Just a Reminder: TEWWG QUIZ-CHAPTERS 16-20 ON THURSDAY, 12 JUNE. ALSO, RETURN ALL NOVELS ON THIS DAY-DO NOT WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY OR MONDAY TO DO SO.

A REMINDER:
Both E and F Bands must complete the reading of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Tuesday, 9 June. Surely, by now, everyone has completed the reading of Hurston's text...

Schedule for Week of 26 May

For Tuesday (E and F Bands): Read Chapters 6 and 7 of TEWWG. Use "post-its" to generate "I wonder..." questions and/or to add comments regarding diction/syntax used by Hurston. (You are certainly welcome to record your notes on a separate sheet of paper.) Refer to Close Reading Guide distributed in class or just click on the link... If you left your text in class, click on this link for a copy of Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

Another resource to assist you with the annotation process:
Annotating a Text: Reading and Reader Response

I will check everyone's copy of TEWWG to determine if the above assignment has been completed. DO NOT EVEN CONSIDER "swapping" YOUR COPY OF TEWWG WITH SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER BAND WHO HAS NOT COMPLETED THIS ASSIGNMENT. I will ask everyone to place his/her copy in a storage container at the end of each Band so that I can take a "closer" look at your "post-its" and notes. 

You may desire to download and print Chapters 6 and 7 to make the task of annotating easier...

I expect everyone to "Enter the Conversation" on Tuesday and on Wednesday...

See "older post" below for an audio of the story.

For Thursday, 29 May: Read Chapters 8, 9, and 10. Expect a QUIZ!

Just a Reminder:

You are to read Chapters 3 and 4 from Their Eyes Were Watching God-assume that you will have a QUIZ on Monday/Tuesday depending on the Day that your class will meet.

Your Pleasantville Essay assignment MUST be uploaded to turnitin.com by 11:59 PM-MONDAY-12 May-you also-must enter the classroom on Tuesday with a "hard-copy" of this assignment. Just in-case you left the question sheet at home-just click-on the title of this assignment for the questions. Parents-please note that students knew about this assignment for approximately TEN DAYS-SO THERE SIMPLY IS NOT ANY EXCUSE FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT.

Enter Janie's life  while "reading" this text-an "emotional roller-coaster" for all to experience-an experience-you will NEVER forget... Unless, you have "ice water running through your veins"...

You will receive Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God on Monday. 5 May. I am looking forward to our discussions-where EVERYONE will "enter into the conversation"...

Their Eyes Were Watching God AUDIO

Why would Diedrich Post this power-point (video)?

Schedule for Week of 31 March
You are required to bring your copy of Death of a Salesman to class everyday-do NOT ask my permission to go to your locker to retrieve it-permission to do so will be denied.

SAT Vocabulary QUIZ List 16: Thursday, 3 April.

Soon, you will be assigned questions related to Miller's Death of a Salesman. Just in case you neglect to bring this text home with you, I have posted a link for the text:

http://www.pelister.org/literature/ArthurMiller/Miller_Salesman.pdf

                                   

ATTENTION: I WAS OVERWHELMED WITH JOY READING YOUR CITR ESSAY RESPONSES. Admittedly, I was rather surprised by the outcome since so many of the "quiet" students who do not participate that often did so well expressing their thoughts in writing. Please, in the future, do not remain "quiet" during our class discussions. I would like to think that our collaboratively group activities for the text contributed to your success on this writing task.


SAT Vocabulary QUIZ List 16: Thursday, 27 March.


Please remember to bring your copy of Death of a Salesman to class EVERYDAY...Do not ask me for permission to go to your locker to retrieve it...your request to do so will be denied.

Schedule for Week of 10 March:

Read Chapters 18, 19, and 20 for Tuesday's class. You may OR may not have a quiz on these Chapters... (If you did not bring your novel home with you, I have provided the text on an earlier posting-even though I informed you about the reading for the weekend.)

SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 16 on Thursday, 13 March.

Reading Journal Schedule for Submission to turnitin.com:
(NOTE: You must continue to focus on the "Theme and Essential" Questions you previously used for Chapters 1-7.) You were given a handout with this information.

Chapters 8-14 due 03/10 no later than 11:59 PM
Chapters 15-19 due no later than 03/13 11:59 PM
Chapters 20-26 due no later than 03/16 11:59 PM

You must also read Chapters 21-23 for Thursday, 13 March. You may OR may not have a quiz.

By now, everyone should have read ahead and completed this novel. Regretably, some of you have NOT been doing any reading at all...

Click on this link:


http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/jd-salingers-catcher-in-the-rye-summary-themes-quotes.html#lesson

                                                                            

The Catcher in the Rye for Week of 3 March

1. Here are a couple images of the literal meaning of “The Catcher in the Rye” (p.173).
2. As a "whole-class" we will discuss:
3. The figurative meaning of “The Catcher in the Rye.”
4. How has Holden already been acting as “The Catcher in the Rye.” Give specific examples from the book. This will actually be part of our Socratic Seminar beginning on Tuesday, 4 March...

Schedule for Week of 24 February:
By now, everyone should have completed the reading of CITR ahead of the designated schedule. As previously indicated, you will be administered a QUIZ for Chapters 8-10 on Monday (F-Band) and on Tuesday (B-Band).


Group Work will continue for the activity you began prior to the break.
ATTENTION: I am particularly concerned that several students in the class do NOT contribute to the "collaboration" of answers when engaged in our cooperative learning activities. Amazingly, they simply "copy" down the answers generated by others expecting to receive the same grade even though these group "members" sat passively while others shared meaningful, insightful responses to what was being asked. Subsequently, effective with your next collaborative group activity, grade "adjustments" will be made for those who sit "passively" without "actively" engaging/contributing to the academic task.  


SAT VOCABULARY QUIZ ON THURSDAY, 27 FEBRUARY (List 15)


YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BRING TO CLASS YOUR COPY OF The Catcher in the Rye text EVERYDAY-THIS IS CONSIDERED A HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT-IF YOU ENTER THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT IT-YOU WILL RECEIVE A "0" FOR BEING UNPREPARED FOR CLASS-DO NOT ASK PERMISSION TO GO TO YOUR LOCKER TO RETRIEVE IT-PERMISSION TO DO SO WILL BE DECLINED!


A "Preview" of Coming Attractions:
Research and Synthesis Essay: Social Networking
We will "gradually" approach all the "tasks" that are indicated for your MAJOR project involving research and synthesis. (Mini-lessons will be presented for most of the requirements.) Surely, many of you will begin to read and or view the resources I have provided. If you have any questions, jot them down so that they can be presented in class on Monday, 24 February.
(This is aligned with the Common Core Standards.)
Resources to assist you with your "Mini-argumentative" Research Paper:
The Synthesis Essay: The Basics

The Synthesis Essay: Explaining the Sources


The Synthesis Essay: Planning and Pre-writing


The Synthesis Essay


The Synthesis Essay: PODCAST

Schedule for Week of 10 February

SAT Vocabulary QUIZ List 15 on Thursday, 13 February.

Read Chapters 8-10 for Thursday, 13 February (you may or may not have a QUIZ over these Chapters.

Reading Journal: (Refer to handout for instructions) Chapters 1-7 must be uploaded to www.turnitin.com by Wednesday, 12 February @ 11:59 PM

Monday, 10 February: Both E and F Bands must read Chapters 4-7; you previously read Chapters 1-3. Expect a QUIZ immediately upon entering the classroom.

Tuesday, 11 February: Cooperative Learning Activity for Chapters 1-7.

Wednesday, Continue group activity/class discussion for Chapters 1-7.

Thursday, 13 February: Begin discussion of Chapters 8-10-also, see assignment posting above for this day.

Friday, 14 February: Continue discussion of CITR

A RHETORICAL QUESTION FOR EVERYONE: WHY ARE YOU REQUIRED TO SIGN THE statement printed at the bottom of the front of the answer sheet, indicating that you had no unlawful knowledge of the questions or answers prior to the examination and that
you have neither given nor received assistance in answering any of the questions
during the examination (taken directly from page 1 of the NYS Regents examination booklet)?

WHAT STANDS OUT FOR DIEDRICH IS THE PHRASE "neither given nor received assistance"... HE WANTS EVERYONE TO PONDER WHAT THIS MEANS...AND THE SUBSEQUENT CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY OF COMMITTING THESE ACTIONS. (You will sign a similar statement on your upcoming AP Examination as well as other NYS Regents Examinations...)

ATTENTION! Diedrich has finally revised the seating charts for the first-marking period of the Spring Semester. No "table-mates" will be sitting anywhere near each other. Under no circumstances will he make any changes as you walk into the classroom on Tuesday, 4 February. You had the opportunity to inform him of  on-going conflicts with any class members so that he would not make him/her your "table-mate".

Schedule for Week of 03 February

SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 14 on Thursday, 06 February.

On Tuesday, 04 February-you will receive Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye- our next American Literature Classic!

If you neglect to bring the CITR home with you to complete an assignment, just click on this link: http://english-4u.net/online/documents/THECATCHERINTHERYE.pdf

The Catcher in the Rye audio

Be prepared for unannounced "quizzes" on the content of this presentation. Your viewing of this will NOT spoil this text, but rather lessen any confusion you may encounter.

Literary Terms

Critical Lens Exemplars

Schedule for Week of 13 January:

Multi-Paragraph Essay for Mean Girls has now been added to turnitin.com. You have until 11:59 PM on 14 January to upload this essay. You MUST follow the specific designated guidelines on the handout given to you. Do not inform me that you NEVER received it!
This assignment was actually due two weeks ago but since too many students have been engaging in "plagiarism" I have decided to have everyone upload this assignment. Click on the title of this assignment for the directions.

SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 13: Thursday, 16 January.

You must bring your Crucible text to class EVERYDAY-failure to do so will result in a "0" for being unprepared for class.

Please be advised that I may start to administer "surprise" quizzes over the resources that I have posted on this blog (power-points) for The Crucible/McCarthyism since not too many students have clicked on these postings to view the "valuable" content.

Regents Prep: The Critical Lens Essay

McCarthyism and The Crucible
(Diedrich may quiz you on the content presented.)

 

Exploring the Characters in The Crucible
(A series of videos with interesting and insightful commentary based on the film shown in class)

Please bring your copy of The Great Gatsby to class on Monday/Tuesday (January 6/7) so that it can be returned to the Book Room.

SAT VOCABULARY QUIZ: List 12 on Thursday, 9 January

All students are required to bring The Crucible text to class EVERYDAY this week-if you do not enter the classroom with this text-you will receive a "0" for being unprepared for class-NO EXCUSES!

Comprehensive English Regents Examinations

Examine the student essays and scores granted by the NYS DOE. Pay particular attention to the rationale provided for the specific score the paragraphs and the critical lens essays received.
Some of you might be rather surprised by the scoring of some of the written sample responses.

NYS English Regents Preparation (The Critical Lens)

An "assortment" of study guides and other related resources for novels and plays. Use your graphic organizers to prepare for the Critical Lens Essay. Click on this link and have fun re-visiting the texts that YOU HAVE READ.
You may also be interested in the following:
The Crucible

The Great Gatsby

To Kill a Mockingbird
Night

The Catcher in the Rye

Of Mice and Men

Romeo and Juliet

Lord of the Flies

A Streetcar Named Desire

MACBETH

A DOLL'S HOUSE

Study Guides: Shakespeare

Shmoop Study Guides

Novel Guides

A SUGGESTION: Prepare a chart for 4-6 literary texts highlighting literary elements for each.