Springing towards summer

We're enjoying our Spring break for Easter, and I hope you have had time to rest, and be with both family and friends. We've been grateful for the rest. Also puzzled by the rapid temperature shifts, by the way. Not long ago it felt like summer and we had need for air conditioning, but now it has turned cold again like there are still remembrances of winter. Rain or shine, summer vacation will be here sooner than you think.

Let's accomplish clearly a few goals - here is what remains to be done in the fourth quarter, the last of Spring 2015:

1) Informational Speaking - speak on the contents of your article, and whether you agree with it. Use a digital help like a photo or graph, projected on the overhead.

2) Informational Writing - inform of the contents of the article, and write about your opinions on the article without getting too persuasive.

3) Narrative Writing - see link to right of blog where you can see Narrative Prompts - which have been recently adjusted and are based on next year's Common App. Choose one, not the first!

4) Narrative Speaking - speak on what you are writing about in number 3 above.

5) Favorite Author Prezi - each student presents individually on an author we have read this year: about 20 slides with link to video and bibliography. Speak for 5 minutes; bonus for using Prezi instead of PowerPoint.

Slide distribution: 1 - Intro (like top left of writing assignment) 2-7 author biography, 8-13 giving examples of the writing of this author, showing why the sentences are beautiful or effective, showing other people's opinion about or interpretation of the writing, or comparing 2 works using same theme being discussed, 14-19 interesting points that made this person noteworthy, eccentricities or habits of the person, how the person trained to become excellent or made the work excellent. 20 works cited.


Besides the above, we have readings, however homework assignments have been carefully reduced or targeted, and you only need to submit 5. Assignments can be submitted up to 3 days late - endeavor to do everything on time! If you don't have enough time to submit one, skip it and do the next, perhaps:

Q4 Assignments from Collection 6 Modern World

HW41 The Destructors – G. Greene – p. 1092: 5,8,9,10,11 TEST

HW42 Shakespeare’s Sister from A Room of One’s Own – V. Woolf – p. 1113: 3,4,5,6

HW45 The Lake Isle of Innisfree – W.B. Yeats – p. 1168: 2,3,6,7

HW51 Digging – S. Heaney – p. 1248: 4,5,7

HW53 Do Not Go Gentle – D. Thomas – p. 1274: 4,5,6,7,8

HW43 Marriage is a Private Affair – C. Achebe – p. 1153: 5,9,10

HW50 B. Wordsworth – V.S. Naipul – p. 1239: 5,7,9

HW46 Araby – J. Joyce – p. 1182: 1,3,4,6

HW57 Saboteur – Ha Jin – p. 1317: 5,6,9,10

HW56 Towards a True Refuge – H.S. Suu Kyi

HW56 The Question of South Africa – D. Tutu

HW56 Universal Declaration of Human Rights –p. 1328: 1,4

Students must submit 5 of these homework assignments. Everyone takes 4 selection Tests.

Q4 blog reflection:

A) write about something interesting you learned this year during a club or class activity or while volunteering or working at a job 

B) advice to other students - if you are a senior tell students how to choose & apply for college and have a smooth senior year; non-seniors advise underclassmen on how to be better student or language learners

C) write something about your home country or culture that others from outside your country don't know, or write about plans for the future, such as college or summer..


Start working on your Q4 blog reflection, Author Prezi, and Q4 classroom notes (due 5/15). We are all looking forward to a great summer!

Extras:

HW47 Rocking Horse Winner – D.H. Lawrence – p. 1199: 6,7,8,9,10

HW59 The Horses – T. Hughes – p. 1336 3,4,5,6

HW58 Sailing to Byzantium – W.B. Yeats – p. 1333: 3,4,5,6


While on vacation, be sure to remain in a festive frame of mind!