May 1-5

It's May and our last full month of school already!  This week we'll continue reading through the Sustainable Foods packet, and begin the synthesis essay draft.

MONDAY: Journal warm-up.  Rhetorical analysis prompt - environmentalists vs. "people first".  Read and discuss: is this still relevant? SOAPS and analyze arguments in articles 2 and 3 (articles D and E in Option 2).  View Source H from Option 2.  View photo essay (Source 1, or A for Option 2) as a class.

Due: Read, annotate and SOAPS Source 2 and 3 from the Sustainable Foods packet.  (If you've chosen the more complex prompt, Option 2, please read, annotate and perform a SOAPS analysis on Source D and Source E and read through the other articles except for Specter's article, Source G.)

Homework: Read and annotate Test Tube Burgers, (Source 4 in the Option 1 packet, Source G in the Option 2 packet).

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up.  Rhetorical analysis practice with an environmentally-themed prompt (good SAT practice).  Read actual essay responses to the prompt.  Discuss Test Tube Burgers and look at Sustainable Foods prompt.  Go over possible theses and evidence/examples you could use.  Don't be afraid to be critical of the sources, to question their arguments and assumptions.

Due: Read and annotate Test Tube Burgers, (Source 4 in the Option 1 packet, Source G
in the Option 2 packet).

Homework: Create outline in response to the Sustainable Foods prompt including 3 sources.

FRIDAY: Journal warm-up.  Quiz covering vocab, grammar, and reading. Go over outlines for space exploration prompt.  Read and score actual space exploration essays.  View class samples of rough sustainable foods outlines.  Work time to "beef up" (pun intended) outlines and begin typing up rough drafts.

Due: Outline in response to the Sustainable Foods prompt including 3 sources.

Homework: Finish full rough draft including information from 3 sources.  The full rough draft will be due to Turnitin.com by Tuesday night, May 9 by 11:00 p.m.

April 24-28

Welcome to Walden Week!  We'll enjoy excerpts from the highly influential and still-relevant book by Henry David Thoreau. We will also go over outlines in response to the space exploration prompt.  I'm excited to go through this new Nature/Environment mini-unit with you.

TUESDAY: Journal warm-up.  Go over space exploration outlines and sources.  View outline samples from the class.  Discuss how to formulate a synthesis essay.  Read actual student essay responses to the prompt and evaluate them.  Intro to Henry David Thoreau and Walden.  Listen to Walden and enjoy an in-class extra credit opportunity. 

Due: Read the sources and create an outline response to the Space Exploration synthesis prompt.

Homework: Finish reading Walden excerpt.  Study vocabulary.

THURSDAY: Journal warm-up.  Take quiz covering Walden reading and vocabulary.  Discuss Walden.  Go over Sustainable Foods: The Future of Meat synthesis prompt.  (For more complexity, students may select Option 2, Sustainable Foods as National Policy essay prompt instead.)

Due: Finish reading Walden excerpt. 

Homework: Carefully read, annotate, and perform a SOAPS analysis for the rest of Source 2 and Source 3 from the Sustainable Foods essay prompt packet for Monday (Option 1).  (For those that chose the more complex prompt, Option 2, please read, annotate and SOAPS Sources D and E and read and annotate the other articles except Source G by Specter and Source A.) We'll discuss these articles and two more sources, and you'll be writing a full synthesis essay on the topic.

April 17-21

We are finished with The Great Gatsby!  We'll discuss the novel and view the 2013 version of the story.  On Friday, we'll begin our next unit: nature and the environment and enjoy American writing about the topic, old and new.

MONDAY: Journal warm-up.  Collect Gatsby questions and begin the 2013 movie The Great Gatsby.

Due: Read Chapter 9 of Gatsby (finish the book). 

Finish Gatsby questions with original answers.

Make sure your journal is ready to turn in next Wednesday, April 19.

Homework: Make sure your journal is ready to turn in next Wednesday, April 19.

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Finish The Great Gatsby movie and compare and contrast the movie and the book.

Due: Journals turned into bin in classroom.

Homework: Study for the quiz.

Bring Gatsby books either to class or back to the library. 

FRIDAY: Journal warm-up.  Quiz.  Receive questions back.  Discuss The Great Gatsby in small groups.  Begin environment unit and continue with synthesis-style writing.  Read through prompt about whether or not the U.S. government should fund space exploration and provide a synthesis-style response. 

Due: Study for quiz.

Homework: Finish outline of Space Exploration synthesis prompt for Tuesday.

April 10-14

It's official! We have less than two months of school left before the school year is over, and you'll be seniors.  I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing break and is ready for a productive and lively 8 weeks until finals.

Here's what's on the agenda for the week:

TUESDAY: Journal warm-up.  Act out the confrontation scene from Chapter 7. Begin reading Chapter 8 in class.  Read through synthesis prompt example.  If time, Gatsby character songs.

Due: Read Chapters 6 and 7 of The Great Gatsby.

Homework: Finish Chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby.  Who becomes a murderer by the end of this chapter?  Is this person justified?

THURSDAY: See Pippin preview, the school play. Journal warm-up.  Quiz covering vocabulary, grammar, and Gatsby reading. 

Due: Finish Chapter 8 of Gatsby.

Homework: Read Chapter 9 of Gatsby (finish the book). 

Finish Gatsby questions with original answers for Monday.

Make sure your journal is ready to turn in next Wednesday, April 19.