Friday, December 24, 2010

For those of you that read Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom


as your OR book...

Rev. Henry Covington, featured in Mitch Albom's book, dies at 53

Read Mitch Albom's column

Friday, December 10, 2010

Intersession Assignments POSTED

On Intersession page on the website.

2 assignments are due...January 14th and 26th

Let me know if you have any questions.

When we return second semester, we'll read Macbeth and start using our GRAMMAR book.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

BNW Discussion Topics


page 223

"The optimum population...is modelled on the iceberg - eight-ninths below the water line, one-ninth above". (Mond)


Q: Mond uses this analogy to explain how the world state was fashioned to adhere to the MOTTO: Community, Identity, Stability. Explain what he means by this?

Q: Explain how this model works in today's world?

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The World's Most Expensive Book...sold for $10 MILLION


Audobon's "Birds of America" sells for $10 Million at auction. Read the story.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Brave New World


Discussion Topics for Monday and Tuesday:

Power of Words

The World State's Creation to fit the Motto: Community, Identity, Stability ... is it a dystopia or utopia? Evaluate from the citizens of the World State as well as from your perspective.

"Brave New World (1932) is one of the most bewitching and insidious works of literature ever written" (Huxley.net). Why do you think it was described in this manner? Do you agree or disagree? Find textual evidence to support your response.

Holocaust Story in the news


A Hanukkah 'miracle': Two women who shared Holocaust ordeal reunited after 65 years.

Read the Story from the Palm Beach Daily News.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Intersession Assignments

to be posted by Monday 12-13-10.

Monday 12-6-10

Monday in class papers will be passed back and BNW quiz 1-9 will be corrected. We'll discuss BNW.

Tuesday in class BNW completion worksheets are due and there will be a quiz. We'll discuss BNW and review for the Vocabulary Test on Friday both Tuesday and Block Day.

Friday Vocabulary Test 15-21.

Monday 12-13-10 BNW Essay (part of Final Exam).

Wednesday 12-15-10 Final Exam

I'll Post rooms for the final Monday 12-13-10

Intersession assignment will be posted 12-13-10.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Block Day

Vocabulary Bingo ... Make sure to have your words and definitions complete
Brave New World Discussion

Friday Vocabulary Quiz 20/21 ... I am asking you to use the words in sentences that relate to Brave New World, 1 other novel and 1 short story from the Literature Book

Friday BNW Quiz Chapters 1-9

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

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.

Friday, November 26, 2010

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".

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

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, November 22, 2010

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).

Saturday, November 20, 2010

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.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

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, November 16, 2010

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 15, 2010

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).

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

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.