THANK YOU!

Thanks to Dave Bowar of Hardees for sponsoring the Reading Counts breakfast!  He and his crew were fantastic!  The fundraiser earned $2577.64.  What an accomplishment!  All of the proceeds will be placed into the Reading Counts account, to be used for the quarterly prizes.  Continue to read, everyone!  Find time to use reading for pleasure and for furthering your academic and professional goals!

Reading Counts breakfast

Thanks to everyone who made the Reading Counts breakfast on Saturday.  Once again, the turn out was quite a success.  We really appreciate Dave Bowar and his Hardees crew for all of their efforts.  Continue with your reading efforts, everyone!  We hope you find a great book this semester.  We also look forward to handing out our up and coming quarterly prizes!

Happy Thanksgiving from AP English Language and Composition

Today is the last day before the Thanksgiving holiday.  May everyone enjoy a little family time and A LOT of turkey!

James Thurber

“I think that maybe if women and children were in charge we would get somewhere.” 
― James Thurber

The author and cartoonist James Thurber was the focus of Friday's vocabulary quiz story.  Using the vocabulary terms and the context clues, you learned a little bit of biographical information about him.  Some of you may remember his short story, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", which is coming out on film shortly.

If interested in a blog bonus, find a quote or a cartoon by James Thurber and apply it to a personal life situation.  Explain the quote or the cartoon and identify how it connects to you personally.

10 points
due Wednesday, November 13th.

Scrabble Fun

Once or twice a year, English 11 likes to play a modified Scrabble vocabulary game.  8th period was victorious as they problem solved 37 out of 40 vocabulary terms on our "Scrabble board."  (Period 2 came in 2nd with 35 and Period 4 came in 3rd with 25)

Great efforts!  Thanks to those who participated in all classes.

"The Gettysburg Address"

To help close off the quarter, English 11 was asked to create digital projects of "The Gettysburg Address." Stupeflix and Prezi were common technological resources used.

Although just under two minutes in length, Lincoln's speech had a huge impact on the audience.  It will forever remain an icon in honoring those we lost in the Civil War as well as in any war!

Here are a couple of examples.

Stupeflix Gettysburg video

Gettysburg video

National Honor Society 2013

Congratulations to those inducted to the Prairie du Chien National Honor Society (Monday, October 21st, 2013).  We are proud of your accomplishments.  Continue with all of your efforts in academics, service, leadership and character!

Positively Pronoun

It is time to review pronouns in all shapes and sorts.  There are personal pronouns, intensive pronouns, reflexive...relative...indefinite...interrogative...nominative...objective...possessive...take a breath!

Pronouns are everywhere.  It is important to make sure we use them well.  We need to remember that pronouns must be clear in reference.  Ambiguous pronoun usage is confusing.  We also need to remember pronoun agreement.  The pronouns must agree with their antecedents.  (Lack of pronoun/antecedent agreement can also affect subject/verb agreement, which affects one's writing even more.)

Review pronouns.  Know the above pronoun types.  For those of you who had English 10 last year (as well as English in even earlier years), these are all review.  If the pronoun types are not familiar, explore some.  Look online for notes.  Come ask questions.  Talk with a neighbor.

Our goal in discussing pronouns is not to necessarily memorize every pronoun but to make sure we use any pronoun well!

Take a moment to watch a Blast from the Past...School House Rocks...pronoun style!
Schoolhouse Rock--Pronouns

Artistic Forms of English

Did not mean to trick you...Maybe this looks more like a math problem to you.  English 11 has used a chunk of the first quarter to explore a traditional form of a grammar lesson through the "art" of diagramming.  Some students love it; others...

English 11 Pudding Fun!

Nothing is better than coming to English 11 on a glorious Thursday than when our beloved Brittany brings her special treats.  Today we were each gifted with a little pudding graveyard.  I can't tell you how quiet the room got as everyone enjoyed them.  So cute and so fun...thanks so much, Brittany!

Mary Chestnut--diary

In her diary, Mary Chestnut makes reference to Shakespeare's MACBETH by saying, " Sound and fury, signifying nothing."  At this point, Mrs. Chestnut is contemplating the significance of life and death after a tragic event.

For a 5 point bonus, think about this quote and its significance.  In a few solid sentences, respond as to why people have a hard time finding value in life after difficult events, such as disease, death and war.  Think about events you have experienced or watched.

Read others' responses as the come, too.  Write back to each other.  Create a running dialogue!

Due Wednesday, October 23rd.

What Makes a Person Free

As we study the Civil War and its effects on literature, we need to take a moment to appreciate Frederick Douglass and his writing MY BONDAGE AND MY FREEDOM.

After reading our excerpt from Douglass, reflect on this Mahatma Gandhi statement.

Mahatma Gandhi wrote, "The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall."

React to this statement and explain whether or not you feel Douglass was free even while in bondage.

Bonus:  10 points will be given for a developed response.  If others write, respond to them as well.
Due date:  Thursday, October 3rd, 2013.

Homecoming Fun

The start of the school year has been a whirlwind!  Homecoming was the second week.  Although we love watching the games, the dress up days and the floats, by the time it is finished we are all exhausted.  Take a moment to review the week.  Thanks to Yearbook staff member, Brett, for creating this video!

Thanks to the Student Council and to the Class Advisors for making the week the best possible.

https://docs.google.com/a/pdc.k12.wi.us/file/d/0B5ksucvvFiwESUxrSzkxaGdDVlE/edit

Return to School

The first week is now finished.  For some, the time went by extremely quickly.  For others, it stalled with each second.

I wish each of you the best year possible.  Take each day and each challenge as it comes.  When I struggle with things, I remember a favorite quote of mine, "Carpe Diem."  I first heard this quote used in a movie called DEAD POET'S SOCIETY, a fantastic story!  I have since found out that this quote comes from a Latin poet named Horace (65 BC-8 BC).  Over the years, this quote has become commonly translated as "Seize the Day."  That may be difficult to do sometimes, but remember that even when a class is difficult, a schedule is chaotic, or a game is not victorious, lessons can be learned and experience that will make the next issue more successful will be gained.

What is your favorite quote, one you like in good and harder times?  Where from does it come (author, song title/writer...)?

Respond to this blog by Friday, September 13th.  Read others as they are posted.  10 points

Welcome Back

It is hard to believe that the 2013-2014 school year is about to start.  I have had a super summer of reading, baseball, and relaxation.  I hope you have as well.

As we begin our new adventure, remember to call or email me any time for questions.  CARPE DIEM!  Take on the challenge of each new school day!  Have fun.  Best of luck.

Summer Reading Continued:
This has been a great reading summer!  I have explored a variety of genres.  I am in the last of THE TEA ROSE trilogy and have loved the characters, strong women.  My second major recommendation coming your way, however, is THE BOOK THIEF.  It is a book showing perspective of the Holocaust from a young, German girl.  The novel spans into her adult life.  This is a must read--you will never guess who the narrator is.

If I could, I would make this a required school reading!  Thanks to my friend Tracy for giving me this book!

It is not even August yet.  I hope you all have found or will find a favorite to read...share it with me.

Summer is a great time for reading.  Make a list of recommended reads.  Find a bit of shade, a comfy chair, and an hour to lose yourself in a new culture or imaginary world.  I just finished my first selection, A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS.  It was fantastic.  This novel really made me ponder the ways of the world, specifically Afghanistan.  Characters of this novel had the ability to make me so mad, yet others reminded me that for every bad out there, there are a million more good!  High recommendations coming from me...next THE TEA ROSE (historical fiction/trilogy).

WORDS FOR TEENAGERS

The following was a posting on FACEBOOK not too long ago.  I thought it to be very thought provoking.  Read it carefully.  Ponder what it means to you and to the world around you.  Actually, I think it can apply to all age groups.

WORDS FOR TEENAGERS

Northland College principal John Tapene has offered the following words from a judge who regularly deals with youth. 

“Always we hear the cry from teenagers, ‘What can we do, where can we go?’

“My answer is this:  Go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons and after you’ve finished, read a book.  Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun.

The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something.  You owe it your time, energy and talent so that no one will be at war, in sickness and lonely again.  In other words grow up, stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world and develop a backbone not a wishbone.  Start behaving like a responsible person.  You are important and you are needed.  It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday.  Someday is now and that somebody is you!”

End of the Year

We return to the back stairwell, hearts filled with excitement and sadness.  We have survived AP English Language and Comp.  At times we were frustrated.  At times we laughed.  At times we thought the end would never get here.  Suddenly, the test was over, and we were walking out of our classroom for the last time.

AP is hard.  No one will say otherwise.  It is, however, what you make of it.  If all you do is complain, then you will receive none of the benefits.  If you talk, ponder, respond and learn to appreciate the opportunities ALL COURSES, AP or not,  can offer, no matter the grade, you will have gained what education should be all about in the end.

Congrats on your 2012-2013 accomplishments.  Enjoy your summer.  Best of luck in your future adventures!

End of the Year AP Exploration

The AP test is done. We have discussed rhetorical strategies until we were blue in the face. We practiced Multiple Choice questions. We wrote synthesis samples and free response samples. We laughed, expressed annoyance, complained, and even cried sometimes. We now are going to breathe, enjoy, relax and explore! Over the next few days, I will be adding several AP projects. Here is the first one: 6 Word Memoirs! Make the last 2 weeks the best they can be everyone! Learn something new every day!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auYK1OveeAE


Update  (5/28):   Loop Poetry

Summer by Caitlin

The lockers are cleaned out

Out go the students

Students leave for the summer

Summer to be spent.

Spent sleeping in

In cool houses

Houses filled

Filled with dirty laundry mountains

Mountains in the distance

Distance from home

Home in the open

Open to roam

Roam far

Far away from the city

City to beaches

Beaches so pretty

Pretty tired are all

All ready to see

See the school again

Again students to be

Misleading Eyes by Kiersten

Misleading eyes

Eyes that show things

Things that are not real

Real are the things not seen

Eyes that show sparkles

Sparkles that show happiness

Happiness and no problems

Problems that don’t exist

Eyes that hide problems

Problems that really do exist

Exist to haunt and sadden you

You when no one else is around

No one can see through the sparkles

Sparkles that hide sadness

Sadness that can deeply affect you

You and your misleading eyes




Summer
By: McKenzie, Bridget and Carly

Summer is so hot

Hot as the desert

Desert your worries and fears

Fears are no more

More time with friends

Friends are everything

Everything is beautiful

Beautiful as those sunsets

Sunsets are where everything happens

Happens to everyone

Everyone loves summer

Summer loves everyone

Everyone is happy

Happy is the greatest quality

Quality of summer is in your hands

Hands hold the key to happiness

Happiness is summer

ABC Poetry

Cats

All beautiful cats dabble elaborately finding games, hopping into jars, knotting loops, meeting new opponents periodically. Quickly rapidly stepping, they unite vigorously when x-aminig your zest!


    A boy can't defy everything for gravity holds ill-fates. Just keep love more near or  pass  quietly  remembering someone too unforgettable. Vacant winters xceed youthful zeal.

LAST WEEKS OF SCHOOL

All bitter children distance

Eventually from goals, hoping its

Journey keeps lively moving,

Neglecting one project, quietly

Resisting stress, tolerating

Underclassmen, voraciously

Wandering, x-cepting

Your zap

What do we really know? Today's computer challenge.

Have you ever heard of HAIKU DECK? It is a fun, easy computer application that helps to create presentations. I played with it a little bit last night. It is free, making it even better. Look at mine and those in the gallery. Try one of your own. There are tons of pre-made backgrounds, but you can use photos and such of your own, too!

Movies vs. Books

THE GREAT GATSBY came out on film this last weekend. I have not seen it as of yet, but I hope to very soon. For those of you who like to read the books before seeing the movies and you have seen THE GREAT GATSBY, share your thoughts. Did the film translate well from the book? Did you feel the same way about the characters in the two mediums? Was there a portion of the book you felt got left out or enhanced better? These are things I thought about myself when I watched (after reading) THE HELP, MY SISTER'S KEEPER and THE DAVINCI CODE (just three samples). Share your thoughts and "reviews."

Why I Hate School but Love Education

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fvwp&v=y_ZmM7zPLyI

If you get a chance to watch this video link, take the six minutes. Spoken Word offers really thought provoking ideas on the differences between school and education. He actually has two videos that I know of on YouTube. I will be looking for more. I would love to hear your comments on this video or the other if you search for it. What can we fix or do better? What do we do well now? With what parts of the video do you agree/disagree? Our lessons don't only have to focus on rhetorical strategy or parts of speech. I would love our lessons to include thoughts on life skills and how they fit into our future as well. Remember, I don't agree with every part of either video, but I do believe they offer significant questioning on our educational processes! Let me know what you think...

Declarations Continued

Second Semester Pre AP English students are currently analyzing Revolutionary writings.  We have looked at Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.  We have talked about aphorisms, oration, parallelism and rationalization.  Many of the passionate techniques used by these great men still apply to controversial subjects today.  Each of us has something for which we would fight.  Each of us has something for which we would declare ourselves free from if possible.

Here are two of our current Declaration samples.  One is more of the serious nature.  One has serious parts as well as humorous parts.  Good ideas, everyone.  Even if we can't completely declare ourselves free from terrorism and school, we can take on the challenges with the best attitude possible.  Fight fairly when it comes to change needed.  Remember, Jefferson points out that we don't fight simply because we don't like something.  We fight injustices and abuses.

#1 Declaration from School (fun and serious)

We, as women, declare ourselves free from strict schooling! Strict school seems unnecessary; maybe we want to take art for the entire year or maybe even study hall. The thing is, what is the point in torturing ourselves with stupid rules and strict guidelines? We want to have a spa day built into our schedules to recenter ourselves, we want to take the classes we choose to take, we want to eat amazing food, and finally we want a school built without restrictions!

We will not come to school when asked to, we will only come to school when we would like to. We will not be forced to come to school on certain days or certain hours of the day. If we feel the desire to only come to school one day out of the five day school week, we will not be punished for doing so. There will be no toll of attendance since we do not have to be present by rule. We have the choice!

We will have a longer summer! Summer is a time when students can wind down and have fun with their friends and family, and we need a long time for that. Only three months is not enough for all of this; we need, at least, five months of summer. The school year will start on the first of October and end on the last day of April, therefore giving us a five month summer. If this rule may ever be changed, the summer will be made longer than five months.

We will have better lunch options!  The food we are offered currently is mediocre, and the salad is dark green.  Yucky! We want fresh, crunchy, iceberg lettuce, with a sandwich bar.  Also, we will have separate kiosks where fast food chains will give us free food, like pizza from Italy, or french baguettes with bruchetta.  We demand only the best.

We will have naps every day, whenever we want! We will be able to take naps as many times as we please. We, as students, need our sleep to get a good education, and we don’t get enough at night if we are involved in after school activities and/or have lots of homework and tests. As young adults, we need at least a full eight hours of sleep to be well educated and be able to pay attention in school.

We will have a recess! We deserve to have a break from all of our learning that we do each day. We deserve to get out of the school and be free for awhile. We would learn better if Grumpy Cat we got to have a longer break from all of our classes. We need to get out and be social with our peers in a way that doesn’t involve just learning. Many people don’t try in gym class either so having a recess will let students have a reason to be active without being forced to. Students need their free time to be social and active without the pressure of being graded!

We will have more options for classes.  We will have choices that will give us knowledge in careers, or maybe just in everyday life.  For example we want classes on how to apply our cosmetics, with maybe some skincare shenanigans in there as well.  Or maybe we would just like a class on how to edit a Youtube video.  These things are important, and they should not be left behind.  

We will not see people in classes that we do not want to see.  These people may distract us, annoy us, or disturb us in a way that we do not want to cooperate with.  In order to have a successful run in our high school, these people must be taken away and taught a lesson to not be annoying.  Then they may come back.

We will have more clubs and sports! We will have skydiving,  bungee jumping, random dancing,  animal cuddling,  pinteresting, scuba diving, dolphin training, zumba, tanning in the sun, sandcastle making, nail painting, hair doing, makeuping, fastest texting, romantic novel reading, 30 second dance party, and excited screaming. We will also have a list for recommendations, even though we have most of them covered.

We will not have any required classes or courses.  Required classes are usually hard in some way, and we do not like hard things.  We like easy things.

We will not take any homework home it will now be called “atschoolwork”. We will also not take any test that we don’t want to take because sleep and food.

DECLARATION #2 (serious)

We declare ourselves free from terrorism.

We declare ourselves free from threats to intimidate others to get what they want.

We declare to stop putting fear in others unlike terrorists.

They are attacking innocent people.

They are hurting children, women, and men who are doing nothing wrong.

They attack for pointless reasons.

They attack our country.

They harm our cities and buildings.

They destroy streets and spread panic through our people.

They violate our constitution. They go against our own inalienable rights. They

They put fear in the hearts and minds of other citizens. They make the citizens paranoid in certain situations.

They use others as hostages. They take over our airplanes and take the passengers captive.

They make us CONDESCEND to certain races. They make more racism in our country.

They make our relations with other countries fail. They make us not have trust in other leaders of the countries.

They can strike at unknown times. They make it so citizens never know when they are going to attack.

They hurt their own economy. They make it so the other citizens are afraid to travel to their country.

We will prevent incidents like the attack on the World Trade Center.

We will try our best to get rid of the terrorism in our country.

We will protect our people for the wrongdoing of others.

ACT testing took place today for our Juniors.  I know it was a long morning.  Please share suggestions with the up and coming test takers...What did you do to prepare?  With what areas of the test did you feel comfortable?  What would you do differently?

You may not have liked taking the test, but that is a part of our educational reality.  Knowing that, we need to tackle the challenges with the best attitudes we can.  Share your ideas.  Help out everyone who has yet to take the test.

Thanks.

National Honors Society and Key Club Jail and Bail

Add caption

Officer Henry visited Prairie du Chien High School today, April 15th, 2013.  Officer Henry was here to "detain" Jena as she was the most jailed for the NHS and Key Club Jail and Bail fundraiser.  The fundraiser was held in honor of St. Judes Children's Hospital and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped support this year's event.  The food and turn out were great!

Playing with Stupeflix--Reflecting back on 2012-2013

I am constant as the northern star.

—Caesar 

JULIUS CAESAR is the newest project for which we are about to begin, English 10 students.  It will be quite a different adventure from our research paper.  Within the play, there are many memorable lines.  The one above is just an example.  Some will say Caesar was stubborn and greedy.  Others will say he was positively powerful.  Based off of the above quote, which do you think he might have been?  What type of TONE does this quote seem to take?  When in your life do you feel this quotation (for good or bad) has applied to you.

Assignment (10 points):  Respond to the above QUESTIONS in clean sentence structures.  Think about your content as well as your grammar.  Your answers will most likely be 3-5 sentences in length.

This is NOT bonus.  It is an assignment.  Complete it for Monday, April 8th.

National Poetry Appreciation Month

"Poetry and progress are like two ambitious men who hate one another with an instinctive hatred, and when they meet upon the same road, one of them has to give place."
Charles Baudelaire, French poet

Poetry seems to be black and white in terms of appreciation.  People either love it or hate it.  VERY few fall in between.  Does poetry always have to rhyme?  Does it always have to be so serious?  Can poetry be fun?  

How can poetry fit within our BUSY and technological world today?  Give your thoughts on poetry.  Do you have a favorite poet or poem to share?  

Take the time this month to look online for new poetry ideas/projects.  Look at contemporary poets.  Look at the classics, like Emily Dickinson.  You never know what you may find; you may just find that the "two ambitious men" don't have to hate one another after all is said and done.

Happy National Poetry Appreciation Month!

Board Scrabble Continues

Pre AP English 10 continues with the Scrabble Challenge.  The goal was to place 40 vocabulary terms on the board (Scrabble format) in 10 minutes.  The students came really close; they missed only 5.  Great review, everyone!

Giving a Speech

Giving a speech is a difficult task for many people!  Let's try to lighten the mood for this portion our our project.  Respond to this blog with a funny joke (school appropriate) or a funny story in relation to giving a speech...or offer a solid technique that can help people eliminate their fears and concerns.

Remember:  This speech is an assignment for everyone.  I have faith in all of you!  Best of luck!  I am truly looking forward to our debates!

Blog Response:  5 bonus points

Happy Valentine's Day

It was a great Valentine's Day!  Students were more than willing to share their creative efforts with the Haiku extra credit.  Treats were brought.  Smiles were shared!  Even if you don't LOVE this holiday, it was nice to have a little break in the "routine."

I felt I had to share the cookie.  It is Rihanna; can't you tell.  Morgan, from AP, and I have varying opinions in music.  We could use our rhetorical devices to debate it some time.  However, for today, she gave me a sugar cookie in Rihanna's image.  I will cherish it.

Be looking for updates on St. Patrick's Day.  We, of course, will have to explore our creativity again...perhaps with a limerick.

Valentine's Day Haiku

February, the month of love.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone.  Let's have a little fun!

Valentine's Day Haiku--yes, let's show off our creativity--even those of you who don't really like the holiday.  The internet, of course, has tons of haiku examples, even specifically about Valentine's Day.  Look around a bit and then create one of your own!  10 bonus points will be given to those who write and share one with me (to also be shared with our class).  Haiku samples can be "romantic" or funny...

You don't have to like or even love Valentine's Day to write one of these!  You don't have to be a poetry fan to participate, either.  Haiku are short!


Haiku-- Japanese poetic form with  5 syllables in line one, 7 syllables in line two, and 5 syllables in line three.  Three lines/17 syllables total.

Finalize your sample by providing a related graphic/background.

All samples are due on Valentine's Day, February 14th...bring chocolates.  Little treats will make our poetry readings complete!

How to Write Good (a bit of English humor)

It always seems that grammar has to be taken so seriously.  Here is a short, humorous listing that tells you English people can have fun, too.  Thanks for the submission, Caitlin.

Challenge:  Find other fun grammatical ideas to post for others.  Look at sites like Grammarly...look for signs/jokes.  Resources are everywhere!


How to Write Good...

1.  Avoid alliteration.  Always.
2.  Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3.  Avoid cliche's like the plague.  (They're old hat.)
4.  Eschew abbreviations, etc.
5.  One should never generalize.
6.  Comparisons are as bad as cliche's.
7.  Be more or less specific.
8.  Sentence fragments?  Eliminate.
9.  Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
10.  Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
11.  Who needs rhetorical questions?

Indefinite Pronoun practice

We have been working with pronoun antecedent issues lately.  These lessons can be challenging (and annoying).  We will, however, keep smiles on our faces and practice, praCTICE, PRACTICE!

Here is a link for you to use.  Insert an answer and grade yourself right away.  There are sights like this all over the internet.  Take the time to search them out and better yourself.

Best of luck as we continue our pronoun lessons.

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

READING COUNTS DUE

It is hard to believe that 1/2 of the year is now almost over, but IT IS!  As exciting as that may be for many of us, remember with that comes our first READING COUNTS due date.  1850 pages read and tested (with at least 400 pages above the 1025 lexile) must be completed by January 21st.

It can be difficult to squeeze in reading!  Life is busy.  I hope, however, you have all tried to make this a part of your weekly routine.  When I say this, it is not with the only intent of completing an assignment.  It is my hope you all found at least one book you truly enjoyed!  This semester I have enjoyed several books in a genre I typically do not read, mystery.  I read GONE GIRL and THE CUTTING SEASON.  Both have a few unique twists surrounding a criminal case.  Pick one of them up if you are looking for something for the start of next quarter.

Read on everyone.  Enjoy!