Shoe Voting Update

Two more school days to vote for the AP Lit & Lang shoes! In disappointing news, two of three leading pairs are no longer in my size as of April 29. With that in mind, you may want to vote for additional pairs on Monday & Tuesday!

April 29 brought to you by Tom Hiddleston

Second Hour, we started off the day with inspiration from my current crush, talented thespian, and literature lover, Tom Hiddleston: "I try to convert pressure into excitement. Always. Because it's all...energy." Yes, this quote is about acting. However, it is applicable to our next 12 days of AP prompting and testing. Convert all of that pressure into excitement and energy as you review, practice, and prepare for the culmination of this course.

With that inspiration, we used our block Friday to review argumentation and synthesis writing prompts & to play with our tally sheets. Remember, additional prep sessions are available in the next week and a half to help review and add to your tally sheets.

April 28

2: We wrapped up rhetorical analysis review by completing a mini essay on the P&P&Z prompt. Then, you chose one of your essays to complete. The remainder of the hour was spent with the tally sheets. Evidenced by the numerous amounts of passing, you should be studying your rhetorical strategies and tone words.

4: After reviewing argumentation and synthesis writing, we played with the tally sheets. See you on Monday for the AP exam.

Jane Austen Quiz

Just in case you would like to see if you are more Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bennet, Lizzie, Jane, or Lydia, here is a link to a quiz on whether you would be asked to dance at a Jane Austen era ball: http://community.sparknotes.com/2016/04/27/quiz-would-you-be-asked-to-dance-in-a-jane-austen-novel .

Thanks, Camille, for letting me know about this quiz! I would not be asked to dance, alas. 

And, my favorite new word of the day is ERGOPHOBIA! Look it up - you can use it as a justification for the upcoming weeks at school. 

April 27

2: It's been awhile. In the time that has passed, you should be utilizing your time to prepare for the full AP test -- class and actual -- in the next two weeks. What does that involve? I would hazard a guess that this incorporates the study of rhetorical toolbox terms, the review of tone terminology, and the practice of close reading, rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and synthesis.

During class today, you completed MC for passages 6d & 6e. Following this work, you then completed a prompt regarding one of the political writer passages. After we paper clipped all of the politicians together, we read the opening chapter of Pride & Prejudice and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies to analyze the purposes of both texts and the rhetorical strategies used by the authors. Make sure you bring back all the paperwork --- politicians and zombies --- for tomorrow's class.

4: After we turned in everything (or at least it looks like that in my grading box), we spent the remainder of the time playing with our tally sheets. I highly recommend you study all of your terms for the test, the review, the tally sheets, and prep sessions.

April 26

For all classes, do not forget to vote every day for your preferred pair of heels. (Well, one pair is flats.) Also, the prep sessions before and after school are available the next 2 weeks. Thus far, the sessions have been sparse -- sparse as in not one person has shown up. If you want the practice, review, and preparation, you have several options outside of your given class period. Check your handout for all dates and times.

1: Our class began with pen and paper ready as you scripted a mini essay response to a comparative rhetorical analysis prompt. After sharing your P&P&Z mini essays for feedback, you selected one of the prompts (yesterday or today) to finish for a content evaluation. Once those 20  minutes of writing time passed, you turned in everything. The remainder of the class was playing with cards and tally sheets. Any absentees will spend the next block hour completing the tasks from the past class sessions.

7: How does it feel to be ahead of all the other classes? Today we looked at argumentative and synthesis prompts to review the inherent characteristics required to achieve 9 scores. I am typing this prior to class, so I will make an assumption that we also played with the tally sheets to wrap the hour.

Prep Sessions

Just a reminder that you can come before school, after school, and during some classes to prep for the AP exam. Check your handout for times and dates.

Prep sessions will include one multiple choice passage, one close reading passage (afternoon only), and tally sheets.

As you  may recall, there are 76 points of extra credit up for grabs this semester, and the AP student with most tally marks will earn those points.