Happy Times Music for My Sweetest 7th Period!!!

Happy Times from leigha.threlkeld on 8tracks Radio.

It's a Wrap

 As we move into the final days and weeks, please be sure you have checked and rechecked your standing in the class, getting anything still unfinished done and keeping up with the last assignments.

END OF THE YEAR CHECKLIST:

• All missing work, rewrites, and extra credit is due by WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5
• Final project sign-up is due TUESDAY, MAY 28
• Final project visual presentation must be stored on a flash drive; plan ahead

If you are planning to rewrite your WORDS ON WORDS essay, check the ABSOLUTES link under Style Sheets.  Your essay must meet all the absolutes on the list.

Finally

Through the course of this year's AP English Language journey, we have read about, discussed, written about, and debated many different topics, all of which have some impact on and relevance to our experience as human beings.  For your final, you will choose one of these topics to consider in more depth. You will be responsible for creating a multi-media presentation, the foundation of which will be a carefully crafted speech that posits an argument on some component of the topic you have chosen.  The speech will be accompanied by a well-designed pecha-kucha.  You may work alone on this project or collaborate with a partner. 

PECHA KUCHA REQUIREMENTS

• 3 to 5-minute speech (3 to 4 for a single presenter; 4 to 5 for a pair) identifying and supporting a thesis

• slide show (Powerpoint, Prezi, etc.) timed to work automatically with the speech

• information derived from at least three sources, at least one of which is drawn from material we have addressed in class

• at least one direct quotation, appropriately credited, from this year's readings

• credits slide with correct MLA citations for all sources used

The completed presentation will be worth 150 points:

• speech presentation (scored on the Oregon Common Core State Standards for speaking)  50
• speech construction (scored on the Oregon Common Core State Standards for writing)    50
• slide content (engaging, effective, clear)  25
• slide coordination (well-timed to speech, effective pace) 15
• citation slide (complete, correct, clear) 10

Students who choose to work with a partner will be graded the same on speech construction, slide content, citation, and coordination.  Each student will be responsible for half of the presentation, and will be graded individually for their portion.  

SCHEDULE

5/16-17    Choose topic, commit to partner or individual presentation
5/20-24    Research and construction (library)
5/27         Memorial Day Holiday
5/28-29    Research and construction (library)
6/3-7        Presentations (Sign up HERE)

Here Comes the Sun

Wow!  Congratulations!  You are among an elite group of students nationwide who have survived the AP English Language and Composition Exam.  I am SOOOO proud of you.  Although scores won't be determined until late June or early July, you're all winners in my book.  Now, let's finish off the year without the pressure of the test.  This week, we'll have some fun with poetry and video, then we'll start on the final for the class.  More info later this week.  Wheee!

MONDAY, 5/13
Poetry:  Hayden, Dove, Kunitz
• reading a poem
• sound and sense
• experimenting:  the first draft

TUESDAY, 5/14
Poetry:  Workshop
• abstract to concrete
• lying to tell the truth

WEDNESDAY, 5/15
Poetry:  Sharing the results!
WORDS ON WORDS ESSAY DUE

Thursday, 5/16
The final
• details
• topic selection

FRIDAY, 5/17
Exit Through the Gift Shop

Time Melts?

Oh, man.  Remember September when May and the AP test and the end of the year seemed impossibly far away?  Yeah.  Here we are.  Before you know it, you'll be floating down the river, basking in the summer sun and the glory of your AP test scores, and thinking ahead to an impossibly far away next school year.  Time = weird; am I right?  Anywho, this week we'll tick off the days with exercises and readings and discussions--all of which should put the final touches on your test readiness.  Who needs The Hammer when you have this kind of thrill ride?

MONDAY, 5/6
AP Test #Last
• finish
• review
Style Matters
• information
• exercise

TUESDAY, 5/7
Humor in Writing
• selected readings
• discussion

WEDNESDAY, 5/8
Cultural Literacy!

THURSDAY, 5/9
AP Test Eve
• final tips
• practice

FRIDAY, 5/10
AP Test!!
Gatsby!!!
Bears!!!!
(minus the bears)

Watch Your Language

Hey!  More words!  This week's adventure in AP Lang brings the LAST AP Prompt response--lucky #13!  We'll take some more time sharpening those skills for next week's official exam, writing a final personal essay (about words, of course), and discussing some language-specific ideas and issues.  Keep track of your grades in Student Assistant; everything should be in now.  Let's go APers!

MONDAY, 4/30
AP Prompt #12
• returned
• reviewed
Mother Tongue
• reading check
• response
READ How Much Wallop Can a Simple Word Pack? for TUESDAY

TUESDAY, 4/31
How Much Wallop?
• discussion
• response
Words on Words
• directions and expectations

WEDNESDAY, 5/1
Cultural Literacy!
TED

THURSDAY, 5/2
In Plain English:  Let's Make It Official
• read
• analyze
• respond:  discussion

FRIDAY, 5/3
AP Prompt #LAST! (Synthesis)

Words and Testing and Writing and Fun!

Well, this should be fun.  We're brewing up a STORM of a week with ACT and the Mr. Thunder pageant, but we still need to keep plowing toward that AP Test (and glory, duh).  So, you'll want to eat your Wheaties, get a good night's sleep, and be all that you can be.  Later you can sit on the couch, eat Cheetos, and wait for the lightning.  We have just one reading this week, but lots of writing and, of course, fun.  Ready?

MONDAY, 4/22
AP Prompt #11
• general discussion
• writing groups:  revise
Read Mother Tongue

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, 4/23-24
**NB:  Because of Tuesday's ACT, periods 1&2 will meet Tuesday
and periods 3-7 will meet Wednesday.  The schedule is for both days.
Politics and the English Language
• identifying Orwell's ideas
• applying Orwell's ideas

THURSDAY, 4/25
AP Prompt #12

FRIDAY, 4/26
Mother Tongue
• reading check
• response

Words, words, words

"How do I know what I think until I see what I say?" E.M. Forster's question suggests something about the nature of language and thought.  Indeed, the very word for "word" in Greek--logos--has come to mean logic or thought in our modern world.  So, can we think without words?  If so, how do we express those thoughts?  In this week's readings and writings and discussions we'll consider some of the ways language defines, directs, and determines our thoughts and lives.  Also, be aware:  we'll be in boot camp mode until the AP exam--AP Strong!

MONDAY, 4/15
AP Prompt #10
• review
• return
• revise
Read "Arguing About Language" for TUESDAY
Read Politics and the English Language for WEDNESDAY

TUESDAY, 4/16
AP Boot Camp:  Sentence combining
"Arguing About Language"
• discussion
• response

WEDNESDAY, 4/17
Politics and the English Language
• reading check
• response/discussion

THURSDAY, 4/18
AP Prompt #11

FRIDAY, 4/19
"Mother Tongue"
• read
• respond

Boys Will Be Girls?

While we're considering our own experiences of "being a girl or boy," let's take a look at the way our culture reinforces, challenges, guides, and opposes various gender expectations.  Two short readings (Do 'em!) and LOTS of talk/writing this week.  Wednesday is a 1/2 day because IT'S THE END OF THE QUARTER!! OMG!  There's only one quarter to go!  So, keep your eyes on the prize (summer) and your nose to the grindstone. 

MONDAY, 4/8
Writing exercise:  parallel construction, hyperbole, effective fragments
• information
• Arbus photo writing response
What Does It Mean to Be a Boy/Girl?  DUE
Read: Gender-Based Toy Marketing and Transgender Dispute for FRIDAY

TUESDAY, 4/9
Writing exercise:  transitions and quotations
• Kingsolver response: analysis
• revision

WEDNESDAY, 4/10
TED:  Is Anatomy Destiny?

THURSDAY, 4/11
AP Prompt #10

FRIDAY, 4/12
Gender-Based Toy Marketing/ Transgender Dispute
• discussion
• writing response

Write on!

Welcome back, APers!  Now that we're all rested and ready we can SPRING into the final lap of the school year and the run-up to the AP test.  A whopping 147 of you are signed up for the exam (!) and, even if you decided not to take the actual test, I want you ALL to be ready to bring out your best stuff and score BIG next month.  So, that means LOTS of writing practice.  ("Hooray," they exclaimed enthusiastically.)  Sharpen your pencils and your minds and let's get this party started.

MONDAY, 4/1
AP essay introductions
• review
• assess
Read High School Confidential for Wednesday

TUESDAY, 4/2
What Is Democracy?
• read
• discuss/respond
• write: What is a Woman/Man? DUE MONDAY

WEDNESDAY, 4/3
High School Confidential
• close reading analysis: write
• discussion

THURSDAY, 4/4
AP Prompt #10

FRIDAY, 4/5
AP Multiple Choice
• strategies
• practice

Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man?

Spring is in the air, but we still have a week of classes before we can go skipping off through the daisies.  We'll focus on a couple of readings, work on some argumentation skills, discuss the meaning of life, and be good to go. 

MONDAY, 3/18
Class meetings
Happiness/Gender comparison essay sharing
Read Mind Over Muscle for Wednesday
Read Being a Man for Thursday

TUESDAY, 3/19
The Speech of Miss Polly Baker
• reading check/discussion
• mapping the logic

WEDNESDAY, 3/20
Mind Over Muscle
• reading check/discussion
• response: writing

THURSDAY, 3/21
Being a Man
• response: discussion/writing
• pronouns and sexism:  exercise

FRIDAY, 3/22
AP Prompt short write!

Gender Matters

"And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man." -Genesis 2:22.
Issues of gender have long been cause for debate.  In America and elsewhere in the world, distinctions and definitions, prejudices and convictions drive decisions and policies, assumptions and assertions that affect us all.  This week we will begin exploring the history of this issue and examining how it is currently being addressed in our world.

MONDAY, 3/11
Sentence Work:  Syntax and redemption
• mimicry: Hemingway
• sentence combining
Read Women's Brains for Tuesday

TUESDAY, 3/12
Women's Brains
• reading check
• vocabulary issues
• discussion

WEDNESDAY, 3/13
Sentence Work:  Getting Complex
• reviewing Room Descriptions
• mimicry: Vowell
• complex sentences
Read The Speech of Miss Polly Baker for Friday

THURSDAY, 3/14
AP Prompt #8

FRIDAY, 3/15
The Speech of Miss Polly Baker
• reading check
• discussion
• logic outline

March 3, 2013
          And so another week stretches out before us with its promise of happiness gently rapping at our door. What will become of us? Will we find true happiness? It is only by dipping our toes into the waters of of everyday life that we will find out. Dive in, the water is fine.

MONDAY, MARCH 4
Peek-at-the-week
You get to write an essay using each others synthesis prompts! It's true.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5
You will evaluate the prompt that you wrote about for effectiveness, clarity, among other things.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
You will grade each others essays. Also true!

THURSDAY, MARCH 7
We begin our journey into improving tone and style in your writing. We will start with sentence structure (have you seen my independent clause? He always wants to stand alone-so independent!)
Apprenticing the greats-craft through imitation.
*DON'T FORGET: STEPHEN GREENBLATT LECTURE AT BEND HIGH TONIGHT @ 7PM

FRIDAY, MARCH 8

Creative writing and imitation exercises.

According to 1st, 5th, and 6th period classes, 

Happiness is….

Overcoming difficult experiences

Being content with your life and accepting yourself

Loving your life

Inner peace

Choice

Track, design, laughter

Being in love with your own life and not wishing for anything else/to be anyone else

A fulfilling feeling that can come from having a loving family and enjoying where I live

A great thing

Some land to farm and a wife

Warm weather and fun activities

Different for everyone

Doing things in life that provide enjoyment and fulfillment, whatever that may be, because that is different for everyone and can change frequently

Living in the moment and doing what you love

The love of my family

Universal

Contentment

Family and helping

Now

When you find the good little things in life or you’re satisfied

Something that we must strive for

Temporary

A chemical reaction in the brain

Having everything you need and being content

Magical

Simple

Relative to ones sad points

Looking on the bright side of life

Beautiful

Simple pleasures

Enjoying being yourself

What happens when you’re happy making the most of what you have/your situation

Finding joy in all the little things in life, and being successful by your own standards

Appreciating the people in your life

A state of mind that exceeds content

Contrast, its love, its comfort, somebody to come home to, happiness is happiness.

Something you have to be open to

Being grateful and pleased with what you have

Different for everyone, though there are commonalities

Simplicity and good times

In the wilderness and among people I love

Confusing

Something you have to desire and work to achieve

Having low expectations

Harry Styles

Community

Achievable by everyone

Being able to find pleasure from even the smallest of things such as having friends or someone holding the door for you

A state of mind that everyone feels no matter the circumstance

What you make it

A state of mind that needs to be understood and not found

Good

A state of mind

Everywhere

The feeling I get when you hold my hand

Having family and friends and doing things that you enjoy

Sleeping in and having energy

And the winner is . . .

February 24, 2013

What could be happier than winning an Academy Award? Winning two Academy Awards!
But seriously folks...

MONDAY FEBRUARY 25
Peek at the week-check out the blog
Trope and Scheme a day
Working on the synthesis prompts-in groups, and one on one time

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26
Trope and Scheme a day
Library time-in your groups,working on polishing and perfecting the synthesis prompt

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 27
Trope and Scheme a day
Computer lab-synthesis prompt finishing details. Work on citations, format, editing for wordiness, and checking spelling,punctuation, etc.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 28
Trope a Day
We will watch the first half of The Happy Movie (Yes, that is the real name.) This is a fantastic resource for your synthesis essay prompts. There is familiar information that you will recognize from class readings and discussions, all wrapped up in a tidy visual package. You will want to discuss and take notes.


FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29
Trope a Day
We will finish the last half of The Happy Movie.  Take notes and discuss.
Checkeroo synthesis prompts.
********************************************************************************
DON'T FORGET THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE LAST DAY FOR YOU TO GET ME YOUR HAPPY  SONGS. You can send them to my email with an attachment, bring in a disc,or flash drive, or put $1.00 in the can and write your name, period, and song title and artist on the can.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Lucky You!
After attempting to grade your last prompt essay, and finding so many of them not quite finished, we have decided to give you a bit more time on Tuesday to finish working on them. Here is a great opportunity for you to improve what you have written, and complete the essay with style (get it?).

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

Review the blog--what's going on for the week.
Grading system.
Note:  Cell phone policy revisited!
You will get your essays back, and you will have 15 minutes to complete or improve your essay. I will be timing this so get going!
Assess your own writing with AP scoring guide, and guided questions.
HOMEWORK: Read and annotate NY Times essay "The Spoils of Happiness."
BE READY to discuss questions: yours, the author's, mine,  and whoever else's.
HOMEWORK IS NOT OPTIONAL.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Show me the homework! Show me that you annotated and I'll give you credit. No homework, no credit---no excuses (tough love, baby!)
Shared inquiry. Discuss the essay "The Spoils of Happiness" in groups, as you begin designing an approach to build a synthesis essay prompt.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21

You will get your prompt essay (#7) back.
Start building a synthesis prompt from your shared inquiry and analysis of "The Spoils of Happiness."That's right! YOU get to build and design your own synthesis prompt.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Library time.
Research for your synthesis prompt, including sources and citations (yes, citations.)
ALL HAPPY SONGS DUE TO ME TODAY!

For the intro paragraph due Thursday, February 14: Consider this a rhetorical analysis prompt.

 In a well written introductory paragraph(which will lead to a well written essay) explain Kazantzakis' "theory" of what happiness is, and how he uses rhetorical strategy to express this idea.

"This place does something to people. All of the women are always busy and perfect and smiling, and all of the men are always happy." 

From the The Stepford Wives book by Ira Levin, Screenplay by Paul Rudnick.

February 10, 2013

In the future everyone will be happy. In the future the happy shall inherit the earth.

Sound ominous or perhaps interesting to you? After reading Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi's essay "The Future of Happiness," you may have even more questions about happiness.

*Please notice that I am changing some dates for assignments. 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013

Deconstructing "The Future of Happiness"

Finding meaning and main ideas in the essay.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013

Further deconstruction of "The Future of Happiness"

And then putting it all together.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013

Wordiness Exercise #3-edited paragraph DUE.

Hand back and Review of  Prompt #6 (John Barry-The Great Influenza)

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Intro paragraph for "A Definition of Happiness" by Nikos Kazantzakis is DUE.

Sentence frame work to complete the essay.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2013

PROMPT DAY! OH YEAH!

Don't forget to get to class early and or on time so you can do some free-writing to ease your prompt anxiety! It really helps if you give it a chance!

        The Happy Song is due next FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2013-I just don't have time this week to get to it- so you have another week!

 portrait of a Calabrian woman

February 7, 2013

As the sun sets on another happy day in Bend, Oregon, let us reflect on the days events...
Tomorrow is Friday and it is AP prompt time. Remember to try and get to class on time so we can experiment with some journal writing before the prompt. When you get to class (on time) take out your notebook, or a piece of paper for journal writing and one for the prompt. I want to make sure that you have the full 40 minutes for the prompt. Remember to bring your SOAPS 1/2 sheet.

Friday 2/8/2013

•Pictures/images that make you feel happy are due. Make sure you write your name on them.
•Intro paragraph for rhetorical analysis of "A Definition of Happiness" by Nikos Kazantzakis is due

Monday 2/11/2013

•Wordiness essay edited down as much as possible is due.

Friday 2/15/2013

•One song that makes you feel happy sent to my email or Google docs is due.

POSTING BY MRS. MENSING

Monday, February 3, 2013

 Forget Your Troubles Come On Get Happy!

Welcome to the new semester! Pat yourselves on the back, take a deep breath and get ready to move into a new theme. You explored the world of FOOD from farm to fridge. Now we are going to delve into HAPPINESS. What does it mean to be happy? Are you happy? How do we get happy? So, put on your best smile, and get ready to think, eat, sleep, and breath HAPPY! 

MONDAY 2/4

•Introduction to me PowerPoint by Mrs. Mensing

•Seating chart changes

•Discuss food papers-ways to improve

•Discuss overarching questions in small groups

HOMEWORK:

1)PLEASE READ NY TIMES ARTICLE "THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN BEING HAPPY." POSTED ON THE BLOG UNDER READINGS FOR CLASS.

Come prepared to discuss and write on Tuesday2/5

2) PLEASE BRING A PICTURE, DRAWING, IMAGE OF

SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY FOR OUR BULLETIN BOARD

TUESDAY 2/5

•Discuss NY Times article

•Begin essay

WEDNESDAY 2/6

•Finish essay

•TED Talk Dan Gilbert "Are We Happy"

THURSDAY 2/7

•Read and Discuss excerpt from Nikos Kazantzakis memoir

•Dissect meaning together(SOAPS)

•Discuss tone and style

•Write your own "happy essay"

FRIDAY 2/8

PROMPT DAY!

HOMEWORK:

READ "THE FUTURE OF HAPPINESS" BY MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYI OVER THE WEEKEND

BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS AND WRITE ON MONDAY

And now the end is near

Congratulations!  You are about to enter the Last Week of the Semester. At least in terms of AP English Lang, that puts you in a tiny minority of American students--the cream.  Good job!  Now, let's get to the top of that cream with a super good finish.  If you have anything you would still like to turn in or redo for credit, now's the time.  Last day to submit:  Friday, 1/25.  Next week, on our finals schedule, you'll get credit for completing this year's official CIM writing exam; this week, we'll finish the research essay, have our last AP Prompt, and tie the loose ends up into a pretty bow!  Ready?

MONDAY, 1/21
MLK!  Yay!

TUESDAY, 1/22
Research Essay
• Final Feedback:  Computer lab

WEDNESDAY, 1/23
Style Matters: Cut to the Chase
• Info and discussion:  How to eliminate wordiness
• Exercise

THURSDAY, 1/24
AP Prompt #5

FRIDAY, 1/25
Friday Forum
• purpose and plan
• format and requirements
• demonstration

Pulling it All Together

Now that you have the pieces to produce an effective essay, let's get out the glue and stick it together.  While we work in class on strategies and skills to make your paper the best it can be, you will need to continue hacking away on it at home.  Be sure you keep the access codes to our data bases handy, and don't procrastinate. 

MONDAY, 11/14
Structure
• the introduction
• thesis options
• practice intro

TUESDAY, 11/15
Incorporating quotations/paraphrasing
• you and the sources
• in-text documentation
• practice quotation incorporation

WEDNESDAY, 11/16
Academic Distance
• appropriate language
• formalities
Works Cited Page
• sourcing

THURSDAY, 11/17
Conferences/Writing Workshop

FRIDAY, 11/18
Conferences/Writing Workshop

Eat it!

Here we go, 2013! Resolution:  Finish Semester One in a blaze of Research Glory, writing a tasty bit of argument that employs all we have learned over the past five months.  We'll spend this week with in-class research (no assigned homework, but we can continue our efforts at home in jammies and bunny slippers, no penalty) and then have lessons and exercises specific to the essay next week.  Because the timeline is pretty tight and the expectations high, we'll need to resist any 2012-style urge to slack off or procrastinate.  The details of the assignment are posted for your enjoyment.  Happy researching!