Final Exam Essay

Here it is, in case you lost it or missed today's class.  Remember, Period 11 and 12, your essay is due Monday, and period 5/6, you have until Tuesday.

Enjoy your weekend!

Directions: Answer the following question in a five-paragraph essay with a strong thesis and support.

We have spent many hours in class discussing ideals, whether through heroes like Odysseus or in our own lives while journaling.  Analyze the ideals of Romeo and Juliet (love, honor, friendship) and  discuss the effect these ideals have on the overall theme of the play.

Journals, Kids: )

Journals so far: (due just before exams)

4/12: At what age are people able to love?  Can teenagers really love?

4/13: Freewrite

4/16: What is your opinion of war?  When, if ever, is it necessary?

4/19-Do you believe in love at first sight?  Explain.

4/27-Freewrite

5/2-Describe what makes you feel loneliest.

5/7-Describe your dumbest moment.

5/16-What are you looking forward to most this summer?

Lit Analysis Shmalysis

Analysis outline

There's your outline format in case you lose it--please send them to me by Friday, May 4th at 11:59PM.

You should also remember that you MUST include quotes from your sonnet and one article.  Of course, I welcome more, and more research will improve your grade, so try to find some articles that support the point you're going to make.

Analysis is about looking deeply at literature--look deeply at your sonnet and talk about what it's REALLY saying as opposed to what it says on the surface.

Good luck.

I'll post a sample paper on the side in a few.

Read this link:

Part of your assignment before our class on Wednesday is to read this link below.  It does a wonderful job of summarizing the history of sonnets, the purpose of them, what Shakespeare did well, and most importantly, it groups the sonnets according to the theory of a sonnet 'cycle.'  In essence, it tells you which sonnets go with which--a very useful thing for students about to embark on sonnet analysis and essay-writing: )

The Story of the Sonnets

To Choose or Not to Choose...

It's time to pick a sonnet--one that you will become very familiar with in our 30 or so remaining days this year.  I'm providing a link to a complete list of sonnets--browse, jot down some numbers, and be ready to choose on Wednesday, April 18th.  Remember, it's first come, first serve.  Don't miss out on a good one!

The Sonnets



The link to the various numbers is on the left hand side, and there are even handy-dandy summaries and definitions.  Happy hunting!

The Big Test

Your Odyssey test is Tuesday, and I want to amend what I previously told you about its contents.  Here's what you need to study:

• Storyline/Events
• Characters
• Epics/Epic Heroes
• Hero's Journey
• Literary Devices
• Stock Epithets
• Odyssey background
• Your movie notes(may be used on test).

Also, please remember that your study guide may be completed by Tuesday for extra credit on your test....your decision, of course.

Peace out.

Stuck in hades???

Taenarum. Or http://www.mythweb.com/encyc/gallery/taenarum_c.html.

Hope that helps you all.

Please please!

Remember to read Book 1 of The Odyssey for tomorrow. Thanks for all of your prompt research paper entries: ) I hope you all enjoyed your weekend--happy epic-reading.

The Remains of the Week

Here's a breakdown of our week/future:

Wednesday: Epic-specific devices and project sharing.
Thursday-What should an Odyssey log look like? Plus, a calendar!
Friday-Notes 101--you read--AND practice.

Next week, our weirdo HSPA schedule has our classes falling like this:
M: Normal
T: 5/6, 11
W: 5/6, 12
Th: 5/6, 11
F: Normal--but I may be out for a professional day at Davies.

This is going to mess with our introductory books, but we'll figure it out.  Period 5/6--you will most likely have a day 'off' in that half day schedule.

Happy project-making!

We're Almost Done! I Swear!

Let's run through some due dates:

Today by 11:59:  Outline due.
Wednesday by the time you walk into class:  Odyssey project
Thursday by 11:59:  Final Research Paper Due

This is a link to Marcell's sample research paper.  If you need anything over the weekend, you know how to contact me.

Happy writing!

Lit Terms Quiz

So the big quiz is on Thursday.  Below is a sample quiz from 2009--ahh, the good ol' days...

Literary Terms Quiz 1

Directions: Fill in each blank with the correct term that corresponds to the example or definition.  Each term is only used once.  (Yes, that’s a gift)

Allegory               Allusion                                Apostrophe        Archetype           Indirect Characterization 

Direct Characterization  Connotation       Denotation         Diction                  Hyperbole      Imagery

Dramatic Irony      Situational Irony                 Verbal Irony      Metaphor      Metonymy         Oxymoron

Parallelism          Personification      Setting              Simile                    Synecdoche                       Tone

___Hyperbole__________ 1.  I overheard Lindsey saying, “I’m going to get a 5 on the stupid quiz.  I don’t know anything.”

__Dramatic Irony_____2.  This is when the audience knows more than the character onstage.

___Apostrophe________3.  “Why, gods, why do you mock me?”

__Archetype_________4.  Gilgamesh is this for every hero that follows him to this day.

___Denotation______5.  The literal meaning of a word.

___Setting_________6.  Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…

____Metaphor_________7.  Love is a battlefield.

___Oxymoron__________8.  Organized chaos

____Tone_____________9.  The attitude of an author towards the reader or subject matter.

_____Diction_________10.  “Yo, what up, playa?” is a (rather corny) example of a particular type of this.

______Direct Characterization_11.  Joe Rock is a kind, thoughtful man.

__Synecdoche_______12.  There are a lot of ‘mouths to feed’ in war-torn countries.

___Connotation_______13.  The figurative, deeper meaning of a word.

_____Allusion________14.  We’re not Kate and Leo; I’m not going to jump for you.

_____Metonymy_______15.  I’m starving; Let’s go to the Golden Arches.

__Simile____________16.  “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”

___Indirect Characterization___17.  Describing a character by showing, not saying.

__Verbal Irony______18.  Sarcasm is an example of this.

__Personification        19.  The sun smiled down on the mid-Spring picnic.

__Parallelism______20.  We love him for his soul.  We cherish him for his humor.  We hate him for his body odor.

__Allegory__________21.  The presentation of an abstract idea through concrete means

___Situational Irony_____22.  When there is a discrepancy between the expectation and the reality.

___Imagery__________23.  The cold, fat, greasy, wrinkled hands of the man in front of me suddenly touched my shoulder as the smell of motor oil wafted towards my face.

Notecards Due Tomorrow!

With that in mind, I've added a few links on the side of this page: research outline format, notecard format, Odyssey of You project, and the Hero's Journey.  Hopefully these things are helpful. I'm also adding a link to this post with a sample research outline.  I hope it helps give you an idea of what needs to be done.

A Link and a Gift

Here is the link for the research outline format.  There are thousands more online; I just wanted to give you one.   Outline

I also want to make an announcement:

EDITORIALS ARE DUE BY 11:59 on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11th.

Since I have the 21 Down Dance, and many of you have events that keep you away from the computer, I've extended this date.  I hope it helps: )

Editorials coming to a close.

As soon as your essay has been peer-edited in class, you should begin working on a final draft.  These drafts should be emailed to me, at emailmrsrock@gmail.com, no later than 11:59PM on Friday, February 10th.

If you are usually unable to email, please bring it to me Friday during our class together and I will save it to my computer.

If you are neurotic, you can also email it to erock@geh.nj.k12us.com or eerock@comcast.net to be sure.  And of course, there's always Facebook.

On the side-------->  I have posted your February calendar.  There are no excuses for missed due dates!

Enjoy your day: )

Rock

Sample Editorial

Here's a link to a sample editorial from last year.  Remember that they were required to include sources, but it should give you a good idea of the 'style' I'm looking for.

Editorial

Essay and Reminders.

First of all:   Tomorrow and Tueday, we will be meeting in the library.

Second:  The rough draft of your editorial essay is due to me at emailmrsrock@gmail.com by Tuesday, January 31st at 11:59PM.  If you are not able to email it to me, please give me an electronic copy via a flash drive before that time.

They don't have to be perfect, but please remember: the class will see them AND give constructive criticism.  Your speeches were wonderful--I have no doubt your essays will exhibit the same level of greatness.

And, for those of you curious about the whole Steve Jobs/China/FoxConn debacle, here's the link to one of 9.000,000 news stories about it:   Apple is Evil

See you tomorrow!

Sorry, folks.

I was sick and completely got off track for the rest of the marking period.  I'll try not to let that happen again.

For period 12 only, journals are due on exam day.  Please bring them to class. 

For everyone else, please be prepared to sign a paper on your exam day telling me what your topic is for the editorial.  This is essential for participation in Friday's class.

See you soon,

<3 Rock

Midterm Review

Here's what you will need to know.  Get organized and review!

Review the following concepts/terms/stories:

·         Voice/Tone/Literary Devices

·         Thesis Statements

·         Dos and Don’ts  of Writing

·         Hallmarks of good persuasive writing

·         Reading logs/thinking like a writer

·         Tragic Hero-Definition

·         Roy Hobbs as Hero?

·         Themes/Major Events/Characters of The Natural/ Oedipus

·         Close reading/annotation

Homework-Due Tuesday

Please find two more editorials you like or that elicit a strong reaction.  You may print them or send them to me to be printed.  Once you've read each one, please write a thesis statement for each editorial(you may find it within or write your own) and discuss why this each editorial is good--listing at least five solid reasons.

Let me know if you have any questions or problems.

Journals!

Due Tuesday for period 5/6--
Due Wednesday for period 11
Due Thursday for period 12

12/8/11
What classes/part of school would you like teachers and administrators to experience?
12/9/11
Freewrite
12/12/11
Reaction to article
12/20/11
What is the most disappointing quality you can discover in a person?  Why?
1/2/12
Does high school have cliques/exclusive groups like in the movies?  Explain.  Are you popular?  Do you care?
1/3/12
List 10 things you know for sure
1/4/12
What is your guilty pleasure?
1/9/12
How do you feel about Tebowing?  The place of religion in sports, entertainment, and politics?
1/10/12
What issue/change would you bring to the Oakcrest BOE? 
1/11/12
Favorite article-why your favorite
1/12/12
Discuss a time you felt not good enough.  How/when did you overcome this?
1/13/12
Freewrite

***These dates may be slightly off for periods 11 and 12, but the subjects should be the same.  Let me know if there are any mistakes.

Last new vocabulary quiz tomorrow!

I do have some bad news, though.  I don't have an "old" quiz for you this week--so I hope the sample sentences on the side help.  Remember, only unit 10--no old words.

Stupid kids...you go squish now!

Read this article: Here


Once you've read this, please answer the following questions on a piece of paper:

1.  Is the narrator reliable?  Why or why not?
2.  Is she credible?  How do you know?

Old Vocab. Quiz

Name____________________________

English I Honors

Mrs. Rock

Vocabulary Unit 12 Quiz

Directions:  Read the following sentences, and fill in each blank with a word from the bank below.  Remember, it may be necessary to change the word ending. (5 pts. each)

habituate         grandiose         alimentary       accomplice                  jocose 

notoriety          hospitable        proximity         obsequious      provision

           

1.  My extreme proximity  to Oakcrest High School makes it possible for me to enjoy the wind through my hair as I bike to school; however, I’m far too cold-hating to try it in the winter months. 

2.  School lunches are supposed to be ___alimentary____; I don’t know how they get away with greasy pizza, fries, and chickish patties on a daily basis.

3.  Mr. Costal is __notoriously__ malevolent to incoming sophomore honors students; last year, five kids dropped out after hearing his summer reading speech. 

4.  One of the more difficult __provisions______ necessary to be in Mrs. Rock’s good graces is a positive attitude; negativity spreads like wildfire.

5.  At first I did not suspect that Bob was a(n) ___habitual_____ MTV watcher, but he gave it all away with his three-second attention span and constant defense of the entire cast of The Hills.

6.  While I cooked a ____grandiose_______ meal of filet mignon topped with bleu cheese and herbs, scalloped potatoes, and fresh chocolate soufflés, Joe Rock offered up a polka-dotted shirt, not the phone of my dreams.

7.  After I threatened to smack the taste out his mouth if he continued to talk,  Steve gave me a(n) ____obsequious_______ nod and went to work.

8.  I always want people to feel an air of _____hospitality______ when they walk into my home; I fear, however, that all they feel is ill from the animal hair and stench.

9.  I always _____jocosely______ accuse my students of being jerkfaces and nerds; I hope they realize that this is just my way of showing love.

10.  When I finally rob a bank in my old age, I will have several ___________________, all of them trained chimps or helper monkeys.

Tonight, tonight...

You will find an editorial.  Not just ANY editorial, but one that reflects one of your interests, passions, etc.  It should not be about some trite topic--abortion, gay marriage, uniforms in schools--you get the picture.  You may have to search for a long time for something that really causes a reaction, but remember--your grade depends on it.  I will be going around the room tomorrow to hear your ideas, and you may be asked to explain your stance.

Here are some possible sites to try:

NY Times

Washington Post

USA Today  (I know, kinda lame).

Chciago Tribune

These are only a few options--any major paper is a good starting point.

Happy searching, and remember to come to school tomorrow with your vocabulary sentences AND one editorial.  I will print them if necessary.