Periods 5 & 6 Home Learning for Break

During the holiday break, you must read the following:

• A letter from Abigail Adams to her husband, John Adams - Click HERE for Abigail's letter to John
• The response John Adams writes to his wife. Click HERE for his letter.
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions." It is on page 400 of the 50 Essays: A Portable Anthology book. If you don't have it, you can run a search online.
• You must also look at the following cartoon by clicking HERE.

As you read the above passages and look at the cartoon, be sure to draw parallels (and, possibly, note the contrasts) between ALL the author's messages, the cartoon, as well as Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Bring in these notes, the readings, and the novel when you return from break.

You must also answer the following questions:

1. What ethos does Abigail Adams establish in the opening paragraph? How do the questions contribute to the persona she presents?

2. What are some of the generalizations she makes about men and women (use quotes), and how does she make these statements without sounding accusatory or alienating her husband?

3. Based on the details John provides in his letter to Abigail, what can you conclude about his attitude toward her?

4. What do you think about when John tells Abigail the he "cannot but laugh"? Do you feel that is dismissing her suggestions for laws? Is he disrespectful to her? Explain.

5. Describe the overall tone of each of these letters. Based on the tone and the information in the letters, describe the relationahsip between John and Abigail Adams. If there is any, what evidence of intimacy do you find in each letter?

6. What is the analogy that Stanton sets up between Revolution-era Americans and women of her time?

7. Read Stanton's argument through her title: Why does she declare sentiments and resolutions? (Start by defining both terms.) How does she get from the former to the latter?

8. Look for three literary devices in Stanton's reading. What are they? Explain.

9. Create a diagram, table, or chart that shows the parallels and differences in the various readings, the novel, and the cartoon.

SMILE! I WILL MISS YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Periods 3 & 4

Hey there, guys and gals! Over the break, I need you to pick up a copy of this book (The Freedom Writers Diary). It ranges from $10-$12 at most book stores, or you can borrow one from your local library or our very own media center. I am buying a class set of the Diary of Anne Frank, which we will use in conjunction with this novel. I know this will be an amazing experience for all of us!


CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE BARNES & NOBLE SITE TO BUY ONE ONLINE.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT TO SEARCH FOR THE BOOK IN THE CATALOG OF YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY.

CLICK HERE TO SEE IF THE BOOK IS AT ANY OF THE LOCAL SCHOOLS, OR HERE AT HGHS.

Periods 5 & 6 - Due THIS FRIDAY!

For your homework tonight, you will create a 4-3-2-1 chart for Their Eyes Were Watching God. Create a chart that compares and contrasts the movie with the novel. You will need to address the following: 4 aspects of the movie that were not in the novel; 3 aspects in the book that should've been included in the movie ; 2 aspects of the movie you enjoyed; and 1 aspect of the movie you did not enjoy

Be sure to explain your answers. This is due on Friday, 12/18 when you walk in the door. This is likely to be the last of the grades you will get for this quarter. SMILE!

Periods 3 & 4

Here you go, guys. Sections I, II, V, VI must be completed by THIS Friday (the rest will need to be completed by January 4/5). Naturally, it will be for a grade (both times). I hope this helps you in your preparation. Be advised that I may add to it when we return from break! I love you!

Midterm Study Guide - English II Honors

PLEASE READ IF YOU ARE MAKING UP A TEST TOMORROW.

Some of you are coming in tomorrow to make up tests, but your absences are UNEXCUSED; therefore, you will not be able to make them up.

The following students requested a make-up test and have been approved to take it:
Chapter 5 & 6 - Rick, Maribel, Blanca
Chapters 7 -9 - Esther
Chapters 10-12 - Jessica

All others, you are out of luck; I'm sorry. I love you, but that is my final decision.

Periods 3 & 4

Click HERE to print the "There, Their, They're" worksheet. Please bring it to class COMPLETED on Monday and Tuesday. You write it out by hand (include the notes, questions and answers), or print it from the computer and just fill in the answers. Love you!

My students are the best. They're always trying their hardest in school and in their homes. There is a place in my heart for each one of them. (LOL!)

By the way, if you make a mistake with any of these three homophones when we return from break, you will write it out the notes portion of the handout 50 times. Therefore, be careful.

Periods 5 & 6

For those of you numbskulls (wink, wink) who have a quiz to make up for Their Eyes Were Watching God, the time to do so is at 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday, 12/15. If you are one minute late, you can forget it! Be advised that you can only take the missed quiz if your absence is EXCUSED...and you MUST post which quiz you're missing, so I know how many of you will be here. The post needs to be up by Monday at 11 p.m. This is your last shot to make up quizzes, or it's a ZERO, baby! I love you all!

Period 6 - Tests

Click HERE to access your vocab test.

Click HERE to access the chapter test for Their Eyes Were Watching God.

Some Words to Ponder - 5th & 6th period

Hey, guys and gals. I want you to read the quote below then write a carefully reasoned, persuasive paragraph (or two) that either defends, challenges, or qualifies the quote’s position. Use evidence from your observations, experiences, and/or readings to develop your position.

"Most humans [don't] love one another nohow, and this mislove is so strong that even common blood can't overcome it all the time." ~ Zora Neale Hurston

Try and limit yourself to 10 minutes, and be sure that it's grammatically correct and that your spelling is PERFECT! You must post your response by Monday night at eleven.

Good luck, and I really look forward to your responses. I want to be inspired!!!

LOVE YOU!

1960s Playlist - Periods 3 & 4

That's righteous, man! Here is a 1960's playlist just for you! If you want to listen, pause the playlist at the bottom of the blog. As you work on your 1960's projects and assignments, pull this up for a little inspiration. Totally rad! We are going to go ape for this lesson!

Periods 5 & 6 - Woohoo!

Here is your Their Eyes Were Watching God "blog task" for the week. For chapters 5 - 8, find one example from each of the tiers of syntax (way of organizing words, phrases and sentences):

Tier One - paradox, aphorism, cumulative, juxtaposition
Tier Two - antithesis, triadic, parataxis, freight-train
Tier Three - segregating, balanced, chiasmus, passive

You can use the Style and Rhetorical Appeals handout to the left for a review. This is due by THIS Tuesday by 11 p.m. for period 6; Wednesday at the same time for period 5. Remember to indicate the page number for each of your examples, and don't use the same one someone else has used. I look forward to your responses!!!

I'm out today :o(

Sorry, guys, but dad needs me today. He had a rough weekend, and I need to be with him to make sure he is OK. I will miss you terribly, that's for sure. Below is the work for the day that I want you to complete. Even though I am not there, I want your best! I will see you Tuesday. Until then, hugs and besitos! Love you all!

Period 2 – Turn to page 184 of your textbook, and use these definitions to complete pgs 70 & 71 in your workbook. Do all activities. (20 minutes)

Turn to page 72 in your workbook. Do all activities for pages 72 & 73. (20 minutes) Then turn to page 186 of your textbook. Read pages 186-197 (you can use the CDs that accompany the reading, which is in an Edge CD case next to my computer. (30 minutes)

After reading, the kids will work in groups. There should be 5 groups of 3 or 4, and each group will complete the following pages: Group 1 – Pages188 & 189; Group 2 – Pages 190 & 191; Group 3 – Pages 192-194; Group 4 – Pages 195-197

The task is that each group create a summary for their section. I want a new title for the assigned section, a one-sentence summary for their section, as well as three to five main points. Write it on a nice, white sheet of computer paper, add a graphic, and organize the info in a unique way. All work is due at the end of the period for a grade.

Period 4 – Students will work in groups to create a 4-3-2-1 chart for New Moon. Using the big paper (behind the bookshelf by the counter), create a chart that compares and contrasts the movie with the novel. On the chart paper, they will address the following:
4 aspects of the movie that were not in the novel
3 aspects in the book that should have been included in the movie
2 aspects of the movie you enjoyed
1 aspect of the movie you did not enjoy

Once they are done, they can share with the class, or they can wait until I return. After that, it’s Scrabble time (they MUST ALL play).

Period 6 – Turn in all vocab cards at the beginning of class. Be sure to include your name on the back of at least one of the cards.

In groups of four, the teams will complete the following tasks:
1. If chapters 1-4 were one chapter, what would the chapter’s title be?
2. Create a chart of 6 events from chapters 1-4
3. Write a nice, white sheet of computer paper, add a graphic, and organize the info in a unique way.
4. On another sheet, create a characterization chart for Janie, Nanny, and Logan Killicks. I want the physical description (quoted from the text); their mental, physical and psychological state; and their main motivation (so far). Again, make it unique!

Once you are finished, read QUIETLY! Your homework for chapters 5 & 6 will be on the blog, and you should expect a quiz on chapters 1-6 on Wednesday.

THANKS!!!!

New Moon Field Trip

Click here to see highlights from our New Moon field trip!

Thanks to Ms. Parra for making this Smilebox

and to all of the students and teachers who attended.

I am so proud of your outstanding behavior!

Periods 5 & 6

Here is your Their Eyes Were Watching God "blog task" for the week. For chapters 1-4, find one example from each of the tiers of literary tools:

Tier One - metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia, oxymoron
Tier Two - personification, paradox, hyperbole, allusion
Tier Three - apostrophe, metonymy, pun, or irony (verbal, situational or dramatic)

You can use the Style and Rhetorical Appeals handout to the left for a review. This is due by THIS Sunday at 11 p.m. Remember to indicate the page number for each of your examples, and don't use the same one someone else has used. I look forward to your responses!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

I just wanted to wish my sweeties a very Happy Thanksgiving. Let's start an Attitude of Gratitude chain right here on our blog.

Click on "comments" below and state three things for which you are thankful (be different)! I already know you are grateful for your parents and family, your friends, and your AMAZING teachers (try not to laugh), but I want some original things. I will go first so you can see what I mean (mine may be longer since I talk a lot)! Be sure to read the various comments that are posted, and you will see that we have so MUCH to be thankful for, even the small things we take for granted!

I hope your day and weekend is filled with all the love and happiness your heart can handle, and all the food your tummies can take! Remember, a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips! haha!

LOVE YOU ALL! Thanks for being the great kids you are! I am blessed!

New Moon Poem - Periods 3 & 4

I bet you can guess from the title of this post that you are going to write a poem for New Moon. Well, you guessed right...being the amazingly bright students you are. Here are the requirements:

• It must be a minimum of 14 lines.
• You will write your poem from the point of view of one of the characters.
• There must be a rhyme scheme (either ABBA, ABAB, or AABB).
• You must use at least five different literary tools (see our current list on the left).
• You must include the quote you are painting onto your shirt for our field trip.
• Proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization is REQUIRED!
  
• Your rough drafts are due Nov. 12 (period 4); Nov. 13 (period 3).
  
• Final drafts are due on Nov. 16 (period 4); Nov. 17 (period 3).
• Your final draft must include some graphic that relates to your poem

You may type your final draft and glue it on posterboard (or construction paper), or you can write it by hand NICELY and NEATLY on posterboard.

I truly look forward to seeing your work! I know it will be AMAZING!

HOMECOMING 2009

It's Homecoming Time! This year's theme is Mardi Gras, and it promises to be TONS of fun!

Monday - Flashback day (Wear clothes from your favorite decade.)

Tuesday - Cartoon Day (Wear clothing of your favorite cartoon character.) The faculty talent show is after school, and yours truly will be performing!

Wednesday - Pajama Day (There is no school that day, so you can sit at home all day in your jammies. LOL)

Thursday - Gladiator Day (Wear your favorite Gladiator shirt, or your green and black WITH your uniform pants.) The game is on this day at 7:30 at Traz Powell Stadium

Friday - Sports Day (Wear a jersey or tshirt of your favorite sports team. Jason Taylor, here I come!) Our Homecoming Dance is this day. Come out and have some fun!

When you dress up on a dress up day, I will give you Mardi Gras beads.

Periods 3 & 4 Reflections

In your literature circles today, you each had a role and you had meaningful conversations about quotes from New Moon, the characters, how this relates to our own lives and the human experience, among other topics. What I want you to do here is reflect on what you discussed. You can write about your role and how your circle members responded to your question(s), or you can reflect on the questions that were asked of you (or you can do both - LOL).

• Please be sure that your reflections are grammatically correct and that you use ALIVE words!!!!!
  
  
• Period 3's responses are due by Tuesday at 11:00 p.m.; Period 4's is due Wednesday at 11 p.m.

Periods 3 & 4 - This is for you!

Make sure you are caught up with your reading. You should have read up to the end of chapter 17 by next class (Monday for 3rd; Tuesday for 4th). Our activity this week is dependent on you having already read these chapters!!!!

I know you can do it! Nineteen days until we go see New Moon!!!!!

Periods 3-6: Trick or Treat Activity

As you walked into class today, you picked a piece of candy from the candy bowl. Did you know that what you picked says quite a bit about you? I know, SHOCKER!

Well, now that you’ve gotten the treat, you are going to do a trick and POST IT HERE.

Periods 3 & 4: In one paragraph, explain how the personality description of your selected candy bar resembles your personality. Explain with specific examples why this description is accurate or not. Use ALIVE words! In another paragraph, you will do the same for your favorite New Moon character. If he or she went trick-or-treating, which candy would he/she choose based on their actions, behavior, or powers? (You only get to pick one.) To support your answer, you will need to cite specific examples from the novel. Use ALIVE words! This is due Sunday by 11:00 p.m.

Periods 5 & 6: You are going to write a well-reasoned paragraph that challenges or defends the following quote: "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." Remember to use examples from your experiences, observations or readings to support your answer. In another paragraph, explain how the personality description of your selected candy bar resembles your personality. Explain with specific examples why this description is accurate or not. (For 6th, this is due by Sunday at 11:00 p.m.; 5th period's is due by Monday at 11 p.m.)

BABY RUTH - Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm fuzzy items. You are a little nutty, but you are interesting to talk to!
3 MUSKETEERS - You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of underdogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your saber.
BUTTER FINGERS - Smooth and articulate, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time.
SNICKERS – You are fun-loving, sassy, humorous. Everyone enjoys being around you. But you are a practical joker!
MILKY WAY - You are romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch. You tend to melt in romantic situations. TWIX – You are sexy, always ready to give, very energetic, and you really like to get the most out of life. The opposite sex is always attracted to you. M & M’s - You are a very fun loving person who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you because you are a very warm-hearted person.
CRUNCH – You are happy-go-lucky. In a crunch, you are a person who is reliable and resilient. You persevere under stressful situations, but you can have fun at the same time.

Happy Halloween! Make smart choices this weekend, please!

Periods 5 & 6 Home Learning Info

You will read "I Just Wanna Be Average" from the 50 Essays book (pg 350), or you can download it from two posts below this one. There are three tasks you have with this reading:

1. Do the four questions that follow the essay. (For those of you without a book, you will need to copy them out of someone's book.) You will only submit your answers, but they must be numbered and they must be in complete sentences and/or paragraphs.
2. I will look for ACTIVE READING on your handout, or in your book. That means I want to see highlighting, underlining and annotations (notes in the margins, between the lines, etc.)
3. You will do the Style and Rhetorical Appeals chart for this reading. The link for it is a few posts below, or look to the left. When you do the chart, remember to use the Style and Rhetorical Appeals Terms to Know. Understand that you will not find EVERY TERM on the chart in the essay. However, you will find quite a few things from each section on the chart. I want you to indicate what you do find and provide specific quotes, examples and details that support your findings. I want THOROUGH work here.
   

Be advised that there might be a chance of a pop quiz on this essay. Don't be alarmed. If you read, you will be fine. Remember, too, DO NOT copy off each others' work. The fix from that will only be temporary, as cheating ALWAYS catches up with you one way or another.

Period 5 - You have test corrections, too (due Monday with the home learning assignment). Oh, and don't forget to rewrite your essay (due Wednesday...YAY!).
Period 6 - The "I Just Wanna Be Average" items are due on Tuesday for you. Your vocab test will be on Tuesday, and your test corrections and essay rewrite will be due on Thursday, so plan accordingly. Most importantly, know that I miss you! (I am at a workshop today for A.P., which will help us all immensely!)

All classes, don't forget that the extra credit is due 10/27 and 10/28. The essay for Have a Little Faith, BTW, is to compare and contrast the the rabbi and the preacher (I don't mean their race, income, and religion). You will need to have an attention-grabbing introduction, a thesis statement, several body paragraphs, several quotes and examples, a stellar conclusion that leaves my mouth hanging open, leaves me in AWE!

Love and miss you all! Happy Weekend!

Periods 3 & 4

For Chapters 10-12, I wanted you to consider the symbolism (the emotional meaning behind an item, color, word or phrase) in New Moon. If you remember from our past classes, we discovered that Bella is like the earth. Earth symbolizes her because she is moved by (and reacts to) the forces around her, like the moon (Edward) and the sun (Jacob). The new moon symbolizes Edward because he is not able to be seen fully by Bella (the earth), but he is present. The sun symbolizes Jacob because he is warm and brightens Bella's world. Well, just like these three celestial bodies symbolize the characters and their personalities, such is the case for the colors fof each of the wolves in the pack.

Each of the five wolves in chapter 11 is a certain color. Bella explains on page 243 that one is deep gray, one is light gray, one is brown, one is reddish brown, and another is black. These five wolves represent the five members of the "La Push Gang" - Sam, Embry, Jacob, Paul, and Jared.

On pages 137, 146, 173, 198, 325 (and throughout chapters 6, 7, 8, 10 and 14), Bella and Jacob inform the reader about these young men. Based on what you learn about them, which wolf (and its fur color) represents which character?

Now, looking at your bookmark where it shows the symbolism of the many colors, why are the colors of the wolves appropriate (or not appropriate) for each of the "La Push Gang" members? Do the colors of their fur symbolize who they are as people?

For example, Sam is the black wolf, and black symbolizes power. Since we know that Sam is the leader of the pack, as explained by Jcaob, black is the ideal color for when he morphs into a wolf.

For each of the wolves, do what I just did for Sam - write a few sentences that explain why/why not the fur color symbolizes the character. There are other traits that symbolize black, so you will still have to do one for Sam. Use specific quotes, details and events from the novel to support your answer.

This must be done on the blog by Monday, October 26th at 11:00 p.m. WATCH FOR SPELLING, GRAMMAR and PUNCTUATION. Type out your response in Microsoft Word, run a spell check, then copy and paste it into the comment section on the blog.

I believe in you!!! You can do it!!!!

5th and 6th Periods - LOOK HERE!!!

Bring in your 50 Essays book.

You will need to bring it EVERY DAY from this day on!

Let me know if you are having issues with this, and I can try and help.


You will need to print this chart (You might as well make a few copies for future use): http://www.scribd.com/doc/15650763/AP-Style-and-Rhetorical-Appeals-CHART

And you will need to print this story if you don't have your 50 Essays book: http://www.middlesexcc.edu/faculty/Robert_Roth/rosetext.htm

Periods 1-6 Extra Credit

Here is your chance to get some extra points (don't ask me how many). I am going to be reading Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom, and for those of you who want some extra credit, you are too. Get the book this weekend and begin reading. In your book, I will look for "How to Mark a Book" concepts (See me for it TODAY if you don't have it). I also want to see vocab added to your journal. You will have an oral quiz on 10/27 during lunch, and you will have a paper due on 10/28 by 7:20 a.m. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS to these dates or times!!!!

For the synopsis, click HERE. I am sure it will be truly inspiring!

Binder Check

Ok, guys and gals, periods 3-6 will have binder checks next week! This is what I want to see:

A BINDER (3 rings, 1.5 inches thick or more)

DIVIDERS (Notes, Tests, Handouts, Vocab, and Responses. Post-it notes as your dividers WILL NOT work. I want the real deal.)
NEATNESS (No papers in side pockets, and the binder should ONLY include English class notes, work, items, etc. If you have reading with me, too, you can create a 6th section just for reading. I am OK with that.)
COVER PAGE (Your first page should be inviting. Have your name, the class name, the period, and some cool graphic).
NOTES (Any notes from the blog or class lectures should be included.)
VOCAB (Your vocab notes, tests, corrections, Words of the Day, should all be in this section. If you like the vocab journal idea, just put the actual journal in this section).
HANDOUTS (All handouts, short stories, etc., should be here. For AP, these should include ALL summer handouts, too.)
RESPONSES (These include classwork, homework, essay responses, etc. These DO NOT include anything dealing with VOCAB).
TESTS (Pretty self explanatory. Again, VOCAB tests go in the VOCAB section).
BRING IT! (This is the most important part - you MUST bring your binder everyday).

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment. Periods 3 & 5 will have their checks this upcoming week). Periods 2 & 4 will have theirs the following week. This should be the easiest A you earn all quarter, so please get it right.

Love you all!

WORDLE Activity FOR 5th and 6th

Post the URLs for your wordle posters here. Remember, you are either defining or finding synonyms for the Words of the Day. You will get your word and the instructions in class...just post the URL here. Be sure to include your first name, the word you did and the category.

SMILE!

FIRST PERIOD...This is for you!!!!

It's United Way time. I need you guys to bring in dimes for Friday, 10/9; quarters on 10/13, and dollars on 10/15. Try and help any way that you can. This is a wonderful cause. SMILE!

Never Quit

I know we are only six weeks into the school year, but I can see the stress on some of your faces. I just wanted you to know that YOU CAN DO IT. I saw this video, and I thought you would like to see it, too. Don't let anyone or any obstacle stand in the way of your dreams and your success. Never settle for less than who you are - AMAZING! I truly mean that. Love you!

Periods 3 & 4 - New Moon

Hello, New Mooners! LOL!

Here is your blog/New Moon task for the week. For chapters 4-7, find examples from the book that show PARADOX, OXYMORON, IRONY (verbal, situational or dramatic), PUN, or HYPERBOLE. Of the five literary tools, you must find examples for at least three. You can use the Literary Tools Handout to the left for a review. (I will fix it by tonight; I see the file is corrupted.) This is due by Friday, 10/9 at 7 a.m.

Remember to indicate the page number, and don't use the same one someone else has used.

Have fun with this!!!

Periods 5 & 6 Vocab Review & Color Purple

Hey there, guys and gals! Click on the link below to review your vocabulary words for this week's test. You can review your words in four formats: flashcards, a memory or concentration game, or in a word search. You shouldn't need a log-in. Just click on the activity once you are in. Then you click on PLAY THE GAME.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE REVIEW ACTIVITIES!

Have fun with this!!!



In addition, if you want to see a clip from "The Color Purple," click HERE! Please take a look and sign up for our field trip on 10/29!!!

Periods 1-6

For those of you who did not do this activity, you still have a chance for 5 FREE points. I need you to respond the post WELCOME TO TEAM C-ROD. Leave a comment about one thing you are looking forward to this year in English or Reading class. (BTW, the last day of school is NOT an answer! LOL!)

Saturday, August 22, 2009
WELCOME TO TEAM C-ROD!

I want you to get those easy points, so please do it.

SMILE, and I love ALL of you...even if I get grumpy sometimes. LOL!!!!!

Periods 2, 4, & 6 - I missed our time together today. I hope you enjoyed Twilight - my treat to give you a much-needed rest. Period 3 - It's for you to see on Tuesday.

Periods 1 & 2

After reading "Skins," we got a small snapshot of Native American customs. Not to mention, we learned several life lessons during the course of the story! The narrator, Mitchell, used many of Uncle Tommy's aphorisms to teach us to be comfortable in our own "skin." An aphorism is a brief saying that embodies a general truth, a life lesson or an astute observation. A theme in a story is very similar - it is the moral message, the life lesson that is implied.

With that said, my sweetie-pies, you have an assignment. It is NOT optional, and it is in two parts. You must do both.

Part 1: Find an aphorism or a theme in "Skins." Explain what this taught you and how you will follow that advice from now on. Make sure your response is grammatically correct, please. I will allow you to look through the book during class...unless you can access it now through the Student Portal. I want the quote from the story in your response.

Part 2: Click HERE to generate an Indian name. When you are on the webpage, just click "Get Your Name." Once you get your Indian name, tell me what it is in a comment/post. What do the words mean in English? Does your Indian name symbolize you, does it define you or reflect who you are? Explain this in a short paragraph on our blog.

You can submit both responses in ONE post, or you can can do it in two different ones. This is due on 9/30 by 11:00 p.m.

Have fun with this :o)

My Indian name, by the way, was WALLOWING TURKEY! Hilarious!

Periods 5 & 6: Make-Up of Summer Readings

I am not one for failing students; I am one to foster learning. With that said, here here is ONE LAST OPPORTUNITY to pull up your summer reading grades and, more importantly, learn about reading essays and articles with a critical eye.

Be reminded that this opportunity applies only to the summer ESSAYS AND EDITORIALS.

For those of you who did not attempt and/or finish these, and for those who did score as well as they'd hoped, please do the following:

For all eight essays, do the SOAPStone questions...not the chart. You must type your responses, and be sure to address EACH of the SOAPStone categories and support your ideas with quotes from the text. It must be in essay form.

For the eight editorials, you must do ten instead. You must use the "Style and Rhetorical Appeals Terms to Know," along with your "Style and Rhetorical Appeals Graphic Organizer" to complete the information. Be sure to use specific examples to bolster your claims.

You will have until 10/1 (5th period) or 10/2 (6th period). I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY MAKE-UP WORK AFTER THIS DATE...even if you are absent on the due date!!!!

If you still choose not to do these assignments, it's all on you. I have provided every opportunity for you to learn and succeed, now it's your call. Remember, I love you...don't let me down!

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
~ Colin Powell

New Moon Homework: Chapters 1-3

Periods 3 & 4 - Due by September 28th at 11:00 p.m.

You know how I am always pointing out AWESOME WRITING in our readings. Remember when Bradbury, the author of "A Sound of Thunder," described the T-Rex??? Well, now it's your turn to discover it for yourself in chapters 1-3 in New Moon. For this assignment, I want you to choose three different sentences that appeal to your sense of smell, sight, taste, touch AND/OR hearing. You will need to type the full sentence in the comment section, identify the sense it's playing on, as well as the page number the sentence is located. YOU CANNOT USE SENTENCES THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS ALREADY USED.

Here is an example, but you will have to do this for three different sentences:
SIGHT - "That was me. Me in a mirror. Me-ancient, creased and withered." (Page 6)

Be reminded that THIS IS NOT EXTRA CREDIT. Feel free to use a class computer during lunch, or before/after school if you need to.

As you read, underline the sensory images (which is active reading, a trait of a GREAT READER). You should also try to employ Meyer's strategies whenever you write. She is gifted at luring in the reader with her sensory details! Have fun with this!

Our Class!

These are photos of some of the firsts this year. Hope you like! I am so blessed to making Hialeah Gardens' history with my champion students!

The Butterfly Effect Extra Credit - Periods 3 & 4

In the short story, "The Sound of Thunder," we learned that traveling through time can be dangerous. The characters from the story realize how they impact nature when one of the hunters steps on a butterfly. Through the destruction of one small element of the ecosystem, the future was changed. This is known as the “Butterfly Effect.” Man is causing changes in the ecosystem today.

Choose one of the topics below and write six sentences about how “tomorrow” will be affected by that topic.

Example:
Today: There is an oil spill off the coast of California.
Tomorrow:
1. Fish are poisoned.
2. People must buy expensive fish from the east coast.
3. People can no longer afford fish so they eat more meat.
4. More and more people get high cholesterol.
5. Some people die from heart attacks due to high cholesterol.
6. A president who creates positive change in the world is never born.

Choose one topic:
Topic 1: More oil is pumped to lower the price of gas.
Topic 2: A park is made into a parking lot.
Topic 3: A new landfill opens in your neighborhood.
Write your topic here.
Today:
Complete six sentences.
Tomorrow:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The deadline for this activity is 9/21 at 11p.m.

Periods 3 & 4 - This is for you!

This is the newest New Moon trailer (aired on the VMA's on 9/13). Click on the photo if you would like to see it.

Have your books ready for Monday! I AM SO EXCITED TO GET STARTED!

Below, you will find the links for the reading calendars for the novel. Print them and put them in your notebook.

September Reading Calendar
October Reading Calendar
November Reading Calendar

Periods 5 & 6

Hey there, guys and gals! Please bring your summer reading books everyday for the next week or two. Smile!

Periods 1 & 2 Playlist

You all compiled a playlist for our reading theme of the month, "When Do You Really Know Someone?" For some of the songs, I could not find the clean versions, but I still think the playlist represents the joys and pitfalls of getting to know someone. To listen, pause the playlist at the bottom of the page then press play on this one. ENJOY!

Feel free to leave feedback. Love you!

GREAT JOB, GUYS! Way to go!

Vocab Review for Periods 3 & 4

ROOTS:
LUC, LUM - light; to shine or glitter
SPECT - see, view or look
PATH/PATHY - feelings, emotions, disease

Apathy - having no feeling (remember, the prefix "A" means NOT, WITHOUT)
Antipathy - having a strong feeling against (remember, "ANTI" means AGAINST)
Empathy - understanding of another's feelings
Pathos - arousing pity; the expression of feeling pity
Elucidate - to shed light on
Lucent - giving off light
Lucubration - hard or difficult study (from the old days of "done by the lamp light")
Luminary - one who sheds light on a subject
Translucent - partly transparent; allowing light to get through
Circumspect - to see things from all angles; watchful and discreet (remember, "CIRCUM" means AROUND)
Introspective - the ability to look within oneself (remember, "INTRO" means WITHIN)
Retrospect - the contemplation of things in the past (remember, "RETRO" means BACK)

YOU WILL DO GREAT! Just study! Love you....

Periods 1, 2, 5, 6

Ever heard of the Rock Bottom Remainders? Well, by day, they’re authors...really famous authors! But once a year they shed their pen-and-pencil clutching personas and become rock stars, complete with roadies, groupies and a wicked cool tour bus.

Amy Tan (the author of "Two Kinds" and The Joy Luck Club), Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie) and Stephen King (The Green Mile, It, and other thrillers) are just three of the famous authors in this band.

Click HERE to see a performance of RBR (with Mitch Albom singing lead).
Click HERE to see their Good Morning America interview.

For some extra points, give me some feedback on their performance and, more importantly, their interview. Tell me why you believe they made their own band, why they continue to perform, and why they wear costumes in their performances. Please also tell me the name of another author in the band and name one literary piece that person penned.

You will need to post your comment by 11 p.m. on 09/09/09. Enjoy!!!!

PERIODS 5 & 6 ONLY

If you are still in need of this book, I can get them for $20 with my teacher discount at Barnes and Noble. During the week of 9/4 to 9/11, I will collect money from the students who want me to order their books. Remember, if you have financial issues at home, we can help. There are libraries that check them out, I can lend out my copy, or we can try and find a used one. Just let me know if this is your case, please. I cannot help you if I do not know what's going on.

In addition, our class texts, The Language of Composition, will be here soon. The school ordered these for you because they were a little expensive.

Please DO NOT buy any AP Language practice books. We will be doing plenty of practice in class (and the occasional Saturday), there are practice tests online through College Board, and I have copies of several books for you to borrow. PLEASE DON'T SPEND YOUR MONEY ON PRACTICE BOOKS!!!!!

OK, remember I love you all!!!!! Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Periods 3 & 4 - This is for you!

Since we have been reading about grandparents in our reading classes, you are going to write a poem and make a card for your "abuelo or abuela" for Grandparents' Day in English class. Read the document below for some background on this special day and see the rubric for this assignment.

By the way, if you share a comment here about your grandparent using a literary tool learned in class, you will receive some bonus points for the nine weeks (periods 3 & 4 only). The tools we've learned so far are: simile, metaphor, allusion, alliteration, onomatopoeia.

If you're one of the ones (like me) with no grandparents, you can create your poem and card for a special older person in your life who reminds you of an abuelo...like an aunt or family friend, etc.

I look forward to working on this with you as you honor that special someone.

SMILE!

National Grandparent's Day Poetry Activity

WELCOME TO TEAM C-ROD!

Hello! Welcome to Team C-Rod! This school year is going to be an exciting SEASON of victories and triumphs, and I am honored to be your learning coach.

We are going to use this blog as part of our PLAY BOOK to better us as a TEAM! On this blog, you will find tips for homework and projects, extra credit assignments, recaps of activities, a list of upcoming assignments, videos and slideshows of our BEST PLAYS, among many other resources. Below this post, I included some of last year's MVP performances to motivate and inspire you!!!!

As your COACH, I expect my PLAYERS to view, learn from, and comment on our PLAY BOOK. I recommend that you look at our PLAY BOOK at least every other day.

Your first assignment is to create an ID and/or email account then post a comment. Your ID/Email MUST include your first name, only your last initial and your period number (Google e-mail is free, by the way). For example, a student named Christy Lopez in period 2 would have an ID/email of ChristyL2. This will help me identify you easier. If I have you for two classes, you only need to add one of the two period numbers, not both. I highly recommend that you ALL jot down your ID somewhere visible (maybe put it on a post-it note and stick it on your computer). You will need to use this every time you post.

Once you create your ID, comment under this post. I want a quick blurb on what you would like to see happen this SEASON in Team C-Rod's English class. Please know that "doing nothing" and "sleeping" is not an ideal response. haha! I promise you, that will never happen! I really would like to know what you want to get out of my class! Please remember that your blogs should be mature and "limpia!"

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to let me know. I am here to guide, lead, and coach you!

See you on the playing field for PRACTICE, and be ready to help create our TEAM GOALS!

GO TEAM!

Love,
C-Rod
Your Coach & Teacher

Our Student STAR Spectacular!

Below is a video of the photos from our Student Spectacular on May 28th. (Give it time to buffer, and pause the playlist at the bottom of the blog.)

I want to thank you and your parents for coming out and sharing our successes. It was my privilege to be your teacher this year! I love you all!

It was CELEBRATION WEEK FOR MY STELLAR WRITERS !

May 14th - It was dinner for the top dogs at Buca di Beppo's! YUM!

May 15th - The 100 students who passed from my class had a SUNDAE social during lunch. Though you all got rained on, you still came in droves for ice cream and the fixings!

May 19th - All you level 4's and up were treated to doughnuts and juice (that's 90 of you)! What is better is each of the 5's, 5'5's and 6's received "five for a five." There were 15 writers in total to get $5 for getting a five or higher.

To see all of the FCAT Writing stats, scroll down a couple posts in the middle column!

I wish I could do more for all of your efforts! I am so proud of you. Just remember the real reward (and motivation) should be that AWESOME feeling you had when you heard you passed! That is PRICELESS!

It was time to celebrate

The state average of passing students was 77%; you all were 98%. The state average of students earning a score of 4 or higher was 60%; you all were 87%. The state's mean score was 3.8; your mean score was 4.4!!! That's AMAZING! My hat's off to you!

Here are my TOP DOGS:

Level 6 - Heather, Adrian, Michael L., Jessica Mart. (The only four in our school to earn a 6)

Level 5.5 - Yovanni T., Blanca R., Maite, Angel V., Marvin M.,

Level 5 - Fanny, Kassandra, David, Javier, Ivana, Michelle G., Karina, Carel, Jennifer M., Gina, Pablo, Jessica Men., Nelson M., Richard P., Nahobi, Katherine

There were 30 4.5's; and 34 4.0's, which is INCREDIBLE!

Be ready for your rewards and recognition - YOU ALL DESERVE IT!

Pinwheels for Peace

Thanks to Mr. Binder, our trust counselor, for gathering all of us to show that peace reigns at HGHS. Now, lets take that out into our homes and community! Many of you wrote amazing haikus! I am so impressed with your talent, enthusiasm, and kindness! Keep up the good work!

A special thanks to Mrs. Davis for arranging for Mr. Louis Schneider, a Holocaust survivor, to come and speak to the tenth graders. This week our classes have been reading Night, which recounts Elie Wiesel's ordeal in Auschwitz. All of these wonderful activities have made this week a vital learning experience to remember! I hope my students will always use this experience as a guide for how to be instruments of peace throughout their lives!

Shakespeare Day Slideshow

I wanted to thank those of you who made our Shakespeare Day/Renaissance Fair so special! I had a wonderful time, and it looked like you all did, too! A special shout out to Mrs. Davis and her crew for a JOB WELL DONE! We look forward to our school-wide fair next year!

Make a Smilebox slideshow