Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Weeks of April 11th and April 18th, 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. 


English 11:  Students will read, analyze, and respond to a biography on John Steinbeck.  They will need to identify and define any unknown vocabulary through reading in context and/or utilizing a dictionary. Students will be required to identify the main idea for each paragraph, take notes/highlight/underline, and make a connection.  They will then be required to read and respond to Of Mice and Men.  Students will focus on identifying and analyzing the author's use of several literary devices.  Applying major and minor themes through characters, setting, and symbols are necessary for meaning and relevancy.

Practical English 11:  Students are working on the Newspaper Project.  They will be responsible for creating a lead article (informational writing), an editorial or a political cartoon (argumentative writing), and an advertisement (persuasive writing).  All of the elements of modern day journalism will be applied to their knowledge of The Crucible and the Salem Witch Trials.

YES Period 4:  Students will work on their Group Presentations which will occur the week of May 2nd. The group presentation is a culmination of the 4 major units the YES program focuses on:  Communication, Personal Development, Quality and Technology, and Health and Safety.

YES Periods 7 and 8:  Students have completed their Cover Letters and Resumes.  They have begun work on Group Presentations which will occur the week of May 2nd. The group presentation is a culmination of the 4 major units the YES program focuses on:  Communication, Personal Development, Quality and Technology, and Health and Safety.