Week 5 Syllabus: September 16
WE HAVE FINALLY COVERED OUR CLASSROOM procedures, including Canvas, our web blog and syllabus, homework, materials, academic integrity, getting help outside of class. Remember, face-to-face questions are preferable over email. We will begin our short-story unit, starting with a unit on Sherlock Holmes. This week, we will also finish reviewing your first paragraphs, giving you feedback and setting some writing goals for your next writing task, which will be at the end of this week. Finally, if you have NOT finished the STAR reading assessment, you MUST complete that on Tuesday. Ms. Craig will pull those students out of independent reading.
TUESDAY: September 17
Independent reading for 20 minutes.
Who is Sherlock Holmes? Watching a short introductory video on who he is, why he’s popular: “The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes.”
Reading a non-fiction article about a Sherlock Holmes collector, from the New York Times.
Moving into our first short story, the case of “The Five Orange Pips.”
HW: Read the first 2 pages of the story. We will use the audio in class tomorrow to re-read these pages. So only circle vocabulary tonight, for this reading.
WEDNESDAY, September 18
Students will be listening to, and annotating “The Five Orange Pips.;” the audio for the story is here.
HW: Read an additional 4 pages from the story. Remember to use the audio!
FRIDAY, September 20
First 20 minutes, independent reading.
Returning your annotations on the “Voices in Autism” reading, and discussing how to annotate (your written notes should reflect the reader’s dialogue with the text, about meaning).
Wordplay: using the crossword to build vocabulary (and help you better understand the reading).
HW: Finish reading Sherlock Holmes in “The Five Orange Pips.”
Spend 45 minutes working on the crossword provided in class.
Week 4 Syllabus: September 9
WE’VE BEEN EXPANDING OUR VIEW OF AUTISM. By studying the handout “Voices of Autism” in week two and the film Life, Animated in week three, students should now have a better understanding of Christopher as the main character in the novel Curious Incident. This week we will finish covering some basics—safety protocols, academic integrity—and will also meet to discuss how to improve your writing.
TUESDAY: September 9
Independent reading for 10 minutes.
We will finish watching the film, “Life, Animated.”
Students will have 10 minutes to work on the thinking guide to the film.
Reading and annotating the summer reading together.
HW: Finish the study guide to the film. If not done re-reading and re-annotating the first 75 pages of the novel, Curious Incident.
WEDNESDAY, September 11
Safety day. I will cover what students should do, and where we go, in the event of a natural, building, or other emergency.
Academic integrity presentation, Q&A.
Reviewing two new annotation techniques.
HW: Apply these two techniques to your annotations on pages 1-75 in the summer reading.
FRIDAY, September 13
Independent reading: 20 MINUTES
STAR reading test. This is an adaptive test that will take students anywhere from 30-50 minutes, depending on how your respond to questions. Log into the link below (your user name is your id number—2028XXXX—and your password is your birthdate (if I were born on July 4, 1776 my password would be 007041776))
https://global-zone50.renaissance-go.com/welcomeportal/737639
When done, students should read independently until everyone is done with the test.
After a five minute break, we will pick up re-reading the last 75 pages of Curious Incident, paying careful attention to how Christopher solves problems, and why Sherlock Holmes is of particular interest to him. We will pick up on page 61, chapter 101, minute 33:15 on track-2 of the audio.
HW: Finish the study guide questions, due Tuesday.
Week 3 Syllabus: September 3
WE’RE COVERING THE BASICS OF ENGLISH. So far, we have reviewed the course expectations, read poetry aloud, annotated poetry, discussed and took notes using the Great Books method, written a paragraph, read-and-voted-upon the best three paragraphs, discussed how to improve our writing, and submitted a revision. This week, we will discuss independent reading, study a film as a text, and have individual conferences with Mr. E and Ms. C during class (to set writing goals for Q1). We will also begin re-reading the first 75 pages of Curious Incident.
WEDNESDAY: September 4
Lecture: Using New Trier Library’s catalog to find an independent reading book.
catalog searches
shelf-reading by theme
using other library search features
novelist plus
Starting a film, Life, Animated, a Disney documentary about a young man with autism. We will use this film to complete a “close-reading” study guide, thinking about film as text.
During the film, Mr. Easton and Ms. Craig will begin meeting with students to review your paragraphs, providing revision notes to help you improve them.
2nd half of class, in LIBRARY getting your hands on an independent reading text. The rules:
It must be a printed book;
You many not have read it before;
It should contain one, consistent story/topic (in other words, long-ish, NOT episdoic)
HW: Begin re-reading the first 75 pages of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and working on the handouts.
FRIDAY, September 6
Starting with silent, sustained reading of independent books.
Watching the film, Life, Animated.
HW: Read the next 15 pages (15-30) of the summer reading, and completing the corresponding study guide questions. Also, if you haven’t finished reading “Voices in Autism,” handout, do so. While reading, you should annotate by: a) circling vocabulary questions, b) writing out questions that you have (as a reader), and c) keeping notes on what you learn about autism.
Week 1 & 2 Syllabus: August 27
WELCOME TO NEW TRIER HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH. Each weekly syllabus will begin with a short paragraph that describes where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, where we’re headed, what’s coming next, and what’s the big picture. In the first two weeks, we will establish routines—writing while you read, how to take notes during discussions, using Squarespace and Canvas. I will also include reminders—such as this: bring your copy of Curious Incident to class starting next week. If you haven’t finished it, get it read by next Friday, August 30
WEDNESDAY: Anchor Day Schedule
Lecture: How to read a poem.
Reading and annotating, “About Competition.”
HW: re-read the poem, and write notes on the poem: a) What do I notice? and b) What does it (the poem) mean?
FRIDAY, August 23
Reviewing poetry rules.
Discussion of poem (practicing routines, pre-post discussion writing, note taking)
Picture day.
Time permitting, writing a paragraph. (What does Bukowski want us to learn about competition and the secret to success?)
HW: If you have not done so, finish reading Haddon’s novel by class on Tuesday.
TUESDAY, August 27
Introduction: Meet Ms. Craig!
Finishing our review of classroom expectations.
Writing your paragraph about the poem, “About Competition”.
Posting your paragraphs onto Squarespace.
HW: Finish reading The Curious Incident. Submit your signed course expectations on Canvas and your paragraph on Squarespace. Make sure you paragraph is posted into Squarespace!
WEDNESDAY, August 28
Making sure everyone turned in class expectations using Canvas, and everyone posted your paragraph using Squarespace.
Voting on the three BEST paragraphs in class.
We will read an interview with the author of our summer read, and practice marking vocabulary.
FRIDAY, August 30
Returning to our paragraphs on the poem: reading with a critically constructive eye.
Revising paragraphs, and posting NEW version of your ¶
Second half of class, we will shift toward another non-fiction handout, this one a collection of first-person essays written by people with autism about their life experience (and one poem, as well).
We will read these aloud, in small groups.
Ending the day with an annotation technique that you will use to re-read and re-annotate: TOUGH QUESTIONS.
HW: Read the selections from “Voices in Autism,” annotating and practicing the note-taking techniques covered in class (tough questions, opening signals, circling vocabulary).
Paragraph on poem, "About Competition"
As a comment, post your entire paragraph about the aforementioned poem, one that explains what the poem means. Remember, your paragraph should include a direct quote! After posting, read other students’ paragraphs, selecting the three best paragraphs (IYO).
NOTE: When you click on “Post Comment,” you will be prompted to comment as a guest. Type your first and last name, as you are known at school. Add your NEW TRIER email address, 2028xxx@student.nths.net. Leave the URL space blank, and then select <SUBMIT>
Curious Incident Audio--Summer Reading Novel
The following image will link you to the audio files for our summer novel. Feel free to listen to these while reading. However, you may NOT use these in place of reading. Read along with the audio, with pen in hand!
Greetings, Scholars in the Class of 2028!
Searching for books that you will need for our English class? Seek no further. You can purchase these here, via our NT bookstore.
This is our classroom blog, a public web site that anyone—scholars, tutors, parents or grandparents, even Uncle Buck—can access via the world-wide-web.
Grades will be in out Canvas page. But everything else, including our syllabus, will be here. Bookmark this page!
Finals
Plan on arriving at the room for the final 15 minutes early. That will give you time enough to get a snack, water, use the washroom if needed, and relax before the test. Please bring pen (for annotating) and pencil (for the scan-tron multiple choice portion of the test). You should also bring a book for silent reading for when you are done with the test.
Final room and times are as follows:
Summer Reading
Yes, you have been assigned summer reading for the 24-25 school year. Click on the image below to access that assignment (most of you are enrolled in Sophomore English 2, two level). Apart from that…keep reading! For fun, for information, for investigative purposes. Nary any other skill will serve you lifelong as reading will. Practice.
Week 10 Syllabus: May 28
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ROMEO OR JULIET—OR THEIR PARENTS for that matter—might have done to prevent the tragedy of their deaths from occurring? We will see how the death of Tybalt and subsequent expulsion of Romeo from Verona lead to a series of events that end in tragedy: Romeo is prevented from meeting with and speaking with Juliet; Paris redoubles his marriage proposals; Lord Capulet decides to marry Juliet to Paris as soon as possible; Juliet, now suicidal, spurs Friar Lawrence to fake Juliet’s death; the plague prevents Romeo from finding about the plan; Romeo ends his life believing that Juliet is dead; Juliet—upon awaking—does the same. Could anything have prevented this tragedy? Or, like their love, was their lives fated to end in this fashion, ordained in the heavenly stars by God?
WEDNESDAY, May 29
Review of summer reading, and Independent reading for 20 minutes.
Watching the end of act four in R&J.
Small group work on Act 4 worksheet/annotation guide.
HW: I am collecting the R&J study guide on Friday. Make sure it is complete!
FRIDAY, May 30
The end of Romeo and Juliet! We will watch Act 5.
Small group work on annotation guide. I will collect and grade these at end of class.
Watching John' Greene’s “Crash Course: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet”
HW: No homework. Our finals take place in room C-235 at 8 am on Wednesday, June 5
Week 9 Syllabus: May 21
WHY DO ROMEO AND JULIET GO FROM MEETING-AT-THE-DANCE to “let’s-get-married” in less than 24 hours? The Friar seems to think that marrying them might resolve the long-standing family feud between the Capulets and the Montagues. But is that realistic? After all, the Prince has ordered that anyone caught fighting in the streets will “be put to death,” but that hasn’t prevented Tybalt from sending Romeo a threatening letter to his house, challenging him to a duel. Likewise, Mercutio seems ready to fight as well. Why can’t Romeo and Juliet—while either together or apart—see their situation with more clarity? Is their love realistic? In what way is their love doomed to fail from the beginning?
TUESDAY, May 21
Finishing our independent reading presentations. Once done, we will turn our attention to Act 2.
Watching the end of act two in R&J.
Small group work on Act 2 worksheet/annotation guide.
HW: If you have NOT finished the study guide questions for act one, do them tonight! Otherwise, you should make sure all the study guide questions for act two are completed.
WEDNESDAY, May 22
Today, we return to independent reading!
Passing back grades on the oral presentations.
6th period will watch the end of act two: scene 5, in which Juliet gets news from the Nurse from Romeo, about what Romeo says, and scene 6, in which Romeo and Juliet go see Friar Lawrence to get married.
Both classes will spend time working on the R&J Study guide.
HW: If you haven’t finished the study guide questions for act three, do that. If you have, work on the first questions for act three.
FRIDAY, May 24
Act 3! We will both watch the fight scene in 3.1, and the aftermath of Romeo’s exile, Juliet’s wedding to Paris, and the suicidal teens desperate search for a way to be together, despite their parents.
HW: Read act four for class on Tuesday. Also, work on the study guide questions for that same act.
Week 8 Syllabus: May 13
IS JULIET FOOLISH TO FALL FOR ROMEO? Romeo has been in love with Rosaline. She won’t “give him the time of day” because, according to the Friar, he expresses love “by rote,” in other works he is expressing his love as though he memorized what to say. Romeo doesn’t really feel the love he expresses. So…is it just lust? Can we believe that Romeo isn’t simply infatuated by Juliet’s beauty and wealth, her unattainability? And what do we make of Juliet’s affection for him? Both the Nurse and Lord Capulet express worry for her, both reminding the audience that life is short—the Nurse lost her daughter Susan, and Capulet’s only child left is Juliet. Is she really in love with Romeo?
TUESDAY, May 14
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR—reading the study guide to R&J from the Park Square Theater.
Watching act one of R&J.
Lecture on key points within the act.
Small group work on Act 1 worksheet/annotation guide.
HW: Read Act 2, scenes one and two.
WEDNESDAY, May 15
Moving on into Act 2. We will watch scenes one and two.
Working on study guide for Act 2.
HW: Begin reading Act 3. That should be finished by this coming Monday.
FRIDAY, May 17
Oral presentations. Here’s a link to our rubric, and those who do not get the chance to present today will present on Tuesday.
HW: Finish reading Act 3 for class on Monday. Remember to use the audio!
Graphic Screenplay of R&J
Do you like comical books? If so, here’s a link to a modern, yet a verbatim match to the Elizabethan play by Shakespeare.
Week 7 Syllabus: May 6
BRING ON WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE! The iconic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet, features everything you would want in romantic-death-comedy: teenage romance, street-fighting with swords, out-of-control family parties and drunken exploits, a marriage, a court case, even illegal drug use and murder. And that doesn’t even include the dual suicide which ends the play! We will start but carefully reading—and orally performing, in the round—the prologue, the sonnet that opens the play and (spoiler!) tells you that Romeo and Juliet die at the end. You will also read act one, and listen to the audio performance while doing so.
TUESDAY, May 7
Take the above survey for New Trier’s administration, in class on Tuesday.
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
Collecting your two paragraphs about whether or not Odysseus is a hero worthy of our emulation. We want to review these BEFORE we do any peer editing.
Large group reading of Romeo & Juliet’s act 1 prologue.
Reviewing the expectations for Friday’s oral presentations on your independent reading.
HW: Prepare for your note card for your oral presentation. IT SHOULD ONLY CONTAIN PHRASES. If it has complete sentences, you will NOT be allowed to use it in class on Friday. Worried about that? Ask Ms. Tamvakis or I to check it before Friday. Our office is in C-211.
For class on Friday, read (and listen) to Act 1 of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. The audio is >40 minutes. But it WILL require you to concentrate, and you will NOT be able to complete it in one sitting.
WEDNESDAY, May 8
Bring a charged iPad to class today. You will be taking the STAR reading assessment for the last time (this school year).
Remember, your log in is your NT id number. Your password is your eight-digit birthdate (month/date/year).
HW: Finish preparing for your oral presentation on your independent reading, AND finish reading act one of Romeo & Juliet.
FRIDAY, May 9
Silent reading.
Close examination of problem: Romeo suffers from unrequited love (he loves Rosaline, and she ignores his advances). His friend Benvolio convinces him to go to the Capulet’s costume party, where Rosaline will be, but ostensibly so that Romeo can “check out other babes.” What happens? He meets and falls in love with Juliet. The NEW problem? She’s a Capulet, a family that Romeo’s family hates.
We will watch THREE different presentations of I.v, wherein Romeo and Juliet fall in love. We will closely read and study “the poem” that is their dialogue about sex and religion.
Time permitting, we will either act out this scene.
HW: Read and listen to act two. You should WATCH this Globe version of act one. It’s linked here.
Audio files for Romeo & Juliet
Click on the image above to access the acts one through five audio files.
Week 6 Syllabus: April 29
LAST WEEK WE WRAPPED UP OUR READING of Homer’s Odyssey with a careful analysis of book 23, the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus. I collected and graded your annotations. We also practiced acting techniques (especially oral performance), emphasizing projection, pace, and pitch—performing aloud their “bed scene,” wherein Penelope tricks Odysseus into thinking she has destroyed their marriage bed. This week, scholars will finish planning for an essay on Homer’s Odyssey, and will finish filming their performance of a children’s play that explains a key ancient Greek myth (Pandora & Cupid, or Eurydice & Orpheus).
TUESDAY, April 28
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
Right now, we have several moving parts, or projects that we are completing prior to finals. They include:
Finishing worksheet on book 23;
Completing a writing assignment on Homer’s Odyssey;
Studying and performing in Instagram-fashion a short children’s play about a myth;
Planning a short, oral presentation about your independent reading.
Moving into acting troupes and then performing/recording your play. Some tips:
When recording, get close. The most difficult part of recording is getting the audio right. Getting close solves this problem.
When possible, have performers jump into the action, instead of stopping-and-restarting. Recording line-by-line will become an editing nightmare.
Remember, fun > perfection. This is not a polished, memorized performance. You can rely on your scripts like Professor Wilson does.
Costuming and props should contribute to the fun, not get in the way of it. It does NOT have to be done in one way. Get creative!
In partners, reviewing your annotations and homework for books 13-18.
HW: Study for the quiz tomorrow. It will cover books 13-18, and will be twice as long as our previous quizzes.
WEDNESDAY, May 1
Today actors will finish shooting, re-shoot, and edit their instagram-esque performances of their assigned Greek myth.
HW: Obtain your copy of “Romeo & Juliet” to class on Friday. We may have time to read the prologue and start our work on the play.
FRIDAY, May 3
Silent reading.
Returning graded homework on Homer’s Odyssey. The only outstanding assignments for the epic poem are 1) the worksheet on chapter 23, and 2) the writing assignment we’re working on in class.
Writing reasons and quotes for your 2¶ essay on Odysseus, and whether he is or is not a hero worth emulating.
Finishing re-shooting and editing your Instagram performance.
HW: Write both paragraphs for class on Tuesday. Have the PRINTED on PAPER for class, so we can proofread, out loud.
This is our LAST book:
IF YOU HAVEN’T PURCHASED YOUR COPY OF Romeo & Juliet, do that now. Please note, you will need the LARGER edition, which is approx 5.5” x 8.5” in size. You can purchase that via our NEW bookstore, here.
To access audio of each act, click on the image above.
Week 4 Syllabus: April 15
ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA, not as a victor from war, but as a frightened, humble man. Unlike Haroun, who falls asleep and dreams his way into his hero-journey, Odysseus falls asleep at the end, and awakens on Ithaca with Phoenican treasure. He only learns he has returned home when Athena reveals herself, and tells him where he his. Odysseus lacks agency (or control) of his destiny. Q: How, then, will he overthrow the suitors? A: Not without a lot of help—from his son, his servants, his father and his wife. Even the great King Odysseus cannot save his kingdom without those around him.
TUESDAY, April 9
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
What is the correlation between a) written notes in the margins, b) worksheet assignments that require you to re-read, and c) results from the quizzes? Lecture on the importance of writing as a form of thinking.
In partners, reviewing your annotations and homework for books 13-18.
HW: Study for the quiz tomorrow. It will cover books 13-18, and will be twice as long as our previous quizzes.
WEDNESDAY, April 17
No class for PSAT
FRIDAY, April 19
Silent reading, a graphic novel on Athena:
Collecting your homework on Chapters 21 and 22
Checking your annotations on book 21.
Careful re-reading of book 21, and re-annotating of book 21, if needed.
Quiz on book 21.
HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!
Week 3 Syllabus: April 8
ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA, not as a victor from war, but as a frightened, humble man. Unlike Haroun, who falls asleep and dreams his way into his hero-journey, Odysseus falls asleep at the end, and awakens on Ithaca with Phoenican treasure. He only learns he has returned home when Athena reveals herself, and tells him where he his. Odysseus lacks agency (or control) of his destiny. Q: How, then, will he overthrow the suitors? A: Not without a lot of help—from his son, his servants, his father and his wife. Even the great King Odysseus cannot save his kingdom without those around him.
TUESDAY, April 9
Starting class with our 20 minutes of SSR.
What is the correlation between a) written notes in the margins, b) worksheet assignments that require you to re-read, and c) results from the quizzes? Lecture on the importance of writing as a form of thinking.
In partners, reviewing your annotations and homework for books 13-18.
HW: Study for the quiz tomorrow. It will cover books 13-18, and will be twice as long as our previous quizzes.
WEDNESDAY, April 10
Quiz on books 13-18
HW: Read and annotate book 19 in preparation for class tomorrow.
FRIDAY, April 12
We’re starting with 20 minutes of review of book 19, re-reading it silently. That will be our SSR for the day.
Returning to partners
Ending class with our quiz on Book 19
HW: Read book 20 in Homer’s Odyssey. We finish the epic poem next week!