Happy Vacation

Since we all have different beliefs, I decided to try to stay out of controversy by just wishing everyone well as we head off for vacation time.  Only five days this week, and then we're done!  There's much to do in those five days, but I have confidence we can accomplish it all.

Last week we continued the Battle of Technology, so 2nd Hour English 9 is behind on their slideshows for Stranger Things "Episode 1," and I'm adjusting their deadline to this Wednesday.  English 10 is working on interviews and since Google Hangouts is blocked we've been working our way around this, looking for alternatives.  A few people have been able to accomplish them so far, and if any groups need time during class to go do an interview I'll make time for that.  After they do the interview they will need to type up the conversation so that we have a written record.  In case we can't actually make an interview happen I had them type up the contact information, the email they are sending, and the questions they plan to ask, and then they shared this with me so that they can get credit.

So here's the plan for this week:

English 9

• Monday, 12/17 - 2nd Hour = prepositions; finish "Cask of Amontillado" worksheet; 5th Hour = finish "Cask of Amontillado" worksheet
• Tuesday, 12/18 - Academic Advisory - 2nd Hour = quiz for "Cask"; work on slideshow; 5th Hour = prepositions; quiz for "Cask"
• Wednesday, 12/19 - 2nd Hour = silent reading and/or slideshow which is due by midnight; 5th Hour = silent reading
• Thursday, 12/20 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - turn in Reading Log #12; Episode 2 of Stranger Things (as requested)
• Friday, 12/21 - game and treat day

English 10

• Monday, 12/17 - read Ch. 28 of HeLa; study guide, notes, type 2 exit ticket
• Tuesday, 12/18 - Academic Advisory - Ch. 29/30 of HeLa; study guide and notes
• Wednesday, 12/19 - Ch. 31 of HeLa; study guide and notes
• Thursday, 12/20 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - Ch. 32 of HeLa; study guide and notes
• Friday, 12/21 - test for pp. 199-267

As a side note, for English 10 parents especially - my 1st Hour pranked me on Friday, and they got me good.  I guess they planned it right in front of me (not enough coffee in me yet?).  I'm posting the pictures they wanted down below, but there will not be any paybacks from me since I don't want to escalate things.  One prank directed my way in 25 years is plenty, thank you very much, so I also want to discourage any other classes from trying their hands at this; if you hear anything, I'd appreciate your help in squashing it.  It's too difficult to do my job if I'm having to cope with the pranks as well.

Thanks!

Happy Vacation by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Two Weeks to Break!

I swear this season is joyful and maddening all at the same time.  I think I have three obligations every day all the way through January 1st.  I struggle because I feel guilty if I'm not keeping up with my grading for school, but I think it's really important to be fully present at the events I'm attending, giving the people performing, visiting, and conversing my full attention.  If there's one thing, I know, however, it will all get done.  Today I plan to get as much grading done as I can before I have to leave at 4:30 to drive my son to his evening events and then go work my shift in a charity poker room earning much needed money for the Pioneer Theater Guild.  That's an adventure and story in itself.  I worked a 6-hour shift Friday and learned about a whole new world out there that I never knew existed! I've never gambled and I'm not a card player, so this was all new to me.

Anyway, we're cruising along in both of my classes, so here's what we accomplished last week: despite the technology issues English 9 was able to watch Episode 1 of Stranger Things and we dissected it for literary elements.  It was a lot of fun, and now we all wish we could just sit and binge watch the rest of the season during English class (I told them no).  In English 10 we have now read through Chapter 23 of Henrietta Lacks and only have a couple of presentations to go.  They broke into pairs and grabbed a chapter to teach and then gave quizzes to the class.  It's been an adventure - some presentations were just ho-hum, but many of your students did a fabulous job!  On Friday we encountered technology issues as we tried to set up and prepare for interviews with people who work in the field of their Passion Project topic.  I'm trying to do three things: utilize technology like Hangouts (it's like Skype), practice email and face-to-face communication skills with people who are not our friends, and get them motivated for using English skills by working with topics of their own choosing.  We'll see how this goes.  This is the portion of the project that has caused me to bite off all my fingernails (literally).

So what's coming up this week?

English 9

• Monday, 12/10 - work on Slide Show for Stranger Things on Google Classroom.
• Tuesday, 12/11 - Academic Advisory - finish work on Slide Show - due by midnight; if time - prepositions.
• Wednesday, 12/12 - prepositions; introduction of Edgar Allan Poe; start "The Cask of Amontillado"
• Thursday, 12/13 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - turn in Reading Log #10; prepositions; continue "The Cask of Amontillado"
• Friday, 12/14 - get Reading Log #12; silent reading day

English 10

• Monday, 12/10 - Type 1; read Chapter 24 of HeLa - study guide and vocab.
• Tuesday, 12/11 - Academic Advisory - Type 1; turn in study guide and vocab.; assessment for pp. 137-98 of HeLa
• Wednesday, 12/12 - Type 1; read Chapter 25 of HeLa - study guide, notes
• Thursday, 12/13 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - Type 1-turn in for week; Chapter 26 and 27 presentations and quizzes.
• Friday, 12/14 - Passion Projects - interviews

So that's the plan.  I hope everyone has a great week!

Two Weeks to Break! by Laura Stubbsis licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Patience is a Virtue

Last week tested the old cliché because between technology viruses and gas leaks, it felt much of the time like I couldn't get anything done.  Seriously; I was working late on Thursday trying to catch up and was really making progress when we got evacuated.  But if there's one thing I am becoming a master at, it's being flexible, so we made it through.  In English 9 we managed to complete and submit our first major analytical essay, and in English 10 we tested over the first third of the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  

In addition to this, English 9 students received the information for scheduling for 10th grade and we went over it all in class.  On Friday the counselors will be coming to my class to schedule them - that means all signatures need to be on the paperwork so that they can be turned in.

So what's coming up this week?

English 9

• Monday, 12/3 - finish literary term definitions; watch Stranger Things episode 1.
• Tuesday, 12/4 - Academic Advisory - prepositions; Stranger Things episode 1; take notes; create slide show
• Wednesday, 12/5 - 1/2 Day (release at 10:30) - work on notes and slide show
• Thursday, 12/6 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - turn in reading log; prepositions; work on slide show
• Friday, 12/7 - schedule for 10th grade (paperwork is due); get new reading log; silent reading day

English 10

• Monday, 12/3 - Type 1; check in notes from pp. 1-136; presentations for ch. 18, 19, 20
• Tuesday, 12/4 - Academic Advisory - Type 1; ch. 21 with new notes, study guide, vocab.
• Wednesday, 12/5 - 1/2 Day (release at 10:30) - presentation for ch. 22
• Thursday, 12/6 - PSAT/SAT Advisory - Type 1 - turn in for week; ch. 24, 25
• Friday, 12/7 - Passion Project - Interviews

This is where things stand as of Sunday morning.  If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me.  Have a great week!

Patience is a Virtue by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.