8H English (Period 2,4,7) Assignments

Great Expectations reading schedule. Expect a brief reading comprehension quiz on each section.

Tuesday 6/1 -- pages 1-160 (chaps 1-19)
Monday 6/7 -- pages 161-325 (chaps 20-39)
Final Exam Day -- pages 326-490 (chaps 40-59)

Final Exam schedule is as follows:

Tues 6/15 - period 2
Wed 6/16 - period 7
Thur 6/17 - period 4

Due class #2:

Read chapter 3 of Great Expectations; list a combination of 3 things you find interesting or comments on the experience of reading the chapter. Bring to class -- no turnitin.com.

Due dates:
periods 2 & 4 -- Monday 5/24
peirod 7 -- Tuesday 5/25

Grendel Essay
Writers are naturally very interested in the power of language. John Gardner uses his novel Grendel to explore this idea. In a well-organized essay, discuss how Gardner presents Grendel’s shifting relationship with language — that is, how another power initially uses language to define him, how he then tries to use it to define himself, and how he ultimately loses control over it when he is destroyed. Be sure to support your argument by choosing and analyzing the most relevant passages in the book. If you have been following and participating in our class discussions, this essay should not be too difficult.

1) Write a rough draft in class.
2) Revise your essay at home to create a polished essay in correct MLA format.
3) Submit the final draft to turnitin.com.
4) Submit a typed copy AND your in-class rough draft to me in school.

Due class #1:

Read chapters 10-12 to finish Grendel. Focus more on chapters 11 and 12 than on chapter 10. On turnitin, answer the following questions from our discussion question list:

chap 10 - #3; chap 11 - #1; chap 12 - #5

Due class #3:

Read chapter 9 -- don't go crazy working out the philosophy. Focus on character. Then write a paragraph on turnitin.com. This paragraph is your chance to rant. Make believe you are Grendel, raging at the heavens, and say whatever you want about your experience so far in reading this book: be positive where you can, be negative where you must, be truthful throughout. Have fun.

Due class #1:
Read Grendel chapters 6 & 7. Answer the following questions: Chap 6: #1, 3, 5. Chap 7: #2 and 4. Remember that students receive credit for Honors-level responses. Submit to turnitin and bring to class.

Due Class #2:

Read chapter 8 then write a one-paragraph reflection that focuses on the writing style. How is it different from most of the earlier chapters? Why do you think Gardner chose to write it this way? As usual, organize and polish your work so it is Honors-level writing. Submit to turnitin.com.

Due class #1:

Read Grendel chapters 6 & 7. Answer the following questions: Chap 6: #1, 3, 5. Chap 7: #2 and 4. Remember that students receive credit for Honors-level responses. Submit to turnitin and bring to class.

Due class #3:
Read chapter 5. Write an honors-level reflection (NOT a plot summary). Focus area possibilities: the dragon's philosophy (don't get hung up on this if you can't follow it); Grendel's reaction to the dragon; writing style; etc. Submit to turnitin.

Due class #2:

Read chapter 4 of Grendel. Answer discussion question #4. Be sure your response is an Honors-level paragraph.

Due class #1:

Read chapters 2-3 of Grendel. Submit reflection to turnitin.com. Write an Honors-level reflection to receive full credit -- that is, don't say you like or dislike it. Consider areas such as writing style, character, author's message.

Due class #3:

Re-read Chapter 1 of Grendel; focus attention on the language. Answer any three of the discussion questions provided on the hand-out. Be sure your answers are thoughtful and polished. Responses must be honors-level work to receive credit.

Due Class #2:
Parents sign graded Beowulf exam.

Review the epic poem Beowulf, your class notes and vocabulary. I will give you time in class #1 to form a study group to prepare for your exam. The exam will take place in class #2 of the week beginning 4/12/10.

Due class #3 to turnitin. Follow instructions for the PeerMark assignment listed below your most recent Beowulf homework (the assignment titled final reflection). Hopefully the website will let you answer peer review questions for two assigned reflections and, after; you've done that, do a third peer review on your own final reflection. We'll see if this works. :)

DUE CLASS #1 AFTER VACATION:

This assignment is to be done on turnitin.com:

Write one paragraph on the following prompt. Support with relevant with quotations is encouraged.

In the final part of Beowulf, Beowulf goes into battle with the dragon even though “he was sad at heart,/ unsettled yet ready, sensing his death.” (2419-2420) What do Beowulf’s attitude, action and ultimate fate tell us about the Anglo-Saxon attitude toward heroism and religion?

When finished, enjoy vacation!

PERIOD 7 ONLY; DUE WEDNESDAY 3/24/10.

See assignment on turnitin.com re: lines 1725-1762.

DUE CLASS #1:

Read Beowulf to 2200.
Do bookmark questions 1492 to 1655;1724 to 1807; 1990, 2070, 2177. Submit answers to turnitin.com.

DUE CLASS #1:

Write SPA practice essay #2 (Home/Neighborhood in Los Angeles). Legibly written copy due in class. No submission to turnitin.

DUE CLASS #3:

Finish practice SPA essay: recurring theme. Does not have to be typed, but must be legible for in-class peer review.

DUE CLASS #2

read "Beowulf" to 1465; do bookmark questions 1260-1455 on turnitin.com

Due Class #1:

Christopher Garcia (The Anglo-Saxon Hero) has written that, “in Anglo-Saxon culture and literature, to be a hero was to be a warrior. A hero had to be strong, intelligent, and courageous. Warriors had to be willing to face any odds, and fight to the death for their glory and people. The Anglo-Saxon hero was able to be all of these and still be humble and kind.” In a well-written paragraph, argue whether Beowulf does – or does not – fulfill Garcia’s definition of an Anglo-Saxon hero.

Be sure your response has a clear, strong thesis statement; text support (include citations); and a powerful conclusion. Do not use the word “because.” Do not strand quotations. SUBMIT TO TURNITIN AND BRING PRINTED COPY TO CLASS.

QUIZ ON DAY 3: important names/places and literary terms (NOT vocabulary words) covered so far in Beowulf.

read to line 606; answer bookmark questions 237-530 on turnitin; bring printed copy to class

Due class #3.

Beowulf: Read poem to line 194; do all listed vocab words -- add words of your own, too, if you need to. write a 1-paragraph reflection on the poem to line 194. For your paragraph, ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS AND ANALYZE THE TEXT. Print copy and submit to turnitin.

Due class #2.

Read lines 25-63 of Beowulf. Write a 1-paragraph summary and reflection. Be sure your paragraph has a topic sentence.

Due before class #1 of week beginning 2/22
Read all five pages on the Sutton-Hoo excavation at http://www.archaeology.co.uk/the-timeline-of-britain/sutton-hoo/all-pages/all-pages.htm

Write about the 3 or 4 things that you find most interesting on these pages. You might write about why you find each one interesting or how you might expect them to appear in Beowulf. It's up to you -- I just want you to interact with the information on this website. Write a couple of sentences for each thing you choose. Please do not read any plot summaries of Beowulf.

DUE 2/16-READ CAREFULLY: TWO PRINTED COPIES REQUIRED!!!!!!!
Write a 3-paragraph essay (intro-body-conclusion) in which you state and support a major theme in Langston Hughes' memoir "Salvation." Submit to turnitin.com and bring 2 hard copies to class. You must follow these instructions EXACTLY to receive credit.

ALSO:
Optional assignment, due Friday 2/19/10.

This optional assignment is open to all who scored C or below on the ALWG theme essay. To raise your essay grade to a B-, do the following:

-Write one paragraph addressed to me in which you explain what aspects of your essays you will now improve.
-Below your paragraph, rewrite your original essay. Be sure to consider all the issues we discussed in class.
-Submit your work to turnitin and bring one printed copy to class.

due dates:
periods 4 & 7 -- wed. 1/20/10
period 2 -- thurs. 1/21/10


ALWG recurring theme essay, as assigned in class. Be sure to bring printed copy to class and also to submit to turnitin.com.

Due 1st day back after vacation:

1) Finish reading A Long Way Gone.
2) Reader's Journal. For each remaining chapter (that is, chapters 12-21): write down one brief but memorable quote from each chapter then respond to it in a short paragraph. You can discuss anything you'd like: your personal/emotional response to the quote, plot/character issue, Beah's writing style, literary analysis, etc. Write each chapter's response as a separate entry. You don't have to write a lot for each quote -- just enough to show me that you're really thinking about the book. Bring printed copy & submit to turnitin.com.
3) Official Spelling Bee after the break.
4) Have a great vacation!

Dues Class # 1:

1) Read to p. 99.
2) On p. 65, Beah introduces the title of his book. Write one well-organized paragraph explaining the meaning of the title. You should support your explanation with text details. Strongest responses might even consider how the title relates to a possible theme for the book as a whole. Submit to turnitin. com and bring printed copy to class.
3) Study for class spelling bee.

Choose a significant incident in ALWG. Write 3 questions about this incident, one from each "level of questioning."

Level 1 -- Surface question (fact from text)
Level 2 -- Beneath the surface question (analysis: why does something happen?)
Level 3 -- Beyond the surface question (What if you were in a similar situation?)

Write on a separate piece of paper so we can trade questions.

DUE CLASS #1, WEEK BEG. 12/7/09

Read A Long Way Gone through page 29.

DUE CLASS #3, WEEK BEG. 11/30/09

On turnitin.com:
Imagine wikipedia has hired you to write an article on Sierra Leone. Write a well-organized, one-page maximum article. Focus on organization and writing style. Don't include every fact you know: include significant and relevant facts only. Bring printed copy to class.

Reminder:
Study for vocab quiz (Tubman and Lincoln).

DUE CLASS #2, WEEK BEG. 11/30/09

Gather 5 facts about the country Sierra Leone from any source EXCEPT wikipedia. Be sure to cite the source for each of your facts. Bullet-points are perfectly acceptable. Suggested areas include geography, economic issues, culture, environment, government, history.

DUE CLASS #1, WEEK OF 11/23/2009 --

1) Return "Curious Incident" book.

2) Finish Tubman expos paragraph, if not already done.

3) For vocab lists on pages 129 (Tubman) and 255 (Lincoln). Copy down each word, definition and part of speech. Then write an original short NARRATIVE piece (a fictional story) that uses every word correctly. Be sure to proofread your work carefully!

REVISED DUE DATES!!!!!!

PERIOD 2, 4 AND 7 -- THURSDAY 11/19/2009

Novel Study Project for Curious Incident. Be sure to follow all directions as distributed in class. Project due to BOTH turnitin.com and printed copy by start of class. If you have any questions, see me or email me BEFORE the due date. See turnitin.com for more details.

Note: rough drafts of ALL SECTIONS are due in class on Tuesday 11/17 for peer review.

Be prepared to discuss possible themes for Curious in class #2.

Due class #1 of week beg. 11/2/09 --

1) Finish reading Curious.

2) Complete one original Say-Mean-Matter chart entry as described in class.

Due Class #2 of week beg. 10/26/09:

Write 1 complete and correct vocab sentence for each word missed on your vocab quiz. Write on the back of the vocab quiz.

Also, finish reading Curious Incident by Class #1 of next week!

Due Class #1 of week beginning 10/26 --

Read "Curious" up to page 115.

Due Class #2 of week beginning 10/20 --

Write ONE "Physician's Journal" paragraph that focuses on one Asperger's symptom and on of Christopher's behaviors in the novel.

Reminder: have parents sign Obama essay if you have not already done so.

DUE LAST CLASS OF WEEK BEG. 10/12:

1) peer review of "sentence variety" paragraph, including correcting usage of compound and comples sentences; add more sentences if necessary; spelling issues

2) highlight and add notes to Asperger's hand-out

(Note: periods 2 &4 meet on only Monday and Friday this week)

DUE CLASS #2 OF WEEK BEG. 10/5

For the "American Childhood" vocabulary words on page. 423, write each word's definition. Then compose one original sentence for each word that clearly expresses the word's meaning. Bring to class only.

DUE CLASS #1 OF WK BEG 10/5:

Periods 2 & 4:
Re-do p. 429 #7A & 7B; submit to NEW assignment posted on turnitin.com. You do not need to bring a printed copy to class.

And remember: Final Draft of Obama Essay due in class and to turnitin.com at start of class #1. You must do both to receive full credit.

PERIOD 7 ONLY:

Due Thursday 10/1/09:
Re-do p. 429 #7A & 7B; submit to NEW assignment posted on turnitin.com. You do not need to bring a printed copy to class.

DUE CLASS #2 OF WK BEG 9/28
---read "American Childhood" (424-428) then answer questions 7A & 7B on p. 429 on turnitin.com

DUE CLASS #1 OF NEXT WEEK
---Final Draft of Obama essay: bring printed copy to class AND submit to turnitin.com. You must do both to receive full credit.

DUE CLASSW #3 OF WK BEGINNING 9/21/09

For vocabulary words listed on p. 31: write the definition and an ORIGINAL sentence for each word.

DUE CLASS #2 OF WK BEGINNING 9/21/09

Read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," p. 32. Answer questions 2 & 3 on p. 38.

For next week: Begin 1st revised draft of essay. Due Class #1 of next week.

DUE CLASS #1 OF WK BEGINNING 9/21

Write bullet-point outline for revision of Obama essay:
-these sentence
-3 supports
-conclusion sentence

Due class #2:
-signed syllabus
-bring Dreams From My Father
-do www.turnitin.com assignment (see turnitin.com for info)