November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 litalive

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!

Previous Assignments:

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 10/26/2020

Assignments due for the week of October 26th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

You’ve now finished half of the PSAT test!! Next week, you will get a scaled score for the “Evidence-Based Reading and Writing” part of the exam. On next Monday, we will take the first half of the Math section — the one where you can use a calculator. DON’T FORGET TO BRING IT TO CLASS NEXT WEEK!

Also, to practice for the math test visit Khan Academy and do practice questions in each of the following four areas: Heart of Algebra, Problem-solving and data analysis, Passport to advanced math, and Additional topics in math. This website has very helpful information and practice to prepare for the math section of this test. Let me know if you have any questions or problems.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Continue your reading in A Tale of Two Cities by reading Book III—Chapters 1-10. Answer questions 59-72. A new term, onomatopoeia, was used in Dickens’s description of the storming of the Bastille. (Onomatopoeia is a word whose sound suggests its meaning. Ex: plop, buzz, snap) Watch the following brief explanation of onomatopoeia:

Watch the following clip of the Storming of the Bastille:

Notice the leadership of the Defarges and the red caps of the Revolutionaries. Did you recognize “The Vengeance”?

U.S. Government

We covered the articles of the Constitution today and went over each of the first ten amendments that make up our Bill of Rights. Watch the following short review of these amendments.

Next week, we will have a quiz on the terms in Lessons 3 and 4 in your notebook. You do NOT have to know the contents of the amendments at this time. There will also be some fill-in-the-blank questions about the basic parts of our government and their functions. (You can study these from Quiz #1 that we have already taken.) Also, know what the current number of Supreme Court Justices for the U.S. would be if all seats were filled.

In preparation for the upcoming election, complete Lesson 8 in your notebook on Voting. (Pages 29-32) I will give you the answers for the crossword on p. 29.

VOTING

ACROSS DOWN
1. Direct 2. Indirect
3. Referendum 3. Recall
5. Democratic 4. Machine
9. Women 6. Amendment
11. Registration 7. Primary
12. Absentee 8. Precinct
13. Ballot 10. Electorate

Adventures in American Literature

We reviewed the first unit of American literature today. Next week, we will have Quiz #2 which covers from Patrick Henry to the writings of Crevecoueur. It will also cover the literary terms from your list that we went over in class. (Imagery, Simile, Metaphor, Allusion, Personification, Alliteration, Symbol, and Aphorism) You should know if you need to retake Quiz #1. We also reviewed the unit with the acrostic on pages 44 and 45.

Next week, we will hear the reports and results from the groups on their questions on page 43. After the quiz, we will continue our study of tall tales in America along with the legendary folk heroes and folk legends presented in your reports. If you have any questions about what character you were assigned, email me. The report should be approximately 3-5 minutes in length and will be presented orally to the class. You do not need to turn in a written version. Tell us if the character is a real person or a created one. Also, tell us a famous story about this person and his or her feats. Let me know if you have any questions.

Previous Assignments:

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 10/19/2020

Assignments due for the week of October 19th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great job as we finished reviewing grammar for the PSAT test! Next week we will take the 35 minute Writing and Language test and prepare for the Math test for the following week.

Quick Looks at Great Books

For next week, read Chapters 20-24 in Book 2 of A Tale of Two Cities and answer questions 53-58 in your study guide. Watch for the distinct metaphors as we finally arrive at the historic “storming of the Bastille”.

Watch the following two videos to understand some of the literary terms you will be encountering.

U.S. Government

GREAT observations about last week’s Vice Presidential debate! I always get excited when I see everyone totally engaged in what is going on politically! Keep up on the current news developments even though there will be no Presidential debate this week as was planned. There will be news about the campaigns and the Supreme Court Justice hearings.

In your notebook, complete the pages in Lessons 6 and 7. (pages 22-24 and pages 26-28) on the Senate and the House of Representatives. The answers to the crossword sections of each lesson are listed below. (pages 21 and 25)

SENATE

ACROSS DOWN
1. Special 2. Cloture
3. Two 4. Hundred
6. Immunity 5. Upper
9. President Pro Tempore 7. Override
10. Vice President 8. Policy
12. Caucus 11. Standing
14. Filibuster 13. Six

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ACROSS DOWN
1. California 2. Impeach
5. Conference 3. Table
8. Lower 4. Rules
10. Caucus 6. Census
12. Speaker 7. Population
14. Two 9. Majority
11. Twenty

Watch the following video to solidify your understanding of the two houses of Congress.

Adventures in American Literature

Choose one of Ben Franklin’s aphorisms (from page 36 or Google your own list) and either illustrate it with a drawing or illustrate it with words. Write a paragraph explaining what the aphorism means and how it practically applies to our daily living. If you like to draw, you can illustrate it with a picture. Do this on a separate sheet of paper so that you can turn it in to me when you come to class.

As we begin to study America’s legendary heroes read and answer questions on pages 48-51. You will become familiar with Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, and Davy Crockett.

Watch the following brief video about America’s tall tales:

Previous Assignments:

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 10/12/2020

Assignments due for the week of October 12th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great review today of some “tricky” grammar rules! Review the rules on pages 24-27 for a grammar quiz next week in preparation for the practice PSAT Evidence-Based Writing and Language test the following week.

Quick Looks at Great Books

For next week, read Chapters 10-19 in Book 2 of A Tale of Two Cities and answer questions 32-52 in your study guide. Watch for some of the literary terms we keep finding as we discuss the book, and continue to note Jerry Cruncher’s malapropisms!

Watch this brief video explaining personification. (Remember, that Dickens will personify the guillotine!)

U.S. Government

Fantastic job on your Debate Analysis sheets and especially on your discussion of last week’s Presidential debate — great observations!! You made some terrific points! I’m sure many of your parents were involved too, which is super. Part of your assignment this week is to fill out the same sheet (given to you in class) for the Vice Presidential debate this Wednesday, October 7 at 9 P.M. in Salt Lake City, Utah. You will have time to watch a recorded version on Youtube or other locations if you can’t watch it live. Since tons of “new” news comes out every day, keep up-to-date on that as well as the evaluation of this week’s debate.

Because we have so much to cover regarding the Constitutional Convention and the Bill of Rights, we are only going to do one section in your notebook this week. (We will make up for lost time later!) You were given the answers for the crossword on page 17 in class today. Using those terms, complete pages 18-20. This week we will learn more about the processes of Congress as we go over the associated terms.

Lastly, students should ask parents the question we talked about in class today (Email me if you have forgotten what it was!)

Take a few minutes to watch this brief video about the Constitutional Convention.

Adventures in American Literature

Interesting information today about the founding fathers and their writings even though we did have difficulties with the DVD! 🙂 Read about the lifestyle and writings of Benjamin Franklin on pages 31-35. Follow the early writings of our first young female African American poet on pages 37-40, and read the comments made by Frenchman St. John de Crevecoeur and answer the corresponding questions on pages 41 and 42. We will have our first quiz next week on the “authors” and statesmen we have covered so far. It will be a short answer quiz over the individuals we have studied, beginning with John Smith of Jamestown. We will review by doing the acrostic on pages 44 and 45 together. We will finish these early days of American history and literature and start reading the variety of American “tall tales” that are such an important part of our literary history.

Remember these two literary terms we have talked about thus far: similes and metaphors (used extensively in the famous sermon by Jonathan Edwards).

Previous Assignments:

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 10/05/2020

Assignments due for the week of October 5th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great job taking the timed PSAT Reading Test today in class. It will be great practice in pacing yourself. Next week, we will start preparing for the grammar section by reviewing a number of basic rules. Be sure to have your notebook with you in class.

Quick Looks at Great Books

You finished Book 1 of the novel!! For next week, read Chapters 1-9 in Book 2—“The Golden Thread” and answer questions 15-31 in your study guide. We will take the quiz on Book 1 and discuss this week’s reading before the next quiz. We will also watch clips from BBC’s A Tale of Two Cities to illustrate what you have read.

U.S. Government

Exciting times with upcoming Presidential Debate #1, Tuesday, September 29 at 9:00 P.M. You can watch live on TV, Youtube, or the Internet. (Or you can watch it replayed before next Monday.) Fill out the Debate Analysis Sheet you were given in class and bring it to class to turn in to me. Remember, there are no correct answers. You can give your opinion. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and responses after the debate!

Also, complete Lessons 3 and 4 in your notebook. (pages 9-16) You were given the answers to page 9 in class today. Here are the answers to page 13.

ACROSS DOWN
1. Liquor 2. Income
4. Black 3. Women
5. Congress 4. Bails
9. Criminal 5. Civil
11. Religion 6. Eighteen
12. Soldiers 7. Trial
8. Warrants
10. Arms

Watch this video on The Preamble to the Constitution:

Adventures in American Literature

We’re going through the early historical writings of our country. We’re now up to the American Revolution. Abigail Adams had nearly 2,000 letters recorded that were written to her husband while he was away in Philadelphia. This is a great record of some of the things that were going on at the time. For homework, read the letters on pages 21-24 and answer the questions as you go along. I’m sure you’ve heard of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine. Read the excerpts from some of their famous writings on pages 25 and 26 and then answer the corresponding questions. Lastly, read the two Revolutionary songs on pages 27-30 and answer the questions about them. Watch these video recordings of them so that you can actually hear how they were sung. Remember that “Yankee Doodle” had lots of verses, so some may be different than those in your notebook. The questions will help you see the symbolism in “Revolutionary Tea”.

Previous Assignments:

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 09/28/2020

Assignments due for the week of September 28th, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Finish the last of the practice Reading sections — the historical analysis passage on “The Great Seal” — and answer the ten questions. (Pages 19-22 in your notebook) We will go over this last section and then take the practice Reading PSAT test. (60 minutes) You will get to keep the test booklet, and I will return your graded answer sheet the following week.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Next week we will take our quiz on the historical pages in your study guide. (Pages 2-33) Read the brief Background Information on pages 38 and 39. Start your reading of the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens by reading “Book One – Recalled to Life” Chapters 1-6. Try to answer questions 1-14 on pages 40 and 41 to check your comprehension. We will go over all of this and answer any questions you may have before we take a quiz.

U.S. Government

Great discussion on the current situation in the Supreme Court! Watch for the new Supreme Court nomination this Friday or Saturday. Know who it is and find out some basic facts about the nominee.

Complete pages 6-8 in your notebook and prepare for a quiz on Lessons 1 and 2. (Matching section with terms on pages 4 and 8) Know the three branches of government, each of their functions, the two parts of Congress, and the length of terms for a U.S. Senator and a U.S. Representative. Watch this brief video for a review of information on the three branches of government:

Adventures in American Literature

Read the historical accounts written by John Smith and William Bradford and answer the questions on pages 9-14 in your American literature notebook. Read the poem by Edward Taylor and answer the questions on pages 15-16. Lastly, read Anne Bradstreet’s poem about the burning of her house and notice how her Puritan beliefs are evidenced in her reaction to her loss.

Previous Assignments:

Assignments for 09/21/2020

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 09/21/2020

Assignments due for the week of September 21st, 2020

PSAT/SAT/ACT Test Prep

Great first day of class!! Make sure you can share with your parents what you learned today about the PSAT: format, content, dates given, etc. Don’t forget to bring your syllabus back to class as we will be doing some practice sessions to prepare for the PSAT Reading test. No homework! 🙂

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great job thinking about the comparisons between the American Revolution and the French Revolution! We will discuss more later, but there really was a difference in the bottom line! For next week, read pages 2-33 in your purple study guide and be prepared for a quiz. We will go over all of these pages BEFORE the quiz. Also, be prepared to share with the class the information you found on the subject you were assigned. Just give us some extra facts about each person or subject you were given. (relating to the French Revolution 1789-1799) This is only oral and not a report to be turned in to me.

View the following video to review the events of the Revolution:

U.S. Government

Nice participation in our game on government facts today. You will be amazed at the end of the semester how much you know and how easy it will be when we try this same game again!! In the “textbook” you were given, complete pages 2, 3, and 4. For the discussion questions on page 2, you do not need to answer them on a separate sheet of paper. Just look over them and be prepared to discuss them in class. Lesson 1 will be working on select government terms. Here are the answers to the Crossword on page 1. These are the terms you will be using throughout the lesson.

ACROSS DOWN
1. communism 2. monarchy
5. aristocracy 3. fascism
6. socialism 4. common
7. capitalism 8. autocracy
9. democracy 10. cabinet
12. civil 11. right wing
14. amendment 13. law

Do you know what special holiday occurs this week? Watch this video, and we’ll learn more next week.

Adventures in American Literature

Nice work compiling a time line of major American history events. Our literature was written about and affected by what was going on around the authors. In your “textbook” read the paragraphs on page 2 (“Different Drummers”) and answer the question there. On pages 3 and 4, list the 50 U.S. states in alphabetical order. We will add to the other columns together in class. On page 5, see how many U.S. states you can name without looking at a map. (Note that this is only the contiguous states. Alaska and Hawaii are not included.)

Also, go to the following links to view Charles Kuralt’s journalistic examples of “local color”. (Local color – writing that brings to life a specific region of a country – dialect, customs, clothes, mannerisms, landscape, descriptions, character types, and attitudes.)

Previous Assignments:

No previous assignments for the 2020 school year.

September 14, 2020September 21, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 05/25/2020

Assignments due for the week of May 25th, 2020

Debate

Nice job on your final debate. You have done a great job adapting to the video format. Don’t forget to email me with the evaluation of your team members for this last debate. You will receive my evaluation as well as that of the judges along with your grade for this debate. You will also receive your final grade and transcript via email.

Explorations in British Literature

Your moms will receive your final exam via email. After you have studied your study guide sheets and literary terms pages, take the exam and send it back to me. You will receive your final grade and transcript via email.

No-Spin Economics

After you have finished reviewing your last test and your handouts from the Crash Course Economics videos, you can take your final exam. (That will be sent to the moms.) After you receive your exam grade, I will send you your transcript sheet and your two semester grades and final grade via email.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Great job reviewing the entire year’s work!! Review your literary terms and the characters and authors of our six books for this year and take your final exam. I’m excited to see how well you do on this comprehensive test! After you have received your grade for the final exam, I will send you a transcript sheet.

Previous Assignments:

May 18, 2020May 18, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 05/18/2020

Assignments due for the week of May 18th, 2020

Debate

Nice job on the “Balloon Debates” in class! Don’t forget to connect with your teammates as you finish your preparations for our final debate of the year next Monday. Try to apply all the suggestions you have been given over the past weeks to present your best performance ever! Communicate as needed by phone or email and implement the suggestions of your group today.

Explorations in British Literature

The moms will receive the final test for Animal Farm and the matching quiz of authors and their works. Please look over your notes and then take the test and the quiz. Email them to me before next week’s class. Use the study guide you will receive to begin studying for your final exam. We will go over it and also play a review game to prepare for the exam.

No-Spin Economics

After you have finished your review, take the test on Whatever to Penny Candy? Chapters 1-13. Begin your review for the final exam by reviewing your handouts for Crash Course Economics videos 1-7 and 9-12. The exam will cover some of the information from your Penny Candy book as well. (We will play another review game next week!)

Quick Looks at Great Books

Complete the final test on The Old Man and the Sea and return it to me before next week’s class. Begin your review for our final exam by going over your Literary Terms notebook and reviewing your study guides for the six novels we have read this year. I have great expectations of how well you’ll do and how much you know!

Watch the following video to review some of our most common literary terms:

Previous Assignments:

May 11, 2020May 11, 2020 litalive

Assignments for 05/11/2020

Assignments due for the week of May 11th, 2020

Debate

Nice job in the game of Triple Speak today honing your impromptu speech skills! You have a good start for your next team debate. Prepare your assigned role for next week so that your team members can assist you in the revision and execution. Keep researching your details and preparing to rebut the other side’s arguments.

Explorations in British Literature

Your moms will receive the quizzes for Animal Farm. Please return those to me by next week’s class. Review the characters, event, and themes for the book for our final test. We will do a Jeopardy game review before the test. Review the authors and works on pages 146 and 147 in your notebook for a matching quiz next week.

Review Animal Farm by watching these short videos:

No-Spin Economics

Study Chapters 1-13 in Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? We will do a game review over the book before we take the test. The following week will be our final exam, which will cover the book as well as Crash Course Economics videos 1-7 and 9-12.

Here is the final Crash Course video from last week that we will go over next week in class. Be sure to have your worksheet completed.

Quick Looks at Great Books

Review The Old Man and the Sea and its plot and characters for our review game and test next week. Continue to review the terms in you Literary Terms notebook for our final exam.