Week of 9/3

IT'S SEPTEMBER ALREADY!!! :) Here we go!

Monday, 9/2
HAVE FUN!

Tuesday, 9/3
Lit Terms 1A Quiz
Assign College App essay
Finish AP essays

Wednesday, 9/4
Group AP Grading

Thursday, 9/5
1-TT
2- MC Grading

Friday, 9/6
Group AP Grading

First Lines

I had mentioned my own obsession with first lines to each group when you did your (separate) Therapeutic Thursdays over first lines. As I said to Group 2, it's really fascinating to go back and read a first line once you have completed the book to sort of see if the author delivered on his or her promise/negotiation with you, as well as to see if the first line wove through the rest of the book. I just went through my shelves here in my classroom and looked at my favorites to see how the lines measure up to the books. I have to say, I was really interested and thrilled to read them. Here are just a few of my favorites from my shelves here at school:

"Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did."
~Jeanette Walls, Half-Broke Horses

"Dear friend, I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have."
~Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

"I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975."
~Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

"When I was little I would think of ways to kill my daddy. I would figure out this or that way and run it through my head until it got easy."
~Kaye Gibbons, Ellen Foster

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a dumpster."
~Jeanette Walls, The Glass Castle

"Most days I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl. Everyone would see me coming. Maybe I would visit with you for the weekend and then suddenly, because I am fickle like that, I would visit with the man from the corner shop instead-- but you would not be sad because you would be eating a cinnamon bun, or drinking a cold Coca-Cola from the can, and you would never think of me again. We would be happy, like lovers who met on holiday and forgot each other's names."
~Chris Cleave, Little Bee

"First the colors.
      Then the humans.
      That's usually how I try to see things.
      Or at least, how I try.
                         ****Here is a small fact*****
                         You are going to die."
~Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

I will also tell you, in looking through my favorites, two that had disappointing first lines yet were incredible books. I was surprised to find that the first lines of The Things They Carried and Reading Lolita in Tehran were not at all examples of the beautiful writing that can be found in the rest of the book. The first line of Heart of Darkness (a book I LOVE, but not necessarily for the succinctness of the writing) was also a bummer.

What books are your favorites? Does the first line deliver? Use the comments session to INTERACT WITH ME. :)

Lit Terms 1A- Quiz Friday, 8/30

Easy, easy, easy... This week's (and really the whole semester's) terms are so easy. Remember the format of the quiz for Friday is that you will be quizzed over ONE of these (randomly) and you won't know which one until you get the quiz. You will need to be able to define and answer an application questions.

Form
Tone
Imagery
Essay
Onomatopoeia
Static Character
Metaphor
Rhythm
Cliche
Ambiguity (in literature)

Week of 8/26

People. I am LOVING my time with you. For seriously. You are smart, you are willing to discuss, you are sweet and fun and honestly, some of you are nerdy too and I LOVE that. :) It's been a good three weeks. This upcoming week is a little different because we are focusing on AP practice, but we will get through it and might even learn a few things and then next week will be back to (sort of) normal. :)

Monday, 8/26
Prologue memorization due
Say, Mean, Satire during memorization
Stretch your Brain
Lit Terms 1A online

Tuesday, 8/27
Poetry Practice

Wednesday, 8/28
Prose Practice

Thursday, 8/29
1- MC Prac
2-TT

Friday, 8/30
Open Essay Prac
Lit Terms 1A Quiz

Week of 8/19

Pretty good first couple of weeks! I enjoyed our discussion on Friday (and especially our Therapeutic Thursday) and I know that more of you will start participating in discussion as we progress into our year together (right? right?). :)

Monday, 8/19
Discuss Prologue, Part 2
"Pardoner's Tale" for H/W

Tuesday, 8/20
Discussion "Pardoner's Tale"
"Wife of Bath's Tale" for H/W

Wednesday, 8/21
WOB Discussion

Thursday, 8/22
1- TT- Meredith and Chauncey
2-MC Prac

Friday, 8/23
Timed Open Question over Character

Prologue Link

I am giving you some class time to read (in the hopes that we get our new books SOON), but in case you didn't get finished in class, below is a link to the prologue to The Canterbury Tales. Read down to
"The Cook" by Friday. We will discuss that first part in class on Friday. We will discuss "The Cook" through the end on Monday.

Prologue can be found here.

In addition, lines 1-18 on the left-hand column are the part you will memorize in Middle English. A link to the audio is below. Memorization is due 8/26.

ME Prologue Memorization

Welcome in, CLASS OF 2014!!!

You are really here... beginning of your senior year. And I have to tell you, I am so glad that you have chosen to spend part of it in AP English with ME! I hope the year brings knowledge and companionship and insight and critical thinking and communication and all things good. :) 

Here is our schedule for our first full week:

Monday, 8/12

Classics Discussion

Self-Assessment

Tuesday, 8/13

Intro to Search for Identity

Wednesday, 8/14

C-T Notes

Read Part 1 of Prologue

Thursday, 8/15

Therapeutic Thurs (I model it)

Friday, 8/16

Discussion over Part 1 of Prologue

Read part 2

Journals due