Greetings Seniors!
I can't believe we have only two weeks left before exams! I know you all are as excited as I am about graduation.
This week we will have a quiz on lesson 20 in vocabulary, so review those words. We will finish our discussion of the Enlightenment period with a look at DeFoe's essay on "The Education of Women" and Mary Wollstoncraft's "Vindication of the Rights of Women." We will also look at excerpts from Samuel Johnson's dictionary. All this will be on the final, so pay close attention and be sure to bring your books.
See you in class.
Mrs. SO
Monday, April 25, 2011
English 10 (all classes): April 25-29, 2011
Good Morning Sophomores!
The year is almost over, but we still have much to do. This week we will finish our study of Romanticism with poetry by Bryant (B day classes) and an excerpt from Cooper's The Prairie and a discussion of the American Romantic Hero (all classes). We will also have a test review on the Romantic Movement in America and a TEST on Thursday for A classes and Friday for B classes. We will also have a quiz on lesson 19 vocabulary this week, so bring your workbooks to review the preliminary practice activities.
Next week we begin our studies of the Transcendentalists!
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
The year is almost over, but we still have much to do. This week we will finish our study of Romanticism with poetry by Bryant (B day classes) and an excerpt from Cooper's The Prairie and a discussion of the American Romantic Hero (all classes). We will also have a test review on the Romantic Movement in America and a TEST on Thursday for A classes and Friday for B classes. We will also have a quiz on lesson 19 vocabulary this week, so bring your workbooks to review the preliminary practice activities.
Next week we begin our studies of the Transcendentalists!
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
Monday, April 18, 2011
APEnglish 12: April 18-22, 2011
Greetings APEs!
And welcome back from your holiday. It's amazing how quickly the year has passed. We have very few days left together, and even fewer before the AP exam.
Our time must be spent wisely, so please try not to let senioritis grasp you too firmly. This week we meet but two days. On Tuesday we will be discussing Heart of Darkness in depth. I do hope you are prepared. I will also be giving you a variety of prompts for which you must compose competent and complete thesis statements that encompass the entire question. Remember, it is most important for you to mention what you believe to be the meaning of the work or the complexity of it, if that is what the prompt asks.
On Friday, we will begin reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. It is important for you to have a basic understanding of existentialism and theatre of the absurd for you to grasp the significance of this play.
Of course you should also be preparing your final exam, which consists of an explication and a presentation. Your presentation can incorporate any visual aids you may need. You can create a PPT or a handout or you may simply use the whiteboard or projector.
So much to do...so little time!!!
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
And welcome back from your holiday. It's amazing how quickly the year has passed. We have very few days left together, and even fewer before the AP exam.
Our time must be spent wisely, so please try not to let senioritis grasp you too firmly. This week we meet but two days. On Tuesday we will be discussing Heart of Darkness in depth. I do hope you are prepared. I will also be giving you a variety of prompts for which you must compose competent and complete thesis statements that encompass the entire question. Remember, it is most important for you to mention what you believe to be the meaning of the work or the complexity of it, if that is what the prompt asks.
On Friday, we will begin reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. It is important for you to have a basic understanding of existentialism and theatre of the absurd for you to grasp the significance of this play.
Of course you should also be preparing your final exam, which consists of an explication and a presentation. Your presentation can incorporate any visual aids you may need. You can create a PPT or a handout or you may simply use the whiteboard or projector.
So much to do...so little time!!!
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
Enlish 10 (All Classes): April 18-22, 2011
Hello Sophomores!
Welcome back from the break! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are ready to get back in the groove of things.
This week I have several things planned. We will be continuing our study of the Romantic period. We will read another short story by Poe, "The Oval Portrait." We will also be discussing "The Raven." We'll also read "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Irving, and compare and contrast it with "Rip van Winkle," which you should have read for homework. If you haven't read it yet, please use the link on my blog and do so. We will also read an excerpt from The Prairie by Cooper and some poetry by Bryant to complete our study of this movement. That's a lot of reading and discussion, so bring your books and come prepared to learn.
Also, don't forget about vocabulary. We will have a quiz on lesson 18 this week, so review those words.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
Welcome back from the break! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and are ready to get back in the groove of things.
This week I have several things planned. We will be continuing our study of the Romantic period. We will read another short story by Poe, "The Oval Portrait." We will also be discussing "The Raven." We'll also read "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Irving, and compare and contrast it with "Rip van Winkle," which you should have read for homework. If you haven't read it yet, please use the link on my blog and do so. We will also read an excerpt from The Prairie by Cooper and some poetry by Bryant to complete our study of this movement. That's a lot of reading and discussion, so bring your books and come prepared to learn.
Also, don't forget about vocabulary. We will have a quiz on lesson 18 this week, so review those words.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
English 12: April 18-22. 2011
Greeting Seniors!
And welcome back from spring break! I hope you had fun and spent your time well. I spent most of my time recovering from a respiratory infection. I am feeling much better now, and hope that was the last relapse of the year.
Now that we are all back, we have lots to do. We need to do a quick review of Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress for a test on Wednesday. Bring your books every day, since neither the review nor the test will take an entire block. On Monday after the review we will review the background for the Enlightenment/Neoclassical/Restoration period. As you already should know, this is the period after the restoration of the Monarchy when Charles II was crowned and the brief parliamentary government headed by Cromwell came to an end. This also marks the reinstatement of the Anglican church and a turning away from the Puritan influence (which includes a resurgence of the theatre). This period is marked by its intellectualism and satirical writing.
On Wednesday, we will read read Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." I am sure you will have a clearer understanding of satire after having read this memorable text.
Thursday we will finish our overview of this period with a quick look at several important authors, including Aphra Behn, Daniel Defoe and Alexander Pope, most famous for his "invention" of the heroic couplet and his mock epic Rape of the Lock. Expect a short test on this period by next week. Our next unit will be the Romantic period.
Don't forget to study your vocabulary. We will have a double quiz on lessons 18-19 on Thursday.
See you soon!
Mrs. SO
And welcome back from spring break! I hope you had fun and spent your time well. I spent most of my time recovering from a respiratory infection. I am feeling much better now, and hope that was the last relapse of the year.
Now that we are all back, we have lots to do. We need to do a quick review of Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress for a test on Wednesday. Bring your books every day, since neither the review nor the test will take an entire block. On Monday after the review we will review the background for the Enlightenment/Neoclassical/Restoration period. As you already should know, this is the period after the restoration of the Monarchy when Charles II was crowned and the brief parliamentary government headed by Cromwell came to an end. This also marks the reinstatement of the Anglican church and a turning away from the Puritan influence (which includes a resurgence of the theatre). This period is marked by its intellectualism and satirical writing.
On Wednesday, we will read read Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." I am sure you will have a clearer understanding of satire after having read this memorable text.
Thursday we will finish our overview of this period with a quick look at several important authors, including Aphra Behn, Daniel Defoe and Alexander Pope, most famous for his "invention" of the heroic couplet and his mock epic Rape of the Lock. Expect a short test on this period by next week. Our next unit will be the Romantic period.
Don't forget to study your vocabulary. We will have a double quiz on lessons 18-19 on Thursday.
See you soon!
Mrs. SO
Monday, April 11, 2011
Mrs. SO's Classes: April 11-12
Greetings Students!
Since this week has just one day per class, I will address all of you in one post.
First, let me wish you a safe and restful spring break. I hope you all have fun and get all the things you need to get done done. I know that my time off will be busy catching up with school things that slipped in my recent illness.
This week in my tenth grade classes we will finish our study of Poe and our discussion of the symbolism in his "Fall of the House of Usher." If time permits, we will move on to some poetry by William Cullen Bryant and discuss how his poetry fits into genre of American Romanticism.
In my twelfth grade classes, we will finish our study of Frankenstein. I've decided to hold off on the test on Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress until after the break, since I think you are apt to forget some of the material over the holiday. Expect a quick review of those works and a test upon your return.
APE's, you've not been forgotten. On Tuesday we will be highlighting essays to check our ratio of assertion to evidence to commentary. Bring highlighters if you have them. We will also begin our discussion of Heart of Darkness in earnest, so be prepared.
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
Since this week has just one day per class, I will address all of you in one post.
First, let me wish you a safe and restful spring break. I hope you all have fun and get all the things you need to get done done. I know that my time off will be busy catching up with school things that slipped in my recent illness.
This week in my tenth grade classes we will finish our study of Poe and our discussion of the symbolism in his "Fall of the House of Usher." If time permits, we will move on to some poetry by William Cullen Bryant and discuss how his poetry fits into genre of American Romanticism.
In my twelfth grade classes, we will finish our study of Frankenstein. I've decided to hold off on the test on Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress until after the break, since I think you are apt to forget some of the material over the holiday. Expect a quick review of those works and a test upon your return.
APE's, you've not been forgotten. On Tuesday we will be highlighting essays to check our ratio of assertion to evidence to commentary. Bring highlighters if you have them. We will also begin our discussion of Heart of Darkness in earnest, so be prepared.
See you in class,
Mrs. SO
Monday, April 4, 2011
APEnglish Literature 12: April 4-8, 2011
Good Morrow APEs!
And thank you to the six of you who made it to Saturday's practice session! I trust it was helpful and informative for you as it was for me. I do hope you pardon my whispered interjections "No, don't do that!" at the thought of a 5-paragraph theme (shivers). And do remember that the instructor echoed my advice to not clump your body paragraphs by device even if you choose to list them in the thesis.
I believe the most important lesson was repeated in three of the four sessions (the three essay sessions). And that lesson is this: If at all possible, write a THESIS statement early in the essay that does MORE than simply restate the prompt, but that actually hints at the meaning of the work as a whole or what the complexity in the passage is about. Don't just merely state that A, B, or C contribute to the meaning or the complexity, tell WHAT the meaning or complexities are. This way, even if you run short of time, you reader can give you credit for understanding the passage. If you wait until later in the passage to address these things, you may not get to them at all. Also, a clear directional thesis will be at the top of your essay to keep you focused and on track and help you to avoid tangential information that does not build your argument. Argument. That is an extremely important word. Have one. Take a stance on the text up front.
Ok, enough of my soapbox, and on to this week's agenda:
Tuesday:
Bring your Perinne's Literature books to class and be prepared for more poetry analysis. If you are one who checks my blog in advance, I would suggest your pre-read the following poems before class:
"The Lamb" and "The Tiger" page 833
"Birches" page 846
"Mending Wall" page 848
"The Darkling Thrush" page 856
"La Belle Dame sans Merci" page 864
"what gramma said about her grampa" page 875
"The Victims" page 875
"A Work of Artifice" page 879
"Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" page 882
We may get to more poems than these, but I am more apt to think we will not manage to discuss each of these fully. They are worth reading and considering nonetheless.
Wednesday:
We will begin with a few passages from Voice Lessons while we await the arrival of our tech students.
After the tech students arrive, we will have Elizabeth Abrams as a guest lecturer. She will be sharing with you a note-taking technique that will help you connect device with meaning, an area in which many of you need more practice. When she is finished wither her lesson, we will spend the remainder of the class writing a timed essay based on The Importance of Being Earnest. This will be a "question three" type essay on the play as a whole, and not a selection from it. Take at least ten minutes to consider the prompt, break it into parts (big and little questions) and write a thesis sentence at least that answers the prompt in brief form. You can expound upon your argument in the body of the essay.
On Friday we will again discuss selections from "Voice Lessons." We will be having a visitor observer, so I do hope you will come to class prepared to discuss The Heart of Darkness. I would like each of you to come with specific passages to discuss and ideas about how those passages, in your minds, contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole. Also, come prepared to discuss what you believe the meaning of the work as a whole might be and the parts of the text that led to your understanding of it. This is a difficult text, even though it seems short, so don't be afraid to ask questions of your classmates and me. Bring your texts to direct us to the passages you wish to discuss.
I will also give you a poem with a short set of multiple choice questions to complete in groups and compete for points.
Looking forward to a fulfilling and useful week.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
And thank you to the six of you who made it to Saturday's practice session! I trust it was helpful and informative for you as it was for me. I do hope you pardon my whispered interjections "No, don't do that!" at the thought of a 5-paragraph theme (shivers). And do remember that the instructor echoed my advice to not clump your body paragraphs by device even if you choose to list them in the thesis.
I believe the most important lesson was repeated in three of the four sessions (the three essay sessions). And that lesson is this: If at all possible, write a THESIS statement early in the essay that does MORE than simply restate the prompt, but that actually hints at the meaning of the work as a whole or what the complexity in the passage is about. Don't just merely state that A, B, or C contribute to the meaning or the complexity, tell WHAT the meaning or complexities are. This way, even if you run short of time, you reader can give you credit for understanding the passage. If you wait until later in the passage to address these things, you may not get to them at all. Also, a clear directional thesis will be at the top of your essay to keep you focused and on track and help you to avoid tangential information that does not build your argument. Argument. That is an extremely important word. Have one. Take a stance on the text up front.
Ok, enough of my soapbox, and on to this week's agenda:
Tuesday:
Bring your Perinne's Literature books to class and be prepared for more poetry analysis. If you are one who checks my blog in advance, I would suggest your pre-read the following poems before class:
"The Lamb" and "The Tiger" page 833
"Birches" page 846
"Mending Wall" page 848
"The Darkling Thrush" page 856
"La Belle Dame sans Merci" page 864
"what gramma said about her grampa" page 875
"The Victims" page 875
"A Work of Artifice" page 879
"Aunt Jennifer's Tigers" page 882
We may get to more poems than these, but I am more apt to think we will not manage to discuss each of these fully. They are worth reading and considering nonetheless.
Wednesday:
We will begin with a few passages from Voice Lessons while we await the arrival of our tech students.
After the tech students arrive, we will have Elizabeth Abrams as a guest lecturer. She will be sharing with you a note-taking technique that will help you connect device with meaning, an area in which many of you need more practice. When she is finished wither her lesson, we will spend the remainder of the class writing a timed essay based on The Importance of Being Earnest. This will be a "question three" type essay on the play as a whole, and not a selection from it. Take at least ten minutes to consider the prompt, break it into parts (big and little questions) and write a thesis sentence at least that answers the prompt in brief form. You can expound upon your argument in the body of the essay.
On Friday we will again discuss selections from "Voice Lessons." We will be having a visitor observer, so I do hope you will come to class prepared to discuss The Heart of Darkness. I would like each of you to come with specific passages to discuss and ideas about how those passages, in your minds, contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole. Also, come prepared to discuss what you believe the meaning of the work as a whole might be and the parts of the text that led to your understanding of it. This is a difficult text, even though it seems short, so don't be afraid to ask questions of your classmates and me. Bring your texts to direct us to the passages you wish to discuss.
I will also give you a poem with a short set of multiple choice questions to complete in groups and compete for points.
Looking forward to a fulfilling and useful week.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
English 10 (All Classes): April 4-8, 2011
Greetings Sophomores!
I'm really excited about the unit we will be studying the next week! The Romantic period is one of the richest in American literature, featuring the very first American fiction (both short stories and novels) as well as poetry. Among the list of distinguished authors we will read and study are Poe, Irving, Bryant, and Cooper. This week alone we will finish our analysis of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" and read Irving's "Rip van Winkle" and "The Devil and Tom Walker," a Faustian tale based on a German folktale. I hope that by the end of this week you will be able to write about the symbolism in Usher and not only compare and contrast the protagonists of the two Irving tales, but draw some greater conclusion based on that comparison. It's really important to be present and prepared in class if you are to grasp this much information in a short time, so make a concerted effort to be there and be attentive. Attendance without attention is not sufficient for your understanding of this more complex type of reading.
You have already read the background about the Romantic period, but don't dismiss it, as you will be tested on it and need this knowledge to differentiate Romantics from the Transcendentalists and Anti Transcendentalists we will be studying next.
Also, don't forget your upcoming quiz in vocabulary. Lesson 17.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
I'm really excited about the unit we will be studying the next week! The Romantic period is one of the richest in American literature, featuring the very first American fiction (both short stories and novels) as well as poetry. Among the list of distinguished authors we will read and study are Poe, Irving, Bryant, and Cooper. This week alone we will finish our analysis of Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" and read Irving's "Rip van Winkle" and "The Devil and Tom Walker," a Faustian tale based on a German folktale. I hope that by the end of this week you will be able to write about the symbolism in Usher and not only compare and contrast the protagonists of the two Irving tales, but draw some greater conclusion based on that comparison. It's really important to be present and prepared in class if you are to grasp this much information in a short time, so make a concerted effort to be there and be attentive. Attendance without attention is not sufficient for your understanding of this more complex type of reading.
You have already read the background about the Romantic period, but don't dismiss it, as you will be tested on it and need this knowledge to differentiate Romantics from the Transcendentalists and Anti Transcendentalists we will be studying next.
Also, don't forget your upcoming quiz in vocabulary. Lesson 17.
See you in class!
Mrs. SO
English 12: April 4-8 2011
Hello Seniors!
I'm looking forward to an exciting two days with you this week. We have lots to do before spring break, and we are entering into and exciting section of British literature. (I know, I know, I say that every time, but it's always true!) The Restoration period (aka the Neoclassical and Enlightenment periods) is known as such because it took place after the restoration of the monarchical system in England with the coronation of Charles II. For more information on the background of this period click here.
On Monday, we will review for your test on Paradise Lost Book I and A Pilgrim's Progress, which are both crossover texts that could be considered either Restoration or Renaissance literature, since they are on the cusp of each and affected by both. This should not take the entire period, so we will also read the background information on the Restoration period from your texts, so bring them.
On Thursday, you will take the aforementioned test as well as a vocabulary quiz on lesson 17. Don't forget to study. We should also have time to do some reading from the text, so bring your books. This period is heavy in satirical writing, and one of the most infamous works of satire is attributed to the Irish writer Jonathan Swift. I am hoping we will have time to read his very scandalous pamphlet, "A Modest Proposal" in it's entirety, but if not, we will at least begin it in earnest.
Looking forward to an interesting week!
Mrs. SO
I'm looking forward to an exciting two days with you this week. We have lots to do before spring break, and we are entering into and exciting section of British literature. (I know, I know, I say that every time, but it's always true!) The Restoration period (aka the Neoclassical and Enlightenment periods) is known as such because it took place after the restoration of the monarchical system in England with the coronation of Charles II. For more information on the background of this period click here.
On Monday, we will review for your test on Paradise Lost Book I and A Pilgrim's Progress, which are both crossover texts that could be considered either Restoration or Renaissance literature, since they are on the cusp of each and affected by both. This should not take the entire period, so we will also read the background information on the Restoration period from your texts, so bring them.
On Thursday, you will take the aforementioned test as well as a vocabulary quiz on lesson 17. Don't forget to study. We should also have time to do some reading from the text, so bring your books. This period is heavy in satirical writing, and one of the most infamous works of satire is attributed to the Irish writer Jonathan Swift. I am hoping we will have time to read his very scandalous pamphlet, "A Modest Proposal" in it's entirety, but if not, we will at least begin it in earnest.
Looking forward to an interesting week!
Mrs. SO
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