AP English Assignments
September 2009-June 2010

2. Introduce the independent reading HW. Choose two novels from the list below to read over the next three weeks. Create a two-page study guide for each novel.

2. Discuss/Analyze: Review the essay question #2 grades and rubric (the essays completed with partners). Return those essays and the dialectical journals, explaining the evaluation process and strategies for success.

2. Work Period: Analyze the poem, annotating and understanding the title's significance, paraphrasing, connotation, attitude, shifts and theme.

3. Discuss/Analyze: Discuss as a class.

2. Introduce TP-CASTT for poetry analysis and analyze "The Naked and the Nude" poem by Robert Graves using this mnemonic device.

2. Grade the quizzes.

3. Grade distribution.

2. Discussion/Sharing: Discuss the themes of alienation, societal expectations, and self-determination. Discuss the evidence of literary terms--point of view, imagery, diction, and tone.

2. Work Period: Reflect on the components of the AP 9-point rubric in an ungraded quiz. Check your answers.

3. Discuss/Share: Discuss the answers to the AP 9-point rubric.

2. Work Period: With your partner, compose at least three subsidiary questions for each of the sample essay question #2 handouts given in previous days.

3. Discuss/Share: Share subsidiary question samples with the whole class.

4. Reflections: Reflect on the components of the AP 9-point rubric in an ungraded quiz. Check your answers.

2. Work Period: Read your classmates' essays and identify similarities and differences in which you will add your findings to the Venn Diagram. Use the AP 9-point rubric to analyze similarities and differences. Pay close attention to the ideas and content (relevant details from the short fiction text), organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, conventions, insight, support and introduction/conclusion. Turn in your essays at the end of class.

3. Reflections: What was valuable in comparing/contrasting your essay with your classmates? What insight can you learn and apply to your future essay #2 writing? If time allows, an ungraded quiz on the 9/10 components of the AP essay grading rubric. Check your answers.

2. Reflections: How is the partner-writing process proceeding so far? What are your final steps?

2. Partner Writing: Choose one of the short fiction excerpts to write an essay with your partner. Follow the AP 9-point rubric. Begin planning your essay together. Show your HW annotations.

3. Reflections: How is the pre-writing process proceeding so far?

2. Discussion/Analysis: Groups will begin discussions, led by the Discussion Director, and may choose at least two questions in which a discussion will ensue. Those questions may stem from the essential questions we've been discussing (see below) or they may create new questions:

2. Work Period: Continue to work on the short fiction excerpts (taken from the AP Essay Question #2 samples).

2. Work Period: Work on close readings and annotations of the 2009 and 2008 essay question #2 short fiction excerpts.

2. Discuss/Share: Reflect on the composition and answering of the subsidiary questions. How do these steps help your writing process? Examine the following short answer (essential questions):

2. Work Period: Examine the process of developing subsidiary questions. Create 5 subsidiary questions for each of your short answer questions from the quiz. Turn in the two forms (the contact information forms and the student goal/action plan form), along with the graded papers. Enter these forms in your folders.

3. Reflections: Reflect on the composition and answering of the subsidiary questions. How do these steps help your writing process?

2. Work Period: Show your notes on The Kite Runner and turn in your analysis of the AP multiple-choice question packet. Work on the contact information form and student goal/action plan.

2. Work Period: Finish circling all unknown words in the questions and the readings and identifying the question types.

3. HW introduced, books obtained and book receipts filled out.

2. Review the answers for the AP multiple-choice questions packet.

Scholarships:

2. Final Exam Q & A

End of the Semester Requirements:

2. Finish poetry analysis and review of the questions and answers.

PREPARE FOR FINAL EXAM AND EDIT/UPDATE YOUR DIALECTICAL JOURNAL!

End of the Semester Requirements:

2. Poetry analysis and review of the questions and answers.

PREPARE FOR FINAL EXAM AND EDIT/UPDATE YOUR DIALECTICAL JOURNAL!

Looking Ahead for the End of the Semester Requirements:

PREPARE FOR FINAL EXAM AND EDIT/UPDATE YOUR DIALECTICAL JOURNAL!

Looking Ahead for the End of the Semester Requirements:

2. Work Period: Sign up for Journal Conference (next week). Introduce Final Exam Review Sheet.

Looking Ahead for the End of the Semester Requirements:

2. Discuss/Share: Share student reflections on both texts.

3. Begin poetry analysis (see HW pages).

2. If time allows, share your reflections on both texts.

1. Do Now: Reading Quiz on A Modest Proposal and A Doll's House. When finished with the quiz, vote (you will receive voting sheets!) for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Performance.

2. If time allows, share your reflections on both texts.

2. Reflections on Scene Performances

VACATION HW--DUE MONDAY, JANUARY 4TH, 2010:

2. Work Period: Scene Work! Work on final preparations: rehearsal of staging and animated/emotional acting!

3. HW reminders: Be ready for tomorrow's performance in Room 217. Look at scholarship opportunities in the HW section. Preview vacation HW.

2. Reflections: How's your progress? Next steps?

2. Work Period: Arrange in your groups and begin to read aloud your scenes, determine director, roles, and director's vision/interpretation.

*Show your Dialectical Journal entries (5 homework assignments!).

2. Discussion/Analysis/Mini-Lecture: Continue analyzing/discussing our five main points of discussion--

2. Award Presentations

3. Return Henry IV Part I plays and receive receipts. Receive As You Like It plays.

4. Discuss/Share: Expectations and Restrictions on Gender during Shakespeare's Times and Modern Times. There are descriptions about the nature of women throughout the play, As You Like It, spoken by both female and male characters suggesting there is an essential difference between the two genders. Do you believe there is an essential difference between men and women? What is the nature of this difference? Why do some expectations regarding men and women emerge? When did the idea emerge that women couldn't work as hard as men? How much work did women do during Shakespeare's times? During modern America? How does class affect the stereotypes about men and women? What do these notions tell us about how social class and concepts of gender are intertwined?

2. Vote! Categories: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Performance.

3. Return plays!

2. Work Period: Practice your scenes to prepare for the Henry IV Part I performances. Details found here: Scene Groups are: 1.) Act I Scene ii (3 characters), 2.) Act I Scene iii (5 characters), 3.) Act II Scene iv (6 characters), 4.) Act III Scene iii (4 characters), 5.) Act IV Scene iii (4 characters), 6.) Act V Scene i (4 characters), and 7.) Act V Scenes iii and iv (7 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, costumes, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is your scene's interpretation? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father. A horror movie version of a scene between Hal and King Henry. A musical version of a robbery.). Make the scene location come to life. Add lighting and/or sound. Speak clearly and with a full voice. Make dynamic vocal choices. Use language/imagery to demonstrate an understanding of the play and characters. Make physical choices to represent characters. Edit to keep your scene 4:30-5:30 minutes (what can be excluded? What MUST be included? Do not change iambic pentameter.) Know your lines, where you are NOT staring at the page. You don't need to memorize, but be very familiar with your character's lines.

2. Work Period: Practice your scenes to prepare for the Henry IV Part I performances. Details found here: Scene Groups are: 1.) Act I Scene ii (3 characters), 2.) Act I Scene iii (5 characters), 3.) Act II Scene iv (6 characters), 4.) Act III Scene iii (4 characters), 5.) Act IV Scene iii (4 characters), 6.) Act V Scene i (4 characters), and 7.) Act V Scenes iii and iv (7 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, costumes, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is your scene's interpretation? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father. A horror movie version of a scene between Hal and King Henry. A musical version of a robbery.). Make the scene location come to life. Add lighting and/or sound. Speak clearly and with a full voice. Make dynamic vocal choices. Use language/imagery to demonstrate an understanding of the play and characters. Make physical choices to represent characters. Edit to keep your scene 4:30-5:30 minutes (what can be excluded? What MUST be included? Do not change iambic pentameter.) Know your lines, where you are NOT staring at the page. You don't need to memorize, but be very familiar with your character's lines.

2. Review instructions. Introduce Henry IV Part I performances--details found here: Scene Groups are: 1.) Act I Scene ii (3 characters), 2.) Act I Scene iii (5 characters), 3.) Act II Scene iv (6 characters), 4.) Act III Scene iii (4 characters), 5.) Act IV Scene iii (4 characters), 6.) Act V Scene i (4 characters), and 7.) Act V Scenes iii and iv (7 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, costumes, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is your scene's interpretation? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father. A gangster's duel. A musical version of a robbery.). Make the scene location come to life. Add lighting and/or sound. Speak clearly and with a full voice. Make dynamic vocal choices. Use language/imagery to demonstrate an understanding of the play and characters. Make physical choices to represent characters. Edit to keep your scene 4:30-5:30 minutes (what can be excluded? What MUST be included? Do not change iambic pentameter.) Know your lines, where you are NOT staring at the page. You don't need to memorize, but be very familiar with your character's lines.

3. Reading/Analysis/Performance Prep: Read your scene, determine character roles, director's vision, and application of grading sheet.

*Turn in your Dialectical Journal entries.

DUE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1ST--note the date change (after Thanksgiving):

2. Work Period: Find textual evidence (direct quotes) in Henry IV Part I that supports your group's solution.

3. Discuss/Share your group's solution to the problem. Share your evidence that supports your solution.

2. Finish story/analysis sharing of your predictions for Henry IV Part I.

3. Paper returns and review.

*Grade distributions today.

2. Finish story/analysis sharing on your predictions for Henry IV Part I.

2. Vocabulary Jeopardy (for extra credit!)

2. Discuss/Share: Share your creative story or anticipatory critical analysis of Henry IV Part I. Compare and contrast your writing with your classmates.

2. Work Period: Write a creative story or anticipatory critical analysis of Henry IV Part I. Use the notes taken in class and compose a 1-2 page story/analysis of the historical play by William Shakespeare. Refer to the entire plot of the story, from beginning to end. Use your Shakespearean knowledge and style, as well as your experience as a sophisticated reader.

2. Identify similar themes in both Hamlet and Henry IV Part I. What does Shakespeare teach his readers/audience about the human experience from Henry IV Part I? Refer to specific evidence in the play. Examine the conflicting themes of rebellion vs. responsibility and inferiority vs. superiority.

3. Introduce the "Love for ITHS" Sonnet (remember, you must include the following to follow the sonnet requirements: 14 lines, ababcdcdefefgg, 10 syllables per line, poetic techniques such as imagery, personification, alliteration, metaphor, simile, etc.). In this sonnet, reflect on your years at ITHS. Share what you love--friendships, classes, activities--clubs/sports, small school qualities, teachers, etc. If you choose to, you can be serious, comical, sarcastic, and/or reflective. But, most of all, be creative and follow the sonnet requirements! Many sonnets will be submitted to the yearbook. Who knows?? Maybe yours will be published! This MUST be typed and include a proper heading (your name and date in the right hand corner, my name and the course name/period in the left hand corner).

2. Awards Presentation Awards for Best Performance, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director.

3. Book Distribution of Henry IV Part I.

4. Mini-Lecture on Henry IV Part I and identify similar themes in both Hamlet and Henry IV Part I. What does Shakespeare teach his readers/audience about the human experience from Henry IV Part I? Refer to specific evidence in the play. Examine the conflicting themes of rebellion vs. responsibility and inferiority vs. superiority.

2. Voting! Vote for Best Performance, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Director.

3. Reflections: Why were these scene performances valuable? What did you learn from this experience?

2. Scene Performances from Hamlet! Groups will be graded on the following: GRADING SHEET FOR YOUR HAMLET SCENE.

2. Scene Work: Work on one of your chosen scenes in your group. Read your scene aloud. Work on editing (each scene must be 5 minutes), a director's theme/vision, the assigning of character roles, staging different levels and creating images/statues, and emotional acting. Here are the scenes: Act I Scene V (4 characters); Act II Scene II until Hamlet's lines "except my life, except my life" (5 characters); Act III Scene I (7 characters); Act III Scene II--begin Hamlet's "They are coming to the play", skip the player king and queen lines, end at "Come some music" (7 characters); Act V Scene II--beginning when Claudius enters the scene (8 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is the scene about? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father), make the scene location come to life, add lighting and/or sound.

Meet with Ms. Conn to review your Dialectical Journal HW (if you haven't already done so).

2. Acting Exercises: Acting exercise to mark the characters' journeys over the course of Hamlet--statues will include characters as animals in Hamlet, the following emotions and situations--anger, lonely, brave, jealous, loyal, two-faced, crazy, in love, drunk, revenge, forgiveness, king/queen, ghost, monster, you forgot your homework, and you just won the lottery. Tableaus will include one person, two persons, and three persons. Use all muscles of your body and different levels (low, center, and high). Take up as much or as little space as possible. Acting stretches=chewing bubble gum (with whole body) and shake-out of arms and legs, rub-down (hands, arms, legs, massage shoulders), sound passing (with a body movement), animal voices/movements (e.g. cat, lion, pig, horse). Tableaus of character relationships (e.g. Hamlet and Gertrude, Hamlet and Claudius, Ophelia and Hamlet, Gertrude and Claudius, Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet and Horatio, etc.).

3. Scene Work: Work on one of your chosen scenes in your group. Read your scene aloud. Work on editing (each scene must be 5 minutes), a director's theme/vision, the assigning of character roles, staging different levels and creating images/statues, and emotional acting. Here are the scenes: Act I Scene V (4 characters); Act II Scene II until Hamlet's lines "except my life, except my life" (5 characters); Act III Scene I (7 characters); Act III Scene II--begin Hamlet's "They are coming to the play", skip the player king and queen lines, end at "Come some music" (7 characters); Act V Scene II--beginning when Claudius enters the scene (8 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is the scene about? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father), make the scene location come to life, add lighting and/or sound.

Meet with Ms. Conn to review your Dialectical Journal HW (if you haven't already done so).

2. Scene Work: Work on one of your chosen scenes in your group. Read your scene aloud. Work on editing (each scene must be 5 minutes), a director's theme/vision, the assigning of character roles, staging different levels and creating images/statues, and emotional acting. Here are the scenes: Act I Scene V (4 characters); Act II Scene II until Hamlet's lines "except my life, except my life" (5 characters); Act III Scene I (7 characters); Act III Scene II--begin Hamlet's "They are coming to the play", skip the player king and queen lines, end at "Come some music" (7 characters); Act V Scene II--beginning when Claudius enters the scene (8 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is the scene about? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father), make the scene location come to life, add lighting and/or sound.

Show your Dialectical Journal HW!

DUE NEXT THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12th:

2. Scene Work Mini-Lecture: An explanation of the Hamlet scene groups. Here are the scenes: Act I Scene V (4 characters); Act II Scene II until Hamlet's lines "except my life, except my life" (5 characters); Act III Scene I (7 characters); Act III Scene II--begin Hamlet's "They are coming to the play", skip the player king and queen lines, end at "Come some music" (7 characters); Act V Scene II--beginning when Claudius enters the scene (8 characters). Student performers should stage the scenes, using props, stage directions, physical and emotional choices to enhance the performances, clear spatial relationships (actors close together or far apart), different levels (ground, middle, air), a director's theme/vision (What is the scene about? What is the conflict? It can be a sentence or a few words. Examples: Love is madness. A daughter's rejection of her father), make the scene location come to life, add lighting and/or sound.

3. Acting Exercises: Begin tableaus--Statues (acting exercise to mark the characters' journeys over the course of Hamlet). Statues will include archetypes in literature (pretty princess, greedy elf, opera diva, valiant knight) and characters as animals in Hamlet. Tableaus (statues) for the following emotions and situations--anger, lonely, brave, jealous, loyal, two-faced, crazy, in love, drunk, revenge, forgiveness, king/queen, ghost, monster, you forgot your homework, and you just won the lottery. Tableaus will include one person, two persons, and three persons. Use all muscles of your body and different levels (low, center, and high). Take up as much or as little space as possible. Archetype portrayals (pretty princess, greedy elf, opera diva, and valiant knight).

4. Work Period: Scene Groups will get together and determine director's vision, character roles, character depictions (including identities, physical, emotional and costume choices), props, stage scenery, spatial choices, music, lighting and sound choices.

2. Work Period: In your table groups, find at least three direct quotes that support the "To Be or Not To Be" philosophy that pervades the play. This philosophy can apply to multiple characters, not just Hamlet. Think about the characters questioning their own existence, their roles in the play, their inner turmoil, and the effects of Shakespeare's life and times. Show your owed HW--specifically the annotations.

3. Mini-Lecture: Note-taking on the following--

2. Work Period: In your table groups, find at least three direct quotes that support the "To Be or Not To Be" philosophy that pervades the play. This philosophy can apply to multiple characters, not just Hamlet. Think about the characters questioning their own existence, their roles in the play, their inner turmoil, and the effects of Shakespeare's life and times. Show your owed HW--specifically the annotations.

2. Show your owed HW. Introduce List #8.

2. Discussion/Analysis: Discuss the Handout Readings on "Introduction to Hamlet," "Shakespeare and His England," and "Words, Words, Words." Add to your annotations. Use the "Shakespeare's Life, Times, and Works" Notes to guide your note-taking.

2. Discussion/Analysis: How will the sonnet analysis help me understand Hamlet? What are some literary devices that he uses in his sonnets that he will use in his plays?

3. Discussion (continued): Answer the following questions--What can we expect from Shakespeare's plays? What techniques do you believe the Bard (Shakespeare, the ultimate poet) will use to reveal characters' portrayals and relationships? What themes will exist? What conflicts? How do you think the plot will develop?

2. Discussion/Analysis: Introduce Handout Readings on "Introduction to Hamlet" and "Shakespeare and His England." Annotate (write notes in the margin) and underline with a purpose. For "Introduction to Hamlet", your purpose could answer the following: What will help me understand the play Hamlet better? What are some main ideas/themes, conflicts, characterization, setting, language, plot development and other literary devices that will appear in the play? Why does Ms. Conn want us to read this? For "Shakespeare and His England", your purpose could answer the following: What happened in Shakespeare's life that might influence his plays?

3. Answer the following questions--Why is the phrase "To be or not to be?" so popular? What can we expect from Shakespeare's plays? What techniques do you believe the Bard (Shakespeare, the ultimate poet) will use to reveal characters' portrayals and relationships? What themes will exist? What conflicts? How do you think the plot will develop?

2. Discussion/Analysis: Final discussion on Sophie's World. Why was the study of this novel insightful for you at this time in your life? Share personal life lessons.

3. Review List #7.

2. Review paper requirements.

2. Introduce the Sophie's World History of Philosophy Chart.

3. Work Period: Begin to work on the Sophie's World History of Philosophy Chart.

2. Review of the Critical Analysis Paper grading rubric for Sophie's World. Use this AP-Style Grading Rubric to guide you. Each category can be defined as follows: 9/10=90-100%, 8=80-89%, 6/7=70-79%, 5=69% and below.

3. Work Period: In order to maintain our philosophical juices flowing, we need to think about the following: �Sophie reads that we are like �microscopic insects existing deep down in the rabbit�s fur� (14) and that we �crawl deep into the rabbit�s fur, (to) snuggle down comfortably, and stay there for the rest of (our) lives� (17-18). In your mind, how do you see this is true? How can we fight against this from happening?

2. Introduce the Critical Analysis Paper for Sophie's World. Paper question: Which philosophers guide your understanding of the world around you and your life's purpose? Refer to a minimum of two philosophers from before common era (B.C.E., or as stated in Sophie's World: B.C.) and two philosophers in the common era (or as stated in Sophie's World, without B.C.). You must refer to specific page numbers in proper textual citation. If you summarize an idea or put it in direct quotes, you must still use proper textual citation. Here's an example: Plato states that real knowledge cannot exist for things in flux (Gaarder, 86).

3. Discussion/Analysis: Continue to analyze the following big questions that the philosophers in Sophie's World attempt to answer. We will personally and textually discuss these questions. Here they are, as presented in Sophie's World:

2. Discuss the following big questions that the philosophers in Sophie's World attempt to answer. We will personally answer (write your own interpretations and meaningful answers; no minimum is required) these questions. Here they are, as presented in Sophie's World (this list is incomplete):

2. Introduce Dialectical Journal.

3. Introduce big questions that the philosophers in Sophie's World attempt to answer. We will personally answer these questions. Here they are, as presented in Sophie's World (this list is incomplete):

2. Sophie's World and book receipt distribution.

2. Reading of "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time". Nicenet.org HW reminder.

2. Discussion/Analysis: Group discussion/fishbowl on Oedipus Rex. Analysis will include topics/themes revealed in the Perrine textbook questions.

2. Resume return/analysis. Contracts introduced.

3. Discuss/Analyze: Continue discussion on Oedipus Rex. Analysis will include topics/themes revealed in the Perrine textbook questions. Discussion topics are the following (each table group can choose a discussion topic):
1. Who am I? Identity Exploration vs. Self-Discovery
2. Is Oedipus weak or strong? Understanding Oedipus' Character.
3. Sight vs. Blindness. What is Sophocles' purpose in creating this contrast? Why is it significant?
4. Growth and Development. How has Oedipus developed as a character?
5. What is Sophocles saying about MAN in Oedipus Rex?
6. What's the purpose of the title, Oedipus Rex?

*Give out student expectations/contract for this AP course. This will include the below 80 rule, which may result in removal from the class.

2. Review List #3 for Tuesday's quiz.

2. Class Discussion on Oedipus Rex. Examine the following quotes in terms of Oedipus' character flaws and the question of which carries more influence--free will or fate:

2. Work Period: Finish the Vocabulary Story Writing on Life at ITHS. Work on the discipline code paperwork.

3. Discuss/Share: Vocabulary Story Sharing.

4. If time allows, AP essay review.

2. Vocabulary List #2 preparatory review.

3. Vocabulary Story Writing on Life at ITHS.

2. Finish reading the "How to Mark a Book" article.

3. Literary Terms Quiz (ungraded; this is merely to find out what you know and what you need to know)

2. Read "How to Mark a Book".

2. Analysis of Sample Resumes--Students individually and collectively analyze the sample resumes. Guiding questions to answer while analyzing: What are the components of an academic resume? What are the strengths of each resume? What are the weaknesses? What qualities, in terms of formatting, writing style, and word usage, are worth including in your own resume?

2. Read Sample College Essays. What are some strengths in these essays? What tips can you use from these essays? Take notes.

3. HW reminders, including vocabulary knowledge found invocabulary list #1

2. Discuss/Review the Do Now.

3. HW reminders, including vocabulary knowledge found invocabulary list #1