D. Brosius’ Virtual Classroom

The first week of the second semester is behind us. Are you ready to move forward?  As mentioned in class, if you were satisfied with your last semester’s grade then continue doing what you are doing. If your grades were a disappointment then reevaluate your efforts and make an adjustment for improvements.  I have never had a student that has given 100% and earned a disappointing grade.  Work hard, be prepared to pursue excellence. 

Here is what to expect this week:

Seniors - Count down for your last semester of high school!! Nice job getting right down to business. I appreciate the manner in which you come to class and “play school” appropriately.  The transition has been very smooth from 1^st semester to 2^nd semester, from Catcher in the Rye to Rebel Without a Cause. Your understanding of Catcher… will be important for the first in class essay as you apply your understanding of Holden Caulfield to the cultural issues of Rebel… I am confident that you will be prepared for the upcoming analytical essay. Through each act of Rebel Without a Cause the class discussions became more and more insightful as many of you made connections to the use of colors, character’s facial or verbal expressions, background music scores and camera angles. The discussions serve as a means to derive the deeper meaning of the drama, validating the induction of Rebel as a classic movie. Rather than watching for entertainment purposes you have become more aware of the visual details that the director intentionally uses to convey meaning.  Keep in mind that learning to view a movie with a critical eye will help you read with a critical eye, thus improve your ability to write analytical essays.  In the upcoming week we will finish watching Rebel Without a Cause and write the in class essay as assigned last week.  Continue to take notes and ask questions as we finish up the movie. I look forward to reading the upcoming essays.  Onward!!!

Juniors- Last week we reviewed the components of Hamlet literary group assignments. I can’t wait to see the group presentations-of course I am expecting excellence! Over the past couple days you have been reading Hamlet, just reading and enjoying the play…right? Right! To really appreciate a Shakespeare play you HAVE to read it at least twice, I can see the expression on many of your faces..    Trust me though the first time you read..You were encouraged to just read, enjoy, and appreciate, the language.  The second time you read we will study the diction, sequence of events, characters, etc.  You will discover the powerful language Shakespeare used to convey the thoughts, feelings, and reactions, of the characters as they interact with one another. I assure you three things will happen if you use this approach 1) you will enjoy and appreciate the play 2) you will understand the significance of the greatness of this play 3) you will “get it” and then be able to do well on the assignments that follow.  I am sure I haven’t steered you wrong yet.. My intention is not to overwork you but to instill the love of great literature and let’s face it Hamlet is considered one Shakespeare’s greatest plays.

And by the way…tropes did not go away… oh no they did not go away, in fact since you are experts I want you to have the opportunity to show off your skills.  The obvious tropes Shakespeare uses to clearly enhance meaning will be a part of your final unit test. I just want to give you a heads up so you will identify the tropes as you read the second time around. Don’t worry you have your group to support you and of course I will help you!! In fact here is a hint- Antitheses, Apostrophe, Hyperbole, Metonymy, Metaphor,  Paradox, Personification, Quibble/ pun,  Simile,  Synecdoche, Understatement will be on the final test (you’re welcome ).  Alright let’s get moving on Hamlet; this will be a big point booster to get the semester started …give 100% and start out strong.

A note to my seniors- Welcome to your last semester of your high school career. Let that sink in for a minute…your last semester of a 12 year journey. No more getting up at 6:30ish and getting home at 3:00ish, 30 minute lunches, asking to use the restroom or get a drink of water, being told what is and isn’t appropriate to wear…. Freedom is just 86 days away!!! Count down starts today… we will play school for the next 86 days. You will come to class on time, bring the proper materials and a good attitude. The semester will fly by and you may even enjoy many of the topics we will discuss in Mod Literature. My only expectation for you is to pursue excellence in your self academically and socially.

A note to my Juniors- With 1st semester now behind us we will move full speed into 2nd semester. Make a commitment to excellence; stay organized and set goals. With my constant rants 1st semester I am positive there is no more confusion regarding my expectations for excellence. I am expecting perfection on your homework including correct mla format when applicable. Before you turn in your work, ask yourself, “can it be better” if it can be better, then do it over. Late work will not, WILL NOT, be accepted this semester. I will not be giving partial credit for work turned in incomplete or late; it will be all or nothing.  Come prepared next week to push hard to get a great start for the second semester. I will continue to update our blog weekly with updates and weekly agendas and our ghostwriters will be back to the Duly Noted page..Check your course information and check your online grades regularly. If you are absent, make sure you check the blog, email me, or talk to a classmate to assure that you will be able to get right back on track. A fresh start, a clean slate, a new page… onward to 2nd semester.  I will be your biggest cheerleader through out the semester- pushing you on, pulling you up, and getting you ready for the AP Language & Comp exam. More importantly though I hope to help you stay focused on what really matters…learning to love learning!

Our upcoming week will be short, maybe a bit intense due to finals, and hopefully less soggy.

Seniors- Monday you will be turning in your facebook assignment and completing the novel, Catcher in the Rye. Make sure you are ready for a possible quiz on the end of the novel, on Monday.  Tuesday you will be turning in your Catcher project, and we will review for our class final that will be administered on Wednesday. Hey!! Think about it… you are half way through your senior year!!!!!

Juniors- We completed our last trope presentation and read our last piece of devotional lit.  That leaves only one thing left for the semester…. THE FINAL!!!  No worries about the final, you are more than prepared!  Your final will consist of he trope test on Tuesday, combined with a close reading test on Wednesday (period 3) or Thursday (period 4).  Be ready to play school next week; the last week of fall semester.

Seniors-The due date is nearing for your very extensive Catcher in the Rye project.  The assignment is a BIG point maker (hopefully not breaker). January 25^th, at the end of class, We will turn the whole assignment into turnitin.com I will walk you through the process the day it is due.  Your facebook final turn in is Tuesday, January 26, print a hard copy before you come to class, late work will not be accepted.  will be turned in right at the beginning of class, the assignment is due as soon as the bell rings, no late work accepted!!

Extra Credit- you may also donate your outside read novel, if you purchased your copy, to the class library- for 5 extra credit points, this is due no later than January 27^th.

Juniors- Last week, maxim and adage were the most challenging, in terms of distinguishing the difference between the two. Remember two weeks ago??.. you toiled away at synecdoche and metonymy and you are masters today   SOoo    without going into a long winded lecture here is my final attempt to clarify the difference between adage and maxim (yes, that was a paralipsis).  An adage is a saying that has been popularly accepted over a long period of time- the saying usually expresses a truth, but truth is not a requisite. Take for example the thought; where there are gangs there is trouble, or where there are girls there is drama. The two different thoughts are not adages but they derive from the popular saying, where there is smoke there is fire. The adage is not focused on the literal; it is suggesting that if there is a slight indication of something it probably exists, the general truth. Maxims, on the other hand, are focused more on a basic rule of conduct, or as an ideal of behavior.  The examples used in class- No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong or You are either part of the problem or part of the solution, both represent a rule of conduct. More concisely put-An adage is a popular saying that holds a general truth, the truth is used metaphorically, whereas a maxim is an adage (general truth) that becomes a maxim because of the basic rule of conduct.

Much like synecdoche and metonymy, adage and maximare closely related, and require careful attention to distinguish one from the other.

Now you are surely ready for our trope quiz on Tuesday, January 19!!

First week back from a much needed break and all is well!! Though Tuesday was a bit rough on some…it’s hard to wake up early when you had grown accustomed to a warm bed until 11:00 am or so each day , you all got through the week unscathed. With less than a month left of the semester, my intention is to get back into the routine of playing school; your hard work has put us right back were we left off, great job!!

Seniors- You know what you have to get done, so get it done!! The Catcher… project is underway, stay organized and utilize your class time appropriately. The reading schedule is posted, expect a quiz the day a section is due. Continue to communicate with your facebook group. The final facebook assignment and the final Catcher… project is due January 25…No loosing work on computer, no forgetting work at home, no exceptions, no excuses, and definitely NO WHINING.

Juniors- We will continue with the trope presentations this week, and have possible quizzes over information discussed in class on the tropes. We will begin the devotional unit on Monday (jump ahead and read On Studies linked on your sidebar) and you will be responsible for several close reads. I expect you to delve into the assigned reads and use resources available to you to better understand the works. It is always a good idea to read about the author of a given work, as well as read critical reviews of the work; these resources are attainable on the Internet…get to googleing!!

Enjoy the winter formal (or the anti formal)- Be safe and make good choices!!

Have a wonderful winter break, enjoy the holidays and most of all, focus on what is important: Family, Health, Peace and Happiness!!

Seniors- Celebrate and reflect, this is your last winter break as a high school student- seize the day, keep it positive, stay safe and obviously… be nice to people!! Plan B and Plan C outside reads will be due in January 2010.

Juniors- Take some time to embrace the position you are taking in terms of your thoughts on transcendentalism.  Reread the selections we studied in class (see sidebar for links) and consider the questions posed for Into the Wild. Your final essay is due January 7^th- that is not a typo I wrote January 7^th and meant it; consider that a little gift from me to you     I will set up your turnitin account on, January 6th, Tuesday evening.  I am not opposed to you working on the essay over break…of course you have the option to put it off to the last minute. The link to the prompt has been updated in the sidebar .  . Enjoy your TWO weeks off!! Rest up and be ready to play school when we return in 2010!

Alright let me take a moment to sigh…..Deep breath…. Here I go, after a somewhat frustrating day of answering questions on an assignment that was given a few weeks ago,  I am re-posting the assignment with annotations for explanation.  After looking over my notes, back in Nov., when assignment was given, I realized I did not communicate the author study requirement correctly in period 4 today ( Istated a list would suffice for author study when infact you were assigned an author biography). Please see annotation and email if you need further explanation. The turnitin.com site will begin accepting both author study and essay Thursday, Dec 17  at 3:00.

Uploading to turnitin-The author study is to be uploaded as Outsider Read Author Study. The essay is to be uploaded as AP Outside Read Essay.  

Remember you must provide a hard copy of all work (pre-write, author study, essay). I do appreciate those of you who have emailed questions or come in before school, at lunch, or after school for clarification before today; my frustration is the last minute confusion, as expressed by some, in class today.

Assignment copy and pasted from side bar…annotations for clarification written in red (added today) 

AP Language & Comp. Outside Read Assignment

As you read your novel question the text… Continue to focus using the critical lens you chose.  The relevance of the author’s message will evolve as you continue to focus on the answers to the questions. Once you finish the novel you should be able to answer the questions completely and support your answers from the text. Take a look at the answers and write up a critical review (essay) of the author’s position on the topic- Feminism, Marxism, Psychoanalysis (Resolving fixation), Psychoanalysis (Hero’s Journey)

The following should be included in the final turn in:

      *Complete an author study (1 page max)  You are to include a picture of author and write up- a mini biography- DO NOT JUST LIST (yes I know that I okayed the list today, but  I was reminded by several students that I did assign it as a mini research, and I am retracting the list and requiring an actual written out biography (mini bio-1 pg. max).  Your list can be integrated into a mini biography.

      *Answer 5 questions (your choice) under your literary lens’ category. This means answer the questions in written form!! This is your pre-write; it can be handwritten or typed, you will turn this in in hard copy only (not to turnitin).

      *An essay that examines the author’s position on the chosen literary lens. You are including your author study information and the answers to the questions into your essay.

      *Include the questions/ answers you asked as you were reading- pre write Again provide this in hard copy- handwritten or typed. Do not turn in to turnitin.

Using proper MLA style format goes without saying on any assignment turned into this class. HOWEVER, this is a reminder to format using MLA style- refer to mla style pages linked on our blog.  

We certainly had a very productive month in November, and now we move right into December, with the first week already behind us! We have two short, but compact weeks before winter break. Seniors you are almost half way through your senior year; it is flying by, huh!!  Continued to stay geared up for the busy month of December, even though, I know realize things are a little rough around this time of year- homework and studying, has to be shoved into your life of sports, friends, work, and now add shopping, and stressing the holiday season, to your already packed schedule. I encourage you to stay focused on what truly is important- your health, your family, and your academics. I also encourage you to look out for those less fortunate than you; volunteer time at local food and toy drives. Give to give, and be kind to others. Obviously you should always consider others, but be especially cognizant of those without during the holiday season.  Onward!!!!!!!!

Seniors- Hemingway was the man of the month and now we move on to Franz Kafka. Both writers contributed to modern literature and the typical themes that focused on the lack of trust, the feeling of hopelessness and the questioning of a life and death.  They broke all the rules of how things were suppose to be done in terms standard written discourse.  However they are considered pivotal writers of the modern movement. Keep Hemingway’s thoughts feelings and reactions to the world he lived in, and add now Franz Kafka. Ask yourself how are these two writers similar? How are they different?  This week we will discuss a few short pieces by Kafka and his begin reading the classic novella “Metamorphosis”.   You have to keep an open mind while reading his work- remember; it can’t be that horrible if it considered that wonderful!! As we read we will pull examples of  the redeeming values of the character, the thematic issues addressed, and the stylistic devices that make the novella a classic example of modern literature.  We will use the new information to add to our Facebook and will culminate with a unit test- yeah more points to earn… Hey!! Don’t forget to continue to work on your outside read- plan A is due in two short weeks!!!!

Juniors- I am pretty sure you would have a tough time arguing against the greatness of Emerson. Though, I am surely open for debate- just come prepared to prove your point!! Last week you were assigned excerpts from a few of his classic pieces.  After a thorough analysis of text you should be ready to defend the elements of transcendentalism that are evident in the selection.  This week you take your expertise and teach your peers, preparing them for mastery of your assigned excerpt.  Monday and Tuesday will be review and Wednesday will be the Emerson Unit test. Thursday we move right in to a study of Emerson’s side kick, Henry David Thoreau.  We will spend time comparing Thoreau’s philosophical ideals to Emerson by analyzing excerpts from the classic Walden. Our next two weeks will move quickly so HOLD on tight!! By the way…don’t forget plan A is Dec 18.

Happy weekend before your four day break! Expect to play school Monday and Tuesday and then Wednesday – Sunday hopefully you will be enjoying family, friends, food, and a well deserved break from the four walls of room 760

Seniors- We read Hemingway’s “A Three Day Blow”, and “A Clean, Well Lighted Place” and you continued to add to your facebook assignment.  I assigned the first semester outside read; proposal for title due by Nov 24 and the actual hard copy of text Nov 30.  The actual outside read assignment is posted on our blog- SO COME ON…GET STARTED!!! Next week we have a mere two days of class.  Monday we will finish Hemingway’s “Clean Well Lighted Place” and work in our facebook groups.  Tuesday we will turn in your outside read proposal and finish up any discussions on the completed short stories.

Juniors- You received your graded TSL Study Guide packet and your last TSL quiz… you are ready now for your unit final!!  Remember, you do have one more section of the study guide due on Monday. Your symbols group should be culminating the weeks of work and discussion into what I expect will be a GREAT final project. We worked on critical reading and evaluative writing utilizing “The Rattler”, “Fredrick Douglas” and “The Funeral” to review writers tone and diction.  Several practice paragraphs were completed and a final peer reviewed paragraph was turned in for an evaluation. I am looking forward to reading your last paragraphs, fully expecting that you have made great strides in your writing. Hey check out the outside read list and commit to a title; Nov. 24 you will turn in a proposed title and Nov. 30 you will bring the actual hard copy to class.

A funky week, last week, with a day off in the middle of the week… I kinda liked it!  November is always a fast month so continue to hold on tight; stay caught up, work hard, and finish the month strong.  Hopefully you all have settle in to a great book for your outside read choice. I do hope you enjoy your choice, but remember you are not reading to simple be entertained- read actively and critically.

Seniors- We spent the past week studying the life of Ernst Hemingway.  I honestly believe if you have solid understanding of the author’s life and lifestyle, you will be much more adept at understanding his work, AND most importantly, be able to appreciate his great contributions to literature.  It is my hope that you will become a fan of “Papa” Hemingway! This week we will begin working in facebook teams and begin pulling ideas together to create a representation of the author and his works. We will read several selections of Hemingway’s- your job will be to keep track of the characters and integrate them into your Hemingway facebook page.  Do not let your team down, by being a passive participant in this assignment.

Juniors- We spent last week working on breaking prompts down and making sure that each and every component of the prompt is addressed in our writing. We focused specifically on integrating commentary into our writing in order to establish a clear voice. We will continue to practice the strategies used and build on the concept as we move further into developing our voice in our essays. Remember Tiger Woods, doesn’t stop practicing putting even though he’s already GREAT, so we won’t either!!!  Outside Read?! You should be making a decision on you choice and getting a hold of your copy- whether you are purchasing, borrowing, or renting; it needs to be with you in class on November 30^th. Speaking of due dates….This is our last full week of The Scarlet Letter unit.  The following week both unit test and symbol project are due!!