Week at a glance September 30 - October 4, 2013

This week we will make our first moves toward wrapping up our unit over Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  First we'll complete the Act IV study guide.  Our next step will be to study for the unit exam by creating an essay comparing/contrasting The Crucible with another potential witch hunt in history.  Students will need to have a completed written draft to earn their way onto a computer on Thursday.  We will wrap up the week with a work day over the 1st Quarter Independent Book Project.

Since we are completing both The Crucible unit and the 1st Quarter IBP, we will not be completing a Close Read or Active Read this week.

• Mon: The Crucible - review the end of Act IV.  Act IV study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Tues: The Crucible Essay - assignment and expectations.  Select a topic and article to use in the essay.
• Wed: The Crucible Essay - complete a written rough draft of the essay, due at the beginning of the hour on Thursday.
• Thurs: Meet in the computer lab to type The Crucible Essay.  We will return to the computer lab on Monday.
• Fri: 1st Quarter Independent Book Project work day.

1st Quarter Independent Book Project

Typed report due to turnitin.com by 11:59pm on Wednesday, Oct 9

Week at a glance September 23 - 27, 2013

When we last visited 1692 Salem, we were looking for hope that the truth would be discovered and the Witch Trials would end.  Sadly, that was not quite the case.  Act IV begins a few weeks later with Salem in chaos and depression.  Although we noted that the climax occurred in Act III, Act IV builds toward its own intense climax that will be the first critical crack in the foundation of the Witch Trials.  We'll also continue with another Close read and another Active Read for the week.

Students are welcome to complete the 1st Quarter Independent Book project at any time.  Students must submit the written portion through turnitin.com.  Students must have their project submitted through turnitin.com by Wednesday, Oct 9.

• Mon: Close Read 6 assigned - due Thursday.  The Crucible - review Acts I - III.  Act III study guide due Tuesday.
• Tues: The Crucible - Act III study guide due.  Determine parts for Act IV.  Begin reading/discussing Act IV.  Complete the Act IV study guide as we read.
• Wed: The Crucible - continue reading/discussing Act IV.  Complete the Act IV study guide as we read.
• Thurs: Close Read 6 due. Independent Reading Project - active reading assignment due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: No school - Teacher In-Service

Week at a glance September 16 - 20, 2013

We'll start this week with a quick review over Acts I and II of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  After turning in the Act II study guide at the beginning of the hour on Tuesday, we'll move on to reading and discussing Act III.  Our Close Read for the week will be over two Puritan poems of the time period.  If students have been paying attention to our discussion over Puritan culture and values, the poems should have more than a few oddities within them.  We will have a Socratic Seminar over the two poems in class on Thursday.

• Mon: Close Read 5 and Socratic Seminar assigned.  The Crucible - review Acts I and II.  Act II study guide due at the beginning of the hour on Tuesday.
• Tues: The Crucible - Act II study guide due.  Determine parts for Act III.  Begin reading and discussing Act III.
• Wed: The Crucible - continue reading and discussing Act III.
• Thurs: Socratic Seminar over Close Read 5 - discussion and reflection.
• Fri: Close Read 5 due. Independent Reading Project - active reading assignment due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance September 9 - 13, 2013

This week we will continue reading and discussing Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  The climax of Act I showed the accusations beginning in the infamous Salem Witch Trials.  Act II begins much quieter at the home of John and Elizabeth Proctor, but will end with a major turning point in the play.  We will also finally return to the computer lab to wrap up final revisions and turn in a final draft of the Personal Narrative Essay.  Students who have not turned in a rough draft will not have any opportunity for feedback prior to a final draft.  The final draft must be turned in to our class site at turnitin.com.  We'll wrap up the week with a discussion over Close Read 4 and another active reading assignment.

• Mon: Close Read 4 assigned - due Friday. The Crucible - determine parts for Act II.  Begin reading and discussing Act II.
• Tues: The Crucible - continue reading, discussing, and working on the study guide for Act II.
• Wed: The Crucible - pause to discuss Act I and Act II.  Discuss results of the Personal Narrative.
• Thurs: Meet in the computer lab to complete final revisions and editing for the Personal Narrative Essay.  Final draft due to turnitin.com.  Copies will not be accepted unless turned in to the class site on turnitin.com.
• Fri: Close Read 4 due. Independent Reading Project - active reading assignment due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance September 2 - 6, 2013

This week we will wrap up Act I of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  Students should have a good idea of the characters behind the Salem Witch Trials and their motives.  As Act I ends, we'll see the hysteria hit Salem and the Trials will begin.  We'll also continue our work with Close Reads and the 1st Quarter Independent Reading Project.  Students will need to be able to identify the book they are working with this quarter by Friday.

• Mon: Labor Day - no school
• Tues: Pass out and discuss progress reports.  Close Read 3 assigned - due Friday.  The Crucible - continue reading and discussing Act I.
• Wed: The Crucible - finish reading and discussing Act I.  Complete the Act I study guide.
• Thurs: The Crucible - Act I review.  Act I study guide due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Close Read 3 due. Independent Reading Project - active reading assignment due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance August 26 - 30, 2013

This week we will begin reading, discussing, and analyzing Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  To help us understand the perspective of the Salem villagers, we'll start the week with a discussion of a famous sermon of the time, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" (an unabridged copy of the sermon is posted to the right under the Recommended Links section).  We'll then get into the actual reading.  Since The Crucible is a play, we'll look for volunteers to read the parts so that we can hopefully hear the play with voice.  We'll wrap up the week with a bit of class time to wrap up this week's Close Read and time to complete the IRP active reading assignment.

• Mon: Close Read 2 assigned - due on Friday.  The Crucible: pre-reading - Read, analyze, and discuss Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."  Edwards response due Tuesday.  Determine parts for Act I.
• Tues: The Crucible: begin reading/discussing Act I.  Complete the study guide as we read.
• Wed: The Crucible: continue reading/discussing Act I.  Complete the study guide as we read.
• Thurs: The Crucible: reading/discussing Act I.  Complete the study guide as we read.
• Fri: Close Read 2 due. Independent Reading Project - active reading assignment due by the end of the hour.

Week at a glance August 19 - 23, 2013

WRHS Open House

Wednesday, Aug 21 -- 6:00-9:00 pm

Having spent last week getting to know one another and the expectations of the class, this week we'll jump right into the English 11 curriculum.  We'll start the week with checking out textbooks, handing out and briefly discussing this week's Close Read, and shaping our first essay of the semester: the Personal Narrative.  Students will then have two days in the computer lab to shape and create a rough draft of the essay.  On Thursday we'll take some time to preview our first play of the semester as we consider the history behind Arthur Miller's The Crucible.  We'll wrap up the week with students doing an Active Reading activity for the 1st Quarter Independent Book Project (IBP).

• Mon: Practice CR due.  Check out textbooks.  Pass out and briefly discuss CR1 - due Friday.  Assign and discuss the Personal Narrative.  Come back to class with a topic and completed outline.
• Tues: Meet in Library Lab C - shape and create the Personal Narrative.
• Wed: Meet in Library Lab C - finish shaping a rough draft of the Personal Narrative.  Print 2 copies and upload a copy to turnitin.com
• Thurs: The Crucible pre-reading -- history notes and video
• Fri: IBP Active Reading - turn in before the end of the hour.  CR1 due by the end of the hour.