March 8

Want to have additional ethos for class this week and show off your knowledge in front of your classmates? Our first synthesis assignment will involve English kings and queens. First up will be Henry VIII and Elizabeth I!

1: We started class with your vocab "quiz," or an opportunity to add to your tally sheets. There will be no make-up quizzes as this was not for a grade. Next are the certainty/doubt prompts, which your class average a 7.2! As a result of such strong argumentation essays, we will be moving directly into synthesis writing in the next classes. To finish the class, we completed 8 minute and 7 minute timed introductions of girls' fear and Peter the Great's infamous beard tax. As noted in class, an introduction with strong diction, original analogies, and clear claims creates a trust with the reader that you will lead him or her to a mature, engaging, thorough essay.

2: After copying down Unit 20 vocabulary, we determined our class t-shirt! Thanks Emma and Gia for your designs! The remainder of the hour focused on timed introductions of the 8 and 7 minute variety. Using girls' fear and Peter the Great's infamous beard tax, you were able to compose introductions that engaged the reader and provided a strong focus to the argumentation topics. 

4: As per usual, the events of fourth hour differed from the other AP Lang classes. To start, we began our new unit of vocabulary. To continue forward, we celebrated an average 7.6 on the certainty/doubt prompts. To wind down, we looked at synthesis writing by breaking down a prompt and reading the attached examples. We will read the rangefinders on Thursday for exemplification of this writing style.

7: After writing down Unit 20 vocabulary -- absentees will find their assigned word on the board -- we practiced timed introduction writing, utilizing girls' fear and Peter the Great's beard tax in 8 and 7 minutes sessions. We then spent the rest of the hour talking about the class t-shirt. 

March 7

THE DEADLINE FOR AP TEST REGISTRATION IS FRIDAY, MARCH 11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Do not forget to sign up for the test -- you have been preparing for this exam since August, and it is time to exhibit your talents at writing and comprehension.

Final draft of the flaw essay is due by 2:45 p.m. -- this may be shared or turned in via hard copy by this time.

1: The first 15 minutes were reserved for peer review work on the flaw final draft. Following this event, you reviewed tone words and completed the tone quest. Any absentees will need to make up this quest by Wednesday. Tomorrow will start with a vocab "quiz." You will find out tomorrow why I keep using quotation marks for this quiz.

2: We started off today with reviewing for the tone quest prior to the actual completion of the quest. Any absentees will need to make up this quest by Wednesday. To end the class, we had a vocab "quiz," which was for tally points and not a grade. Hence, absentees will not make up this assignment.

4: After copying down and assigning Vocab 20 words, we finished our timed introductions. As noted in our last two classes, the breadth of examples behooves strong writing styles and individuality in argumentation. Last, we (almost) finalized the t-shirt. Thank you to Haley and Anna for providing our designs!

7: In theory, it is everything listed for hour one above.

March 4

Sadly, first hour students have not submitted any t-shirt designs for AP Lang, and it looks like that hour will not have t-shirts this year. Happily, second, fourth, and seventh hours will be debating over the final t-shirt designs during upcoming classes. P.S. I absolutely adore fourth hour's design! I may have to order that one in multiple colors!

1, 2, 7: Peer Review of the flaw research essay. If your group did not finish the peer review, make sure to comment on your fellow students' work. First hour, you will have about 15 minutes on Monday to regroup and discuss any last minute ideas. The final draft is due by 2:45 p.m. on Monday in hard copy or digital formats. Do not forget to turn in this essay - it is the last major point activity of the quarter. In addition, we will have a tone quest on Monday and most likely wrap up unit 19 vocabulary.

4: After our 8 minute timed introduction -- impressive examples from Lyle, Abigail, and Christen to show the variations of argumentation and voice -- we reviewed tone words, completed the tone quest, and (almost) finalized the class t-shirt design. :) Thanks, my peer review group, for now making me put smiley faces on my writings.

All AP Langers: March 11 is the deadline for AP test registration. After all of your hard work this year, you have improved your analysis and writing skills in order to complete the exam and score well. Do not forget!

Allusion Quest Makeup Date

If you missed the allusion quest in classes on this week, there will be 2 occasions to make up this assignment. Either before school on Monday at 7 a.m. or after school on Monday at 2:30 p.m. Makeups will take approximately 20-25 minutes. Plan now so that you are there for the makeup sessions.

March 2/3

I am happy to announce that a second hour student has submitted a t-shirt design. If your class would like a t-shirt to show off our AP Lang coterie, you need to submit via e-mail or hard copy to me a.s.a.p.  

1, 2, & 7: Today was the deadline for your 4 source pages and range configuration of examples. While I was discussing several various topics with the line, the remaining parties reviewed vocabulary for our upcoming quiz. This quiz will be quite brief, but it still requires you to prepare for its completion.

Next, Dickens, Atwood, Graff, Emerson, and Conrad groups presented the analysis of multiple choice passages. Remember, you should always close read, use process of elimination, and notice "except" when it occurs. Those simple tips -- along with all the other skills and strategies we have discussed in previous classes -- will help you exponentially.

The remainder of the class was the "intense" (borrowed diction from Lucas) Allusion Quest, a class-wide challenge to identify 300 allusions. If absent for this activity and currently in a second hour study hall, you are welcome to join second hour tomorrow to complete the activity. Any remaining absentees will have 2 options next week to make up the Quest. Exact day/time will TBD. 

Don't forget to have your first draft ready for Friday's peer editing.

4: The majority of our class revolved around peer editing our research essays. I quite enjoyed my group experience -- thanks Anna, Kaitlyn, and Lyle for letting me part of your group :) We wrapped up the hour tallying up vocabulary in place of an official quiz. Tone Quest tomorrow -- we may review first if time permits.

Research Essay Deadline Extended!

I just sent an e-mail off to all AP Langers regarding a change of plans regarding the final draft deadline. While the first draft peer review will occur on Thursday (4) and Friday (1,2,7), the final draft deadline - for all classes - will now be Monday, March 7, at 2:45 p.m. You may turn this in as a hard copy or share via Google. Happy writing!

March 1

Need t-shirt designs submitted for each AP Lang class. If your hour does not submit any designs, you will not have commemorative t-shirts for the course. I like adding to my wardrobe, so I hope that several of you will take up the challenge.

1, 2, 7: Continuance of vocabulary commenced the class. Then, we finished our discussion of the article packet and practiced a 9 minute timed introduction. For the remainder of our time, you received your MC tests and analyzed a specific passage for teaching tomorrow. 

Block Day Hijinks will include vocabulary review, multiple choice passage teaching and analysis, timed introduction writing, a massive allusion quest, and a tone quest. 

4: After vocabulary review, you completed a class-wide allusion quest. If absent, you will make this up after school with other absentees.

Block Day Hijinks will include peer editing your research essay, timed introduction writing, and a tone quest.