Welcome Class of 2014!

Welcome to all of you who are ready and willing to embark on this academic journey in Honors English 1-2. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you this September.

My philosophy on Language Arts education is that students should be intrinsically motivated to learn (which means that you are driven by your thirst for knowledge and not your grade) and become so engaged and excited about what we are doing that you forget you are actually learning.

I am not as concerned about your grade as much as I am concerned with the knowledge, skills and ideas you gain from this class. We have a rich curriculum of literature, writing and speaking opportunities. Freshman year is a very crucial foundation year, where you will establish study habits and develop key skills needed to score well on state standards, SAT, ACT and AP tests in the future.

Quite a few of the lessons are based around the concept of social responsibility and principle of "utilitarianism" which means "the greatest good for the greatest number of people." We will use this lens to view literary characters, themes, and conflicts within the context of history. All literary themes have relevance to our lives today. We will apply these to our writing and speaking opportunities.

I hope that all of you have completed your summer reading of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. Please come to class ready to take a reading comprehension test and to discuss this novel.

We will be using this blog page for discussions, homework links/posts and general dissemination of information. Please check this page regularly and share it with your parents. And please feel free to comment about class assignments, post questions, etc.

TAG Challenge #1

TAG Challenge #1

TAG Challenges are for everyone in Honors English 1-2. I offer one or two per week. They offer an opportunity for enriched study related to our core curriculum. I offer two extra credit points for each TAG challenge completed on time. Here is the way it works...

1) Students research the TAG challenge either in books or on the computer.

2) They synthesize what they have learned.

3) They write a paragraph or two explaining in their own words what they have learned.

The turn around time is usually over night. The challenge responses are to be labeled and written into their spiral notebooks. I will stamp them, the students will share their answers and I will record the points in my grade book.

TAG Challenge #1 - Research Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs. In your spiral binder, please write a paragraph or two explaining who he is and the various levels to his Hierarchy of Needs. Due: 9/8 - per. 5; 9/9 - per.4 &6

Homework for Sept. 11 & 12

Gather five items that represent or symbolize aspects of your life.  Put them in a box (shoe box size) and bring to class on the 11th or 12th.

Tag Challenge 3 - for per. 4 & 6 only

What was the name of the ship filled with Holocaust refugees that was denied access to ports in Cuba and Florida and was sent back to Europe?

Tag Challenge #3

Define genocide.  List some instances that have occurred since 1980.  

Tag Challenge #2

What is IBM's connection to the Holocaust?

TAG Challenge #1

TAG Challenges are for everyone in Honors English 1-2.  I offer one or two per week.  They offer an opportunity for enriched study related to our core curriculum.  I offer two extra credit points for each TAG challenge completed on time.  Here is the way it works...

1) Students research the TAG challenge either in books or on the computer.

2) They synthesize what they have learned.

3) They write a paragraph or two explaining in their own words what they have learned. 

The turn around time is usually over night.  The challenge responses are to be labeled and written into their spiral notebooks.  I will stamp them, the students will share their answers and I will record the points in my grade book. 

TAG Challenge #1 - Research Abraham Maslow and his Hierarchy of Needs.  In your spiral binder, please write a paragraph or two explaining who he is and the various levels to his Hierarchy of Needs.  Due: 9/3 - per. 3 &5; 9/4 - per.4 &6