Friday, May 11, 2012

My Last Day

My last few days as a teacher and coach at Hillcrest Christian School were very emotional. I invested five years into the school and its students, and I had coworkers and invested in me and prayed for me constantly. 

Administration: Thank you for taking a chance on me. It meant at lot to me, and I took seriously the task you put before me. I hope you look back on that decision with happiness and contentment.

Coworkers: Your prayers and encouragement helped get me through those bad days that all teachers have.

Students: You were absolutely unforgettable. I will miss the laughter and the challenges. I am thankful to God that he allowed me to teach you.

I began work as a 25-year-old bachelor and left married with two kids. God could not have put me in a better place for those years in my life.



It seems silly that such mundane actions--cutting off the lights and closing a door--could mean so much, but they do. I will miss this school and you people dearly.

I pray that God blesses you.

--Coach Taylor

Monday, May 7, 2012

Week 36: May 7 - 11

Monday
Test

Tuesday - Friday
Final Exam review


Friday, May 4, 2012

Pronoun worksheet answers

For those of you in Advanced English who want to check your grammar work, here are the answers to the exercises.

Page 89: Pronouns in the possessive case
Exercise 1

  1. Theirs
  2. ours
  3. Hers
  4. theirs
  5. yours
  6. hers
  7. Ours
  8. yours
  9. its
  10. theirs
Exercise 2
  1. Their
  2. its
  3. your
  4. their
  5. your
  6. its
  7. Your
  8. Its
  9. their
  10. its
Page 90: Who or Whom in Questions
Exercise 1
  1. subj.
  2. o.p.
  3. d.o.
  4. subj.
  5. o.p.
  6. d.o.
  7. d.o.
  8. subj.
  9. o.p.
  10. subj.
Exercise 2
  1. Who
  2. whom
  3. Who
  4. Whom
  5. Who
  6. Who
  7. whom
  8. Who
  9. Whom
  10. whom

Week 35: April 30 - May 4

Monday
Advanced
  1. Students will take poetry test 2.
  2. With whatever time they have left, students will begin reading "Emily Dickinson" on page 415.
Regular
  1. Students will take their test on SRA.
  2. After completing the test, students will read "" and answer questions.
Tuesday
Advanced
Continue "Emily Dickinson"

Regular
Continue SRA


Wednesday
Advanced
  1. Complete "Emily Dickinson"
  2. Start pronoun case worksheet to be completed for HW.
  3. Read "Marian Anderson."

Regular
Continue SRA


Thursday
Advanced
  1. Discuss "Marian Anderson."
  2. Discuss pronoun case.

Regular
Continue SRA.


Friday
Advanced

  1. Read "A Christmas Memory."
  2. Possessive pronoun and Who/Whom work
Regular
  1. Finish SRA.
  2. Review for Monday's test.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Week 34: April 23 - 27

Monday
1. Students will take their test.
2. Students will work on vocabulary lesson 28. Quiz on Friday.

Tuesday
Advanced
  1. Students will complete vocabulary work.
  2. Class will go over Lord of the Flies test if all students have taken it.
  3. Students will read begin reading nonfiction selections.
Regular
  1. Students will complete vocabulary work.
  2. Students will take notes on the following:
  • epitaphs 
  • the life of Edgar Lee Masters
  • Spoon River Anthology (SRA)
Wednesday
Advanced
The class will read and discuss the humorous essay "The Dog that Bit People" by James Thurber.

Regular
We will complete our notes and compose our own epitaphs.

Thursday
Advanced
Students will read and "Emily Dickinson" by Van Wyck Brooks.

Regular
  1. Students will complete epitaphs.
  2. The class will begin reading the selections from SRA.


Friday
Advanced
  1. Students will take vocabulary quiz 28.
  2. Students will go to the library to take their AR test on Lord of the Flies.
  3. Students may take other AR tests if they are prepared to do so.
  4. Students will study for Monday's poetry test.
Regular
  1. Students will take vocabulary quiz 28.
  2. The class will continue reading selections from SRA.
  3. If time permits, we will do a mini-review for Monday's SRA/Masters/Epitaph test.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Week 33: April 16 - 20

Monday
Advanced

  • Students will write down the words and definitions for vocabulary unit 27, pages 173-74.
  • The class will discuss the remaining haiku.
  • Students will compose their own haiku.
Regular
  • Students will write down the words and definitions for vocabulary unit 27, pages 173-74.
  • The class will discuss Great Expectations in preparation for Tuesday's test.*

Tuesday
Advanced
  • Students will complete vocabulary exercises 1-3 on pages 175-76.
  • Students will individually analyze a poem they have not seen before.
Regular
  • Students will take Great Expectations test 2.
  • Students will complete vocabulary exercises 1-3 on pages 175-76.
Wednesday
Advanced

  1. Continue group explanations of "Do not go gentle..."
  2. Class discussion of "Elegy for my father, who is not dead"
Regular
  1. Discuss vocabulary exercises
  2. Group discussion of "My Papa's Waltz"
Thursday
Advanced

  1. Individual analysis of "My Papa's Waltz"
  2. Class discussion



Regular

  1. Continue class discussion of "My Papa's Waltz"
  2. Vocabulary review.


Friday
Advanced

  1. Vocabulary quiz, lesson 27
  2. "The Number Pi"
  3. If any time remains, mini-review for Lord of the Flies test

Regular

  1. Vocabulary quiz, lesson 27
  2. AR test on Great Expectations in library.
  3. Study for poetry test 2.


* While Monday is normally the English test day, I have been assured that the students would not have more than one test on this Tuesday. Because of that (and the students' request for more time to prepare for the Great Expectations test), I have moved their test back one day.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Week 32: April 9 - 13

Monday
Good Monday holiday!

Tuesday
1. Continue analysis of "First Lesson."
2. Discuss outside reading.

Wednesday
1. Possible outside reading quiz.
2. Continue poetry analysis.

Thursday
Continue poetry analysis.


Friday
1. Greek and Latin roots quiz. This quiz will count for two daily grades.
2.  Continue poetry analysis.
3. Mini-review for outside reading test to be taken on Monday.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Week 31: April 2 - 6

Monday
1. Review terms in action if necessary.
2. Take Poetry Test 1.
3. Complete Poetry terms crossword puzzle

Tuesday
1. Outside reading quiz******abandoned***********
2. Greek and Latin roots

Wednesday
1. Poetry explication directions
2. Practice with "Metaphor."

Thursday
1. Individuals will analyze "First Lesson" on page 609 using analysis handout.
2. Class discussion of "First Lesson."

Friday
Good Friday holiday!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Week 30: March 26 - 30

Monday
1. Outside reading test 1
2. Read poetry

Tuesday
1. Mrs. Westerfield
2. Continue poetry if time permits.

Wednesday
1. Poetry terms quiz
2. Go over Monday's test
3.  Poetry analysis sheet

Thursday
1. Outside reading quiz.
2. Review poetry terms quiz
3. Continue poetry work.

Friday
1. Continue poetry work.
2. Review for Monday's poetry test.


Monday's test may contain the following:

  • definitions
  • poetry terms in action, i.e. excerpts containing examples of the terms
  • information about the poems that we have looked at in class
  • a new poem that students will read and analyze


Monday, March 19, 2012

Week 29: March 19 - 23

As of Monday, March 19, we have 39 school days remaining. For many of my students, these last few weeks will prove to be the difference between a higher letter grade and a lower one. For some of you, it will be the difference between passing and failing for the year. I cannot encourage you enough to stay on top of your work this term, especially your outside reading. Your failure to do so will seriously affect your grade. Conversely, reading diligently is a great way build up a buffer for the more difficult material that we will be covering. 


Monday
1. Outside reading quiz
2. Schedule/choice sheet discussion with Mrs. Westerfield


Tuesday
Define poetry terms


Wednesday
1. Complete terms sheet
2. Discuss poetry


Thursday
1. Outside reading quiz
2. Continue poetry discussion


Friday
1. Poetry terms quiz
2. Begin reading poetry.




Tuesday, March 6, 2012

AR - 9th regular


Charles Dickens's Great Expectations

The following information is for the 9th regular class. If you are looking for information for 9th advanced, click here

Also, tomorrow is the last day to sign up for your second AR book. If you fail to sign up for a second book, or choose a book that is not allowed, you will receive a zero daily grade, and I will choose your second book for you. For further info, see this post.




Listed in the chart below is your reading schedule for the novel. On or after each due date, you may take a quiz (daily grade) on the information in the required chapters, except for March 26 and April 16. You will take a test on chapters 1-15 of Great Expectations on March 26 and chapters 16-34 on April 16. If you are absent the day or days before a quiz/ test, you will still take the quiz/test. You have plenty of warning. If you are absent on the day we take a quiz or test, you will take it or another version of it on your FIRST DAY back.

Great Expectations is more difficult than Animal Farm. If you do not keep up with the reading, you will do poorly. You must bring your book to class every day. If we have any free time at the end of the class period, I expect you to spend it reading this novel.

On your quizzes and tests, you will be responsible for anything in the assigned chapters and anything we've discussed in class.

Please note that all chapter headings refer to our specific copy of the abridged version. All other versions of the book are broken down differently. It is your responsibility to know what is required if you did not buy the correct version of the book.


Chapter
Due Date
1 - 10
3/19
11 - 13
3/22
14 - 15
3/26
16 - 21
3/29
22 - 25
4/3
26 - 29
4/10
30 - 34
4/16




AR - 9th Advanced


William Golding's Lord of the Flies


The following information is for the 9th advanced class. If you are looking for information for 9th regular, click here


Also, tomorrow is the last day to sign up for your second AR book. If you fail to sign up for a second book, or choose a book that is not allowed, you will receive a zero daily grade, and I will choose your second book for you. If you need more info about AR, check this post.

Listed in the chart below is your reading schedule for the novel. On or after each due date, you may take a quiz (daily grade) on the information in the required chapter(s), except for March 26 and April 23. You will take a test on chapters 1-6 of Lord of the Flies on March 26 and chapters 7-12 on April 23. If you are absent the day or days before a quiz/ test, you will still take the quiz/test. You have plenty of warning. If you are absent on the day we take a quiz or test, you will take it or another version of it on your FIRST DAY back.

Lord of the Flies is much more difficult than Animal Farm. If you do not keep up with the reading, you will do poorly. You must bring your book to class every day. If we have any free time at the end of the class period, I expect you to spend it reading this novel.

On your quizzes and tests, you will be responsible for anything in the chapter or chapters and anything we've discussed in class. 


Chapter
Due Date
1 -4
3/19
5
3/22
6
3/26
7
3/29
8
4/3
9 & 10
4/10
11
4/17
12
4/23

Monday, March 5, 2012

Week 28: March 5-8

Monday
1. Bell work
2. Introduction to themes within our AR novel.

Tuesday
1. Bell work
2. Continue themes
3. Talk about reading schedule
4. Begin reading novel

Wednesday
1. Bell work
2. Read AR books.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Week 27: Feb. 27 - Mar 2

Monday
9-weeks test

Tuesday - Friday
We will watch a movie production of the play we studied. Study will have the option to either watch the movie or study individually for another exam.

All students will need their own copy of our assigned AR book in class on Monday, March 5. Failure to have the book in class on that date will result in a zero daily grade.


Here is the exam schedule for this week.
Feb. 27 – English, Writing Skills, Speech
Feb. 28 – Math, Foreign Language
March 1 – Science, Fine Arts, Science Skills, World Geography
March 2 – Social Studies, Government. 

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Week 26: February 20 - 24

Monday
No school!

Tuesday
1. Test

  • Adv. Julius Caesar  act 5
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet acts 4 & 5
2. Study memory work.
No vocabulary this week. All students need a copy of their AR book by Friday, March 2.


Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday
On these days students will study for our 9-weeks test, which will be Monday, February 27.


The 9-weeks test will be taken during a regular 50-minute class period. It will be a Scan-Tron test of roughly 100 questions (125 for the advanced class), covering both the background information (Life and Times) and the entire play that we read this term. I will give back old tests in class, but students may not take these tests home.


Monday, February 13, 2012

Week 25: Feb. 13-17

Note: Due to a mix up with the substitute of Friday, 6th period's test has been moved to Thursday. 5th period remains unchanged.

Homework all week is this: study for your vocabulary quiz and your memory work.


Monday
1. Take Test
  • Adv. Julius Caesar Act 4
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet Act 3
2. Begin reading next act.
3. Copy words and definitions for vocabulary lesson 26, pages 167-168.
HW: Continue learning lines for memory work. Know your due date!



Tuesday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading play
  • Adv. Julius Caesar Act 5, scene 1-2
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet - The progress is different for each class. 


Wednesday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading play
  • Adv. Julius Caesar Act 5, scenes 3-4
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet Act 4


Thursday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading play

  • Adv. Completed Julius Caesar
  • Reg. At this point, both classes are with a page or two of completing the final scene.


Friday
1. Vocabulary quiz
2. Complete play / Review for test.

HW: Test and memory work

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Romeo and Juliet, Act 3

For those of you screaming "Help!" here are a few useful tips.
I have organized the quotations by scene. Clicking the line below will take you to the "No Fear Shakespeare" page that contains the quote. Warning: I do not control the content on "No Fear Shakespeare." Some of it may not be appropriate. Also, this is just a bonus resource; it is not guaranteed to be correct.


Remember, you are responsible for telling me why the quote is important, not just what is being said (in addition to the speaker and audience, of course). I suggest that you go through your packet while you do this, paying attention to who all is on stage when these lines are spoken.



Act 3, scene 1
"No, 'tis not so deep as a well . . ."
"Mercutio's soul . . ."
"O, I am fortune's fool!"

Act 3, scene 3
"There is no world without Verona's walls!"

Act 3, scene 4
"Monday! Ha, ha!"

Act 3, scene 5
"It was the nightingale . . ."
"Night's candles are burnt out . . ."
"Methinks I see thee . . ."
"I'll send to one in Mantua . . ."
"Indeed I never shall be satisfied . . ."
"Well, thou has comforted me marvelous much."





Monday, February 6, 2012

Week 24: Feb. 6 - 10

I apologize for the lack of updates last week. I was extremely busy.

Monday
1. Test

  • Advanced JC acts 2-3
  • Regular R&J act 2

2. Copy words and definitions for vocabulary lesson 23, pages 147-48.
HW all: Finish vocabulary.
HW reg:  Study for VQ 22 and order your copy of Great Expectations or bring me $12 so I can order it for you. I am ordering these personally rather than through the school, so if you bring a check, it needs to be made out to Steve Taylor.


Tuesday
1. Continue reading Shakespeare.

  • Adv. Julius Caesar Act 4, scenes 1-2.
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet Act 3, scene 1 (most of it, anyway)

2. Regular: Take vocabulary quiz 22.

Wednesday

Continue reading Shakespeare.

  • Adv. Julius Caesar most of scene 3.
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet scene 1- most of 2.

HW: Learn you lines for the memory work.


Thursday

Continue reading Shakespeare.

  • Adv. Julius Caesar finished Act 3.
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet end of scene 2 - most of scene 5. 

HW: Study for your vocabulary quiz.



Friday
1. Take vocabulary quiz 23.

2. Continue reading Shakespeare.

  • Adv. None.
  • Reg. Romeo and Juliet complete scene 5. Go over study guide.
HW. Review for Monday's test
  • Adv. Act 4
  • Reg. Act 3

Monday, January 23, 2012

Week 22: January 23 - 27

I will not be in class today (Monday) due to family illness. Our 2nd test of the nine weeks (first on the actual text of the play) will be next Monday (1/30/12). It will cover Act I.


Monday
1. Copy down words and definitions for vocab lesson 19. Quiz on Friday.
2. Adv. Read Act 1, scene 3 (pp. 323-326). Students may choose parts and read aloud in class.
2. Regular: Read Act 1, scene 2.
3. Complete exercises 1-3 on pages 123-124 in vocabulary book.
HW: Finish vocabulary exercises. Students may take books home if necessary.

Tuesday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading (I will update these to reflect what we have actually read when I have a chance.)
Reg. We read and reviewed Act I, scene ii.
Adv. We read Act I, scene iii.

Wednesday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading (I will update these to reflect what we have actually read when I have a chance.)
Reg. We read Act I, scenes iii & iv.
Adv. We reviewed Act I.

Thursday
1. Bell work
2. Adv. Begin Act II.
2. Regular. Read Act I, scene v.
HW: Study for vocabulary quiz 19.

Friday
1. Bell work
2. Vocabulary quiz.
3. Complete necessary reading and review for Monday's test.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Romeo and Juliet resource page


I will periodically update this page with links to helpful resources to Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet. If you're looking for the Julius Caesar page, click here. I suggest bookmarking this page and visiting it often.

                                                                                
The links below take you to other websites. I do not control the content on any of those pages, nor do I take responsibility if any content on those pages is inappropriate. Click at your own risk.

The full text of Romeo and Juliet in webpage form or the pdf that we're using in class.

No Fear Shakespeare: These pages have Shakespearean language side by-side with their own personal modern translation.

Click here for memory work.
Study Guides
Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Act 4
Act 5

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Memory Work - 9th Advanced


The following information is for the 9th English advanced classes. For 9th English regular, please go here.
(Note: If you are a parent looking at this, you should have signed a form that looked like this for your child to turn in to me.)

Julius Caesar
Memory Speeches

  • All 9th English students are required to complete memory work as one of the major test grades during the study of Shakespeare. Students earn grades as indicated in parentheses after each piece. Each error reduces the grade by one-half (½) point. Prompting of a line counts as two errors (1point deduction). A maximum of three prompts will be given to each student. The highest grade recorded for memory work will be a 105. Each student will be given a maximum of five minutes to complete his/her recitation.
  • Up to three passages may be combined but must be recited as entire pieces. In other words, to earn a grade of 105, you may choose one piece of 50 lines, or you may combine pieces to make 50(+) lines.   For example, speeches 7 and 8 can be recited in their entirety, a total of 52 lines, for a grade of 105. Another example would be the combining of speeches 10 and 13, a total of 35 lines, for a grade of 88. No more than 55 lines may be recited!
  • Sign up sheets for recitation appointments will be posted inside the classroom at 8:00 on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. All appointments will be during the week of February 20-24, 2012, although students may recite their lines on February 17 with my permission.
  • All work must be recited by 3:10 on February 24, 2012.

(Click the name beside each number for a copy of the lines.)


Selections from Julius Caesar:

1. Antony (105) Act III, scene 1, lines 148-163, 183-210, 211-213, & 218-222, pp. 352-353 52 lines
“O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?”
2. Portia (95) Act II, scene 1, lines 237-256 & 258-259 & 261-278 & 279-287, pp. 336-337, 45 lines
“Nor for yours neither. Y'have ungently, Brutus,”
3. Cassius (95) Act I, scene 2, lines 90-131, pp. 315-316, 42 lines
“I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus,”
4. Antony (88) Act III, scene 2, lines 74-108, p. 358-360, 35 lines
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears”
5. Cassius (82) Act I, scene 2, lines 135-161, p. 316-317, 27 lines
“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world”
6. Cassius (82) Act I, scene 3, lines 57-78 & 80-84, pp. 323-324, 27 lines
“You are dull, Casca, and those sparks of line”
7. Brutus (82) Act II, scene 1, lines 114-140, pp. 332-333, 27 lines
“No, not an oath. If not the face of men”
8. Brutus (80) Act II, scene 1, lines 10-34, p. 329, 25 lines
“It must be by his death; and for my part,”
9. Marullus (77) Act I, scene 1, lines 33-56, p. 311, 22 lines
“Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?”
10. Caesar (75) Act I, scene 2, lines 192-195, 198-214, p. 318-319, 21 lines
“Let me have men about me that are fat,”
11. Casca (75) Act I, scene 3, lines 15-32, p 322, 18 lines
“A common slave—you know him well by sight—”
12. Cassius (70) Act I, scene 2, lines 308-322, pp. 321-322, 15 lines
“Well, Brutus, thou art noble; yet I see”
13. Caesar (70) Act II, scene 2, lines 32-37 & 41-48, pp. 339-340, 14 lines
“Cowards die many times before their deaths;”






9th Advanced Memory Work scoring system:
Number of Lines Maximum Points Earned
50 - 55
105
48 - 49
100
40 - 47
95
34 - 39
88
29 - 33
86
26 - 28
82
24 - 25
80
22 - 23
77
17 - 21
75
13 - 16
70
0 – 12
0


Memory Work - 9th regular


The following information is for the 9th English regular classes. For 9th English Adv, please go here.
(Note: If you are a parent looking at this, you should have signed a form that looked like this for your child to turn in to me.)

Romeo and Juliet
Memory Speeches

  • All 9th English students are required to complete memory work as one of the major test grades during the study of Shakespeare. Students earn grades as indicated in parentheses after each piece. Each error reduces the grade by one-half (½) point. Prompting of a line counts as two errors (1point deduction). A maximum of three prompts will be given to each student. The highest grade recorded for memory work will be a 105. Each student will be given a maximum of five minutes to complete his/her recitation.
  • Up to three passages may be combined but must be recited as entire pieces. In other words, to earn a grade of 105, you may choose one piece of 50 lines, or you may combine pieces to make 50(+) lines. For example, speeches 7 and 8 can be recited in their entirety, a total of 52 lines, for a grade of 105. Another example would be the combining of speeches 10 and 13, a total of 28 lines, for a grade of 85. No more than 55 lines may be recited!
  • Sign up sheets for recitation appointments will be posted inside the classroom at 8:00 on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. All appointments will be during the week of February 20-24, 2012, although students may recite their lines on February 17 with my permission.
  • All work must be recited by 3:10 on February 24, 2012.

(Click the name beside each number for a copy of the lines.)


Selections from Romeo and Juliet:
1. Friar Laurence (105) Act III, scene iii, lines 110 (second part) -58, 50 lines
“Hold thy desperate hand.”
2. Mercutio (105) Act I, scene iv, lines 53(second part)-95, 96-103, 50 lines
“O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.”
3. Juliet (98) Act IV, scene iii, lines 14-58, 45 lines
“Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.”
4. Friar Laurence (96) Act V, scene iii, lines 229-69, 41 lines
“I will be brief, for my short date of breath is not so long as is a tedious tale.”
5. Juliet (90) Act III, scene ii, lines 1-35, 35 lines
“Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,”
6. Romeo (88) Act V, Scene iii, lines 88-120, 33 lines
“How oft when men are at the point of death have they been merry!”
7. Romeo (87) Act II, scene ii, lines 1-32, 32 lines
“He jests at scars that never felt a wound.”
8. Prince (82) Act I, scene i, lines 82-104, 23 lines
“Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,”
9. Juliet (80) Act II, scene v, lines 1-19, 19 lines
“The clock struck nine when I did send the nurse;”
10. Juliet (78) Act II, scene ii, lines 34-37 and 39-49, 16 lines
O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?”
11. Juliet (78) Act II, scene ii, lines 110-124, 16 lines
“O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,”
12. Prologue (74) before Act I, lines 1-14, 14 lines
“Two households, both alike in dignity,”
13. Romeo (70) Act I, scene v, lines 43-44 and 45-54, 12 lines
“What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?”


9th Regular Memory Work scoring system:


Number of Lines Maximum Points Earned
50 - 55 105
48 - 49 100
45 - 47 98
40 - 44 96
35 - 39 90
33 -34 88
32 87
26 -31 85
20 - 25 82
19 80
16 - 18 78
14 -15 74
12 -13 70
0 - 11 0



Julius Caesar resource page

I will periodically update this page with links to helpful resources to Shakespeare and Julius Caesar. If you're looking for the Romeo and Juliet page, click here. I suggest bookmarking this page and visiting it often.

                                                                                
The links below take you to other websites. I do not control the content on any of those pages, nor do I take responsibility if any content on those pages is inappropriate. Click at your own risk.

The full text of Julius Caesar.

No Fear Shakespeare: These pages have Shakespearean language side by-side with their own personal modern translation.

Week 21: January 17 - 20

Monday
No school!

Tuesday
1. Life and Times of Shakespeare Test
2. Copy words and definitions for vocabulary lesson 18. Quiz on Friday.
3. (Advanced class only) discuss memory work.
HW: Parent signature on Memory Work

Wednesday
1. Bell work
2. Begin reading play
HW: Parent signature on Memory Work

Thursday
1. Bell work
2. Continue reading
HW: Parent signature on Memory Work

Friday
1. Bell work
2. Vocabulary quiz
3. Continue reading


Check back for links to resources that will help with the plays.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Shakespeare notes resource

Click here for some notes about Shakespeare's life and times. I hope to update this post over the weekend with another resource or two.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Week 20: January 9 - 13

Monday
1. Bell work
2. Copy words and definitions from vocabulary lesson 17. Quiz on Friday.
3. Complete notes on historical background of the Elizabethan period.
4. Time permitting, begin watching "Costume Cavalcade" video and filling out accompanying handout.
HW: Study for Friday's vocabulary quiz. Also, this is a great time to read one of your AR books, since we are not in the middle of other literature at the moment.

Tuesday
1. Bell work
2. "Costume Cavalcade" with handout
HW: Study for Friday's vocabulary quiz. Read your AR books!

Wednesday
1. Bell work
2. "Costume Cavalcade" with handout
HW: Study for Friday's vocabulary quiz. AR!

Thursday
1. Bell work
2. Info about Shakespearean language
3. Pun Practice
HW: Study for tomorrow's vocabulary quiz.

Friday
1. Bell work
2. Vocabulary quiz 17
3. Review for Life and Times test.
HW: Study for test on Shakespeare's Life and Times

Email Improvements

Kent, our IT guru, has made adjustments to our email system so that we can access it from home. While I do not run to my computer every five minutes to check for email, I do check it daily, even on weekends. If you need to get in touch with me, send an email to staylor at hillcrestchristian dot org (You obviously need to take out the spaces and replace the word "at" with an at symbol, and replace the word "dot" with a period. I have to write it like this to avoid an influx of spam.)

Added soccer game 1/27/12

We have added a game to the HCS soccer schedule for this month. Lee Academy will come to HCS on January 27 for a 4:00 game. I know that this is the Disciple Now weekend for many HCS students, so I scheduled the game for the earliest available time for Lee Academy. We should finish our game in plenty of time for the affected players to shower and arrive at their host homes on time.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

AR books

***EDITED AT 2:45 1/6/12***

All students must sign up for one AR work by Friday, February 3 and the second by Wednesday, March 7. Failure to do so will result in a zero for a daily grade for each date. Once four students have signed up for a particular book, no other students may do so. All AR tests must be taken by 3:10 on Wednesday, May 9. I strongly suggest that you make plans to take the tests earlier in case there is a conflict in the library. The sign-up sheet will be attached to my desk. It is your responsibility to make sure that I "ok" the book that you want to read.


All 9th English regular students will read the abridged version of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations (ISBN-10: 1463536119 if you want to try to find it somewhere other than Amazon). You must buy THIS VERSION of Great Expectations. If you buy a version that is abridged differently, you are responsible for knowing the differences.


All 9th English advanced students will read William Golding's Lord of the Flies (ISBN-10: 0399537422)
You do not need this particular version of Lord of the Flies. Also, most libraries will have a copy of this book.






The reading schedule for these books will be posted soon, but we will not start reading this until the 4th 9-weeks.







Monday, January 2, 2012

Week 19: January 2 - 6

Welcome back! I hope that everyone had a restful Christmas break and you are ready to get back to work. Many students consider the 3rd 9 weeks to be the most difficult of the year because we spend the entire time studying Shakespeare. During the Shakespeare unit, students will be responsible for quite a bit of information. We will cover the life and times of Shakespeare, including important background information about several English monarchs, the beginning of English theater, and of course a complete dramatic work of Shakespeare. The 9th Advanced class will read Julius Caesar while the 9th regular classes will read Romeo and Juliet. Our 9th grade literature book contains Julius Caesar. I will make a class set of copies of Romeo and Juliet for our 9th regular classes. I plan to cover the plays in their entirety in class, but students must be prepared to work at home as well.

This 9-week period is often the "make or break" time for many students. Lack of attention and effort during this unit can easily be the difference between an A or B, or, in some cases, passing and failing for the year. Shakespeare can be difficult, but those who put in the time and effort will be rewarded. I will give more detailed information as we move further along in our study.

Monday
In class:
1. Copy words and definitions from vocabulary lesson 16, pages 101-102, for Friday's quiz.
2. PSAT information from Mrs. Westerfield
3. Read "Shakespeare of London" and answers questions.
HW: Complete Shakespeare of London.

Tuesday
In class:
1. Complete vocabulary words and definitions if needed. Quiz on Friday.
2. Watch "Life and Death in Britain's Theaters" and complete the accompanying handout.
HW: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Wednesday
1. Begin "Famous Authors: William Shakespeare" and work on the accompanying handout.
2. Take notes on British monarchy leading up to and during Shakespeare's life
HW: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Thursday
1. Complete"Famous Authors: William Shakespeare" and complete the accompanying handout.
2. Continue taking notes on British monarchy leading up to and during Shakespeare's life
HW: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Friday
1. Vocabulary quiz on lesson 16.
2. Finish any background notes that are necessary.
3. Begin "Costume Cavalcade" time permitting.
HW: Begin thinking about this semester's AR book if you have not done so already.


*Slight changes to the 9th grade AR policy will be discussed with students this week and posted to this blog soon.