Homework: November 30

English 12 (D block)

• Complete the handout from class today (Significant Events in The Body)--you should do all the ones on the front, and the first two on the back (both columns).
• Make sure you've read through chapter 16 in the novel.

Honors English 11 (F block)

• You have a quiz on Wednesday, and you should have finished reading through chapter 6. There will be a passage or two to analyze on the quiz, so make sure you're prepared!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Work on the Biddle literary criticism response--due Thursday.
• Make sure you're reading your IR book.

Homework: November 24

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Finish up your Gatsby characterization paragraph(s) in your journal.
• For Tuesday, read and mark up chapter 5 in Gatsby, and complete the "scavenger hunt" handout.

English 12 (D block)

• Finish reading and marking up The Body, through chapter 15. 
• Study for your vocabulary quiz--it's Monday when we return. Get your family to help you study! :)

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Read and mark up Gatsby chapter 6. 
• Complete the Thanksgiving Listen (sometime this term...but over the weekend would be great)! 

Homework: November 23

English 12 (D block): finish your map of chapters 1-12. Read chapters 13 & 14.

Honors English 11 (F block): read ch. 5 and complete "scavenger hunt"

Honors English 12 (G block): we'll do informal book club discussions Wednesday, so bring your book (no need for an RR). Start reading the Biddle article so you don't have to read it over the Thanksgiving break!

English 11 (A block): Finish reading and marking up "The Things They Carried."

Homework: November 20

Honors English 11 (F block)

• For Tuesday, read chapter 5 and complete the "Scavenger Hunt" handout.
• If you missed the 2nd half of class today, pick up the packet that's hanging outside of F204, choose TWO (2) "stations" and make some notes. If you choose the one that asks for a close reading organizer, use the one attached.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Make sure you have completed your reading of The Body, and, if you haven't presented yet, be ready on Monday.
• Make some good progress in your Book Club book. You'll have some time to talk on Wednesday.

English 11 (A block)

• Read and annotate/mark up "The Things They Carried" to page 17 (there's a break in the middle of the page...stop there).

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Read chapter 4 of Gatsby. Make sure you're reading carefully, making notes, and keeping track of the storyline.

Homework: November 19

English 11 (A block)

• Read The Things They Carried to the bottom of page 7. Mark up/annotate your QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONS and CONNECTIONS.
• Study--you have a vocab quiz!

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Complete the first part of the Gatsby characterization handout, marking up the  text and making notes in the space on the back. Identify a working thesis. You do not have to write the paragraph.
• Study--you have a vocab quiz!

English 12 (D block)

• Finish chapter 12 of The Body.
• Finish the front side of the "Mapping The Body" handout.

Homework: November 18

English 12 (D block)

• Read and mark up The Body, chapter 10-11.

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Complete the "pursued/pursuing/busy/tired" handout, if you didn't already.
• Study vocab--you have a quiz!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• You're reading, so use your reading schedule. Be ready to discuss next class. Make sure you're caught up...there were some pretty bogus answers on that last quiz question today...if yours was one of them, make sure you get yourself caught up.

Homework: November 17

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Read chapter 4, to at least the point I pointed out in class (the flashback..."One summer day in 1917...")

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Use the reading and presentation schedule to make sure you're prepared for tomorrow.
• Also, you have a vocab quiz. So be ready for that, too!

English 11 (A block)

• Considering the model essay we examined in class, as well as our discussion about physical (tangible) and mental/emotional (intangible) things we carry, revise your "The Things I Carry" personal essay and bring a final draft with you next class.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Read and mark up chapter 3 of Gatsby.

Homework: November 16

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Use your reading schedule to make sure you're up to date with The Body reading. 
• If it's your turn to lead discussion, make sure you're ready to do that, too!

English 11 (A block)

• Using the model "The THings I Carry," write your own version. Instructions are on the bottom of the handout.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Complete the Character development handout--notes and paragraph.

English 12 (D block)

• By next class, you should have the following things complete: 
• Character development handout and paragraph
• Read and mark up through chapter 9 (you can skip chapter 7).
• Study vocabulary for your quiz.

 Here's the slide on characterization--use it to help you choose effective passages!

Homework: November 13

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Read and mark up chapter 2 of Gatsby.

English 12 (D block)

• Complete your character writing assignment.

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Complete the prep work handout for the Close reading: The Character of The Great Gatsby in The Great Gatsby assignment.

Homework: November 12

English 12 (D block)

• Read The Body through chapter 5. 

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Read Gatsby chapter 3, to at least the point we noted in class. Mark it up!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read The Body--use you reading schedule!

English 11 (A block)

• Finish your Big Fish paragraph.

Homework: November 10

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Read and mark up Chapter 2 of Gatsby.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Use your reading schedule to keep on track with The Body. We'll discuss through chapter 12 on Thursday.

English 11 (A block)

• Finish the front side of the Big Fish handout.
• Make flashcards and start studying vocabulary.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Finish reading and marking up Gatsby, chapter 1. 

Homework: November 9

English 11 (A block)

• Study for your vocabulary quiz!
• Finish up your Big Fish "reading reaction" 3-paragraph response. You only need to add a couple of sentences to each paragraph.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Study for your vocabulary quiz!
• Read and mark up Gatsby, at least to the bottom of page 8. Remember to mark/annotate OBSERVATIONS, QUESTIONS and CONNECTIONS, as well as connotation and structure. We'll talk more tomorrow.

English 12 (D block)

• Read and mark up Chapters 1-3 of The Body. Mark your OBSERVATIONS, QUESTIONS and CONNECTIONS, and make note of new characters as you're introduced to them.

Homework: November 6

English 12 (D block)

• Finish your 2-3 paragraph essay.

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Finish reading chapter 1 of Gatsby...mark up:
• Language/connotation
• Structure of the chapter
• Look for places where characters MOVE, and how they move
• Study for your test...it's Tuesday!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• You have your reading schedule for The Body. It's here, too. Get readin'!

Homework: November 5

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Read the first half of chapter 1 of Gatsby. Remember, don't panic...when you start any new book, you're going to have questions.
• Mark up the text with your OBSERVATIONS, QUESTIONS and CONNECTIONS.
• Also make notes about words that may have an additional CONNOTATIVE meaning, as well as tracking a "TIMELINE" like we did with Serial.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Finish up your "Comparing Room" review. 
• Also, you have a quiz tomorrow! Don't forget to study!
• And, if you weren't in class today, do a quick write-up about yesterday's seminar: What were some big take-aways for you from the discussions? Summarize some big ideas/claims. Then, reflect on your own participation, referring to at least one Habit of Mind.

English 11 (A block)

• Complete a 3-paragraph response for Big Fish. I know we're not done yet. Leave 3 lines between paragraph 1 and 2, and between paragraph 2 and 3, so you'll be able to complete your response when we finish watching the film.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Using your notes, identify a timeline of HOW Sarah Koenig structures the first episode of Serial. Consider WHAT she says, in what order, and for what PURPOSE. For example, she starts by point out that it's hard to track down what teenagers are up to...why does she start there, do you think? You can revisit parts of the story here: http://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi

Homework: November 4

Honors English 12 (G block)

• We'll have time in class tomorrow to work on your "Comparing and Connecting Room" responses. To prepare:
• Make sure you have read the model texts. 
• Make sure you have a text to connect to.
• Plan out your response/essay. What thematic/main idea will you examine? Which model essay resonated most with you, and what "moves" did that writer make in order to develop his/her essay? 
• Start writing your essay. 
• Good job on today's seminar. We'll do some reflection in class tomorrow to wrap up that activity. Make sure you have your prep notes with you as well as the notes you took during the discussion.

English 11 (A block)

• Make flashcards and write sentences for your vocabulary.
• Fill in any information on the Big Fish organizer you can from what we've seen so far.

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Complete the handout about connotation and denotation in Serial, including the paragraph on the back. We'll finish listening to the episode tomorrow.

English 12 (D block)

• Prepare/start writing your 2-3 paragraph response on the Room/poem seminar (handout given in class today). Here's a link to the transcript (those are initials at the beginning of each line to help you figure out who said what...remember, it's notes, so it's not always exact language and complete sentences).

Two GREAT writing opportunities!

You may have heard that November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It's a really cool challenge, to do just what the title suggests--write a novel in a month! You can find resources here and here if you're looking for more information. Check it out and try it out...wouldn't it be really cool if you wrote a novel this month?

ALSO, the call for submissions for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is out. Deadline for submission is December 15, and you do need a teacher to sponsor you. (Pick me!) It's a great program and really worth your time...see me if you have any questions beyond the information shared here: http://www.artandwriting.org/ and http://www.artandwriting.org/Affiliate/MA001W

Homework: November 2

Honors English 11 (B block)

• Complete your revision of your Alexie, using what you learned from reading/discussing the model essays as well as your own revision ideas. I expect that your 2nd draft will be substantially different from the first--not just a few small corrections. Make sure it's better!

English 12 (D block)

• Your conversations today were fantastic. Thank you for putting so much thought and effort into preparing and discussing with each other.
• Tonight, complete the reflection handout, thoroughly.
• You should also have your personal narrative completed and ready to pass in on Wednesday.

Honors English 11 (F block)

• Finish listening to Serial episode 1. You'll find it here: http://serialpodcast.org/season-one/1/the-alibi
• (Just go to the play button, and scroll ahead until minute 41. There's about 11 minutes left...)
• Complete the paragraph on the back of the handout. Make sure you use information from the second half of the show, not just the examples that are already on the handout (though you can use those too!).