Look at these adorable little girls! Now, don’t you want to do your very best on your STAR tests? Just wanted you to know that I’m thinking of you all and wish you the best.
Love,
Ms. Paul
Apr
23
Say “Hi” to baby Rhiannon!
Here we are on Monday morning, 4/23, during 2nd period.
My mother and my aunts say I looked just like her when I was first born. See any resemblance?
Take care everyone and we’ll see you soon!
Love,
Ms. Paul
Apr
14
A Message from Ms. Paul (4/14)
Baby Due tomorrow!
Hello Beautiful People!
It’s Ms. Paul here, just popping onto my blog to wish you a hello and see if anyone is checking in. This is me and Lorelei one day before baby Rhiannon is due. I thought for sure I’d have her by now, but she’s still growing and developing and isn’t ready just yet! I’ll be posting pics of her as soon as she comes.
Hope you all had a wonderful Spring Break and are enjoying Ms. Lett. She is working hard to keep to the same rules and procedures that you have become accustomed to throughout the year and she cares about teaching you the best she can! I came to visit her on the day before the break and saw all your masks in production. What a cool art project! Have fun finishing them up this week and starting on your next novel, _Night_. You will love this book, guaranteed.
Be great, continue your hard work in class and on your Legacy project. I’m so proud of all of you!
With love and respect,
Ms. Paul
Mar
12
Sophomore Weekly HW Blog: 3/12 – 3/16
Well, this may very well be the last or second to last blog posting! This is Ms. Paul’s last week of work for the year. I will be out on maternity leave for the rest of the year, returning in August to be your teacher when you are Juniors! Of course I will come and visit you with the baby, and I will come to see your Legacy of Imperialism presentations at DVC on May 31st (you know that’s only a little over 2 months away!).
But, we do have one more week together, so let’s make it a good one! Here’s the plan:
More Things Fall Apart, Chapters 14 – 19 with a quiz to end the week. Please plan ahead for about 40 pages of reading from Monday – Thursday (8 pages/day).
MONDAY, 3/12:
Due: Finish Chapter 14
In Class:
- MOW: super = over, very
- Review Vocab for Chs. 14-19
- Handout: Reading Log and Background Info. for Chs. 14-19
- Read Ch. 15
HW:
- None — Finish reading Chapter 15
TUESDAY, 3/13:
Due: Ch. 15
In class:
- “Dear Ms. Lett” Letter of Introduction to my replacement
- Return Ch. 8-13 Tests from Friday last week & Review Answers
- Read Ch. 16-17
Homework:
- Finish Chapter 17
WEDNESDAY, 3/14:
Due: Finish Chapter 17
In Class:
- Read Background Info., Chs. 14-19
- Read Chapter 18-19
Homework:
- Finish Chs. 18-19
THURSDAY, 3/15
Due: Finish Chapters 18-19
In Class:
- Folk Tales
- Review for Quiz
Homework:
- STUDY for TEST!
FRIDAY, 3/16:
Due: Nothing
In Class:
- Quiz, Chapters 14-19
- Return graded work, file, purge
- Goodbyes & Hellos (Ms. Lett will be here today visiting)
WEEKEND Homework:
- Relax!
Mar
05
Sophomore Weekly HW Blog: 3/5 – 3/9
More Things Fall Apart, Chapters 8 – 13 with a quiz to end the week. Please plan ahead for about 50 pages of reading from Monday – Thursday (10 pages/day).
MONDAY, 3/5:
Due: Finish Chapter 9
In Class:
- Reading Check, Chapter 9: 1) Why is Ekwefi so worried about Ezinma having a fever? 2) What is the “iyi-uwa” discussed in this chapter? How is it connected to Ezinma?
- Share Character posters
- Return Ch. 1-7 Tests from Thursday last week
- Handout: Reading Log and Background Info. for Chs. 8-13
- Review Chapter 9 (12 pages)
HW:
- None — but you could get a head start on the reading this week!
TUESDAY, 3/6:
Due: None
In class:
- MOW: theo/the = god
- Read Chapter 10 & 11 (21 pages)
- Theme
Homework:
- Finish Chapter 11
WEDNESDAY, 3/7:
- Notes on Theme
- Read Chapters 12 & 13 (about 15 pages)
Homework:
- Finish Chapter 13
THURSDAY, 3/08
- Review for Test on Chapters 8 -13: vocabulary, themes, etc.
Homework:
- STUDY for TEST!
FRIDAY, 3/09:
- Pay Day
- Test, Chapters 8 -13
- Read Ch. 14: How is Okonkwo acting/what is his mood while in Mbanta? What is the real message of his Uncle Uchendu’s speech at the end of the chapter?
WEEKEND Homework:
- Read Ch. 14 (if you did not finish in class).
Feb
29
Sophomores Weekly HW Blog: 2/27 – 3/2
Wow, our first full week in a while. Prepare for a fun Monday to launch this week off.
MONDAY, 2/27:
Due: Finish Chapter 6; Extra Credit for bringing in drums and/or sticks
In Class:
- Re-enact Chapters 5 &6: Eat “kola nuts” and yams (New Yam Festival); drum circle, wrestling match
HW: NONE
TUESDAY, 2/28:
Due: NOTHING
In class:
- MOW: cur/curs = run or flow (as in precursor, cursor, concur, occur, current)
- Read Chapter 7 (10 pages)
Homework:
- Finish Chapter 7
WEDNESDAY, 2/29:
- Review Vocabulary, Characters, Proverbs and Chapters 1-7 (Jeopardy game)
Homework:
- Study for test tomorrow!
THURSDAY, 3/01
- Test, Chapters 1-7
- Introduce Character Poster (due Monday, 3/5)
Homework:
- Character Poster (see handout for directions)
FRIDAY, 3/02:
- New Vocabulary & Reading Log for Chapters 8-13 (1 New Handout)
- Read Chapter 8 (about 12 pages)
WEEKEND Homework:
- Read Chapters 9
- Character Poster Due Monday
- Prepare for more reading next week. Make time in your busy schedule!
Feb
21
Sophomore Weekly HW Blog: 2/21 – 2/24
HOOF Film Festival nights are finally here! This week we will have light homework due to the two late nights. Please be on your best game in class.
Invite your friends and family to the HOOF Project presentations, Tuesday/Thursday in the Library from 6p-8p. Plan to bring a drink, food item or utensil (cups, forks/spoons, plates or napkins) to the event. Practice your speech too!
MONDAY, 2/20:
Holiday!
TUESDAY, 2/21:
Due:
- Finish Chapter 2 of Things Fall Apart (TFA)
In class:
- Chapter 2 Reading Check (aka quiz making sure you read)
- MOW: hyper = above, over, excessive
- 2nd period only: ESLR Quiz (5 minutes)
- Ch.1 & 2 Summary (in notebook, page 30): Write 2 solid paragraphs (topic sentence, body details, concluding sentence)
Homework:
- Practice HOOF Speech
WEDNESDAY, 2/22:
- Review Summaries
- Okonkwo’s Circle: A handout to help keep these characters straight
- Read Chapters 3 & 4 (approx. 20 pages)
Homework:
- Finish reading Ch. 4
- Practice HOOF speech
THURSDAY, 2/23
- Reading Check, Chapter 4
- Review Chapter 4
Homework:
- None — HOOF again tonight!
FRIDAY, 2/24:
- Chapters 5-6 (15 pages)
WEEKEND Homework:
- Finish reading Chapter 6, Things Fall Apart
- Extra credit for bringing in a drum and /or sticks
Feb
13
Sophomore Weekly Blog: 2/14 – 2/17
Alright, we are back to business as usual. The CAHSEE is over and we will start a new novel this week, Things Fall Apart. This novel was chosen to correspond with your Imperialism unit in World History and your new Semester 2 project, The Legacy of Imperialism.
Don’t forget HOOF Presentations will be next week, Tuesday and Thursday in the Library from 6-8p. Invite people and tell them this is important!
MONDAY, 2/13:
Holiday!
TUESDAY, 2/14:
Due:
- Nothing
In class:
- MOW: spec/spect = look or see
- Journal 3.1: What do you know already about African tribal culture?
- K-W-L (in notebook): Pair-Group-Share & Write
- Prep for tomorrow’s poetry lesson
Homework:
- Give love (hug, kiss, compliment, do something nice) to someone for no reason at all
WEDNESDAY, 2/15:
- Read, Annotate, and Discuss poem, “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
- 2 Handouts: Poetry Toolbox & “The Second Coming”
Homework:
End of the world art — collage, drawing, photoshop, sculpture, whatever!
THURSDAY, 2/16:
- Vision & Hearing Screenings today at the health van. Wear a warm coat b/c we will be waiting outside for half of the period.
- 2nd Half: Gender Activity (a surprise!)
Homework:
None
FRIDAY, 2/17:
- Things Fall Apart!
- Handouts: Vocabulary/Character List, Study/Reading Guide Questions
- Get Books & Start Reading Chapter 1
WEEKEND Homework:
- Finish reading Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, Things Fall Apart
- Invite your friends and family to the HOOF Project presentations, Tuesday/Thursday next week in the Library from 6p-8p. Plan to bring a drink, food item or utensil (cups, forks/spoons, plates or napkins) to the event.
Feb
09
Junior homework for The Catcher in the Rye
These are the due dates for all of The Catcher in the Rye assignments:
1. Wednesday Feb.1st-answer questions for chapters 1 and 2 pg. 11 in study guide
2. Thursday Feb. 2nd- Study guide pages 12-13 Literary Allusion
3. Tuesday Feb. 7th-Study guide page 20 Characterization
4. Wednesday Feb. 8th Study guide page 22 Idioms
5. Thursday Feb. 9th-Chapter 7 questions on page 24 in study guide
6.Friday Feb. 10th- chapters 8-9 questions pg. 26
7. Wednesday Feb. 15th-study guide pgs. 30-31
8. Thursday Feb.16th- Read chapter 12 and answer questions on page 32 of study guide
9. Friday Feb. 17th- study guide pg.35 Characterization and Creative Writing
10. Wednesday Feb. 22nd- Finish reading Ch.15(if not done in class) and answer questions on pg. 39 of study guide
11. Thursday Feb. 23rd-Finish reading ch.16(if not done in class) and answer questions on pg.41 of study guide
12. Friday Feb. 24th- Read Chapter 17 answer questions on pg.43 of study guide
13. Monday Feb.27th- Finish reading chapters 18-19(if not done in class) and answer questions pg 45 of study guide
14. Tuesday Feb. 28th- Study Guide pages 46, 47, 48(any pages we didn’t do in class)
15. Thursday March 1st- Study guide page 51
16. Friday March 2nd- Finish reading chapters 22-24(if not done in class) and answer questions on page 53 of study guide
17. Tuesday March 6th- Study guide page 58
Friday March 9th- Test
Jan
22
Sophomore Weekly Blog: 1/23 – 1/27 [ FINALS WEEK ]
It’s Final Exams Sophies! In English, I will be giving you a two-fold final: MOW Quiz #3 and a Persuasive Essay in the style of the CAHSEE. Monday and Tuesday we will do some final prep work for writing thesis statements and preparing for on-demand writing exams along with a preview of the final writing task. Then we have 3 glorious half days in which are dubbed “Final Exams”. I have an incredibly short amount of time to get all my grading done and post grades by next Tuesday at midnight. In short, you are not the only one to feel some pressure. Make sure you get enough sleep, nutrition and study time to do and feel your best.
P.S. The HOOF final project/movie is due no later than this Friday, 1/27. Performances will be next week!
MONDAY:
Due:
- “Juvenile Justice” Activity Packet from last week with a 2 paragraph summary of the last article, “Startling Finds on Teenage Brains”
In class:
- Notes on writing Thesis Statements + Practice Writing Thesis statements
- Return Animal Rights Essays
- MOW Review?
Homework:
- None/Study Morphemes that will be on the Final Exam: circ/circum, over/under, cide, extra
TUESDAY:
Due:
- Nothing
In class:
- Notes on On-Demand Writing Tips
- The Final Exam CAHSEE-style Writing Prompt & Article to read
- Start crafting your thesis statement: bing, bang, bongo!
Homework:
- Study for the Final Exam: MOW + Come to the final with a thesis statement
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 – 10:00 — 1st period final
10:30 – 12:35 — 2nd Period Final
THURSDAY:
8:00 – 10:00 — 3rd period final
10:30 – 12:35 — 4th Period Final
FRIDAY:
8:00 – 10:00 — 5th period final
10:30 – 12:35 — 6th Period Final
WEEKEND:
Relax and Invite your friends and family to the HOOF Project presentations, Monday/Tues/Wed next week in the Library from 6p-8p.