Thursday, September 28, 2017

Friday, September 29th

Image result for balloons photo Happy birthday to Angelo, who will gain a year tomorrow!

Here's the plan for today:

  • You'll have WORK TIME for the following: 
    • Vocabulary Page 6 (Due Today)
    • Final Paper (Due 10/6) -- I'll come around for introduction and body paragraph checks. 
    • One-on-one grade checks. 
    • Corrections and missing work. 
  • Then we'll begin viewing and discussing the film Moonrise Kingdom, focusing on thematic and symbolic similarities to The Catcher and the Rye and making connections to your final papers. 

Thursday, September 28th

Happy rainy Thursday! Here's the plan:

  • You'll have WORK TIME for the following:
    • GUMS II (Due TODAY)
    • Vocabulary Page 6 (Due Tomorrow)
    • Final Paper (Due 10/6) - I'll come check your introduction and body paragraphs as they progress. 
    • One-on-one Grade Checks
    • Corrections and Missing Work

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Wednesday, September 27th

Image result for camel image
  • Notes: We'll go over the structure and purpose of a body paragraph in an analytical paper. 
  • You'll have WORK TIME for the following:
    • Introductory Paragraph Checks 
    • GUMS Part II (Due Tomorrow)
    • Vocabulary Page 6 (Due Friday)
    • Final Paper (Due 10/6)
    • One-on-one Grade Checks

Monday, September 25, 2017

Tuesday, September 26th

Here's our plan for today: 
  • Notes: You'll take notes on the structure and purpose of an introductory paragraph for a rhetorical analysis. 
  • I'll distribute the final paper assignment for this quarter. 
  • WORK TIME:
    • You'll select a final paper topic. 
    • You'll craft and submit a thesis. (Due Today)
    • GUMS Part I (Due Last Week -- Many of you have not turned this in.)
    • GUMS Part II (Due Thursday)
    • You'll begin drafting the first paragraph of your final paper. 
    • One-on-one grade checks. 

Monday, September 25th

Happy last Monday of September! Here's what we'll do in class today:

  • I'll distribute copies of Kurt Vonnegut's speech "Fates Worse Than Death." 
  • We'll listen to the audio recording of him giving the speech in the St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York City. As we listen, you'll read along and annotate your copy of the speech to circle vocabulary that is unfamiliar to you. 
  • Notes: You'll take some notes as we review the concept of Rhetorical Technique and Rhetorical Analysis. 
  • Then we'll begin reading and discussing the speech for ourselves, focusing on Vonnegut's rhetorical technique and purpose.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Friday, September 22nd

Image result for the end

Today we'll finish reading and discussing The Catcher in the Rye. So long, Holden... Well, it's not really goodbye because now we're going to write about him!


  • We'll read and discuss Ch. 25-26 of The Catcher in the Rye. 
  • You'll complete Rdg. Quiz: Ch. 25-26.
  • Notes/Response: We'll review theme and discuss examples from Salinger's novel. Then you'll write a paragraph response about a theme from the book in your notebook. 
  • Finally, I'll collect your notebooks for a Notebook Check, and we'll celebrate having finished reading our class novel. 

Thursday, September 21st

Image result for thor cartoon Thursday... Thor's Day

  • We'll read and discuss Ch. 24 of The Catcher in the Rye, wherein things get pretty weird for Holden and we really start to question his reliability as a narrator. 
  • Notes: You'll take notes on reliable vs. unreliable narrators, a key to understanding Salinger's novel. 
  • You'll complete Rdg. Quiz: Ch. 18-24. 
  • Finally, you'll have WORK TIME for the following: 
    • GUMS Unit One (Due Today)
    • Vocabulary Page 5 (Due Today)
    • Needed Corrections and/or Missing Assignments

Wednesday, September 20th

Image result for camel hump day Guess what day it is. C'mon... guess.

  • We'll read and discuss Ch. 22-23 of The Catcher in the Rye. (Rdq. Quiz: Ch. 18-24 Tomorrow)
  • Notes: I'll introduce RATS, that's Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements. We'll work together to craft a sentence based on Salinger's text. 
  • We'll view and discuss a clip of a satirical speaker, then you'll write your own RATS, which is Due Today in Class. 

Monday, September 18, 2017

Tuesday, September 19th

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all enjoyed your three day weekend. Here's what we're doing in class today:

  • We'll read and discuss Ch. 20-21 of The Catcher in the Rye. (Rdg. Quiz: Ch. 18-24 on Thursday)
  • I'll introduce your new GUMS unit. 
  • You'll have work time for the following:
    • Vocabulary Page 5 (due Thursday)
    • GUMS Unit 1
    • One-on-one Grade Check-ins