Weeks of April 25th- May 23rd 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. 

Senior Finals begin on May 20th.  Underclassmen Finals begin on May 25th

English 11:  Students have been reading, analyzing, and responding John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.  They have been required to identify and analyze major and minor themes, apply direct and indirect characterization, identify and apply foreshadowing, symbolism, point of view, irony, simile, and tone.  Students will be required to complete research for Annotated Bibliographies.  They will be required to use valid sources, apply MLA format, critique sources, use parenthetical citations, and create a solid thesis.  Students will work on identifying, dissecting, and analyzing vocabulary for Unit 7.  They will be required to comprehend and use the words in context.  Students will view Shakespeare's Hamlet.  They will be required to find relevancy through the identification of theme as well as other literary elements and devices through analysis and discussion.

Practical English 11: Students have completed the Newspaper Projects.  They were required to apply themes, characters, and facts from The Crucible to the modern day application of newspaper writing.  Students are now working on articles from The Age of Reason/Enlightenment.  They will be required to compare/contrast articles.  Identifying the purpose and tone of each informational article is important to understanding the perspective of the authors.  Students will then be introduced to Poor Richard's Almanack.  They will be required to create their own set of aphorisms for today's society.  Students will then read and respond to The Declaration of Independence.  They will read, analyze, and respond to John Steinbeck's of Mice and Men.  Students will view Shakespeare's Hamlet.  They will be required to find relevancy through the identification of theme as well as other literary elements and devices through analysis and discussion.

YES:  Students have been collaborating and creating presentations where they have been asked to identify and solve a problem in their community.  Responsibility is necessary to create productive citizens.  They will be presenting their Problem/Solution Presentations the week of May 2nd.  They were required to apply the units we have discussed in class.  Personal Development, Communication and Collaboration, Quality and Technology, and Health and Safety Units need to be applied to the Process of Solving a Problem.  Students will complete work on the Entrepreneurship Presentation.  They will be required to decide on a business that they wish to create.  Students are required to create a business/product, logo, slogan, location, model, and finance plan.  Presentations will commence during the week of May 16th.

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.

Weeks of March 28th and April 4th, 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 be reading and analyzing The Declaration of Independence.  They will analyze the structure and meaning by comparing/contrasting 2 interpretations of the motivation behind the Declaration.  Students will then read and respond to 2 of the deleted passages from the original draft and will need to interpret meaning.  They will then read an article on the translation of the deleted passages to affirm or to negate their interpretation.

Practical English 11:  Students will be completing their Crucible Study Guides.  They will be responsible for analyzing the text, identifying character motivation, and applying themes of power, personal integrity, and morality.  Students will begin work on Vocabulary Unit 3.

YES Period 4:  Students will create a presentation on the solution to a problem.  As a team, they will be responsible for research, data, and a solution in a presentation.

YES Periods 7 and 8:  Students will create a cover letter and a resume for preparation of their mock interview in May.   They will engage in discussions and activities on Communication.

Week of March 21st, 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 and respond to an informational article on Thomas Jefferson.  They will be required to highlight, identify and define unknown vocabulary, ask questions, and apply relevancy. Students will also be required to identify tone and purpose. They will be given two articles written on the motivation behind the Declaration.  Students will need to respond to the articles, comparing and contrasting the different interpretations. Students will then be required to read, analyze, and discuss The Declaration of Independence through the completion of worksheets which will help them dissect and analyze the literature.

Practical English 11: Students will be viewing, reading, responding, and discussing Arthur Miller's, The Crucible.  They will be responding and discussing the relevancy of the play.  The play deals with elements of false accusations, mass hysteria, and rumor-mongering.  Politics, morality, and society are themes which will be analyzed and discussed.  Students will be required to complete a study guide, using the textbook as a resource, which will be due on Thursday, April 24th, 2016.

YES Period 4:  Students will review and finalize Resumes.  Students will begin to analyze and discuss the unit on Teamwork.  They will engage in discussions and activities on Team Effectiveness, Problem Solving Skills, Leadership, and Diversity.

YES Periods 7 and 8:  Students will work on the unit of Quality and Technology.  They will engage in discussion and activities on Continuous Improvement, Quality, Analyzing Charts, Prints, and Gauges, and Root Cause Analysis.They will also practice/review for the TABE and Wonderlic Tests.

Weeks of March 7th and 14th, 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 have been working on Vocabulary Unit 5.  They will required to define, analyze, and apply vocabulary.  There will be a test on Tuesday, March 8th.  They will read an excerpt from Poor Richard's Almanack. Students will identify and discuss the elements of an aphorism.  They will then interpret aphorisms, apply them to the 13 virtues identified from the Autobiography, and create 10 virtues for today's society and an aphorism for each.  Students will then be introduced to Thomas Jefferson for analysis of the Declaration of Independence.

Practical English 11:  Students have been working on Vocabulary Unit 2.   They will required to define, analyze, and apply vocabulary.  There will be a test following a review on Thursday, March 10th.  Students will respond to an article on Puritanism.  They will then read, analyze, and respond to a sermon written by Jonathon Edwards.  Identifying elements of cultural beliefs through the literature is necessary for meaning.  Students will then read, analyze, and respond to an informational article on the Salem Witch Trials in preparation for the drama, The Crucible.

YES Period 4: Students have been working on a letter of persuasion.  Identifying strengths and weaknesses of character are important for self awareness and growth.  They will then be required to create resumes.  Students will then begin the unit on Teamwork.

YES Periods 7 & 8:  Students have been developing Math skills.  They have completed exercises and assignments to improve their basic Math skills.  They will be completing exercises and assignments to develop and improve their language skills.  One of the requirements of the YES course is to pass the TABE test.  They will also be working on the unit of Health and Safety.

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.

Weeks of January 4th and January 11th 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 be working on The Crucible Study Guide.  They will be using the text in the literature book to respond to the questions.  The study guide will help them review for the Midterm.  The comprehension of the culture and time period of Puritanism is necessary for the analysis and relevancy of the play. Application of culture in response to the questions will be required on the Midterm. They will also be defining, analyzing, and applying vocabulary.  Unit 4 Vocabulary will be on the Midterm.  There will also be a review of the elements of Native American Myth.  These elements will need to be applied on the Midterm.

Public Speaking: Students will apply learned rhetoric skills when presenting their speeches.  The utilization of good rhetoric skills is necessary in the Persuasive Speech.  Identifying and applying that knowledge will be required on the Final.

YES:  Students will be honing their basic Math and Language skills in preparation of the Wonderlic Test.