Week of August 25th, 2014

"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.

Welcome Back!  I look forward to your continued success in school and hope to facilitate the positive and productive educational experience you can each receive here at NS.  Diligence, dedication, and determination by both the teacher and the student are necessary for academic achievement.  Please reach out to me with any concerns at jhoppel@northschuylkill.net...acknowledgements are welcome too!

 

9th Academic English: Students will be introduced to the expectations of the class on Monday. The students will be working on Vocabulary Unit 1.  The vocabulary unit incorporates knowledge of the word from its origin to its definition and application.  The creation of sentences demonstrates knowledge and effective communication.  The review through sentence completion applies reading in context.  The application incorporates knowledge and utilization of grammar through sentence dissection.  There will be a Vocabulary Unit 1/Grammar Test on Friday, August 29th.

Public Speaking and Research: 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.

Reading Assignment 1:  Chapter 1 due on 8/28
Reading Assignment 2:  Chapter 2 due on 9/2

SAT Prep 10th Grade: The goal of this class is to teach the students strategies which will help them during the completion of the SAT.  They will become familiar with the structure of the test, study words and word meanings, identify good sentence structure, understand the types of organization for writing, identify types of questions, and complete practice tests.

10th Grade Practical Literature:  Students will be introduced to the elements of the Short Story.  They will need to be able to identify these elements when reading, analyzing, and responding to the literature. At this time, they will also review/be introduced to literary devices. There will be a quiz on Friday, August 29th on Short Story Elements and literary devices.

Week of May 12th, May 19th, and May 26th

"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.

Finals Week of May 26th

May 27th:  Periods 4 & 7
May 28th:  Periods 1 & 3
May 29th:  Periods 6 & 2
May 30th:  Period 5

Academic English 9:  Students have been working on the Time Capsule Documentary.  This project will be due on Tuesday, May 20th. They will be responsible for identifying the social, economic, and political culture of their generation.  Students will be using a variety of media to create the project.  Vocabulary for the final will be given on Wednesday, May 21st.  There will be a review for Finals on the 22nd and 23rd.

Practical English 11:  Students have been working on reading, responding, and anlayzing Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".  They will view Shakespeare's Hamlet this week.  There will be a review for the final on Thursday and Friday, May 22nd and May 23rd.

English 11:  Students have been working on reading, responding, and analyzing Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher".  They will view Shakespeare's Hamlet this week.  There will be a review for the final on Wednesday and Thursday, May 21st and 22nd. 

Practical English 12:  Students have researched, written, revised, and edited the Research Paper. They have read, discussed, and analyzed The Lord of the Flies.  The Final will be on Friday, May 23rd.

Week of April 28th, 2014

"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 working on Vocabulary Unit 8. Vocabulary Unit 8 Test will be on Thursday, May 1st. Reading Assignment 2 (Chapters 9-19) for Great Expectations will be due on May 2nd. Students will be responsible for taking notes and titling the Chapters. Literary analysis and device application will be necessary in their notes.

Practical English 11: Students will complete work on the Aphorisms project which will be due on Tuesday April 29th. They will be identifying values that reflect today's culture and create 10 aphorisms for each virtue. Students will begin the Short Story Unit. They will read and respond to Informational article on the Civil War. Students will then read, analyze, and discuss "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce. They will answer a response question to demonstrate their application of literary analysis on Friday, May 2nd.

English 11:  Students will be working on Vocabulary Unit 12. The Catcher in the Rye Reading Assignment 1 (Chapters 1-4) due on Monday, April 28th. Reading Assignment 2 ( Chapters 5-9) due Friday, May 2nd. The students will be working on Vocabulary Unit 12. Vocabulary Squares worksheet due on Wednesday, April 30th. Vocabulary Quiz on Friday, May 2nd.

Practical English 12: Students will be working on their Rough Draft for the Argumentative Research Paper. They will be responsible for Reading Assignment 3 for Lord of the Flies.

 

Week of April 21st, 2014

"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 required to read, analyze, and discuss the article on the Industrial Revolution. The information will aide in the comprehension of the novel, Great Expectations.  They will be using the information to help respond to the analytical questions in the Study Guide. 

Practical English 11:  The students will be working on the Ben Franklin Unit.  They will be responsible for reading and responding to from the Autobiography and aphorisms from Poor Richard's Almanack.  Students will be required to read and interpret a list of Franklin's common aphorisms. They will then create a list of 10 aphorisms for today's culture.

English 11: The students will be completing the Analytical Research Paper.  The paper must be completed no later than Friday, April 25th.  The Catcher in the Rye:  Reading assignment 1 for Monday (April 28), Reading Assignment 2 for May 2, Reading Assignment 3 for May 9, Reading Assignment 4 for May 16, Reading Assignment 5 for May 23, Reading Assignment 6 for May 28.

Practical English 12:  The students will continue working on the Argumentative Research Paper.  They will also be required to read and respond to Lord of the Flies.

Week of April 13th, 2014

"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 be tested on Vocabulary Unit 7 on Tuesday, April 14th.  They will be expected to dissect sentences and apply the rules of grammar for subjects, verbs, direct objects, indirect objects, phrases, and clauses.  Students will receive background information on the Industrial Revolution in preparation for Great Expectations.  The first Reading Assignment will be due on Friday, April 25th.

Practical English 11:  Students will read, analyze, and discuss the Age of Enlightenment articles.  They will be required to respond to the informational articles.  The knowledge of the time period will help with the comprehension of the Ben Franklin Unit. 

English 11: The students will be working on their Research Papers. Final Copies are due on April 25th. The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger has been distributed. Students will be required to read and answer study guide questions according to the Reading Assignments. There will be a response question due on the day of discussion.

Practical English 12: Students are working on the Argumentative Research Paper.  They will also be required to read Lord of the Flies.  They have been given a study guide which will need to be completed for each Reading Assignment.

Week of March 31st, 2014

"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.

Week of March 24th, 2014

"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 working on writing Newspaper Articles and Creating Print Adverisements for the front page of a Newspaper.  In groups, they will be producing a newspaper using the assigned Short Story to demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the literature and culture and applying it to the modern-day format of the newspaper.  They will learn to work in groups, write journalistically, interpret and analyze literature, apply relevancy of literature and understand the importance of the communication of information through perspectives and bias.

Practical English 11: Students will be working on the final Act of The Crucible.  There will be a quiz on Act IV on Thursday, March 27th.  The students will be introduced to the Final Assessment for the play on Friday, March 28th.  There will be 4 options for assessement:  Presentation, Documentary, Soundtrack, and Creative Writing (Poetry, Rap).  They will have 1 1/2 weeks to produce the final project, the due date will be April, 9th. 

English 11: Students will be working on the Analytical Research Paper. Annotated Bibliographies will be due on Thursday, March 27th. MLA Citation and critiques are incorporated in the Annotations. Through Annotations, students are required to read and validate a source. They will become knowledgeable on their topic resulting in the creation of an analytical thesis, which is due on March 28th. 

Practical English 12:  Students will begin work on the Argumentative Research Paper. They will be required to pick a topic and argue a side. Topics will be due on Wednesday, March 26th. Specific Topics due on Thursday, March 27th. Students will be required to find 5 valid and reliable sources using the North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School Library Database. MLA Citations and Annotations will be due on Friday, April 10th. Vocabulary Unit 5 will be due Monday March 31st.