Week of November 29th

This is a short week to help us recover from Thanksgiving. You should be aware that progress reports will be reported next Tuesday. This means that you are nearly half way through the 2nd marking period. Please keep an eye on your grades and be sure you are happy with the grades you are earning.

Honors English 9
This week we are going to finish working with poetry. We will complete the poetry notes from last week, read poems from the literature textbook and complete an analysis packet for selected poems. You will write and annotate your own poems next week and you will get a test on poetry late next week.

Homework
Tuesday- Complete Comprehension Check Questions for the poems read in class today
Wednesday- Complete questions on the Wordsworth poem "Wandering" from the poetry packet
Thursday- Complete questions for the 2 Langston Hughes poems from the packet
Friday- Be sure the poetry packet is complete. It will be collected and checked on Monday.


English 9
Period 2
We will continue reading The Outsiders this week and prepare for our next quiz on the novel. The next and final quiz for the novel will be on chapters 10 through 13. You should be completing your study packet as we read to help prepare you for the upcoming quiz.

Homework
Tuesday- Figurative language examples and comprehension questions
Wednesday- Figurative language examples and comprehension questions
Thursday- Figurative language examples and comprehension questions
Friday- Complete Critical Thinking questions for chapters 9 and 10


Period 5
This week we will continue watching The Outsiders. Please be sure you are completing the comparison chart to note the differences between the film and the novel. We will be using this information to help us complete the final project for The Outsiders.

Homework
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday- Be sure comparison worksheet is complete. Brainstorm project ideas
Friday- Plan your project


Mythology
This week we will finish the movie Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. We will have a brief discussion regarding the similarities and difference between the film and the movie and then move on to our next myth, "Hercules." I expect to finish reading this myth this week meaning you should be prepared for a quiz on the myth early next week.

Homework
Tuesday-
Wednesday- finish reading "Hercules" and complete the worksheet
Thursday- Study for "Hercules" quiz
Friday-

Week of November 21st

Thanksgiving week is upon us! There are no classes on Thursday and Friday and we will have a shortened class on Wednesday. Please come to class prepared to learn because our schedule this week leaves little room for adjustment. Most classes will be finishing projects or units this week.

Honors English 9

This week we are going to finish taking our notes on poetry. We will review poem scanning, different types of meter and touch upon poem analysis. Wednesday and Thursday you will create your own poems to be displayed in the classroom. Don't panic, you do not need to write your own poem. I'll let you try to figure that one out before class on Tuesday.

Homework:

Monday- Paraphrase the poem "One Art" from your note-taking packet

Tuesday- Work on poem

Wednesday- Read something over break that exercises your imagination!

English 9

Period 2

This week we are going to finish working with the essay "Quilt of a Country." We will review for your quiz on Monday and complete the quiz Tuesday. Wednesday we will tie up loose ends for the story and your quizzes will be returned.

Homework:

Monday- Study for "Quilt of a Country" quiz

Tuesday- Read something you enjoy!

Wednesday- Finish quiz corrections

Period 5

This week we are going to continue reading The Outsiders. I hope to finish the book and our study guide packet this week. Please come to class ready to read!

Homework:

Monday- Complete Critical Thinking Questions in your Outsiders packet for chapters 9 and 10

Tuesday- Complete questions in your Outsiders packet for chapter 11

Wednesday- Complete questions in your Outsiders packet for chapter 12

Mythology

We have talked all year about mythology in contemporary pop culture. This week we are going to see a very good example of myths that provide a basis for pop culture films. We will be watching Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief this week and you will complete a Venn Diagram comparing the myth, "Perseus" to the film. We will discuss the similarities and differences on Wednesday.

Homework:

Monday- Be sure "Atlanta" worksheet is complete

Tuesday-

Wednesday- Read something over break that exercises your imagination!

Week of November 14th

This is our last full week before Thanksgiving and we all know how quickly the 2nd quarter will fly once we start breaking for holidays. Please stay diligent with your classwork as all classes will be given quizzes this week and some will have projects or writing assignments due.

Honors English 9
This week we are going to begin reading an editorial from Unit 2 called "The Moral Logic of Survivor Guilt." We will put this editorial in conversation with short story "The Seventh Man" and the way our character felt after he survived the typhoon. You can expect a quiz on this selection on Wednesday. It will be entirely multiple choice and questions will be crafted in a way similar to "The Seventh Man" quiz. These quizzes are not easy, but with more practice we will earn higher and higher scores as well as better prepare for state tests administered in the future.

After reading and testing on "The Moral Logic of Survivor Guilt," we will move to reading another type of literature: poetry. We will read 3 poetry selections from our textbook and learn how to analyze poetry and find meaning in the lines. Don't fret! Poetry is not as scary as it might at first seem and with some practice, I have no doubt you guys will be poetry expects in no time!

Homework:
Monday- finish Critical Review, if you have not yet done so
Tuesday- study for "The Moral Logic of Survivor Guilt" quiz tomorrow
Wednesday- read something you enjoy
Thursday- read a poem your interested in
Friday- find a poem to share with the class next week that relates to our essential question: What does it take to survive?


English 9
This week we will finish The Outsiders chapter 8, if your class hasn't already do so. Period 2 will have a quiz on Outsiders chapters 5 through 8 on Wednesday. This quiz will primarily focus on plot, sequence of events and character development. After the quiz, we will move on to read a selection from the textbook called "Quilt of a Nation." This will broaden our understanding of the essential question for this unit: What does it mean to be American?

In period 5, our schedule will look different. We will do a second read through "Quilt of a Nation" and prepare to take a quiz on this selection on Wednesday. We will discuss and practice close reading strategies to help prepare for the quiz. The quiz will  be entirely multiple choice and modeled after the types of questions you will have to answer on state tests you'll take in the future.

Homework for Period 2:
Monday- ensure all study guide questions for chapters 5 through 8 are complete
Tuesday- complete critical thinking questions for chapters 7 and 8. Study for quiz tomorrow
Wednesday- read something you enjoy
Thursday- review the story selection we read in class today, be sure you can summarize a main idea
Friday- prepare for quiz on "Quilt of a Nation" on Monday or Tuesday

Homework for Period 5:
Monday- review "Quilt of a Nation," ensure you can summarize and find the main idea
Tuesday- study for "Quilt of a Nation" quiz tomorrow
Wednesday- read something you enjoy
Thursday- ensure questions for The Outsiders chapter 9 are complete
Friday- read something you enjoy


Mythology
This week we will finish up with "The Quest of the Golden Fleece" and move into our next myth "Perseus." You will have Monday to complete your comic strip and that will be due Tuesday. Please be sure to hand in your comic strip on Tuesday even if members of your group will be absent that day.

Tuesday through Friday we will read "Perseus." This myth is not as long as the "Golden Fleece" and you can expect a quiz on it on Friday. We will spend next week watching a modern day film adaptation of "Perseus."

Homework:
Monday- finish "Golden Fleece" comic strip
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday- prepare for "Perseus" quiz
Friday- read something you enjoy!

Week of Nov. 7th UPDATED

Please note this post has been updated to reflect new due dates. All updates are indicated in red.

This is the first full week of the 2nd marking period. I hope that you reviewed your grades with your parents and guardians and you are looking to make improvements for the next report card. My expectations will be a bit higher this marking period so please be sure to adhere to deadlines, contact me with any concerns and check your grade often.

Honors English:
This week we will continue reading our first selection from Unit 2: "The Seventh Man." We will spend more time on this excerpt than we have on selections from the textbook in the past and you will have a test on the reading. You can expect this test to fall on Wednesday, 11/9. This test will be aligned with Common Core standards and will prepare you for your Keystone exams in the spring. After the test, we will discuss our next type of writing: the critical essay. We will spend Thursday writing a critical response to this story and on Friday we will hear a radio broadcast that elaborates of the themes of this story.

Homework:
Monday- Finish reading "The Seventh Man"
Tuesday- Study for "The Seventh Man" quiz
Wednesday- Period 3: Study for "The Seventh Man" quiz
Thursday- Complete Critical Response for "The Seventh Man"
Friday- Read a book you enjoy!

Period 3: You will have your quiz on "The Seventh Man" on Thursday. 


English 9:
We are making a big push this week with The Outsiders. We will forgo vocabulary in an effort to make significant progress in the novel. You will have your second quiz on the novel (chapters 5 through 8) this Friday or next week, depending on what period you are in. This also means you will have Critical Thinking questions for homework. Please be sure you are keeping up with your study guide as it is worth a significant number of points. An assignment this large will impact your marking period average, so let's start off on a good foot!

Homework:
Monday- Period 2: Ensure all questions for chapters 5 and 6 of The Outsiders are complete
Tuesday- Period 2: Ensure you have examples of each type of figurative language from chapters 5 and 6 written in your study guide
Wednesday- Period 2: Complete Critical Thinking Questions for chapters 5 and 6
                     Period 4: Study for quiz on chapters 5 through 8
Thursday- Period 4: Study for quiz on chapters 5 through 8
Friday- Read something you enjoy!

Period 2: You will have your quiz on chapters 5-8 of The Outsiders next Friday, 11/18.

Mythology:
We will finish "The Question of the Golden Fleece" this week. It will take a few days as the story is somewhat complex and the characters are easily confused. You can expect a quiz on this myth on Thursday, 11/10.
After "The Golden Fleece" we will move into the myth of "Perseus." We will complete a study guide on this myth and a quiz. You can expect the quiz early next week, plan on Monday. If time allows, we will watch a film to accompany this myth.

As I mentioned to you last week, I would like to pick up the pace to leave time this marking period for the Odyssey. Please keep up with assignments, especially if you have been absent.

Homework:
Monday-
Tuesday- Review "Golden Fleece" background information
Wednesday- Review "Golden Fleece" plot
Thursday- Study for "Golden Fleece" quiz. Review "Golden Fleece" study guide. Ensure it is complete.
Friday- Read something you enjoy!

Period 5 Homework Announcement!

Students in period 5 English:

You must complete the Critical Thinking Questions on page 14 of your The Outsiders study guide. They are due Monday, 11/7.

Week of October 31st

This week we finish the 1st marking period. I hope that this sets a standard that we can use to improve for the rest of the year. This week will be a mix of vocabulary and literature and myth classes will begin a new project. We are going to be busy.


Honors English 9:
This week you have 2 major assignments: a paper on literature from Unit 1 and a test on A Separate Peace. The paper will be due on Tuesday and your test will be Wednesday. We will spend Tuesday reviewing for the test.  For the second half of the week, we will begin the next unit. The essential question for Unit 2 is: What does it take to survive?

Homework
Monday- Finish your paper. It is due tomorrow.
Tuesday- Study for your test tomorrow.
Wednesday- Read something you enjoy
Thursday- Read something you enjoy
Friday- Finish reading "The Seventh Man" from your textbook


English 9:
This is another vocabulary week so as always you will have sentences due Wednesday and a quiz on Friday. In between, we will be pushing through The Outsiders.

Homework
Monday- Review vocabulary words
Tuesday- Finish vocabulary sentences
Wednesday- Study vocabulary
Thursday- Study vocabulary words for you test tomorrow
Friday- Read something you enjoy

Mythology:
We will finish up "Cupid and Psyche" this week and your quiz will be on Tuesday. After that, we will move on to our next project. This project will be a bit different than any others we have done and I will explain it on Monday. You will be assigned a myth and be asked to become an expert on it because you will then teach it to your peers. The process is reciprocal and we will complete it in class on Wednesday. You will have a quiz on these myths on Friday.

Homework
Monday- Study "Cupid and Psyche"
Tuesday- Read assigned myths
Wednesday- Complete 8 Tales of Lovers worksheet
Thursday- Study 8 Tales of Lovers for quiz
Friday- Find an example of Greek mythology in an advertisement

Make-Up Work

Students, Parents, Guardians: Tuesday is the last day of the 1st marking period. Please be sure all make-up and missing work is turned in to me by Tuesday. Failing to do so can result in a 0 for the assignment and can cause a significant drop in a student's grade.

Outsiders Chapters 1-4 Study Guide

Attached you will find a brief study guide that should help you prepare for your first quiz on The Outsiders. Please note that this is intended to supplement the information in your packet, not replace it. In other words, study from both your packet and this study guide.

Week of October 24th

This week is the last full week of the 1st marking period. If you have not done so, it is imperative that you check your current average now. There is very little time left to change your grade, so please be sure you know what to expect when you receive your report card next week. Please feel free to see me or have a parent/ guardian contact me if there is a question or concern regarding your grade.

Honors English 9
This week we will finish reading A Separate Peace and have our first formal writing assignment. We will spend the majority of the week discussing the final chapter of the book, reviewing themes, and determining how our understanding of the characters has shifted throughout the novel. We will also spend a significant amount of time relating the novel to this unit's essential questions: What does it mean to be an American?

Homework
Monday- Read chapter 11 of A Separate Peace and answer corresponding study guide questions
Tuesday- Read chapter 12 of A Separate Peace and answer corresponding study guide questions
Wednesday- Read chapter 13 of A Separate Peace and answer corresponding study guide questions
Thursday- Complete the fill-in page on the front of your study guide and ensure all questions are answered
Friday- Finish your writing assignment. It is due Monday.
CORRECTION: Essay will be due Tuesday. We will also have a test on the novel on Tuesday.

English 9
This week we will continue reading The Outsiders and review our grammar concepts from the 1st marking period. The packets you completed for homework over the weekend will be checked and we will work on exercises to strengthen our understanding of nouns, pronouns and adjectives. The verb packets from the weekend will be collected for a grade.

We will also take our first quiz on The Outsiders. Period 5 will take this quiz on Thursday. Period 2 will take this quiz on Friday.

Please note that different sections of English 9 may be at different points in the novel. Assignments regarding the novel might not be the same for both classes.

Homework
Monday- Period 5: Finish critical thinking questions for chapters 3 and 4
Tuesday- Period 2: Finish critical thinking questions for chapters 3 and 4
Wednesday- Ensure all questions and charts up to chapter 5 of the study guide are complete.
Period 5: Study for quiz
Thursday- Period 2: Study for quiz
Friday- Read a book you enjoy!

Weekend Homework Announcement!

Students in English 9 should complete the "Verbs Extra Credit" packet over the weekend. Please be sure to follow the directions and complete the packet correctly. Use your notes to help you.
No credit will be given for packets completed with less than 75% accuracy.

Week of October 17th

This week I would like students from all classes to check their grades. Be sure that you know what your current grade is and determine if you would like to maintain or improve it. There are 2 weeks left in the marking period. With diligent work, that is enough time to improve your grade, however, it is also enough time for it to fall. Please try not wait until the end of the marking period to address me about concerns with your grade.

Honors English 9:

This week we will spend time familiarizing ourselves with our second vocabulary unit. The vocabulary words for Unit 2 are: 

• abash
• austere
• derange
• despondent
• disconcert
• downcast
• harass 
• languid
• melee
• mischance
• misgiving
• morose
• privation
• recoil
• rue 
• tribulation

Vocabulary weeks will always follow the same schedule. We will copy definitions for the words on Monday, sentences will be due Wednesday and the vocabulary quiz will be Friday.

Apart from vocabulary, we will continue reading and discussing A Separate Peace this week. I expect to finish up the novel by the end of next week. This means you can expect a test on the novel around November 1st. This date might change, but you should begin thinking about the test now.

Homework:

Monday: Review definitions for vocabulary words 1-8. Write vocabulary sentences.

Tuesday: Review definitions for vocabulary words 9-16. Finish vocabulary sentences.

Wednesday: Read chapter 10 of A Separate Peace and complete chapter 10 study guide questions.

Thursday: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Friday: Read chapter 11 of A Separate Peace and complete chapter 11 study guide questions.

English 9:

This week we will work with our next set of vocabulary words. The vocabulary words for Unit 1B are: 

• impunity 
• morale
• preoccupy
• punctilious
• reputable
• solace
• veracity
• wary

Vocabulary weeks will usually follow the same schedule. Monday we will record definitions and begin writing sentences. Wednesday vocabulary sentences will be due and Friday a quiz on the words will be given. 

In addition to the vocabulary words this week, we will continue reading The Outsiders. You can expect a quiz on this novel once we finish reading chapter 4. This should come mid-week next week.

Homework:

Monday: Continue writing vocabulary sentences.

Tuesday: Finish writing vocabulary sentences.

Wednesday: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Thursday: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Friday: Finish critical thinking questions for chapters 3 and 4 of The Outsiders.

Mythology:

This week you will finally get to present your myths and share your research with the class. Presentations will begin Wednesday and will conclude Friday. You should be prepared for a cumulative quiz on all presentations on Monday. A review will be provided on Friday.

Homework:

Monday: Finish PowerPoint research and begin coordinating with your partner regarding your presentation.

Tuesday: Finish preparing your presentation. Finalize all presentation plans with your partner.

Wednesday: Review myths that were presented today.

Thursday: Review myths that were presented today.

Friday: Study for quiz on the myth presentations. Use your notes to help you.