Homework: February 28

Creative Writing (E block)

• Read two of the novel first chapters that I gave you in class today. As you read, take note of the way each establishes:
• Character
• Tone
• Voice
• Narration
• Complete your "daily diary."

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Finish Frankenstein. We'll talk about that ending on Thursday.
• Complete the pre-writing for the assignment you received in class today.
• Study up! You have a vocab quiz Thursday.

English 11 (A block)

• Study for your vocabulary quiz--it's Thursday!

Homework: February 27

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read Frankenstein to the middle-ish of 24. We'll have time to finish in class tomorrow!
• Vocab quiz is Thursday--study up!

English 11 (A block)

• Study vocab--quiz moved to Thursday. 
• Your 2-paragraph response to Restrepo is due tomorrow--make sure it's done! (See prior post for more info.)

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Finish reading Chapter 1 of Strength in What Remains. Track your confusion--what questions do you have?
• Study for your vocab quiz--it's Wednesday.

English 11 (D block)

• Study for your vocab quiz--it's Wednesday!

Homework: February 17

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Read your independent reading book!
• Study your vocabulary words.

English 11 (D block)

• We finished watching Restrepo in class today. Using your Reading Reactions handout, complete the RESPOND and CONNECT paragraphs, For the CONNECT paragraphs, choose two motifs and examine how each is important in Restrepo and The Things They Carried.

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Watch the pilot episode of a TV show of your choice. 
• Take careful and thorough notes about:
• Character development (pay special attention to first interactions, their actions, the things they say)...
• Narration/narrative development

Homework: February 16

English 11 (D block)

• We started watching Restrepo today. If you missed it, you can watch it here...we watched the first 30 minutes, and will finish tomorrow.
• Our vocabulary quiz will be March 1.

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Complete your "response" writing exercise. Make sure it's submitted in Google Classroom or in hard copy when you arrive to class.
• Complete your "Daily Diary."

Honors English 12 (G block)

• We read chapter 17 in class today. We'll finish Frankenstein in class on Tuesday after vacation, so here's a schedule to follow:
• Read through chapter 20 by Monday.
• Read 21-22 in class Monday.
• Read 23 and the beginning of 24 for homework Monday night. 
• We'll read pages 267-end in class on Tuesday.
• If you get a chance over break, watch The Lion King! We'll be reading Hamlet after vacation, and it'll help if you are familiar with the story of The Lion King. (Trust me!)

English 11 (A block)

• We finished watching Restrepo in class today. Using your Reading Reactions handout, complete the RESPOND and CONNECT paragraphs, For the CONNECT paragraphs, choose two motifs and examine how each is important in Restrepo and The Things They Carried.

Homework: February 15

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read chapters 15 and 16 in Frankenstein.

English 11 (A block)

• Make flashcards for your new vocabulary words. We'll finish watching Restrepo tomorrow.

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Complete your Synthesis essay by 10 PM on Thursday and make sure it's Turned In in Google Classroom.

Homework: February 14

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Work on your synthesis essay! Assignment in Google Classroom.

English 11 (D block)

• Look over your new vocabulary list--use Vocabulary.com to look up the words and make notes.

Creative Writing (E block)

• Complete your "Daily Diary."
• Work on your "response"--due Friday!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read chapters 13-14 in Frankenstein, paying special attention to the role of Safie, and the story of the De Laceys.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Homework: February 10

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read Frankenstein chapters 11-12. Remember to keep an eye on the moments in the creation's life that have helped to form him.

English 11 (A block)

• Finish your paragraph draft, if you haven't already done so.

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Work on planning/writing your Synthesis essay.

English 11 (D block)

• Finish reading "The Ghost Soldiers." You'll do some writing about it on Monday.

Homework: February 8

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Study for your vocabulary test--it's next class!
• Work on the pre-writing for your essay. You should make notes on your chosen topic (see slide below). We'll go over the handout you received in class next time.
  

English 11 (D block)

• Study for your vocabulary test--it's next class!
• Read "The Ghost Soldiers" to the break on page 14.

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Complete your "Daily Diary."
• Decide what you'd like to "respond" to for your weekly writing exercise. Remember, it could be a song, TV show, movie, famous person, book, or something else. You'll have time to write in class, but should be thinking about: what do you want to say? What is your "take" on it...is it good, bad, silly, unclear, etc.? What will be your point of view/writer's role? What format will you use?

Homework: February 7

English 11 (D block)

• Study vocabulary!
• On the big piece of paper you received in class today, choose one quotation from "Good Form," then choose one moment from each of three stories that relates to that quotation from "Good Form."

Creative Writing (E block)

• Complete your "Daily Diary" assignment.
• Identify a specific text (a story, TV show, article, song, etc.) that you have a strong reaction to. If you can, bring in a copy.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• If you were out today, you missed a quiz--make plans with me to make it up before the next quiz!
• Read Frankenstein to the end of chapter 10.

English 11 (A block)

• Study for your vocabulary quiz--it's next class!

Homework: February 6

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Vocab quiz and Frankenstein check in--tomorrow!
• Read Frankenstein through chapter 9. Something tragic has happened! Someone is to blame! How does Victor react to the events of these chapters?

English 11 (A block)

• Finish reading "In the Field." Remember to keep in mind: blame, guilt, fault, responsibility. Also, "How do the characters react to the death of a friend?"

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Finish up your precis--upload it to Google Classroom by 10 PM tomorrow.
• Pick one of these elements: Tom, Daisy, Nick, Gatsby, the American Dream, the 1920s. Start to gather information from EACH piece of literary criticism—what does each author SAY about the element you’ve chosen?

Homework: February 3

English 11 (A block)

• Read "In the Field" to the break on page 5 that we made note of. Remember to keep the ideas of blame, fault, guilt and responsibility in mind as you read, and annotate your story.
• Make vocab flashcards and start studying!

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Read "The Jazz Age"--James Miller's literary criticism about The Great Gatsby. Make sure to note major claims, smaller claims, evidence and reasoning!

English 11 (D block)

• Study your vocabulary!

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Complete your "Daily Diary."

Homework: February 2

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Watch the two videos linked in an earlier post--"Like Pale Gold" and "Was Gatsby Great?" Identify the MAIN claim(s) and smaller claims that Green makes in each piece. Do you agree with his arguments? Why/why not? Be ready to talk.

English 11 (D block)

• Complete the handout you started in class today, and write the paragraph.

Creative Writing (E block)

• Make sure you've read all of the "2-Minute" stories.
• Complete your Daily Diary--Saw, Did, Heard, Draw

Honors English 12 (G block)

• It's ALIVE! Now what? Read chapters 5 & 6, paying attention to the next steps and decisions Victor takes and makes.
• EDITED: Vocab quiz will be Tuesday!

Homework: January 30

English 11 (A block)

• We watched the beginning of an interview between Tim O'Brien and Nate Fick (the link is here if you missed it or want to rewatch). In the interview, the author states: "It doesn't have to be TRUE to be THE TRUTH, and it doesn't have to be THE TRUTH to be TRUE." He also makes the argument that "Truth changes." Your homework task: Ask at least two people (who aren't in our class), what they think those statements mean--listen carefully to their answers, and jot down some notes. We'll talk Wednesday.

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Watch the two videos linked below. Pay attention to what the critic--John Green--is arguing.
• 1. "Like Pale Gold"
• 2. "Was Gatsby Great?"

English 11 (D block)

• We watched the beginning of an interview between Tim O'Brien and Nate Fick (the link is here if you missed it or want to rewatch). In the interview, the author states: "It doesn't have to be TRUE to be THE TRUTH, and it doesn't have to be THE TRUTH to be TRUE." He also makes the argument that "Truth changes." Your homework task: Ask at least two people (who aren't in our class), what they think those statements mean--listen carefully to their answers, and jot down some notes. We'll talk tomorrow.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read chapters 1 and 2 of Frankenstein. Remember, we're reading the story of the stranger, told through Robert Walton. Pay attention to where this guy came from--how did his family of origin, society, etc. influence him?

If you're interested in viewing more Henri le Chat Noir, you can find him here. Disclaimer: I haven't watched all of these. Yet.

Homework: January 27

English 11 (D block)

• Write down your observations and connections to the story we listened to in class, "Ambush." If you need to listen to it again, you can find it here...the story begins at 13:52 and ends at about 22:20. Write, also, about that idea we discussed in class: "It doesn't have to be TRUE to be THE TRUTH, and it doesn't have to be THE TRUTH to be TRUE."

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Read the first three stories in the packet I gave you. Mark up what you like, what you notice, and what you wonder about.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read Letters 1-4 of Frankenstein. As you read, consider the following questions:
• What's going on?
• What are the similarities between Robert Walton and the stranger?

Here's the link to the quotations we looked at in class today:
http://www.thebushwickbookclubseattle.com/10-quotes-from-mary-shelleys-frankenstein/

English 11 (A block) 

• Finish the front of the Organizer for "The Man I Killed" by choosing and analyzing 3 quotations from the story, and by deciding what the most important word is. 

Homework: January 26

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Read the intro packet--"Meet Mary Shelley" and "Introducing the Novel." Be prepared to discuss the content tomorrow.

English 11 (A block)

• Complete the BACK of the handout you received today in class. Your prompt is: What is your reaction to this story? What does the author repeat, and why?
• UPLOAD YOUR PAPERS TO TURNITIN.COM.

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Read the piece of literary criticism called "A Whole Heap of Ashes." Identify and mark up the article's CLAIMS, and look at the EVIDENCE and REASONING the author uses to support his claims. We'll discuss the article on Monday.

Homework: January 25

English 11 (A block)

• Make sure you have your independent reading book with you tomorrow!

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Read the article about Literary Criticism that I gave you in class today. Underline/make notes of ideas in the article that help to answer each of the section heading questions.

English 11 (D block)

• Bring your IR book with you to class Friday--we'll READ!

Creative Writing II (E block)

• Complete your Daily Diary (SAW, DID, HEARD, DRAW).
• Bring a notebook/journal, and a writing implement, to class!

Homework: January 19

Honors English 11 (C block)

• You did your midyear in class today! Read your independent reading book, and study hard for the rest of your midyear exams!

English 11 (D block)

• Prepare for your midyear exam--you have the handouts! Make yourself an organizer--for each one.

Creative Writing (E block)

• You'll finish your portfolio in class! Make sure you come to class ready to finish before the class block ends.

Honors English 12 (G block)

• Prepare for your midyear exam--you have both handouts and should make notes/etc. You'll do all the writing in class.
• Finish your Body/Brooklyn/Moonrise essay in Classroom. Make sure it gets uploaded to TurnItIn.com, too!!!

Homework: January 18

Creative Writing (E block)

• Work on your portfolio, and if you owe me any work, get that to me, too!

Honors English 12 (G block)

• You have a vocabulary test tomorrow! It's a multiple choice/matching test of the 40 words we've done so far. 
• You should be finishing up your essay to be submitted on Thursday, by 10 PM. 

English 11 (A block)

• Work on preparing for your MIDYEAR EXAM. You received handouts today. You should prepare, and you can bring your prep work with you on Tuesday. You'll do all the writing in class.
• Don't forget to upload your Alexie essay to TurnItIn.com. If you need the information for TurnItIn, you'll find it in the Remind sidebar on this website.
• If you want to re-take the vocabulary test, set up a meeting with me or Ms. McCarley ASAP.

Homework: January 13

Honors English 11 (C block)

• Study for your vocabulary test! It's on Tuesday.

English 11 (D block)

• Study for your vocabulary test!

Creative Writing (E block)

• Work on your portfolio, and any make up work you owe for class.

Honors English 12 -- here's the schedule for the next 2 weeks!

• 1/17: Book club meeting!
• 1/18: Essay work time in class
• 1/19: Midyear vocabulary exam; final draft of essay due by the end of the day
• 1/23: Midyear exam, in class: Habits of Mind reflection and essential questions reflection (more information to follow next week) 

Note: You should be engaged, currently, in a thoughtful and vigorous essay revision process. Your final essay should show substantial improvement from draft to final. I am available after school most days to help, if you want it.