January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 litalive

2021

Assignments due for the week of January 25th, 2021

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

We had our last class of the semester today with a final review of the test formats and subject matter. There is no homework unless you have not turned in your writing plan or any other tests you might be missing for the semester. You will receive an email when your transcript for this semester is ready. I’m looking forward to seeing almost all of you next week for our new class. I will provide you a “textbook” for Public Speaking, and all you need is a three-ring binder to hold the pages. I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you better this next semester as we have fun with learning the art of public speaking!!

Quick Looks at Great Books

Review all of Edmond Rostand’s play for our final test next week. We will finish our discussion and review all the characters and events with a competitive game.

In your Literary Terms notebook, complete the following terms: Hyperbole (pages 4 & 5), Genre (pages 66-69), Irony (pages 69-71), Mood & Tone (pages 74-76), and Plot (pages 81-82). Bring your terms notebook to class with you.

Watch this concluding scene from Cyrano de Bergerac.

U.S. Government

Fantastic job on our review game today!! I know you did well on your final exam! There is no homework this week as we will start our Economics class next Monday, January 25. All you need to have is a three-ring binder to hold the notes and handouts I will give you over the upcoming weeks.

Adventures in American Literature

In your American literature notebook, read the chapter from Herman Melville’s Redburn on pages 79-82. Then answer the questions on page 83. On pages 86 & 87, read the excerpt from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” and answer the questions on page 88 analyzing it. Then read William Cullen Bryant’s poem “Thanatopsis” on pages 89 & 90. Answer the questions explaining this poem on page 91.

If you would like to listen to Bryant’s poem while you read it, watch this video:

If you were one of the six who were assigned a short story by Poe or Hawthorne to tell us, don’t forget to read it online and email me with any questions.

Previous Assignments:

January 20, 2021January 20, 2021 litalive

Assignments for 01/18/2021

Assignments due for the week of January 18th, 2021

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great game review today on all the basics and strategies of the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests. We also discussed the “must-do’s” to prepare for the actual day of the tests. I will let you know if you are still missing any work, and we will do a final review next week in class.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Read Acts IV and V in Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. We discussed the first three acts and worked on the study guide together, identifying the Grand Gestures in each act and also each attack on Cyrano’s nose in Act I. Be prepared for the second quiz on the final acts of the play.

Watch the following scenes from your reading:

U.S. Government

Your responses to the same questions we did on the first day of class did not disappoint!! I think you really have the basics down!! What a close competition!! Review for our final exam next week by studying your past quizzes and tests. We will do another game review for the exam before we take it class next week.

Adventures in American Literature

On page 73 in your notebook, choose three of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s aphorisms and explain their meaning and application. Read his famous essay, “Self-Reliance”, on page 75 and answer the corresponding questions on page 76. On page 77, do the same thing for Henry David Thoreau. Choose three of the “lessons” he learned from his stay on Walden Pond. Explain what he meant by them below each statement.

Read “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Answer the questions on page 85.

Watch this video on Henry David Thoreau.

Previous Assignments:

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 litalive

Assignments for 01/11/2021

Assignments due for the week of January 11th, 2021

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great review today of the ACT subjects and our work on a “Writing Plan” for standardized testing. Next week we will do a game review of all our testing strategies and material and talk about tips for the test-taking day itself. Next week, please turn in your ‘’’Writing Plan”, either typed on the computer or hand-written on a piece of notebook paper.

Here are the three components you should include:

Two personal experiences to teach a lesson
Two historical or literary incidents to make a point or
teach a lesson
At least 10 college-level vocabulary words that you could
use in any writing assignment (We did this in class today
using the SAT vocabulary cards.)

Quick Looks at Great Books

Read Acts I – III in Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. We introduced the play and some of its concepts today in your new study guide. Complete the diagram on page 6 by following the directions on page 5. Do this before you begin Act I. We will have a quiz next week to test your comprehension of what you read. Also, make sure you have your Literary Terms notebook for me to check in class. You should have the following lessons completed this year:

Metaphor & Simile (pp.10-12)
Personification (pp.6-8)
Symbol (pp. 19-21)
Alliteration (pp. 22-24)
Onomatopoeia (pp.31-33)
Allusion (pp. 49-51)
Characters & Characterization (pp. 52-53)
Conflict (pp. 54-56)
Dialogue (pp. 60-61)
Flashback (pp. 62-63)
Foreshadowing, (pp. 64-65)

U.S. Government

We watched a PowerPoint on the Supreme Court today so that you knew exactly the function and the names of the current Supreme Court justices. (As well as recognize their faces when you see them.) 🙂 We also went over State Government, City Government, the Post Office, and the four branches of the U.S. Military. I told you what terms from those lessons you would need to know for the final exam next week. You can study for the exam by reviewing all of your corrected quizzes and tests we have had this semester. We will also review the entire semester with a competitive game.

Watch the following video to learn more about the military branches before our exam next week.

We will discuss next week how the Coast Guard entered the military field. (Note the picture of Iwo Jima at the end of the Marines’ song.)

Adventures in American Literature

Today you experienced firsthand the “horror stories” of Edgar Allan Poe. Continue to reflect on how Poe’s upbringing affected his literary works. For next week, read Poe’s poems and answer the questions on pages 66, 67, 68, and 69.

Read “The Black Cat” by Poe

Answer the questions on page 70 and compare the two stories (“The Black Cat” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”) on page 71. (“The Tell-Tale Heart” we watched in class today.)

Watch the following video to review the events of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”.

Previous Assignments:

January 4, 2021January 4, 2021 litalive

Assignments for 12/14/2020

Assignments due for the week of December 14th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

We covered in class the three types of passages that will occur on the ACT Science Test. All of the passages will be one of the three, and we discussed the strategies for each of them. I will send the ACT Science Test to the moms. You should take the test and send your answer sheet back to me. If I have not already received your Math and Reading tests, please get those to me by next week as well. Thanks for all your extra effort in covering this material.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great job on the review of George Eliot’s Silas Marner! I will send the moms the final test on the book. Please get your answers back to me before next week’s class. Let me know if you have any questions at all before you take the test. For next week, review the lives of the two Victorian authors we have read so far — Charles Dickens and George Eliot. You will find a biography page on their lives in the beginning of each of your study guides. We will review their lives for a short quiz. Then we will discuss the traditions of a Victorian Christmas and how Charles Dickens influenced many of the ways we observe Christmas today. We will celebrate as the Victorians would!!

Watch the following video to gain context into Dickens’s writing of this famous novel:

U.S. Government

I loved your participation today in our discussions of Immigration, Citizenship, the Supreme Court, the Law, and Trial. We will finish the last lesson and do a game review of all those lessons for our final test for the semester before the final exam. So much in our lessons today is practical, and their terms you will encounter very often! Watch the following video for a virtual tour of our Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.

Lastly, for next week, complete Lessons 18-20, State Government, City Government, and the Post Office. Below you will find the answers to the crosswords on pages 69, 73, and 77.

STATE GOVERNMENT

ACROSS DOWN

1. Political 2. Legislature
6. Auditor 3. Superintendent
8. Attorney 4. Four
9. Constitutional 5. Secretary
12. Governor 7. Rhode Island
13. Appeals 10. Nebraska
14. Ad interim 11. Property

CITY GOVERNMENT

ACROSS DOWN

1. Municipality 2. Charter
5. Home rule 3. Tax base
8. Machines 4. Nonpartisan
9. Sumter 6. Mayor-council
10. Strong 7. Cleveland
12. Commission 11. Weak
13. Patronage
14. Grants

THE POST OFFICE

ACROSS DOWN

3. Neale 1. Fairbanks
5. Franklin 2. Zoning
6. Mailgrams 4. Express
7. Stamps 8. Parcel
9. Facer 10. Paid
12. Mailbox 11. Collect
13. Dead
14. Priority

When we go over these lessons, I will tell you what you need to know for the final exam.

Adventures in American Literature

Great review of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in our game today! I will send the moms the final test for the book. Please complete it and send it back to me by our next class period.

For next week’s class read “Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving.

Be prepared for a quiz on the events of the story.

Next week, we will also discuss how Washington Irving was instrumental in influencing the way Americans celebrate Christmas. I like to call him the “Charles Dickens of America”! 🙂

Watch this video to learn more about Washington Irving’s life and influence.

Previous Assignments:

December 8, 2020December 8, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 12/07/2020

Assignments due for the week of December 7th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Don’t forget to get me the ACT Reading test if you have not already done so. (I will send it to you if you did not get it for some reason.) Also, in the next two days, I will send you the ACT Math test. Before taking it, go over page 47 (Textbook Algebra and Coordinate Geometry Questions) and make sure you know how to do the ten processes listed there. Get help if needed or go to Khan Academy and practice your math there. Remember that you can keep the test for your notebook. Send me only the answer sheet. You can take the test on the same answer sheet as your other tests.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great job processing all the details from the conclusion of Silas Marner!! Next week, we will do a final review and finish the rest of your study guide questions, as well as play a game to review characters and events in the book. Since you don’t have any reading to do in your book this week, complete the following pages in your Literary Terms notebook: Onomatopoeia (pp. 31-33), Characters and Characterization (pp 52-53), Conflict (pp. 54-56), Dialogue (pp. 60-61) and Flashback (pp. 62-63)

U.S. Government

We reviewed past lessons today with a game in preparation for our test on Voting, Electoral College, Political Parties, President, and Vice President. I will send you the test in the next two days. You can return it to me via a scan or a camera shot, or you can type the answers in an email.

Watch the following Air Force One video tour:

Complete the following lessons in your notebook: The Supreme Court (pages 58-60), The Law (pages 62-64), and Trial (pages 66-68). Below you will find the crossword page answers on pages 57, 61, and 65.

THE SUPREME COURT
ACROSS DOWN
1. Jay 1. Judicial
2. Highest 3. Six
6. Constitution 4. October
7. Judicial Review 5. Jurisdiction

9. Chief Justice 7. Justice
10. Certiorari 8. President
11. Nine
12. Reports

THE LAW

ACROSS DOWN
1. Criminal 1. Case
6. Bar 2. International
7. Private 3. Law
8. Constitutional 4. Canon
10. Common 5. Statute
11. Overrule 7. Public
12. Litchfield 9. Precedent

TRIAL
ACROSS DOWN
3. Hung 1. Contempt
4. Sequestered 2. Venue
6. Perjury 5. Civil
7. Trial 6. Plaintiff
8. Criminal 8. Charge
11. Innocent 9. Acquit
12. Appeal 10. Briefs

Adventures in American Literature

Great comprehension of the final chapters of The Scarlet Letter! Next week we will do a final review before the test. In your American Literature notebook, read page 52 on the frontier hero. You will see a perfect example of that in the following excerpt. Read from James Fenimore Cooper’s The Deerslayer on pages 53 and 54. Cite any examples of a frontier hero. Read the excerpt from Early Life in Manhattan by Washington Irving on pages 56-61 and answer the corresponding questions.

Previous Assignments:

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 11/30/2020

Assignments due for the week of November 30th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

I have emailed you the ACT Reading test and answer sheet. I will also send you the results from your ACT English test. Time yourself with 35 minutes and take the ACT Reading test at home this week. The only thing you need to return to me is your answer sheet. If you can print it, put the test in your notebook for future reference. See you on Zoom next week!

Quick Looks at Great Books

Finish Silas Marner by George Eliot for next week. (Chapters 13-21 and “Conclusion”) We will discuss the surprising twists as the book comes to a conclusion, and all the pieces fall together. Some surprises will be in store!!

U.S. Government

Great discussion and participation today in our first online class! We will finish our discussion in your notebook of the offices of the President and the Vice President next week and then do a competitive review of the following lessons: Voting, Electoral College, Political Parties, President and Vice-President. We will then be ready for the test on these sections.

Watch the following video to actually “see” some of the information we discussed today about the U.S. President’s special limo–the Beast.

In your notebook, complete Lessons 13 and 14 on pages 50-52 and 54-56) (Immigration and Citizenship) Below you will find the answers to the crossword answers on pages 49 and 53)

IMMIGRATION

ACROSS DOWN

2. Emigration 1. United States

5. Visa 3. Immigration

7. Displaced 4. American

8. Ellis 6. Deported

9. Old 11. New

10. Assimilation 12. Quota

13. Naturalization 14. Alien

CITIZENSHIP

ACROSS DOWN

1. Jus sanguinis 1. Jus soli

4. Dual 2. Alien

6. Noncitizen 3. Apartheid

8. Citizenship 4. Diplomatic

10. Naturalization 5. Civil

12. Expatriate 7. Nationality

9. Stateless

11. Refugee

Adventures in American Literature

After taking today’s quiz from the email you received, finish The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne by reading Chapters 19-24 and going over the questions in your study guide. We will discuss the entire book next week and prepare for our final test.

Previous Assignments:

November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 11/23/2020

Assignments due for the week of November 23rd, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Next week, we will do some practice ACT Reading tests in preparation for taking the timed test. This is similar to the PSAT/SAT Reading test in that you read four different passages with ten questions about each one. I have high hopes for your English scores from today! 🙂

Quick Looks at Great Books

Nice discussion of the characters and events in today’s reading! Hopefully, a brief synopsis of the author’s life will help your understanding of her writing. For next week, read Chapters 8-12 for a quiz and go over the corresponding study guide questions. We will see new twists in the saga, and new characters enter. We will go over your questions and discuss all of the characters you have encountered so far.

U.S. Government

Great discussions of current events for this week! We will have a quiz next week on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We went over in class today everything you need to know for the quiz. We will also finish our discussion of our political parties and then cover this week’s assignment on the President and Vice President. Complete pages 42-44 and pages 46-48. Below you will find the answers for the crosswords on pages 41 and 45.

THE PRESIDENT

ACROSS DOWN

1. January 2. Air Force

5. Electoral 3. Oval

7. Commander 4. Natural

9. Secret 6. Thirty

11. Tuesday 8. Eight

12. Veto 10. Executive

13. Inauguration

14. Justice

THE VICE PRESIDENT

ACROSS DOWN

4. Senate 1. Fourteen

9. Naval 2. Before

10. Eagleton 3. Hamilton

11. Regents 5. Running

12. Johnson 6. Adams

13. Eight 7. Ford

14. Senate 8. Balance

(#7 DOWN should read, “Only Vice President to become President because the President resigned.”)

Watch the following video about the office of the U.S. President.

Watch the following brief explanation of the role of the Vice President.

Adventures in American Literature

Great comments about isolation and alienation in today’s world! Next week, we will continue our discussion of the chapters you have read. Continue your reading by completing Chapters 13-18 and answer questions 30-42 in your study guide.

Previous Assignments:

November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 11/16/2020

Assignments due for the week of November 16th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

We are continuing to review grammar rules for structure and punctuation in preparation for the ACT English test next week. All of this will help in other classes as well as on all standardized testing. In your notebook, study the page on the “Twelve Classic Grammar Errors on the ACT”. We will have a quiz on these and go over the answers before we take the timed ACT test.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great review on A Tale of Two Cities today! You have definitely mastered the details!! This week we will be beginning our second novel — Silas Marner by George Eliot. Read Chapters 1-7 and try to answer as many questions in your study guide on these chapters as you can. We will go over all of them in class. Also, we will have a quiz on each section as we go to keep you up-to-date with your reading. We will actually read this book in three weeks, and you will find it easier reading than the writings of Dickens! 🙂

Watch the following video on the literary term flashback and see if you can find an example of this in this week’s reading.

U.S. Government

No quiz next week! We will try to catch up with what you quiz on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We will go over everything you need to know in class. We will also discuss the origins of our political parties and add to the material you go over in your notebook. To prepare for that, complete Lessons 9 and 10. (pages 34-36 and pages 38-40)

Below, you will find the answers to the crosswords at the beginning of those lessons. (pages 33 and 37)

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

ACROSS DOWN

4 Ripon 1 Fremont

5 Watergate 2 Breeds

6 Union 3 Moose

7 Nast 8 Slavery

10 Grand 9 Bovay

11 Hoover 12 Elephant

14 Prosperity 13 Lincoln

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

ACROSS DOWN

1 Dixiecrats 1 Donkey

4 Copperheads 2 Roosevelt

7 Oldest 3 Republican

8 Tilden 5 Solid

9 New Deal 6 Money

11 Jackson 10 Wallace

13 Fair Deal 12 Society

Adventures in American Literature

For this week, read Chapters 7-12 and answer questions 15-29 in your study guide. We will continue to pursue the lives of the main characters as they develop and as they each continue their daily struggles and their goals.

Watch the following video explaining the literary term flashback. Remember how this was used in your reading today.

Previous Assignments:

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 11/09/2020

Assignments due for the week of November 9th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

You have now completed the PSAT test! Next week, I will have a final scaled score for you on the entire test. We will spend the rest of the semester reviewing and taking the ACT test. As we study the different sections, it will also be helpful in preparing you for the SAT test in the spring. We will start preparing for the grammar section. Review the principal parts of irregular verbs on page 38 in your notebook. We will have a quiz to review these next week. Pay special attention to the ones we went over in class today. We will also do some practice sections to prepare for the test.

Quick Looks at Great Books

To review the entire novel, complete the Chronolog you were given in class today. We will review the entire book and play competitive games to review characters and events. Watch the following scenes that you read in the novel.

Since you have no reading to complete this week, do the following pages in your Literary Terms notebook: Metaphor & Simile (pages 10-12), Personification (pp. 16-18), Symbol (pp. 19-21), Alliteration (pp. 22-24), and Allusion (pp 49-51).

U.S. Government

Election Day is finally here! This is an exciting time in our history! Please plan to be totally involved by watching things as they happen, either on TV or on the Internet. This is a great thing to do as a family! You can receive extra credit for actually going to the polls with a parent or other registered voter. That will even further acquaint you with the process. You were given a U.S. map with the electoral votes listed for each state. Watch the count throughout the evening and color in each state in either blue or red as it is called for the Democrats or the Republicans.

Bring the map to turn in next Monday. (You will also use that map in the game we play.) I sent an email to everyone with the U.S. Senate races to follow. You need to turn in your results in our next class. If you cannot print it, do it on another sheet of paper. Also, don’t forget to send me (by 5 P.M. Tuesday, November 3) your election predictions to the questions I gave you. Enjoy the time with your family and all the interesting discussions that will ensue.

Adventures in American Literature

Begin The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne by reading Chapters 1-6 and answering questions 1-14 (pages 11 and 12) in your study guide. We will discuss the chapters and make sure you understand the characters and events before we take the quiz.

Previous Assignments:

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 11/02/2020

Assignments due for the week of November 2nd, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

You have now finished the first half (and longest) of the PSAT Math test! Next week, we will take the last half of the PSAT test—Math Part 2. The best way to prepare for it would be to go over the solutions you were given today for the first half of the test. Concentrate especially on any ones you missed. You not only have the correct answers, but you also have the full explanation of how the problem should have been solved. Check with a math teacher or your parent with any other questions.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Complete your reading of A Tale of Two Cities by finishing Book 3, Chapters 11-15. Also, answer the remaining study guide questions 73-80. Be prepared for suspense, surprise, and a sensational ending! Note how Dickens reveals to us what happens to all the main characters. His style is unmatched!! We will do a game review next week of the entire book.

Watch this video of your reading of the second trial of Charles Darnay.

U.S. Government

Great job on presenting your observations from last week’s Presidential debate. You made some great points! I love that you have your own opinions about what you saw and heard!

We covered the Electoral College today. Great job analyzing and predicting what problems could occur with “faithless” electors!! Watch the following video to prepare for a quiz on the Electoral College in our next class. The video reviews most of what we covered in our powerpoint today.

We will play a game to illustrate how the Electoral College actually works with your representing one of the candidates. We will review Lessons 5, 6, and 7 in your workbook and then have a quiz on these. (Senate and House of Representatives) One good way to review for this is to go to the “Previous Assignments” at the bottom of this page and click on the October 19 section. Watch the video on Senate vs. House of Representatives. This is a great review of the functions of the two houses and what their responsibilities are. We will set up a strategy in our next class for your “Election Night Activities.” 🙂

Adventures in American Literature

Great job on reporting on and exploring American folklore and characters today! We will finish our reports next week and prepare for beginning Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Watch the following videos about some of the reports today and be prepared for a quiz on these videos. Over the next four weeks, we will be reading the novel, so your assignments will be from there and not your American literature notebook.

Watch this video about Peg Leg Joe and hear the song that the slaves traditionally sang.

Watch this video to hear the song they sang around the campfires as they headed west.

Here is the ballad of Davy Crockett, a true American hero.

Here is a brief review of today’s report on Stormalong.

Here is a recap of the excellent report today on Sacajawea.

We will begin our study of The Scarlet Letter next Monday, and I will give you a study guide. We will not read the detailed introduction to the book — “The Custom House”. We will talk about it so that you know what it contained. Watch this video for more information.

This will be your homework for this week, and we will have a short quiz next week to make sure you watched them.

Enjoy “watching” instead of “reading” this week!