Week Ahead Jan 4-Jan 8

Monday, January 4

Multiple choice test on Macbeth

Major speeches in Macbeth

Tuesday, January 5

Portfolio / Writing folder maintenance

Shakespeare Background Assignment

Wednesday, January 6

Portfolio / Writing folder maintenance

Thursday, January 7

Meet in Room B49 for Shakespeare Background Assignment

Friday, January 8

Shakespeare Background Assignment - Class discussion

Reminder:  Check dogstarnyc.com  daily for cheap and free things to do in the city!

Week Ahead Nov 30-Dec 4

Monday, November 30

DUE:  Written response to Brigitte's visits, "Life in Prison" / Take a Stand Argument Paper

Tuesday, December 1

Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop

Type written response to Brigitte's visit

Type the "Life in Prison" essay

Wednesday, December 2

Peer editing workshop

Thursday, December 3

Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop

Make corrections / do additional writing on articles from peer editing

Friday, December 4

Final exam on James Baldwin's novel Another Country

Reminder:  Check dogstarnyc.com daily for cheap and free things to do in the city!

Class Update for Week Nov 9-Nov 13

Monday, November 9

Finish "illuminated manuscript" activity with passage from Another Country
Class discussion on Book Two

Tuesday, November 10

Two activities:
Responding to a writing prompt for Another Country (in your LJ)
Peer editing using warm/cool feedback of Personal Statements

Wednesday, November 11

Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL

Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of the novel read by Monday, November 16.

Thursday, November 12

Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop

Type written response from Tuesday

Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1

Make additional changes to Personal Statement 2

Friday, November 13

Lincoln Center pre-show workshop on "Broke-ology" with Miss Brigitte
We will see the show on Weds, Nov. 18


REMINDER:  Returned signed permission slip forms for this trip!

Class Update for Week Nov 2-Nov 6

Monday, November 2

For Monday to be written in LJ:  Write a reflection on the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"

• Describe your reactions/impressions of seeing the film
  
• Explain what it taught you about race relations in the 1950s/1960s
  
• Connect the film to the novel Another Country - anything relate?
  
• Write questions you may have about the film

Test on the film and miscegenation laws - short answers, no essay.  You may use your LJ notes from last week's homework (scroll down to see assignments)

Tuesday, November 3

Election Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Wednesday, November 4

Class discussion on Another Country

Guiding Question for discussion:

How are the central characters' lives changing and what is the impact of these changes?  Central characters:  Vivaldo Moore, Ida Scott, Cass Silenski, Eric

Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of Book One and Book Two read by Wednesday, November 4.

Thursday, November 5

Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop

You will get back papers for revision

Goals:

Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1

Make additional changes to Personal Statement 2

Type Reader's Choice text selections and print out

Friday, November 6

Peer Editing workshop on Personal Statements

You ABSOLUTELY must have AT LEAST one draft of Personal Statement 1 or 2 ready for this activity

Class Update & Week Ahead Oct 26-Oct 30

Monday, October 26
Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" on theme of inter-racial relationships and marriage (miscegenation).  When the film came out - 1967 - 14 or so states in the nation still had anti-miscegenation laws on the books making it illegal for mixed-race couples to get married.


While we are spending class time watching the film and Book Two is due on November 4, take advantage of the time and read the novel!  Putting it off will only make you fall behind!  College-bound seniors take their responsibilities seriously.

HOMEWORK DUE WEDNESDAY:  Use the link below and other resources to create notes in your LJ about miscegenation laws and the 1950s/1960s. 

In your notes, identify and explain the following:

• Origins of the word "miscegenation"
• Describe a super brief history of anti-miscegenation laws in the United States
• Explain the connection between miscegenation / anti-miscegenation and racism / discrimination

Here for Wikipedia link

Link to a read-able site for historians on miscegnation in the United States

HOMEWORK DUE THURSDAY:  Write a draft of Personal Statement 2 on the topic "Who are you meant to be?"  Scroll down to an earlier post to see more details.  You must either have a hand-written draft or a typed draft that you will email to yourself and be abel to access it in room B49.

Tuesday, October 27
Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"

Wednesday, October 28
If more time is needed - Watch film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
Reflection in LJ on the film, discussion, make connections to the novel

Thursday, October 29
Meet in Room B49 for writing workshop - You will get back papers for revision
Goals:
Create new document for draft of Personal Statement 2
Make additional changes to Personal Statement 1
Make additional changes to Another Country Paper 1

Friday, October 30
Period 5 does not meet today - we will not have class.  Special scheduel for Parent-Teacher conferences:  Only periods 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

Reminder:  No school next Tuesday, November 3 for Election Day.

Important update for reading the novel Another Country:  Have all of Book One and Book Two read by Wednesday, November 4.


2nd Marking Period:  Three drafts of Personal Statements 1 and 2, Test on Book One/Chapter 1, Written Exam on Book One/Chapters 2 and 3, Paper on Book Two, Reader's Choice Assignment (coming later this week).

Completing ALL of these assignments is required to pass the second marking period.

Anything that's missing will have to be made up to pass the third marking period.

Class Schedule Week of Oct 19-23

Monday, October 19
Meet in room B49 for writing workshop on Paper on Another Country

Tuesday, October 20
Meet in room B49 for writing workshop on Paper on Another Country

Wednesday, October 21

Meet in Room 115 for activity on Another Country

Thursday, October 22

Meet in Room B49 for additional drafting of Paper on Another Country AND typing the Personal Statement

Friday, October 23

Meet in Room 115 for Written Exam on assigned pages of Another Country (see calendar)

Some of you have expressed frustration that we have not returned to the first Personal Statement on overcoming a family-related obstacle.  Do not wait for us!  Write it, edit it, ask a friend or family member to proof read it...type a draft!  Then, move on to Personal Statement 2 on "Who are you meant to be?"  - you'll need to scroll down to an earlier post for more details.

Class Update & Plan for Wednesday

Tuesday, October 13
DUE:  Draft of Personal Statement in your LJ or typed and printed.  Craft Exercise:  Find three places in the draft where you could add dialogue.  Write ten lines of dialogue for each of these places.  Determine which best strengthens the essay with imagery, expresses understanding or insight and generally lifts the tone of the writing.  One-on-one college admission consultations.

Wednesday, October 14
Special School Schedule
10th & 11th grade:  Arrive by 8:10 for PSAT until 11:15
9th & 12th grade:  Arrive by 9:30 and report to deisgnated locations
11:15 - school day begins with these 30-minute periods ONLY:

Period 2  11:19-11:49
Period 4  11:53-12:23
Period 5  12:27-12:57
Period 6  1:01-1:31
Period 8  1:35-2:05
Period 9  2:09-2:39

MR. GAGNON WILL BE ABSENT ON WEDNESDAY

In class on Wednesday go ahead and read the novel.

Another Country chapters and Written Exam will be on Thursday

Thursday, October 15
Written Exam on Another Country (Book 1, Chapter 1)

Friday, October 16
Personal Statement drafting continues
Another Country Discussion continues