Week of September 16th, 2013

"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. 

9th Grade Academic English:  Students will be continue to create a documentary in a medium of their choice.  They are learning to find and use valid sources, apply MLA format, and identify and apply the elements of the documentary. Class time will be given until the end of the period on Wednesday; however, the project will not be due until Friday, 9/20.  The use and abuse of power is the focus/theme of this unit.  The project will allow students to have information and insight of the time period for understanding and analysis of The Boy in Striped Pajamas and Night.  Vocabulary Unit 2 definitions, breakdowns, and sentences will be due on Friday, September 20th.  The grammar usage focus will continue to be subject/verb agreement.

Practical 10:  Students will be required to complete an annotation on Monday, 9/16.  They will learn MLA citation to be used on the Annotation Assignment.  Students will learn to research, validate, summarize, and critique their sources.  They will be required to use these sources to write an argumentative essay based on one of the articles from The New York Times Upfront Magazine.  The assignment is due by Friday, 9/20.
Vocabulary Unit 2 has been assigned.

English 11:  Students have identified and discussed elements of Native American Myths.  They have participated in the discussion of relevancy to modern literature, specifically superheroes, recognizing the similarities of genres and identifying and applying man's need to make sense of himself and the world around him.  Students will look at the importance of culture and its contribution to history through the reading and analysis of the informational article on the oral tradition of storytelling and the written literature of Native Americans.  They will be required to identify and discuss the main points of the article.  They will then use the elements of the myth, the information from the article, and their analysis to create a unique myth to tell of the loss of their heritage. Vocabulary Unit 2 has been assigned.

Public Speaking:  Students have viewed, analyzed and critiqued Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.  They will be responsible for completing outlines, podium cards, conferencing, and practice, all in preparation for their Introductory Speech to be delivered at the end of this week.  The goal is to prepare students for speaking well in public which is a necessary skill for success in and out of the classroom.

Critiques due 9/16
Outlines due by 9/17
Chapter 7 Notes due 9/18
Podium Cards due by 9/17
Practices begin on 9/17 and  9/18
Speeches commence on 9/19

Week of September 9th, 2013

"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:  Students will be researching the Holocaust and WWII for application to the Documentary Project.  Through research, they will identify and use valid, reliable sources. They will learn the elements of informational text and the Documentary.  In pairs, students will be required to create a documentary in a medium of their choice.  The use and abuse of power is the focus/theme of this unit.  The project will allow students to have information and insight of the time period for understanding and analysis of The Boy in Striped Pajamas and Night.

Practical English 10: Students will read and analyze  informational text.  They will be required to respond to the text on the worksheet.  Students will identify elements of the Argumentative Research Essay.  They will research, argue, and support a side.  They will use correct MLA citation, create annotations, focus on subject/verb agreement and present tense, as well as diction and connotation.  Vocabulary List 2 will be distributed.  Students will be required to complete worksheets for Wednesday, 9/11.  There will be a Vocabulary List 2 Test on Friday, 9/13.

English 11:  Students will be working on the Native American Myth.  They will read, analyze, and respond to "The Turtle's Back" and "Grizzlies Stand Upright".  Students will be required to respond to the myths on worksheets.  Vocabulary List 2 will be reviewed. Students will be required to complete sentences for Friday, 9/13.

Public Speaking:   Students have learned the importance of integrity, audience, topic, and purpose through the reading of the text and discussion.  They will be responsible for completing outlines, podium cards, conferencing, and practice, all in preparation for their Introductory Speech to be delivered next week.  The goal is to prepare students for speaking well in public which is a necessary skill for success in and out of the classroom.

Chapter 5 Notes due 9/11
Topics due by 9/12
Outlines due by 9/16
Chapter 7 Notes due 9/17
Podium Cards due by 9/17
Practices begin on 9/17 and  9/18
Speeches commence on 9/19

Week of September 2, 213

"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: Students have been learning the origin of words and how the affixes affect meaning and function of vocabulary. Their expansion of knowledge on word analysis will help them to master and utilize the vocabulary they are required to learn. Their assessment begins with a formal test on Unit 1 on Thursday, 9/5 but their application and mastery of vocabulary will continue with each new unit and when they apply it to their critical reading skills in literature throughout the year.  Student will also be required to identify the subject and verb for each sentence from the test.  Dissection of the sentences will help with their reading and writing, improving both. 

Practical English 10:  Students will be completing a Diagnostic Review of Grammar to help identify their weaknesses and strengths.  They will then be focusing on areas of needed improvement.  Subject and Verb agreement will be the focus content area for grammar through the reading of Informational Text.  Students will be required to analyze and respond to the text.  They will be participating in a short debate on the topic of Privacy.  There will be a Vocabulary 1 Test on Friday, September 6. 

English 11:  Students will be completing a Diagnostic Review of Grammar to help identify their weaknesses and strengths. Students will be starting Native American Myths this week.  They will be required to identify and apply elements of myths through reading and discussion.  Students will be introduced to the project of creating their own myths using the loss of their culture as a basis.  There will be a Vocabulary Unit 1 test on Friday, September 6.

Public Speaking: Students are learning how to reach their audience as a speaker. They have been reading and discussing correct methods to use when giving a speech. They have also learned that good public speaking skills include actively listening to one's audience. They will be required to analyze and evaluate one of the greatest speeches of all time by Martin Luther King Jr. The goal is for students to use what they have learned in their first introductory speech.

Week of August 26th, 2013

I hope everyone had a restful, enjoyable summer!  I want to begin the year by thanking you for the privilege of teaching at North Schuylkill. I would like to continue your success in school with a motivating and challenging year in the English classroom. 

"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:   Students will be introduced to the expectations of the class on Monday.  Students will begin with Vocabulary Unit 1.  They will be responsible for identifying affixes and root words to help them decipher words in context.  Students will be required to apply knowledge of the vocabulary in context.  Vocabulary Unit 1 Test will be on Wednesday, September 4th. They will then work on honing their informational reading and note taking skills. 

10th Grade Practical:  Students will be introduced to the expectations of the class on Monday.  Students will begin with Vocabulary Unit 1.  They will be responsible for accurately defining and applying vocabulary.  There will be a worksheet due on Thursday, August 29th.  The worksheet will be graded.  There will be a Diagnostic Review in Grammar which will be due on Friday, August 30th.

English 11:  Students will be introduced to the expectations of the class on Monday.  Students will begin with Vocabulary Unit 1.  They will be responsible for accurately defining and applying vocabulary.  There will be a worksheet due on Thursday, August 29th.  The worksheet will be graded.

Public Speaking:  Students will be introduced to the expectations of the class on Monday.  In the beginning, students will be required to read, comprehend and take notes on the text, preparing them for the requirements of Public Speaking, which includes the utilization of research skills that they will need for the semester. They will be responsible for participating in a discussion on the Reading Assignments on the due date.

Reading Assignment 1 due on 8/29
Reading Assignment 2 due on 9/3

Week of May 27, 2013

 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.

9th Grade English & 9th Grade Academic:  The following units will be on the Final Exam:

Romeo & Juliet
Great Expectations
Poetry
Vocabulary
Sentence Structure and Usage

Good Luck!

11th Grade Practical:  The following units will be on the Final Exam:

Research Paper
Grammar:  Parts of Speech & Sentence Structure
Vocabulary

Good Luck!

12th Grade Practical: Congratulations to all of my Seniors!  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives!  You are the reason I teach, and you will be missed!  The future looks bright!

Week of May 13, 2013

9th Grade English: Students will continue working on the Poetry/Song Book.  They will be responsible for applying poetical elements, creating 2 original poems, and producing a book format.  The project will be due on Friday, May 20th.

9th Grade Academic: Students will continue working on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  They will be responsible for reading and analyzing the tragedy.

11th Grade Practical:  Students will be completing their Research Papers.

12th Grade Practical: Students will need to complete a Letter of Reconsideration and a Letter of Complaint.  They will review grammar and usage in preparation for the final.

Week of May 6, 2013

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.

9th Grade English: Students will be working on Poetry/Song Books.  They will be required to identify 10 poetic devices from songs, write a paragraph about song choice, and create 2 original poems.

9th Grade Academic:  Students will be working in Literature Circles for Romeo and Juliet.  Each student will be assigned a job for participation in the group.  They will be responsible for reading, comprehending, analyzing, applying, and relating to the tragedy.

11th Grade Practical:   Students will continue work on Research Papers.  They will also be reviewing for Keystone Exams.

12th Grade Practical:   Students will be reviewing the rules of grammar and applying them to aid in the honing of their writing skills.  There will be a Vocabulary 4A Squares due on Wednesday, 5/7.