"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." - William Butler Yeats
The goal of this English class is to produce critical thinkers. Students are not only reading for comprehension but for meaning and relevancy of the work as a whole. Literature is also an example of good writing. The writing improves when a student reads. Vocabulary also improves because the student is learning to read in context. We want successful students who can think critically and communicate effectively.
Academic English 9: The students will continue to work in groups to create their Newspapers for their short story on laptops, computers in the Library and the Computer Lab. They will need to create an idea for a newsworthy article, produce a journalistic article, and apply themes, characters, setting, culture/time period of the short story. A picture with a caption must accompany their article. Students will also be responsible for producing a Print advertisement. They will need to identify and apply several propaganda techniques for persuasive writing. The format of a modern-day newspaper will be followed. The project will be due on Monday, April 7th.Practical English 11: The students will be working on a final project for The Crucible in the Library. They have been given 4 options of assessment: The Documentary, The PowerPoint Presentation, The Soundtrack, and The Alternate Ending. The students have been given the Rubrics for each assessment. They will work in pairs. The students will interpret and analyze the play through the creation of their project. Meaning and relevancy is attained through critical thinking and application.
English 11: The students will continue to work on the Analytical Research Paper. Analyzing and Critiquing sources is necessary to support a thesis. The students will need to create a thesis which answers a how or why question on their topic. At this point, some students will realize that their sources do not meet the requirements of a research paper. There will be frustration and confusion on their part. They will need to work through these to actually learn to create a thesis which has meaning and supports an actual idea. Stamina is necessary to complete the process of the Research Paper. The students will need to organize their support of their idea into a logical order. Due dates have been given... Hang in there!
Practical English 12: The students will be working on Vocabulary Unit 5. There will be a test on Friday, April 4th. They will also be required to pick a topic for the Argumentative Research Paper. The topic must have meaning and relevancy for the student. They will need to logically argue a topic where they will need to pick a side. Valid sources from reliable sites are necessary.
