Paper Stats

https://readable.io/text/

Go to the above link to check your writing/reading grade level, passive voice, and redundant word choice. Start with selecting "TEXT" on the top of the page, pasting your essay in the box, and then selecting "MEASURE READABILITY" to find out your results. The final deadline for this essay is 3:30 p.m on Monday!

Our full AP test begins on Monday. Do not be absent or late -- you will want all your time to construct stellar essays!

The Rest of Those Kings & Queens

Sources A-L are read, annotated, and discussed. Hence, it is that time to write a hybrid rhetorical analysis-argumentative-synthesis essay. If you have both packets, the prompt is found on the last page. As suggested in class, you would want to start by figuring out your claim and how you view the monarchs' speeches and then select the sources that best benefit your position. This is a one draft essay (at least that I will read) and will be turned in by hard copy no later than 3:30 p.m. on Monday. That gives you five days to compose this essay.

Friday's plan will include analysis of your first synthesis prompt, review of AP test components, introduction of a website that analyzes your diction, voice, and syntax, and work time.

The Poetry of Monarchs

AP Langers took control of class today by analyzing Henry VIII's and Elizabeth I's poetical observations on their role in society. Whether craving recognition for the youth's virtuous ideals or meditating on the various personas one has to create to survive powerful positions, both poems gave us another side of the monarchs.

For homework, you need to read sources H-L. I would recommend looking up the general background info for George III, Edward VIII, George VI, and Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth, Charlie's Keats

Elizabeth has received more approval ratings than her father thus far (including the favor of Charlie in first hour who likened her to his Keats!). At this point, all classes have analyzed and read her speeches, which covers source E. Tomorrow, we will analyze the poetry side of our monarchs. Make sure you close read these poems and have relevant analysis ready to go.

Henry VIII I Am

Our class was divided into 2 areas: the synthesis rangefinders and the beginning of our monarchy speeches with King Henry VIII's address to Parliament. For homework, finish up the close read of this speech. I know seventh hour is waiting to find out when he reveals his true purpose in the speech - something the other hours found out during class. I recommend reading through the other speeches and texts in the packet prior to Friday's class so that our discussion and analysis will have more depth. If absent, stop by on Thursday for a hard copy packet -- it's the only way I have the speeches, and you will be needing it for your eventual synthesis essay!

Synthesis Diagnostic Day

The whole hour was dedicated to the synthesis diagnostic prompt. For homework, read the rangefinders and score the essays. I would recommend reading the scoring guide prior to your analysis, for it indicates the highest score possible if a writer did not incorporate the assigned number of sources.

Tip Day

As enumerated in the previous blog, we spent the entire hour going over tips for writing, punctuating, and improving your prompts. As a result, you will be well-versed to compose a synthesis diagnostic essay tomorrow during class.

Observations of Humanity's Flaws

I hope you had restful spring breaks and are ready to start off our new unit of synthesis writing. As previewed days ago, synthesis writing combines argumentation with evidence from cited materials (or, basically what you accomplished - or should have accomplished - in your human flaw essay).

Overall, the flaw essays had strong content, a variegation of examples, clever hooks, and accomplished research. There were nine scores of 9 (IB, MH, BH, HB- my personal favorite essay that I would score a 10 if I could, MR, TK, CB, TW, KM) and an overall average of 6.710. Seventh hour, you once again had the highest average of the classes, and every student completed the requirements to score a 5 or higher on this prompt.

However, there were two issues hanging a cloud over these essays. To enumerate, first, the essay required that 4 sources of research were included in its paragraphs. There were some writers who chose not to bring in those 4 sources, which results in not accomplishing the prompt. Hence, if you did not have 4 sources in the essay (this does not mean just listed on the Works Cited page), you could not score higher than a 4 on this assignment. Second, there were several distractions (sloppy in some cases) of spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation errors. Fourth quarter is designated for fine-tuning grammar, so we will begin this tomorrow with an overview of syntax and punctuation.

Originally, we were going to have a diagnostic essay on synthesis writing for Monday's class. However, since there are a few lingering areas needing improvement, we will be discussing and practicing those skills so that you have a stronger essay in the future. (Hmm...like the diagnostic essay on Tuesday, which will require a minimum of 3 sources. On a synthesis essay, you use citations like (Source A) and (Source E).)

Topics for Monday's class:

• Expectations of writing for a timed prompt versus a take-home prompt (paragraphs, c/c and rebuttal placement)
• Writing more than 1 paragraph for each topic (you can break up a really long paragraph into multiple ones)
• Transitioning evidence into an essay (still want short phrases weaving in and out of your writing)
• Third person argumentation - unless you have your one personal anecdote; avoiding first and second person and persuasive intent
• MLA format on the essay in its entirety
• Formal writing = no contractions, abbreviations
• Maintaining mature verbs (no "to be" verbs) and using your vocabulary
• Punctuating and utilizing citations in the essay in correspondence to the WC page
• WC page format and its correspondence to the citations in your essay
• Punctuating properly with apostrophes (humanities vs. humanity's), commas with syntax and transitions, semicolons, colons, and the dreaded comma splice (I dread it at least)

All the above is to help you with all of your future essays, which you will be writing in the next 7 weeks. We have some fun ones coming up, so I hope you will be challenged and entertained by our forthcoming prompts. 

Fear, Beards & Licenses

As some of the classes have not turned in t-shirt designs, I have extended the deadline for the last time. You may submit a design over Spring Break for the t-shirts. Thus far, first hour has zero submissions, third hour has three, and seventh hour is one.

Meanwhile in AP Land, we completed 2 more timed introductions (first hour finished the packet and third hour worked on the "fear" and "beards" arguments). If absent, you will need to have these introductions completed. Afterwards, we completed a verbal vocab quiz. Any absentees will need to make this up.

And, if there is any chance you want to take the AP exam - Lang, Gov, whatever - see Ms. McGill today or contact her via phone or e-mail a.s.a.p.

Tone Questing

We began the hour with your tone quest. Any absentees will need to make this up as soon as possible.

Then, we completed a vocab review to prepare for your verbal vocab quiz tomorrow.

First hour finished another timed introduction with this one on article 2 for 9 minutes. Remember, do not lose these introductions since you will be peer reviewing these in the near future.

Third hour and seventh hours did not have time to do another timed introduction, so make sure to bring back your packet for tomorrow.

10 Minutes

We finished vocab unit 20 today and used your tally sheets to review vocab and tone words.

For the second half of the show, we will be working on time awareness and management while writing argumentative introductions. Given an article on the FBI and Apple conflict of last year, you read background of the 2 sides and then crafted one introductory paragraph. The time limit = 10 minutes. As noted by the majority of students (notice I did not say "all" and avoided a hasty gen), 10 minutes feels like forever when writing one individual paragraph. We will continue these timed paragraphs for the rest of the week - with a minute less each time around.

Your daily reminders of substantial assignments:

• The final draft of the flaw essay is due by 3:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY in hard copy. If absent all day, you will need to e-mail/share and then turn in a hard copy to me the next day. If absent for part of the day, you are still required to turn this in hard copy form by the given deadline.
• The lack of t-shirt designs is disheartening. I am extending this through Thursday so that we can have more options. 
• The tone quest is tomorrow. Make sure to review your tone words.
• March 8 is the last day to register and pay for the AP exams. 

Last Chance to Register for AP Exams

As a reminder for all AP exams, the deadline to register and submit payment for the tests is tomorrow, Wednesday, March 8. Make sure that you have signed up for the appropriate test (s) and presented the paperwork to Ms. McGill.

After reading the last argumentative essays, I have seen all of you grow in written expression, organization, and comprehension of topics. And, with a balancing scoring worksheet, you have seen that you can have a weak area erased by your stronger areas. If you have any questions about the exam, please do not hesitate to ask.

Tone Words for Seventh Hour Quest

Seventh hour, here is the list covering our four rounds of tone words. All of these words will be on the quest. If you would like to look at the other hours, I will be putting a handful of words that you did not have on the Quest for extra credit points.

• ambivalent
• apathetic
• apathetic
• apprehensive
• archaic
• archaic
• audacious
• bellicose
• biting
• callous
• caustic
• choleric
• choleric
• choleric
• clinical
• colloquial
• contemptuous
• cynical
• cynical
• dejected
• dejected
• demoralized
• derisive
• didactic
• disdainful
• disdainful
• empathetic
• empathetic
• enervating
• eulogize
• facetious
• fatuous
• fatuous
• formal
• formal
• gothic
• idyllic
• incensed
• incredulous
• irreverent
• irreverent
• jejune
• kowtowing
• laissez-faire
• laudatory
• lugubrious
• macabre
• macabre
• nostalgic
• obsequious
• obsequious
• omnipotent
• partisan
• partisan
• pedantic
• poignant
• poignant
• polemical
• pompous
• pompous
• pompous
• pretentious
• provocative
• provocative
• quizzical
• resigned
• reticent
• scathing
• scathing
• scathing
• seductive
• sentimental
• sentimental
• simple
• simple
• supercilious
• trite
• unctuous
• urbane
• vehement
• vituperative
• vituperative
• volatile
• volatile
• whimsical
• whimsical
• whimsical
• wistful

Tone Words for Third Hour Quest

Third hour, here is the list covering our four rounds of tone words. All of these words will be on the quest. If you would like to look at the other hours, I will be putting a handful of words that you did not have on the Quest for extra credit points.

• ambivalent
• apprehensive
• audacious
• bantering
• biting
• candid
• candid
• caustic
• cautionary
• cautionary
• choleric
• churlish
• churlish
• clichéd
• colloquial
• concrete
• concrete
• cynical
• demoralized
• demoralized
• dejected
• derisive
• diffident
• diffident
• diffident
• disdainful
• elegiac
• elegiac
• empathetic
• erudite
• facetious
• facetious
• fatuous
• formal
• formal
• forthright
• gauche
• gothic
• hubristic
• impartial
• impartial
• incensed
• incredulous
• informal
• jejune
• jingoistic
• jingoistic
• jingoistic
• jovial
• laudatory
• lugubrious
• macabre
• malicious
• nihilistic
• nostalgic
• patronizing
• poignant
• polemical
• pretentious
• provocative
• quizzical
• resigned
• resigned
• ribald
• simple
• trite
• unctuous
• urbane
• vituperative
• volatile
• whimsical
• wistful

Tone Words for First Hour Quest

First hour, here is the list covering our four rounds of tone words. All of these words will be on the quest. If you would like to look at the other hours, I will be putting a handful of words that you did not have on the Quest for extra credit points.

• abstract
• aloof
• aloof
• bantering
• bellicose
• biting
• callous
• callous
• candid
• clichéd
• clichéd
• clinical
• clinical
• colloquial
• concrete
• dejected
• didactic
• diffident
• earnest
• earnest
• effusive
• effusive
• effusive
• elegiac
• empathetic
• enervating
• enervating
• erudite
• eulogize
• facetious
• fatuous
• flippant
• flippant
• flippant
• forthright
• forthright
• gauche
• gauche
• gauche
• gothic
• hubristic
• hubristic
• hubristic
• idyllic
• idyllic
• incredulous
• informal
• insolent
• insolent
• insolent
• irreverent
• irreverent
• jejune
• jingoistic
• jovial
• kowtowing
• kowtowing
• malicious
• malicious
• nihilistic
• obsequious
• partisan
• patronizing
• pedantic
• pedantic
• polemical
• pompous
• provocative
• reticent
• reticent
• reverent
• ribald
• sardonic
• sardonic
• seductive
• seductive
• sentimental
• simple
• supercilious
• trite

Peer Review Day

The entire hour featured our peer revision, which involved the readings of your essays and constructive content and mechanical criticism to improve your essays. If you shared your essay with me, absentees, then you received feedback from either myself, a group, or a combination thereof.

The final draft, hard copy only, has a deadline of 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. If absent - for the entire day - you are to share with me and then bring a hard copy the next day to school.

Reminders continue...

T-shirt designs for your class are due tomorrow. If we do not have submissions, we will not have a t-shirt for your hour this year.

The tone quest will be Wednesday.

The AP exam registration must be completed by Wednesday.

Flaw Day

After vocab today, all students were given 2 options: either work on the human flaw essay or play on the buzzers to review. In any circumstance, the first draft of the essay will be needed for peer review day on Monday.

Don't forget that March 8 is the deadline for registration and payment for the AP exams. You have spent the whole year working on all those rhetorical strategies, exemplifying your arguments, improving your tone/vocabulary to excel at multiple choice passages, and becoming stronger all-around writers. You can excel at the AP Lang exam -- and all those others that you will be taking this year!

And, we don't have any t-shirt submissions for class yet. Sad face. If you are submitting a t-shirt design, you will need to do so by Tuesday so that we can pick our class t-shirts next week.

That Formatting Stuff

All classes began with vocab, followed through with a recap of MLA format, citations, and Works Cited pages, had some adventures with tone, and then ended with work time for your human flaw essay.