Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Well, it's hard to believe we are half-way "there". I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank-you all for being such a great class. Yes, there were days when you had me pulling my hair out ( I can't lie!). But all in all, I really enjoyed teaching your class. I will miss each and every one of you next semester.

Take care, and hit the books "hard" next semester!

P.S: There are several people who did not pick up their recent assignments. Please drop down to pick them up tomorrow.

Ms. Flick:)

Writing Portfolio

I hope that everyone is having a very productive weekend. I am sure you are all home studying for your English exam:) Don't forget to take breaks; your brain needs time to rest, so that it can hold on to all that information!

Please remember that I expect all students to be in class at the regular time (8:50am) for study hall. At that time I will collect all textbooks (Sightlines, A Midsummer Night's Dream, To Kill A Mockingbird). I will only allow students who come to class at the designated time to keep their AMND books during the exam. Please do not mark or write in your books. I will be collecting them, and handing out a different copy to each student during the exam.

IMPORTANT: You are responsible for all notes on this blog (characteristics of a romantic comedy).

If school is cancelled on the day of the exam, all exams will be pushed a day ahead. For example, If school is closed Monday, Jan. 29, the exams scheduled for the 29th will be written on the 30th; exams scheduled for the 30th will be written on the 31st (and so on).

IN CASE OF SICKNESS, CALL THE SECRETARY TO REPORT YOUR ABSENCE BEFORE
THE EXAM(S).

Just a reminder (not that you need one) that Friday, Feb. 2 is an administration day and there will be no classes.

Friday Class re-cap:

• Passed back poetry and non-fiction quizzes
• Reviewed quizzes
• Discussed final exam (format and possible questions
• We had our cake and ate it too!

Please do not forget to bring your cumulative binders on Monday. Also, you must have your writing portfolios passed in on Monday. The following is a list of entries that should be in your portfolio:

• Challenge Day
• Free Writing (Dec 4)
• Poetry prompt questions (Dec11)
• "My Left Foot" response (Dec. 15)
• "The Only Wheelchair in Town" (Dec. 16)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream Journal Prompts
• Act I = All
• Act II = All
• Act III = Skip square bullet; do triangle bullet
• Act IV = Skip square bullet; do first triangle bullet

That is all you are required to have completed in your writing portfolios.

Good Luck Studying!!

Final Exam Review

Class Re-cap (Thurs.)

• Discussed all AMND important quotations that will be on the final (speaker, situation, meaning)
• Passed out and discussed notes on theme, symbols, "5" plots
• Passed out sheets with "tentative" averages for the semester

Tomorrow: Important Class! We will be reviewing your poetry and non-fiction quizzes and all important material for the exam. If school is cancelled, please check the blog for further instruction!

English 421 Final Exam Review

Non-Fiction
You must be able to:

Do a sight reading of a designated piece of writing
Write and identify thesis statements
Identify arguments used by an author to support his/her thesis
Understand all terms relating to non-fiction writing (notes)
Understand the 4 different types of writing (notes)
Answer questions relating to all non-fiction pieces studied in class

Poetry
You must be able to:
Analyze and dissect a poem(s)
Understand all poetic devices and terms (notes & hand-outs)
Compare and contrast two poems
Answer questions relating to all poems studied in class
Have knowledge and understanding of sonnets (Shakespearean/Petrarchan)
Iambic Pentameter


A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare)
You must be able to:
Understand all important quotations (identify: speaker, situation, & meaning)
Understand all notes/hand-outs
Analyze the key characters
Have an understanding of the plot
Understand all "5 plots"
Understand all themes presented in the play


Good Luck Studying. Be mindful that this exam is performance driven. In other words, I am testing you to evaluate how you use all the skills you learned throughout this course. Remember to take your time during the exam, and re-read all sight readings at least twice to increase understanding and comprehension.

Upcoming Exams

Hello all,

I just wanted to stress the importance of attending Thursday and Friday's classes. We are covering new material right up until Friday afternoon. I will be providing you with a review sheet; however, I am sure you realize that the exam will cover poetry, non-fiction, and AMND. Please do not forget your cumulative binders on exam day. Also, be aware that I will be marking your writing portfolios sometime next week.

Class re-cap for Wed. Jan. 25:

• Non-Fiction Quiz
• Journal Prompts (AMND) Come see me to verify the specific entries

More non-fiction notes...

Here are some notes on the different types of essays for those who do not have them. Good luck studying! Please remember to bring your textbook and AMND quotation notes to class tomorrow!!

Descriptive -- Describes a person, place, or thing in detail. Most common form of organization is spatial.

Narrative -- Narrates an event or series of events. Most common form of organization is chronological. May also use the "flashback" technique.

Expository -- Explains something; provides information. may be in the form of an extended definition, cause and effect, or may consider specific aspects of a particular topic.

Persuasive -- Attempts to convince the reader to agree with the author's side of an issue using both reason (logic) and emotional appeals.

Class re-cap:

• Finished AMND (watching/reading)
• Journal entry (Act II -- square bullet on journal prompt hand-out)
• Passed out "Important Quotations" hand-out for AMND
• Discussion of 1st quote

Monday, Jan. 22

Class re-cap:

• Poetry Quiz
• Watched/read AMND
• Journal entry (Act I -- both journal prompts on hand-out)

What's left...

• Non-fiction quiz (Wed)
• Finish up AMND
• AMND Important Quotations
• AMND notes on theme
• Review for Exam
• Cumulative Binder (due during exam)

Cumulative Binder

As mentioned at the beginning of this course, I will be taking in your binders (during the exam period) for evaluation. I will evaluate your binders mainly on content and organization. This is a way for me to reward all students who have "held on" to their notes, hand-outs, and homework.

Your binders will be marked out of 10, and will hold the same value as a regular assignment.

Some tips:

• All notes, hand-outs, and homework should be in chronological order.
• Be sure that your binder is well-organized and neatly presented.
• Be sure that your first and last name are visible.

Non-Fiction Quiz

You will be writing a non-fiction quiz on Wed. Jan.24. To prepare for the quiz (and upcoming exam) you should:

• Read over all your notes/hand-outs on non-fiction (you will not be asked defnitions; however, you need to understand all terms).
• You will be given a sight reading (a piece of writing you have not read before). You will be asked to identify what type of writing it is (ie: expository, persuasive, descriptive, or narrative) and defend your choice.
• You will be asked to determine the author's thesis statement (you must defend your choice).
• You will be asked to identify the main arguments employed by the author (you must defend your choices).
• There may be 1-2 additional questions relating to the piece.

Please see me if you have any questions about this quiz. Good luck studying!!

Poetry Quiz...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend....I am here at the school, dead-tired after a basketball scrimmage:)
For those who were not in class on Friday, I caved and moved the poetry quiz to Monday. You also have your "interview" paper due that day. Your non-fiction quiz is on Wednesday. Good luck studying!

Class re-cap Friday:

• Finished watching/reading up to Act IV(AMND)
• Discussion after each scene
• Discussed the upcoming quizzes & exam

For a bank mark, write a free verse poem using at least two of the poetic devices we have studied this term. This can be a rough draft. Be sure to pass it in to me by Wednesday.

Storm Day...

Well, I am sure everyone was extremely disappointed when they learned that school was cancelled today...yeah right! This gives all those who have not passed in their Independent Novel Study one extra "free" day...although they will still be considered 2 days late (-20%).

Just a 'heads-up', we will be having our poetry quiz this Friday, January, 19. You need to be studying all the key terms (please refer to all notes and hand-outs), and be able to dissect and understand a sight poem. It will be very similar to your in-class evaluation on the John Mayer song "Waiting on the World to Change". You should study your assignment, and be prepared for the same type of questions.

Please be sure to bring your A Midsummer Night's Dream books to class with you on Thursday.
Enjoy your break!

Tue. Class re-cap:

• Discussed notes on the Elements of a Shakespearean Romantic Comedy (copy notes from blog)
• Discussion on Shakespeare & his life
• Began listening/reading MND Act I Scene I

Shakespeare Notes

Please copy (or make a copy) of the following notes.

Characteristics of a Shakespearean Romantic Comedy

1. The main action is about love.

2. The would-be lovers must overcome obstacles and misunderstandings before being united in harmonious union. The ending frequently involves a parade of couples to the altar and a festive mood or celebration. A Midsummer Night’s Dream has 4 such couples.

3. Frequently, it contains elements of the improbable, the fantastic, the supernatural, or the miraculous (for example, the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream). The happy ending may be brought about through supernatural or divine intervention or may merely involve improbable turns of events.

4. There is frequently a philosophical aspect involving weightier issues and themes, such as the importance of love in human existence, the power of language to help or hinder communication, the disjunction between appearance and reality, or the power of dreams and illusions.

Jan.16

• We corrected hand-outs on Shakespearean Language
• Discussed and answered questions relating to the poems "Dreams" and "Those Winter Sundays"
• Passed out A Midsummer Night's Dream books
• Signed up for Book Talk times (if you did not sign up please come see me, or I will sign you up for a time)

Book Talks: Please go to room 334 on flip days & room 243 on straight days at 12:10pm sharp.

Tuesday: Jamie, Derek, Mitchell

Wednesday: Justin, Stephen, Brennan

Thursday: Roxanne, Julie Ann, Jenna, Vanessa, Emily, Jordan

Friday: Emil, Ian, Maggie

For a bank mark...

Please read the article "Shakespeare's Coined Words Now Common Currency" http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0419_040419_shakespeare.html
and respond to the following questions:

1. Who is the author of this article, and when did he/she publish it?
2. Give four examples of today's "sayings" which were influenced by Shakespeare.
3. Which "noun" did Shakespeare use as a "verb" (we continue to use it as a verb today).
4. Shakespeare has been credited as being the first to use which words (give 10 examples).
5. What well known Shakespearean phrase does the author end his/her article with?

Pass these questions in to me at the beginning of class on Wednesday to earn a bank mark. Good luck!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Hello All,

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We have a busy two weeks ahead of us; I hope everyone is ready to work!

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will begin reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream tomorrow in class. I hope that everyone had the chance to complete the handouts on Shakespearean language I gave out on Friday. We will be reviewing those sheets, as well as your learning station packages at the beginning of the period. Don't forget that your independent novel study is due at the beginning of class tomorrow!! Also, all those who must re-submit their 5 paragraph essays should do so before Friday, Jan. 19. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

See you "D" block -- Ms. Flick:)

Lots of things to keep you busy...

It was great to see everyone looking "chipper" in class yesterday. I must admit, I did miss you all over the break. **I'm back..I started to write this entry this morning...and had to leave it!

I was impressed with people's work ethic in the library today. Excellent work! Before I forget, I want ALL STUDENTS to go immediately to the library at the start of D Block. Ms. King will verify the attendance of all basketball ticket holders. Those not attending the game must stay in the library and work on their upcoming assignments.

Here are the upcoming due dates:

Independent Novel Study -- Due: Monday, Jan. 15
Book Talk -- Due: Next week (Everyone needs to sign up for a "lunch spot")
"Interview" Paper -- Due: Monday, Jan. 22

** We also have poetry and non-fiction quizzes coming up. I will let you know the exact dates early next week. Good luck, and I will see you Friday.

Welcome Back!

I hope that everyone enjoyed their "long" break. I had a very restful two weeks, and am ready to get back into the swing of things.

I will be using this blog to relay important information, and inform both parents and students about upcoming assignments and tests.

Stay tuned...