Weeks of February 1st, 8th and February 15th 2016

"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. 

11th Grade English: Students have been working on informational articles on the Enlightenment. They are required to read and respond to the articles, demonstrating their critical thinking skills by identifying relevancy.  Students will be introduced to the life of Benjamin Franklin through a biography, reading an excerpt from his autobiography, and writing a letter to themselves as freshmen. They will demonstrate the major themes of order and motivation in his autobiography through letter writing.  Students will read and respond to an excerpt from Poor Richard's Almanack.  They will work in pairs on The Almanac Project.  Students will analyze and interpret aphorisms, create a modern day list of virtues, and create an aphorism for each one.

CDT testing on Friday, February 19th and Monday February 22nd.

Practical English & Practical Literature 11:  Students will begin work on Vocabulary Unit 1.  They will be required to define, analyze, dissect, and apply vocabulary.  There will be a Vocabulary Unit Test on February 2nd.  Students will continue the unit on Native American Myths.  They will summarize and analyze the creation myth.  Students will need to discuss the importance of knowledge for use of interpretation.  They will be required to apply elements of Native American Myths after reading When Grizzlies Walked Upright.  Students will use their application skills to create a Children's Book or a Manifest Destiny Myth.

CDT testing on Friday, February 19th and Monday February 22nd.

YES Period 4:  Students will continue work in the unit of Communication.  Effective communication is necessary for success in the workplace.  They will also be retaking the TABE test.

YES Periods 7 and 8:  Students will be working on the unit of Personal Development.  They will identify characteristics of good employment skills.  Students will engage in and complete activities on time management, organization, and planning.