Friday, January 28, 2011

Week of January 24th

Lots of stuff happened this week.

1. I checked your novels for A Lesson Before Dying. Last day to show me whether you have your book or not is Monday, January 31st. 2. Outline of pages 1093-1101 was collected. There will be a quiz based on your outlines this coming week.
3. Read "Stride Toward Freedom" by Martin Luther King and answered four reading questions.
4. Took introduction notes on the novel and watched a brief video on Ernest Gaines, the author. There will be an introduction quiz on that information this coming week.
5. Issued the Poster project. (Please refer to the posting for details on the project.)

I know most of you are looking forward to the Ring Ceremony coming up this week on Thursday, February 3rd (Early Release). Make sure you stay focused and complete all work and be present for the quizzes.

P.S. I am looking into trying to get a swing dance instructor to come to the school to teach you swing dancing since that was a dance that was popular during the 1940s-1960s. I will give you more information as I get it. I hope this sounds fun to you because I think it would be a great way to learn more about that time period.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Poster Project for A Lesson Before Dying

You are to design a poster based on the time period of the novel -- A Lesson Before Dying.
You have a a choice between one of the following topics:
1. Famous people and/or events of the time (1940s-1960s)
2. Racism / Segregation
3. Civil Rights Movement

Your poster will be graded based on visual creativity and information on your topic.
You can work on your own or with a partner. No more than two people per poster!

It will be due February 8th (periods 1,3,5) and February 9th (periods 2, 4, 6).
Worth 10 points

Friday, January 14, 2011

Observations from first half of the year

So we made it through the first half of the year.
Overall I am pleased with your work and effort. There are only a few things I would like to mention:
1. I don't give you grades -- you earn them. Remember that I grade on a point system, which means everything counts even more. You may have an 89% in the class and think you are missing an "A" by just one point, but it is more than just one point, it is one percent.
2. I do offer extra credit, but you need to do it and submit it on time. The third and fourth nine weeks extra credit will be to register and take either the SAT or ACT. To sign-up see Ms. Abesada (CAP Advisor) in the main office. Remember if you are on free/reduced lunch you can get a voucher so you don't have to pay the registration fee, which is like $45.
3. Up to now we have read in class, but this second half of the year you will be responsible for reading more independently at home so make sure you are keeping up with the reading. This is to prepare you for college.

I look forward to a great second half of the school year.
Remember -- "The Gladiator life is the life we live." :)

Are you ready for A Lesson Before Dying?

We will be reading A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines for the 3rd nine weeks.
I will begin checking for your copy of the novel the week of January 24th.
All students need to have their own copy of the book (you can check it out from the library, download from the internet, purchase it) because you will be doing reading at home.
I will be issuing a book check for points.

Do not get caught without a book because you will only be hurting yourself.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Midterm Review

Here are topics to review for the midterm (multiple choice exam):

1. You should know the main idea, plot and characters of the pieces below--
A. Native / Colonial Americans (notes)
B. The World on the Turtle's Back
C. The Coyote and the Buffalo
D. Sinner's in the Hands of an Angry God
E. The General History of Virginia by John Smith
F. Benjamin Franklin
G. The Minister's Black Veil
H. The Raven

You should also know what the following authors wrote:
Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ernest Hemingway, and Robert Frost

2. SAT Vocabulary (A-T words): Absolve, Anomaly, Beseech, Conundrum, Deluge, Discredit, Empathy, Ephemeral, Fortuitous, Germane, Hiatus, Humane, Imbibe, Impetuous, Judicious, Karma, Knotty, Lucid, Magnanimous, Meliorate, Neophyte, Onus, Obsequious, Pretentious, Querulous, Rendezvous, Rudimentary, Sagacious, Taciturn, Travesty

3. Grammar Review (Comma Usage, Subject-verb agreement)

4. SAT Practice Questions (Sentence completion, grammar correction)

*If you create a review sheet for yourself and turn it in the day of your midterm I will give you extra points towards your test.

Midterm Exam Schedule

I know we just got back from the holiday break and you may not want to think about this, but it is time for Midterms. Here is the schedule of testing:

Subjective Exam (Essay)

Wednesday, January 12th Periods 4 & 5
Thursday, January 13th Periods 1 & 3
Thursday, January 14th Periods 2 & 6

Objective Exam (Multiple Choice)

Tuesday, January 18 Periods 1 & 5
Wednesday, January 19 Periods 2 & 6
Thursday, January 20 Periods 3 & 4

Monday, January 17th No School (Martin Luther King Holiday)
Thursday, January 20th End of the Second Nine Weeks
Friday, January 21st No School (Teacher Planning Day)