AGENDA 5/29

Listen to "This I Believe" Essay: "Finding the Flexibility to Survive" by Brighton Earley
"This I Believe" Journaling topics

Seminar over pages 110-131 of All the Pretty Horses


HW: Read and prepare for tomorrow's seminar over pages 132-151, including the L♥ve scene (!) of All the Pretty Horses

AGENDA 5/25

"This I Believe" Journaling Prompts
Listen to "This I Believe" essay: "There's No Such Thing as Too Much Barbecue" by Jason Sheehan
Student-Led Seminar over pages 97-110 of All the Pretty Horses

HW: Read pages 110-131 of All the Pretty Horses and be prepared to discuss; rhetorical passage page 123
Discussion Assignment Calendar
Discussion Tracking Sheet
All the Pretty Horses Assignment Directions
Sample rhetorical analysis from excerpt from page 30
Sample discussion notes writeup

AGENDA 5/24

"This I Believe" Journaling Prompts
Listen to "This I Believe" Essay: "Teaching a Bad Dog New Tricks" by David Buetow

All the Pretty Horses Discussion/Rhetorical Assignment Calendar 2012

Sample seminar over pages 3-97

HW: Read pages 97-110 in preparation for tomorrow's seminar; rhetorical passage page 105

AGENDA 5/23

Listen to "This I Believe" essay: "Creative Solutions to Life's Challenges" by Frank X. Walker
Explain Discussion Notes and Rhetorical Analysis assignments for All the Pretty Horses
Show sample discussion notes
Show sample rhetorical analysis for excerpt from page 30

Film clip from All the Pretty Horses - Blevins and the wallet

AGENDA 5/21

"This I Believe" journaling prompts
Listen to "Always Go to the Funeral" by Dierdre Sullivan
Review calendar dates for AtPH discussion leaders and assigned passages
Analyze and discuss opening paragraph of Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses

HW: Read pages 1-30 of All the Pretty Horses for tomorrow; read pages 31-65 for Wednesday's class.

AGENDA 5/15

Review: Jeopardy! Game

GOOD LUCK TOMORROW!  Check the links at the right if you want to do any other review, and then promise me you'll get to bed early tonight.  You'll do great!!!! :-)

AP Testing Information

The big day is almost here!!!!

The following are some reminders to help you get ready for Wednesday’s exam.

TIME:  Arrive no later than 7:15am!  Proctors MUST begin the actual exam as close to 8am as possible.  Students will need to be at their testing rooms with electronics turned in and ready to go.  Once a proctor has handed out the actual test, no students will be permitted to enter the room to test.  (There were 3 such students this morning for AP Bio)  PLEASE remind them that being late will not work on Wednesday.

WHERE TO GO**:  Louria, Pust, Stevens (period 4) and students without a teacher= CAFETERIA

WHAT TO BRING: At LEAST TWO #2 pencils and TWO blue or black ink pens.  If you bring 4 of each, you can help out a friend.  Also, dress in layers (cafeteria starts out cold, then warms up quickly), and bring a snack (on your person!).  Leave any electronics in a locker, at home, or perhaps with a trusted friend.  Bring an analog watch so you can time yourself.  Some people advocated bringing a few small candies that can fit in your pocket for a quick sugar boost between essays. Also, bring your review sheet so you can do your "test day anxiety" journaling (or do that at home or on the way to school).

OTHER REMINDERS:  GO TO BED EARLY Tuesday night.  There's no studying you could do that would benefit you more than a good night's sleep at this point.  Eat a healthy breakfast with protein Wednesday morning.  Avoid extra caffeine and sugar--you'll just crash after the multiple-choice.  Save the sugary treats for afterward!

AND REMEMBER, the AP test is just the "icing" on the cake.  This is an opportunity to show how much you've learned.  It in no way determines your worth as a person or how much I've enjoyed having you as a student.  If you pass, awesome!  If you don't, no biggie.  And if you really, really want the college credit opportunity, you can always take the test again next year.  In the end, the VERY worst that happens to you is you get to take another fabulous English class.  (That's what I call a win-win situation.)  GOOD LUCK!!!!

AGENDA 5/4

Review: 5 Things You NEED to do in a Synthesis Essay
Examine the sample "9" essay for the "Museums" prompt
If time permits, examine the "6" and "3" essays for the "Museums" prompt
Reread your own essay

HW: Write a synthesis essay on education: individuality vs. conformity prompt:
In the first 15 minutes:
1) Read the prompt carefully, note exactly what it is asking, and craft your own position.

2) As you read each source, mine the source's bibliographic citation for information and note whether the source supports or opposes your position (+/-) and underline two potential quotations

In the next 35 minutes:
3) Draft the essay, making sure to use three sources for support.  Cite sources appropriately (Source A).  Introduce all direct quotations by using the author's name or name of source provided in the citation, an argument verb, and what to notice in the quotation that follows.  Don't call the source "Source A" before your quotation; save (Source A) for after the quotation.

4) Then, after 35 minutes, STOP and reread your essay.  Spend an additional 10 minutes revising your essay, keeping in mind the tips above distilled from the PowerPoint and what you remember of the "9" essay we read.  Remember, you'll typically only have 40 minutes, but we're taking 45 on this to make sure that you've written an essay you can be proud of and that you can use to study from prior to the test.  So go through, make sure you have cited appropriately and used three different sources, that you have discussed ideas thoroughly, that you have substituted in better vocabulary where appropriate, etc.

Also, remember that you can use outside knowledge (you should have plenty from our discussions the past two weeks!).  If you intend to use any of our sources, review them prior to reading the prompt and sources. Once you begin work on the essay, do it in a continuous hour.

Please submit Gatsby essays at your earliest convenience to http://turnitin.com for grading.  Contact me by email at jpust@smmusd.org if you need help with Turnitin login information.

Seminar on Monday over Francine Prose's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read."  This essay initially made me so angry I wanted to throw it across the room.  I look forward to our discussion!