AP English Language (Period 3) Assignments

When you are done with your test, watch the following videos on A Midsummer Night's Dream below...

 

Thug Notes:

 

SparkNotes:

 

Animaniacs episode inspired by AMND:

 

Shakespeare's Brief Biography

 

A full audio recording of the play--if you like to listen as you read.

 

Another downloadable recording:

 

More coming....

Hi all,

 

Read through Act IV of A Midsummer Night's Dream. You can look up Act IV on the internet, or I have copies if you need them, you can come to Room 646 and pick one up from me. 

 

In the other posted homework assignment, there were a couple of dramatized audio recordings, which were downloadable to all different devices, and which might also help with reading the play.

 

Also, I will need all late work--homework, essays, classwork--by next Thursday.  Please make sure to turn in any missing work that you want to be included in your final grade by then.

 

I think I posted most of the homework assignments, although there were several practice-AP-test essays and handouts that we started in class that I did not post but were assigned earlier in May.  Make sure you have turned all of these in:

 

1) the Mapping An Argument handout

2) the Mapping an Argument from Multiple Sources handout

3) the Q1 essay on "Locavores,"

4) the Q1 essay on "College Affordability,"

5) the Q2 essay on "Stereotypes surrounding the environmental movement," and 6) the Q2 essay on "How entertainment ruins society."

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Have a fabulous weekend!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Please remember to bring your essays on the 2003 Q1 (actually Q3) argument prompt that we planned out and discussed on Wednesday.

 

Also, bring your completed "Mapping an Argument" handout and your Patterns textbook.  I have included a copy of the handout below...let me know if you have any questions.

 

See you soon!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Read the excerpt from "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell in your Patterns book on page 351.  Take notes on the piece, especially focusing on how Gladwell structures his argument and utilizes different appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos); record the effect of these appeals.  Answer the Comprehension, Purpose and Audience, and Style and Structure questions after the piece.  Be prepared to discuss this piece in class, as we will be doing a mini-unit on Gladwell for the next couple of weeks, where you will be watching videos, reading excerpts from his books and articles he has published, and discussing his argument techniques.

 

Bring your homework and Patterns book to class on Wednesday.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Your second Synthesis Essays are due tomorrow.  Make sure to bring them with you at the beginning of class so we can begin right away with discussing, evaluating, and reflecting on them.

 

Also, bring your Patterns book to class with you.  We will be discussing pieces of text and the questions you answered from the two most recent essays--the Kozol essay and the Winn excerpt.  Expect some "easy" credit for a textbook check.

 

See you tomorrow!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

This is Part One of the assignment due on Tuesday.  I will be posting a Part Two as well.

 

In preparation for reading the Winn article, which is an example of a "Cause and Effect" piece, read the introduction to the chapter on "Cause and Effect" as a writing pattern.  It will help you answer the questions, understand what to take notes on in the article, and give you greater understanding of how to write a "Cause and Effect" piece yourself.

 

A few things to note about Cause and Effect pieces:

A.  The cause precedes the effect, so sequence is important.

B.  Look for the difference between main cause (emphasized) and contributory causes (downplayed)

C.  Also understand the difference between immediate (closely precedes event) and remote (happened in the past or in a far away place) causes.

D.  avoid "post hoc" reasoning, which equates coincidence with causality.

 

Read the article "Television:  The Plug-In Drug" by Marie Winn on page 325 of the Patterns textbook.  Take notes on the article in your notebook.  Answer the questions under the Comprehension, Purpose and Audience, and Style and Structure sections on pages 332-333. 

 

That's all for Part One.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Just a reminder that we are rescheduling our Sunday session for NEXT Sunday, April 10th, at 3pm. However, we will have an after-school session tomorrow at 3:15pm in Room 646 for 90 minutes.

 

Let me know if you have any questions. [email protected]

 

Also, I will be posting the Wednesday homework later today.  Please bring your homework tomorrow--the video questions and answers, any spring break argument essays on the "adversity" prompt, and your questions on the Kozol book excerpt, "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society."

 

Blessings,

 

M. Crabtree

Hi,

 

Watch the three videos from the three leading candidates below.  Then, answer the following five questions about each candidate's video:

 

Consider these definitions before you begin:

Logos--appeals to an audience's application of logic and reason within an argument.  Usually this is explaining logically and clearly using examples (but not heart-wrenching ones), facts, statistics, and reasoning.

 

Pathos--appeals to the emotional side of the audience within an argument.  Usually these are loaded words, images, and sounds, gripping or startling information, stories, or anecdotes, and heart-wrenching examples.

 

Ethos--appealing to an audience's understanding of the authority and expertise of the speaker within an argument.  In an in-person speech, this might be the outfit the speaker is wearing, the introduction they are given by someone else, or the background information about them on the screen.  In a written work, it might be the written biography that lists their accomplishments and credentials on the book flab or article header, their picture, or the blurbs they include on the book jacket.  It can also build off of any prior knowledge you have as the audience about the speaker/writer/debater and why you should trust him/her.

 

1.  Consider how all three of the videos play with the three argumentative concepts and values explained above.  List specific examples--quotes, images, or scenes from each of the videos that supports the appeals to each of the argumentative values.  Fill in the chart given to you in class to complete this question.

 

2.  What groups of people are the intended audiences for each of the videos?  Who are they "playing" to?  Give as many details as you can, but be able to back up your ideas with the videos themselves.

 

3.  Now, how effective are the different types of appeals in each video at reaching their desired audiences?  Notice that I am not asking how they affect YOU, but how effective do you think they would be to most intended audience members?  Explain why you rate them as effective/ineffective.

 

4.  What would make the videos more effective?  What changes could they make to appeal to different audiences?

 

5.  Now, imagine you were running for an office--at school or in your neighborhood.  What elements would be in your campaign video?  Why would you choose to highlight these ideas about yourself?  Who would be your intended audience?  Which type of appeals would you focus on?  Why?

 

The videos are attached below...

 

Good luck.  Let me know if you have any questions!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Your homework for Thursday involves a few different assignments:

 

Read this article about satirical website and newsletter, The Onion

 

Make sure to examine the photograph and original Facebook post, read the comments posted, and answer the following questions: 

1.  What was the original intent of the Onion post?

2.  How was this misinterpreted by the commenters?

3.  What phrases or words in the comments lead you to believe that they misinterpreted the original post?  Explain why these words/phrases highlight the misunderstanding.

4.  What are some possible underlying (implied) causes for this misunderstanding?

5.  How does this expose ways in which our assumptions and beliefs can blur the meaning of text?

Hi all,

 

I hope you enjoyed your Spring Break.  If you are like me, then it feels way too short! A few things to prepare for class tomorrow.

 

1.  Please bring the completed essay that Ms. Masters' assigned.

 

2.  Be prepared to turn in any notes, questions, or classwork on the "Sinners" sermon by Jonathan Edwards.  I am missing quite a few of these homework and classwork assignments from people.  So please bring anything you have to class tomorrow.

 

3.  Very late homework/essay update--there are still several people who never turned in their Scarlet Letter annotations and essays.  Please make sure to turn those in ASAP.

 

4.  Homework assignment:  read the Jonathan Kozol book excerpt, on pages 229-236 in your patterns book.  The excerpt, "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society," is an example of exemplification (this is actually a pun...haha).  Exemplification is defined in pages 191-204, so please read that section as well for the background on this particular writing strategy.  Also, take notes on the excerpt, highlighting/copying key quotes and your commentary (something like a dialectic journal or in paragraph form), and answer the Comprehension, Purpose and Audience, and Style and Structure questions (there are 12 questions total) using complete sentences.  I will collect this on Thursday, but you will have an additional homework assignment for Thursday as well, so be ready.

 

Happy Monday!  Have a great Cesar Chavez day and I will see you tomorrow!

 

M. Crabtree

 

Hi all,

 

Please read the sermon by Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God."  It is about 25 pages long.  You will be working on this tomorrow in class.

 

Please try to bring a device that you can read the sermon on to class...the substitute will not be providing copies, so you will need a device to read the sermon.  There will also be laptops for your use--but only a few.

 

Finally, please meet in Room 646 both on Monday and Wednesday.  It is easier for the substitute.

 

And, save the multiple choice questions that I gave out on Thursday.  If you can bring those to class on Friday, we will go over them then.

 

Thanks, and have a great couple of days!

 

Ms. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

I am posting the essay assignment just in case you do not have the prompt. Please bring your rough draft to class tomorrow--either printed, written out in ink, or typed because I want to complete an activity on it.  So  if you don't bring anything to class, you will miss out on receiving credit for the essay, but you will also miss out on our reading/revision activity.

 

Just a few notes to remember from the last timed write:

A.  Intros can be short--2-3 sentences only.  One sentence to state your analysis according to the prompt (THESIS), and another sentence to introduce your main reasons and rhetorical devices that you will discuss in your essay.

B.  Avoid talking about rhetorical devices you are unfamiliar with...stick with what you know and are confident in discussing.  If that means you spend the entire time talking about irony, then that is fine, as long as you provide ample evidence to support your analysis.

C.  The AP readers consider "ample" evidence to be 6 or more textual examples.  BUT THESE DO NOT HAVE TO BE COMPLETE SENTENCES OR PARAGRAPHS.  A piece of evidence can be simply words or phrases that highlight diction, syntax, and rhetorical style.  You do not have to quote long pieces of text, you just need to quote several pieces of text.  You can use an ellipsis if you need to quote a longer sentence.  The "..." ("dot-dot-dots") are your friends.

D.  ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS explain the effects of the rhetorical decisions made by the author.  This is your "commentary" and is the main basis for your analysis.  So if you just provide quote after quote but are unable to explain the effects on the meaning of what you are quoting, your essay will not receive a higher score than a 4 or 5.

 

I hope this helps.  Good luck!

 

M. Crabtree

 

Hi All,

 

I forgot to remind you to sign-up for the AP exam.  It is mandatory for you to take it.  It will hurt your grade if you do not at least attempt the AP exam, so make sure to sign up for it.  Bring $5 this week, according to your last name:

A-C, Mon. February 22.

D-J, Tuesday, February 23.

K-M, Wednesday, February 24.

N-R, Friday, February 26.

S-Z, Monday, February 29.

 

If you miss your day this week, you CAN still pay next week.  But you need to wait until next Tuesday if you miss your day.  You can ONLY sign up during lunch or after school.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Attached are the Socratic Seminar Discussion Questions for today.

 

Please bring your texts and articles to class today.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Here is the second reading, related to the first two, that you should annotate (or take notes on), answer the reading questions, and formulate 3-4 open-ended discussion questions on after reading.

 

Click here for the reading.

 

Reading Questions:

1.  What are the overall findings as it relates to a "sexual double standard" of the author?

2.  How does the author support these findings?

3.  What do you feel Vrangalova leaves out or omits from consideration?

4.  Which parts of her argument are the strongest, most convincing aspects?  Please explain.

5.  Which parts of her argument are the weakest?  Why?

6.  What is her counterargument?  Quote it, and evaluate how effectively she refutes it.

 

Please bring your notes/annotations, article, reading questions, and potential discussion questions to class on Thursday.

 

M. Crabtree

Hello AP Lang Scholars,

 

Here is the first part of your homework for Tuesday.  Please re-read the excerpt from Chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter, then read the NYTimes op-ed on an issue related to the themes addressed.  Annotate the article, complete the close reading graphic organizer, and bring your answers to the questions included in this post to class on Tuesday.

 

Excerpt 1: “The Scarlet Letter”
From Chapter 2, The Market-Place, which begins with a crowd at the prison door talking about Hester Prynne as they wait for her to emerge.

“Goodwives,” said a hard-featured dame of fifty, “I’ll tell ye a piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we women, being of mature age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne. What think ye, gossips? If the hussy stood up for judgment before us five, that are now here in a knot together, would she come off with such a sentence as the worshipful magistrates have awarded? Marry, I trow not!”

“People say,” said another, “that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale, her godly pastor, takes it very grievously to heart that such a scandal should have come upon his congregation.”

“The magistrates are God-fearing gentlemen, but merciful overmuch, — that is a truth,” added a third autumnal matron. “At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead. Madame Hester would have winced at that, I warrant me. But she, — the naughty baggage, — little will she care what they put upon the bodice of her gown! Why, look you, she may cover it with a brooch, or such like, heathenish adornment, and so walk the streets as brave as ever!”

“Ah, but,” interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, “let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart.”

“What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown, or the flesh of her forehead?” cried another female, the ugliest as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges. “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the Scripture and the statute-book. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank themselves if their own wives and daughters go astray!”

“Mercy on us, goodwife,” exclaimed a man in the crowd, “is there no virtue in woman, save what springs from a wholesome fear of the gallows? That is the hardest word yet! Hush, now, gossips; for the lock is turning in the prison-door, and here comes Mistress Prynne herself.”

The door of the jail being flung open from within, there appeared, in the first place, like a black shadow emerging into sunshine, the grim and grisly presence of the town-beadle, with a sword by his side and his staff of office in his hand. This personage prefigured and represented in his aspect the whole dismal severity of the Puritanic code of law, which it was his business to administer in its final and closest application to the offender. Stretching forth the official staff in his left hand, he laid his right upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward until, on the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air, as if by her own free-will. She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day; because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.

When the young woman — the mother of this child — stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress. In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore; and which was of a splendor in accordance with the taste of the age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.

 Read the full chapter 2 here or using your own, annotated, text.

Excerpt 2: Op-Ed: Sex and the Single Murderess
From The New York Times, May 5, 2013, by Frank Bruni

Photo

“Sex game gone wrong,” “sex game gone awry,” “sex-mad flatmate,” “sex-crazed killer.”

That’s from just the first three minutes of the ABC News special on Amanda Knox last week, a veritable drumbeat of sexual shaming that leaves no doubt about what elevated a college student accused of murder into an object of international fascination, titillation and scorn.

It wasn’t the crime itself. It was the supposed conspiracy of her libido, cast as proof that she was out of control, up to no good, lost, wicked, dangerous. A girl this intent on randy fun was a girl who couldn’t be trusted and got what was coming to her, even if it was prison and even if there was plenty of reason — as the eventual reversal of her initial conviction made clear — to believe that she might not belong there.

… Men get passes, women get reputations, and real, lasting humiliation travels only one way. The size and scope of that mortification, despite many decades of happy talk about dawning gender equality, are suggested by recent news stories of one teenage girl in California and another in Nova Scotia who hanged themselves after tales or cellphone pictures of their sexual violation circulated among peers. It’s impossible not to wonder if shame drove them to suicide, and it’s impossible not to ask what sort of world allows the victims of such assaults to feel more irredeemably branded — more eternally damned — than their accused assailants by all appearances do.

I’ll tell you what sort: a world in which there’s a cornucopia of synonyms for whore and slut and no comparably pejorative vocabulary for promiscuous or sexually rapacious men.

… When we chart and lament the persistence of sexism in society, we look to the United States Congress, where women are still woefully underrepresented. We look to corporate boardrooms, where the glass ceiling hasn’t really shattered. But we needn’t look any further than how perversely censorious of women’s sex lives we remain, and how short the path from siren to slut and from angel to she-devil can be.

Read the full article here.

Fill-in the attached Close Reading chart.

Answer these questions in 1-2 paragraphs each:

1. What can you learn about Hester Prynne from this first description? What lines or words give you that information? What can you infer about the town and its people just from these few paragraphs?
2. Read both the chapter and the Op-Ed article in full. What parallels do you see between the two? How are they different? Are there any lines from one that seem to echo or “talk back to” lines from the other? What relationship might the world of Puritan New England have to your world today?
3. Do you agree with the Op-Ed article that we, as a society, remain “perversely censorious of women’s sex lives”? If so, why do you think that is?
4. Do you think that a sexual double standard affects the ability of women to advance in the world? Why or why not?
5. What evidence can you offer from your own reading or experiences to defend your opinion about the extent to which there is still a double standard in society? Where else, whether in literature, history, pop culture or on Facebook, have you seen it?

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

This is not the essay prompt, but it is info on paid internships during the summer for high school juniors. I thought that some of you might be interested. Here is the info that I received.

Hi all,

 

Here is the prompt you will be working on in class on Friday.  Remember...

     A.  you can use your book, annotations, and notes, so come prepared with these materials.

     B.  you should write your essay in dark blue or black ink ONLY.  Your outline/brainstorming/notes can be in pencil, but the essay should be written in ink.  Pen is easier to read and conveys a message of confidence in your writing that pencil does not.  Remember to "strikethrough" errors and use the reliable "carrot" when necessary to add sections.

     C.  try for three pages...

     D. You are welcome to re-read the chapter, add to your annotations, brainstorm, and outline for this essay, but do not write the essay until class.

 

Here is the prompt:

 

Good luck!

 

Ms. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Here is an article that supports what I mentioned on Monday...about how sometimes private, out-of-state colleges and universities can actually offer MORE aid and scholarships than in-state, public universities.  Click Here to read the article.

 

Also, if you are interested in the QuestBridge program, which is referred to in the article, please let me know.  I can recommend you this summer (though you do not need my recommendation to apply).  It sounds like an AMAZING opportunity for those of you who are interested in applying to schools out of state.

 

Finally, I just want to break down a few more details about my own story that might be helpful to you:

 

A.  I applied to a total of 9 schools when I was a senior (all of them PAPER applications, btw, that had to be SNAIL-MAILED!!!).  Here's my list:

Dream School:  Yale University (waitlisted)

"Reaches":  Duke (rejected), Amherst (accepted)

"Probables":  Pomona College, UCLA, Tulane U., Bryn Mawr (all accepted)

"Automatics/Safeties":  Scripps College, UCDavis (accepted)

I had to pay for every single application...so if you can apply for free through fee waivers, I would say apply to as many schools as you are interested in and for which you are eligible.  The fee waiver limit does NOT apply to private schools, just to Cal States and UCs, so you can apply for free to as many private schools as you qualify for fee waivers.  Also, it is so much easier to apply now with the Common App...most schools share one central application, but then require different essays and short answer questions.  So it is EVEN EASIER to apply to private schools than when I was applying to college.  TAKE ADVANTAGE!!!

 

B.  I applied to a mixture of private, public, and liberal arts schools.

    1.  Private colleges/universities (Tulane, Duke, Yale) are schools that are primarily funded through private tuition and donations and do not receive significant funds from the state or federal governments.  These schools tend to be medium in size (4000-15,000 undergrads) and usually have law schools, medical schools, and other graduate schools associated with them as well as undergraduate programs.  They are also "research-focused," which means many of your professors will be published researchers and well-known in their fields.

     2.  Public colleges/universities (UCLA, UCDavis) are schools that are partially funded through state moneys that enable them to charge less tuition, BUT, due to budget cut-backs, many state schools in CA are actually offering LESS financial aid and grants than before and they are raising tuition and fees to make up the difference.  They are usually large in size, and also research-focused, while also offering graduate schools and programs. If you are interested in a public state school in another state, you will have to pay what is known as "out-of-state" tuition, at least for the first year.

     3.  Liberal Arts Colleges (Scripps, Bryn Mawr, Amherst, Pomona) are colleges that are smaller (less than 4000), usually DON'T have graduate schools or programs, and are focused on providing a classically-broad education with an emphasis on seminar-type classes and discussion.

 

However, they were ALL in fairly large cities (except for UCDavis, which was my safety school).  I knew I wanted to go to school in/near a big city...you have to decide what type of experience YOU want...big city??? rural or small-town???  Southern??? Midwestern??? East Coast??? Northern Cal???

 

C.  I want to reiterate that going to college in a cool place (like New Orleans), far away from home, was pretty amazing.  You can ALWAYS come back to LA when you are done with school, and since you are a student, it will be much cheaper to live in many cool places than if you actually were working and had to pay for an apartment (San Francisco, I'm looking at you!).  That said, if you are more of a stay-close-to-home person, then still consider looking at local private schools.  They might offer more financial aid and grants than the state schools in the area.

 

That's all for now.  I would love to talk to and encourage you more if you are seriously thinking about attending an out-of-state school.  The time to start reading and researching is now.

 

See you tomorrow, and please bring your "Letter to My Parents" Writing assignment.

 

Blessings,

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

I would like you to write a "Letter to My Parents" submission entry by midnight on Monday, February 1st as your homework.  You have a chance to win prizes and $500 in cash through your submission.

 

I am attaching the guidelines below as a PDF, and also copying the main instructions here.

 

Submission Date Extended!

2016 Letter to My Parents^TM Contest in Los Angeles

Due to a popular demand, the Organizing Committee for the 2016 Letter to My Parents^TM Contest in Los Angeles (Organized by the Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown, and Reyukai America) is announcing the extension of the last day of submission from January 22 to February 1.

Letter to My Parents^TM Contest in Los Angeles is open to residents of Los Angeles County ages 15 to 20 years who would like to express their experiences and feelings towards their parents or legal guardians. Participants are encouraged to submit work illustrating examples from personal family life; reflecting family relationships and interactions. Suggested topics include:

• How have my parent’s experiences and influence affect or shape the person I am today?
• What my parent(s) means to me?
• What are my thoughts about how we are as a family?
• What would I like to do for my parent(s)?
• How I can improve relationships in my family?

Three award recipients will receive $500, ten finalists will $50 Gift Certificates, Full Day Pass for Pacific Media Expo 2016 and a Yearlong test-prep course subscription, will be given, courtesy of BenchPrep and many more!

Submit entries to www.LetterToMyParents.com (Click the Los Angeles Contest Icon) by February 1 2016. Entries can be in any language used in the County of Los Angeles, but an English translation is required. Contestants 17 years old and under must submit a Parental/Guardian consent form.

Ten finalists will be selected and will be invited to present their letters during the final presentation to judges, scheduled to be held during February 2016.

Letter to My Parents is sponsored by Pacific Media Expo, CARE (Cambodian-Americans for Rural Education Foundation), and BenchPrep. Supported by the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles.

For more information, contact Toshiro Obara at 626.356.8055, [email protected].  

Details also available at www.LetterToMyParents.com.

Click HERE to Download the 2016 Contest Package

2016 Letter to My Parents Contest in Los Angeles 
www.lettertomyparents.com

www.facebook.com/LetterToMyParentsLA/ 

NOTE:  even if you don't end up submitting your letter to the contest, I would like you to turn a copy of your letter in by Wednesday, so this is also a required homework assignment.

Hi all,

 

Just a reminder that I am checking annotations on chapters XVI-XX today, and on chapters XXI-XXIV on Friday.  I will try to catch up on those that I have not checked yet, today.

 

Also, I am attaching a vocabulary guide to The Scarlet Letter.  I will give the guide out as a hard copy in class today.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Yes, it is that time of year again:  the start of spring semester.  Happy 2016 and I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your break!

 

I would like to start working on discussing and closely reading key passages of The Scarlet Letter tomorrow during class.   Please bring your copies of the book.  Do not worry about finishing the annotations.  I am attaching an annotations guide to help you, and I will check the book in sections, just to make it a bit easier to check the quality of your work.  I am looking for about 1-2 annotations per page; but I would also like to see quality notes written.

 

So, please finish reading the book, since we will be discussing it in class and our discussion might contain spoilers, but the annotations for Chapters I-V ONLY will be checked tomorrow.

 

 I hope this takes a little bit of pressure off to have the entire novel annotated by Monday.  I will be checking annotations following this schedule:

Chapters I-V, Monday, January 11.

Chapters VI-X, Wednesday, January 13.

Chapters XI-XV, Friday, January 15.

Chapters XVI-XX, Wednesday, January 20.

Chapters XXI-XXIV, Friday, January 22.

And I expect your novel to be brought to class everyday for the next three weeks.

 

Finally, I want to check annotations during the first 10-15 minutes of class, so please make sure that you have them ready to be checked first thing.  Also, if you used an electronic copy of the novel, make sure that you bring this copy with your annotations to class with you on a device that I can scroll through and check your work.

 

NOTE:  I still have 5-6 copies of the novel.  If you read an electronic copy, but would like to use a hard copy for your annotations, you can still pay me for one tomorrow.

 

Let me know if you have any questions!  And see you tomorrow.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

I have The Scarlet Letter copies available for $8.  Come to Room 646 tomorrow to pick a copy up.  Your homework this break is to read the introductory section, "the Custom House," and the novel, and annotate it.  So make sure you pick a copy up before leaving for Winter Break, otherwise you are on your own!

 

Great job on the final today...I think it will give us some excellent information to progress from in the second semester.  You will receive credit for taking it and trying your best.  We will use it as a jumping-off point for next semester.

 

Also, if you want to turn in the Thoreau and Soyinka questions tomorrow, or any other late work, you can turn it in at Room 646.

 

I will post more specific guidelines on The Scarlet Letter homework annotations this weekend.  Also, there are many movies and notes and "cheat books" to The Scarlet Letter available all over the place.  I recognize this--The Scarlet Letter is probably one of the most-assigned books in high school English classes.  Just remember that if you decide to use any of these tools during the break, these are to be used as aids to help you understand the text, NOT as replacements for reading.  DO NOT make the mistake of reading Cliffs Notes, online summaries, or watching movie versions as substitutes for sitting down and wrestling with Hawthorne.  The book is not long on action; it is a richly quiet character study of Hester Prynne, Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, as well as life in restrictive, authoritative Puritan society.  Also, be careful with reading the guides and watching the movie BEFORE reading the entire book, since it will SPOIL it for you.  If you are someone who cannot finish a book once you know the twist, then you should NOT read anything about The Scarlet Letter until you finish.  Just my opinion, and know that we will be analyzing and carefully reading certain passages from the novel, as well as discussing and presenting about various aspects of it when you return in January.  So your familiarity with it will definitely help in the work during the first five weeks when we return.  Even if you are "lost," or "totally confused," do not despair, but try to finish and comprehend as much as possible.  Part of learning is in failures and weaknesses...Good luck!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

So, the questions for the Thoreau and Soyinka pieces are due tomorrow, as well as any additional late work.  You do not have to do question 9 for the Thoreau nor question 10 for the Soyinka piece. 

 

No additional homework is due, unless you have late work to turn in.

 

Please bring your annotated Federalist Paper text--you will need it for part of your final.

 

You will only be writing one essay, one paragraph-long Rhetorical Precis on the Federalist Papers, and completing one section of multiple choice questions.

 

See you tomorrow!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Your last two reading assignments-- one long and one short-- are due, with notes and the questions answered--by the day of our final, which is Thursday, December 17th.  You are welcome to turn them in on Monday if you prefer finishing them early so you can study for finals.

 

The first reading is found in The Language of Composition on pages 939-956, it is "On the duty of civil disobedience" by Henry David Thoreau.  Yes, it is long and dense, but take some time with it--maybe read it 3-4 times--and understand that this seminal work was the foundation for later civil rights movements in US History.  Answer questions 1-12, except for Question 9, on page 956.

 

NOTE:  Use your tone handouts for Question 3.

 

NOTE 2:  regarding question 8: an aphorism is a short statement that expresses some truth or wisdom. Examples are "children should be seen and not heard," or "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." (Lord Acton)

 

The second reading is in the same text, on pages 957-961.  It is a lot shorter, but pairs well with the Thoreau piece, and is still fairly dense.  Please answer questions 1-10.

 

Finally, we will take a quiz on your Declaration of Independence memorization progress on Thursday, so be ready!  The final test on the Dec of Ind will be on Monday as well...with NO HINTS!

 

 

Hi all,

 

Please bring your $8 by next Tuesday.

 

Also, we will have a 2nd Declaration Quiz on Tuesday.  Be prepared.

 

And, your rhetorical precis on Federalist Paper number 6 is due on Tuesday.

 

Finally, I will post your last two reading assignments for the semester this afternoon. Make sure to check back for more info.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Here are your three assignments for Thanksgiving Break:

 

1.  Write your essay on the Thomas Paine passage.  Try to give yourself 40 minutes total to write it.  If you need longer, finish it, but still track your time in how long it takes you to complete the essay.

 

2.  Read "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  It is in your "Patterns" book.  You can look in the Table of Contents to find the page number.  Please take notes on the piece and answer all of the Comprehension, Purpose and Audience, and Style and Structure Questions in the back.  Consider how King constructs his argument and develops his support of his claims.

 

3.  Bring $8 on Monday so I can order a copy of The Scarlet Letter for you, or work on obtaining your own copy of the novel.  Please ensure that it is a copy you can annotate and write in.

 

Please make sure to re-read the Federalist Papers #6, annotate it, and take notes on it--pay attention especially to the structure, the arguments, supporting arguments, and evidence provided in the piece.  What types of evidence are used and how effective would they be considering the audience for the essay?  Finally, what rhetorical devices can you find in the piece (parallelism, syntactical structure such as cumulative and periodic sentences, rhetorical questions, exemplification--using examples and counterexamples, antithesis, etc.)?  NOTE:  this is in addition to the questions you have already answered on the three Federalist Papers. 

 

Also, please consider catching up and completing any missing work--especially any missing essays or writing assignments.  We will spend the rest of the semester mostly working on writing process pieces, so there will not be a lot of time to catch up after this week.

Hi all,

 

So, I just want to give you a chance to catch up on homework and assignments.  Today, I would like to talk to students who are missing a lot of work.  Please bring your federalist papers homework to class today--we will be discussing and writing about the Papers.  Also, bring your homework from Friday--which was to annotate the prompt and excerpt, brainstorm ideas for an essay on paper, and outline an essay with a thesis statement.  We will be using this work to set up our next writing assignment.

 

Also, your reflection journals on your autobio/bio/memoir are due.

 

Blessings,

 

M. Crabtree

Hi class,

 

I did not assign you anything additional so you can focus on your reflection journals.  Please bring what you have to class today.  Also, we will discuss the Federalist Papers, so make sure you have read them and answered the homework questions included in the last assignment.

 

See you soon!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi everyone,

 

I found a video or two on the background for the Federalist Papers, you can watch if you want more background on the documents.

 

 

Read the following three Federalist Papers:

Federalist Paper Number Six by Hamilton

 

And answer these questions:

1.  In each paper, summarize the major arguments and the reasons and evidence given to support these arguments.

2.  How would you describe the diction and syntax of each of the three papers?  What type of sentences are used?  What type of words were chosen by the authors?

3.  Who was the audience of the Papers?  What judgments about the audience can you make when considering the diction and syntax used?

4.  Discuss the structure and the effectiveness of the structure in how it relates to the arguments--is this inductive or deductive reasoning?  Can you identify the major and minor premises, and the conclusions in each paper?

5.  What is the overall tone of each paper (use your tone resources for help with this)?  How do the syntax and diction help you discern this?

Dear AP Lang students,

Memorize the two first sentences of the Preamble to the Declaration.  We will practice reciting the excerpt from memory tomorrow.

 

I will pass out the Federalist Paper copies then and give you our analysis assignment.

 

Also, be prepared to share your section and the answers to the questions with your home group tomorrow.

 

And keep reading your independent reading books and tracking your reading in your journal!

 

M. Crabtree

Hi everyone,

Please make sure to bring your copy of the Declaration of Independence to class today, and have the first two sentences of the Preamble memorized.  You have until Friday to have it memorized perfectly.  And yes, you will be performing it in class.

 

Secondly, make sure you are reading your bio/autobio/memoir and making progress on adding journal entries.  Your reading journals are due next Tuesday.

 

See you in Room 104.

 

M. Crabtree

Hi all,

 

Sorry for posting this homework reminder so late.  Please make sure to bring your re-written essays tomorrow to class.  We will also be discussing and calibrating how to score essays for another prompt that you wrote on earlier.  

 

Also, be working on your journal and your independent reading of your bio/autobio/memoir.  You should be writing 1-2 paragraph reflections about every 10 pages or so (thus, if your book has 200 pages, you will probably have about 15-20 journal entries).

 

Here is a sample of a journal entry on a book I am currently re-reading about Abraham Lincoln, called Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

In her chapter on the background of Lincoln's major rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, Seward, Stanton, and Chase, Goodwin points out the flaws and faults of the political backgrounds of all of the candidates--including Lincoln.  I like that Goodwin is realistic about how each of the candidates have both enemies and allies.  I also think it is a truer picture of history, that offers additional depth and thoughtfulness, than what we are usually offered through our history textbooks.  Although all of the candidates, including Lincoln, ended up being fine political actors during the Civil War--because of course, we know the ending of this book--it is a truer picture to see their missteps and mistakes before history mandated their rise to greatness.  Also, Goodwin continues to build her case for Lincoln's uncanny ability to unite people with humor, storytelling, and self-deprecation.  Skills that even today, a modern politician could make great use of...at this point in the book, if I could ask Goodwin any question, it would be if she thinks that Lincoln's nomination was because of the political missteps of his foes or if it was his great talent and wisdom that won him the presidential nomination?  Would she give equal weight to these two aspects, or does one outweigh the other?

 

So that is a sample journal entry.  Now, I have read the book before, but if you are really stuck, you might consider reading your book from start to finish, maybe just marking with sticky notes key moments/dialogue/events/descriptions that you think you might want to write about, and then going back to actually write your journal entries once you are done.

 

Let me know if you have questions.

 

Your journals should be finished and turned in by Tuesday, November 10.  So please be making progress on this.

 

Ms. Crabtree

Dear AP Scholars,

 

Make sure to bring any late essays to class tomorrow so that everyone can participate in a calibration exercise.  I am especially looking for the essay you wrote in class on Monday (when Ms. Masters' was subbing) or the Q2 or Q3 essays we turned in the last couple of weeks.

 

Also, please prepare answers to the Socratic Seminar questions I listed in class.  Make sure you also provide textual references...when all else fails, go back to the text!  I will post the Qs later today.

 

Finally, bring your 1-2 best Socratic Seminar Qs and be prepared to share them during our discussion tomorrow.

 

See you on Friday!

 

M. Crabtree

Dear AP Scholars,

 

I will miss today's class, so these are assignments you will work on for Wednesday.

 

1.  Read the memoir/bio/autobio that you chose.  Keep a reading journal, where you are recording your brief responses, significant thoughts, and key ideas/details.

 

2.  Be prepared for Socratic Seminar on Wednesday.  Bring your questions on the Declaration of Ind., and the Seneca Falls Convention Declaration; also bring both texts.

 

3.  Be prepared to present on Wednesday on the Sanders' piece.  You won't receive time in class to work on this...so be ready ahead of time!

An easy homework assignment--due by midnight tonight.

 

Sign up for the memoir/biography/autobiography that you want to read by November by Clicking here.

 

That's it for today! 

 

NOTE:  your weekend assignment will be posted today after class.

Greetings, English Language Scholars!

 

First off, the good news:  you can still turn late work into me next week.  Tuesday, October 13th, is the ABSOTIVELY, POSILUTELY LAST DAY to turn in work for the midterm grades.

 

Secondly, the fun news:  on Tuesday, I would like to have a Socratic Seminar on the "Declaration of Independence" and the "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions."  We will discuss and go into greater detail today (10/09) about what you need for a Socratic Seminar...pay attention and be ready!

 

Thirdly, the important news:  for homework, write a second argument essay on the Q3 that we already wrote the Q2 for (see the attachment for the prompt, remember that you are writing on Q3). It doesn't really have anything to do with what we are discussing, but it will be excellent practice in writing an argument off the top of your head.  Refer to the rubric I passed out the first week of school for questions about how your essays are being graded.  That rubric is the one I will use to grade your essay. Once again, try to take only 40 minutes to finish as much as you can.  If you need more than 40 minutes to write a complete argument essay on the topic, that is fine, but try to make sure you are starting to become comfortable with what 40 minutes feels like.

 

NOTE:  I receive many questions about how long a "finished" argument essay should be...honestly, the answer to this question is complex.  Ultimately, you want an overarching claim/thesis that is thoughtfully, logically, and creatively supported with ample evidence and developed reasons.  You probably want to spend more time in developing your argument than in introducing it, and you want to explain what is meaningful and significant about your argument by the conclusion.  You also need to address at least one counterclaim and refute this "con" argument, and if you're a truly talented writer, you might even be able to integrate more than one. 

 

All that to say, there is no "set length."  I encourage you to use a five paragraph essay as your starting point, but NOT as a limit or standard or strict structure.  You should write until you feel you have fully answered the prompts and developed your ideas.

 

Some questions do not have easy answers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello English Language Scholars,

 

There are two assignments for homework by Friday:

1.  Re-read the Stanton piece and the Declaration of Independence,  complete a dialectic (two-column) journal on both documents.  Record your questions on the left, and key quotes on the right.

 

2.  Write a 40 minute essay on the following prompt (written like a Q3 argument prompt).  If you need more time than 40 minutes, take it, but try to still start to get a feel for what 40 minutes feels like:

 

In Samantha Olson's article, "What it means to 'be a man,'" the author interviews Mrs. Williams, a mother of three boys and a counselor, who states that "'The problems we see with boys--they don't have an emotional literacy....They say, 'I'm angry,' or nothing at all.  They don't have the tools to express exactly what they're feeling, and we created that problem as a collective society."  Olson also refers to the rising numbers of suicides in young men, and how an average of three boys per day commit suicide.  

 

The effect on boys of bullying and the feeling of not fitting into the proper gender mold can be long-lasting, destructive, and damaging to their future relationships. Olson recommends teaching boys strategies to give them practice with "emotional literacy," which she explains is the ability to express their emotional wounds and challenges in acceptable ways.  This poses an interesting solution to schools at all levels, where fighting and aggression between boys potentially takes place.  Are schools responsible to also aid boys--and aggressive girls--in finding more positive outlets to express their negative emotions?

 

One potential response to this problem is to actually encourage boys-and girls who also find it difficult to express their struggles-- to speak out more about their feelings and to be better trained in emotional literacy through school practices such as group meetings, restorative justice circles, and counseling.  Write to your school board and explain what you mean by "emotional literacy" and arguing for or against this practice on school campuses.

 

Hi all,

 

Please finish the "Comprehension," "Purpose and Audience," and "Style and Structure" Questions for the Stanton piece, "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848" in your Patterns text.  You should also take notes on this piece, in whatever format of notes you choose. Also, read the "Declaration of Independence," which Stanton modeled her declaration after and appears right before in the text.  Consider what Stanton was doing in modeling her "Declaration" after the earlier "Declaration."  We will be discussing the "Declaration of Independence" in greater depth when we finish our gender unit (which will probably be this week), so consider this pre-reading for our next unit.  Plus, all Americans should read this document--it is THAT important.

 

Also, make sure to bring your Patterns book to class tomorrow so that we can discuss the pieces in greater detail.  

 

 

 

Libraries (click here for the LA Public Library website) should have copies of the books below; Amazon and Barnes & Noble both offer fast shipping of books, Half.com offers discounted books that can be shipped to you quickly, and I can also help you find copies if you are desperate.  Do NOT leave this until the last second.  You will be writing a paper and presenting your book in class the first week of November, so you should have your book selected by Wednesday, have secured a copy by the end of the week, and have left yourself three solid weeks of reading time.  On Wednesday, I will be checking in with the title and author you have selected.  I would like to have no more that 2-3 people for each book...so have a second and a third choice please.

 

 

Dear Language Wizards,

 

Sorry that I am late in posting the homework, but the good news is that you will not have to turn it in until Thursday!  So you have a little longer to finish it than usual.  

 

Also, ladies, if you want to go on the field trip to see the documentary about Malala Yousafzai but you didn't get a trip slip, you can stop by tomorrow morning to pick one up from me.  The field trip is on Tuesday.  Lunch is provided at the Microsoft Theater; there will also be a resource fair and a DJ after the movie is presented, as well as special guest speakers.  It should be amazing--and it is an awesome opportunity for our lovely Lincoln ladies!  Here is the link to watch the documentary trailer; here is a Yahoo!News piece on how girls are responding to the video, along with some brief backstory.  Again, I know attending classes is important, but this is an amazing opportunity to educate ourselves about the global state of women's education, so please arrange with your teachers to make up your missed work, and join us!  We will meet on Tuesday at 8:30am at the flagpole.

 

The essay prompt that you are writing on is attached below.  I think some people accidentally picked up the wrong one.  If you did, then use this one (Q2).  If you already wrote the essay on Q3, blame it on the copy mix-up, and you can turn in the Q3 essay instead.  You can write on Q2 when I assign Q3...hope this makes sense!  NOTE:  these are released exam prompts, meaning these are similar to the essay prompts you will actually see on the AP test.  Please try to write this essay from start to finish in 40 minutes.  Or, if that is extremely difficult, please set a timer and at least get to know what 40 minutes FEELS like; then take as long as you need to finish the essay.

 

Read the Elizabeth Cady Stanton speech in your Patterns book.  Take notes on it (which will probably be your second reading), and answer questions (which will be your third reading).  I somehow left my copy at school, so I will post the question numbers and page numbers tomorrow during lunch (sorry!!!).

 

Thank you all!  Isn't this weekend super short?!!!  And we actually have to face a "true" five-day week this week...boooo!!!  Hang in there!

 

M. Crabtree

email me at [email protected] if you have Q's or issues.

 

 

Hello AP Lang Scholars,

 

Please read the two online articles for Friday that focus on transgender issues.  It actually took me awhile to find articles that were an approachable length, contained themes that connected to our essential questions, and that still attempted to express the unique issues surrounding the loosening bounds of gender. 

 

Please take notes on these articles and answer the questions below.

 

This article is a memoir, similar in style to Cisneros, Cofer-Ortiz, and Sanders.

by Alex Myers

 

1.  What is Myers' main argument?

2.  How does Myers' develop that argument?  Name two-three strategies the author uses to expand and explain his central thesis.

3.  What other information could Myers have included that might have strengthened his argument?

 

This article, although actually geared towards teachers, still provides an interesting explanation of potential gender challenges in the classroom, and there is a glossary at the end that provides specific info on terms related to gender identity.

by Carrie Kilman

 

1.  Although an explanatory piece, there is still an argument here...what is it?

2.  What are the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop this argument?  Include a description of two-three.

3.  What is the structure of the article?  How does this structure support both the explanatory aspects and the argumentative aspects of the piece?

Hi all,

 

Because I am posting this late, I will accept this on Tuesday as well for full credit.  

 

Please read the brief article and listen to the radio clip on NPR about "The New American Man" by clicking here.

 

Then, read the opinion piece on "What it Means to be A Man" by Samantha Olson by clicking here.

 

Think about how these connect to the essential questions, the Sanders piece we just finished reading and reflecting on, and the essays that look at this issue from a female perspective.

 

Take notes on the pieces and be prepared to discuss in class.  Especially consider:

      A.  main ideas/arguments/claims

      B.  evidence and idea development

      C.  rhetorical strategies

      D.  structure and form 

 

 

Hi AP Lang Scholars,

Two quick, easy, homework-y things:
1. Sign-up for the AP readiness program (if you haven't already) here.  The first day is tomorrow, Saturday, September 19th, and I know that is short notice for many of you, but you can still sign up and attend a future session even if you can't make it tomorrow. This is a great program, and I highly encourage you to participate!  In fact, in one of the FEW EXTRA CREDIT opportunities available to you this year, I WILL give you extra credit for attending.

2. Sign-up for Remind, which I will use to remind you of tests, quizzes, papers and projects when they are due. Don't worry, I can't see your info, and I won't be giving out your info to anyone else.  To do this, text @19349 to 81010 (or if that doesn't work, text @19349 to 323-568-1331).  I will also send invites out to all of the students who have already subscribed to this page via your email addresses.  You can also click this link (remind.com/join/19349) to join our class group.

 

Have a great weekend!  You will have one more posted homework assignment due Tuesday, so watch out for it!

 

Blessings,

 

M. Crabtree

Hi everyone,

 

Please read the essay on page 456 of your Patterns book, "The Men We Carry in Our Minds," by Scott Russell Sanders.  Take notes on the essay (in Cornell note format or another strategy that you like to use) and answer "Comprehension" questions 2, 3, and 4, and "Purpose and Audience " questions 1 and 2.  Please be prepared to discuss the piece in class on Wednesday.  I will collect your answers to the questions and your notes on Wednesday.

 

Also, make sure to bring your comic strips, notes, and answers to the Visual Analysis questions to class on Wednesday in order to finish preparing for your group presentations on Friday.  

 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

M. Crabtree 

Hi AP Lang Scholars,

 

Please refer to Wednesday's Homework assignment for more info.  Basically, your homework is to finish the analysis notes and questions on your "gender" issues comic strip.

 

Here is the assignment re-posted.

 

 

You have two homework assignments before I see you again on Wednesday.

 

1.  Complete the three questions I gave you in class that explore the connections between the structure of the Cisneros essay and her purpose and meaning (theme/thesis).

      A.  Write down a one-sentence "gist" statement for Cisneros' essay.  A "gist" statement is basically your paraphrase of Cisneros' main idea (thesis/theme/argument) and purpose.  It could (but does not have to) start out something like this: "Cisneros presents the idea that ....." OR "Cisneros explores concepts of....." OR "Cisneros highlights the importance of....."

      B.  Comment on a structural pattern that you see and connect this structure both generally and specifically to Cisneros' overall purpose and meaning.

"Generally" means connect the overall structure of the piece with her meaning/purpose, and "specifically" means connect excerpts (i.e. paragraphs) of the text that highlight elements of her structure.  This should be a fully-developed 1-2 paragraph answer.

     C.  When regarding structure, think like a critic who has also experienced something of life and people's expectations.  Is her structure effective/ineffective?  Why/why not?  What is missing that might strengthen her argument?

 

 

2.  Using the comic strip you received, answer the following three questions.

     A.  Using SPATER (subject, purpose, audience, tones, effect, rhetorical devices--such as diction/syntax, hyperbole/exaggeration, metaphor, symbolism, irony, conflict, sarcasm, or dialogue), jot down your notes on each of these aspects of your assigned comic strip as best as possible.  (NOTE:  for "audience" consider where the comic strip first appeared, which might take additional research).

     B.  What does your comic say that relates to our essential questions in discussing and examining textual explorations of gender?

     C.  What would be the three most important moves in the comic to point out in explaining the humor to someone else?  Why are these important?

 

NOTE:  all of comic strips were found on this website (Comicskingdom.com) when I typed in the word "gender" in the "search" box.  If you need to see the entire comic strip, you can look it up on this website.  All of the comic strips came from the first three pages of results.

Hi everyone,

 

Just a reminder that I am expecting to collect copies of your draft essays addressing prompt #2 on page 426 of "Language."  Please try to avoid the "5 paragraph essay" for this assignment.  You can use the essay guide I passed out on Tuesday and pages 13-25 in your book for additional guidance on addressing the prompt.  If you can type it and print it out or share it with me at [email protected], that would be preferred.  If that is absolutely impossible, then bring a copy handwritten IN DARK BLUE OR BLACK INK.  No pencil drafts!!!

 

Also, I will collect the article on boys and reading along with your notes/annotations tomorrow, so be prepared to discuss and turn it in.  

 

Thank you!

Write a rough draft piece that addresses the following prompt (copied from page 426 of your "Language" textbook, #2). "Write a personal narrative in which you describe a role that your family or friends expected of you but that you either refused to play or struggled against. Explain the origin and nature of the expectation, as well as your reasons for not wanting to fulfill it. Include a discussion of the reactions you have gotten as you challenged the role or expectation."

 

Use pages 13-25 for assistance in deciding which forms and organizational structure to use.

 

Your essay will be graded according to the AP rubric...please refer to the packets I handed out on the first day of class for more info.

Bring your "Book Lice" poem copy with the definitions for the unknown names and a possible categorization.

 

In "Patterns," read the Cisneros piece and answer the comprehension questions and complete the vocabulary project at the end of the piece.

 

In "Language," read the Cofer Ortiz piece "The Myth of the Latin Woman:  I Just Met a Girl Named Maria" (page 370) and answer questions #1, #3, #4, and #5 (the last one for extra credit). 

 

In "Language," read the Gould piece, "Women's Brains" (page 349) and answer "Questions for Discussion" number 5.

Make sure to have questions on the Cisneros' piece ready to turn in by Monday.  You are responsible for the Comprehension Questions and the Vocabulary Study sections.

 

For this week, please read the essay by Julia Ortiz Cofer in the Language of Composition and answer the discussion questions.