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