D. Brosius’ Virtual Classroom

Last week of the first semester. Seniors you are 1/2 through your last year of high school-wow!!! Make sure you finish strong and then buckle up for the last semester of your high school career. AP juniors you are through the first semester of a tough transition of literary analysis to the study of rhetoric. I feel confident you are more than ready to succeed on your semester final. Period 2, 4 and 6 will take their final on Wednesday and period 1, 3, and 5 on Thursday. You will have Friday off to regroup and prepare for your pursuit in your final semester of the 2011-2012 school year. Get plenty of rest, stay healthy and have a great week!!!

Our  first week back from winter break  flew by and we are already into the second week.  Looking back, last week  you all came back from break a bit sluggish- probably because you were used to waking up 2 or 3 hours later than you had to once you returned.  The week went by smoothly  with a few reminders/ words of encouragement to get back into the routine of playing school.

Did you hear about the freeze in silence flash mob taking place on our campus Wednesday at 12:15?  If not, check it out and pass the information on to make the event memorable.. Click over to our shout out page and read about the flash mob event.

Seniors- Hey seniors be the leaders of doing something united and fun- see you at the flash mob… remember to continue to be the class with class…  :)

We have been evaluating the modern hero, known in this literary movement as the anti hero. Holden Caulfield and James Dean are the iconic anti heroes of modernism.  As we analyze their conflicts and reactions to society the anti hero characteristics are revealed.  These classic characters typify the plight of teenagers that innately seek the answers to the typical question- Where is my place in this world?, Who am I? and How do I fit in? Through close review you will see the common elements of anti hero- one who fights a virtuous fight but is not victorious in the end. Holden and Jim Stark will overcome many obstacles in their journey to adulthood, however they will never fully understand the world they live in… Is this far fetched from your current journey?

The culminating assessments for the anti hero unit will be in the form of an in class essay and a short answer test. On the in class essay you will be allowed to use your notes from our class discussions. These discussions will focus on juxtaposing Holden Caulfield and Jim Stark.  For the short answer test you will use your lecture notes for a study guide. Make sure you continue to watch Rebel Without a Cause with a critical eye. Stay organized, ask questions, and think about the topics we are discussing in class. Remember you are not watching to be entertained you are watching to better appreciate classic elements of drama production, and analyze characteristics of the anti hero.

Juniors- We started our new year writing an in class essay on an AP prompt that focused on your outside read.  The essay was structure to reflect the AP free response essay, 40 minute essay that focused on a topic that you integrate your own experience and knowledge. By integrating your outside read you were able to easily draw on a topic you were comfortable with- after all you had just read the book- RIGHT? We read several examples of scored essays, and you gleaned an understanding of the AP writing expectations. Many of you felt a sense of relief, realizing the level of writing is not unobtainable or highly complex rather the writing is essentially comprehensive and straight forward. Remember my appeal to you- continue to review scored essays and play the game of guessing the score- If you can identify a 9 you can write a 9!!

We finished last week with the starting of trope presentation. This week we will continue with the trope presentations and infuse discussions of our assigned reading from the devotional unit. 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!!

Here we are… the last week of the 2011 school year! Grade reports have gone out; the grades are a reflection of your commitment to what is important to you. If school is important to you than I am sure your grades reflect the time and effort you have put forth. Finish this last week strong!!

Seniors- Sooooo do you get the hoopla over Catcher in the Rye? Do you understand why it has stood the test of time? Do you get why Holden is considered the ultimate anti hero or the iconic underdog? If you answered yes to the aforementioned questions then I believe you understood the text at the level Salinger expected. If you found the novella to be a long random rant by a sniffling teenage boy; well then you understood the novel on the most basic level- I encourage you to read it again someday. I am sure those of you that LOVED the novella will read it again and possibly again and again.  With that said, let’s get this unit done…

Juniors- Wow, check out the following titles: Self Reliance, American Scholar, Transparent Eyeball, and Sublime Vision… what a great selection of essays that reflect the Emersonian ideas we have studied. The Emerson Unit Final was a success for many and another lesson on reading critically. We will culminate our transcendentalism unit with a quick review of Thoreau and his Civil Disobedience. With an understanding of Thoreau and how his ideas reflect the transcendentalist philosophy we will finalize the unit by watching a contemporary video that integrates the philosophical views of both Emerson and Thoreau.  This video follows a young man in search for a place that he can be completely be self reliant in hopes that the self reliance will bring him serenity and purpose.

Okay, five days before winter break…. Let’s do this!!

SECOND WEEK OF DECEMBER!!!!! what happened to the month of November?? I hope you are able to stay caught up, because time is flying this semester. Though we should be kind to people every day and every month, December is really a rough month for those less fortunate than us. With that said, when you’re out shopping, remember to pick up a toy for our toy drives or a gift for our adopt a family. Focus on being positive, picking up those that are experiencing tough times.

Grade reports come this week. I know that I know, that you are working hard and staying organized to avoid anxiety over any consequences of poor planning or poor choices. There is still time before the “real” grade report comes out in Feb. so pick it up a bit if you have fallen behind. Let me know what I can do, short of giving you the grade you want, to make sure your efforts reflect your results.

Seniors-Keep plugging along in your reading schedule and study guide. I am confident that you are not finding Catcher in the Rye a difficult read; you may even like it so stay caught up and ask questions when confused.

Juniors-  I am jealous that I don’t have time to read a classic novel this month   I might sneak one in over the break though… Onward to next week where we will read more literature by our transcendentalist authors. Fantastic job on the transcendentalism unit so far!! You will enjoy thinking outside of the box to create your graphic organizer for transcendentalism. Trust your ability to think critically and trust your intelligence to figure out a perfect way to depict the information learned the next two weeks.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

~John F. Kennedy

A long sigh of relief here… The first couple months of school has been challenging both mentally and emotionally- with moments of grief and sorrow. We brush off our knees and move forward- shoulders back, deep breath and a positive attitude. There is so much to be thankful for,  especially the time we have to share with our  family and friends.  Enjoy your break and come back ready to kick some academic butt.

Seniors- We jumped right into Catcher in the Rye I hope you are reading closely, utilizing your critical thinking strategies to “get” Holden Caulfield. The novella will be so much more meaningful if you actually read to understand the thoughts feelings and reactions of Holden rather than reading to be entertained by Holden. I am pretty sure J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye could be one of your favorite books read in high school. Keep up with the reading schedule. Remember as you read pay attention to the themes that are woven throughout the text. See your course information for the reading schedule. Stop rolling your eyes, and don’t sigh with disgust, you won’t even realize you are working so hard; the assignment is thought provoking, and completely connected to what is important in your own life- school, relationships, fitting in and worrying about the future. Now get back to reading!!!

Juniors-Excellent job on the symbols books and study guides- Your efforts paid off BIG!!  The overall average for the unit final was a whopping 84% Wowww!!! Way to wreck the  test average of the years past!

After five weeks of intensive study; symbol analysis and critical reading, I hope you enjoyed reading The Scarlet Letter. Most importantly I hope you understood the conflict Hawthorn struggled with in his own life- to live purely or live honestly… This struggle became a main topic of study in our literary movements. Writers began portraying a struggle, as seen through their characters and plot, to understand the true nature of God as early as 1800. Nathaniel Hawthorne although, not the first author, to reveal that struggle certainly one most noted in American Literature. Our next unit of study will continue to analyze the study of pure vs honest, but with a twist on the religious aspect of purity. The transcendental movement evolved from the question of the God as a spiritual force or a spiritual guide. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were two noted transcendentalist, as well as friends of Hawthorne.  We will study their works and look for similarities and differences between the three classic authors’ ideals. Though we have completed the Scarlet Letter we are not completely done with the conflict, structure, or style of the text. Interesting stuff around the corner- rest over the next four days and prepare to buckle down for our next unit of study… HEYYYYY!!! Don’t forget to bring your outside read to class on Monday!!!!!!

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 have been introduced to one of the most eccentric modern writers of the time, J.D. Salinger. With a thorough study of Salinger’s life and his philosophies you have been able to decipher deeper meaning of his short stories. After reading “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” you should have a better understanding of Salinger’s writing style as well as his portrayal of man vs society. We will begin our final study of Salinger through a close read of his most famous work, Catcher in the Rye. It is crucial to stay organized and stay up with the pace of the class in regards to the required work in this final unit of study. There will be several grade booster quizzes and the final worksheet that culminates the entire study of the novella. Use our google calendar to prepare yourself for each week’s requirements. I am sure you will enjoy this unit and your efforts will certainly reflect in your grade. You know what you have to get done, so get it done!! Stay organized and utilize your class time appropriately. Keep in mind if you are absent the work expectations are still required on the specified due dates- no late work will be accepted- No loosing work on computer, no forgetting work at home, no exceptions, no excuses, and definitely NO WHINING 

Juniors- You will be able to breathe a HUGE sigh of relief after this week!!! The TSL study guide packets, the group symbols assignment, and your last TSL unit final will be DONE!!!! Lessons of organization and group communication were learned along the way. Awe will complete peer reviews of the final symbol projects and you will be blown away by the level of excellence that is being pursued in the AP classes. I can’t wait to get a closer look at the final projects. Use this last push to complete the work that reflects your groups understanding of the text- group discussions that are focused on the unit of study will assuredly better prepare you for the unit final test.  A quick two days before your Thanksgiving break and then off to yet another unit of study.  In the weeks to follow we will be introduced to Hawthorne’s buddies, Emerson and Thoreau. A thorough study of these classic authors will prepare us for our transcendentalism unit. While you are relaxing this weekend you can peruse titles that interest you for the upcoming outside read assignment. I will discuss the assignment next week and will expect you to commit to a title and bring your choice to class on Nov. 28^th. See you Monday!!!

November is creeping past… I am having a hard time getting all the great curriculum planned into the week.  I guess the pace of the class is somewhat to blame for time flying by. Hope you have successfully stayed buckled up and been able to keep up. We have a full week ahead…soo let’s do this!

Seniors

Wow!! The author websites were absolutely awesome- I am providing a page (check out the sidebar-Hemingway blogs) with links to the various sites, so enjoy!! Hemingway has consumed our last four weeks and it is time to show your mastery of his life and works. I provided a review page for the unit final that will be given on Tuesday, of this week.  Our next unit will be a smooth transition from Hemingway to an author that revered him; J D Salinger, writer of Catcher in the Rye. We will continue to focus on elements of modernism and the themes of alienation, loneliness and despair.  I am quite sure that Cather in the Rye  unit will be one of your favorite units of the school year. Stop rolling your eyes!!! I am serious!! You will relate to the character and appreciate the honesty of the writer. I’ll bet my pet elephant on it J

Juniors

Scarlet Letter has consumed your life for the past five weeks and we only have this week left to finish up this classic novel. Many of you have expressed surprise that you actually like this novel- of course you do because you “get it”! Continue to pace yourself this week and stay organized to complete the unit strong. Your essays entitle “How to Fail AP Language” revealed some really thoughtful ideas- since you know how to fail you know can assuredly avoid failing. Hold on tight because this week is going to fly bye.

HEY STOP EVERYTHING AND PAY ATTENTION FOR A SECOND!!! 

I have been using a great online  writing tool and wanted to share this great resource.  The powerful tool is not only very  helpful but incredibly easy to use.  Best of all it takes only seconds to run your essays,business letters, research papers and DBQ’s through this powerful grammar checker. I am sure you will find it as useful as I have; check it out!  Let me know what you think after you have tried it out..

My life came to a screeching halt this weekend;  I lost my very best friend. Though the loss was not unexpected, it was not expected so quickly. Taking into consideration the tragedy of the Seal Beach shootings and the loss of my dearest friend, I would like to encourage you all to cherish the people in your life and be kind to those who are going through tough times.  Help others deal with death, by treating life like the gift it is. I lost my best friend today but I am blessed to have had so many memories to carry with me throughout my life. My charge to my family, my friends and my students who I care deeply about- Live Life with Purpose!! Like Danny Did. Those who knew Danny are blessed those who didn’t REALLY missed out.

Two Life Lessons I learned through this experience:

First- The first life lesson I learned through the pain my own kids had to endure – Never, never, text or facebook, a death to someone- they will need your voice to find comfort in the loss.

Second- Life lessons are never easy BUT they push us forward to make today better than yesterday.

Onward Living life with Purpose and pursuing our excellence!!

You have all adjusted well to the structure of the paperless class, only a few warnings about appropriate computer usage.  I place a huge responsibility on all of you to make good choices about your time in class.  You will never hear me nag about your choice to zone out, unless it becomes a distraction to others.  Your choices will reflect in your final grade of the class, I am sure, but you may not pull others down with you.  I encourage all of you to make good choices.  Keep checking the grade book and the blog, as it is your responsibility to know your class standing.

Seniors-The Hemingway website assignment is moving along. We have established a basic outline of Ernst Hemingway’s life and how his work actually reflects his life. This week we will continue to research this great author’s complex ideologies and how they are conveyed in his work. As we study Hemingway’s short stories you will be keeping a folder of various writings that will show me your level of understanding of the text. The writing will consist of diary entries told through the perspective of the characters in the story, letters to characters that will show your understanding of plot development, newspaper stories that will show your understanding of author’s purpose, etc. All writings will come from the various short stories we read in our Hemingway unit. Make sure you keep up with the stories, annotate text, and pay attention to detail!! Many of you have expressed an appreciation for Hemingway’s works already, my plan is to convert ALL my seniors to Hemingway aficionados, (can you hear the creepy voice in that last statement)   .  As stated last week Hemingway’s works are typically short but ALWAYS packed with meaning, so get ready to use that brilliant brain, and work through these classic short stories.

Juniors- We started out last week with a vocabulary test followed by a TSL chapter quiz and then group discussions on symbols and study guide questions.  We read two thought provoking essays that focused on the compare and contrast method of writing. Through the analysis of, diction and syntactical structure we discussed passages of text and analyzed the effect of various sentence structures. And, we culminated our week with a compare and contrast essay on the differences between men and women as an imitative piece using compare and contrast method. BUSY week!! Now on to next week, we continue with our study of Hawthorne and the classic Scarlett Letter. We will move on to the next rhetorical strategy used in writing; process analysis, and a further study of the rhetorical device; tone. Our lessons will come from the Bedford Reader and The Scarlett Letter. Continue to check the calendar for assignment due dates and our website for study resources. Work hard, stay organized and seek understanding.

It’s the Happiest Homecoming on Earth!    Because you are brilliant you can infer the theme for the dance. Start thinking about costume ideas; just make sure you keep it school appropriate. Tickets for the dance are on sale all week. Seniors, it is your last homecoming so enjoy!

Below is the schedule for the week; show your school spirit and participate in the dress up days…

Monday Oct. 17- Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum-Twin day!!!Find a friend and dress the same. Compete to win IN-N-OUT gift cards at lunch.

Tuesday Oct. 18 Sleeping Beauty-Pajama Day! The most comfortable spirit day of them all. Handball & Foursquare tournament at lunch for IN-N-OUT gift cards at lunch.

Wednesday Oct. 19- Snow White-Out- Blanket the campus in WHITE by wearing all white. Pre-Homecoming Pep Rally at Lunch!

Thursday Oct. 20- Tankerbell day-Break out your best tank-top and come out at lunch and watch the dunk tanks behind PAC. The most spirited students at the assembly will get the chance to dunk staff members at lunch.

Seniors-We spent the past week finishing up our literary movement. You should at the least be comfortable, if not feel like an expert, with the five literary movements: Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Modernism, Post Modernism. Your group presentations, power point lectures, visual tours, selected readings, and review session will pay off Monday. That means the unit test is on Monday review over your notes and I am POSITIVE you will do fine on the test. . In the upcoming week we will move on to the focus of our course-reading, analyzing, and loving Modern Literature.  Hemingway is our first author to study; are you ready to be blown away by great literature? Stop rolling your eyes, and get excited about this!  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 reading some of his short works, “The End of Something” and “Hills Like White Elephants”.  I am sure after learning about Hemingway and sampling his works you too will appreciate “Papa” much more. His works are typically short but PACKED with meaning so get ready to stretch your mind around some great literature.   

Juniors- We started out the week with a vocabulary test followed by a discussion on using good, better, best test strategies. We worked on sentence frames, thesis statements and analytical essay writing. Next week we continue with our study of Hawthorne and the classic Scarlett Letter. I can’t emphasize the importance of reading in slow motion and taking in all the diction, details, description, and syntax that Hawthorne used to craft his masterpiece.  Don’t give up on the language rather embrace the inversions and structure and ask what purpose it serves. Continue to question Hester, Chillingsworth, and Pearl’s, thoughts, feelings and reactions to the events of the chapter. Keep in mind, once you understand the character fully then you ask the question; “What purpose does the thoughts, feelings and reactions, serve in the novel?” Continue to work hard, ask questions and seek understanding. In the upcoming week our lessons will come from the Bedford Reader and The Scarlett Letter. Continue to check the calendar for assignment due dates and our website for study resources. Work hard, stay organized and seek understanding.