Responsibility and Accountability

I apologize for not being in class today...the job of a mom! (My daughter had to have her foot xrayed, ending up with a sprain and Achilles tendinitis.)  However, I was sure to leave you all instructions to continue working on your body paragraphs of your essay.

Now.....a little birdy told me that the majority of the class did not do as I instructed.  Hmmm. What am I to do? The assignment sheet I left for you specifically said, "If you do not write and work diligently today, I will double next week's researched and documented essay length from 3 to 6 pages."  I suppose we will simply have to see how much each of you has completed when we come to class tomorrow. If you do not have your work ready on time, prepare to have points deducted.

In tomorrow's class, we will be writing our conclusions, and then putting all of your elements (introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion), into one neat, organized essay draft to turn in.  On Thursday, we will be doing peer editing and revising.  If you miss class Thursday, which I am told several of you will for various activities, you will be put into pairs Monday for peer editing.  You will have to work quickly so be ready to get this completed as quickly as possible.

Also, on your own time, do not neglect your nonfiction reading!

Ladies and Gentlemen...if you choose to not take this class seriously and do the work assigned to you, then I wholeheartedly suggest you do not enroll in AP English next year.  This is seriously frustrating as your teacher.  We have a very large class.  You are responsible for yourself and your own work.  Choosing not to do it is not an option.  You have chosen to take an AP course, therefore you know what is expected of you. Time to get down to business.

Sincerely,
~Ms. Friend

Which Format?

The comparison/contrast essay can be written in one of two methods: the Block Format or the Point by Point Format. We briefly discussed these in class today, as well as getting a handout outlining the two methods.  You have to choose which format you will use to write your essay.  Just so we are clear, let me go ahead and tell you what we will be working on in class each day this week.  YOU MUST KEEP UP!  If you are behind, it is your own responsibility to work at home to ensure you get things finished on time!  I will not accept any late essays this go around.  :)  If you plan to be gone any day this week, please make sure that you check the blog to keep up.

This Week:
Monday: Choose a method for writing your essay and begin working on body paragraphs.
Tuesday: You should have your body paragraphs completed.
Wednesday: Writing your conclusion and putting it all together.
Thursday: You must have your complete essay put together (rewrite it neatly!!!) by the BEGINNING of class.  We will be working with peer editing and revising.  Rough Drafts with peer editing will be due at the end of the hour.

Next Week:
Monday: Nonfiction books and Independent Reading Packets are due at the beginning of class. I will be handing back your rough drafts on this day and you will be working on your final drafts.  I am hoping to find a way to type these, but if not, we will hand write them.
Tuesday-Thursday: We will be in the library researching for our documented essay.  I will give you an overview of this before we start.

READ READ READ!!!!!!!


~Ms. Friend

Back In Business

I wholeheartedly apologize for falling behind on updating the blog this week! Needless to say, it has been a hectic week trying to get back into the swing of things.  We have had a lot of people gone from class for various school activities, spring pictures, etc.  So...here is a quick overview of what we have done this week:

Monday- We resumed our comparison/contrast essay, working on formulating an introduction with a hook statement, background information, and thesis statement.

Tuesday- We continued this work.  Several were gone this day so I helped those who came to me individually for help on their intro.

Wednesday- We finalized and turned in our introductions.  Then continued to map out the body of our essay, focusing on 3 specific comparisons or contrasts to use in the body paragraphs.

Thurday- We only had a few in class, so I allowed them to read their nonfiction novels.  These are due, along with the Nonfiction Independent Reading Packet, at the beginning of class on Monday, April 8!!!!

When we return to class on Monday, you need to be prepared to write body paragraphs.  Have a happy Easter weekend!

~Ms. Friend

Our final day together for spring break was spent finalizing your comparison/contrast of the 2 articles.  Today, we wrote a 1 sentence précis for the 2 articles you chose to compare/contrast.  We will be working with these when we come back from spring break.

Your assignment over spring break is to read.  Yes, that is all.  Read your nonfiction.  I have a couple of students who are already finished with their books!  The due date to have these completely read and your independent reading packets finished is Monday, April 8.  NO EXCEPTIONS!  At this point, we will begin a documented essay that requires research on your book's subject.  I have reserved the library for several days.  We will research in groups. If you have not read your book, you will be extremely behind!

I truly hope you all have a relaxing, fun, and safe spring break!  Comment on the blog or email me if you have any questions over your nonfiction books.

~Ms. Friend

Today we analyzed 2 more articles on the same topic as the Pitts Article we read yesterday. (I am including links to each of these pieces at the bottom of today's blog entry.)  After analyzing the 2 new pieces, each of you had to choose one to compare to the Pitts article and make a brief, simple list of comparisons and contrasts between the 2.  Write a 1 sentence précis for the article you choose. Almost everyone in class soon realized that Mr. Pitts' article definitely captured their attention more. Why???  One word....HOOK!!!!  When Pitts writes, "Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on your second inauguration. Let's talk about drugs," he draws you into the article, "hooking"  you.  See how that works???  The lesson in this is that you always need to include something in your writing to hook your reader and convince them that your writing is going to be worthwhile! (Especially since your reader is me!!!)

For those of you who missed today, please print these articles, C.U.S. them (haha I know that sounds funny, but just remember Circle/Highlight, Underline, Star), and then choose one to write the précis over and use for the comparison/contrast.

Tomorrow, we will finish comparing and contrasting these 2 articles and discuss why one is preferred over the other.  Make sure to bring your nonfiction book to class! If we have extra time in class, you will have to read and work on your independent reading packet.  

We are almost there! One more day then you all get more than a week without me! :)  

~Ms. Friend

Pitts Article: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/21/3192560/end-war-of-drugs-to-honor-king.html
Block Excerpt: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judge-frederic-block/war-on-drugs_b_2384624.html
Ratigan Article: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-01-16/home/30631016_1_drug-arrests-drug-money-drug-trade

Class today was a little but less exciting for you all. We did a quick analysis, using the C.U.S. Method (Circle-main ideas, Underline-details, Star-Unknown Vocabulary) on a Leonard Pitts article. However, we used highlighters instead of circling, just my personal preference. Tomorrow we will do the same on another article, then we will do a comparison/contrast analysis of the 2.

This is a pretty relaxed week. Enjoy it, but don't get used to it!!! We will be working like crazy after break!

See you all tomorrow!

~Ms. Friend

Amazing Articles!

I have to say, I truly enjoyed today's class.  My purpose in having you find news articles was to incite a genuine interest in what is going on in your world.  It is so important that you have this background of current and past events to use when you write! It shows you are informed, self-motivated, and educated on your society, as well as other societies.  You should never stop learning! 

As part of your weekly grade, you will now be required to bring in 1 nonfiction article per week.  (It does not matter if it is from the McCurtain Gazette or the New York Times!) Please be searching for an article that grabs your attention and intrigues you.  You will have to bring these in to class each Monday morning.  We will begin using those as a brief writing assignment each week.

Because of Spring Break quickly approaching, we will be focusing on short nonfiction pieces and breaking them down using literary analysis techniques this week. You will need to make sure you have highlighters!

I hope you each have your nonfiction book, or at least know which book you are getting and have it ordered.  It is important that you read over the break! Be completing your nonfiction independent reading packet as you go. Procrastination=Mediocre Work (at best), which in turn = Mediocre grades.  This will not make your parents happy!

3 more days until break! We can do this!!!

~Ms. Friend

So...who is up for a little extra credit???

All you have to do is find a recent news article (Aka: Nonfiction) from a major U.S. Publication, such as Time, USA Today, etc.  Bring a printed copy of your article to class Monday. Now, here's the kick...you have to be able to tell what your article is discussing and why it is important for our society!

Fun, huh???

I promise to make it worth your time.

See you all Monday! Happy article hunting!

~Ms. Friend

Why Do We Need To Read Nonfiction?

Considering we were missing several members of our class today, we took it easy.  I distributed the new Nonfiction Independent Reading Packet, so those who were absent need to get that from me asap.  We discussed the things that changed to accomodate nonfiction rather than fiction.

I have to say, I am so excited that you guys seem receptive to reading nonfiction literature.  With the new Common Core Standards that are making waves in the education system nationally, nonfiction is going to be the primary literary focus on tests.  Personally, I agree that we need to learn to read more nonfiction, such as news articles, biographies, history, etc.  There are so many interesting things out that you only learn about through reading!  Knowing what is going on in your world, as well as the past events and people who helped shaped how we live today is extremely important.  If you find new nonfiction books that you feel I should add to the reading list, please comment on here!

...Speaking of comments...I'm very patiently waiting for someone to comment on the blog....hmmmmmm....

Enjoy your reading, ladies and gents!  See you Monday!

~Ms. Friend

P.S. Keep watching the blog for something fun this weekend!!!  Great things come when you least expect them!

I apologize for not updating the blog recently! Things have been hectic!  By now, each of you should have turned in your Independent Reading Packet to me. If you haven't, please do so first thing tomorrow so I can finish grading these. This completes our first trial run of this type of assignment.  While there are  few things to tweak, I think it has worked well overall.  You will receive your packet for your next book in class tomorrow.

Today in class we took a little trip to the library to check out nonfiction books.  If you choose to purchase a book from the reading list on this blog, please get that purchased asap so that you can get started reading! The final date to change to a different book is next Thursday, March 14.  However, you will not be allowed to leave class to go to the library to change books! This will have to be done outside of my classtime!  These nonfiction books must be completed by Monday, April 8 before class.  We will be starting a documented essay over the topic covered in these books.   You will be required to research them using primary sources and working towards citing evidence and sources in your essay.  We will also be learning the layout of a proper outline and works cited page.  This is a very specific process that requires you be present when we learn these techniques! Keep up with your notes and all handouts over the next few weeks as we cover this style of writing. Also, keep in mind that we will be working on the computers in the library from April 9-April 18 during our classtime.  We will be researching and eventually typing a final draft of the essay.  If you have a personal laptop you would like to use for this, please feel free to bring it to class.  If you need it locked up during other classtime to keep it safe, I can do that for you. 

If you are not understanding something, please email me or come see me before it is too late! If you come to me the day something is due, there isn't much I can do to help you! DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!!!

Happy Reading, Kiddos!

~Ms. Friend

Out of the kindness of my VERY GENEROUS HEART, I let the class read their AP books today.  Many of you are struggling with these books.  While I understand that some are challenging and unlike anything you have read prior to this class, I also am committed to getting you to read outside of your comfort zone. This is an effective way to expand your reading level, build your literary library for use on future AP exams, and to enhance your analytical focus on the literature you read.  My best advice to you would be to use the resources available to you in this day and age! No...resources such as Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, Google, etc. will not take the place of reading the book. Instead, they are intended to act as a companion to the book as you read.  It will help you with themes, symbols, figurative language techniques, and many other literary devices since these are all new for you to look for when you read.  Trust me, however, if you do not read the book, I will know.  It is completely unacceptable for you not to have finished your book.  Parents, they have had these books for several weeks!!!! 

Our next outside reading will be a nonfiction book.  We will go to the library, but you also should check out the nonfiction reading list attached to the right.  Not all of these books are available at our library! If you see something you like, you will need to purchase it on your own. (Personally, I like to purchase my books.  That way I can annotate, make notes, fold pages, etc. as I please.)

See you all tomorrow, exhausted I'm sure from staying up all night reading!

Have fun reading!

~Ms. Friend

P.S.  I still have not received signed parent letters from the following students: Emily Bain, Hayden Baker, Melissa Brooks, Ryan Brown, Rachel Carlile, Trae Dansby, Andrew Frost, Megan Gallagher, Payia Her, Samuel McAtee, Jarrin McKinney, Riley Mussett, Jaden Smith, Dalton Taylor, Hunter Tuck, and Kasey Worthington.

Since I was gone yesterday, this week is going to be packed with work.  You guys are all going to have to step things up a few notches and put forth the effort that AP requires!

In class today, we began working on a 1 sentence précis over Galsworthy's "The Japanese Quince."  I also gave you a handout with symbolism used in this short story. As I am sure many of you have guessed, we will be writing a rhetorical analysis over this piece, focusing on symbolism.  My main goal is for you to see how an essay functions with a coherent, well-written thesis and related topic sentences versus the more simple language you are all so used to writing with.  Time to step things up! Formal, effective language is what I am hoping to see you employ in your writing.

This week will be structured as follows:
Tuesday- 1 sentence précis, working into a thesis statement
Wednesday- Topic Sentence relating to thesis and outlining your supporting evidence  from the text. 
Thursday- Essay Assignment and Timeline handed out (yes you will have homework over the weekend!) and Outside Reading Due (we will have an in class activity over your novel, as well as taking the AR tests for each book.)

I am very concerned since several of you do not seem to have much reading completed 2 days before you must have your book finished, and some of you simply do not seem to care! This appalls me.  You, as Pre-AP students, should expect others to hold you to a higher esteem and you should work accordingly!  READ READ READ!!!!

~Your Highly Frustrated Teacher,

Ms. Friend

In today's class, we finished our notes on rhetoric and rhetorical analysis, focusing on exigence, audience, and purpose.  If you were not in class, please get these notes from someone in our class to copy.

After completing notes, we read aloud an article, entitled "Realism Crushes Misconceptions in Brutal World of 'Private Ryan,'" by Leonard Pitts (see more of his work at the link on the right).  Each student then formulated a 1 sentence précis, as we covered in our notes yesterday. I have read through the sentences turned in today and I am very pleased with how they turned out overall! I think we have found a method that, with plenty of practice, will make writing thesis statements so much easier! I know this will not excite you all nearly as much as it does me. :) 

Please remember your signed parent letter about the blog on Monday.  READ YOUR AP BOOK!!!!  These are due next Wednesday!  We work on something with your books in class on Wednesday, so make sure you bring them with you, either the book itself or if you read it on a Kindle or something, bring that.  You will need to have these in class for the assisignment we will be working on.

Have a great weekend!!!! See you Monday.

~Ms. Friend

Today in class we took notes over the rhetorical precis format.  I'm working on how to upload the file onto the blog, or link it somehow. (I'm sure Trae could have this done in about 3 seconds. lol) However, you will just have to be patient with me as I learn bits and pieces of this process as I go.

I would like to get feedback on how you feel about the precis format? Will it help you make your thesis statements better? Does it seem like a format you can learn to follow to make a clear, analysis-driven introduction?

Also, vocabulary unit 7 quiz has been postponed until Monday.  I was so caught up in getting the notes completed that I forgot to hand them back! Oops!

A huge thank you to those of you who checked the blog last night and completed the extra credit work! As for the rest of you, I hope you take the time to use this as a tool to help you succeed in AP English. It is here for you to use! Take advantage of it!

Finally, parents and students....please take the time to shoot me a quick email or a comment on here with your opinion on this classroom blog.  This is new for all of us, and definitely a work in progress, but hey....it is the 21st century and a technology driven world we live it.  Might as well embrace it!

~Ms. Friend
kfriend@vpsd.org

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY!!!

Let's see who took the initiative to check out the blog tonight!

If you can give a definition and description of these 3 terms, I will give you 25 bonus points.  Make sure you relate them to language and writing!

• ethos
• pathos
• logos

~Ms. Friend

So, today you all were formally introduced to our "class blog."  Yay! I really think if you will embrace this idea, we will all benefit from it in the long run.

Take time to look over the book lists I have linked on here.  I will keep adding to them as I think of books I would like you to read.  This time, we chose fiction novels from the AP list.  Remember, you have to have those completely read by next Wednesday, Feb. 27! You will have to know your book, so do not think you can slide by! I will know!

Today in class we continued to work on analyzing John Galsworthy's "The Japanese Quince."  Make sure you have all of the questions under sections 1 and 2 ready in class tomorrow.  We are going to be taking notes first, then working on formulating a complete literary analysis together in class. 

Unit 7 Vocabulary from Monday is due no later than the beginning of class tomorrow.  We will quiz on those words Thursday.  I will make sure you have them back to study by the end of the hour tomorrow. 

READ! READ! READ! Do not wait until the last minute to read your novels!

~Ms. Friend

Welcome!

Okay, so we are going to give this a shot! While attending a professional development this past weekend, I met a teacher from just outside of San Antonio who uses a blog to keep her students and parents updated on what was happening in her classroom.  I was so excited about this idea that I immediately started working on a blog of my own for my Pre-AP English I class.  Eventually I hope to create a blog for each of my courses I teach, but this seemed like a good place to begin.  My goal will be to update this blog daily with assignments, reminders, due dates, etc that parents and students are always needing to know.  I hope it will become a way to bridge the communication gap that inevitably widens as the school year gets busier and busier.  I know I am busy, as I am sure you all are as well.  So feel free to ask questions!  If you need to email me, please do so at any time.  kfriend@vpsd.org. 

Please notice the right sidebar on this blog.  This includes links to nonfiction and fiction reading lists I have set up on Amazon.com for my students. 
*Disclaimer: Parents, please use the reviews and information provided by Amazon to screen any books you think you might not want your child to read.  While I try to filter inappropriate content out as much as possible, it is simply a part of our history and our society.  We are surrounded by subject matter that might not always be pretty or aligned with our moral standards.  However, I do feel that some of it is more beneficial than harmful.  That choice, I am leaving up to you as a parent. 

I have also included a link to the page for a columnist for the Miami Herald, named Leonard Pitts.  This author is highly acclaimed, a bit controversial, but that is to be expected with a writer whose column is entitled, "In My Opinion." :)  His writings are poignant and beautifully written.  I urge my students to explore his writings, as well as those of other modern day writers.

Parents, please encourage you child to regularly check this blog for any news they might need to know!

Sincerely,

Ms. Friend