Monday, December 3, 2012

Week of December 3

This week finds us at THE END of our research projects and the END of our Senior Memory Books (almost!)!!! We also get to watch a wonderful film that I'm sure you will LOVE. :)

Monday, 12/3
Present Research

Tuesday, 12/4
Present Research

Wednesday, 12/5
Finish presenting
Senior Mem 8/9 in class

Thursday, 12/6
Watch "Sense and Sensibility"

Friday, 12/7
Finish it

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

What's Coming Up?

Remember, you guys have journals due Friday! 100 points is significant to your grade at this point. In addition, we will be finishing the research this week and doing 3-5 min presentations  next week on Mon and Tues. This research grade is a big one and can make or break your average. If you are doing the extra credit option, it's due Fri, 12/7.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Week of November 26

We are back!!!  Back and ready to complete our research. This week, we will be in the lab ALLLLL week. So come ready to work! :)

Monday- Friday

Lab to research

Friday- JOURNALS DUE!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thanksgiving Thoughts...

I know that you are as grateful as I am to have a week off this next week. And I just want to say that, since time is going to fly by when we get back and you all will be walking out the doors of this room for the last time, I am really thankful for each of you. This semester has been one in which we have tried something new and you all have truly risen to the occasion. You guys are kind and funny and crazy and wild all at once. :) I probably have never been as proud of you as I was the day of the Macbeth seminar. You are so capable of so much and I can't wait to watch you accomplish it!

For the break, just relax. We are going to hit the research hard when we return, probably read some Frankenstein, some war poetry, watch a movie... The next month is going to zip by, so be ready!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

~Mrs. Davis

Monday, November 12, 2012

Week of November 12-- LAST WEEK BEFORE BREAK!!!

Get ready to work, because next week you can REST! :)

Monday, 11/12
Senior Memory Book 7

Tuesday, 11/13
Research

Wednesday, 11/14
Vocab quiz
Research

Thursday, 11/15
Research

Friday, 11/16
Research


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Macbeth Themes

Our Macbeth seminar went FABULOUSLY! I am so proud of you guys and how well you did with it. These are the themes that various people mentioned for Macbeth. They are so stunningly profound, I wanted to document them here:

Greed can turn you into a different person.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair.

Battle of good and evil

Don't try to be someone you aren't.

Be happy with the life you have.

Selfishness

If you touch evil in any way, you pay a price. ** LOVE THIS ONE!

Even good can be corrupted.  ** LOVE THIS ONE!

You need to know when to say no.

Awesome job with the Scottish play! You guys are great. :)

Satire!

Here are a couple of resources for satire, should you wish to investigate further (all two people who are reading this).

A funny prom website

The Onion

Friday, November 2, 2012

Week of November 5

I cannot express to you how excited I am about your comprehension of Macbeth! You did such a great job. This next week, we will finish this unit and start our research unit.

Monday, 11/5
Finish satire
Define vocab words
Type Senior Memory Book 6 in the lab

Tuesday, 11/6
No class

Wednesday, 11/7
Unit 4 Test

Thursday, 11/8
Research

Friday, 11/9
Research

Macbeth Funnies




Thursday, October 18, 2012

Week of October 23

Another four day week for you!!! Wonderfully exciting, I know. However, it is not NEARLY as exciting as Act IV of Macbeth. It's absolutely, hands-down, my favorite.  Keep up your good and thoughtful analysis of the play.

Tuesday, 10/23
Watch Act III
Act III Activity

Wednesday, 10/24
Act IV

Thursday, 10/25
Act IV Activity

Friday, 10/26
Act V

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Week of October 15

Repeat after me... FOUR DAY WEEK... FOUR DAY WEEK... FOUR DAY WEEK!!!! :) We have a lot to do this week, but I know it is going to FLY by and yall will get to enjoy that FOUR DAY WEEKEND!

Monday, 10/15
Finish Act II, watch Act II, activity

Tuesday, 10/16
Act III

Wednesday, 10/17
Outside Reading Assessment
Vocab Quiz

Thursday, 10/18
Finish III, watch III, activity

Monday, October 8, 2012

Carpe'ing the Diem

On one of our beautiful pre-fall afternoons, we went outside to read our Cavalier poets (and the Carpe Diem poetry).

English IV Action Heroes!!!

We did action heroes after our second unit, which included The Canterbury Tales, Sir Gawaine, and the Arthurian Legends. They turned out beautifully!

Fun Homecoming Week-- YOUR LAST...


Here are a couple of pics from your LAST Homecoming Week!!!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Week of October 8

I know we are behind where we thought we would be, but I think you all did some great work with the poetry and the poetry analysis last week, so that will be worth being behind! As I told you already, I'm not sure how long it will take to read Macbeth, so this is pretty fluid, but I do think you all will LOVE Macbeth, so that makes me excited.

Monday, 10.8
Senior Memory Book 6 in library
Vocab words Unit 4

Tuesday, 10.9
Macbeth Act I

Wednesday, 10.10
Finish I (if necessary) and Mac Act I Activity
Voc Presentation

Thursday, 10.11
Macbeth Act II

Friday, 10.12
Finish Act II, start Act III
JOURNALS DUE

Friday, September 28, 2012

Week of October 1

Remember that your outside reading projects are due in a few weeks, so make sure your book is complete. I will give that assignment on the day you must have your books finished (10/17).  We start Macbeth this week and I really think (and hope) that you will enjoy it. It's one of his most exciting plays, in my opinion.

Monday, 10/1
Senior Memory Book Chpt 5
Metaphysical poetry (Donne)

Tuesday, 10/2
Macbeth Act I

Wednesday, 10/3
Voc quiz
Macbeth activity

Thursday, 10/4
Mac Act II

Friday, 10/5
Mac activity
Mac Act III

Monday, September 24, 2012

Long-term upcoming assignments

Remember the following upcoming long-term assignments: 1. Outside Reading due 10/17. Just make sure the book is complete. 2. Journals due 10/12

Week of September 24

It's time for Macbeth! (Almost) I seriously loved our discussion last Wednesday. You guys are so great at the bigger issues and getting to the heart of the essential questions. I hope to have tests graded and returned by Wednesday.

Monday, 9/24
Senior Memory Book 1
Define Unit 3

Tuesday, 9/25
Sonnets, Carpe Diem poetry

Wednesday, 9/26
Voc presentations
John Donne (Metaphysical)

Thursday, 9/27
Act I Macbeth

Friday, 9/28
Reading Day

Friday, September 14, 2012

Week of September 17

 And, with that, Unit TWO will end this week! We are trucking along.

Monday, 9/17
Unit 2 Test

Tuesday, 9/18
Intro to Renaissance Unit
Sonnets

Wednesday, 9/19
Voc Quiz 2
Carpe Diem Poetry

Thursday, 9/20
"Dead Poets' Society"

Friday, 9/21
"Dead Poets' Society"
Journals Due


Friday, September 7, 2012

Week of September 10

See? I told y'all we would have fun last week!!! This week promises even more... And a test! :)

Monday, 9/10
Sr Mem chpt 2
Voc pres

Tuesday, 9/11
Sir G/King Arthur

Wednesday, 9/12
Final Activity

Thursday, 9/13
Library ( outside reading)

Friday, 9/14
Test

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

3 Characters, Chaucer, and the Cleveland Greenway

My English IV pilgrims took to the Greenway today to tell their stories.... We were in groups on Friday to pick a character from Chaucer, one literary character, and one from real life (historical character, living or dead, or a pop culture icon). Groups wrote a description for each character then picked one of their three characters and wrote a story that character might have told on a pilgrimage. Today, we jigsawed the groups and put them in groups of four and five and each person read the story their group had written. They also had to bring one form of costuming or a prop for their stories. It was a little humid, but it was fun.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Week of September 3

I've got a feeling that this week's gonna be a good week.... :) Lots of FUN stuff this week! (Actual fun, too, not just the kind of things English teachers think are fun!)

Monday, 9/3
OFF!!! (See? I told you it was fun.)

Tuesday, 9/4
Pilgrimage
Vocab if there's time

Wednesday, 9/5
Watch "A Knight's Tale"
Voc presentations

Thursday, 9/6
Watch "A Knight's Tale"

Friday, 9/7
Sir Gawaine/Arthurian Legends

Friday, August 24, 2012

Week of August 27

I cannot believe that August has flown away so quickly. It is only a matter of time before we are donning those caps and gowns and walking down that field!

This week, we will be doing a little writing and a little reading and a little characterization (maybe outside).

Monday, 8/27
Type Chpt 1 of Senior Memory Book in class
Intro to Medieval Period and Unit 2 (The Individual versus Society)

Tuesday, 8/28
Canterbury Tales Prologue

Wednesday, 8/29
Vocab Assessment
Canterbury Tales Prologue

Thursday, 8/30
Canterbury Tales research

Friday, 8/31
Canterbury Tale activity

Exeter Book

We closed out Unit 1 (The Hero) with a group study of the poem "The Wanderer". After reading it aloud and discussing in small groups, students created a comic strip of the action (or lack thereof) presented in the poem.

GRENDEL!!!

Our work display board shows each student's interpretation of Grendel. I love how we all read the same work, but all of us had a different idea of what he looked like. The other really interesting thing is to see how other monster ideas from our own culture played into our views...

Monday, August 20, 2012

Week of August 20

It's been an interesting week working on Beowulf and moving ahead with it. We are a little behind where I had hoped to be at this point, but that's ok.

Monday, 8/20
Vocab mini-assessment
Read more of Beowulf

Tuesday, 8/21
Beowulf activity

Wednesday, 8/22
Exeter Book

Thursday, 8/23
Catch up

Friday, 8/24
Test over Unit 1

Vocab quiz will be next week!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Week of August 13

Well Dr. Brown and I are having a good time-- hope you guys are too! :) This week we are starting our first unit, The Hero. I think you will enjoy our conversation and reading in this unit.

Monday, 8/13
Finish research and charades
Vocab words assigned

Tuesday, 8/14
Hero introduction and discussion

Wednesday, 8/15
Vocab presentations
Start Beowulf

Thursday, 8/16
Beowulf

Friday, 8/17
Beowulf


Thursday, August 9, 2012

Welcome to English IV, Fall 2012!

We're back!!! Summer went by so quickly and it's so hard to believe that it's already August. However, like I told you in class, I can assure you that the next ten months will be the fastest of your life and before you know it, you will be walking across that stage on May 10. (Big smiles, all around!) This week is a short week, so we will just be mainly going over class procedures and plans. Next week, we will begin Unit 1, The Hero. I think you will enjoy it!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Time, She is a Flyin'!

Graduation is going to be here before we know it!!!

Monday, 3.19
Research

Tuesday, 3.20
Raider Outreach

Wednesday, 3.21
Research

Thursday, 3.22
Research

Friday, 3.23
Research

Monday, March 12, 2012

It's Been so Quiet!

Not much activity on the blog other than weekly schedules. So... what have we been doing? Has it been quiet in class, too?

Well, there was this...


Then there was this...


And, sadly and frightfully, there was this...



So yes, we have been busy. Just not as much to photograph lately.

Satire!

Here are a couple of resources for satire, should you wish to investigate further (all two people who are reading this).

A funny prom website

The Onion

How Do We Know What We Know?

I am proud of the efforts you made with Macbeth! You stayed very focused and involved and, from the discussions I overheard while doing your projects, you really did get it. We are moving on now into research, which is a very important skill, no matter what field you go into. You will need knowledge and information no matter what you spend your life doing, and it is important to know how and where to get that information. This is a giant piece of senior English, and as I explained last week, it's a lot of grades, so it is important that you stay on track and finish strong!

Monday, 3/12
Define Unit 4
Finish Satire
SR MEM BK CHPT 7 DUE

Tuesday, 3/13
Begin research with Mrs. Swoope

Wednesday, 3/14
Back with me for outside reading
BRING YOUR COMPLETED BOOK ON THIS DAY

Thursday, 3/15
Unit 3 Test
(Over the Sonnets, Carpe Diem, Metaphysical Writing, Macbeth, and Satire)

Friday, 3/16
Vocab quiz
More research with Mrs. Swoope

Monday, March 5, 2012

Macbeth in our own Hands

No cute picture this week, for the six of you who look at the blog. I am so behind, it's not even funny. No time to search for pics. :) This is the end of our Macbeth unit... some creative projects, a memorization... good times, good times. Please remember if I have talked to you about your grade and you owe me something to GET IT TURNED IN THIS WEEK.

Monday, 3/5
Macbeth Catch up
SR MEM BOOK CHPT 6 DUE

Tuesday, 3/6
Macbeth Video/projects

Wednesday, 3/7
Macbeth Video/Projects

Thursday, 3/8
Macbeth memorization

Friday, 3/9
Satire, Swift
JOURNALS DUE

Monday, February 27, 2012

"Macbeth, Macbeth, Beware MacDuff!"




We will come to the end of the Scottish play this week! I hope you have enjoyed it or at least been interested in it. I just can't believe how fast the months are flying by and that graduation will be here before we all know it!

Monday, 2/27
Define Vocab Unit 3
Macbeth Act V
SR MEM BK 5 DUE

Tuesday, 2/28
Vocab presentations for 1st
Finish Act V

Wednesday, 2/29
Macbeth activity
(Sub)

Thursday, 3/1
Macbeth videos, work

Friday, 3/2
Vocab Quiz 3
Macbeth work

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

"Double, Double, Toil and Trouble"


I really do hope you are getting into Macbeth... I love it OHSOMUCH. :)

Tuesday, 2/21
Finish Act II, start Act III

Wednesday, 2/22
Finish Act III
Trace a word through Act III

Thursday, 2/23
Macbeth Act IV

Friday, 2/24
Macbeth, Act IV
Activity

Monday, February 13, 2012

Snuggle Up with a Good Book...



Today is cold. C.O.L.D. Cold outside, and cold in our school. So, after we did an abbreviated version of our intro to Macbeth, I decided to introduce the outside reading project a few days early. (After all, we may have a snow day tomorrow and they might need some reading material...) ;) I started with a giant stack of my favorite books, and did a little talk about each one. I know that when I talk about my favorite books, I often sound like a dork. I have accepted that. I love my books like I love my friends, and I LOVE to see kids get excited about them too. After I finished, I asked which ones wanted book I had discussed, and many of them did, which made me very happy. We then went down to the library for the others to find a book and for everyone to snuggle into the couches and read for the rest of the period. It was just a day for that... a day to snuggle up with a good book!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Three Day Week, Anyone?



Who's EXCITED!?!?!?!?! How about a FIVE.DAY.WEEKEND... yes, please! And perhaps most exciting, we will be starting MACBETH this week!!! I genuinely hope you love it ohsomuch.

Monday, 2/13
Macbeth Introduction and notes
DUE: Senior Memory Book 4

Tuesday, 2/14
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!
Macbeth Act I

Wednesday, 2/15
Activity
Act II

Seizing the Day!


Well, though it is February in Tennessee, it doesn't exactly feel like it. We got to sit outside and do our Carpe Diem poetry, which was quite nice. After that, there were some very clever poems written after Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" and Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply". Here are a few:

Nymph's Reply
by Varya
Oh my shepherd, oh my love
You are mine that's sent from up above
I see that you're calling me
And without a doubt I will come with thee
I would love to sit with you upon the rocks
And see all the shepherds feed their flocks
I will lie with you on that bed of roses
and smell these lovely thousand posies.
I will wear that gown that's made of wool
which from your pretty lambs you pull.
And we will live and stay together
for every month, through every weather.

Shepherd's Reply
by JC
But why do you say this, I don't understand
I told you I'd make you a dress and more.
Why would you rather stay where you are so poor?
We would be living the life together.
If you don't like roses, we can lay on feathers.
Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you.
No matter what it is, I'll even make the grass blue.
There is no reason for you not to come here,
To be with me for eternity, don't listen to your peer.
I ask you one last time, come be with me.
For when you come I take out the good glasses to have a cup of tea.
So please, o please, come live on my land.

Shepherd's Reply
by Heath
I was wrong to think you're my love
No longer will I offer you anything
No valleys, groves, hills, fields,
Woods, nor steepy mountain yields.
Never will we sit upon the rocks
And watch the shepherd tend his flock
Nor sleep on beds of roses
and certainly no buckles of pure gold.
I wish you luck in finding your love
One that will give all that I would.
I will delight in each day of not seeing you
Do not come live with me, you are not my love.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

My Own Shakespeares....

Here are a few really creative sonnets...

Remembrance of Love
By Kayla
I think about you day by day
Even though you're gone, I know you're still here.
As my knees fall to the ground, I pray
Please God, keep her with me for I know she's near.

I have a piece of you still left with me.
You always cone back in my dreams.
I know you're in a better place now,
Someday I know we'll meet up somehow.

I wept and cried when you died
Because there was no reason why
Your son is still here with me
I will watch over him for you, and you only.

Till this day I cry and pray
But I know somehow we'll meet up someday.

Sonnet by Holden
A sonnet, in classical form a charm
Soft as sundown, it wakens spirit love
Calling you, wanting you, it takes your arm
And whisks you away on wings of a dove.

There it holds you with it's perfect meter
Lullabying with its iambic tone.
Nothing does compare or could be sweeter
Than the dance of love as poets have shown.

So take my hand and let us dance today
With these magic words penned so long ago.
We shall taste them, taste then without delay,
So succulent it makes our soul to glow.

A sonnet, lovingly given... Hold tight
As dawn's first light makes your spirit take flight.

Music
By Alexis
Sitting in here with headphones in my ears,
I go from dead silent to alive and fantastic
Feeling the vibrations of the beat with no fears
In a zone of music, I feel captured by magic.

This magic is real, and that is no lie
When I listen to the music with that clean open sound
It paints me a picture of cloud free sky
And brings back many memories, to the past I am bound

But the magic doesn't always work the same way
I see blue skies, but you'll see something else
So these magical emotions, all I can say
Is they are not in the music, they are in myself

So as my mind is an endless page of white
I am painting a picture in the silent night.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Carpe... Carpe Diem!

Can I first say how excited I am that grades are what they are at this point in the semester?!?!?! Talk about some people getting some stuff DONE... you guys are on fire!!! This week is going to cover a few of the smaller parts in Unit 3, The Influences of Love and Power. Then next week-- MACBETH!!!

Monday, 2/6
Wrap up Intro to Unit with Petrarch
Sonnet notes
Sonnet analysis in groups
H/W- Write a sonnet
SR MEMORY BK CHPT 3 DUE

Tuesday, 2/7
Present sonnet group work
Carpe Diem poetry
SONNET DUE

Wednesday, 2/8
Watch "Dead Poet's Society"

Thursday, 2/9
Finish "DPS"
Writing activity

Friday, 2/10
John Donne/Metaphysical Poetry
JOURNALS DUE

Friday, February 3, 2012

GRENDEL!!!


I am a little late posting this, but we have all enjoyed having the board display each student's interpretation of Grendel. I love how we all read the same work, but all of us had a different idea of what he looked like. The other really interesting thing is to see how other monster ideas from our own culture played into our views...

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Canterbury Tales Pilgrimmages




For our Canterbury Tales project, the kids got into small groups and came up with six pilgrims (two from Chaucer's story, two from other literature, and two real people, though not necessarily living). They wrote descriptions for them, decided what sort of story they would tell, how they would get along, and did a visual. Many groups made Medieval food for their visual, so we had a day of good (and interesting...) eating!

Canterbury Tales Poetry

After finishing the Prologue of the Canterbury Tales, we wrote a poem based on a profession of our choosing. The ones below are a sampling of the creativity these two classes have.

OCD Artist
by Victoria
I take all the brushes from my cup
Line them all across small to large with points up.
My colors are arranged from the shades of the rainbow
And with everything set up perfectly I take my place in the studio.
Every stroke and shade counts
But one line out of place and I freak out.
With every little thing so precise
If not then it will never suffice.

The Assassin
by Tyler
Hooded and cloaked, black as night
Killing is his dream, passion, and delight
Climbing on rooftops high in the air
A daredevil without fear or slightest care
Moving so quick to his prey that draws near
The fate of a man becomes ever so clear
Pulling out a hidden blade in pristine condition
He leaps from the roof confirming his mission
A strike like lightning, it was fast and discreet
His work is professional, a mastery for the elite.

Rodeo Clown
by Brendan
Drawing attention with
Your foolish attire, witnessing
the Mist of the Bull you
Inspire... Racing your way
Quick be nimble...
Getting away a breeze
So Simple! Did I forget
to mention? He's big,
He's bad, You're boiling
the Tension! White painted
face, Air Jordans strapped
and Laced--> Sir Rodeo
Clown, a.k.a. the ACE.

Monday, January 30, 2012

An End and a Beginning!

I find it rather hard to believe that we are already at the end of another unit. Granted, it was a short unit, but still...

This week we will begin Unit 3, The Influences of Love and Power (Renaissance and Restoration period). Our essential questions for this unit include:
What changes take place in a society as advances in education and technology occur?
What is power and who has it?
Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
How do the individual life philosophies of people affect day to day decisions?
What impact do those have on the social circles of which those people are a part?
Do religion and spirituality shape the way people view situations in life and the way they react to them?

Unit 3 is a loooooong one because it includes Macbeth. We will study the sonnets, Carpe Diem poetry (including a viewing of "Dead Poets' Society"), John Donne, Macbeth, and satire.

Macbeth is a play that is usually enjoyed very much by students. I would love to again attempt a cool activity with it (tried it last semester and it was a colossal failure...), so we shall see.

Monday, 1/30
Define vocabulary words (assimilate, cognizant, discursive, ennui, farcical, fortuitous, hyperbole, incognito, mesmerism, omniscient, adroit, allay, blazon, bravado, choleric, colloquy, despot, dirge, expatriate, feign) for Unit 2
Group Canterbury Tales adaptation presentations
SENIOR MEMORY BOOK CHPT 2 DUE

Tuesday, 1/31
4th period vocab presentations
Finish presentations over CT
Sir Gawaine and discussion

Wednesday, 2/1
Possible sub
Final Activity over Unit 2 (artistic creative response)

Thursday, 2/2
Unit 2 Test

Friday, 2/3
Unit 2 Vocab Quiz
Intro to Unit 3 and the Renaissance

Monday, January 23, 2012

Water, Water Everywhere!


Extra credit to the first person who can tell me where that reference (the title of this blog post) is from... HINT: It is British Lit.

What a nasty Monday we are having! Lots of you are out right now so I know that this blog post will get lots of hits because you will be very anxious to see what you missed... ahem...

This week we are getting deeper into The Canterbury Tales and starting a group project, which I hope you will enjoy. Schedule is below:

Monday, 1/23
Sr Memory Book Chapter 1 Due
Voice Lesson- Diction
Canterbury Tales Prologue- Discuss Part 1, Read and discuss Part 2

Tuesday, 1/24
Voice Lesson-Diction
"The Pardoner's Tale"
Begin Group Activity

Wednesday, 1/25
"Wife of Bath's Tale"
Group work

Thursday, 1/26
Finish up Canterbury Tales
Group work
Write a poem of your own based on prologue

Friday, 1/27
Arthurian Legends
JOURNALS DUE

GROUP PRESENTATIONS MONDAY

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

One Unit Down, Sixish to Go!


Happy MLK Day week! I have so many favorite quotes of his, but one of the best is "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." I think that's a good model to base your life on. There are so many times in life that the easier option by far, the safer option, even, is to remain silent. From the most basic example of one person picking on another or jokes that seem harmless but are actually very offensive to the extreme of a country slaughtering its own citizens or children being abused by those who should protect them, silence is not acceptable. Be that person, even if you are standing alone. We talked in this unit about heroes and the many ways to be a hero. Speaking up and speaking out is certainly one way. Be a hero to those around you who need a voice or a hand or a heart...

[Sermon over.]

This week we test over Unit 1 (The Hero) and move right along into Unit 2 (The Individual versus Society). Unit 2 will cover the Canterbury Tales, Arthurian Legends, and "Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight".
Essential Questions for this Unit:
How do we as individuals reflect the society in which we live?
How are our values and beliefs formed and shaped by society?
OR
Do our values and beliefs shape our society?
What is the role of literature in preserving a society?
Can literature be an agent for social change?

Tuesday, 1/17
Define Unit 1 Vocabulary
banal, bellicose, finesse, glib, lampoon, lugubrious, nefarious, nemesis, pseudonym, purloin, abject, admonish, commensurate, distraught, euphemism, nebulous, phlegmatic, propriety, prosaic, revile
Hero Final Activity- Create your own Grendel
Wednesday, 1/18
Vocabulary presentations by 1st period
Unit 1 Test
STUDY
Thursday, 1/19
Intro to Middle Ages
Friday, 1/20
Vocab Quiz
Canturbury Tales Prologue, Part 1

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

I'm Baaaaack!!!!!!


After a pretty long class blogging hiatus, I am back this semester to give it another go. This blog will serve as an English IV blog this semester, since that is the grade level class I now teach. Welcome to the LAST SEMESTER OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER! That has to feel good, huh? As I told you, I had taught sophomores for years and just had English IV for the first time last semester. I thoroughly enjoyed the curriculum and hope to improve on it even more this semester. Both 1st and 4th period seem to be really great groups and I am excited about the coming semester. (I am also thrilled to have smaller classes for the first time in nine years!!!)

This week we begin Unit 1, The Hero. This unit will cover Beowulf and The Exeter Book, which are two of my favorites in British Lit. Our essential questions for this unit are:
What constitutes a hero?
What differences exist among cultures with regard to their concept of a hero?
Would people all over the world agree?
Which people in your life are heroes?

This week's schedule:

Monday- Introduction
"Troy" scene, discussion, Hero analysis (quotes and small groups), artwork

Tuesday- Beowulf music video, Anglo-Saxon guided notes, Read section 1 of Beowulf ("Jaws" scene)

Wednesday- Beowulf Sections 2 and 3, discussion, "Jaws" scene

Thursday- Beowulf Last Section, last scene of "Jaws"

Friday- Exeter Book notes, read "Seafarer", "Wanderer", and "Wife's Lament", small group discussion on tone, story, and memorable line, class discussion