Friday Freewrite--All Classes

1. As always, you may respond to a journal topic from previous weeks or you may write about whatever you would like. 

2.  As we near the end of a school term, write a letter to an underclassmen. In your letter, you may want to discuss the highs and lows of high school life, and habits to form in order to be successful. 

3. Read about Ahmad Arbery, George Floyd or Breonna Taylor--and write a eulogy in the form of a poem or haiku. 

4. Write about your summer plans.  What do you intend to do academically,  for relaxation and enjoyment, and for personal growth? 

Flip Grid Book Talks

Good Morning Students in All Classes! The Independent Reading Flipbooktalk windows have been extended for the Final Time.  If you never read the instructions, wrote a brief script and submitted your flipgrid video, the window has been extended for the last time to this Thursday at 12 noon. Get your videos in by that time! Window will lock then and will not be extended. This is for Period 1, 2, 4 and 5. Period 6, you did not have a Flip Grid Assignment. 

Expository Composition period 5 and H World Lit period 6

No Friday Freewrite Today! If you would simply like to write in your journal because it is therapeutic, feel free to do so.  No uploads needed. you may post a journal on your blog if desired.  Please be sure to catch up on late work if the window is still open allowing you to do so! Enjoy your weekend 

On-Line Working Session Honors World Literature

In honor of AP Exams, today class will be totally online, but conferenceless. That means the Schoology conference that was planned is cancelled. I will be online in Schoology grading. If you have not uploaded assignments like the character biopoems, please upload them during this time.  Class will resume via Schoology conference next week. I do know that there is an AP Exam scheduled for next week. Those not taking exams are urged to join class. As the semester winds down, please be proud of all of your accomplishments, and mindful that there is a little more to go. 

Friday Freewrite All Classes: Honoring Mom

1. Feel free to write a full page journal response to a topic from last week or the week before. 
Mother's Day is this Sunday. Although you may not be able to buy your Mother a gift, or a motherly figure, pick one of the following:
1. Brainstorm FIRST, then write a letter or poem of gratitude to your mother.  Begin with an anecdote or funny story or a quote that Mom used to say.  Write a rough draft, or scratch out some ideas.  Then, for your final draft, write the letter using ink pen, on white unlined paper (if you have access, or another type of unlined paper).  Seal the letter or poem.  Address to your Mother, or motherly figure and then take a screenshot.  Upload to Schoolgy. Give to Mom or Grandmom or the Mother in your life.

Class Expectations and Senior Grades

Good Morning Seniors! I wanted to touch bases with those students who have not been logging in and have been repeatedly missing class during the Schoology Conference time (if you have attended multiple class sessions and you check in with me and a peer, this IS NOT FOR YOU! You keep up the amazing work!). This message is for those students, who for whatever reason, log in to Schoology and submit work for other classes (I see you), and then want to be given extensions, and help and a pass from me. It. Will. Not. Happen. I have held schoology conferences every week since we have been on quarantine. I have sent messages to students in Schoology, Remind, Flipgrid, and Google Voice! I have helped, re-opened windows, given extensions, and POINTS FOR ATTENDANCE for just being present during the class. I will not bend over any more than I have already done for those of you who regularly submit work for your other teachers, and have not even tried to work for your English class. I get it: maybe you don't value the work, maybe you dont like me, maybe it is not engaging.  All of those are valid reasons! So then, you must accept my valid reason, when I tell you No-- you may wind up with a COVID D or COVID C on your Final Report Card.  Please do not ask me to allow you to make up work. There are several assignments DAILY in Schoology where I have purposely LEFT THE WINDOW OPEN and you can still Submit.  You have to exert some energy to see what assignments those are.  The reality is that many students have been able TO RAISE THEIR GRADE, and they are happy knowing that they will finish with A's and B's because of time, investment, and simply showing me that they care.  If you dont care about our class, why would......It is a lesson that is important for you to learn, as many colleges and universities will employ distance learning for your first or second semester. Imagine having to to work from a computer when you have NEVER bonded with the professor? That is what many of you will face in the Fall. Had many of you given the bare minimum and found a little bit of internal motivation you would be there. I get it. In times like this--we look to fun, and engaging.  But we must also learn to look to dedication, hard work and seriously--just showing up!  The reality is that the semester is almost over! Go through Schoology, and find what you can. Directions are usually in the assignments and on the blog. Check with peers, who are willing to help. In many cases the work is easy! Like, some of you missed the Friday Freewrites......ummmmmm When you can get some assignments done (honor policy in effect), then we can chat. I will not accept any late work or remade work after May 25th for Seniors.  Sincerely, 

H World Literature Homework

! Read or carefully re-read Chapters 1-6 of The Kite Runner! We cant do anything fun, like lit circles, or discussion, or presentations without first reading.  Shout out to Nwamaka and Shanille for suggesting the audiobook version that is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEL2C2Q9Hik. 

After reading, visit the link under Class Readings and Handouts and complete 1 Character Bio-Poem for each of the following characters: Amir; Baba; Hassan, Ali. 

3. If you did not finish your blog--finish and send me the url address. 

4. If you did not finish your Reflection on Exploring Afghanistan, the window is still open.  Or the Reflection in the Google Slide Deck from today. 

Be well and be sure to have up to chapter 7 read by next Wednesday. 

Friday Freewrite all classes

Happy Friday, and Happy May Day!  Select any topic from last week or the week before for your Friday Freewrite! Or you may want to write a reflection about yourself and who you have become while on quarantine.  Upload your page of writing or more to schoology OR post your response on your blog! 25 points for posting your response on your blog by 6 pm.