Synthesize this!

Today?  an essay!

Tomorrow?  Malcolm X - read, analyzed, and annotated.

Life is good.  Spring has sprung.

Ms. Seward

Have hippity hoppity day!

Scholars/artistes,

Today you expressed yourself through art, and then we discussed the rhetorical structure of Frederick Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write."

I did not take a grade.

Tomorrow you will write a synthesis essay.  You may start as soon as you walk in the door, before the bell.

Friday, please have finished and annotated Malcolm X.

Monday, you will write a synthesis essay.  You must bring K Boy and the Frederick Douglass article.  I will have your Malcolm X for you.  

Have a great Hump Day!

Lucy Jean Pollock Seward

P.S.  Alex - is this better?

Now for something completely different ... an essay!

Scholars, today you wrote a persuasive essay - good stuff!

Tomorrow we need to do something enlightening and educational that doesn't require sitting and writing for 50 minutes.  I have ideas, but, if you would like to suggest a class activity, please comment on this blog or e-mail me your (good) ideas, and I will be happy to consider them.  Of course, you must have Frederick Douglass (his article, not the man) read and annotated by tomorrow.

Thursday?  Essay!

Friday?  Finish X!

See you tomorrow!

Hang in there, sleepy students!

Scholars,

Today you took a quote test on X, pages 1-300.  You also received Frederick Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write."

Tomorrow ... persuasive essay!

Wednesday - Frederick Douglass read and annotated;

Thursday - synthesis essay; and

TGIF - finish X!  (Review sesssion as well - please let me know if you would prefer multiple choice or essay.)

You all are doing so well.  I just graded your first "9" essay (from second period). 

Windows of the world

Scholars:

Today you received your graded annotations, and we listened to and wrote about our guest speaker who described her gap year program to us.  If you missed the speaker, peruse briefly the website carpediemeducation.org and write about any subject related to what you find therein.  

Also, today was the LAST DAY to submit your mini ADQ on BYU (that rhymes) and your outstanding journal writings.

We will also have a review session after school.

Monday, you will have a quote quiz on the first 300 pages of Malcolm X - know him well.

Tuesdsay,  March 29th, we will write!  A persuasive essay!

Wednesday, March 30th, you will have read and annotated F. Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write."

Thursday, March 31st, we will write!  A synthesis essay! 

Friday, April 1st, you will have read and annotated all of X.  Reading and annotating the Epilogue is not required.  (No foolin')

Have a great weekend!!!  Get some sleep, think deep thoughts, and embrace springtime!

The Great Debate

Scholars,

Today you took a quote quiz on through page 270 of X.  All but first period debated the virtues (or lack thereof) of joining the Nation of Islam.  I am grading your annotations as we speak, which you may retrieve tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, we will have a guest speaker OR read a fascinating article and respond to it.

Tomorrow afternoon, we will have a review session on the synthesis essay.

Monday, you will have a quote TEST on the first 300 pages of X.

Have a great night!

Let's agree to disagree? dissent?

Scholars, today you wrote a persuasive essay.

Tomorrow, please have read and annotated pages 1-270 of Malcolm X.

Friday, perhaps we will host a guest speaker.

Monday, March 28th, we will have a quote test on the first 300 pages of Malcolm X.

It's a beautiful evening.  Catch some fresh air! 

P.S.  Does Malcolm X engage in disagreement or dissent?

I Heart Persuasive Essays

Scholars, today we read, discussed, and wrote about the Time magazine article about zero tolerance.

By this Friday, please give me a mini persuasive essay pursuant to the following format:

1. First paragraph
2. Start in a compelling manner - no long, general introductions;
3. Identify the author's claim to which you are responding (arguing, defending, qualifying);
4. Specify your reaction to the author's claim.
5. Second paragraph
6. Start with a transition that will guide you from your first to your second paragraph;
7. Write personal commentary to introduce your outside example;
8. Describe your outside example; if the example is fiction, insert a disclaimer;
9. Write personal commentary to link your outside example to your claim;  and
10. Reiterate, note, or in some way mention your claim.

Tomorrow, you will write an AP persuasive essay.

Thursday, you will take a quote quiz and discuss the first 270 pages of Malcolm X.

Friday, we will either have a graded discussion or a guest speaker.

Monday, we will have a quote test on the first 300 pages of Malcolm X.

See you tomorrow!

Late but great entry

Scholars,

Apologies for the late entry.  My computer was not cooperating tonight.

The most important fact to know is that Malcolm X through page 270 is due Thursday!

Sleep tight!

Spring Has Sprung!!!!

Scholars, thank you for your discussions today.  Your insights are much appreciated, and I will ponder them through the next week.

Please read and annotate, with great focus and empathy, through 270 of Malcolm X.  For those of you who do not have our edition, that is through chapter XIV entitled "Black Muslims."  These pages are due Tuesday.

Also, if you have not finished your journal entry, you may give it to me Monday or Tuesday.  Please make sure that you have written at least one page of good, strong, insightful writing.

Have a great break!

The day before the day before ...

Scholars,

Today we took a quote quiz on Malcolm X.  We also discussed the same.

Tomorrow we will have journal topics:  First period - Gavin; second period - William; fourth period - Jack Ogden; sixth period - Teddy K.; seventh period - Peta!

Over spring break please read through page 270 of Malcolm X through the "Black Muslims" chapter.

Have a great day!

Tuesday and beyond

Scholars,

I hope that all went well today.

I don't know if I will be at school tomorrow.  However, all that you have to do is to appear at the auditorium, look for a substitute or me to mark you present, and listen to the amazing Ms. Rubin tell you about college.

See you tomorrow or Thursday,

Ms. Seward

today and tomorrow

Scholars, today you will have a substitute, and you will write an essay. 

I am out of Malcolm X.  The first 110 pages are due on Thursday.  Accordingly, if you do not have a book, please get thee to a bookstore.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, please go straight to the auditorium. Either I or a substitute will meet you there.

Be good!

The cake is a lie

Scholars,

I learned so much today!  Many thanks to the students who expanded my world (and yours) today with their journal presentations.   I was going to post the journal topics on the blog, but I think that it may be better if you absentees speak to the presenters yourselves when you return on Monday.

Speaking of Monday, we will review your graded writing on Monday and strategize ways to improve your persuasive essays.

The first 110 pages of Malcolm X are due on Thursday.  Please start reading NOW because you will also have a writing assignment soon.

Have a good weekend! 

One more thang ...

We will not have a review session tomorrow.  BHS is hosting a debate tournament, and I must be out of the room by 3:30.  We will have a session the Friday before spring break if there is enough interest.

Poor Elephant

Scholars, today you took a quote quiz on "Shooting an Elephant."  We also discussed same and took the first stab at a rhetorical analysis of this piece.

Tomorrow is journal day!  A grand day!  We will hear from Spencer, Jason, Tracy, Jake, and Peter N.

Your first assignment in Malcolm X is due one week from today, Thursday, March 10th.

Have a wonderful day!

Rats!

Scholars:

Today we discussed the ending of 1984.  Good stuff.  You took a quote quiz and handed in your beautifully annotated book.

Tomorrow we will discuss your beautifully annotated "Shooting an Elephant."

Friday - Journal Day!  First - Spencer; Second - Jason; Fourth - Jack O.; Sixth - Jake; Seventh - Peter N.

Have a great night! 

TAKS Day

Scholars, today you took TAKS for the last time!

In class, we had a catch-up day and ate cupcakes, thanks to Bybee.

Tomorrow, please turn in your blue sheet if you did not do so today.

Also, tomorrow you will have finished reading and annotating 1984 - discussion? quote quiz? annotations?  All of the above?  Who knows?

Thursday, you will have read and annotated "Shooting an Elephant."

Friday - Journal day - First period - Spencer; Second period - Jason;  Fourth period - Jack Ogden; Sixth period - Jake G.; Seventh period - who knows?

Have a great day!