Author: litalive

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Assignments for 02/16/2026

Assignments for February 16th, 2026

Pink heart hanging ornament

Explorations in British Literature

We went over today’s homework as well as reviewed for the quiz next week on the Romantic period. Study the authors and the poetry and and novels that characterized it.

Don’t forget to find a copy of Oliver Twist by next week. You don’t need it in class, but you will need it for next week’s assignment. It’s fine to borrow it or get it from your local library.

For next week, complete pages 130-145, along with the questions. (Victorian Voices of Protest, The Lady of Shallot, Aurora Leigh, and School Daze, School Daze, an excerpt from Dickens’s novel Hard Times.)

Watch this short video on why you should read Charles Dickens.

American History

We had a review of all the Presidents (1-24) today and then did the last of the reports on the Presidents. If you had a report due today, please plan on giving it at the beginning of the hour next week. I reviewed all that you would need to know for the Presidents’ test next week as well as covered the Chapter Review for Chapters 19 and 20. Read Chapter 21 and study for the test! We will have a test on Chapters 18-21 two weeks from today with a game review that day as well.

U.S. Grant

Rutherford B. Hayes

James Garfield

Chester Arthur

Grover Cleveland

Benjamin Harrison

No-Spin Economics

We went over the worksheet on Crash Course Economics #2—Specialization and Trade and then played the game on Free Trade. Free trade benefits everyone involved. The game proved that to us. Then, we went over Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? Chapter 1. Next week we will have a quiz on The Law, Penny Candy Chapters 1 and 2, and Crash Course Economics #1.

Just study the sheets you filled out for these. You don’t even have to read the chapters again!

For next week, watch Crash Course Economics #3 and print out Crash Course Economics Episode 3.

Crash Course Economics #3—Economic Systems

Also, read Chapters 3 and 4 in Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? and complete the sheet you were given on Chapter 3.

Quick Looks at Great Books

We discussed the entire reading (Questions 1-18) and did Quiz #1. Then we did pages 52-56 and 62-68 in your Literary Terms notebook.

Here is the assignment for next week:

  • Chapters 13-27 (Abridged version)
  • Chapters 16-35 (Unabridged version)

Study guide questions 19-29.

Debate

We collected homework and went over Susan B. Anthony’s speech and determined if it debated the subject well. Then we broke into groups and practiced for the Sylvia Snidely commercial next week. Students chose a one-on-one debate, partner, and subject. That debate is due two weeks from today. (February 23)

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

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Assignments for 02/09/2026

Assignments for February 9th, 2026

Pink heart hanging ornament

Explorations in British Literature

We began studying the Romantic period in British Literature, the first half of the 1800s. We began a comparison of the Neoclassicism and Romantic movements and saw how they developed into crossovers of literature, government, people, places, and things. Then, we discussed the “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray and how it was a transition from Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Then, we went over the poetry of Robbie Burns and how he became the national hero of Scotland. We will finish “Tintern Abbey” by Wordsworth next week.

For next week, read and answer the questions on pages 113-119. Read John Keats’s “Ode to a Nightengale” and anger the questions on pages 123 and 124. Lastly, read the excerpts of Jane Austen on pages 123-129, Do Part B on page 129.

Listen to Robert Burns’s poem set to music on YouTube. Recognize it?

Secure a copy of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens in two weeks when we will be ready to start it.

American History

We went over last week’s test. Save it to study for the final exam! We went through Chapters 18 and 19 and went over the Chapter Review for Chapter 18. (We’ll do Chapter 19 next week.) For next week, read Chapter 20 and prepare your report if you were assigned one. I will give you notes of all to study for the Presidents’ test two weeks from today. (George Washington – Grover Cleveland’s second term) We will have the second test later in the semester.

Watch this brief story of Custer’s Last Stand and the Battle of Little Big Horn.

No-Spin Economics

We went over the homework and the Economic IQ test, the sheet on the summary of The Law, and Crash Course #1 as well as the extra credit questions. For next week, watch Crash Course video #2 on Specialization and Trade and complete the sheet you were given. After we go over the answers, we will play a game on free trade so that you can see how it really works!

Crash Course Economics #2 — Specialization and Trade

Quick Looks at Great Books

We played a competitive game to review the entire play, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. The students did an amazing job and actually tied for the second time this year! They knew the play really well! Then we took the test and are ready to start our next book, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. The assignment for next week is as follows:

  • Chapters 1-12 (Abridged version)
  • Chapters 1-15 (Unabridged version)
  • Study guide questions 1-18 (Yellow study guide)

We will have Quiz #1 after we have gone over the questions and taken any questions you may have.

Watch this short visitor to look at Chateau d’If today.

Debate

We had an interesting discussion on the death penalty today as well as going over what we covered in class last week. I’m eager to check the homework and see how you did! We also covered the Logical Fallacies in your text and how NOT to use them in your debate.

For homework, read the speech by Susan B. Anthony on page 16 in your text and answer the three questions on page 17, complete the sheet your were given in class, using deductive reasoning to determine the height of the students, and work with your group to make a video or act out in person an ad to elect Sylvia Snidely to the Senate over the incumbent (commercial is due two weeks from today) Communicate with your group on the best way to illustrate the logical fallacies you were given.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

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Assignments for 02/02/2026

Assignments for February 2nd, 2026

Pink heart hanging ornament

Explorations in British Literature

We went over all the the students had done for homework, including two major historical events the Bubonic Plague and the Great Fire of London. Jonathan Swift’s famous essay on “A Modest Proposal” was also discussed.

Students were also given the book for second semester. We will do some of the first pages together in class. For next week, complete the reading and questions on pages 107 and 108, Blake’s “The Lamb” and “The Tyger” on pages 109 and 110, Wordsworth’s reflections on Tintern Abbey on pages 111 and 112. We will continue to discuss Neoclassicism and Romanticism.

Watch this short video of the Romantic period.

American History

We had a game review on the tested chapters and then took our test on Chapters 10-17. For next week, read Chapter 19 on The Gilded Age. Make sure you know who called it this and why. We will go over Chapters 18 and 19 and the Chapter Reviews as well. We only have Chester Arthur left from our last group of Presidents before our first test. I will review what you need to know about each President.

Watch the following video on the Statue of Liberty.

No-Spin Economics

We first started with a “What’s Your Economic IQ?”, a test so that you can see what you know now and what you will know at the end of the semester. For next week, watch the following two videos and complete the sheets you were given in class.

The Law by Frederic Bastiat

Crash Course Economics —What is Economics?

Quick Looks at Great Books

We reviewed all of Cyrano de Bergerac and took the second quiz. Next week, we will have a competitive game review and take the final test. (You will also receive a study guide for our next book, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.) Study for the test on Cyrano de Bergerac and complete the following terms: Characters and Characterization pages 52 and 53, Conflict pages 57-59, Dialogue pages 60 and 61, Genre pages 66-68, and Irony pages 69-71.

Debate

Welcome to Debate class! If you were not there to receive a text, review Deductive Thinking Skills and Logic Puzzles before next week. (I will give you the text next week.) Pages 5 and 6 in your text, and a page with Men’s Quartet, and Letter Perfect. On the back of the last page write a syllogism that is both valid and true. (Look up the word syllogism if you don’t have a text.)

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

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Assignments for 01/26/2026

Assignments for January 26th, 2026

Happy snowman looking upwards

Explorations in British Literature

Next week, we will go over all of today’s homework, review for our test on the Elizabethan Age, and pass out the new pages for second semester. We will start work on our new pages.

American History

We will still have our game review over Chapters 10-17 and take the test. As well, read Chapter 18 in your text.

Watch these videos on the subjects in Chapter 18, the Age of Industry.

Nicola Tesla

The Gilded Age

No-Spin Economics

We will begin our new semester next week now. Please bring a notebook to hold the pages you will receive each week.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Review Acts IV and V of the play. Please bring your study guides to class as we will fill most of it out. We will take Quiz #2 and review for our test next week.

Watch this final scene of the play.

Debate

We will begin our new class this week. Please bring a notebook to hold the text I will give you for the class. We would have had no homework this week, but we will begin next week.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

litalive

Assignments for 01/19/2026

Assignments for January 19th, 2026

Happy snowman looking upwards

Explorations in British Literature

We went over all of today’s homework in addition to the various appearances, attitudes, social status, religion, and politics of the Puritans and the Cavaliers. We also started a review of terms for our Elizabethan test two weeks from today.

For next week, read Samuel Pepys’s diary account of the Great Fire of London and answer the questions on page 89. Read the satiric poems on pages 91 and 92 and answer the questions following each poem. Read the satire on the Elizabethan Theater and answer the three questions that follow. Read “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift and answer the questions on 94 and 95. Read Samuel Johnson’s biography excerpt and answer the questions that follow on page 98. Lastly, read Daniel Defoe’s Journalistic Fiction of the 1665 plague and answer the questions on page 101.

We will review for our test, and I will give you the pages to add to your notebooks for second semester.

American History

We reviewed Chapters 16 and 17 and reviewed the Chapter Reviews as well, circling the ones you need to know. (The Civil War and The Reconstruction) We also went over the Civil War game you have been playing each week. Next week, we will have a competitive game review before our test on Chapters 10-17.

No-Spin Economics

We will begin our new semester. Please bring a notebook to hold the pages you will receive each week.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Read Acts IV and V to complete your reading of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. We will complete the study guide together in class. We will discuss the last two acts and take Quiz #2. Don’t forget to bring your Literary Terms notebook to class with you.

Watch this scene from Act I of the play.

Debate

We will begin our new class this week. Please bring a notebook to hold the text I will give you for the class.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

litalive

Assignments for 01/12/2026

Assignments for January 12th, 2026

Explorations in British Literature

We went over any questions on our Twelfth Night test and our quiz on Macbeth. We covered Dr. Faustus and the questions on page 63. Then we went over “The Galley” and the questions on pages 65 and 66. We reviewed the rhyme scheme of Shakespeare’s sonnets and the questions. We read Bacon’s essay on Studies and answered the questions on page 69. We then read the poems on page 71 and answered the three questions. We talked about the Cavaliers and the Puritans and the philosophy of the Cavaliers.

For next week, read John Donne’s: “Meditation XVII” and answer the questions on page 76. On page 77, read “Holy Sonnet X” and answer the three questions. Then read John Bunyan’s The Trial of Faithful and answer the three questions. Then skip to page 80 and read the excerpts from Paradise Lost and answer the questions through page 85. Read his short poem “On His Blindness” and answer the questions on page 86.

American History

We reviewed some of the Presidents we had reports on and then played games on the Presidents we have studied and the Civil War. For next week, read Chapter 17 on The Reconstruction. We will go over Chapters 16 and 17, and I will give you what need to know from the Chapter reviews. Two weeks from today, we will have a test on Chapters 10-17.

Watch these one minute videos from our reports today.

Andrew Jackson

William Henry Harrison

James Buchanan

U.S. Government

We reviewed those things we have studied this semester. This is the same competitive game we played the first day of class. They did much better this time! Next week, we will play anther review game before we take our final exam for Government. Study your text and the copies of tests you saved. Watch one more time the video on the Space Force since it was created after our textbook.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Read Acts I-III in Cyrano de Bergerac. We will do most of the pages in the study guide together. Read page 9 to know what to do on page 10 to create what the Hotel de Bourgogne might have looked like at the time.

Don’t forget to bring your completed Literary Terms notebook to class next Monday.

Practical Public Speaking

Next week, we will do the impromptu speeches of those who were absent today. Also, we will do the Demonstration speeches for Asher, Daniel, and Glory.

I’m looking forward to next semester. You are familiar with those in the class, but next semester, you will be working as a team. We will work on logic and individual debates, along with three major debates.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

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Assignments for 12/15/2025

Assignments for December 15th, 2025

Artistic scene of winter village

Explorations in British Literature

We watched parts of Act IV and all of Act V on our video, and the students watched Shakespeare’s characters come to life. We took the final quiz (#3), and next week we will do our final test. We will also discuss Macbeth and how Shakespeare’s tragedies work. Study for our test and our quiz on Macbeth.

Watch this brief summary of Twelfth Night.

Review this summary of Macbeth.

We will also observe some of the traditions of Elizabethan England. (Shakespeare’s time)

American History

We reviewed and then took the quiz on the videos you watched. We discussed Chapters 14 and 15 and went over what to study for the test in these chapters.

For next week, read Chapter 16, and we will go over the Chapter Review at the end. Watch the following one minute videos on the next set of Presidents.

William Henry Harrison

John Tyler

James K. Polk

Zachary Taylor

Millard Fillmore

Franklin Pierce

James Buchanan

U.S. Government

We caught up today with the lessons the students had already done—State Government, City Government, and the Post Office. We will go over the military next week. Complete the military part of our government by doing the Air Force page. Here are the crossword answers for Lesson 24: Air Force (United States).

Watch the following theme songs of the branches of the military. (Air Force included)

Space Force (newest branch of the military)

Quick Looks at Great Books

We watched some of the BBC video and reviewed the entire book with the study guide questions. Next week, we will do a brief Jeopardy game review and Chronolog review before we take our final test on Silas Marner. In the time left, we will celebrate a Victorian Christmas in honor of Charles Dickens and George Eliot!

Complete the following pages in your Literary terms notebook: Conflict, (pages 54-56) and Dialogue (pages 66-67)

Practical Public Speaking

Next week, we will finish our Demonstration speeches with Brian, Landon, Avalyn, Asher, Ana Leah, Grant, Daniel, and Glory.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

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Assignments for 12/08/2025

Assignments for December 8th, 2025

Snow day assignments!

Artistic scene of winter village

Explorations in British Literature

Next week, we will go over much of Act IV and all of Act V on our British video! Review Twelfth Night. We will take Quiz #3 and do the final test if time. Also, read the scene by scene summary of Macbeth, a tragedy by Shakespeare. We will discuss it and will have a quiz on it our last week before Christmas. (December 15)

Watch the following brief video to review the play.

American History

Next week, we will quickly review the videos you watched and take a quiz on them. (Urijah and Soffia, please be ready with your Presidential reports.) Read Chapters 14 and 15. We will go over the happenings, and I will give you the items on the test (after Christmas) from the Chapter Reviews.

We will have more Presidential reports on December 15. This will be the last chance for extra credit this semester. If you want to choose a President, email me.

Otherwise, I will take volunteers next week and assign them after that. The Presidents to choose from are as follows: William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, and Andrew Johnson.

Watch the following one-minute videos, to review what you learned from the reports.

George Washington

John Adams

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison

James Monroe

John Quincy Adams

Martin VanBuren

U.S. Government

Next week, we will go over the homework we have not yet completed, and I will give you what you need to know for the final exam. (State Government, City Government, the Post Office, and Army—Lessons 18-21.)

Watch this song for all the Armed Forces.

It makes you want to march to the song! Also, for next week, complete Lessons 22 and 23. (Navy and Marine Corps) Here are the crossword answers for Lesson 22: Navy (United States) and Lesson 23: Marine Corps (United States).

Quick Looks at Great Books

You have finished the book (Silas Marner) now. Please print the copy of the Silas Marner Chronolog to review the entire book. We will watch a few scenes from our BBC video and discuss the questions from your study guide. We will also take Quiz #3. Review the entire book for our final test. We will do a game review and the Chronolog first.

Watch this short video summary of the book.

Complete the following lessons in your Literary Terms notebook: Alliteration (pages 22-24), Flashback (pages 62-67), and Irony (pages 69-71).

Practical Public Speaking

We will continue with the speeches we were going to do today. Informative speeches: Daniel and Glory Demonstration speeches: Belle, Will, Brian, Braden, Zach, and Landon.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

litalive

Assignments for 12/01/2025

Assignments for December 1st, 2025

Artistic scene of winter village

Explorations in British Literature

We watched a lot of the video of this play—particularly Maria’s scheme portrayed and a large part of Act III. We answered the questions on pages 14 and 15 in the study guide.

You have already finished reading the play. We will watch some scenes from Act IV and watch Act V as well as finish the study guide. (Quiz #3 on Acts IV and V) Don’t forget to bring your British Literature notebook to class since you are doing pages 51-54 for homework. (Twelfth Night)

Watch this scene that you have already read even though the characters are played by different actors and actresses.

American History

We went over Chapters 12 and 13 and the Chapter Reviews that went with them. You do not have to know everything—just the things I told you to circle. You did a great job with the reports on the Presidents. You covered everything you needed. I hope the rest of you took notes. I will go over each President again before the test. We will do our last two reports next week.

You will do a quiz on the videos at the first of the class. (Multiple choice and only ten questions.) You have no readings—just watch the videos for every answer on the quiz.

James Monroe

John Quincy Adams

The Battle of New Orleans

U.S. Government

We reviewed for our test on the Supreme Court, the Law, Trial, Immigration, and Citizenship. It was very competitive and only one point separated the two teams! Then we took our test and talked about the way the President travels in the Beast and on Air Force One.

Watch these two videos on Presidential travel to see what they look like for yourself.

The Beast

Air Force One

For next week, do one lesson (21) in your notebook. Here are the Crossword answers for page 81 Lesson 21: Army. We will go through all you have done so far and give you the terms to know for the final exam.

Quick Looks at Great Books

We discussed the study guide questions for the first quiz on Silas Marner, watched the BBC video, and took the quiz. We will finish our discussion of Chapters 8-15 and take the quiz on those chapters next week.

Finish reading Silas Marner Part II—Chapters 16-21 and Conclusion. Look over the questions and look up anything you don’t know. Surprise ending with Chronolog saved for you!

Practical Public Speaking

We continued with our Informative speeches today and also did two of the Demonstration speeches. Next week we finish the final Informative speeches with Daniel and Glory first. Then we’ll continue the Demonstration speeches with the following students in this order: Belle, Will, Brian, Braden, Zach, and Landon.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026:

litalive

Assignments for 11/24/2025

Assignments for November 24th, 2025

Hello November

Explorations in British Literature

Today, we covered pages 6-13 in the study guide and watched a number of parts of the video produced in London. (Renaissance Theater Company and acclaimed director Kenneth Branagh from the Royal Shakespeare Company)

For next week, finish reading the play by completing Acts IV and V. We will watch the video and and take the test on Act III next week as well. We will finish the video on Acts IV and V and take that quiz the following week.

American History

We went through Chapters 10 and 11 and went over the things to know from the Chapter Review for each chapter.

For next week, read Chapters 12 and 13. (Next week, you will only have videos to watch!) You will meet lots of inventors in these chapters, especially in Chapter 13. They will all be in a matching section on our next test. The Presidential reports will be presented next week too.

Watch the following videos from your reading.

Sojourner Truth

Cyrus McCormick

U.S. Government

Today. we reviewed all the lessons for next week’s test. (Lessons 13-17) We took a sample of the Citizenship just so they could see how much the future citizen has to know! They also took a quiz to determine if they lean to the left or right. (Liberal or Conservative) These are not for a grade but for them to keep.

For next week, complete Lesson 20 on The Post Office. Most students are not aware that the Post Office is an arm of the Federal Government! Here are the answers for Lesson 20: The Post Office. Also, study for our test on Lessons 13-17. We will also have a competitive game review next week before we take the test.

Watch this video on the work of the Post Office.

Quick Looks at Great Books

The students did an excellent job in the review game today! I think that after all this time, they really know this book well. After the game (which was very close), we took the test. I can’t wait to grade them and see how they did! Then we discussed the author and characters of our new book, Silas Marner by George Eliot.

For next week, read Chapters 8-15 in your book. (through Part I) There are lots of questions in your study guide. Just read through them and look up any you don’t remember or can’t answer. We will go through the questions to make sure you understand what you read. We will take Quiz #1, discuss the questions, and watch the BBC video. (VERY true to the book) We will discuss the current reading and take Quiz #2 the following week.

Practical Public Speaking

We did five more Informative speeches today—all very interesting. Next week, we will finish all the rest of the Informative speeches and start our Demonstration speeches. Next week, the following students will give their Informative speeches: Ana Leah, Avalyn, Glory, Daniel, and Asher. Briana will start our Demonstration Speeches.

Previous Assignments for School Year 2025 – 2026: