We have completed reading The Odyssey on Thursday in all classes. Next up, grammar review for a most important grammar test on Tuesday, May 10. I have given out a study guide, and this means: you must study. This test will affect your grade!!

Next week, I will also hand out an additional study guide for The Odyssey, which is in addition to the three handouts you received with questions over the parts of the epic poem we have read and listened to in class. Please use all of these good tools to review for the exam. The exam will also have vocabulary and literary elements. All the vocabulary words can be found in the textbook.  Tomorrow, you will receive a literary device handout to complete in class.

What is an epic simile?

Do not get complacent in your last two weeks! Work hard, and end the year on a strong note. I have so much enjoyed teaching all of you!

Ms. S

This week you will all be taking the EOCT. Please remember to bring paper and no. 2 pencils for the testing session. Do your best and get enough sleep. Review all the work you have done in class to prepare prior to test date.

On days you are not testing in English class, you must have your textbook and notebook. We will continue reading The Odyssey, and we will listen to the audio, also. It is of paramount importance that you pay close attention and  use sticky notes. Remember to continue working on the study guide I handed out for Part One. You will also be receiving a study guide for Part Two and a handout which will help you to recognize various literary devices in this epic poem. We will also be working on vocabulary from the text.

We have a lot to accomplish in the next few weeks. This is a time to focus and stay on top of all assignments. Please do not forget to come to RISE as well.

I am proud of the fine work most of you have accomplished in your research essay. I will be returning these back to you as I grade them. If you must do it again, please get it back to me within the time period I give you.

We are getting close to the end of your first year in high school! Let’s make it a strong finish!

ALTERNATE ASSESS RandJ

Have a great week off!

The research assignment is due on Tuesday, as per the packet date. Monday is another opportunity to do peer and self editing. Please pay special attention to the rubric evaluation review you did yourself on Thursday and Friday via peer review.  Remember you must hand in the 2-page paper, Works Cited page, and copies of all sources you cite. I am not recollecting the Annotated Bibliographies.

Please be careful about your sentences, making sure there are no fragments or run-ons and that commas are properly used.  Remember the recipe for each of the three body paragraphs:

1. Topic Sentence

2. Your assertion or statement about your subject person inside this topic

3. Evidence with proper introduction and parenthetical citing (as per the packet and the handout)

4. Analysis of evidence: So what? How does this prove your assertion/thesis branch?

5. Concluding sentence to wrap up paragraph

Also, check the correct parenthetical information appears inside the (            ).  The source number we used initially is not acceptable.

Works Cited: Reverse indentation (the opposite of a paragraph); ALL DOUBLESPACED; list is in alphabetical order.

We have one week until spring break! Let’s make it a great one.

Before you know it, our Spring Break will be here. Now that we have finished Romeo and Juliet, we will be concentrating only on writing our research essays and DGP lessons.

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Periods 1, 2, 3, and 6 will be in Computer Lab 2206. It is most important that you have all your sources and are ready to write. On Monday, all classes are to have finished their Introduction, Body paragraph 1 and 2. Monday night, you will write your Body paragraph 3, and Tuesday night, you will create your Works Cited page. Wednesday and Thursday, I will be checking all classes’ Rough drafts and students will be doing their Conclusion and filling in their parenthetical citation in the proper format.  Entire rough draft and Works Cited (typewritten correctly with parenthetical in-text citations and in MLA format, Times New Roman, DS, 12pt. are due on Thursday, March 25, except for 4th period, which is due on Friday, March 26. Remember, your Rough draft will go through your own thorough revision process before you hand it in; it will also be peer edited.

Period 4 will be in the Computer Lab on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Your homework assignments, however, are the same as other periods.

I WILL BE AVAILABLE EVERY MORNING EXCEPT TUESDAY TO HELP YOU IN THE MORNING. I CAN ALSO WORK WITH YOU DURING MY 4A LUNCH PERIOD or by appointment after school until 4:30. Additionally, DO NOT FORGET to visit the Writing Center a couple times this week. Some of you may need to go three times. The Writing Center is open every morning at 8am and during 4A every day. It is also open after school and during 4B lunch Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.  Please take advantage of this incredible resource, which was created just so you may succeed in these assignments!!

Please hand in all Research assignments on time! On Thursday, March 11, your typed Annotated Bibliographies and your Final Thesis statement is due. These are two important grades.  Today, I handed out the MLA Guide and the rubric and example of a typed Annotated Bibliography. Please follow the format exactly. It is not necessary to include the url. The url begins with <http://.  Just end your citation at the year and put a period after it.

We will continue with Act IV this week in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

We will also be working on DGP and Vocabulary for Act III.

Most students are doing such a fine job adhering to the schedule; I am proud of your attention and work ethic. Keep up the great work!!

To those students who are habitually late on assignments, your grade will be affected. It’s a short week. Because of this, we may not finish Act IV in class. I may assign a scene to read over the long weekend. In this case, please access the modern translation online in order to understand it better. This can be found simply by typing into the Google search: Romeo and Juliet modern translation. The first or second result should be NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE. It is a side-by-side text, with the original language on one side and modern language on the opposite. It is extremely helpful.

The research essay is a major assignment; therefore, it will heavily affect your grade!  Stay on top of all deadlines and come prepared to class. Some students did not have their four sources in class today, and that has already been recorded for the first homework grade. Tomorrow, we will be continuing with source reading and formulating a thesis statement. First and second period did not meet today; therefore, we will work on this for the first time tomorrow, Thursday.

On Friday, if you have been able to get your permission form signed by your 5th period teacher AND if you do not have a test in that class, you are invited to join me and some of my students from all periods for a fabulous Shakespeare presentation during 5th period.

Next week, your final thesis is due, as are the Annotated Bibliographies. You will receive instruction on this tomorrow in periods 3 through 6, and on Monday for 1st and 2nd periods.

We will also finish ACT III of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet on Friday. Next week, we will continue with ACT IV.

Those of you who need to attend RISE should come in next week on Monday AND Wednesday to make up for today.  If you have any questions pertaining to the Research essay, you should also:

a. either come in to my classroom at 8am OR

b. go to the Writing Center

Most students will need to take advantage of the Writing Center at some point during this assignment. It exists for this very reason!! 

WRITING CENTER hours:  Monday – Friday 8am and A lunch

                                                  Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday – B lunch and after school

You will receive your Research Assignment materials this week.  I must submit a list of your choices to our wonderful librarian Ms.  Rose on Thursday, so I will need to know who you are interested in researching from the list of choices by that day.  Ms. Rose will make up a cart with books for our class; these books will stay in the Media Center.  They are not allowed to leave as all classes will need to access them.  Ms. Rose will also be teaching you how to search for other media for your research when we visit the library on February 19th, 22, and 23.  It is most important that you come prepared on these days to find materials.  This requires organization and preparation.  You must make sure you have money so you can get copies of your research sources.  You should probably have a manila envelope  or a folder to trap all the materials you gather up. 

This week, we will start on ACT III of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.  It is a short week; we will not finish the ACT in class.  Before we start it, we will view ACT II film clips.  This week, we also have a DGP quiz (Wednesday) and a vocabulary quiz (Thursday.)  The vocabulary quiz will include ACT I and ACT II words.  Please make sure you prepare by studying your flashcards you’ve been making.  If you have any questions about grammar, please write them anonymously on a piece of paper and hand them into me prior to the quiz, so I may address them.  I will remind you and collect these as ‘tickets out the door’ on Monday and Tuesday at the end of class.  We will review as necessary.

All classes have now finished ACT II of Romeo and Juliet.  On Thursday, we will be working with vocabulary, making flashcards with ACT I and ACT II words.  Friday, all classes will have a quiz, which will be on ACT II primarily and some ACT I repeat questions.

We will start ACT III and continue to view the film. On Tuesday, February 9th all classes will have a grammar quiz. Next week, we will be reading, listening, viewing, and acting out a scene from ACT III.  Students will be paraphrasing passages from this Act.  There is homework on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday always.  Students should have their HW assignment written in their agendas.  On February 9th, students will also receive their Research Essay Assignment.  This is a major grade, and all students should stay on the schedule for the various deadlines.  There will be more information forthcoming on this assignment here next week.

Friday, February 12th and Monday, February 15, school is closed.  On February 16 and 17, students will be taking EOCT checkpoints.   All students should come prepared with two No. 2 pencils sharpened for the test, which will be in class on scantrons.

Study for the Romeo and Juliet quiz and the grammar quiz.  Do all homework assignments on time.  Keep your grades as high as possible.  Do your personal best!!

All students will take EOCT checkpoints in February, and I will post about this next time.

Please do your homework and keep your grades high!