AGENDA 5/14

CONGRATULATIONS! You survived the AP Lang test. :-)

Introduction to Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses:
setting: West Texas, 1953
protagonist: John Grady Cole, 16, who has lost just about everything he cares for--so he and his best friend, Lacey Rawlins head out for Mexico
stylistic choices to consider: Why does McCarthy use untranslated Spanish? Why does he not use quotation marks, and seldom uses attributes (he said, she inquired, etc.)? Why does he only use apostrophes in contractions when absolutely necessary (i.e., not in "dont" or "cant" but in "we'll" and "I'll")? What is the purpose of these unconventional choices?

Fun & Games: watch Dr. Horrible's Incredible Sing-a-Long Blog and play board games to celebrate our one day of freedom :-)

HW: Please complete the AP Language Post-Mortem for Tuesday. Read and be prepared to talk about pages 1-30 of All the Pretty Horses for Tuesday's class.

AGENDA 5/13

Take the AP English Language & Composition Exam! Good luck! :-)

GOOD LUCK ON THE AP EXAM!!!

Final Review materials:

Rhetorical Terms half-sheet - a review of all of the most important rhetorical terms, grouped by categories

Jeopardy! Review game (you need PowerPoint to play)

Good luck tomorrow--remember to arrive at the cafeteria by 7:15am! Bring lots of #2 pencils and blue/black ink pens, a sweater in case it's cold, and a snack. Please leave your cell phones, iPods, and other personal electronic devices at home--you won't need any of these during the test and you don't want to get into an altercation with one of the proctors right before the exam. So follow Thoreau's advice and SIMPLIFY! :-) If you bring a snack to enjoy on the 10-minute break, make sure to keep the snack with you and do not put it in your backpack--you won't have access to your backpack during the exam. PLEASE GO TO BED EARLY TONIGHT AND HAVE A GOOD BREAKFAST TOMORROW MORNING.

Best wishes for a great testing experience! I know you'll do well!

AGENDA 4/24

Assign speech dates
Complete AP scantrons
Work in groups on speeches

HW: Multiple-choice practice - allow yourself 20 minutes. Continue working on speeches - we'll deliver them beginning next Wednesday!

FULL LENGTH PRACTICE TEST TOMORROW - REPORT TO OUR CLASSROOM, B200, AT 8:45AM, AND BRING #2 PENCILS, BLUE/BLACK INK PENS, NOTEBOOK PAPER, SNACKS, AND SWEATERS IN CASE IT'S COLD. GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer Key for today's multiple-choice practice--

Passage 11
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. E
6. B
7. B
8. C
9. B

Passage 12
1. C
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. D
6. E
7. E

AGENDA 4/23

Work on and monitor progress of group speeches

HW: Continue working on local issues speeches.

AGENDA 4/22

Earth Day Assembly: View and discuss The Story of Stuff

AGENDA 4/21

Finish "A Plea for Mercy" - discuss implications for our speeches

Review annotated bibliography expectations.

HW: For Thursday - progress check on speeches (note cards, bibliography entries, research/interview questions, visual aid, etc. Nothing needs to be finished--I just need to see some progress!) For Friday - 2 rhetorical terms entries; 1 "free choice" and 1 from a famous speech.