Week of 12/2 - 12/6

Hello. This week in English classes students are taking Galileo tests. This will take 2 class periods. On Friday/next Monday we will begin to wrap up the semester in earnest.

A couple notes:
If your student has assignments missing, or is looking to raise his/her grade NOW is the time. The last few weeks of the semester tend to zip by--better to make up assignments now than to get caught short and run out of time at the end.

For the final weeks:

We will be looking at poetry, specifically the poem, The Mending Wall, by Robert Frost. We will also tie this in with our other short stories and the book, Tuesdays with Morrie, with which we started the school year.

Thanksgiving Week

November 25, 2013

This week we continue to work on "Outcasts of Poker Flat" by Bret Harte. We finished the story and will look at a Plot Diagram of the story and more literary terms after Thanksgiving. 

After Thanksgiving, we return to just 3 weeks of school before the end of the semester!

This is noteworthy because semester grades go on student transcripts (forever)! 

I gave all students a copy of their current grade report for both first and second quarters. I also passed back recent assignments. If your student needs to make up any work, or needs extra help, I will be here for tutoring after school T-Th after Thanksgiving until the end of the semester. 

Please don't hesitate to call or email if you have any questions or concerns. 

 

(480) 987-4500, ext. 1226.

**Please watch this space for an undated, more animated website after break (including access to assignments, such as a document manager, etc) after Thanksgiving break. If needed, this updating may occur over Winter Break as well**

Week of November 12-15

Last week ended with finishing "The Masque of the Red Death". The test is finished and we move on to Paragraph Writing; specifically a well-written Introductory paragraph for an essay. 

Also, more grammar review this week.

Next week, we will begin working on the short story, "The Outcasts of Poker Flat."

Week of October 28-November 1, 2013

Happy Halloween! We are into second quarter and rolling along. Very exciting new stories, poetry and some creative writing lie ahead. Not all this week, of course, but soon. 

This week we will be reading a classic from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Masque of the Red Death." This is guaranteed to send chills up your spine!

At the moment, all work is being done in class; this includes reading the story, learning about EA Poe, studying the Black Plaque in Europe. 

Apologies for the lack of updates the last two weeks. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about quarter grades, please don't hesitate to email or call me. 480-987-4500, x 1226, kshore@alaschools.org

Week of Sept. 30-Oct. 4

Due Dates:

Friday, Oct. 4: Final copy of Tuesdays with Morrie essay (please include rough draft also--for points)

                        Study Guide, 7th Tuesday through end of book

This week in class:

Peer review of rough draft

Review/completion of study guide 

Introduction of opinion opportunities

Watch the movie, Tuesdays with Morrie

Have a great Fall Break! :-)

Assignments

Week of September 23-27

• Select theme to write essay about; construct a web or other pre-writing method to be reviewed in class, DUE: Monday or Tuesday 9/23 or 9/24.
• Continue to complete the Study Guide (7th Tuesday to end of book)DUE: Thur/Fri 103, 10/4
• IF you have NOT finished reading Tuesdays with Morrie, finish the book
• Begin working on Rough Draft of Essay DUE: Fri or Mon 9/27, 9/30.

Next week: September 30-Oct. 4

• Review Draft
• Peer Editing
• Prepare final copy of Essay to be turned in 
• Review Tuesday with Morrie in preparation to watch film
• Watch Tuesdays with Morrie
• Turn in Essay and Study Guide

NOTE:

 All students need a copy of the book Tuesdays with Morrie. If you don't have one, see me to check one out. 

You are expected to read 10-15 pages per night. We will be finishing the reading of the book to focus on themes, writing, study guides, and the analysis and meaning of the text.