12/18/15

• Viewing of Beowulf film. If you want to see the final scenes with Beowulf fighting the dragon, start here. If you want to watch from the beginning, start here.

• Winter Break Reading Assignment: You will choose a novel from a list of four and read it. You will have a book discussion with me in January. I'm giving you the assignment now so that you can choose a book and check it out from the library or order it and have time to read it while school is out. 

           In the library (ask at the desk):
                   Grendel by John Gardner
                   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
                   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

           Purchase yourself or read on PDF:
                   The Awakening by Kate Chopin (here is a PDF version)

           Glossaries for military terms in The Things They Carried:

• Military Terms of the Modern Era
• Wiki list of U.S. Government and Military Terms
• Glossary of Terms for The Things They Carried

12/16/15

• 2A: Beowulf Film

• 4A: Semester Exam

• Winter Break Reading Assignment: You will choose a novel from a list of four and read it. You will have a book discussion with me in January. I'm giving you the assignment now so that you can choose a book and check it out from the library or order it and have time to read it while school is out. 

           In the library (ask at the desk):
                   Grendel by John Gardner
                   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
                   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

           Purchase yourself or read on PDF:
                   The Awakening by Kate Chopin (here is a PDF version)

           Glossaries for military terms in The Things They Carried:

• Military Terms of the Modern Era
• Wiki list of U.S. Government and Military Terms
• Glossary of Terms for The Things They Carried

12/14/15

• 2A: Semester Exam

• 4A: Exam Review
• 1st Semester Study Guide
• Elements of Fiction notesheet
• Theme notesheet
• Character Analysis notesheet
• Symbol notesheet

Winter Break Reading Assignment: You will choose a novel from a list of four and read it. You will have a book discussion with me in January. I'm giving you the assignment now so that you can choose a book and check it out from the library or order it and have time to read it while school is out. 

           In the library (ask at the desk):
                   Grendel by John Gardner
                   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
                   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

           Purchase yourself or read on PDF:
                   The Awakening by Kate Chopin (here is a PDF version)

           Glossaries for military terms in The Things They Carried:

• Military Terms of the Modern Era
• Wiki list of U.S. Government and Military Terms
• Glossary of Terms for The Things They Carried

12/10/15

• 1st Semester Study Guide
• Elements of Fiction notesheet
• Theme notesheet
• Character Analysis notesheet
• Symbol notesheet

• Completion of Class Mural Project- turned in today

• Winter Break Reading Assignment: You will choose a novel from a list of four and read it. You will have a book discussion with me in January. I'm giving you the assignment now so that you can choose a book and check it out from the library or order it and have time to read it while school is out. 

           In the library (ask at the desk):
                   Grendel by John Gardner
                   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
                   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

           Purchase yourself or read on PDF:
                   The Awakening by Kate Chopin (here is a PDF version)

12/8/15

• Continuation of Class Mural Project due Thursday at the end of class.

• Winter Break Reading Assignment: You will choose a novel from a list of four and read it. You will have a book discussion with me in January. I'm giving you the assignment now so that you can choose a book and check it out from the library or order it and have time to read it while school is out. 

           In the library (ask at the desk):
                   Grendel by John Gardner
                   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
                   Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

           Purchase yourself or read on PDF:
                   The Awakening by Kate Chopin (here is a PDF version)

• 1st Semester Study Guide
• Elements of Fiction notesheet
• Theme notesheet
• Character Analysis notesheet
• Symbol notesheet

12/4/15

• POW: Turn in your poem with a paragraph that gives your poetic idea and explains how a main poetic device helps to develop it.
• 2A: "No Title Required" by Wislawa Szymborska
• 4A: "The End and the Beginning" by Wislawa Szymborska

• Work time for class mural (due at the end of class on Thurs. 12/10/15).
• Here is the 2A mural plan so far:

12/2/15

• POW: Complete a full annotation for Fri. 12/4/15:
• 2A: "No Title Required" by Wislawa Szymborska
• 4A: "The End and the Beginning" by Wislawa Szymborska

• In-Class Assignment: Elements of Fiction Class Mural
• 2A: "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde (see individual assignments here)
• 4A: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

• 4A Also:
• Read "Why I Wrote 'The Yellow Wallpaper'" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• Watch these video interpretations of the story.

Here are the schedules for the next two weeks:

11/30/15

• POW: Complete a full annotation for Fri. 12/4/15.

• 2A: "No Title Required" by Wislawa Szymborska- For Wed. 12/2/15, analyze for speaker's situation & effects of prominent poetic devices.

• 4A: "The End and the Beginning" by Wislawa Szymborska- For Wed. 12/2/15, analyze how the title connects to meaning of the poem & look for the effects of prominent poetic devices.

• In-Class Assignment: Multiple choice practice for prose passages (see me if you want copies for your own practice)

• HW due Wed. 12/2/15: Read the new story and annotate for elements of fiction.
• 2A: "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde
• 4A: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

11/23/15

• Short Fiction: 
• Notes & assignment on types of symbols in "Araby" by James Joyce (2A) or "56-0" by T. C. Boyle (4A)
• Locate symbols of various types in your assigned story. Find at least 4. For each, explain:
• what is being symbolized and how
• the type of symbol
• the significance of the symbol to the story as a whole

• Poem of the Week: Complete the "Thanksgiving Poem Assignment" on Google Classroom. The class code is 2js61 (2A) or ja1h35 (4A)

11/19/15

• POW: AP multiple choice practice for this week's poem. 

• Short Fiction: In-class first reading of new story. HW due Mon. 11/23/15: Re-read the story, annotating for vocab. and elements of fiction. We will focus on symbol, but make sure you have notes on all of the elements.
• 2A: "Araby" by James Joyce
• 4A: "56-0" by T. C. Boyle

• FYI: The College Board alerted me through email that the U.S. legislature is voting to change a policy that affects AP testing. If it is not renewed, there may be no more subsidies of the test fees and the tests will cost $92 each. The College Board is asking interested parties to contact their U.S. Representatives to voice their opinion about blocking this change. You can help! Go to either or both of these links and urge your congressperson to express interest in retaining the AP Exam Test Fee subsidies for low-income students. The bill is called Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
• Ruben Hinojosa
• Filemon Vela

11/17/15

• POW: For Thurs. 11/19/15, determine the most prominent poetic elements (metaphor, imagery, shift, repetition, etc.) and how they are working in the poem. Determine the speaker's situation. Then complete the usual analysis including topic & poetic idea.
• 2A: "Ethics" by Linda Pastan
• 4A: "To Be of Use" by Marge Piercy

• Short Fiction:
• In class assignment: Make a list of oppositions that are present in “The Yellow Wallpaper" (2A) or "The Nightingale and the Rose" (4A). Choose one set of oppositions that seems most prominent in the story. Then write the first draft of an essay that analyzes the ways the two opposing elements are presented in the short story and how the opposition brings meaning to the work as a whole.

11/13/15

• POW: Multiple choice practice on villanelle. I did not collect the poems.

• Short Fiction: 
• Characterization graphics turned in
• 2A: Discussion of video representations of "The Yellow Wallpaper". You can watch the videos here. (There is also a miniseries-- you can watch it here.)
• HW due Tues. 11/17/15: Come up with at least two oppositions for "The Yellow Wallpaper" (2A) or "The Nightingale and the Rose" (4A). Make notes on how these oppositions play out in the story. Remember that oppositions are ideas / concepts present throughout the piece and help us understand theme. This differs from conflict as conflict is based in characters and plot. 

11/11/15

• POW: For Fri, complete a complete analysis (vocab., figurative language & effect, shift, topic, poetic idea, effect of repetition)
• 2A: "One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
• 4A: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

• Short Fiction Study:
• Character study assignment due Fri. 11/13/15
• Here are some sites where you can make infographics for free in case you are going in that direction:
• Infogram
• Vennage
• Clarification question / response assignment due Thurs. 11/12/15 by 11:59 pm. Post one clarifying question on Google Classroom and answer the questions of two classmates. Enroll using the following codes:
• 2A: 2cjs61
• 4A: ja1h35
• 2A: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• 4A: "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde

11/9/15

• POW: For Wed., determine the form of your assigned poem. For Fri, complete a complete analysis (vocab., figurative language & effect, shift, topic, poetic idea)
• 2A: "One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
• 4A: "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

• Short Fiction Study- For Wed., read new story, focusing on character and setting. Mark your story for elements of fiction.
• 2A: "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
• 4A: "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde

11/5/15

• Italian sonnet essay test

• Short fiction- 
• The following assignments were turned in:
• 2 themes with explanation of how each develops in the story
• 3 clarification questions
• We will continue our discussion of "56-0" (2A) and "Araby" (4A) on Monday. To prepare, read the article for your class period below. Look up words you don't know to make sure the article makes sense to you.
• 2A: "Football and the Death of the Hero in '56-0'" by W. D. Clarke
• 4A: Critical Essays for "Araby"

11/3/15

• We will not have a poem today. Instead, there will be an essay test on Italian sonnet on Thursday, 11/5/15.

• Check in with your counselor in lab 127 regarding your Apply Texas application. (Most students took the majority of class with this.)

• Write at least three clarifying questions for "56-0" (2A) or "Araby" (4B). Clarifying questions are questions to which you might not know the answer but realize that the answer(s) would clarify meaning in the story.

• Homework due Wed. 11/4/15:                                   
• A. Take the two themes you wrote and explain how each one develops in "56-0" / "Araby" 
• 
  
• B. Turn in final draft of college admission essay if you have not already received a grade (check the portal). I will not accept them after Wednesday. A zero on this assignment will reduce your six weeks grade at least ten points. You can check this list to see if you still need to turn in your final paper.

10/30/15

• POW: Italian sonnet. 
• Assignment: On the back of your annotated poem, write a paragraph explaining how the speaker's perspective shifts. Poems & paragraphs were turned in.
• 2A: "Holy Sonnet 5" by John Donne
• 4A: "Fairy Tale Logic" by A.E. Stallings

• Short Fiction: Discussion of assigned story.   
• 2A finished presentations on elements of fiction notes.
• Assignment (everyone): Choose the two elements of fiction that are most prominent to you. On one side of your paper, write up your insights about one element. Put your ideas about the other element on the other side of the paper. 
• HW due Tues. 11/3/15: Make a list of topics that are presented in your assigned story. From this list, write two original themes that the work presents. Here is the handout on theme as an element of fiction and how to write themes.
• 2A: "56-0" by T.C. Boyle
• 4A: "Araby" by James Joyce

• College Admissions Essays: Writing conferences have been concluded. Your final paper must be turned in by Wed. 11/4/15.

10/28/15

• POW: Italian sonnet. Focus on shift and speaker's situation, but complete the usual full analysis for Fri. 10/30/15.
• 2A: "Holy Sonnet 5" by John Donne
• 4A: "Fairy Tale Logic" by A.E. Stallings

• College Admissions Essays: Most writing conferences have been concluded (check schedule here) and final drafting stage is underway. Your final paper must be turned in by Wed. 11/4/15.

• Short Fiction: "We Show What We Have Learned" by Clare Beams
• The elements of fiction presentations are underway. You are responsible for the terminology, so get notes on the definitions / examples you might have missed. We will continue notes on Wednesday.
• HW for Fri. 10/28/15- Read the story assigned to your class and annotate for the elements of fiction.
• 2A: "56-0" by T.C. Boyle
• 4A: "Araby" by James Joyce

10/26/15

• POW: Italian sonnet. Focus on shift and speaker's situation, but complete the usual full analysis.
• 2A: "Holy Sonnet 5" by John Donne
• 4A: "Fairy Tale Logic" by A.E. Stallings

• College Admissions Essays: Most writing conferences have been concluded (check schedule here) and final drafting stage is underway. Your final paper must be turned in by Wed. 11/4/15.

• Short Fiction: "We Show What We Have Learned" by Clare Beams
• The elements of fiction presentations are underway. You are responsible for the terminology, so get notes on the definitions / examples you might have missed. We will continue notes on Wednesday.

10/22/15

• POW
• 2A: "My Cathedral" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• 4A: XV by John Barlas
• In-class assignment: Write an explanation of the shift in the poem. This was turned in along with the annotated poem.

• College Admissions Essays: First drafts are currently under review. You should have a conference date (check schedule here) to discuss your paper with me.

• Short Fiction: "We Show What We Have Learned" by Clare Beams
• Groups collaborated for elements of fiction presentations which will start on Monday.

10/20/15

• POW: HW due Thurs. 10/22/15- Analysis of Italian sonnet. Focus on shift, but complete the usual analysis.
• 2A: "My Cathedral" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• 4A: XV by John Barlas

• College Admissions Essays: First drafts are currently under review. You should have a conference date (check schedule here) to discuss your paper with me.

• Short Fiction: "We Show What We Have Learned" by Clare Beams
• Discussion
• Clarification questions assignment
• Groups for elements of fiction presentations
• HW due Thurs 10/22/15: Begin making notes / researching your assigned section of the elements of fiction list. 

10/16/15

• POW
• Discussion / review of English sonnet essay test
• Discussion / notes on this week's Italian sonnet. We will work with the Italian sonnet for the next few weeks.

• College Admissions Essays: First drafts are currently under review. You should have a conference date (check schedule here) to discuss your paper with me.

• New Unit: Short Fiction
• Notes: List of  elements of fiction
• In-class reading: "We Show What We Have Learned" by Clare Beams
• Homework due Tues. 10/20/15: 
• Complete a second reading of the story, noting the following:

• unfamiliar vocab
• elements of fiction you happen to notice (plot, setting, conflict, character, point of view, theme, mood, tone)
• literary devices and their effect(s)
• 
  
• Write at least 3 clarifying questions. These are questions to which you might not know the answer but realize that the answer could clarify meaning in the story.

10/14/15

• Beowulf Exam

• College Admissions Essays: First drafts are currently under review. You should have a conference date (check schedule here) to discuss your paper with me.

• HW due Fri. 10/16/15: POW- Research Italian sonnet form and apply it to the poem. Also, annotate for vocab, shift, structure, devices, and topic / poetic idea.
• 2A: "If Thou Must Love Me" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
• 4A: "Read History" by Edna St. Vincent Millay

10/9/15

• Because of the legislative presentation, today's Beowulf exam has been postponed to Wed. 10/9/15. Make sure you use this extra time to STUDY!

• If you are thinking about attending Texas State University next year, consider attending one of these meetings with a rep:

10/7/15

• Beowulf
• In-class assignment: Genres in Beowulf (turned in today)
• TEST will be Friday 10/9/15
• Get the Study Guide here
• Here is the answer key for the character test
• Here is the pronunciation list for the characters and here is a video where I pronounce them for you. (The test will not ask you pronunciation, but this might help you review.)

• College Admissions Essay 
• First draft was turned in today. I should have received a hard copy of your essay (handwritten or typed) by class time whether you were present in class or not.
• Conference sign-up: Make sure you have scheduled a time to conference with me about your essay. There is a sign-up sheet in 143. Conferences will take place from Thurs. 10/8/15 - Wed. 10/28/15.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Tues. 10/13/15: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

ALERT for Job Shadowers

10/5/15

• Beowulf
• TEST will be Friday 10/9/15
• Get the Study Guide here
• Here is the answer key for the character test
• Discussion / detailed notes for "The Struggle Between Order and Chaos in Beowulf" by John Halverson. Use this guide sheet to make sure your notes are complete.

• College Admissions Essay
• Q&A 
• Resources:
• ApplyTexas University Search (application requirements by school)
• 8 Tips for Crafting Your Best College Essay (BigFuture)
• Common Application Essay Topics (Apply Texas and Common App)
• CommonApp.org school search
• Sample Essay booklet (passed out in class)
• HW due Wed. 10/7/15: Turn in a hard copy (no email or Google docs) first draft of college admissions essay by today. It can by typewritten or handwritten. Papers turned in after the class period on 10/7 will be read and given feedback, but will receive a grade of 0.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Tues. 10/13/15: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

10/1/15

• POW: Sonnet analysis test

• Beowulf
• HW turned in (Heroic Ideal)
• HW for Mon. 10/5/15: Read "The Struggle Between Order and Chaos in Beowulf" by John Halverson. Focus on vocabulary and find as many oppositional ideas in the article as possible. (Examples of opposite ideas = order / chaos, inside / outside)

• College Admissions Essay
• Q&A 
• Resources:
• ApplyTexas University Search (application requirements by school)
• 8 Tips for Crafting Your Best College Essay (BigFuture)
• Common Application Essay Topics (Apply Texas and Common App)
• CommonApp.org school search
• Sample Essay booklet (passed out in class)
• HW due Wed. 10/7/15: Turn in a hard copy (no email or Google docs) first draft of college admissions essay by today. It can by typewritten or handwritten. Papers turned in after the class period on 10/7 will be read and given feedback, but will receive a grade of 0.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Tues. 10/13/15: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

9/29/15

• POW: 
• This week, you will be tested on your ability to analyze a Shakespearean (English) sonnet. On Thursday, you will receive a poem and have time in class to analyze it and write an essay that explains how the structure of the poem develops the poetic idea. To prepare, look over your notes on the sonnet form. We reviewed the elements of the sonnet and ideas about organizing an analytical essay, so if you were absent you might want to seek a classmate's notes.
• You can practice with these English sonnets.

• Beowulf: 
• Themes assignment turned in.
• HW due Thurs. 10/1/15: Complete Heroic Ideal assignment

• College Planning:
• Essays:
• Topic card filled out and turned in (see me)
• Continued discussion of sample essays
• Q&A on college admissions essays.
• Resources:
• ApplyTexas University Search (application requirements by school)
• 8 Tips for Crafting Your Best College Essay (BigFuture)
• Common Application Essay Topics (Apply Texas and Common App)
• CommonApp.org school search
• Sample Essay booklet (passed out in class)
• HW due Wed. 10/7/15: Turn in a hard copy (no email or Google docs) first draft of college admissions essay by today. It can by typewritten or handwritten. Papers turned in after the class period on 10/7 will be read and given feedback, but will receive a grade of 0.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/30/15: Herff Jones meeting in gym during FAS
• Tues. 10/13/15: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

9/25/15

• POW: Assignment- Write a paragraph on the following topic: Explain how the structure of ideas in this week's sonnet helps to develop the poetic idea. Turn in with the annotated poem.

• Beowulf: 
• Discussion / clarification for notes on section 4.
• HW due Tues. 9/29/15: Complete themes assignment

• College Planning:
• Essays:
• Here are some resources as you begin:
• ApplyTexas University Search (application requirements by school)
• 8 Tips for Crafting Your Best College Essay (BigFuture)
• Common Application Essay Topics (Apply Texas and Common App)
• CommonApp.org school search
• Sample Essay booklet (passed out in class)
• HW due Tues. 9/29/15: Bring in the full essay topic for the toughest college admissions essay you will need to write.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits
• Tues. 10/13: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

9/23/15

• POW
• 2A: "My True Love Hath My Heart" by Sir Philip Sidney
• 4A: "Sonnet-- To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe
• For Fri. 9/25/15: Complete the analysis by annotating how the 2nd and 3rd quatrains of the sonnet extend the idea presented in the 1st quatrain. Make notes on the speaker and intended audience. Add the topic and poetic idea.

• Beowulf: 
• Annotation notes for section 4. Complete for homework.

• College Planning: We will soon be working on research and essays that will help the college application process. You should be coming to some ideas about:

1. the area you would like to study (it's OK if this is general, but if you can be specific, do so)
2. schools you plan to apply to

                Here are some tools to help your investigation:

• College Scorecard search (compare majors and costs among universities)
• Major and Career Search (browse majors and careers in various areas)
• ACT Profile
• College Admissions Checklist (get PDF version here)
• Quiz for areas of interest 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits
• Tues. 10/13: Information night for UT and TAMU @ WISD Boardroom, 6 pm

9/21/15

COLLEGE FAIR IS WEDNESDAY! GET BAR CODES HERE.

• POW
• 2A: "My True Love Hath My Heart" by Sir Philip Sidney
• 4A: "Sonnet-- To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe
• For Wed. 9/23/15: Analyze the sonnet for the main idea presented in the first quatrain and how this idea is deepened in the following two quatrains. We will discuss this on Wed.

• Beowulf: 
• Discussion of annotation notes for Section 3 of Beowulf. 
• For Wed. 9/23/15: Review section 4 of Beowulf, focusing on how Beowulf has changed throughout the epic. Continue adding to your notes.

• College Planning: We will soon be working on research and essays that will help the college application process. You should be coming to some ideas about:

1. the area you would like to study (it's OK if this is general, but if you can be specific, do so)
2. schools you plan to apply to

                Here are some tools to help your investigation:

• College Scorecard search (compare majors and costs among universities)
• Major and Career Search (browse majors and careers in various areas)
• ACT Profile
• College Admissions Checklist (get PDF version here)
• Quiz for areas of interest 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair (get your bar code)
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/17/15

• POW
• 2A: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare
• 4A: Sonnet 55 by William Shakespeare
• Notes on sonnet form, including progression of thought through the quatrains. Terms defined in the notebook: quatrain, couplet, rhyme scheme, elision, stressed syllable, unstressed syllable, iambic pentameter. Annotated poem was turned in for a grade.

• Beowulf: Annotation notes for Section 3 of Beowulf. Complete for homework.

• College Planning: We will soon be working on research and essays that will help the college application process. Over the next week or so, you should be coming to some ideas about:

1. the area you would like to study (it's OK if this is general, but if you can be specific, do so)
2. schools you plan to apply to

                Here are some tools to help your investigation:

• College Scorecard search (compare majors and costs among universities)
• Major and Career Search (browse majors and careers in various areas)
• ACT Profile
• College Admissions Checklist (get PDF version here)
• Quiz for areas of interest 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair (get your bar code)
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/15/15

• POW
• 2A: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare
• 4A: Sonnet 55 by William Shakespeare
• For Thurs. 9/17/15: Complete the usual annotations (figurative language / effect, narrative / lyric, topic / poetic idea), but also research the form of the Shakespearean (English) sonnet. Also, you should be able to characterize the speaker of the poem and the intended audience.
• Beowulf
• Notes on the origin and journey of the Beowulf manuscript. If you were absent, you can take notes from this video I made for you.
• Q&A on Section 2 Notes
• HW due Thurs. 9/17/15: Review Section 3 of Beowulf. Focus on how this part of the epic poem is setting up the final section. Look at how time elapses and the decisions Beowulf makes.
• College Planning: We will soon be working on research and essays that will help the college application process. Over the next week or so, you should be coming to some ideas about:

1. the area you would like to study (it's OK if this is general, but if you can be specific, do so)
2. schools that you are interested in applying to

                Here are some tools to help your investigation:

• College Scorecard search (compare majors and costs among universities)
• Major and Career Search (browse majors and careers in various areas)
• College Admissions Checklist (get PDF version here)
• Quiz for areas of interest 

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair (get your bar code)
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/11/15

• Poem of the Week: We wrote an analytical paragraph stating the poetic idea of this week's poem and explaining how elements of the poem support the poetic idea. This was turned in with the annotated poem.

• Beowulf
• TEST: Beowulf characters
• Section 2 analytical review for text annotation- Finish for homework

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair (get bar code here)
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/9/15

 

• POEM OF THE WEEK: Due Friday, 9/11/15
• 2A- "How to Write a Poem" by Allen Lee Taylor
• Make sure you look up and apply words and allusions to the context of the poem, analyze figurative language and its effect, work through the poem in chunks (not lines), and determine the topic (main subject of the poem) and poetic idea (what the poet is trying to express about the topic). 
• 4A- "Constantly Risking Absurdity" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
• (TIP: Watch Charlie Chaplin walk)
• Make sure you look up and apply words and allusions to the context of the poem, analyze figurative language and its effect, work through the poem in chunks (not lines), and determine the topic (main subject of the poem) and poetic idea (what the poet is trying to express about the topic). 

• Beowulf
• Section 2 analytical review for text annotation
• HW for Fri. 9/11/15: Study for character test
• List of characters
• Video of name pronunciations

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/7/15

• To attend the college fair on Sept. 23, you will need to create a bar code. Here are the instructions to do so.

• POEM OF THE WEEK: Due Friday, 9/11/15
• 2A- "How to Write a Poem" by Allen Lee Taylor
• 4A- "Constantly Risking Absurdity" by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
• Make sure you look up and apply words and allusions to the context of the poem, analyze figurative language and its effect, work through the poem in chunks (not lines), and determine the topic (main subject of the poem) and poetic idea (what the poet is trying to express about the topic).

• BEOWULF:
• 4A finished section 1 group notes
• PowerPoint on the setting of Beowulf. If you were absent, please view the PPT.
• Anglo-Saxon video example 1
• Anglo-Saxon video example 2
• Handout notes for background on the Anglo-Saxon language. This material will be on the final Beowulf test when we finish reviewing all 4 sections of the epic poem.
• HW for Wed. 9/9/15: Review section 2 of Beowulf, making new observations and notes. Focus on the character of Grendel's mother and how we can compare / contrast Beowulf's battle with her and the one he has with Grendel.
• HW for Fri. 9/11/15: We will have a test on ALL of the characters of Beowulf in class this Friday, so work on long-term learning of their relationships and important actions.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution
• Mon. & Tues. 9/28 & 9/29: Senior portraits

9/3/15

• POW (Poem of the Week): Small group discussion of poem and refinement of poetic idea. Annotated poem pages were turned in.
• Beowulf
• Group discussion / presentation of notes for Section 1 #1-4 and A-G.If you were absent, make sure you get all of these notes in your Beowulf book.
• HW: Review Beowulf characters. Test next week!

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution

9/1/15

•  Poem of the Week:
• 2A- "Eating Poetry" by Mark Strand
• 4A- "Reply to the Question: 'How Can You Become a Poet?'" by Eve Merriam
• Due Thurs. 9/3/15: Read & analyze poem in this way:
•  Look up any words you don't know or are used in an unfamiliar way. Make note of the definition right on the page.
• Decide if the poem is lyric (about ideas / emotions) or narrative (like a story) and look for those elements.
• Note ideas about how literary devices (metaphor / simile / imagery, etc.) are used.
• Determine the topic (general subject) of the poem and label it at the bottom.
• Determine the poetic idea (what the poet is trying to say about the topic) and write it in one sentence at the bottom of the page.

• Discussion / Q&A: Harvard annotation expectations. This is how to learn material and keep it in your memory so that you have an accumulated education. Keep this resource and use it in your classes.

• Beowulf, section 1: Small group discussion and text annotation for these topics. Each group will present notes (A-G) on Thursday.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Wed. 9/23/15 @ 9:00 am: College Fair
• Thurs. 9/24/15: Senior GPA distribution

8/28/15

• Discussion: Upcoming scholarships. You can visit the WEHS Career Center website for links to the scholarships they showcase. 

• Syllabus review / Q&A

• Beowulf books returned
• Grading rubric for summer reading notes.
• Discussion of the purpose of annotation
• HW due Tues. 9/1/15: Read the handout on Harvard's "Interrogating Texts" style of annotation which we will be using. We will discuss on Tues.
• We will work with Beowulf in four sections, so mark them off in your text:
                                       #1:  p. 3-71, lines 1 – 1061
                                       #2:  p. 71 – 131, lines 1062 – 1904
                                       #3:  p. 131 – 171, lines 1905 – 2541
                                       #4:  p. 173 – 213, lines 2542 - 3182
•  HW due Tues. 9/1/15: Review section 1 of Beowulf. Focus on adding any annotations you might have missed the first time around and also on the characterization of Grendel, Hrothgar, and Beowulf. What are some details that help us understand these characters? What techniques did the author use to make these characters vivid?

• Film notes: "Beowulf and the Roots of Anglo Saxon Poetry" 
• Get note guide handout here.
• Watch video here.

8/26/15

• Syllabus forms picked up
• Presentations: "Who I Am and Where I'm Going" + posters turned in

8/24/15

WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

• 2015 Syllabus
• 2015 Info Sheet
• Who I Am and Where I'm Going" poster / presentation project

HW due Wed. 8/26/15:

- Read syllabus- Q&A next class

- Finish "Who I Am / Where I'm Going" poster. We will do presentations on Wed.