments due Wednesday: Print the Solutions Essay handout, and bring it to class Find and print at least one source that provides evidence for your Solutions Essay You will begin working this third and final part of your research paper tomorrow in class. At the same time, you should be working to document your sources--both within the paper and on a list of works cited. We will build your annotated bibliography from those sources used in your paper(s) so far, including at least the following: Your interview(s) College Board/Occupational Outlook Handbook Degree description or plan from a university of your choice The source used to define your problem  At least one source discussing possible solutions ONE of your sources MUST be from a scholarly publication, or peer-reviewed journal. To find current and relevant sources related to you...

Sophomores Your reading this week is on pages 84-105. We are discussing the Exeter Book (another important manuscript from the period), and The Venerable Bede (Father of English History). Expect a quiz on Friday. Seniors Your Problem Essay is due today by 12am. Remember, you've already shared it, so I'm looking at the time it was last edited. Tomorrow I will give you the Solutions Essay assignment, due Friday, and we will talk about your Annotated Bibliography assignment, due Monday. To preview, please consider the following: Your Solutions Essay is a natural extension of your Problem Essay in that it offers possible "solutions" to the "problem" discussed. Much of your research will be the same, as well. Remember to make note of any images you use from the internet, as you will be required to cite them. Your annotated bibliography is essentially a list of "works cited" with "annotations," or notes, following each entry. We ...

Sophomores Your Beowulf exam is Monday, Sept. 14th. It will consist of multiple choice, matching, short answer and an essay. The exam is worth 100 points and will cover the Anglo-Saxon/Beowulf notes, as well as the "words to know" vocabulary from the selection. Seniors Your Problem Essay will be due Monday at the end of classes. You will have time to work on your papers in class. Remember to cite ALL information from your sources, including your interview. Introduce your interview subject (name, title, position) before including information, and then refer to him/her by last name throughout.

Seniors Your Proposal Memo is due now, and your Interview Letter is due tomorrow (9/11). You will be drafting the Problem Essay in class tomorrow and Monday, so bring your sources. Remember that your sources must be from reputable websites, and you should cite all information used:   Memo should include a statement of purpose, a brief description of the problem, and a summary of research to date Letter should be full block and should include an introduction to the interview subject, a summary of the information gained, and a statement on how it relates to your paper Essay should include a definition of the problem, including the cause(s) and scope, and it must include researched support -- i.e. facts, statistics, examples, and analogies. You may include an image covering no more than 1/4 page. Format according to MLA, and cite everything . DO NOT DISCUSS THE SOLUTION AT THIS TIME (save this for paper #3) Sophomores We will review in class tomorrow. Please look at the vo...

Seniors Come to class with some ideas for "problem" topics. Sophomores Read part three of Beowulf and answer questions at the end of part two, "Grendel's Mother."

Seniors You are writing your "problem" papers this week, focusing on a singular, significant problem in your field. In other words, research a common issue you will encounter as a professional. Your interview letters are due this Friday and should include the following: full block formatting an introduction of your interview subject and setting for the interview a detailed summary of the most useful information gained a conclusion that states the overall relevance of your interview Sophomores  This week we will finish reading Beowulf, and an exam is scheduled for Monday. In addition, Honors students must complete the following assignment by Friday: Honors students have an assignment due on Friday -- reading and summarizing an article on the Staffordshire Hoard . Your summary should be around 250 words and formatted according to MLA. Summaries may include quotes, but only when the wording is unique to the author. Use the following for instructions regarding su...

Seniors Tomorrow at the end of classes is your deadline for the Career Search paper (aka lastname-future). I've linked the assignment below, and you should have a paper copy. Don't worry about the works cited until your draft is complete. And, yes, you may work on this at home. Career Paper Sophomores As noted above, tomorrow is a work day. You will be finishing and typing your "hero" stories; based on your handwritten drafts, it looks like you have a good start. Remember the guidelines: Should be typed, double-spaced and in a 12-point font. Otherwise, the formatting is up to you, as long as you include a title and your name. This paper will be saved and shared on Google Docs as "lastname-epic."  The story should introduce (and name) your character, who should embody at least five of those characteristics discussed. The story should follow Campbell's outline of the first quarter of the story - from Home to Threshold . Look HERE  (or BELOW ) for ...

Seniors Type your list of 15 interview questions, including the names of at least two potential interview subjects. Please type on Google Docs and share with me as Lastname-Interview . Yes, these assignments are all for grades. For Thursday , you are to bring two printouts: something from the department where you plan to study, including possibly an outline of coursework or degree description (for example, I would have used ULL's English Department description of degree concentrations) a current event in your area of study from a credible source (I suggest Google News for this) Sophomores Read pages 30-44, and answer #1-4 on p44. Use complete sentences and cite from the book for full credit. Here's a link to Beowulf Online from the British Library. On Thursday , we will continue to discuss the text through p44, and I will hand back your epics. On Friday , you will type those in class and submit for a grade. I've included the assignment below: create an e...

Seniors Your in-class paper tomorrow is a 250-word paper on what job you'd like to be doing in ten years, why you'd like to do that job, and how you plan to get there! Although the essay is short, it should be well organized and clearly worded. Sophomores You have a quiz tomorrow on the notes so far (Celts, Romans and Anglo-Saxons). For more information on Campbell's monomyth , download this PDF :

Seniors Your homework tonight is to do the following in preparation for a short paper due on Friday: Take a personality quiz (optional). Try any of the Briggs Meyers tests for fun. Pick a career (just one) that you are reasonably interested in pursuing Pick a major/area of concentration Choose a university/college that offers that major ( College Board will help) Explore the university's website (i.e. lsu.edu ) Then, PRINT a description of your career/profession from the Occupational Outlook Handbook and bring it to class. Do this BEFORE class. Sophomores Read pages 28-29 concerning epics . Based on the description, choose any epic (book or movie) and answer  #1-5 on p29. Examples include The Odyssey, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Spongebob The Movie . Yes, even Spongebob works here. Tomorrow we will discuss Joseph Campbell's MONOMYTH , otherwise known as " The Hero's Journey ."

Sophomores We have only just begun the notes, so don't expect a quiz until Friday. I will be sure you know what is on it, and you will also have an associated homework assignment. Seniors Your task tomorrow in class will be to write about possible future plans. After some research, you will turn this into something more solid by the end of the week. For now, start looking at the following sites: Big Future by the College Board ACT Career Planning Quick Personality test at CareerColleges.com Come with something in mind to write about tomorrow, considering your strengths and weaknesses - both personally and academically - and your goals for ten years from now. If you have an idea of what you'd like to do, consider the reason(s) why . 

Good job on the essays; it looks like a lot of you are finished. Those who are not need to return to the source material for more evidence. Again, please do not add to your drafts; instead, review your draft and take notes. We will finish up on Monday, in addition to proofreading and adding a "works cited" page. For more information on creating MLA citations, please refer to the following (medium of publication = print or web):

These essays will be typed in class Thursday and finished up on Friday. You should begin typing when you get to class; leave all formatting until Friday. The essays will be typed on Google Docs using ChromeBooks, so you must have your Google Account to begin. The papers will auto-save to Google Drive, and I will ask all students to "share" their essays with me at the end of class.  Seniors Your essay on Thursday will be a synthesis using  four  of the "This I Believe" essays - three from your book and one from  the website  (http://thisibelieve.org/). Your essay should be centered around a clear, arguable thesis, and each paragraph should connect to that central purpose. You must cite all four essays according to MLA guidelines -  found here  - and the essay will be written in class. In other words, come prepared on Thursday to write by outlining your paper and marking your book for content. Sophomores Your essay on Thursday is a literary analysi...

One place to start for information about MLA citation is this sample paper . You should also bookmark the following regrading using MLA format in your papers (my apologies if they don't all agree exactly - ask if you're unsure): Purdue OWL: MLA Formatting and Style Guide Cornell University: MLA Citation Style UNC: Citing Information   Signal Phrases In addition, because we will be using Google Docs in class, here's a sample document I created for you to reference plus a user guide (if you need it): How To Use Google Docs   Above all, make sure you are prepared for your essay tomorrow by annotating your book and organizing your thoughts. The more work you do outside of class, the less stressed you will be in class.

Welcome to my English class at River Oaks. This year marks my twelfth at River Oaks, and I'm excited to get started! Although this first week is short, we will dive straight in, writing the first essay during class on Thursday. Syllabus - English II Syllabus - English IV/DE/AP Your summer reading reports are due on the first full day, Tuesday the 18th. Remember that all Honors/Dual Enrollment/AP students have TWO reports due. Each of the summer reading reports must follow the format outlined in the assignments -- about 300 words, typed and formatted according to MLA. Summer Reading Report ALL students will write a critical analysis essay in-class on Thursday. Please refer to the following throughout this year for suggestions for writing literary analyses: How To Write a Literary Analysis Essay This essay will require SPECIFIC EXAMPLES from the assigned text. Bring your books on Tuesday marked for content. Be prepared to develop an outline in class on Wednesday.

Students wanting to participate in ULM's Dual Enrollment program need to complete the following: Online application to ULM Paper Dual Enrollment form (return to me) Send ACT scores to ULM Tell Ms. Malone which class(es) you plan to take All of this information, including eligibility requirements, can be found on ULM's website. I've also created an in-house guide for River Oaks: ULM Dual Enrollment River Oaks Dual Enrollment

Remember: DO NOT use Wikipedia. Instead, use credible, original sources. ALL sources used in your presentations must be cited according to MLA. The forms can be found on Research and Documentation Online . In particular, most of your sources will use the " Short Work from a Website " form, or #38. The site has also included a handy PDF guide for determining what goes into the citation.

The following will remain up until Friday, when I will announce the audience favorites, each of whom will receive 10 points each: Roadside America Presentations Short Short Stories And the winners are... Presentations - Bondad and Henry (10 pts) Short Short Stories -  Mason (15 pts), Armand (10 pts), Gray (5 pts) Good job, and congratulations!

Sophomores Read James Joyce's " Araby " (1022-1029), and answer the questions on the handout in class. Also, please read the section following the story--on Joyce's life and his novel Ulysses.  For Thursday, read "At The Pitt-Rivers" by Penelope Lively (pages 1200-1207). Pitt Rivers Museum is a real place, by the way. Also, I've posted the study guide for the final, which we will go over Thursday and Friday as needed. Your final will be completely objective--multiple choice and matching. Know the authors. Please come to class with any questions. English II Final Exam Review

Sophomores Please read the selections from Eliot in your textbook (p1060-75). For homework credit, answer the following in complete sentences with citations : #1-3 on 1066 #1-3 on 1069 #2-4 on 1073 I've posted the notes on Yeats and Eliot below, along with notes on Auden and Thomas . In addition to this set of poems, we will read and discuss two stories next week: " Araby " ( Joyce ), and "At the Pitt-Rivers" ( Lively ). Modern Poets Notes

In lieu of a final book and paper, I am having English II Honors students do a presentation on two contemporary British authors. The list, along with the assignment, is linked below. We will do this by drawing, with #1 going first and fifth. Each student will choose two authors, conduct research, and create a presentation using Google Slides. This project is due next Friday, May 15th, when you will present them to the class. Information from the presentations will be included on the final exam. English II- Honors Presentations Sydney - Atwood and Byatt Kaleigh - Gaiman and Rowling Lilly - Hornby and Smith Madelynn - Martel and Pratchett

Senior Scrapbooks can be picked up anytime next week!

Keep checking throughout the week to see if you need to take the final. If you had a B last semester, then you must take the final. If you had an A last semester AND an A this semester, then you do NOT have to take the final. The review is posted below: English IV Final Review

Sophomores Exam on the Victorian Period on Friday . It was going to be Wednesday, but we have SC elections during 3rd hour. Awards Day is Thursday, so that leaves Friday. Expect to see the following on the test: Introduction - literary and socio-political context 19th century novels (868-9) Alfred, Lord Tennyson - life and poems Browning's dramatic monologues - "My Last Duchess" and "Porphyria's Lover" Poems by Arnold, Hardy and Housman "Mark of the Beast" by Kipling Seniors Memory Book due Friday. Also, AP students, please complete at least the first two practice exams. We will discuss on Wednesday.

Seniors Your essay should be written on the Chromebooks in class Friday, and must be submitted (shared) to me by the end of class. Your prompt is below: Truman Show Essay Sophomores Answer the following question in class tomorrow: #1-4 on 943 CC and #2-4 on 961 #1-4 on 964 CC and #2-4 on 967

Seniors, your Memory Book assignment is due May 1st, the Friday before final exams. The basic requirements are below: Either hard copy (12x12) or electronic version Four FULL pages per year of high school for a total of at least sixteen A title page that includes name and introductory note or poem (can be short but must be original - needs to introduce your book and be reflective of your high school experience) Sections on items related to school life, life outside of school, and current events/trends Some combination of images and text on each page (label all pics) HERE IS YOUR GALLERY OF MEMORIES AP students should be working on EXAM #2 from your workbook. Be prepared to meet at lunch Wednesday to discuss. There are lots of great resources out there, but this one has links to practice exams and even rhetorical terms note cards, and this one has sample writing prompts with graded essays from previous exams.

Sophomores Answer the questions at the end of " Mark of the Beast " for Thursday. We will have a quiz on the story on Thursday, and we will study poems by Arnold, Hardy and Housman Friday and next week before having an exam on the Victorian Period. Your exam is currently scheduled for next Wednesday, April 29th.

Seniors are watching The Truman Show this week. The movie brings together many of the elements we've been talking about this semester -- including reality TV, advertising, and of course simulation. The artificial reality of the world Truman lives in, and his subsequent awakening, has connections to Plato's " Allegory of the Cave " (discussed in class). If you want some points, complete the following questions for Friday as a preview of topics for your essay: Study Questions . Again, continue to take notes as you view the film, which is available online.

Sophomores Please print and read " Mark of the Beast " by Rudyard Kipling for Tuesday. Homework for Tuesday night will be the questions following the story. Also, please read and consider Kipling's poem " The White Man's Burden " as it relates to the theme of imperialism.

Seniors You will work on your simulation essays tomorrow in class, in response to the following prompt: Have we crossed over into Baudrillard's final stage of "simulacra," where "our models for the real have taken over the place of the real in postmodern society," or where the artificial has become preferable to the real? Or do we still value "authenticity" and "real" experience over the artificial?  What are the implications for human society, both positive and negative? Your essay should cite at least ONE credible article on your topic, and it should also cite the Purdue summary of Baudrillard's ideas . Make sure you use the article more than once and that you accurately quote or summarize to avoid plagiarism. Sophomores Your quiz Friday is on the introduction to the Victorian period and Tennyson. Honors students, don't forget about the summary , and you all have the opportunity for homework  points: #2-4 on 850 #2-5 on 8...

Seniors   For Wednesday, you are to bring  at least one article  that focuses your attention on one aspect of modern life as it relates to this issue. 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...

Sophomores Read the introduction to the Victorian Period in your textbook, and Honors students need to read and summarize the following by Friday: The Victorian Age (from the Norton Anthology of English Literature ). Seniors This week's topic is the positive and negatives regarding simulation -- as it relates to popular media, social networking, military training, the food and drug industry, concepts of beauty, and modern life in general. We are using  Jean Baudrillard 's theory as a starting point, and you are to focus in any way you'd like. For TUESDAY, print and read the Baudrillard Introduction . For WEDNESDAY, print and read a recent article on the topic of simulation, as it relates to some aspect of modern life.   On FRIDAY, your paper will be in response to the following question: Have we crossed over into Baudrillard's final stage of "simulacra," where "our models for the real have taken over the place of the real in postmodern soc...

Congratulations to Dylan and Jeron from 1st period, who tied, and Bailey from 2nd period for earning the most votes and therefore FIVE extra points. Good work! I'll keep the shared folder linked here in case any of you would like to look more closely and learn more about these topics:  Shared Folder

Sophomores Your exam is Thursday, and it will be entirely objective. We will write about the book when you return from break. Don't forget to study the vocabulary. I've linked the list below, and you should have the handouts: Glencoe Study Guide Seniors Your Slides presentation is due tomorrow before class. In order to submit your presentation, simply click SHARE at the top right or under the FILE menu. Then type my address: aryland@gmail.com. I will drag all of the files into a shared folder and post the link online. We will spend tomorrow's class period looking at each other's presentations.

Sophomores Finish reading Frankenstein , and complete the questions for the final chapters (handout). We will finish discussing the novel tomorrow, review on Wednesday, and take the exam on Thursday. Seniors If you'd like to get a head start on this week's assignment, read the following document: English IV: Tech Presentation Basically, you will all be creating presentations using Google Slides, which requires a gmail account. These accounts are free and easy to use. You get access to Google Drive and Docs, as well. Moreover, this will allow you to use the new Chrome Books in my room. Instead of presenting your projects (which usually means the presenter reads the slides), I will make them available via a public folder. In other words, the files will be PUBLIC. We will spend some time on Thursday viewing your work. For citations, refer to Diane Hacker's site: Research and Documentation Online  and, for citing YouTube, Purdue's OWL (bottom of page).

Sophomores Your questions for the "monster chapters" (11-16) are now due THURSDAY . I am giving you one more day . I gave you a copy in class, and they are available HERE , as well. Remember to use complete sentences and to cite from the text when possible. Seniors Your essay exam on the book is re-scheduled for Monday, changed so that everyone will be here. The following homework is optional. In order to get credit, it must be in complete sentences and should cite from the text when appropriate: Wednesday - The F-14's, The Jewels, The Key Thursday - The Wine, The Cigarette, The Passport Friday - Kim Wilde, The Shabbat, The Dowry Monday - Essay Exam

Seniors Read the next three chapters (Moscow, The Sheep, The Trip) and answer the questions for Tuesday. Sophomores Continue reading the creature's section, and answer the following questions in class (due Wednesday): Chapters 11-16  (page numbers do not match up)

Sophomores and Seniors Throughout the reading of Frankenstein and Persepolis , you will be assigned optional study questions from the following study guides. Print yours out, and it should help guide you through your reading and help you study for your quizzes and exams. PERSEPOLIS STUDY GUIDE FRANKENSTEIN STUDY GUIDE (note that page numbers are different)

Sophomores Read through chapter 10 of Frankenstein , and be prepared to discuss. Seniors Read through page 46 of Persepolis , or "The Party."

Sophomores Make sure you've read through Ch 4 for Friday. Also, have the character list worksheet filled out when you come to class. We will have a quiz on the introductory notes and first few chapters. Seniors Everyone should have his/her book at this point. If you don't, then you'll need it this weekend. The introduction and discussion of context will continue tomorrow, but for an overview of the timeline, please refer to the following: Film Guide (especially the Historical Context) from Georgetown University Timeline of Iran's History from BBC Modern History of Iran from PBS Of course, there are any number of credible sources for information on the current culture and politics of Iran. Although these more recent conflicts (i.e. nuclear arms talks) with the West are not referenced in the novel, they are of course tangentially related.

Monday - Finish Summaries (due Tuesday), Read Letters 1-4 Tuesday - Discuss Letters 1-4 and complete questions Wednesday - Discuss Chapters 1-4 and complete questions Thursday - Honors Exam in class, Non-honors read/work day Friday - Quiz on notes through chapter 4

If any seniors would like to earn extra points before the break, your optional assignment is below: Print out and summarize the "historical context" on pages four and five of The Berkeley Center's discussion of the context of Persepolis (from Georgetown University). Your summary should be around 250 words and formatted according to MLA. It will be worth a possible twenty extra points . Please have your copy of Persepolis when you return to class. Click on the book to order it from Amazon.

Happy Day-Before-Break! It looks like we have one more day to complete assignments and tie up loose ends. Plans announced before the weekend are still in effect: Seniors - your synthesis paper is still due. Sophomores - you're still writing the summary in class.

Seniors Your synthesis essays on the torture debate are due on Monday. Be advised that MLA formatting is part of the grade, so you might want to review: MLA Formatting . You must use all three sources in support of your thesis. Sophomores Your weekend homework is to read " Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the Birth of Modern Science ," an article that helps to establish the context of the novel. Be prepared to summarize this article in class on Monday. That means you not only need to read the article, but you also will need to highlight and annotate the most important points before coming to class. For help on writing summaries, please refer to the following overview from University of Washington: How to Write a Summary .

Seniors Email me a copy of your thesis statement by midnight: aryland@gmail.com. Your 100-word summary of Interrogations Saved Lives is due tomorrow: Use an MLA heading Provide a citation for the source as your title Compose a 100-word summary of the source Be accurate and specific , and focus on the central purpose Follow the same process for What Torture Never Told Us - due Friday. Bring your third source tomorrow, as well, so we can cite and discuss.  Sophomores Your homework is to answer questions following the three Keats poems discussed in class. QUIZ tomorrow on the "second generation" of Romantics. We will discuss Frankenstein   on Friday and begin reading the novel next week. Copies of the book are $5.00 .

Seniors Your essays on the torture debate are due on Friday, and we will construct the argument and support in class over the next three days. Have your thesis statements ready for tomorrow, and we will begin summarizing the arguments presented in the two op-ed pieces. You also need to have settled on a third for your synthesis due on Friday. This paper will require a work cited page. Sophomores We will cover John Keats tomorrow, specifically " Ode on a Grecian Urn ," " When I Have Fears ," and " Bright Star " ( read here by Tom Hiddleston).

Seniors For Tuesday, find and print an article from a reputable new source on the subject of torture. In particular, try to find an article that supports your position, and which provides solid evidence and reasoning. For starters, here's a version of the article I referred to in class: What Torture Never Told Us , by former FBI agent Ali Soufan. [ related video : "The Interrogator" from Frontline ] And, defending the government's use of "enhanced interrogation" is the man who ran the CIA's program, Jose A. Rodriguez . Also, Ex-CIA Directors: Interrogations Saved Lives from an op-ed following the release of the Senate report on the CIA's program. Sophomores Honors papers DUE. Homework for Tuesday: #1-3 on p782 #1-3 on p785 #2, 3, 5 on p790

Sophomores Questions after "Kubla Khan" and Rime of the Ancient Mariner . Quiz on Friday on the "first generation" of Romantic poetics. Summary due Monday (honors). Seniors Exam on Thursday, Essay due on Monday.

Seniors The Little Brother exam is on Thursday, including 50 of the vocabulary terms . The essay on Friday is a summary/critique of the following article: Nerd Activists . And this is the TED Talk with Doctorow that I mentioned in class: How to break the Internet . Sophomores Read " Rime of the Ancient Mariner " for tomorrow. We will also discuss Coleridge's fragmented dream vision, " Kubla Khan ." Also, Honors students, it's time for another article summary , this one from the Norton Anthology of English Literature: Tintern Abbey , Tourism, and Romantic Landscape . Your summary should be about 250 words, typed, and formatted according to MLA. Please refer back to your handout on writing summaries. Due Monday, Feb 16th .

Seniors Your exam is on Thursday, and your final essay is on Friday. I'll talk more about the essay in class tomorrow. Also, the senior auction project lacks one more important detail - your memories! We will spend a bit of time tomorrow in class writing down some of your fondest memories of your senior year, and the rest of your time at RO.  Sophomores Read "Lines Composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey," and complete the questions at the end of the selection in your book. As always, please use complete sentences and cite frequently from the text.

Seniors Continue to read, and we will have a quiz on chapters 4-8 on Thursday. Please consider ch 8: #10 and #13 from your study guide. I will distribute vocab list #1 Wednesday in class. Your first essay on Little Brother will be written in class on Friday. You are to fill out three more pages of vocabulary from ch 4 onward - due Monday. From the two compiled lists, I will test you on 50 of the terms (list so far) . The other half of the Little Brother exam will be objective, scheduled for Wednesday the 11th. Your essay for next week will be a review summary and critique. More on that later. Sophomores Your exam on the period will include the following: Introductory notes Non-fiction (journals, diaries, biographies, essays, newspapers and pamphlets) Diary of Samuel Pepys Satire - including literature, visual art and cartoons Jonathan Swift - Gulliver's Travels, Modest Proposal Alexander Pope - Heroic Couples, Essay on Man, Rape of the Lock Academy For Women, A Vin...

Seniors Continue to read up to and past ch 11. Plan on finishing the book by the end of the weekend. Sophomores Read "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" (631-636). For optional credit, answer the following questions: #2 and #4 on 582 - short paragraph each CC, #2-4

Seniors Read chapters 4-11 by Monday, and be prepared to discuss. Makes notes in your books as you go, marking passages especially that pertain to character development and/or technology, and that include examples of figurative language. Sophomores Exam Wednesday on the Restoration Period.

Seniors You have a quiz tomorrow on the first three chapters of Little Brother , and we continue to discuss. Your assignment for the weekend is to read chapters 4-11 for Monday, and we will use the questions as the basis for discussion. Side note: here is the story I mentioned in class about Ms. Marvel . Sophomores You have a quiz tomorrow on Alexander Pope and the works studied. Next up, we will discuss Johnson, Addison and Steele before moving on to the Romantic Period next week. I will order copies of Frankenstein for the class.

Seniors Your study questions and vocabulary for the first three chapters are due tomorrow. Feel free to continue reading. Your assignment over the weekend is to read chapters 4-11, so you might get a head start. Sophomores Please read the excerpt from " Rape of the Lock ," and answer the following questions in your handout for Heroic Couplets and An Essay on Man : #2 a-g on 523 #2-6 on 525

Seniors Your assignment is simple: BUY or DOWNLOAD the book. Then, download a copy of the STUDY GUIDE for the novel from Doctorow's site. Then, answer the questions from the first section (Background). If at any time the questions are Canada-specific (as in #5), relate your answers to your own community. You may either write out or type your answers (makes sense to type them and keep them). Those questions are due at the beginning of class tomorrow. Also, consider the suggestions under the headings "The Characters" and "The Language" and take notes accordingly as you begin to read the novel. Tomorrow, we will begin by discussing Chapter One. By Thursday, you should have the following: Questions for Chapters 1-3 (complete sentences with citations) Vocabulary Squares worksheet for 1-3 (one sheet per chapter) Sophomores We will continue to write in class tomorrow. Be sure to print out your news article for context. My suggestion is to start with Googl...

Sophomores For Monday, please do the following: Go to Daryl Cagle's Political Cartoonists Index and browse Choose one you think is funny and/or clever Copy and paste the cartoon into your Word document Write a 100-word paragraph analyzing the artist's use of appeals, irony, imagery and text to convey his/her message. Please include a summary of the primary message. Format according to MLA See the attached example Also, print and bring an article from Google News that is related to your topic. Seniors You need to have your copy of Little Brother on Monday. Remember that you can download the book for free through the author's website .

Sophomores Your assignment for Friday is to print out three political cartoons from CAGLE.COM . They can be on any topic you choose, as long as you understand the jokes. We will share and discuss your cartoons in class, and I will give you some instruction on writing an analysis of a visual text. By the end of class Friday , you should have your focus set, and you will look for an article this weekend that helps to establish the context for the satire in the cartoons. Please use GOOGLE NEWS as your portal for news sites. Print an article from a major news outlet, and bring the article to class on Monday . For Monday , you will all write the analysis of one cartoon. Although I gave everyone a copy in class, here is the full assignment.

Sophomores Quiz tomorrow on Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels , and "A Modest Proposal." Seniors Your paper on Friday concerns the debate over privacy vs. security. In preparation, we have been examining the following: Edward Snowden Wikileaks Anonymous Do you believe that some loss of privacy is necessary to maintain your security? Is this true of your phone records and internet browser history? How much authority should the U.S. government have to collect and search through your personal communications? Furthermore, do you believe Edward Snowden should have exposed the NSA's surveillance program? In general, are we better off as a result of these leaks? Do you believe Wikleaks was right to release the "Collateral Murder" video, or any other classified information? Your assignment for Thursday is to investigate and then print out an article on your focus. These are only three components of a very large issue, so you may want to expand your inqu...

Sophomores Homework is #1-5 on 599 and #cc, 2-4, 6 on 607. Due on Friday. Quiz on Gulliver's Travels on Tuesday. Read "Modest Proposal" for Wednesday. Seniors Please buy a copy of Little Brother  (Doctorow) by January 26th. The book is available from the author for free download . Of course, you would have to print out the text in order to bring it to class. Next week we will discuss privacy issues -- cameras, drones, wiretaps, Snowden, and Wikileaks -- and net neutrality. Come prepared to discuss.

Seniors Read the excerpt from Fridman's "American Needs Its Nerds." We will work on the rhetorical analysis questions this week and write an essay on Friday. On Tuesday/Wednesday we will grade your in-class essays from last week using AP's nine-point scale . Sophomores Read "Diary of Samuel Pepys" and answer the questions at the end. We will discuss on Tuesday. Also, expect a quiz on the Introduction to the Restoration (open notes).

Sophomores Read the selection from Paradise Lost and answer questions on p491: CC and 3-6. Quiz on Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress tomorrow. Here's a link to the Gustave Dore woodcuts I referenced in class. Seniors Read and annotate the excerpt from John M. Barry's The Great Influenza (from 2008 AP exam). We will work through the following packet over the next two days, and you will write the analytical essay in class on Friday. Rhetorical Analysis: John M. Barry's The Great Influenza

The Year in Pictures, 2014 from New York Times Year in Photos 2014 from Wall Street Journal