Paper Revision Policy

When it comes to writing, nothing is perfect and I want to encourage you to look back at your work and see it with fresh eyes. There is nothing like time to allow us to see mistakes and chicanery in our writing.

I have added a category to your overall grades for revision work. This will be an area where you are allowed to earn as much extra credit as you are willing to work for. I can't think of a better way to encourage you to re-visit your writing again and again and again and again and again and...well, you get the idea I hope.

All revisions must be typed, spell-checked, and submitted with the original(s) and/or additional copies of revisions. I would also appreciate a title page. I do not mind if you do the same paper 100 times! I will add additional ways to earn points as your papers continue to teach me the types of errors you are making and as I see how often and who decides to take advantage of this extra credit opportunity in AP.

Here are ways to earn points on revision work:
1) correcting MLA citation errors and grammatical errors (10 points).
2) revise/enhance/rethink order of paragraphs to enhance flow (10 points)
3) revise thesis statement and body paragraphs to reflect the new proof (10 points)
4) explain on a separate page what the overall focus of your changes consisted of and why you made them. (10 points)
5) a one-on-one conference with me about your paper (10 points--must be arranged in advance and is your responsibility)
6) revising for errors in logic (10 points)
7) revising to enhance flow, vary sentence length, include transitions (10 points)
8) revising to avoid repetition, misinterpretation, or inappropriate tone (10 points)
9) revising to incorporate voice (10 points)
10) revising introduction, conclusion and topic sentences--this will likely mean re-visiting the text to try to answer the "so what" (10 points)

Homework for the week of October 27, 2008

Monday, October 27, 2008: In class, you will be taking your final poetry exam. For homework, read pages 211-215. What is a tragedy? Mark the introduction. Pink= words you do not know. Be sure to look them up and bring in index cards with these new words on them to show me on Tuesday.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008: In class, you will be working on your poetry final exam. For homework, read pages 215-230. Use the green flags to mark the foreshadowing of the tragedy. Use pink for unfamiliar words.
Wednesday, October 30, 2008: In class, depending on the time needed, you will be finishing your exam. For homework, read pages 230-245.
Use the blue flags, to mark images, sensory details or examples of personification.
Thursday, October 30, 2008: In class, we will do an introduction to theater terms, classic drama and poetics. For homework, please finish the play (245-263). Use the green flags to illustrate examples of characterization (where we learn something about who Oedipus is as a person).
Friday, October 31, 2008: Happy Halloween! There will be a separate hand-out for the weekend's homework as it pertains to a project you'll be working on next week.

Homework for the week of October 20-25, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008:
Bring your copies of "Hollow Man," to class on Tuesday for discussion. Please write a journal entry on the poem if you have not already. There is an online post ALREADY on the blog for your entry but not everyone has completed the work.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008:
Choose one of your essays to revise and type for a final. Be sure to use the rubric to make sure that you're using MLA guidelines for the final, typed paper.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008:
Same as Tuesday.
Thursday, October 23,2008:
Journal entry on ballad. Requires a little research. Find a ballad, read it, and respond in journal format.
Friday, October 24, 2008: Read the first 30 pages of the Independent Reading book about Mythology.

Homework for the week of 10/14/2008

Hi All,

Poetry projects are due this week and the marking period ends Friday. With that in mind, your only assignments are:
1) finish your outline for an in class essay this week
2) Choose one of your journal entries to clean up and revise to turn in for a grade.
3) Finish that project and make sure you have ALL the pieces!

Best of luck!

Lauren

Journal Entries for "The Hollow Men"

Journal Entries for "I Know How the Caged Bird Sings"

Journal Entries for "My Last Duchess"

Homework for the week of October 6, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008: Complete your outline for the Spring sonnets that we worked on in class today. You must have a completed outline in order to take the in class essay test tomorrow. No outline, no credit.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008: Read Robert Browning's "My Last Duchess." Annotate and respond to the poem in a journal (there is a post online for you to do this).
Wednesday, October 8, 2008: Read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by Maya Angelou. Annotate your poem and write a journal. (there is a post online for you to do this).
Thursday, October 9, 2008: No school today. For homework, complete an outline of the "Henry IV, Part Two," excerpt you have for your in class essay test on Friday.
Friday, October 10, 2008: Read "The Hollowmen," by T.S. Elliot. Annotate and write a journal entry. Be sure to have this poem with you in class on Monday, flags and all.

Journal Entries for October 1, 2008

What poem did you read? What was the structure? What was your favorite line and why? Give me something good to read here people!

Homework for the week of 9/29/2008

Reminder: Final poetry project is due typed and perfect October 16, 2008. Each late day is a letter grade off. Please continue to work on it for a few minutes each night. You won't regret doing this.

Monday, September 29, 2008: Complete the outline you were given in class. Please make an effort to leave nothing blank and to do your best work. This will count as a grade for the marking period.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008: Using the handout you were given last week, begin to properly create your annotated bibliography.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008: Read a poem from your anthologies, and write a journal entry based on what you read. Please annotate the poem, using flags, and be prepared to show me on Thursday what you read. Bring in your book.
Thursday, October 2, 2008: Bring in your music and illustrations for Sestina.
Friday, October 3, 2008: Annotate the excerpt from "Henry IV, Part II."

Teaching Terms Self-evaluation

This is your first time participating in teaching your fellow classmates or in having your classmates teach you hard stuff. You will be doing this all year. Take a few minutes to think about how you did or if you haven't gone yet, how you participated as a classmate.
1> Was your presentation creative?
2) Did you keep it short?
3) Did you define your term both out loud and on paper?
4) Did you check to make sure your classmates learned the term?

Additional questions: Were you prepared at the start of class? If not, why not?
2) Did you ask your teacher for help if you didn't understand the term you were assigned to teach? If not, why not?
For Classmates:
1) If you were watching your classmates, did you create a flashcard? Did you ask questions if you didn't understand the term?
2)Did you give your classmates eye contact and other ways of demonstrating active attention?

Homework for the Week of September 22, 2008

Monday, September 22, 2008 Answer the self-evaluation post (above this one) in the comment section about your participation and/or teaching of your first term.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008: Revise your essay again, if you would like a better grade. If you do not, choose one paragraph to revise.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008: Annotate Sestina, and prepare an illustration and bring in some music as if you were making a "soundtrack" for the poem.
Thursday, September 25, 2008: Work on your annotated bibliography using the guide you have been given in class.
Friday, September 26, 2008: Prepare the two poems and the outline you have been given for your in-class essay test on Monday. No one will be aloud to take the test if the outline is incomplete and/or the outline is not finished.

Writing Tips Part 2

1. Choose a tense and stick to it. If you begin your essay, "Wordsworth wrote," you have chosen the past tense. Your next sentence can't be "Wordsworth writes."

2. Do not switch to the 2nd person point of view. Example, "In the poem, the author chooses words to show how constraining the form of the sonnet is. Therefore, you can't be as creative if you only have ten syllables to a line!" Instead, revise the line to say,"ten syllables is too rigid a constraint to place on a form of writing intended to express creative thought." Or something like that.

3. Use topic sentences!

4. Stick to proving whatever your topic sentence promises to defend. For example, if your topic sentence says "Wordsworth uses imagery to elaborate on the restrictions of the sonnet." The rest of the paragraph should have examples and analysis of how the images are restrictive and NOTHING ELSE.

5. Use transitional phrases to move from one paragraph to another. For example, while Wordsworth seems to dislike the Sonnet, Keats on the other hand, seems to admire the form.

Telephone Conferences--Changes Posted

Telephone Conferences: Let's rotate this way until further notice...
Mondays: Manny, Frank, Katherine, Kyle
Tuesdays: Estefany, Stephanie
Wednesdays: Nadege, Jeriel, Matthew
Thursdays: Chris, Elizabeth, Jennifer

remember to call prepared with
1) what you have done
2) what is left to do
3) what you need my help with

thanks,
Lauren

Homework for the week of 9/15/08

Monday: Work on your annotated bibliographies. Remember to use the MLA format.
Tuesday: Revise your essay or finish your essay if you weren't prepared last week. Use the writing tips on the blog and make sure you have an outline and a clear thesis statement first.
Wednesday: Prepare to present your metrical term to the rest of the class.
Thursday: Respond to Sestina by bringing in a piece of music that you would set this poem to as well as an illustration or picture that you think best represents the poem.
Friday: Prepare your outline and annotations for an in class poetry timed practice test on Monday.

Writing Tips

1. Don't flatter, wax poetic, or languish praise upon the text you've read. When you say something about how "amazing" the poem was, an AP reader thinks you sound disingenuous and indicates that you lack precise words to analyze and discuss the poem.

2. Don't use a word unless you know how to use it and what it really means. So, don't say ironic when you mean sarcastic.

3. DO pre-write, outline, and generally sketch out your thoughts BEFORE you begin your essay. The more organized and clear you are about what you will say, the better your essay will flow and the more sense it will make.

4. Remember that paragraphs need topic sentences. Topic sentences should come from a clear thesis statement. Your essays should not feel like journals or thoughts on paper. They should sound formal and well thought out.

5. Don't preach. No one wants to read platitudes, aphorisms, or sermons. Instead we want to read how the author achieves something and what that something has to do with a universal question (perhaps the human dilemma).

The Lanyard

So, how does Billy Collins make us understand that we can never repay a mother's love and that that is totally ok? What devices does he use to make that message clear? Where does the tone shift? Give it your best shot!

Homework for the week of 9/8/08

Hi All,

Here are the assignments for the week. It should go without saying that you should be working independently on your research project,but, there, I said it.


Monday night 9/8/08
Using this link, http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms
create flashcards for 10 terms and bring them in Tuesday.

Tuesday: annotate the paper copy of the poem and write a journal entry for "The Lanyard." Anyone who wants a head start on this, the poem can be found here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4990320. You can also listen to a radio interview with Billy Collins if you are interested. All of this information will help you to write a better journal entry. Oh, and here he is reading the poem
http://asset.teachersdomain.org/resource/pe08.rla.genre.poetry.collinyard

Wednesday: Write a journal entry from your anthology. Try to choose a DWG and make sure it is from the 16th century this time.

Thursday: Compare and contrast the Keats and Wordsworth poems. Have both annotated and be ready to use your annotated copies for the in-class essay on Friday.

Friday: Create 6 (six) multiple choice questions in the AP format and style based on any poem we have read in class. Be prepared for your classmates to answer them and make sure you can justify and explain your answer.

Telephone Conferences: Let's rotate this way until further notice...
Mondays: Manny, Frank, Katherine
Tuesdays: Jeriel, Estefany, Stephanie
Wednesdays: Nadege, Kyle, Matthew
Thursdays: Chris, Elizabeth, Jennifer

On Toni Morrison's Nobel Prize Speech

Welcome to the newest class of AP students!

This will be your first chance to practice a journal entry. No, you don't have to answer every question below, but here are some questions to guide your thinking.

What IS this thing? What is the point of view? Who is the old woman? What is the bird? What do you think this all means? What is confusing? What does this have to do with literature anyway? What kind of writing is this--formal, informal, a little of both? Why do you think Toni Morrison is giving this speech while accepting a prize for being an amazing writer? Who do you think she is talking to? Are there metaphors? Themes? Dialogue? How many KINDS of writing can you identify? What phrases or words struck you? What did you think the tone was? How about the mood? Did it change or was it the same throughout? Were there archtypes you recognized?

Unpack!

Lauren

Slangolicious Assignment

Due Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

Write a scene in which one person wants out and the other does not. One person can only speak using slang while the other person will not speak that way.