Guest Speakers

We have guest speakers planned for Monday 3-1-10 and Wednesday 3-10-10. Assignments may be due those days, as with all great plans, one must have a plan B. If something comes up and a speaker must cancel at the last moment, we will go with plan B.

Monday 3-1-10 we have a speaker BUT the sonnet reading is due/be prepared. If the speaker must cancel/reschedule at the last moment...we will start our Poetry unit.

Literature Book

read about Sonnets pages 543-546

Be prepared for discussion Monday (3/1/10) ...if you cannot discuss the material, there will be a quiz.

February comes to a close

We finished reading Macbeth aloud yesterday. The Act 5 summary and quotes WS may be completed and used on tomorrow's quiz.

You need your literature books.

We will look at Sonnets in our literature book and discuss a few of Shakespeare's sonnets. This ends our Shakespeare unit (along with Macbeth review) and starts our poetry unit. (if you are ordering Frankenstein on your own...have it by March 15th).

Monday 3-8-10 we will have a Shakespeare unit test (see the class website for themes, etc to study).

Bring your Macbeth, Literature and Grammar books to class (grammar starting 3-3-10).

Don't forget Bonus Opportunities

Film Screening Wed 2-24-10

Last Week of February

This week I will pass back the paper drafts as I get to them. We will be reading aloud Macbeth this week (an Act 5 quiz will be announced a day in advance).

Paper Revision Tips: (we will do some grammar exercises during the revision process)
all papers need a thesis
events are in past tense
use of lessons, traits, skills is in past and present tense
avoid passive voice
need transitions between paragraphs
avoid prepositions at end of paragraphs
revise to avoid unclear pronoun reference
how you use skills, lessons, values is what the paper is about (the event is the appetizer and the lessons incorporated into your life is the MAIN dish...the bulk of the paper)

Next week:
March 1st...guest speaker
The rest of the week...bring your literature books...sonnets
Bring your grammar books...paper revision review assignments

Essay Contest

ESSAY CONTEST ... sponsored by the San Diego County Bar Association. Prizes will be awarded to the top three places. (1st $300, 2nd $200 and 3rd $100) Submitted essays need to abide by the theme: LAW in the 21st Century: Liberty and Justice For All.

Guidelines: The essay may not be more than 300 words and must include the student’s name, age, school, teacher, grade, home address and phone number (must be placed on the back of the essay). All entries will be evaluated by attorneys and judges based on originality, creativity, and neatness.

Entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2010 and sent to the San Diego County Bar Association, Attention: Law Week Committee – 1333 Seventh Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101.

If you have any questions, please see me.

Did Shakespeare write his own works?

Yesterday we discussed the authorship of Macbeth when the notes for Act 3 scene 5 mentioned Shakespeare may not have written that scene (nor 4.1). Read the article to learn more about the debate.

Bonus Opportunity

City of San Diego - News and Events
Film Screening:

Wednesday, February 24 - 6:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m.

Central Library, 820 E Street, San Diego, CA 92101

The Lion’s Journey: The Story of Wadie P. Deddeh
Directed by Bonni Rooney, 2009, 60 minutes, USA

An intimate portrait of an iconic leader in the Chaldean Iraqi community of San Diego, this film tells the saga of former California Senator Wadie Deddeh, an Iraqi immigrant, as he travels the road from a child of poverty to a seat in the California State Assembly. This film focuses on the essence of Deddeh’s success as a man who worked across the aisle to bring about some of the most far-reaching transportation legislation during his time, while illuminating his grace as a father and dynamic member of his community.

Post screening questions and answers with filmmaker and Senator Deddeh.

For more information, please contact: 619-236-5800


If you attend this film screening and bring in your admission ticket I will give you an assignment to complete as a bonus opportunity. Bring me your ticket BEFORE SCHOOL on Thursday 2-25-10 and I will give you the assignment. Plan to be at school by 7:15 so that all involved can complete the assignment at once, prior to the start of the day. A BONUS (+20) is over and above normal work. You must have all Macbeth Assignments completed for the BONUS to be possible.

Course Selection information was given today

The Curriculum Guide will be available on the Saints website by the end of the week. Students have until April 1st to pick classes and get necessary signatures. April 1st is the deadline to turn in BOTH the course selection (AP contract if that applies to you) and deposit to the school office.

After course selection we read some of Act 3.

Upcoming Assignments:
Wed 2/17 Paper Draft is Due
Thurs 2/18 Act 5 is Due

Act 4 and Act 5 quizzes will be the day AFTER we read the previous act. For example, the day after we finish reading act 3 in class we will have a quiz on act 4.

Bring your literature books to class NEXT week.

Updates

Today we signed up for the Outside reading Biographies/Autobiographies. If you did not complete the Critical Reading exercise from the Vocabulary Book (pages 31-36) it was homework.

Tomorrow we will have a quiz on Macbeth Act 4 and continue reading Macbeth aloud.

Have your Literature Book with you the week of 2-22-10

Next week:
Monday 15th No school
Tuesday 16th course selection - counselor explains during English class
Wednesday 17th paper draft due (instructions under paper page of website)
Thursday 18th Macbeth Act 5 (read/worksheet/quiz)

First week of March...Shakespeare test

Influence of Shakespeare

Shakespeare's plays inspired Victorian Era painters like the members of the Pre-Raphelite Brotherhood. Millais recreated the tragedy of Orphelia being driven to madness when Hamlet murdered her father. Flowers were chosen for their symbolic meanings:
poppies = death
daisies = innocence
roses = youth
violets = faithfulness and early death
pansies = love in vain
weeping willow = forsaken love

Visit the Tate Museum Website for more commentary

Act 1 ...done

We finished reading Act 1 in each class today. Tomorrow we will work in pairs to complete the Act 1 review Worksheet and start to read Act 2.

Act 3 is due Monday 2/8/10 and Act 4 on Wednesday 2/10/10. There will be a quiz.

Starting the week of Feb 22nd you will need to bring your Literature Book to class along with your Macbeth book. We'll be looking at poetry in our text.

Expect a Shakespeare Test the first week of March.

Reminders

This week we are reading/acting out Macbeth Acts 1 and 2 in class.

Monday Act 3 reading/worksheet is due. There will be a quiz with EACH reading assignment.

Don't forget trivia bonus opportunities...

Friday I'll go over the paper topic/rubric ... posted on the website and rough draft due Wednesday 2/17/10. (a short class with a rally)

Welcome to Semester 2!

Today we cleaned out the vocabulary lessons from our binders. We kept in our binders our syllabus, literature and writing sections. Those items will be pertinent all year. ALL BOOKS, even summer reading, will be covered on the final exam in June.

We went over key dates from our syllabus and wrote them down in our planner (paper due dates, etc).

We took our first Macbeth quiz and started reading the play aloud. Those people who have a part have homework, they need to review their part so they can read with expression to better tell thew story as it was meant to be told...it is a PLAY that was to be seen and heard ... not read. Everyone will have a part!

Upcoming due dates:
Macbeth
read act 3, complete WS, prepare for a quiz DUE Monday 2-8-10
read act 4, complete ws, prepare for a quiz DUE Wednesday 2-10-10
read act 5, complete ws, prepare for a quiz DUE 2-17-10

Outside reading book chosen Wednesday 2-10-10
Outside reading book completed 3-26-10