Tuesday 11-30-10

Today we discussed the schedule of assignments for the rest of the semester.

Today BNW 1-9 Study Guide Due
Friday 12-3-10 Vocabulary Quiz lessons 20/21 (sentence format)AND BNW Quiz

Tuesday 12-7-10 Complete BNW and study guide
Friday 12-10-10 Final Vocabulary Test 15-21

Monday 12-13-10 BNW ESSAY Test, lat day for a paper regrade (must turn in old paper/rubric with paper you wish regraded)

Tuesday 12-15-10 Final Exam

Due BLOCK DAY...Yellow BNW discussion Questions and Vocabulary Words/Definitions 15-21 if not finished in class.

Final Exam Study Guide

Starting 12-1-10 Bring your summer reading books, literature book, Holocaust books and Brave New World book to class.

The FINAL VOCABULARY TEST will be Friday 12-10-10. It will be considered PART of the Final Exam.

Monday 12-13-10 We will have the BNW ESSAY part of the final in class.

Final Exam Day: Multiple Choice and 1 essay that reviews the literature from the entire semester.

I will post the exam room locations for each block on my door the week of finals.

Q: What to study?
A: Go to the individual pages on the class website. Review the themes. Do you find common themes through any of the stories? What about conflicts? Do any stories share the same patterns (for example man vs man, man vs nature, etc.)

Q: What pages should I visit?
A: Summer Reading, Literature Book Stories, Brave New World, In My Hands, Holocaust Studies and Survival in Auschwitz.

Q: Will there be vocabulary on the final?
A: Not straight out vocabulary. Some words may be used in questions so you are responsible to know them. The Vocabulary test on 12-10-10 WILL BE CONSIDERED THE VOCABULARY PART OF The FINAL EXAM.

Q: We are just starting Brave New World. Will we have a test before the final?
A: No. The final exam will be heavily weighted to be a BNW test + a review of the literature from first semester.

Q. Do I need to know the information from the Scholastic Upfront Magazines?
A. Yes, there will be a few questions about the stories we read.

Work Hard...a few more weeks and Vacation Begins!

Intersessions Work...Reading Macbeth.

World's Oldest Holocaust Survivor celebrates 107th Birthday Today

Alice Herz-Sommer celebrates her birthday today...read the story and watch the 3 minute YouTube video here:

http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/life-is-beautiful-for-holocaust-survivor-alice-herz-sommer-who-turns-107/19732458?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7C2%7Clink1%7C28001

What can we learn from her...

The article states:

Sommer remains a fierce optimist and a believer in the fundamental goodness of mankind. "This is the reason I am so old, even now, I am sure....I know about the bad things, but I look only for the good things. The world is wonderful, it's full of beauty and miracles, art and music".

The Year's Best TEEN Reads (from NPR)

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/19/131442476/oh-to-be-young-the-year-s-best-teen-reads&sc=fb&cc=fp

Monday 11-22-10

Updating the grade book... please check too..if you notice anything that needs to be fixed...let me know next week!

Today we took out MC portion of the Holocaust Test then GOT ORGANIZED...
1. Hole Punched
2. Completed Vocabulary 18/19 corrections
3. Made Word/Definition lists for vocabulary lessons from 15-19 that we did not have lists completed
4. Turned in missing rubrics, etc.

Due Dates:
Tuesday 11-30-10 Brave New World 1-9 read and complete study guide...there will be a reading quiz once for each section. Link to online version of the book is on teh blog. Study guide on BNW page of the Website (https://sites.google.com/site/english2macvay/Home/brave-new-world-by-aldous-huxley)

Friday 12-3-10
Vocabulary Quiz 20/21

Tuesday 12-7-10 BNW completion and quiz

Friday 12-10-10 Vocabulary TEST lessons 15-21

Monday 12-13-10 Last day of class. Last day to turn in a paper regrade (1 per semester is offered)...paper regrade must be turned in WITH original paper/rubric or it will not be accepted.

Final Exam Study Guide to be posted by 12-1-10

Monday 11-19-10

Papers returned and Take Home Essay given to the students. Tomorrow will be the Multiple Choice Section of the test.

If you are to be absent tomorrow, you MUST email your essay to me before the school day begins. I'll respond with "thank you" so you know the document go to me.

If you do not submit it before the school day begins at 7:45 and you are absent, you will be given an alternate test when you return. it is not fair to have a take home test over 8 days and some students have 1 evening.

*** If you did not give the rubric for the contest draft to me on Friday MAKE sure I have it tomorrow.

After Thanksgiving break start bringing:
Summer Reading, Holocaust Titles, Literature Book AND Brave New World to class along with your vocabulary book (new material and final exam prep).

Last few days before Thanksgiving Break

Friday 11-19 we took the vocabulary quiz for lessons 18 and 19 and the In My Hands Part 3 quiz.

After the quizzes the reading assignment was from the September 6th Upfront Magazine ... pages 6-9 ... America's Challenges 2011

Rubrics for the final draft of the contest paper were turned in...paper due by 11:59 Friday to Turnitin.com.

Monday:
1. Papers will be returned/Upfront Magazine discussed
2. In My Hands Discussed
3. Take home essay test given out (Holocaust Unit Test)

Tuesday:
1. Take Home Essays to be turned in and the Multiple Choice section of the test given

Thanksgiving Break...
Active Read Chapters 1-9 of Brave New World - study guide posted on Brave New World page of Class Website (https://sites.google.com/site/english2macvay/Home/brave-new-world-by-aldous-huxley) A link to an online version of the book is on the blog as well as the BNW page on the website.

Block Days this week

We reviewed for Friday's quiz on vocabulary lessons 18 and 19 - Multiple choice format. In My Hands Quiz (part 3) tomorrow also.

Paper rubrics are due in class tomorrow. FINAL DRAFT of CONTEST PAPER is due uploaded to turnitin.com by 11:59 PM.

The AP Art History class has a field trip tomorrow. I'll be available after school for about 30 minutes if anyone has questions...since I cannot answer them in class.

Monday we'll discuss In My Hands. I'll give a take home essay on Monday night for part of the Holocaust Unit Test. Tuesday we'll have Part 2 of the Holocaust Test...Multiple Choice and short answer.

Tuesday 11-16-10

Holocaust Study Tips:

Test...Tuesday 11-23-10

Monday (11-22) I will assign a take home essay/short answer question. You will have access to your books and other resources since it is take home...it will be due in class on Tuesday (turn in take home essay = get scantron portion of the test).

Tuesday in class the test will be multiple choice...about 30 questions dealing with the Survival in Auschwitz, In My Hands and Holocaust Studies pages on the website. There will be one short answer question the day of the test also. Tuesday is the Turkey trot so we will have a bit shorter classes...I'll make sure the test is written for a shorter class period.

When you look at each website there are Key concepts listed on the top of the page. Those concepts along with the study guides and our class discussions are what will be covered in the test and then some of the information will be on the final exam as well.

I will be in early every day till Thanksgiving to answer questions and help people with paper revisions.

Monday November 15th

Today I returned papers and gave students time to get organized (hole punch, get papers in proper place in the binder). We went over due dates that were announced on Block Day blog post last week. Some students were able to correct vocabulary lesson 17 in class so they did not have to worry about it tonight.

We took IMH quiz 2 and corrected quizzes 1 and 2.

Tomorrow meet in the library for group work on the propaganda project.

Holocaust TEST study tips will be posted Tuesday night.

Final Exam STUDY GUIDE will be posted next Tuesday (11-23-10).

Block Day

Today we reviewed Lesson 17 at the start of class and took the quiz at the end of class.

After the quiz...New York Times Magazine (September 6th) was assigned...

Read:
Technology and the Law (18-21)
Women Get the Vote (24-27)
*****Stories will be discussed in class. Will also be covered on Final exam.

Due Next Week:
Monday 11-15
In My Hands Part 3 ... Quiz Part 2
Tuesday 11-16
Book Burning Brochure/Rubric due by 2PM and report by 11:59 PM to turnitin.com (Block 3 has till Thursday in class for Brochure/rubric and 11:59 for paper submission)
Vocabulary Quiz Corrections

Tuesday 11-16 Meet in the Library to work on Propaganda presentation with partners

Block Day:
Propaganda presentations

Friday 11-19-10
Vocabulary Quiz 18-19
Paper - Context - Final Draft due to turnitin.com by 11:59 PM ... bring Rubric to class.

Morning Duty is over/Grading Outside Reading

I will be in the classroom for normal tutoring time tomorrow.

If you have books that need to be returned to the library ASAP...please tell me so I can grade your report RIGHT AWAY so you do not get late fees at the library.

ANOTHER WRITING CONTEST

The Theme - capture

Photographs are a way to capture a moment in time, but they leave many questions unanswered. Where was the photo taken? Who are the people? What is happening? Descriptive writing, however, can provide a reader with a more complete picture. The writer crafts a story and invites the reader to experience the moment through rich imagery.

The theme for the 2011 VSA Call for Writing is capture, which invites you to create a short work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry that captures a moment in time. Your writing will create the most complete description possible of the moment, providing the reader with a written snapshot.

Consider describing a significant time or event in your life by focusing on what you could see, hear, smell, or touch. Provide details so that the reader can better understand the moment. You may also approach the theme by capturing a scene from your imagination. Through vivid descriptions, your written snapshot should draw the reader into the world you have created.

Submissions will be judged on creativity, technical proficiency, adherence to the theme, and presence of personal style and vision.

The submissions MUST be final draft ready...I will help you if you wish to come in and get assistance before the due date.

The entry form will be attached the the HOME PAGE of the class website.

+10 Bonus points (paper grade) for completing the writing assignment and entry form by Tuesday 11-30-10 ... and bring it to me before school...no later than 7:30. The entries are due 12-1-10 and I'll need the day to organize and mail out. Bonus points do not apply if not turned in by the 7:30 am 11-30-10 deadline...with the entry form attached. The entry form requires a parent signature.

WRITING CONTEST

I just found out about a writing contest...

If you are interested you must email it to me by 11-18-10 BY NOON.

Topic:
Think about something large or small that is having an effect (good or bad) on you or someone close to you. Write a short story (no longer than 5 pages), poem, play or essay (not more than 5 page) explaining why it has never been more crucial to share this experience with others. Your piece of work should bring to light why this event was not only so important to those directly involved, but also how it could affect other people.

RULES: Submit to me with a cover sheet as page one that includes:
your full name, address, phone # and grade level in school
your teacher's full name (Ms. Rene' MacVay), School Name, address and phone # (Saint Augustine High School 3266 Nutmeg Street, San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 282-2184) Teacher's email address rmacvay@sahs.org.

+10 Points paper grade for completing the contest application by the due date.

The submissions MUST be final draft ready...I will help you if you wish to come in and get assistance before the due date.

Article relating to the Holocaust from today's newswire

Read this article this week: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101108/ap_on_en_ot/eu_germany_degenerate_art

Art believed to be destroyed by the Nazi's recovered

ALSO read the article that relates: Report Confirms German Foreign Ministry Role in Holocaust

AND a final Story: Holocaust mass grave uncovered in Romania

This information WILL be discussed in class NEXT WEEK and included on the Holocaust studies test.

Monday 11-8-10

Today in class we turned in our Outside reading reports. Four to five student each block discussed their books. We also discussed the New York Times Upfront Magazine articles and connected the stories about the YOUNG SOLDIERS (Story: Armed and Underage)with contemporary genocides and the Holocaust.

Papers were returned. Vocabulary corrections due tomorrow.

DUE Tomorrow - Tuesday 11-9-10 View the Kristallnacht link on previous blog post and answer the questions. Prepare for class discussion.

Block Day:
Vocabulary Quiz 17 and In My Hands Part 2 due.

Due Monday or Tuesday Next Week...
Book Burning Brochure/Report...I do have construction paper in my room for assembling the project. It is due by 2 PM on Tuesday 11-16-10. Book Burning assignment is found on the HOLOCAUST STUDIES PAGE ON THE CLASS WEBSITE.

Monday 11-8-10

Go to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Website and view the Kristallnacht exhibit:
http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/kristallnacht/

Look to the right hand side of the page...also visit Witnessing History: Kristallnacht - The November 1938 Pogroms in second life.

Take notes, prepare for class discussion. This information WILL be tested.Key information to search for:
When did this occur?
Why did this happen? What is the context of the event in history?
What were the main targets and why?

Thursday 11-4-10

This week we discussed Vocabulary lessons 15 and 16. The quiz tomorrow will be Multiple Choice Format as well as use in sentences relating to the Holocaust literature.

Friday after the quiz read: Upfront Magazine (October 4th)
pages 6-9 Armed and Underage
pages 12-13 Founding Amateurs
Prepare for a Debate/Presentation...quiz will be given if not full class participation

We had a debate on Block day about the Upfront story about a Mosque being built in NYC near Ground Zero.

We discussed SIA characters/concepts and had the final SIA quiz on Wednesday.

I POSTPONED the In My Hands Quiz that was going to be today as we had a few loose ends from SIA to complete. The quiz will be tomorrow along with the vocabulary Quiz.

UPCOMING DUE DATES:
Monday 11-8-10 Outside Reading Report...bring book with you to school
Tuesday 11-9-10 Correct vocabulary Quiz
BLOCK DAY: In My Hands Part 2, Vocabulary Quiz lesson 17
Thursday 11-11 2 PM ... 3 peer reviews completed.
Friday 11-12 DAY OFF

TURNITIN.COM

DRAFTS...

all drafts perused and comments made for those students IN ALL BLOCKS that submitted rubrics.

If no grade is evident, then you did not submit a rubric and need to bring in one so it can get graded.