Mrs. Huff’s English Classes

Seniors, next week is finals.  Students in 12th CP DC do have a final paper synthesizing the plays we have read this semester to turn in by Friday, 5/16.

9th CP GCL continued drafting their Bluest Eye/beauty persuasive essays.  These essays are due Friday, 5/16.  We will not be working on them in class anymore, as we are completing the year with a focus on poetry.

9th CP2 GCL learned about dangling and misplaced modifiers today.  Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/9.

10th WS continued learning about the types of questions they will encounter on the SAT.  We practiced answering questions with subject/verb agreement issues.

9th CP GCL is examining the concept of beauty and the pressures from media and society to conform to certain standards of beauty in conjunction with a reading of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison.  Students began drafting essays based on this concept in class today and will continue drafting essays on Friday.  Students, the assignment wiki page is here.

Students in 10th WS continued learning about the SAT writing section.  Today, we discussed yesterday’s practice essay, including ideas for developing that topic.  We also discussed narrowing the focus of an essay question.  We learned about and practiced some multiple choice SAT questions on sentence errors and improving sentences.  On Friday, we will learn about improving paragraphs and practice more multiple choice questions.  Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/7.

Students, don’t forget tomorrow is a D-schedule day (D-days are usually on Thursdays).  We do not have block 7 tomorrow, and school starts at 8:35, as it normally does on a Wednesday.  When you get to school, report to the cafeteria for a special Yom HaZikaron program.  After that, the day will proceed like a normal D-day: block 8, double-block 1, lunch, double-block 2, block 3, and block 4.

9th CP2 GCL students went over homework on clauses and began learning about misplaced and dangling modifiers.  Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/6.

10th WS students continued discussing the SAT essay, including a peek at essays that received scores of 4 and 2.  I think it was enlightening to see, what about you?  We also practiced our essay skills by writing a sample SAT essay prompt.

9th CP GCL finished discussing The Bluest Eye.  We will begin a project based on the novel tomorrow.  Your Odyssey revisions are due 5/28.

9th CP2 GCL took a quiz over phrases and reviewed adjective clauses before learning about adverb clauses and noun clauses.  Bonus points to the 9th CP2 student who can identify the type of dependent clause the underlined portion of the previous sentence is and also tell what question it is answering and what word it is modifying in the sentence.  In order to obtain the bonus, you must write the answer on tonight’s homework and show it to me when you come to class tomorrow.  Speaking of tonight’s homework, you were to identify the dependent clauses in the following sentences; tell whether they are noun, adjective, or adverb clauses; and, if nouns, tell what part of a sentence; if adjectives, what noun or pronoun they modify; and if adverbs, tell what word they modify:

1. It is futile to worry about things that are in the past.
2. Anyone can be whatever he or she wants.
3. Whatever you suggest will be fine with me.
4. Steve can run faster than I can.
5. If you like Beethoven, you will probably enjoy this concert.

Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/5.

10th WS continued learning about SAT essay strategies.  We practiced unpacking the question and looked at some sample essays that earned high scores.

12th CP DC turned in their Streetcar Named Desire essays.  We are in the home stretch, seniors!  With just one more week before I exams, seniors are to be working on their final exam essays this week and next.  These essays are due no later than Friday 5/16.

9th CP GCL examined the question “What is Beauty?” both as judged by characters in the book and in our society. We discussed changing notions of what is considered beautiful and why. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/2.

12th CP DC continued working on their Streetcar Named Desire essays. Next week you will be given your final exam essay to work on throughout the next two weeks.

9th CP2 GCL reviewed the answers to our phrases homework assignment and played Phrases Jeopardy. I highly recommend that you visit DailyGrammar.com, click on “Lesson Archive” and practices areas of weakness you feel you have in preparation for Monday’s quiz on phrases.

10th WS continued learning about the SAT essay. We discussed the criteria for the different scores and how to make a good score. We also learned how to unpack SAT essay questions by 1) determining what we are being asked to do; 2) taking note of key words; and 3) developing a point of view and thesis. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/2.

Students in 9th CP GCL took a quiz over The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and worked on revising their class Odyssey. If any of you would like to view the video we watched before reading The Bluest Eye, you can check it out:

10th WS finished Power Point presentations today. We began a new unit designed to help prepare for the SAT. Today, we began to learn about how the SAT essay is scored. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 5/1.

I look forward to reading your theories about what’s wrong with Holden Caulfield, 9th CP2 GCL students.  These projects and unit 14 vocabulary cards were turned in today.  We also reviewed phrases.  Don’t forget to do the reverse of the handout we worked on in class for homework; it is due on Friday.  Friday, we will play Phrases Jeopardy.  Don’t forget you have a phrases quiz on Monday, May 5.  We began learning about clauses today.  Here are today’s notes: Notes from 4/30.

12th CP DC took a vocabulary quiz on words from A Streetcar Named Desire, then worked on our essays.  These are due Monday, 5/5.  On Friday, I will give you instructions for your final paper.

10th WS continued presenting Power Point presentations.  Our presentations will conclude tomorrow, after which we will begin a unit on preparing for the SAT.

9th CP GCL, we didn’t meet today, but I wanted to remind you all that tomorrow your vocabulary unit 14 cards are due and you must have finished reading The Bluest Eye.

Students in 9th CP2 GCL practiced with verbals today. Tomorrow, we will practice a bit more before moving on to clauses. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 4/29.

9th CP GCL learned about active and passive voice verb usage. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 4/29.

10th WS presented their Power Point presentations. These presentations will continue tomorrow.

I trust everyone had a nice Passover break.

Though today was a C-day, 9th CP did not meet due to the late start.

12th CP DC finished viewing Elia Kazan’s version of A Streetcar Named Desire. Students were given instructions for an essay that is due Friday. Wednesday and Friday, students may use class time to work on this assignment.

9th CP2 GCL reviewed gerunds and learned about infinitives. Students will have a quiz on Monday 5/5 on phrases: prepositional phrases (adjective and adverb), appositives, and verbals (participles, gerunds, and infinitives). We will continue to practice this week, as well as learn other grammar concepts in the meantime that will not appear on the quiz. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 4/28.

10th WS: don’t forget to have those presentations ready tomorrow! I can’t wait.

9th CP GCL finished discussing misplaced modifiers and discussed verb usage — tense and voice. Students can download today’s notes: Notes from 4/17.

10th WS finished Power Point presentations and will present their Power Point shows on Tuesday when we return to class (Monday is a C-day, so we won’t have class that day).

Note: Romeo and Juliet blogging will return after Pesach. Everyone have a nice and relaxing spring break. See you on Monday, April 28 at 10:00! Remember we have a C-schedule day that day.