ENGLISH 10

2008-06-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Hello, you crazy cats! This just might be our last blog entry for the year . . . I might post once more just to make sure you are all clear about exam procedures.

Reminders: This week, you have drafting and vocabulary due, same as always. We're on lesson 30 - our final lesson. All dialogue journals and writing pieces and three-week projects should have been turned in by now. Your homework is to be preparing your writing for the final exam and studying vocabulary.

C period - if you didn't complete your how-to writing, it needs to be finished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Please make arrangements to work on it with me or in your resource room or in your learning center. You will be getting final exam materials today (Wednesday, 6/4) and a new vocabulary list (14). I will post the list later this week.

Vocabulary Lesson 30:

relegate - v - to assign (to a less important position)
retract - v - to take back, to draw back in
paroxysm - n - a sudden outburst or attack
squalid - adj. - dirty, wretched; morally repulsive
stopgap - n - a temporary measure
tawdry - adj. - gaudy and cheap
turbulence - n - violent motion, disorder
urbane - adj. - suave, sophisticated
virtuoso - n - one with great skill or technique
disquiet - v - to cause anxiety or worry

Honors only:
castigate - v - to criticize harshly
insensate - adj. - lacking sensation or feeling
vainglorious - adj. - boastful, overly proud
apposite - adj. - suitable, right for the occasion
gambol - v - to leap about and frolic

2008-05-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, Gang!
Yay! No MCAS this week! We can go on with English as usual . . . no pesky Scattergories or fictionary or Taboo to interrupt our vocabulary lessons and drafting and dialogue journals and writing pieces. Phew!

Do you realize that we only have TWO full weeks of regular school left? I can't believe it!!! You're going to miss me . . . and drafting . . . and vocabulary . . . and dialogue journals . . . aren't you?

Lots of stuff coming up due.

Exam handouts are going out this week in periods B, D, F, and H. C period - you'll get yours next week. The handouts will tell you what our exam is going to look like and what you should study and how to prepare. In all classes, the final will be similar in format to the midterm except there will not be a random MCAS writing prompt. More about exams next week.

Three-week projects (do something differently) are due in all classes on 5/28 or 5/29. Be ready to write about your experience.

B, D, F, H - EVERYONE has drafting, dialogue journals (last time!), vocabulary sentences, and vocabulary quizzes due on Thursday/Friday this week. (5/29 or 5/30)

D & H - You were supposed to have a polished piece due this week. If you have it, FANTABULOUS! If not, I've moved the due date to next Tuesday ( 6/3) or Wednesday (6/4). Those are MCAS days, so do it in advance if you are worried about being tired or stressed.

Vocabulary - we have this week and next week left for vocabulary. For C period, you will have a quiz on list 13 next Monday (6/2), and you will get list 14 on Wednesday (6/4). All other classes, you have lesson 29 due this week, and we'll do list 30 next week.

Vocabulary 29:

apoplectic - adj. - extremely angry
vespertine - adj. - occurring in the evening
deterge - v- to wipe or wash away
cosmopolitan - adj. - sophisticated, worldly
jactation - n - boasting or bragging
elucidate - v - to make clear by explanation
tintinnabulation - n - the ringing of bells
odious - adj. - arousing strong dislike
bedaub - v - to soil or smear
bravado - n - defiant or swaggering behavior; cockiness

Honors:
legerdemain - n - trickery, slight of hand
sepulchral - adj. - suggestive of a grave
lilliputian - adj. - extremely small
vehemence - n - ardor, fervor
umbral - adj. - dark, in shadows

Extra credit:
deus ex machina -n
verisimilitude - n
tourbillion - n
otiose - adj.

Vocabulary 13 - C period -
bellicose - adj. - war-like, quarrelsome
abjure - v - to shun
ingratiate - v - to get on someone's good side
judicious - adj. - wise, careful, showing good judgement
levity - n - lightness, lack of seriousness
corrosive - adj. - acid-like, eating away
pariah - n - outcast
stentorian - adj. - extremely loud
obviate - v - to prevent
retrogress - v - to move backward, to return to an earlier condition

That about does it for this week. Later, gators.

2008-05-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hello, folks! Look at me blogging EARLY! Who's the best English teacher EVER???

Okay, vocabulary for C period is the same this week as last week - you guys have a quiz this Friday!

Everybody else, your new list:

Vocabulary 28

1. iconoclast - n - a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
2. incisive - adj. - keen, penetrating, cutting, sharp
3. insurgent - adj./n - someone who rises in revolt; revolt-ing, rebellious
4. laconic - adj. - brief or terse
5. marred - adj. - damaged
6. obsolete - adj. - outdated
7. peerless - adj. - having no equal, better than the rest
8. sally - n - a sudden rushing forth to attack; a quick witticism
9. prodigious - adj. - enormous, extraordinary
10. quixotic - adj. - idealistic and impractical

Honors only:
11. snivel - v - to cry and sniffle and whine and complain
12. imperious - adj. - overbearing, arrogant
13. rhapsodize - v - to gush, to speak enthusiastically
14. truculent - adj. - ready to fight
15. bedizen - v - to dress or decorate in a gaudy or tasteless way

Extra credit:

blatherskite, n
katzenjammer, n
colporteur, n
zarf, n

Due dates:

B pd. : sentences 5/14; quiz, drafting 5/16; polished piece 5/20
C pd. : quiz 5/16
D pd. : sentences, 5/14; quiz, drafting, dialogue journal 5/16
F pd. : sentences, drafting, quiz 5/15; polished piece 5/19
H pd. : sentences, drafting, quiz, dialogue journal 5/15

2008-05-10T13:59:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm.... Ms. Wallace is posting on a WEEKEND. I wonder why? She must have run out of books to read!

Not a chance! I have plenty of books. I'm almost done with Killing Britney. Disturbing but fascinating.

I just wanted to thank all of you for the best birthday ever! Wow - I think this was the best birthday I've had since I was a little kid. There were delicious treats and presents and well wishers and kind and thoughtful people. You guys are GREAT! I love birthdays!

I also wanted to do a quick update for D period and the ice cream parlor writing. . . Remember, you are writing a dialogue - ALL dialogue - between the soda jerk and the guy who skipped his weight watchers meeting to get an ice cream and feels super guilty. You will reveal their individual characters through their dialogue ONLY. You only need to spend about 10 minutes on this one - it's not a polished piece! It's FUN!

2008-05-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry to be posting so late - I KNOW! How could you POSSIBLY do your homework without the blog!?!?!?! I've been having some computer issues, okay? And my birthday is this week, so give me a break!!! And a present wouldn't kill you. . .

Okay. What's due? Hey - that sounds like "what's new" but replace the "new" with "due"! Cool!

B period: Make-up work was due Tuesday, 5/6; drafting and sentences and quiz and dialogue journals are due on 5/8 (MY BIRTHDAY); I think that's it.

C period: Writing pieces were due last week. Vocabulary definitions were done in class on Tuesday, 5/6.

D period: Make-up work was due Tuesday, 5/6; polished writing was due 5/6 also; drafting and sentence and quiz are due on 5/8 (Did I mention that's MY BIRTHDAY?).

F period: Drafting, quizzes, and dialogue journals are due on Friday, 5/9.

H period: Drafting and quizzes are due on Friday, 5/9. Polished writing was due on Monday, 5/5.

For C period students, your vocabulary is:
1. circumspect - adj. - cautious, careful
2. histrionic - adj. - overly dramatic
3. debilitate - v - to weaken
4. gesticulate - v - to make gestures when speaking
5. dismantle - v - to take apart
6. bucolic - adj. - rural, from the country
7. enervate - v - to weaken
8. evanescent - adj. - short-lived
9. didactic - adj. - instructive, meant to teach
10. garner - v - to collect

Everyone else, your vocabulary is:
1. coalesce- v - to combine or merge
2. corroborate - v- to confirm or verify
3. delineate - v - to describe in words or outline
4. diatribe - n - a bitter verbal attack
5. disposition - n - personality; tendency
6. egregious - adj. - extraordinarily bad
7. ephemeral - adj. - short-lived
8. expedite - v - to speed up
9. forlorn - adj. - neglected and sad
10. gullible - adj. - easily deceived

Honors:
11. raspy - adj. - harsh, grating
12. rancor - n - bitterness, hatred
13. ignominious - adj. - disgraceful
14. goad - v - to urge on
15. gamely - adv. - bravely, with spirit

Extra Credit:
brumal - adj.
quincunx - n
macaronic - adj.
opprobrium - n
prosody - n

2008-04-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hello, my happy back-from-vacation friends! Long time no blog . . . I know. I slacked on the week before vacation. You missed me, didn't you? Many of you came in so annoyed - "Ms. Wallace, the words weren't on the blog!" "Ms. Wallace, how could I do the homework without the blog?" "Ms. Wallace, do you think you could update the blog sometime this month?!?!?!?!" Wow - I didn't know you cared! So here's this week's entry - and it's a day early so stop your caterwauling!

So much due, so little time. . .

B period: 4/30 - sentences, 3 week project, polished writing piece; 5/2 - drafting, quiz; 5/8 (my BIRTHDAY) - sentences, quiz, drafting, dialogue journals.

D period: 4/30 - sentences, 3 week project; 5/2 - drafting, quiz, dialogue journals; 5/6 - polished writing; 5/8 (my BIRTHDAY) - sentences, quiz, drafting.

F period: 4/29 - polished writing piece; 5/1 - sentences, 3 week project, drafting, quiz; 5/9 - drafting, quiz, dialogue journals.

H period: 5/1 - sentences, 3 week project, dialogue journals, drafting, quiz; 5/5 - polished writing; 5/9 - quiz, drafting.

Phew - that's a LOT of grading.

Vocabulary 26 -

1. tangential - adj. - touching on a subject, digressing
2. trepidation - n - fear, apprehension
3. untenable - adj. - can't be defended, can't be maintained
4. vindictive - adj. - revengeful, unforgiving
5. folderol - n - foolishness, nonsense
6. aesthetic - adj. - artistic, showing appreciation of beauty
7. analogous - adj. - comparable, similar
8. dodger - n - a dishonest person
9. buffoon - n - a clown, a fool
10. caustic - adj. - mean, stinging

Honors only:
11. virulent - adj. - extremely poisonous
12. wary - adj. - very cautious
13. protract - v - to prolong
14. puerile - adj. - childish
15. maelstrom - n - whirlpool

Extra credit: sibyl - n, elcubrate - v, tunesmith - n , tumefaction - n, graminivorous - adj.

2008-04-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hooray! It's blogging time again! In case you weren't aware, today is exactly one month until my birthday. . . May 8 is coming soon. Save up your money, think about what I'd like, buy it, and wrap it up. I LOOOOOVE festive wrapping. If you're having trouble deciding on a gift, remember that books are ALWAYS a good choice.

Back to school business.

Last week, you were all assigned to write at least three wildly improbable goals. Remember that these goals should seem nearly impossible to achieve, and they should be goals that you would really LOVE to achieve. You should have these goals written down by THIS FRIDAY, April 11. Then you can watch and observe and wait and see what happens as you become more conscious of ways to accomplish your goals.

Coming assignments:

B period: Vocabulary sentences 4/9, drafting 4/11, dialogue journals 4/11, polished writing 4/29 or 4/30.
C period: Wildly Improbable Goals 4/11, Vocabulary 11 Quiz 4/11.
D period: Vocabulary sentences 4/9, drafting 4/11, dialogue journals 4/11, polished writing 4/15.
F period: Vocabulary sentences 4/10, drafting 4/10, dialogue journals 4/10, polished writing 4/29 or 4/30.
H period: Vocabulary sentences 4/10, drafting 4/10, dialogue journals 4/10, polished writing 4/14.

Vocabulary 24:

1. effervescent - adj. - bubbly; full of energy
2. agog - adj. - highly excited and eager
3. contraband - n - illegal goods
4. porcine - adj. - resembling a pig
5. ebullition - n - a sudden, violent outburst
6. verslibrist - n - a writer of free verse
7. incipient - adj. - beginning
8. insipid - adj. - dull, bland, boring
9. nebbish - n - a pushover, a timid and ineffectual person
10. rapscallion - n - a rascal, a troublemaker

Honors only:

11. prodigious - adj. - enormous in size or quantity
12. unfledged - adj. - not fully developed, inexperienced
13. warren - n - a place where rabbits live; a crowded tenement
14. benighted - adj. - being in a state of intellectual darkness, ignorant
15. tyro - n - a beginner or novice

Extra credit:

versicle - n
peckniffian - adj.
swank - adj.
floccinaucinihilipilification - n
slugabed - n

2008-04-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Back to blogging as usual this week! Language Arts MCAS tests are OVER!!! Phew!!! What a relief!!! Now we can get back to our English FUN - vocabulary, drafting, dialogue journaling, reading, grammar - YAY!!!

Did you do well on your tests? I'll bet you did. You were prepared, you've had the best English instruction known to humankind, and you're pretty smart. How could you go wrong?

So, upcoming English events:

B period: drafting and sentences and quiz due on Thursday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Tuesday); dialogue journals are due next Friday, 4/11.
D period: drafting and sentences and quiz due on Thursday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Tuesday); dialogue journals are due next Friday, 4/11; polished writing pieces are due Tuesday, 4/15.
F period: sentences due Wednesday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Monday); drafting and quiz due on Friday; dialogue journals due next Thursday, 4/10.
H period: sentences due Wednesday (and 3 week project if you didn't turn it in on Monday); drafting and quiz due on Friday; dialogue journals due next Thursday, 4/10; polished writing due Monday, 4/14.

Vocabulary lesson 23 (we did NOT have a lesson 22):

1. implacable - adj. - not able to be satisfied; unyielding or relentless
2. ameliorate - v - to make better, to improve
3. bombastic - adj. - use of impressive-sounding language with little meaning
4. catharsis - n - emotional purification or relief
5. atrophy - v - to waste away
6. clemency - n - mercy, mildness
7. pejorative - adj. - negative, unfavorable
8. prowess - n - bravery; skill
9. devoid - adj. - lacking, entirely without
10. truculent - adj. - fierce and cruel, brutal

Honors:

11. quagmire - n - bog, marsh
12. badinage - n - teasing conversation
13. desultory - adj. - aimless, jumping around
14. iniquitous - adj. - unjust, wicked
15. smattering - n - small amount

Extra credit:

singultous - n
vulpine - adj.
kakistocracy - n
abaction - n
hypermnesia - n

That's all, folks!

2008-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, fellow lovers of all things reading and writing! I'm so inspired by all of the reading I've been doing lately - especially the Natalie Goldberg writing book . . . It's urging me to get ALL of us to do more WRITING!!! Yay!

Want the vocabulary?

Vocabular 21
1. refurbish -v - to make like new
2. respite -n - rest, break
3. scoff - v - to mock or make fun of
4. sporadic - adj. - irregular, inconsistent
5. sumptuous - adj. - lavish, extravagant, luxurious
6. talon - n- claw
7. tirade - n - long angry and scolding speech
8. unscathed - adj. - unharmed
9. vilify - v - to defame or slander, to talk badly about
10. wither - v - to dry up or shrivel

Honors:
11. polemic- n - a controversial argument, an argument supporting one point of view
12. mutable - adj. - changing in form
13. glower - v - to scowl
14. bandy - v - to discuss lightly
15. unwitting - adj. - unintentional

Extra Credit: discalceate, mistigris, volte, yare

Do you need to know what's due?

REMEMBER! Next week is MCAS! We're getting ready this week.

F period: vocab. due Wed., drafting and quiz due Fri. Your dialogue journals were due last week and polished writing was due on Monday. Did you get them in?

H period: vocab. due Wed., drafting and quiz due Fri. Polished writing is due on Tuesday. Dialogue journals were due last week. Did you turn yours in?

B period: vocab. sentences and quiz and drafting are due Thursday. Your dialogue journals were due last week. Polished writing was due today (Tuesday). Did you turn them in?

D period: vocab. sentences and quiz and drafting are due Thursday. Dialogue journals were due last week. Polished writing piece is due on Monday.

Wasn't rhyme scheme fun? "Twinkle twinkle . . ." "On top of spaghetti . . ."

2008-03-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

Yup. I'm running a little behind. It's already THURSDAY. Sorry. But here's this week's vocabulary:

Voc. 20

1. unfeigned - adj.- genuine, real
2. inadvertent - adj. - accidental, unintentional
3. inscrutable - adj. - impossible to understand
4. sedulous - adj. - hard-working, diligent
5. lucid - adj. - clear, understandable
6. vituperative - adj. - abusive, scolding
7. partisan - adj. - one-sided, prejudiced, biased
8. placate - v - to soothe or pacify
9. ichthyology - n - study of fish
10. quandary - n - dilemma

Honors only:

11. bastion - n - fortress, defense, stronghold
12. complicity - n - participation, involvement
13. malingerer - n - one who pretends to be sick to get out of responsibility
14. toady - v - to flatter for favors
15. venturesome - adj. - bold, daring

Extra credit: scurf, saltatory, songfest, sobersided, sobriquet

HEY - Dialogue journals are due this Thursday and Friday for B,D,F,H. Drafting, too. B and F have polished writing pieces due Monday and Tuesday!!!

Also, new three-week project has been assigned - or will be, in F and H. Your task is to do something and do it BADLY - on purpose! Don't just screw up your homework accidentally. This assignment requires you to leap in and DO YOUR WORST! Are you up to the task?

2008-03-04T11:20:00.001-08:00

Welcome back from that delightful, serendipitously long vacation! And congratulations on your three-week project achievements! People really tested themselves - snowboarding jumps and standing up to angry people and reading two books in one week and singing in front of lucky audiences and . . . AMAZING! And remember, I skiied a blue trail! So what if people were laughing at me; I did it! I love how brave we are.

So, you are wondering about what is DUE this week and in the near future, right? Let me enlighten you.

B period: Today (Tuesday, 3/4) I checked drafting and vocabulary 18 sentences from before vacation. We wrote three-week project responses - those are due by Thursday. We did vocab. 19 definitions - sentences and quiz due Thursday. On Thursday, drafting is due - include at least two stanzas of a sestina, please! Dialogue journals are due next Friday, 3/14.

C period: Today (Tuesday, 3/4) we had vocab. quiz 10. We worked on three-week project responses - those are due by Thursday.

D period: Today (Tuesday, 3/4) I checked drafting and vocabulary 18 sentences. I collected dialogue journals that were supposed to be due before vacation. Polished writing pieces were technically due today, but I've extended the deadline to Thursday. You should have drafting and three-week project writing and voc.19 sentences on Thursday, too. Remember to have at least two stanzas of a sestina in your drafting. Dialogue journals are due next Friday, 3/14.

F period: Vocabulary 19 sentences and three-week project responses are due Wednesday, 3/5. Quiz 19 is Friday, 3/7. Drafting is due Friday, 3/7. Make sure you have at least two stanzas of a sestina. Dialogue journals are due Thursday, 3/13.

H period: Vocabulary 19 sentences, three-week project responses, and polished writings are due Wednesday, 3/5. Drafting (including at least two stanzas of a sestina) and quiz 19 are on Friday, 3/7. Dialogue journals are due Thursday, 3/13.

Vocabulary Lesson 19:

1. clandestine - adj. - secret
2. invective - n - verbal abuse, mean comment
3. deference - n - respect
4. inveigle - v - to lead astray, to wheedle or persuade
5. disparity - n - lack of equality, difference
6. efface - v - to erase, to wipe out
7. emendation - n - correction, improvement
8. potable - adj. - suitable for drinking
9. truncate - v - to cut the top off
10. gratuitous - adj. - freely given and unnecessary

Honors:
11. beneficent - adj. - kindly, good
12. improvident - adj. - not thrifty, not careful
13. invidious - adj. - mean, designed to create ill will or envy
14. mien - n - demeanor, bearing
15. ramshackle - adj. - rickety, falling apart

Extra Credit: yawping - n, resile - v, tocsin - n, treen - n, keelhaul - v

2008-02-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date . . . I know! The vocabulary words weren't on the blog yesterday. I'm a big, fat loser. But there are only so many hours in the day - you guys tell me that ALL the time. But I am sorry.

Here you go:

Vocabulary 18:

1. tactless - adj. - rude and thoughtless
2. thwart - v - to oppose, to block
3. unobtrusive - adj. - inconspicuous, not noticeable
4. vicarious - adj. - experienced through someone else
5. nonplus - v - to confuse or baffle
6. admonish - v - to scold
7. ambivalence - n - being undecided
8. assuage - v - to calm or soothe
9. blithe - adj. - happy and cheerful
10. encomium - n - glowing praise, an enthusiastic tribute
11. blandishment - n - flattery
12. coeval - adj. - living at the same time
13. mollify - v - to soothe
14. pretext - n - excuse
15. treacle - n - contrived or unrestrained sentiment

Extra Credit:
chorine - n
baksheesh - n
bellwether - n
glabella - n
hypnagogic - adj.

Phew! At least that's finished.

I'm giving out grade sheets in B, D, F, H periods this week. All make-up work is due the first day our class meets after vacation.

Assignments reminder:

This week: drafting due in B,D,F, and H periods. Vocabulary sentences and quizzes also due. Quizzes in ALL class periods. B period and F period had polished writing pieces due. H and D periods have dialogue journals due.

After vacation: D and H periods have polished writing due on 3/4 or 3/5. Remember that three-week projects are due in ALL classes right after vacation.

Everyone in B,D,F, and H periods should have end words for sestinas!

I think that about covers it.

Have a delightful vacation! I'm skiing . . . wish me luck. I'm going to try one of those blue trails for my three-week project. Hope I live to tell the tale. . .

2008-02-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. . . BLOG posting! Hooray! That means it's almost Wednesday! Everyone has vocabulary words, everyone has the week's assignments, everyone is ready and working!

Assignments update:

B period: Vocabulary 17 sentences due 2/13, dialogue journals due 2/15, drafting due 2/15, voc. 17 quiz due 2/15, and polished writing piece due 2/20.

D period: Vocabulary 17 sentences due 2/13, drafting due 2/15, voc. 17 quiz due 2/15.

F period: Vocabulary 17 sentences and quiz due 2/14, drafting due 2/14, dialogue journals due 2/14, polished writing piece due 2/19.

H period: Vocabulary 17 sentences and quiz due 2/14, drafting due 2/14.

Have you thought about your three-week project? March 3 and 4 are rolling around fast! I'm getting ready to ski some intermediate slopes because I HAVE THE NERVE!

Vocabulary lesson 17:

1. nonchalance - n - lack of interest or lack of concern
2. parsimonious - adj. - too thrifty, stingy, cheap
3. pique - v - to provoke anger or to provoke excitement or to provoke interest
4. tacit - adj. - unspoken, implied
5. pugnacious - adj. - ready to fight
6. redundant - adj. - repetetive
7. limpid - adj. - clear; easy to understand
8. martinet - n - a strict disciplinarian
9. soporofic - adj. - causing sleep
10. sagacious - adj. - very wise

Honors:
11. titanic - adj. - gigantic
12. gadfly - n - animal-biting fly; an irritating person
13. purloin - v - steal
14. ardor - n - passion, enthusiasm
15. wax - v - to increase or grow

Extra Credit: sparge - v, bubble and squeak - n, bonton - n, algophobia - n, gracile - adj.

2008-02-06T04:19:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone! How do the weeks go by so quickly? It's already February, it's already WEDNESDAY, it's already third quarter - it's going to be summer before we know it!

In honor of second semester, we have implemented some life-changing modifications to our class . . . Okay, they might not be LIFE-changing but they're LATE WORK-changing. Reminder of our NEW and IMPROVED policy:

Every two weeks, when our class meets on Friday, each student will receive a gradequick printout. The printout will indicate any work missed over the course of the previous two weeks. Students will have until the next class - Tuesday - to complete any missed work. Any work not completed by that Tuesday will receive a grade of 0. This way, everyone knows what's missing, everyone has an opportunity to correct the problem, and no one (especially me!) has to feel overwhelmed at the end of the quarter. The down side for some of you: you're not going to be able to make up for a whole quarter's worth of work on the last day before grades close. Sorry.

All right, then. We have vocabulary for this week:

Vocabulary lesson 16:

insidious - adj. - sneaky, sly, meant to deceive
engender - v - to cause or produce
exacerbate - v - to worsen
innocuous - adj. - harmless
garrulous - adj. - talkative
alacrity - n - cheerful willingness, eagerness
implausible - adj. - difficult to believe, unlikely
phlegmatic - adj. - sluggish, dull, unemotional
consecrate - v - to bless, to make sacred
listless - adj. - bored, disinterested

Honors only:
prevaricate - v - to lie
extol - v - to praise, to exalt
befuddle - v - to confuse or perplex
yen - n - a craving or yearning
mutinous - adj. - rebellious, unruly

Assignments coming due:

B period: drafting due Thurs., 3-wk project pre-writing due Thurs., sentences/quiz due Thurs. Dialogue journals are due next week on Friday. Polished drafts are due on February 19 or 20.
C period: vocabulary quiz on Thursday. Sentences and 3-wk projects need to be finished by the end of the week.
D period: drafting due Thurs., 3-wk project pre-writing due Thurs., sentences/quiz due Thurs., dialogue journals due Thursday, polished drafts due 2/11.
F period: drafting due Fri., quiz Fri., dialogue journals due next Thursday, polished drafts due February 19 or 20.
H period: drafting due Fri., quiz Fri., dialogue journals due Fri., polished drafts due 2/12.

Whew. That's a lot of work. You guys are amazing!

2008-01-30T04:55:00.001-08:00

Halfway to summer! Halfway to summer! Halfway to summer! That's my new mantra. I don't know about you, but I have a bit of the winter blues . . . Mid-terms wore me out!!! I know, I didn't have to TAKE any midterms, but I had to write them and grade them and figure out your grades and listen to all of you carping (vocabulary word). It was enough to make a person want to curl up in a ball and sleep until April.

Anyway, enough CARPING. Let's move on to TODAY. THIS WEEK. THE NEW SEMESTER.

Vocabulary lesson 15 is up this week:

inveterate - adj. - habitual, long-standing
multifarious - adj. - having great variety, numerous and diverse
renegade - n - an outlaw, a rebel
ruminate - v - to think at length, to mull over
carping - n, adj., v - complaining
clairvoyant - n, adj. - having exceptional insight; a psychic
panoply - n - 1) a splendid display 2)warrior's armor
loll - v - to lounge, to act in a lazy manner
compunction - n - remorse, regret
disparage - v - to belittle, to put down

HONORS:
comely - adj. - attractive and agreeable
askew - adj. - crooked, off-center
presage - v - to foretell
uncouth - adj. - outlandish and rude
gossamer - adj. - sheer, like cobwebs

I've gone over some due dates with everyone. General reminders:

Everyone has drafting due this week on Thursday or Friday (except C pd).
Everyone has a 3-week project due on Wednesday or Thursday.
Everyone has vocabulary due this week - sentences, quiz (except C pd).

Upcoming dates:

Honors: Dialogue journals due 2/7 or 2/8 - that's next week!
Polished writing piece 1 due no later than 2/12.

C1: Dialogue journals due 2/14 or 2/15.
Polished writing piece 1 due no later than 2/20.

We will be talking in class about labeling your work, about late work (and how I don't want it any more), about collecting your graded work, about etc. Make sure you are paying attention!

It makes me tired when I say stuff and no one listens and I have to keep saying it over and over and over. It's important to keep your English teacher happy . . . and NOT tired. If your English teacher isn't happy, NO ONE is happy!!!

2008-01-09T06:37:00.001-08:00

My goodness! It seems like a lifetime since I've blogged. Well, it has been since last year! Happy New Year! I know, it's a little late for that; I've already happy new yeared everyone. But still, it's nice to spread the cheer of the new year . . . (Did you notice that rhyme?)

Okay, enough prattling (vocabulary word); we have work to do!

B period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Drafting pages are due on Thursday, as are vocabulary sentences and dialogue journals.

D period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Drafting pages and vocabulary are due on Thursday. Let's turn in a polished writing piece next week.

F period: You should have all turned in your second polished writing pieces. They were due last week! Vocabulary sentences are due today. Drafting and dialogue journals are due on Friday.

H period: Your dialogue journals were due last week. Vocabulary is due today. Drafting pages are due on Friday. Remember to have an I wonder poem, also.

REMEMBER: We are doing the writing prompts in class on Wednesday and Thursday next week. (Except C period - yours will be during your exam period.) I will be out of school next week on Tuesday. I will go over writing prompt strategies with F and H period on Friday. I will do the same for B, C, and D on Monday.

I have distributed exam review/assignment sheets to all classes. If you were absent, make sure to get copies!

This week's vocabulary is the last one before the exam.

Vocabulary 14:
recluse - n - one who lives alone and away from others
farrago - n - a jumble, a confused mixture, a hodge-podge
vernacular - n - slang, informal language
unguent - n - ointment, salve
succinct - adj. - brief and to the point
taciturn - adj. - not talkative
tout - v - to praise highly, to speak positively about
unimpeachable - adj. - beyond reproach, can't be blamed for anything
viable - adj. - able to live or survive
wanton - adj. - deliberately malicious and cruel, immoral

Honors only:
prattle - v - to babble, to talk meaninglessly
mettle - n - courage and fortitude
gregarious - adj. - sociable, outgoing
enmity - n - hostility, hatred
vexatious - adj. - annoying, troublesome

2007-12-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

Since I flubbed up last week's entry, I'm starting early this week. Sorry sorry sorry for the inconvenience and confusion . . . But now I'm back on track and all should be right with the world.

So, where are we? In terms of our learning, we've been spending time on details in writing - especially on distinguishing between GOOD details (potatoes) and BAD details (snoozers) and on working to include more of the potatoes in our writing. We're even getting started thinking about characterization - how authors develop characters and how to use potatoes to better develop them. We're going to be SUCH GOOD WRITERS! In C period, we're working on smiley-face tricks: magic three, repetition for effect, expanded moments, and hyphenated modifiers to begin. We read The Rattletrap Car - remember how much fun that was? "Junie shook her head. Jakie shook his head. The baby shook her three-speed, wind-up, paddle-wheel boat."

We've also been working on the strategies of good readers. We've explored the strategy known as "ACCESSING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE." We've made text-to-self connections, text-to-text connections, AND text-to-world connections. The text-to-world connections piece led to some excellent discussion about racism and segregation in the past, in society, and in our school. Next we'll be talking about how to practice these strategies when you are faced with a difficult text on your own.

Let's quickly review the upcoming assignments:

B period - Vocabulary 13 sentences and quiz due Thursday; drafting pages due Thursday; polished writing piece due Friday 1/4.
C period - Vocabulary 7 quiz due Thursday; writing piece due Thursday.
D period - Vocabulary 13 sentences and quiz due Thursday; drafting pages due Thursday; polished writing piece due on
Thursday. Let's have dialogue journals due on 1/4.
F period - Vocabulary 13 sentences due Wednesday; Vocabulary 13 quiz due Friday; drafting due Friday; polished writing piece due Thursday, 1/3.
H period - Vocabulary 13 sentences due Wednesday; Vocabulary quiz 13 due Friday; drafting due Friday; polished writing due on Friday; dialogue journals due Thursday, 1/3.

Okay? Also, we've discussed the mid-term exam. Start planning now.

Vocabulary 13 -

1. bellicose - adj. - war-like, quarrelsome
2. abjure - v - to renounce; to shun or avoid
3. ingratiate - v - to get on someone's good side
4. judicious - adj - wise, showing good judgment
5. levity - n - lightness, lack of seriousness
6. corrosive - adj. - acidlike, eating away; bitterly sarcastic
7. pariah - n - outcast
8. stentorian - adj. - extremely loud
9. obviate - v - to anticipate and prevent; to eliminate
10. retrogress - v - to move backward

Honors only -

11. browbeat - v - to bully or intimidate
12. brazen - adj. - bold and shameless
13. jubilation - n - joy, rejoicing
14. reprehensible - adj. - terrible and deserving blame
15. waggish - adj. - mischievous

Extra credit:
kobold -n
pandect - n
polyhistor - n
tummler - n
ziggurat - n

2007-12-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I'm running late. I've been grading and interim reporting and just going generally CRAZY. Here are this week's vocabulary words . . .I'll update everything else tomorrow.

Vocabulary lesson 12:

1. circumspect - adj. - careful, cautious
2. histrionic - adj. - over-acting, dramatic
3. debilitate - v - to weaken
4. gesticulate - v - to make gestures while talking
5. dismantle - v - to take apart
6. bucolic - adj. - rural, country, bucolic
7. enervate - v - to weaken
8. evanescent - adj. - fleeting, short-lived
9. didactic - adj. - instructive, meant to teach
10. garner - v - to collect
11.squander - v - to waste, to use extravagantly
12. pandemic - adj. - epidemic over a large region
13. grueling - adj. - exhausting, difficult
14. belligerent - adj. - ready to fight
15. lurid - adj. shocking and sensational; glowing through flames
Extra credit:

pye dog - n
purulence - n
doggo - adv
belles lettres - n

Okay - more tomorrow!

2007-12-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

It's already TUESDAY!!! How can that be? The weeks between Thanksgiving and vacation seem to go by soooooooo quickly. So much to do, so little time . . . Speaking of SO MUCH TO DO, have you been doing all of your required STUFF? You do, too, know what I'm talking about!

By tomorrow, Wednesday, EVERYONE in class periods B, D, F, and H should have handed in a polished draft. I want to get another polished draft from D and H periods BEFORE vacation. Yes, BEFORE.

Vocabulary sentences are due in F and H periods on Wednesday. Quizzes are on Friday.

Vocabulary sentences are due in B and D periods on Thursday. Quizzes are on Thursday for B, C, D periods.

Dialogue journals are due in D and H this week. It's next week for B and F.

Everyone has drafting pages due on Thursday and Friday this week . . . and EVERY week. That just makes it so easy, doesn't it?

Did you know that interim reports go out on 12/11? Neither did I, but they do! We all better get cracking.

Vocabulary Lesson 11:

1. ingenuous - adj. - innocent and sincere
2. altruistic - adj. - selfless
3. arduous - adj. - difficult, hard
4. venal - adj. - open to bribery, corrupt, unethical
5. capricious - adj. - changeable, unpredictable
6. sycophant - n - suck up, one who will do ANYTHING to get on someone's good side
7. vacuous - adj. - empty; stupid and ridiculous
8. ungainly - adj. - awkward, clumsy
9. quell - v - to suppress or quiet
10. strident - adj. - loud and harsh, discordant

Honors only:

11. cherubic - adj. - angelic, innocent
12. meddlesome - adj. - nosy, interfering
13. reprisal - n - retaliation
14. ebullient - adj. - enthusiastic
15. dogged - stubborn, persevering

Extra Credit:

straw boss - n
ennead - n
susarration - n
compendium - n
lachrymose - adj.

Hey, while you're reading, notice yourself making text to text and text to self connections. . .

Are you using smiley-face tricks in your writing? Are you revising your writing? After it's graded, you can revise and hand it in again for a revised grade. That's what I WANT you to do!!! So do it, silly!

2007-11-27T06:21:00.001-08:00

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh...It's a pleasure to be back at school after Thanksgiving, isn't it? I'd had enough of sleeping late and eating when I wanted and curling up with a good book and taking walks and shopping and . . . Actually, I think I'd like a little more of that. Oh, well. We ARE back at school, so we may as well have a good attitude about it! And the sun is shining and our next vacation is right around the corner and we have reading and writing and vocabulary and ENGLISH class to enjoy . . .

So does everyone know what's new and what's due? (I'm a rhyming fool; that's cool; especially at school; I can follow the rule; I don't want to fight in a duel. . . I could go on FOREVER!)

B period: Vocab. sentences due Wed., 11/28; vocab. quiz on Fri., 11/30; drafting pages due on Fri., 11/30; polished writing due by Tues., 12/4; dialogue journals due Fri., 12/14; 3-week project selfless act due Tues., 12/18.
C period: Selfless act due Tues., 12/18
D period: Vocab. sentences due Wed., 11/28; vocab. quiz on Fri., 11/30; drafting pages due on Fri., 11/30; polished writing due by Fri., 11/30; dialogue journals due Thurs., 11/6; 3-week selfless act due Tues., 12/18.
F period: Vocab. sentences and quiz due on Thurs., 11/29; drafting pages due on Thurs., 11/29; polished writing due by Wed., 12/5; dialogue journals due Thurs., 12/13; 3-week selfless act due Mon., 12/17.
H period: Vocab. sentences and quiz due Thurs., 11/29; drafting pages due on Thurs., 11/29; polished writing due by Mon. 12/3 or Wed. 12/5; dialogue journals due Fri., 12/7; 3-week selfless act due Mon., 12/17.

How about a little vocabulary?

Vocabulary List 10:

1. quisling - n - traitor; one who betrays his/her country
2. painstaking - adj. - very careful
3. nefarious - adj. - extremely wicked and evil
4. preclude - v - to prevent or make impossible
5. provincial - adj. - unsophisticated or countrified
6. recalcitrant - adj. - unmanageable, refusing to follow rules
7. sybarite - n - a person devoted to luxury and pleasure
8. juxtapose - v - to place side-by-side to compare or contrast
9. fecund - adj. - fruitful, productive
10. gamesome - adj. - merry, playful

Honors only:

11. dolt - n - a stupid person
12. agape - adj. - open-mouthed
13. impeccable - adj. - perfect, flawless
14. resplendent - adj. - brilliant, lustrous
15. perorate - v - to lecture, to give a sermon

Extra Credit:

caduceus - n
extremophile - n
dilatory - adj.
fenestration - n
targe - n

Get to work!

I have to applaud all of you. I am impressed by the amount of writing you've been doing and your positive attitudes and your reading. I am proud of you and happy to be your teacher. Thank you for your effort and your willingness to learn.

2007-11-14T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hello, my friends!

Whew - this is a short week and next week's even shorter. Savor every word of this week's blog, because next week, in honor of Thanksgiving, there will be NO BLOGGING!

School has been so much fun lately, hasn't it? And by school, you know I mean English class. Has anyone else bought or checked out my boyfriend Nick Hornby's new book Slam? It sure was good. That man is a genius! No wonder he's my boyfriend! I'm thinking about sending him a letter. What do you think? I'm sure he'll fall head-over-heels-in-love with me based on my poetic and lyrical writing style. Hmmmmm...I'm swooning.

Anyway, lots of stuff due. Here's the rundown:

B period: Dialogue journals due Thursday; grateful lists due Thursday; vocabulary due Thursday; drafting due Monday.
C period: Grateful lists due Thursday
D period: Same as B period above
F period: Dialogue journals due Friday; grateful lists due Friday; vocabulary due Friday; drafts due Friday (wink).
H period: Same as F period

And I want to start getting polished pieces in. I'm thinking Wednesday and Thursday after T'giving for Honors and Friday and Monday after T'giving for C1. What do you think about that? I think it's a BRILLIANT idea!

This week's vocabulary . . .

Vocabulary 9:

1. duplicity-n - deceitfulness, lying
2. emulate - v - to try to equal or surpass
3. euphemism - n - a nice way of saying something harsh
4. fastidious - adj. - hard to please, fussy, particular
5. garbled - adj. - confused, jumbled
6. hierarchy - n - organization by rank or class
7. impassive - adj. - without feeling or emotion
8. indigent - adj. - poor, poverty-stricken
9. jargon - n - specialized vocabulary of members of a group
10. lethargic - adj. - drowsy, dull, sluggish

Honors only:
11. panache - n - flair, flamboyance
12. inept - adj. - incompetent
13. disconsolate - adj. - sad, inconsolable
14. somnolent - adj. - half-asleep
15. nepotism - n - favoritism to a relative

Extra credit:
scofflaw - n
perspicuous - adj.
perspicacious - adj.
operculum - n
interstice - n

That about does it; I'm burning dinner! See you tomorrow!

2007-11-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hello, Rock Stars!

Yes, you! You rock!!! I mean, how could you not? You are lucky enough to have ME for an English teacher!

Are you getting scared because the end of the quarter is rapidly approaching and you have a 47 in class and you don't know what to do? Don't be afraid! You should all know exactly what you are missing and know exactly what to do to correct it - remember, I gave you your grade sheets! (If you were absent or daydreaming, see me! I'll get you the info. you need.) And you'll bring it in to me on Thursday, not Friday. And being scared won't solve the problem anyway. You just have to face up to the situation and tackle it. Don't be PUSILLANIMOUS! Be BRAVE!

Okay, what's on your new TO-DO list? (Did you see that new and to-do rhyme? That's assonance, you know!)

B period: vocabulary 8 - Thursday, 3-5 pages of draft - Thursday, dialogue journal - Thursday, 11/15 (next week), grateful lists - Thursday, 11/15, polished draft - after Thanksgiving

C period: vocabulary 4 - Thursday, grateful lists - Thursday, 11/15

D period: vocabulary 8 - Thursday, 4-6 pages of draft - Thursday, dialogue journal - Thursday, 11/15 (next week), grateful lists - Thursday, 11/15, polished draft - before Thanksgiving

F period: vocabulary 8 quiz - Friday, 3-5 pages of draft - Friday, dialogue journal - Friday, 11/16, grateful lists - Friday, 11/16, polished draft - after Thanksgiving

H period: vocabulary 8 quiz - Friday, 4-6 pages of draft - Friday, dialogue journal - Friday, 11/16, grateful lists - Friday, 11/16, polished draft - before Thanksgiving

And now you want this week's vocabulary? You are SOOOOOOOOOOOO demanding!

Vocabulary Lesson 8:

1. adulterate - v - to corrupt, contaminate, or pollute
2. aloof - adj. - standoffish, indifferent, disinterested
3. apochryphal - adj. - false, counterfeit
4. belittle - v - to trivialize or make unimportant
5. capitulate - v - to surrender, to give in
6. crestfallen - adj. - disappointed, discouraged, SO SAD
7. conciliatory - adj. - meant to soothe or reconcile
8. dearth - n - shortage
9. desecrate - v - to treat with disrespect
1o. diffident - adj. - shy, unassertive

Honors:
11. spectral - adj. - ghostly
12. mendacious - adj. - lying, false
13. guffaw - n - boisterous laughter
14. bilk - v - to swindle or cheat
15. pusillanimous - adj. - cowardly

Extra Credit:

aviophobia
arachibutyrophobia
coulrophobia
pharmacophobia
emotophobia

Don't you love phobias?

Coming soon: Smiley-face tricks on the blog! Can't wait!

2007-10-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings and salutations!

I'm channelling Charlotte's Web . . . We were talking about that in B period on Monday. Has a book ever been written that's better than Charlotte's Web? Remember Templeton the rat (thanks, Caleb)? And how the little girl feeds Wilbur from a bottle when he's just a baby? And the fair? Ah . . . I'm feeling nostalgic. Go back and take a look at that book again. If you haven't read it since you were little, it will probably surprise you.

Anyway, we've had a lot of work due lately and plenty more to come. Reminders for what should have been submitted and what is upcoming:

B period: Dialogue journals were due last Thursday; polished drafts were due Monday, 10/29; 3-5 pages of draft are due on Friday, 11/2; 8 grateful lists are due on 11/15 or 11/16; extremely difficult projects were due last Thursday.

C period: Character sketches are due next class (10/31) - they should be a minimum of three paragraphs; extremely difficult projects were due last Thursday; vocabulary quiz 3 was last Thursday. We will be starting vocabulary lesson 4 on Wednesday, 10/31.

D period: Polished writing and 4-6 pages of draft and extremely difficult projects were due last Thursday; 4-6 pages of draft due Friday, 11/2; dialogue journals due 11/2; 10 grateful lists due 11/15 or 11/16; work on revising polished drafts.

F period: Dialogue journals were due last Friday; polished drafts were due Friday and so were 3 - 5 pages of draft; extremely difficult projects were due last Wednesday; 3-5 more pages of draft are due on Thursday, 11/1; 8 grateful lists are due on 11/15 or 11/16.

H period: Polished writing and 4-6 pages of draft were due last Friday; extremely difficult projects were due last Wednesday; dialogue journals are due this Thursday; 4-6 pages of draft due this Thursday; work on revising polished drafts.

And, of course, vocabulary. Here's the word list:

Vocabulary 7:

1. quintessence - n - the purest form, the most typical example
2. tentative - adj. - hesitant, uncertain
3. repugnant - adj. - disgusting, loathsome
4. venerate - v - to honor or treat with great respect
5. sophomoric - adj. - immature and over-confident
6. stultifying - adj. - causing to appear stupid or useless
7. stark - adj. - desolate, grim, bleak
8. rebuff - v - to reject, to snub
9. voracious - adj. - greedy, ravenous, gluttonous
10. quiescent - adj. - sleeping, dormant, at rest

Honors only:
11. xenophobia - n - fear of foreigners/strangers
12. besmirch - v - to taint or sully or tarnish or dirty
13. imprudent - adj. - not careful
14. penurious - adj. - stingy, parsimonious
15. perfunctory - adj. - superficial, not thorough, just enough to get by

Extra credit: nictitate - v
oenophile - n
slugabed - n
thaumaturge - n
ultimogeniture - n

Phew! I'm tired just writing about all of this work. Look on the bright side, though - November is a pretty short month with Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. And tomorrow's Halloween! Trick or Treat!

2007-10-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Hello, my friends!
Are you all feeling relaxed and well-rested during this week of half-days? Catching up on your napping and socializing and homework and what-have-you? All I can say is: LUCKY YOU! I'm feeling tense and nervous and CRAZY!!!! However, I have been LOVING your parents! You are some lucky kids to have such devoted and kind parents and guardians.

Hopefully you have been using at least SOME of your time to work on upcoming projects/papers/assignments. This week we completed our second three-week projects. I distributed assignment sheets for recording what you did that was EXTREMELY difficult. Those are due on Wednesday (today) or Thursday. Some of them have already trickled in - people have done ALL their math homework, avoided the computer for days on end, scored goals, made amends with angry friends (HEY! Amends rhymes with friends! I'm a poet!), cleaned rooms, handled spiders, etc. You are amazing and brave!

Other items that are due include:

B period: Polished writing, vocabulary sentences, dialogue journal entries - all due Thursday, 10/25
C period: Vocabulary 3 sentences, quiz on Thursday
D period: Drafting, polished writing, vocabulary sentences - due Thursday, 10/25
Dialogue journals due next Friday, 11/2
F period: Polished writing, dialogue journal entries, 3-5 pages of drafting - all due Friday, 10/26
H period: Polished writing, 4-6 pages of drafting, polished writing - due Friday, 10/26
Dialogue journals due next Thursday, 11/1

Remember: Drafting is due EVERY week!
Reading is homework at least THREE nights a week!

Oh, yes - vocabulary for this week. LOVE the vocabulary!

Vocabulary lesson 6 (If you are in C period, look at last week's posting for your words!)

1. heretic - n - someone who goes against a church
2. laudable - adj. - praiseworthy
3. propensity - n - tendency, habit, inclination
4. indefatigable - adj. - tireless
5. fulsome - adj. - abundant, generous in amount and spirit, wholehearted
6. espouse - v - to adopt, support, endorse
7. peruse - v - to study, to read carefully
8. concomitant - adj. - accompanying, happening together
9. mitigate - v - to make less intense, to relieve
10. contravention - n - opposition, something contrary to something else

Honors:
11. dawdle - v - linger, lollygag (What a GREAT word!)
12. doddering - adj. - shaky
13. glutinous - adj. - sticky
14. malediction - n - curse
15. pundit - n - a learned person

Extra credit:
bandog
georgic
shoat
concatenation
redoubtable

All right - enough blog reading! Get out there and do your drafts!

2007-10-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! I'm trying to do everything before I'm out of school for the day tomorrow . . . So in other words, I'm running around like a crazy woman. What else is new?

This week's vocabulary:

Vocabulary 5:

1. chimerical - adj. - absurd, wildly fanciful, imaginative
2. cogent - adj. - strong and to the point
3. cursory - adj. - quickly and without attention to details
4. derogatory - adj. - degrading, negative, berating
5. discerning - adj. - perceptive, observant
6. dormant - adj. - asleep, in a state of rest
7. embroil - v - to involve or engage (in a quarrel)
8. deft - adj. - skillful, nimble
9. fallacy - n - false idea, mistaken belief
10. galvanize - v - to inspire or motivate or stir up

Honors only:

11. extirpate - v - to tear up by the roots, to destroy totally
12. craven - adj. - cowardly
13. impecunious - adj. - without mooney, poor
14. restive - adj. - unmanageable
15. turbid - adj. - muddy

Extra Credit:
joypop - v
judder - v
entomophagous - adj.
nice-nelly - adj.
tardive - adj.

We should probably talk about what's due in the next little bit. LOTS OF ASSIGNMENTS!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone has a 3-week project due next Monday or Tuesday.
B period - 3-5 pages of draft due this Friday; next set is due next Thursday.
Dialogue journals are due next week on Thursday.
A polished piece of writing with at least two drafts is due at the beginning of next week.
Vocabulary 5 sentences due on Wednesday and quiz is Friday.

D period - 4-6 pages of draft due next Thursday; next set is due the following Friday.
Dialogue journals are due this Friday.
A polished piece of writing with at least two drafts is due at the beginning of next week.
Vocabulary 5 sentences due on Wednesday and quiz is Friday.

F period - 3-5 pages of draft due this Thursday; next set is due next Friday.
Dialogue journals are due next week on Friday.
A polished piece of writing with at least two drafts is due at the beginning of next week.
Vocabulary 5 sentences and quiz are due on Thursday.

H period - 4-6 pages of draft due this Thursday; next set is due next Friday.
Dialogue journals are due on Thursday.
A polished piece of writing with at least two drafts is due at the beginning of next week.
Vocabulary 5 sentences and quiz are due on Thursday.

Have you got all that?

Busy, busy, busy . . .

2007-10-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

Howdy, cowpokes!

Exciting news - no vocabulary this week! WHAT? Can you believe it? You'll have to wait until next week to find out what "joypopping" is . . . What with field trips and assemblies and advisories this week, it didn't seem sensible to try to squeeze in vocabulary, too. You can feel free to thank me with flowers or cookies or candy or . . . be creative.

H and F period will get next week's vocabulary words on Friday; I'm going to be out next Tuesday, but I still want you to have the quiz on Thursday next week.

Upcoming due dates:

B period - 3-5pp of draft due on Thursday, 10/11
D period - 4-6pp of draft due on Monday, 10/15
F/H periods - drafting due on Wednesday, 10/10 (F - 3-5pp, H - 4-6pp)

3-week projects are due October 22 or 23

Dialogue journals are due in H and D periods on 10/18 or 10/19; they are due in F and B on 10/25 or 10/26

A writing assignment of any kind with a minimum of two drafts is due some time between 10/12 and 10/19

GET TO WORK!WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST READING THE BLOG! You probably have some writing to do . . .

2007-10-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

As always, it's a pleasure blogging to all my peeps at MVRHS . . .

What's new this week? Well, first of all, you should have handed in your three-week projects by now. There were some excellent ones: leg waxing, skinny dipping, shark catching, kayaking, cooking, running, abstaining from the computer, etc. Way to go, superstars! Now you have a new one - do something EXTREMELY difficult. If it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable (in a tolerable way), it's probably not difficult enough. Use your judgment.

We're also starting the writing production regulations this week. Honors classes should have 4-6 pages by next Wednesday or Thursday; C1 classes should have 3-5 pages by next Wednesday or Thursday. These are drafts, rough drafts; they are NOT final copies. Let's think about having a multi-drafted piece ready to submit somewhere around 10/12 - 10/19.

Oh and the dialogue journal letter-essays . . . we've been talking about these this week. Honors classes haven't had full disclosure on those yet, but you will! C1 classes will have the first entries due on Oct. 25 or 26. Honors - let's wait until we go over the details.

I feel like we're starting a lot of new things all at once, and they are all important. I'm worried I might be confusing some of you. Ask questions!!!! Don't feel dumb if you don't get it. I'll explain it as many ways as I can until you understand. Okay? This is too important to let it go.

C period - we haven't talked about the new three-week project yet. We'll do that on Thursday. Make sure you look over your words for your vocabulary quiz 2 this week. I received most of the sentences but not all. Most of the flashcards but not all. Most of the paragraph edits but not all. Are you sensing a theme? On Thursday, we have a quiz and I want to have you finish the penny stories and I want to do some art work . . . That's a lot for one day.

Vocabulary list 4:

1. aversion - n - strong dislike
2. unequivocal - adj. - obvious, very clear
3. alleviate - v - to relieve
4. voluminous - adj - large, enough to fill volumes (Remember the encyclopedia story? So sad. . . )
5. callous - adj. - unfeeling, insensitive
6. tenets - n - beliefs, principles, truths
7. abstinence - n - the giving up of certain pleasures like food, drink, sex, etc.
8. antithesis - n - direct opposite
9. validate - v - to verify or substantiate
10. surreptitiously - adv. - sneakily, slyly

Honors only:

11. fracas - n - fight, brawl, melee
12. munificent - adj. - very generous
13. complacent - adj. - self-satisfied
14. veracious - adj. - truthful
15. mendicant - n - beggar

Extra Credit:

nidicolous - adj.
niddering - n
tatty - adj.
hoyden - n
vaticinate - v

Okay, folks - that's it! Have a lovely week! Read, write, be happy. Long weekend . . . more time for READING!!!

2007-09-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, usually I blog on Wednesday, but this week I've gotten a little ahead of myself so. . . ENJOY!
Hey, a few things of note around the classroom: 1) on the front yellow bulletin board, I have a blank (ish) piece of paper for book recommendations - if you love a book or hate a book, add it to the list - Rant is already on it; 2)check out the wall of fame - Ashley Drake has an artistic rendering of the word "zephyr" up there, and as we begin to do more writing, you'll have LOTS of chances to get YOUR work up there for EVERYONE to see; 3)did you see my new "Action Assignment" board posted under the clock? It will just give you a broad overview of the week, and I think it's COOL! Oh, and that white laundry basket over there - that's for recyclable paper!

Did you do your 3-week project? Something you've never done before? I did! You must have done it by Thurs. if you are in F or H period or by Friday if you are in A, B, or C period. You don't need to write anything down until class. Thursday and Friday are also picture days - look pretty!

Vocabulary lesson 3:

1. meticulous - adj. - particular about details, fussy
2. opulent - adj. - wealthy, luxuriant
3. peripheral - adj. - external, tangential, not central
4. ponderous - adj - heavy; dull or tiresome
5. prolific - adj. - producing a lot; producing many children
6. raze - v - to destroy or tear down
7. repudiate - v - to reject
8. salutary - adj. - healthy; useful
9. unlettered - adj. - unsophisticated, ignorant, unschooled
10. stringent - strict or severe

Honors:
11. coddle - v - to spoil or to treat indulgently
12. spendthrift - n - one who wastes money
13. hoodwinked - v - deceived or cheated
14. tatterdemalion - n - a raggedy person, a hobo
15. gingerly - adv. - carefully

Ex. Credit:
sphygmomanometer
unciform
elephant folio
anaphora
iatraliptic

Phew! I think that's everything! Don't forget sentences or studying for the quiz!
Are you reading at home? Get to it!
This week is one of my favorites, because we talk about my PASSION for reading and for making meaning from the text and for choosing our own books and dialogue journals! Hooray!

2007-09-19T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hi, there! Did you miss me yesterday? Did you notice I wasn't here? Did you cry? Never fear! I'm back again!

REMEMBER: Three-week projects are due NEXT WEEK (9/27 or 9/28)! Have you got a plan? I do. I just hope I can get it finished in time.

Would you like the vocabulary words for week 2? I am happy to oblige . . .

Vocab. 2

1. dogmatic - adj. - certain that opinions and beliefs are true, arrogant
2. embellish - v - to decorate; to elaborate upon or add to
3. esoteric - adj. - understood by only a select few
4. facilitate - v - to make easier
5. furtive - adj. - sneaky, secretive
6. hedonist - n - one who lives for pleasure
7. immutable - adj. - never changing
8. incorrigible - adj. - unable to be reformed
9. irrefutable - adj. - cannot be disproved
10. latent - adj. - present but invisible, hidden and undeveloped

Honors:
11. amorphous - adj. - shapeless
12. benison - n - blessing
13. celerity - n - speed, rapidity
14. doldrums - n - blues, sadness
15. extemporaneous - adj. - impromptu, unplanned

Extra Credit:
tarantism
grok
psychasthenia
zoolatry

Excellent!
All classes have vocabulary quizzes on Thursday and Friday this week. Study! Write your sentences! Get a 100!

We're starting work on writing this week. You'll be getting an "Expectations for Writing Workshop" sheet in class. Pretty soon we'll be getting "Smiley Face Tricks." Are you pumped or what?

Don't forget to read at home!

2007-09-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hello, my friends!

Wow! You're visiting my BLOG! It's taken me a week to get things up and running (I forgot my password), but here we are!

Don't you love English so far? Reading and writing territories and "fablious" stories about nose rings and concussions and all the rest. . .

Okay, a few business reminders:
1) 3 week projects due 9/27 or 9/28 - do something you've never done
before
2) Vocabulary 1 quizzes are on Thursday and Friday for B,D,F,H pds.
3) We still need to talk about homework!!!!!!!!!!!
Honors: You should be reading 1/2 hr. per night at least
four nights per week and doing writing (starting
next week) for at least 1 hour per week.
C1: You should plan on 1/2 hr. per night at least three
nights per week and writing 1/2 hour per week.
C2: We'll talk in class!
4) Honors folks - make sure you've turned in your notecards and
Fahrenheit 451 books.
5) Has everyone turned in the reading and writing survey?

This week's vocabulary is:

Vocabulary 1:

1. aberration - n - something unusual, a deviation; a mental disorder
2. august - adj - majestic, awesome, inspiring respect
3. antagonism - n - hostility, anger
4. autonomy - n - independence, self-government
5. cajole - v - to persuade with flattery or pleasant words
6. chastise - v - to scold or criticize
7. commodious - adj - roomy, spacious
8. cryptic - adj - secret, having hidden meaning
9. deprecate - v - to express disapproval, to berate
10. diminution - n - a reduction or lessening

Honors only:
11. vociferous - adj - noisy
12. winsome - adj - agreeable, gracious, engaging
13. wizened - adj - withered, shriveled
14. yokel - n - country bumpkin
15. zephyr - n - gentle breeze

Extra credit: granny dumping, tintinnabulation

2007-05-29T06:23:00.000-07:00

HELLO FROM UCONN!
I hope everything is going well at MVRHS. Good luck in your last few weeks!

~Miss S

2007-05-23T05:45:00.001-07:00

C1 Final Exam Guide
Miss Simison
EXAM~ 24/25 May

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Remember that discussion we had when you wrote all that fun stuff you knew or wanted to know about Shakespeare on the board? Here are a few things that might be on your test:

SHAKESPEARE, YAY!

Here's a snapshot of what we talked about in class today..........

Did you know the word 'housekeeping' was a Shakespeare invention?
Believe it or not, Shakespeare literally invented 1,700 words in the English language. He was the first person to use words like - aerial, critic, submerge, majestic, hurry, lonely, road, assassination, laughable, reliance, exposure...... 'Break the ice', 'All that glitters is not gold', 'Hot-blooded', 'In the mind’s eye', 'Housekeeping', 'It’s all Greek to me', 'The naked truth', 'One fell swoop', 'Method in his madness'..... Shakespeare is probably in all our lives in some way every day.

Box Office!
Ever hear of a box office? Of course you have! Know where the name comes from? Well...... In Elizabethan times many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe Theatre in London. To get in, you put one penny in a box by the door. Then you could stand on the ground in front of the stage. To sit on the first balcony, you put another penny in the box held by a man in front of the stairs. To sit on the second balcony, you put another penny in the box held by the man by the second flight of stairs. Then when the show started, the men went and put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office.

'The Globe' The Globe Theatre didn’t just show plays. It ‘acted’ as a bear pit, brothel, and a gambling house.

No Copyright In Shakespeare’s time copyright didn’t exist, so the actors only got their lines as the play was in progress. They only got to know who else was playing what the day of the performance. They did "cue acting", which meant that there was a person backstage that whispered the lines to the person right before he was going to say them. Actors were not considered trustworthy people, and the market for good plays was large.

No women allowed, ewwww girls have cooties! The actors were all men in Shakespeare's day. The parts of women were played by boys who still had light voices.

Images of him There are only two authentic portraits of William Shakespeare. An engraving of him by Martin Droeshout first published on the title page of the 1623 First Folio, yes you're looking at it right there! And the monument of the great playwright in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. I've seen the engraving.....it's at the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, it is often traveling and can be found in places like Connecticut!

No BA Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest figures, never went to university.

Nearly missed out William never published any of his plays. We read his plays today only because his fellow actors, posthumously recorded his work as a dedication to their fellow actor in 1623, publishing 36 of William’s plays.
This collection known as The First Folio is the source from which all published Shakespeare books are derived and is an important proof that he authored his plays.

Shakespeare since the 17th Century…..modern interpretations such as the one we saw in Boston or the movie we watched in class.

Brush up on your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Characters, Conflicts, the four intertwined plots etc and BRING YOUR HANDOUTS!

SHORT STORIES
Make sure you know the elements of a short story:

SHORT STORY ELEMENTS!

SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.
For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.
There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider:

a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

PLOT –
The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea;
It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

CONFLICT-- Without conflict there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character.
Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.
There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.

2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.

4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character:
1) The person in a work of fiction.
2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction - Antagonist and Protagonist
Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the PROTAGONIST. The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

The Characteristics of a Person -
In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. STARRD

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

Characters are...
1. Individual - round, many sided and complex personalities.
2. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story.
3. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

THEME -- The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey.
The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.
The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
- things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover

Short Stories you may have read:

“Santaland Diaries”
“A Convalescent Ego”
“Dr. Jack O’ Lantern”
“The Necklace”

CATCHER IN THE RYE

The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
Miss Simison
Handout I

Setting: Early 1950's. The beginning of the novel takes place at Pency prep school. Holden leaves Pency and goes to various places in New York City.

Background: The entire novel is written in flashback. Holden fails out of Pency. It is not the first school that has expelled him. Holden has a younger sister, Phoebe; an older brother, D.B. who is a screenplay writer in Hollywood; and a younger brother, Allie who died years ago of leukemia. After getting kicked out of Pency, Holden must go home and tell his parents. Instead of deciding to face them with his failure, he wanders around the streets of New York City, and comes into contact with some interesting characters.

Major Characters:
* Holden Caulfield- the narrator
* Robert Ackley- One of Holden's acquaintances at Pency.
* Stradlater- Holden's roommate whom he envies.
* Mr. Antolini- teacher who lets Holden stay at his apartment.
* Phoebe Caulfield- Holden's ten-year old sister.
* Jane- an old friend of Holden, who dates Stradlater.
* Mr. Spencer- teacher at Pency who informs Holden of his expulsion.

Possible Themes:
* innocence- Holden tries to protect the innocence of children.
* family- Holden's relationships with his parents and siblings have deteriorated.
* loss- Holden lost his brother, Allie.
* betrayal- Holden constantly feels betrayed throughout the novel.
* alienation- Holden feels alienated from society.
* adolescence- Holden is an adolescent in search for an identity.
* maturity- Holden is very immature, but believes that he is mature.
* failure- Holden is constantly being kicked out of schools.
* sexual experiences/frustration- Holden is a typical hormonal teenage male, yet he doesn't have
sex with the prostitute when she offers.

Key Issue so far:
Holden is alienated from society. He feels that no one understands him and that everyone is a "phony". He thinks that no one is honest, and everybody wants to be something else. He feels that the only person who understands him is Phoebe. He does not have relationships with girls, or anyone because he feels that he is the only genuine person in the world..

Life Applications:
Holden is an atypical teenager. He is alienated more than most adolescents. He also is in the midst of an identity crisis. All teenagers go through these phases, so everyone can relate to Holden to some extent. Holden is socially inept. Although he has many friends and acquaintances, he can not form lasting, meaningful friendships. Most teenagers, although they do have insecurities, are able to function in relationships.

Holden has to deal with loss. He loses his brother, Allie, to leukemia, and feels a tremendous loss. Allie wrote poems on an old baseball glove, and Holden cherishes this, and speaks about it in great detail. His brother D.B. lives in Hollywood, and is a screenwriter. Holden regards him as a "phony" and has little contact with him. He regards D.B. as a figurative prostitute, who writes only to make money, and not for intellectual redemption.

Another issue in Catcher is betrayal. Holden constantly feels betrayed, and that is a possible cause of his problems. Early in the novel, Mr. Spencer betrays him. He was one of the few teachers at Pency that Holden liked. Spencer broke the news of Holden's expulsion, and Holden felt betrayed. Stradlater betrays Holden by dating his best friend, Jane, whom Holden also had a crush on. When Holden returns home to see Phoebe, she is disappointed in him that he failed out of Pency. He thinks that she should accept him unconditionally, so he feels betrayed.

Holden does not mature through the novel. He actually regresses back to a child-like state of mind. He is constantly dwelling on the death of his younger brother, and avoids his parents, and feels like the only person he can talk to is his ten year old sister.

Holden holds Allie and Phoebe in such high esteem because they are innocent. Holden's goal is to protect innocence in the world. When he hears the "Catcher in the Rye" song being sung by a little boy, he decides that he wants to be the person that keeps children from falling off a cliff. That cliff symbolizes the transition from childhood to adulthood, and he wants to keep them as innocent children, not phony adults.

Symbols
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

The “Catcher in the Rye”
As the source of the book’s title, this symbol merits close inspection. It first appears in Chapter 16, when a kid Holden admires for walking in the street rather than on the sidewalk is singing the Robert Burns song “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye.” In Chapter 22, when Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do with his life, he replies with his image, from the song, of a “catcher in the rye.” Holden imagines a field of rye perched high on a cliff, full of children romping and playing. He says he would like to protect the children from falling off the edge of the cliff by “catching” them if they were on the verge of tumbling over. As Phoebe points out, Holden has misheard the lyric. He thinks the line is “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye,” but the actual lyric is “If a body meet a body, coming through the rye.”
The song “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” asks if it is wrong for two people to have a romantic encounter out in the fields, away from the public eye, even if they don’t plan to have a commitment to one another. It is highly ironic that the word “meet” refers to an encounter that leads to recreational sex, because the word that Holden substitutes—“catch”—takes on the exact opposite meaning in his mind. Holden wants to catch children before they fall out of innocence into knowledge of the adult world, including knowledge of sex.

Holden’s Red Hunting Hat
The red hunting hat is one of the most recognizable symbols from twentieth-century American literature. It is inseparable from our image of Holden, with good reason: it is a symbol of his uniqueness and individuality. The hat is outlandish, and it shows that Holden desires to be different from everyone around him. At the same time, he is very self-conscious about the hat—he always mentions when he is wearing it, and he often doesn’t wear it if he is going to be around people he knows. The presence of the hat, therefore, mirrors the central conflict in the book: Holden’s need for isolation versus his need for companionship.
It is worth noting that the hat’s color, red, is the same as that of Allie’s and Phoebe’s hair. Perhaps Holden associates it with the innocence and purity he believes these characters represent and wears it as a way to connect to them. He never explicitly comments on the hat’s significance other than to mention its unusual appearance.

The Museum of Natural History
Holden tells us the symbolic meaning of the museum’s displays: they appeal to him because they are frozen and unchanging. He also mentions that he is troubled by the fact that he has changed every time he returns to them. The museum represents the world Holden wishes he could live in: it’s the world of his “catcher in the rye” fantasy, a world where nothing ever changes, where everything is simple, understandable, and infinite. Holden is terrified by the unpredictable challenges of the world—he hates conflict, he is confused by Allie’s senseless death, and he fears interaction with other people.

The Ducks in the Central Park Lagoon
Holden’s curiosity about where the ducks go during the winter reveals a genuine, more youthful side to his character. For most of the book, he sounds like a grumpy old man who is angry at the world, but his search for the ducks represents the curiosity of youth and a joyful willingness to encounter the mysteries of the world. It is a memorable moment, because Holden clearly lacks such willingness in other aspects of his life.
The ducks and their pond are symbolic in several ways. Their mysterious perseverance in the face of an inhospitable environment resonates with Holden’s understanding of his own situation. In addition, the ducks prove that some vanishings are only temporary. Traumatized and made acutely aware of the fragility of life by his brother Allie’s death, Holden is terrified by the idea of change and disappearance. The ducks vanish every winter, but they return every spring, thus symbolizing change that isn’t permanent, but cyclical. Finally, the pond itself becomes a minor metaphor for the world as Holden sees it, because it is “partly frozen and partly not frozen.” The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood.

GRAMMAR
There will be a short grammar section on the final, including a couple sentences and a paragraph edit

VOCABULARY!

VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON

VOCABULARY 24

EFFERVESCENT~adj~ bubbly, producing bubbles; full of energy

AGOG~adj~ highly excited by eagerness

CONTRABAND~n~ goods smuggled into or out of a place where they are illegal

PORCINE~adj~ resembling a pig, related to a pig

EBULLITION~n~ a sudden violent outburst

VERSLIBRIST~n~ a writer of free-verse

INCIPIENT~adj~ beginning

INSIPID~adj~ dull, bland

NEBBISH~n~ a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

RAPSCALLION~n~ rascal

VOCABULARY 23

IMPLACABLE~ADJ~ NOT ABLE TO BE SATISFIED OR PACIFIED; UNYEILDING, RELENTLESS

AMELIORATE~V~ TO MAKE BETTER, TO IMPROVE

BOMBASTIC~ADJ~ USE OF IMPRESSIVE SOUNDING LANGUAGE WITH LITTLE MEANING

CATHARSIS~N~ EMOTIONAL PURIFICATION OR RELIEF

ATROPHY~V~ TO WASTE AWAY

CLEMENCY~N~ MERCY, MILDNESS

PEJORATIVE~ADJ~ NEGATIVE, UNFAVORABLE

PROWESS~N~ BRAVERY; SKILL, ADEPTNESS

DEVOID~ADJ~ ENTIRELY WITHOUT; LACKING

TRUCULENT~ADJ~ FIERCE AND CRUEL, BRUTAL, SAVAGE

VOCABULARY 21

REFURBISH~V~ to make like new

RESPITE~N~ interval of rest, a break

SCOFF~V~ to mock or make fun of

SPORADIC~ADJ~ occuring irregulary

SUMPTUOUS~ADJ~ lavish, costly, extravagant

TALON~N~ claw

TIRADE~N~ long, angry scolding speech

UNSCATHED~adj~ unharmed

VILIFY~V~ to defame or slander

WITHER~V~ to dry up or shrivel

VOCABULARY 20

UNFEIGNED~ADJ~ GENUINE, REAL

INADVERTENT~ADJ~ ACCIDENTAL, UNINTENTIONAL

INSCRUTABLE~ADJ~ IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND

SEDULOUS~ADJ~ DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING

LUCID~ADJ~ CLEAR, UNDERSTANDABLE

VITUPERATIVE~ADJ~ ABUSIVE, SCOLDING

PARTISAN~ADJ~ ONE-SIDED, PREJUDICE; COMMITTED TO ONE PARTY

PLACATE~V~ TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY

ICHTHYOLOGY~N~ THE STUDY OF FISH

QUANDARY~N~ DILEMMA

VOCABULARY 19

CLANDESTINE -adj- secret

INVECTIVE -n- abuse (verbal)

DEFERENCE -n- great respect

INVEIGLE -v- to lead astray, OR..... to wheedle (which means cajole, or beg and beg and beg until you get what you want

DISPARITY -n- lack of equality, difference

EFFACE -v- to wipe out, to erase

EMENDATION -n- correction of errors, improvement

POTABLE -adj- suitable for drinking

TRUNCATE -v- to cut the top off

GRATUITOUS -adj- freely given; unnecessary, uncalled for, negative

VOCABULARY 18

TACTLESS -adj- having no skill in dealing with people; rude; insensitive

THWART -v- to stop something from happening; to hinder. oppose, or frustrate

UNOBTRUSIVE -adj- not noticeable; inconspicuous, seeming to belong

VICARIOUS adj- to experience through someone or something else

WHET -v- to increase, sharpen, stimulate

ADMONISH -v- to caution or warn, to criticize or warn midly but firmly

AMBIVALENCE -n- indecision, experiencing contradictory emotions

ASSUAGE -v- to soothe, make less severe, to satisfy, ease, lessen

BLITHE -adj- cheerful, carefree

CATALYST -n- something which causes reactions in other things without being affected itself

VOCABULARY 17

NONCHALANCE ~n~ carelessness, lack of interest or concern

PARSIMONIOUS ~adj~ too thrifty, stingy, cheap

PIQUE ~v~ to hurt feelings; to excite or arouse interest

TACIT ~adj~ unspoken, silent but implied

PUGNACIOUS ~adj~ eager to fight

REDUNDANT ~adj~ repetitive

LIMPID ~adj~ clear (like water), clear (easy to understand)

MARTINET ~n~ a strict disciplinarian

SOPOROFIC ~adj~ producing sleep

SAGACIOUS ~adj~ very wise

VOCABULARY 16

INSIDIOUS~adj~ sneaky, sly, meant to deceive or entrap, treacherous

ENGENDER~v~ to cause or exist or to develop; produce

EXACERBATE~v~ to make worse, to make more violent

GIBE~v~ to mock or ridicule
~n~ an expression of scorn or derision

GARRULOUS~adj~ tiresomely talkative, wordy and rambling

ALACRITY~n~ cheerful willlingness, eagerness

IMPLAUSIBLE~adj~ difficult to believe, provoking disbelief, not plausible

PHLEGMATIC~adj~ having or showing a slow and stolid temperament, having a sluggish temperament, unemotional

CONSECRATE~v~ to decleare or set apart as sacred, dedicated to a sacred purpose

LISTLESS~adj~ lack of interest, energy, or spirit, lethargic

BBQ: 25 May~ After School until whenever………..30 Bayes Hill Road, OB!
From the High School: Take left out of driveway. At stop sign turn right onto Barnes Road. Bayes Hill is about two miles down on the right….white gates and flowers. Take right onto Bayes Hill; when road straightens out, house is fourth on the left. It’s a white house with a pink wreath on the front door and there will be a dark blue VW Passat in the driveway. Bring whatever food you want! Yes, Miss Wallace will be there! And Hannah!
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE STRESSING AND THINK YOU MIGHT DIE BECAUSE YOUR FINAL IS IN A WEEK, my mobile number is 860-539-6688.

2007-05-23T05:44:00.001-07:00

Honors Final Exam Review Guide
Miss Simison
EXAM: 24 May 2007

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Remember that discussion we had when you wrote all that fun stuff you knew or wanted to know about Shakespeare on the board? Here are a few things that might be on your test:

SHAKESPEARE, YAY!

Here's a snapshot of what we talked about in class today..........

Did you know the word 'housekeeping' was a Shakespeare invention?
Believe it or not, Shakespeare literally invented 1,700 words in the English language. He was the first person to use words like - aerial, critic, submerge, majestic, hurry, lonely, road, assassination, laughable, reliance, exposure...... 'Break the ice', 'All that glitters is not gold', 'Hot-blooded', 'In the mind’s eye', 'Housekeeping', 'It’s all Greek to me', 'The naked truth', 'One fell swoop', 'Method in his madness'..... Shakespeare is probably in all our lives in some way every day.

Box Office!
Ever hear of a box office? Of course you have! Know where the name comes from? Well...... In Elizabethan times many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe Theatre in London. To get in, you put one penny in a box by the door. Then you could stand on the ground in front of the stage. To sit on the first balcony, you put another penny in the box held by a man in front of the stairs. To sit on the second balcony, you put another penny in the box held by the man by the second flight of stairs. Then when the show started, the men went and put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office.

'The Globe' The Globe Theatre didn’t just show plays. It ‘acted’ as a bear pit, brothel, and a gambling house.

No Copyright In Shakespeare’s time copyright didn’t exist, so the actors only got their lines as the play was in progress. They only got to know who else was playing what the day of the performance. They did "cue acting", which meant that there was a person backstage that whispered the lines to the person right before he was going to say them. Actors were not considered trustworthy people, and the market for good plays was large.

No women allowed, ewwww girls have cooties! The actors were all men in Shakespeare's day. The parts of women were played by boys who still had light voices.

Images of him There are only two authentic portraits of William Shakespeare. An engraving of him by Martin Droeshout first published on the title page of the 1623 First Folio, yes you're looking at it right there! And the monument of the great playwright in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. I've seen the engraving.....it's at the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, it is often traveling and can be found in places like Connecticut!

No BA Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest figures, never went to university.

Nearly missed out William never published any of his plays. We read his plays today only because his fellow actors, posthumously recorded his work as a dedication to their fellow actor in 1623, publishing 36 of William’s plays.
This collection known as The First Folio is the source from which all published Shakespeare books are derived and is an important proof that he authored his plays.

Shakespeare since the 17th Century…..modern interpretations such as the one we saw in Boston or the movie we watched in class.

Brush up on your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Characters, Conflicts, the four intertwined plots etc

Short Stories
Make sure you know the elements of a short story

SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.
For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.
There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider:

a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the character's like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

PLOT –
The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea;
It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

CONFLICT-- Without conflict there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character.
Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.
There are two types of conflict:
1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character:
1) The person in a work of fiction.
2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction - Antagonist and Protagonist
Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the PROTAGONIST. The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

The Characteristics of a Person -
In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. STARRD

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

Characters are...
1. Individual - round, many sided and complex personalities.
2. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story.
3. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

THEME -- The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey.
The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.
The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
- things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover

“99”
“Santaland Diaries”
“A Convalescent Ego”
“Dr. Jack O’ Lantern”
“The Necklace”

Poetry
Origination of the word and background (notes from board)
Loaded Words
Concrete Poetry
Villanelle~ Middle Ages, Europe, Troubadors traveled and told stories. The Villanelle evolved from Italian folk song, formalized in the 1500s.
Form: 5- 3 line stanzas
1 4-line stanza

Based on two repeating lines; line 1 and line 3 of the first stanza alternate as last lines to succeeding stanzas
Last stanza uses line one and three as the final couplet

Rhyme Scheme
ABA
ABA
ABA
ABA
ABA

ABAA

Usually Iambic Pentameter

Requires a subject that is cyclical or has an urgent message because you are repeating so much
The repeating lines are carefully crafted to deepen in meaning with each verse and to be flexible

You will also be responsible for whatever we cover in class on 22 May.

Invictus

By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Essay
There will be one essay on the exam. It will be a standard essay (5 paragraphs etc) and the entire exam will be geared so you will have about 40 minutes to complete it. I would give yourself ten minutes to plan and 30 to do your writing. It will, MOST LIKELY, be Shakespeare related.

Grammar
There will be a couple sentences and a paragraph edit

VOCABULARY!
VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting

virulent~adj~ extremely poisonous

wary~adj~ very cautious

protract~v~ to prolong

puerile~adj~ childish

maelstrom~n~ whirlpool

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON

ADULATION~N~ FLATTERY, ADMIRATION

AFFABLE~ADJ~ COURTEOUS, PLESANT

ANTIPATHY~N~ AVERSION, DISLIKE

CEREBRATION~N~ THOUGHT

PRATE~V~ TO SPEAK FOOLISHLY, TO BOAST IDLY

VOCABULARY 24

EFFERVESCENT~adj~ bubbly, producing bubbles; full of energy

AGOG~adj~ highly excited by eagerness

CONTRABAND~n~ goods smuggled into or out of a place where they are illegal

PORCINE~adj~ resembling a pig, related to a pig

EBULLITION~n~ a sudden violent outburst

VERSLIBRIST~n~ a writer of free-verse

INCIPIENT~adj~ beginning

INSIPID~adj~ dull, bland

NEBBISH~n~ a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

RAPSCALLION~n~ rascal

PRODIGIOUS~adj~ enormous in size or quantity; amazing

UNFLEDGED~adj~ not fully developed, immature

WARREN~n~ a place where rabbits live; a crowded tenement

BENIGHTED~adj~ being in a state of intellectual darkness, ignorant

TYRO~n~ a beginner, a novice

VOCABULARY 23

IMPLACABLE~ADJ~ NOT ABLE TO BE SATISFIED OR PACIFIED; UNYEILDING, RELENTLESS

AMELIORATE~V~ TO MAKE BETTER, TO IMPROVE

BOMBASTIC~ADJ~ USE OF IMPRESSIVE SOUNDING LANGUAGE WITH LITTLE MEANING

CATHARSIS~N~ EMOTIONAL PURIFICATION OR RELIEF

ATROPHY~V~ TO WASTE AWAY

CLEMENCY~N~ MERCY, MILDNESS

PEJORATIVE~ADJ~ NEGATIVE, UNFAVORABLE

PROWESS~N~ BRAVERY; SKILL, ADEPTNESS

DEVOID~ADJ~ ENTIRELY WITHOUT; LACKING

TRUCULENT~ADJ~ FIERCE AND CRUEL, BRUTAL, SAVAGE

QUAGMIRE~N~ BOG, MARSH

BADINAGE~N~ TEASING CONVERSATION

DESULTORY~ADJ~ AIMLESS, JUMPING AROUND

INIQUITOUS~ADJ~ UNJUST, WICKED

SMATTERING~N~ SMALL AMOUNT

VOCABULARY 21

REFURBISH~V~ to make like new

RESPITE~N~ interval of rest, a break

SCOFF~V~ to mock or make fun of

SPORADIC~ADJ~ occuring irregulary

SUMPTUOUS~ADJ~ lavish, costly, extravagant

TALON~N~ claw

TIRADE~N~ long, angry scolding speech

UNSCATHED~adj~ unharmed

VILIFY~V~ to defame or slander

WITHER~V~ to dry up or shrivel

POLEMIC~N~ controversy, argument supporting a point of view

MUTABLE~ADJ~changing in form

GLOWER~V~scowl

BANDY~V~discuss lightly

UNWITTING~ADJ~ unintentional

VOCABULARY 20

UNFEIGNED~ADJ~ GENUINE, REAL

INADVERTENT~ADJ~ ACCIDENTAL, UNINTENTIONAL

INSCRUTABLE~ADJ~ IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND

SEDULOUS~ADJ~ DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING

LUCID~ADJ~ CLEAR, UNDERSTANDABLE

VITUPERATIVE~ADJ~ ABUSIVE, SCOLDING

PARTISAN~ADJ~ ONE-SIDED, PREJUDICE; COMMITTED TO ONE PARTY

PLACATE~V~ TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY

ICHTHYOLOGY~N~ THE STUDY OF FISH

QUANDARY~N~ DILEMMA

BASTION~N~ FORTRESS, DEFENSE, STRONGHOLD

COMPLICITY~N~ PARTICIPATION, INVOLVEMENT

MALINGERER~N~ ONE WHO PRETENDS TO BE SICK TO GET OUT OF RESPONSIBLITY

TOADY~V~ TO FLATTER FOR FAVORS

VENTURESOME~ADJ~ BOLD, DARING

VOCABULARY 19

CLANDESTINE -adj- secret

INVECTIVE -n- abuse (verbal)

DEFERENCE -n- great respect

INVEIGLE -v- to lead astray, OR..... to wheedle (which means cajole, or beg and beg and beg until you get what you want

DISPARITY -n- lack of equality, difference

EFFACE -v- to wipe out, to erase

EMENDATION -n- correction of errors, improvement

POTABLE -adj- suitable for drinking

TRUNCATE -v- to cut the top off

GRATUITOUS -adj- freely given; unnecessary, uncalled for, negative

BENEFICENT -adj- kindly, good

IMPROVIDENT -adj- not thrifty

INVIDIOUS -adj- designed to create ill-will or envy

MEIN -n- demeanor, bearing, the way you carry yourself

RAMSHACKLE -adj- rickety, falling apart

VOCABULARY 18

TACTLESS -adj- having no skill in dealing with people; rude; insensitive

THWART -v- to stop something from happening; to hinder. oppose, or frustrate

UNOBTRUSIVE -adj- not noticeable; inconspicuous, seeming to belong

VICARIOUS adj- to experience through someone or something else

WHET -v- to increase, sharpen, stimulate

ADMONISH -v- to caution or warn, to criticize or warn midly but firmly

AMBIVALENCE -n- indecision, experiencing contradictory emotions

ASSUAGE -v- to soothe, make less severe, to satisfy, ease, lessen

BLITHE -adj- cheerful, carefree

CATALYST -n- something which causes reactions in other things without being affected itself

BLANDISHMENT -n- flattery, sweet talk

COEVAL -adj- of the same or equal age, or duration, originating or existing during the same period

MOLLIFY -v- appease, calm, to pacify

PRETEXT -n- a false reason put forth to hide the real one

RECTIFY -v- to correct, to straighten, amend, revise, set right

VOCABULARY 17

NONCHALANCE ~n~ carelessness, lack of interest or concern

PARSIMONIOUS ~adj~ too thrifty, stingy, cheap

PIQUE ~v~ to hurt feelings; to excite or arouse interest

TACIT ~adj~ unspoken, silent but implied

PUGNACIOUS ~adj~ eager to fight

REDUNDANT ~adj~ repetitive

LIMPID ~adj~ clear (like water), clear (easy to understand)

MARTINET ~n~ a strict disciplinarian

SOPOROFIC ~adj~ producing sleep

SAGACIOUS ~adj~ very wise

TITANIC ~adj~ gigantic

GADFLY ~n~ an animal biting fly, an irritating person

PURLOIN ~v~ steal

ARDOR ~n~ passion, heat, zeal

WAX ~v~ increase, grow

VOCABULARY 16

INSIDIOUS~adj~ sneaky, sly, meant to deceive or entrap, treacherous

ENGENDER~v~ to cause or exist or to develop; produce

EXACERBATE~v~ to make worse, to make more violent

GIBE~v~ to mock or ridicule
~n~ an expression of scorn or derision

GARRULOUS~adj~ tiresomely talkative, wordy and rambling

ALACRITY~n~ cheerful willlingness, eagerness

IMPLAUSIBLE~adj~ difficult to believe, provoking disbelief, not plausible

PHLEGMATIC~adj~ having or showing a slow and stolid temperament, having a sluggish temperament, unemotional

CONSECRATE~v~ to decleare or set apart as sacred, dedicated to a sacred purpose

LISTLESS~adj~ lack of interest, energy, or spirit, lethargic

PREVARICATE~v~ to lie, to stray from or evade the truth

EXTOL~v~ to praise highly, exalt, glorify or honor

BEFUDDLE~v~ to confuse, perplex

YEN~n~ strong desire or inclination, a yearning or craving

MUTINOUS~adj~ rebellious, unruly, turbulent, uncontrollable

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: THE BBQ
Friday, 25 May: After School until whenever
30 Bayes Hill Road, OB
From the High School:
Take left out of driveway. At stop sign turn right onto Barnes Road. Bayes Hill is about two miles down on the right….white gates and flowers. Take right onto Bayes Hill; when road straightens out, house is fourth on the left. It’s a white house with a pink wreath on the front door and there will be a dark blue VW Passat in the driveway. Bring whatever food you want! Yes, Miss Wallace will be there! And Hannah!
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE STRESSING AND THINK YOU MIGHT DIE BECAUSE YOUR FINAL IS IN A WEEK, my mobile number is 860-539-6688

2007-05-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

HONORS!

Invictus
By William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

TO BE MOMORIZED BY 16 or 24 of MAY!!!

2007-05-09T04:41:00.001-07:00

MND ACT III Scene ii
Miss Simison
8 February 2007
Handout IV

I know, I know, it was a long scene! But it was wonderful, right?

Puck tells Oberon about Bottom’s transformation and how the ass is the new object of Titania’s love.
“When in that moment, so it came to pass,
Titania wak’d and straightway loved an ass.” (lines 33-34)

Oberon is more than pleased with the result.

How do you think Puck feels when he is telling Oberon all the mischief he has been causing?

Who’s in the dark?
Demetrius: He left Helena before she woke Lysander up and was beloved of him because of the love-
charm. All he knows is that Helena told him of the planned elopement and he wants Hermia for himself and is searching for her.
Hermia: Lysander left her sleeping when he left to follow Helena. When she wakes up, she sees Demetrius, and we see Hermia begging Demetrius for information on Lysander’s location. Hermia says that Lysander would NEVER leave her side, and accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander.

As we know, Puck has made the mistake of applying the love-charm to Lysander instead of Demetrius.
“What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite,
And laid the love juice on some true-love’s sight.
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue
Some true love turn’d, and not a false turn’d true.” (lines 88-91)

Puck has turned a true love into a false one and has not turned any false love true.

Oberon and Puck realize the mistake and as a quick fix, Oberon enchants Demetrius and sends Puck to find Helena so Demetrius can fall in love with her.

What is the simile Oberon uses to describe how Demetrius will see Helena when he wakes up?

Uh oh: both men love Helena and this makes for an interesting scene when all four lovers are together.
When Lysander and Helena enter the spot where Demetrius is napping, the moment when Lysander argues that Demetrius loves Hermia and not Helena is the same moment when Demetrius wakes up and immediately declared his great love for Helena:
Lysander: Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you
Demetrius: (Awakening) O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! (lines 136-137)

Helena’s reaction?

How does Hermia think Helena has won Lysander?

Yes, even back in the 16th century, there were girl fights, and the argument that ensues between Hermia and Helena is priceless.

Oberon has an antidote for the love-charm and instructs Puck to apply it to Lysander. Oberon will apply it to Titania once he has the little Indian boy.

Puck and the voices:
Puck sees Lysander searching for Demetrius
Puck speaks in Demetrius’s voice and Lysander goes toward the voice
Demetrius enters after hearing Lysander’s voice.
Demetrius calls Lysander a coward.
Puck eggs Demetrius on by speaking like Lysander.
Puck leads Demetrius away.
Lysander comes back, is tired, and decides to rest
Puck tires Demetrius out and he, too, falls asleep.
Helena enters, also very tired, and asks for sleep in hopes that it will put her out of misery.
Hermia enters, exhausted and also falls asleep.

What are Hermia’s last words before she falls asleep?

Puck chants Lysander and gives him the antidote,

We leave the scene with all four lovers sleeping.

2007-05-09T04:40:00.002-07:00

2007-05-09T04:40:00.001-07:00

MND ACT II Scene ii
Miss Simison
31 January 2007
Handout III

The way these Fairyland characters speak is very light and graceful, which Shakespeare did to express their spirit-like nature. The fairies use bat wings for elf coats:
“Some war with rere-mice (bats) for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats; and some keep back….” (lines4-5)

This reminds us that……..what?

We read both a lullaby by the fairies and an incantation by Oberon:
The lullaby tries to ward off spells and charms The incantation puts a charm on Titania.
The lullaby names eight small animals and The incantation adds six large animals to the list.
insects plus a nightengale.
The lullaby asks that nothing come near the queen. The incantation asks for something to come near, and that the viler it is, the better.

What is not covered by either song?

So what’s up with Hermia and Lysander? We haven’t seen very much of either of them but they’re supposed to be meeting in the woods and Helena and Demetrius are out there looking for them!

Does Lysander seem confident to you? Why?

What is his response to Hermia hoping he’ll love her till he dies?

This is a scene when things really pick up! When Oberon told Puck to go find the two mortals wearing Athenian clothes, what did he not take into account?

Convenient coincidence:
Hermia made a big issue over not sleeping too near Lysander:
“Nay good Lysander. For my sake, my dear
Lie further off yet; do not lie so near.” (lines 43-44)

So, to wrap things up:
Titania’s eyes have been enchanted! She awaits being awakened by her destined “beloved.”

Puck has mistaken Lysander for Demetrius, OOPS! Now Lysander will love Helena!

We have an even worse situation than we had at the beginning: neither man loves the woman who loves him.
Hermia‡ Lysander ‡ Helena ‡ Demetrius ‡ Hermia
Got it? Good! Everyone dance!

2007-05-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

MND ACT II Scene i
Miss Simison
29 January 2007
Handout II

The clandestine meeting in the woods……..
As you all probably recall, the Duke’s wood is the designated meeting spot for the characters from the two preceding scenes. We finally meet Puck (Robin Goodfellow), when he and a fairy enter the scene. We learn from Puck that Oberon (King of Fairies) is angry at Titania (his queen). Why? She has stolen an Indian boy and Oberon wants the child for his own. Because Titania won’t give the boy up, she and the King get in the biggest fights every time they see each other and scare the elves into hiding in acorn cups:
“But they do square (quarrel), that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn cups and hid them there.” (lines 30-31)

The King and Queen end up meeting by accident and greet each other as “proud Titania” and “jealous Oberon.” This is important because in just a few lines we learn their identities and how they feel about each other:
∑ Titania accuses Oberon of coming to for the wedding only because Hilppolyta is a former girlfriend.
∑ Oberon responds with saying Titania is in love with Theseus.
∑ Important: Titania has foresworn Oberon’s bed and company:
“What, jealous Oberon! Fairies skip hence,
I have foresworn his bed and company.” (lines 61-62)
Once again, the course of love is running less than smoothly, a theme we are already familiar with. This relates back to the first scene of the play:
* Hermia might have to foreswear forever what Titania chooses to give up
* Helena has already had to do so against her will

Ah, Cupid: Of course he has to play a part in this! HE tried to shoot and arrow and it missed its target, hitting a flower instead:
“Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.” (lines 165-168)

Oberon sends Puck out to get the flower because the juice from it, when put on the sleeping eyelids of a man or woman, will cause the person to fall madly in love with the very first live creature that is seen when they wake up.

We then learn in a soliloquy that Oberon intends to put the juice on Titania’s eyelids in hopes that she will be distracted by whatever it is she sees when she wakes up. He will take that opportunity to steal the Indian boy from her.

Oberon then hears two people coming and makes himself invisible……….it’s Demetrius and Helena!
Helena is being really annoying and Demetrius just wants to be left alone! He’s looking for Hermia and Lysander….remember they are eloping! After they leave, Oberon sends Puck off with the flower to Titiania, but tells him to look for Lysander and Helena as well, and to use some juice on Demetrius.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch CHANGE: Such a focus on change!
1. Quarrel between Oberon and Titania is over a changeling
2. The cause and result of the quarrel concerns change
3. The solution to the quarrel is possible because of a change in a flower
4. The power of the changed flower is to transform (change) love-sight

Puck: He is the jester to the king and is one of, if not the most, memorable character of MND. From the fairy, we learn that Puck is responsible for all of the following and more:
1. Frightening village maidens
2. Skimming milk so it wont churn
3. Taking the kick out of liquor
4. Misleading people who travel at night
5. For those who treat him well, doing work and bringing luck
WHAT A RASCAL!
For years, Puck was featured at the top of many Sunday comics, with the banner "What fools these mortals be."
Fairies!!! The fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are Shakespeare’s invention. There had been fairies in English folklore before, but Shakespeare’s differ in several important respects:
1. They are tiny! Miniscule, tiny, itsy bitsy!
2. They are associated with flowers
3. They are caring, compassionate, and generous
It is these fairies that have remained in the public’s imagination ever since the first production of MND.
MND inspired four hundred years of stories and pictures of tiny, butterfly-winged people living in the woods. Walt Disney's fairies are their descendants.

2007-05-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

VOCABULARY 26~

tangential~adj~ touching on a subject; diverging or digressing

trepidation~n~ apprehension, dread, fear

untenable~adj~ can't be defended or maintained

vindictive~adj~ revengeful, unforgiving, bitter

folderol~n~ foolishness, nonsense

aesthetic~adj~ artistic, showing appreciation of beatuty

analogous~adj~ comparable, similar

dodger~n~ a shifty, dishonest person, a trickster

buffoon~n~ a clown, a fool

caustic~adj~ stinging, biting

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

virulent~adj~ extremely poisonous

wary~adj~ very cautious

protract~v~ to prolong

puerile~adj~ childish

maelstrom~n~ whirlpool

2007-05-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

VOCABULARY 25

SNARKY~ADJ~ IRRITABLE, SHORT-TEMPERED

PAUCITY~N~ SCARCITY, SMALL AMOUNT

FIDDLE-FOOTED~ADJ~ EXCITABLE OR NERVOUS; INCLINED TO WANDER

FREEBOOTER~N~ A PERSON WHO PILLAGES AND PLUNDERS, ESPECIALLY A PIRATE

QUERULOUS~ADJ~ FAULT-FINDING, COMPLAINING

FLEER~ V/N ~ V~TO LAUGH OR SMIRK IN DERISION; N~ A TAUNTING LOOK OR GIBE

RETICENT~ADJ~ NOT SAYING MUCH, ESPECIALLY ABOUT SELF

SCRUPULOUS~ADJ~ HONEST, CONSCIENTIONS, CAREFUL ABOUT DETAILS

SPURIOUS~ADJ~ COUNTERFEIT, FALSE

SUPERCILIOUS~ADJ~ PROUD AND SCORNFUL, HAUGHTY, LOOKING DOWN ON

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

ADULATION~N~ FLATTERY, ADMIRATION

AFFABLE~ADJ~ COURTEOUS, PLESANT

ANTIPATHY~N~ AVERSION, DISLIKE

CEREBRATION~N~ THOUGHT

PRATE~V~ TO SPEAK FOOLISHLY, TO BOAST IDLY

2007-04-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome back from vacation! Here's what's up for this week:

B and C:
Your Short Story Chats are due this Thursday. If anyone wants to bring food or drink, feel free! If you've lost your project options, there is a link to the left of this post that will make them magically appear.
Looking ahead: Your short stories are due on 4 May; you will have at least one more class period to work on them.

A and F: (this schedule could change depending on how class goes)
Monday/Tuesday:
Read Act IV of MND in class, there will be a quiz on Act III
In class work: pgs 25-27 in packet

Wednesday/Thursday:
Read Act V of MND in class; there will be handouts and discussions for anyone who is lost.

Friday/Monday:
Showing of MND in class. Bring snacks!

Tuesday/Wednesday:
Test on MND

2007-04-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

Ah, the week before vacation. Because of so many absences, we DO NOT HAVE VOCABULARY THIS WEEK! You're welcome! Anyone who's going anywhere, whethere it's a school trip to France, Ireland, or Germany, or just heading south to Florida or the Carolinas (like me!), have fun and be safe!

B and C:
Your Short Story Chat is due on Thursday, 26 April. If you loose the handout with all the project options, look to the left and there is a blog post you can print out
Your Short Story is due on 4 May. Make sure it is based on a personal experience or an experience of someone you know. We will spend this week in class with the laptops brainstorming and drafting so you have a good start.

A and F: We will be finishing up A Midsummer Night's Dream after vacation. Due this week on Wednesday or Thursday is the following:
Study Guide: pg 13-15, 17-19, 21-23, and the Extending Your Response: "Literature Groups" on pg 15.
If you've lost your handouts, they are available to print by clicking the appropriate link on the left!

2007-04-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

Short Story
Telling Your Own!
HONORS B an C Only!
DUE: Friday, 4 May

Remember a personal experience that you would be willing to share with the class. Or, recall another’s experience worthy of telling. Write the story down in rough draft format. Embellish the story as much as you like, exaggerating, stretching the truth etc., to make it captivating. You will have the opportunity to share it with the class if you choose. Then, use this story as the foundation for the original short story you will be writing.

2007-04-07T06:13:00.000-07:00

Short Story Chat
Miss Simison
Honors B and C Only!
CHAT DATE 26 April 2007

Options:

1. Bring in a couple physical artifacts to interest people in the story. These objects can be symbolic, represent something important to the character, represent a setting or mood, or represent a response to the story.

2. Select two pieces of music that in some way illustrates something in the story. Put it on a CD or your iPod it so it can be played during the chat. Make sure to have a written explanation of why you chose the piece; this can include textual evidence and your own interpretation.

3. Find or write a poem that illuminates some aspect of the short story. Write it out neatly, illustrate it if desired, write an explanation of how it connects to the story.

4. Create a collage or mobile that illuminates the setting or theme or some other aspect of the story.

5. Create an advertisement for your story. It can be a print ad, a radio ad, or a TV ad if you have a recorder available to you. What about the story would you highlight and market?

6. Create a comic strip that illustrates the conflict or climax of the story without giving away the resolution. If desired (and you can’t draw!), use a Comic Creator (http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/comic/) to create a final copy.

If you have an idea that is not on this list, make sure to run it by me first!

Make sure to bring in a copy of your short story when the project is due. Maybe make a copy or two in case your peers are really interested in reading it. This way, it will be accessible to the class. If you need help making copies, just ask!

***Please do not “wing it;” this project should actually require some thought and be mildly interesting to the class!***

2007-04-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

Midsummer Night's Dream ACT I HANDOUT
Miss Simison

So, you’ve read the first chapter…..love it? Hate it? Don’t really care about it?

A few important things to remember:
We are introduced to the play’s theme of love and marriage early on with the speeches of Theseus and Hippolyta. Where do these crazy names come from? Well, Shakespeare learned of Theseus from a book called Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans; to him and his contemporaries, Theseus was not a legend, but historical fact. Back in the day, Theseus was most heroic during a war on the Amazons, a mythical nation of women-warriors.

Stichomythia~ (stick-o-myth-eee-ah) a fun word! Ever heard of it? Well, it’s a technique in drama or poetry, in which alternating lines, or half-lines, are given to alternating characters, voices, or entities. The term originated in the literature of Ancient Greece, and is often applied to the dramas of Sophocles, though others like Shakespeare are known to use it. Etymologically it derives from the Greek stichos ("rows") + mythos ("speech"). Stichomythia occurs very rarely in Shakespeare where characters speak single alternating lines. As you have probably noticed, it is present in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Stichomythia is particularly well suited to sections of dramatic dialogue where two characters are in violent dispute. The rhythmic intensity of the alternating lines combined with quick, biting ripostes in the dialogue can be quite powerful.

So here’s what we have:
Scene I : Theseus and Hippolyta are to be married
Hermia and Lysander want to be married but…..
Egeus, Hermia’s father, wants her to marry Demetrius but….
Demetrius is loved by Helena, his ex-girlfriend

The plan: All four lovers will go to the woods the next night, Hermia and Lysander to elope; Demetrius to prevent the marriage (Helena warned him); and Helena in hopes of being with Demetrius

Scene II: We’ve got some strange characters who are completely different from the ones we met in the first scene, they speak comically, as opposed to the formal poetry spoken by the lovers. Funny enough, they are very connected to our lovers:
1. The men are preparing a play to entertain and the wedding where Hermia must announce her decision
2. The subject of their play is very relevant to Hermia’s plan
3. They have a plan to rehearse the next night in the Duke’s wood, which puts them in the same geographical location as the lovers. There must be a reason for this!

Just when you thought soap operas were a modern-day invention…………

And we haven’t even met the fairies yet!

2007-04-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

VOCABULARY 24

EFFERVESCENT~adj~ bubbly, producing bubbles; full of energy

AGOG~adj~ highly excited by eagerness

CONTRABAND~n~ goods smuggled into or out of a place where they are illegal

PORCINE~adj~ resembling a pig, related to a pig

EBULLITION~n~ a sudden violent outburst

VERSLIBRIST~n~ a writer of free-verse

INCIPIENT~adj~ beginning

INSIPID~adj~ dull, bland

NEBBISH~n~ a timid, meek, or ineffectual person

RAPSCALLION~n~ rascal

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS................

PRODIGIOUS~adj~ enormous in size or quantity; amazing

UNFLEDGED~adj~ not fully developed, immature

WARREN~n~ a place where rabbits live; a crowded tenement

BENIGHTED~adj~ being in a state of intellectual darkness, ignorant

TYRO~n~ a beginner, a novice

extra credit:

slugabed-n- a person who stays in bed all day
pecksniffian-adj-

the rest will be up on wednesday morning when i get in to see the board

2007-03-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the end of the third quarter! Yes, that's right, it all ends tomorrow. This means only one thing: I need all of your work by 2:05 tomorrow afternoon, or expect a zero on missing assignments. Just for the record, a zero on a writing piece will drag your quarter grade down by 3-5 points.

ALL CLASSES: Your vocabulary 23 quiz is either today or tomorrow depending on when you have class. Have sentences ready!

B and C periods: Please finish "99" for Friday. Have no fear; all readings over the next few weeks will NOT be as long as the tale of tenure and terror you are about to finish!

A and F periods: Remixed Fairy Tales are now due, as are your secrets. I plan on sending them in to POSTSECRET at the beginning of next week so 3-5 points so don't forget! Thank you all for being so respectful during out in-class readings of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

APRIL VACATION: TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING!

2007-03-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

VOCABULARY 23

IMPLACABLE~ADJ~ NOT ABLE TO BE SATISFIED OR PACIFIED; UNYEILDING, RELENTLESS

AMELIORATE~V~ TO MAKE BETTER, TO IMPROVE

BOMBASTIC~ADJ~ USE OF IMPRESSIVE SOUNDING LANGUAGE WITH LITTLE MEANING

CATHARSIS~N~ EMOTIONAL PURIFICATION OR RELIEF

ATROPHY~V~ TO WASTE AWAY

CLEMENCY~N~ MERCY, MILDNESS

PEJORATIVE~ADJ~ NEGATIVE, UNFAVORABLE

PROWESS~N~ BRAVERY; SKILL, ADEPTNESS

DEVOID~ADJ~ ENTIRELY WITHOUT; LACKING

TRUCULENT~ADJ~ FIERCE AND CRUEL, BRUTAL, SAVAGE

AdDiTiOnAl 5 FoR HoNoRs ClAsSeS!!!!!!!!

QUAGMIRE~N~ BOG, MARSH

BADINAGE~N~ TEASING CONVERSATION

DESULTORY~ADJ~ AIMLESS, JUMPING AROUND

INIQUITOUS~ADJ~ UNJUST, WICKED

SMATTERING~N~ SMALL AMOUNT

2007-03-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

PICTURES FROM OUR FABULOUS FIELD TRIP!
Yes, we all survived the trip to Boston and back, and with the exception of the Ewing cousins missing for 13 minutes, everything was PERFECT!!! Thanks to all chaperones for investing their time and energy, and thanks to the students for being respectful during the performance and representing MVRHS with style!

2007-03-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

KICK SOME MCAS

19 March-23 March 2007

HAPPY MCAS WEEK!

Hopefully all of you enjoyed the rally on Monday, i know i sure did! The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System's English component will only last 3 days. Not too bad, right? And as a favor to all of our fantastic students, we are NOT DOING VOCABULARY this week. i know, i know, you're just tickled pink, arentcha?

They only English-related thing you have to worry about, besides those pesky tests, is MAKE-UP WORK!

IF I DO NOT HAVE IT MY OUR HANDS BY FRIDAY AFTER SCHOOL, ANYTHING MISSING WILL **poof!** TURN INTO A ZERO!

I'm looking forward to next week when we no longer have to worry about practicing for MCAS and we can go back to business as usual.

Thanks for all your cooperation while we prepared you for this demanding week of your lives!

2007-03-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Students!
Let's take a look at the next week of your lives.....next week is the English MCAS.....yahoo! You will be spending Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings taking part in this once in a lifetime experience.
Here's the silver lining to the MCAS cloud: NO VOCABULARY!

A Period: Your secrets are due the 26 of March and your fairy tale is due the 28. We will be starting A Midsummer Night's Dream and other Shakespeare related things at the end of this week and continue until April vacation.

B and C periods: Your fairy tales are due tomorrow (16 March) Read through chapter seven in 99 for Tuesday, it's page 166.

F Period: Your fairy tale is due the 27 of March and your secrets are due the 29. We will be starting A Midsummer Night's Dream and other Shakespeare related things at the end of this week and continue until April vacation.

2007-03-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

VOCABULARY 21

REFURBISH~V~ to make like new

RESPITE~N~ interval of rest, a break

SCOFF~V~ to mock or make fun of

SPORADIC~ADJ~ occuring irregulary

SUMPTUOUS~ADJ~ lavish, costly, extravagant

TALON~N~ claw

TIRADE~N~ long, angry scolding speech

UNSCATHED~adj~ unharmed

VILIFY~V~ to defame or slander

WITHER~V~ to dry up or shrivel

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS!!!!!

POLEMIC~N~ controversy, argument supporting a point of view

MUTABLE~ADJ~changing in form

GLOWER~V~scowl

BANDY~V~discuss lightly

UNWITTING~ADJ~ unintentional

EXTRA CREDIT:
knabble-v- to bit or nibble
sandapile-n- a coffin
vug-n- a cave
atrabilious-adj- bad-tempered

2007-03-12T05:57:00.000-07:00

POSTSECRETS FROM B and C PERIODS! I AM SO PROUD OF EVERYONE!

2007-03-09T05:52:00.000-08:00

HONORS: SUBJECTS TO LOOK UP.....and be prepared to discuss on MONDAY!!!

AVEBURY
STONEHENGE
SILBURY HILL
CAPTAIN COOK
WEST KENNET LONG BARROW

2007-03-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

WECOME BACK FROM VACATION!

Here's what's going on in room 511:

MCAS are at the end of THIS MONTH. Therefore, we will be devoting a lot of our time to practicing. I will make it as painless as humanly possible!

A Period: Dialogue Journals are due Thursday, 8 March. Vocabulary sentences are due Thursday, 8 March. You have a vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 8 March.

B Period and C Period: Dialogue Journals are due Thursday, 8 March. Vocabulary sentences are due Thursday, 8 March. You have a vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 8 March. Your Post Secrets are due either Tuesday, 6 March, or Thursday 8 March. You have a writing piece due next Wednesday, 14 March. We will discuss topics in class this Tuesday.

E Period: We are doing vocabulary lesson 11 this week. Definitions monday, sentences Wednesday, and quiz on Friday or Maybe next Tuesday. On Wednesday we will also be finishing up our literary terms list and work more on our MCAS practice prompts.

F Period: Vocabulary sentences are due on Wednesday. Your quiz is on Friday. Wednesday will be spent doing more MCAS practice, and you will finish your prompts.

2007-03-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 20

UNFEIGNED~ADJ~ GENUINE, REAL

INADVERTENT~ADJ~ ACCIDENTAL, UNINTENTIONAL

INSCRUTABLE~ADJ~ IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND

SEDULOUS~ADJ~ DILIGENT, HARD-WORKING

LUCID~ADJ~ CLEAR, UNDERSTANDABLE

VITUPERATIVE~ADJ~ ABUSIVE, SCOLDING

PARTISAN~ADJ~ ONE-SIDED, PREJUDICE; COMMITTED TO ONE PARTY

PLACATE~V~ TO SOOTHE OR PACIFY

ICHTHYOLOGY~N~ THE STUDY OF FISH

QUANDARY~N~ DILEMMA

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

BASTION~N~ FORTRESS, DEFENSE, STRONGHOLD

COMPLICITY~N~ PARTICIPATION, INVOLVEMENT

MALINGERER~N~ ONE WHO PRETENDS TO BE SICK TO GET OUT OF RESPONSIBLITY

TOADY~V~ TO FLATTER FOR FAVORS

VENTURESOME~ADJ~ BOLD, DARING

EXTRA CREDIT:
plongeur~n~ dishwasher
plew~n~ a beaver skin
swabble~v~ to make a noise like water being sloshed around
ubiquarian~n~ a person who goes everywhere

2007-02-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

F Period: WRITING PIECES WERE DUE TODAY!!!! I only received SEVEN of them! I will allow you to turn them in tomorrow. They must be typed. If I do not have them tomorrow, I am not taking them because I am devoting some of my vacation time to grading and I do not want to grade writing pieces, especially late ones, after vacation is over. If you have any questions, please e-mail me and i will respond promptly.

P.S. Feel free to e-mail me your writing pieces!

2007-02-21T07:25:00.000-08:00

It looks like you guys had a FABULOUS trip! Even the boat trip looked like fun!

I miss everyone!

It looks like we may be getting out of the hospital today and moving in to the Boston Ronald McDonald House - exciting but a little scary. It's nice that Hannah is well enough that everyone feels confident we'll be able to make it without a team of doctors and nurses holding us up. She's pretty worried - I think she's worried that I'm no doctor and certainly no nurse. But we are both looking forward to a night's sleep without any hospital sounds!

Nice to hear from Shelley- thanks for writing! It sounds like you are doing well!

Wow - I've used more exclamation points in this entry than anyone should be allowed in a lifetime. Sorry about that. I think I'm trying to put a positive spin on everything even though I am very nervous.

By the way, I've been working to master the challenge of Sudoku . . . hard to do when you're number-phobic like I am. But I'm getting the hang of it. I just started last week and almost gave up. Over the weekend, a friend helped me do a few puzzles and showed me some strategies - it gave me away to start. That made me think of two things - first, I thought of Prudence and her endless Sudoku. Second, I thought about how anything new is difficult if you don't have any strategies, any ideas how to approach it. Ummmmm. . . that made me think about reading and writing and vocabulary. That's what English class and English teachers do: we give you strategies, lessons, ideas how to approach the challenges of reading and writing. Then you have the tools to accept the challenge on your own. Isn't that the coolest thing? I love how even numbers relate back to English! (Uh-oh . . . ANOTHER exclamation point.)

I've been reading but nothing noteworthy. Chris Bohjalian has a new book which my mom bought and loaned to me; I'm starting it today. I've loved EVERY one of his books - they all have a New Englandy charm and usually star a fascinating woman. Plus, I met the author. He spoke here at a Bunch of Grapes event about three or four years ago. My mom tells me that this book starts with a rape/assault and that it might be too disturbing for some readers. She also said that she needs to talk about it because it left her confused . . . Don't worry about that, though - I know I've told you about my mother and movies (WHO is that? Why is she doing that? What's going on NOW?), and she's the same way about books. Read it yourself and let me know what you think.

I also got a novel that's a pseudo-memoir of Jackie Kennedy - I read a favorable review, but I'll let you know. I like the concept of a fake autobiography of a famous figure. And I have my hands on a brand new Susan Isaacs novel - promising. Also, Shopaholic and Baby is coming out TOMORROW! I will be first in line!

All right, I'm taking my exclamation points and getting out of here. Hope you all have a lovely vacation. Miss you!

Ms. Wallace

2007-02-19T05:35:00.000-08:00

Alrighty, so by now you have finished the play! Wahoo! Get ready for the field trip! Remember, we are taking the 8:15 boat, NOT THE 9:30, so be at the steamship by 7:45. Get some Motts for breakfast or eat before you leave your house.

There is no vocabulary this week and no dialogue journals.

2007-02-17T09:24:00.000-08:00

F PERIOD~
Dialogue journals were due today. I didn't get all of them, so I will allow you to turn them in on Tuesday, 20 February for full credit. If i do not have them by Tuesday, a permanent zero goes down in the gradebook.

Also, you have a writing piece due next Thursday, the 22 of February. It was assigned last week, it is on the board, and I will remind you in class. PLEASE DON"T FORGET!

2007-02-14T08:31:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Valentine's Day! Thanks to all who made valentines to and from characters in
A Midsummer Night's Dream!!

I hope everyone is super duper excited about our field trip to Boston this coming Wednesday. Remember: we are taking the 8:15 boat; get to the Steamship Authority no later than 7:45! Thanks!

For those of you who did not take the quiz today, you are responsible for taking it on or before Friday.

We will be watching the film A Midsummer Night's Dream in class on Friday!

2007-02-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone! Hope you are all doing well!

Special shout-out to Dan: I LOVED getting a posted comment from you. Sounds like Ms. S is doing a great job; I still miss you guys, though. I loved A Million Little Pieces even though there are LOTS of disgusting parts at the beginning: the dentist! Even though it's long in terms of pages, lots of the pages have big margins and the story is pretty compelling so it goes quickly. I'm not sure that I agree that the guy is hopeless. He seems pretty convinced that he's going to make it, that he can survive. I don't know why he's so convinced - his whole life seems like evidence that he won't make it. I might give up if it were me. Maybe not. I'm impressed that he keeps going at all. Hope you continue to like it. I'm glad you did well on your mid-term - I am terrible at tests! I get bored and mad and rush through . . . And don't worry about the posts wearing me out - it takes A LOT to wear ME out! You're the best!

So I read A Sudden Country as I mentionned last post. It was a great story of a family traveling to Oregon Territory in the 1840s. I sort of like tragic pioneer tales. This had a love story, too. The critics compared it to Cold Mountain which I haven't read. If anyone knows Rachel Fauteux, suggest A Sudden Country to her. I remember she liked Cold Mountain. Or at least she read it. The best thing about this book was the vocabulary; I had to read it with a dictionary beside me! I didn't know how vocabulary illiterate I was! I am very impressed with this author's ability to use such fancy words in such a natural way.

I'm reading a book called Polly by Amy Bryant right now. It's interesting - about a girl growing up in the 70's and 80's - my time period so I'm familiar with fads like Forenza sweaters and roller rinks and such. The story of the girl's life is told in an interesting way - each chapter is about a relationship with a guy starting with her 6th grade crush Tommy. It provides a peculiar window on a girl's life. The writing is very believable - it feels like a memoir, but it's a novel.

Did I tell you that I wrote a poem for this book being produced by the oncology ward of the hospital? The book is called Faces of Hope. Hannah will have a poem in it, and other children and families will have writing and pictures included. They are working on layout designs right now so it will be out soon. I am a soon-to-be-published author. I'm practically famous. Do you feel so lucky to know me?

That's probably about it for now. Stay warm and keep reading!

Love, Ms. Wallace

2007-02-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

PRE-WEEKEND UPDATE!

First things first, thanks to my F period class for decorating the clock with play-dough and making a snail, very inconspicuous of you!

For all of you overachievers, i've posted vocab 19 for next week. I know you will most likey be spending your entire weekend getting definitions, writing sentences and studying. It would be a great way to spend a Friday or Saturday night don't you think?

HONORS: For Monday, you should be through Act IV of A Midsummer Night's Dream, we're on the home stretch here, and the field trip is only 11 days away! I think that because i didn't assign dialogue journals this week, they will be due next Friday (2 entries). That way, i'll have them back to you before vacation and we can get back on our regular schedule.

A Period: You should be to page 113 in Catcher in the Rye for Monday, expect a quiz!

F Period: You should be to page 113 in Catcher in the Rye for Tuesday, expect a quiz!

2007-02-09T07:15:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 19

CLANDESTINE -adj- secret

INVECTIVE -n- abuse (verbal)

DEFERENCE -n- great respect

INVEIGLE -v- to lead astray, OR..... to wheedle (which means cajole, or beg and beg and beg until you get what you want

DISPARITY -n- lack of equality, difference

EFFACE -v- to wipe out, to erase

EMENDATION -n- correction of errors, improvement

POTABLE -adj- suitable for drinking

TRUNCATE -v- to cut the top off

GRATUITOUS -adj- freely given; unnecessary, uncalled for, negative

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS.....

BENEFICENT -adj- kindly, good

IMPROVIDENT -adj- not thrifty

INVIDIOUS -adj- designed to create ill-will or envy

MEIN -n- demeanor, bearing, the way you carry yourself

RAMSHACKLE -adj- rickety, falling apart

2007-02-08T09:08:00.000-08:00

2007-02-07T04:23:00.000-08:00

Extra Credit for Vocabulary 18

babaltrice-n- a female babbler

badot-adj- silly. From a French word meaning 'a gaping idler'

baisemain-n- an obsolete word meaning a kiss on the hand

bubulcitate-v- to cry like a cowboy

quagswag-v- to shake back and forth

kench-v- to laugh loudly

2007-02-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

F Period: If I do not have your dialogue journals, which were due by LAST Thursday, this Wednesday, you will receive a zero that cannot be changed. Your Vocab 18 quiz is Friday and your sentences are due Wednesday. You should be to page 80 in Catcher for Wednesday, and 98 for Friday. We will continue to work on our Methods of Characterization: Holden projects in class.

A-B-C~ Quiz and sentences for Thursday please!

A- you should be to page 98 in Catcher for Thursday. Also, you have two dialogue journals due. We will continue to work on our Methods of Characterization: Holden projects in class.

B and C- you must be through Act III of MND for Thursday, no dialogue journals for you.

2007-02-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

We miss you Sophie! Good luck in Mr. Sawyer's class and have fun re-reading Catcher in the Rye!

2007-02-06T09:44:00.000-08:00

MAGNETIC POETRY FROM THE CLASSROOM!!

2007-02-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

MND ACT III Scene i
Miss Simison
6 February 2007
Handout IV

Yep, we’re still in the woods. And we are re-visited by the Athenian Workmen Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling. In yet another comical scene, they rehearse their play.
Bottom alerts Quince to things in the play that may not please the audience:
1. Pyramus must kill himself with a sword
Solution: Leave the killing out? Reciting a prologue that explains everything…the swords are harmless, Pyramus isn’t really dead…..Pyramus is actually Bottom the Weaver. Make believe is make believe.
2. Won’t the ladies be afraid of the lion?
Solution: The lion costume doesn’t completely cover the actor, and announcement that the lion isn’t really a lion, and that his name is actually Snug the Joiner
There are two other production problems:
1. Thisbe and Pyramus are supposed to meet by moonlight
Solution: The moon is supposed to shine the night of the play, the almanac says so, so a window was going to be opened but then Quince offers the alternative of having a man presenting moonshine with a lantern and thorn bush
The men don’t want to take a chance with the real moon, they think it’s better to have one of their own men standing by instead of relying on something natural that may not be there
2. Thisbe and Pyramus must talk through a wall
Solution: Bottom says to have a man with some sort of substance on him stand in for a wall and hold his fingers up for Pyramus and Thisbe to speak through
They way they treat the play intensifies the relationship between ILLUSION and REALITY. The men insist on differentiating between the two during their performance of ‘Pyramus and Thisbe.’ The result? Comedy, which is a contrast to all the confusions in the play.

Perhaps the most important part of this play with when Puck places the head of an ass on Bottom. The rest of the men flee the wood because they fear they are haunted and Bottom is alone. Keep in mind that this takes place right after the men have made sure the man playing the lion is recognized as a man, and not a lion, so as not to confuse the audience. What does this make them think about the seemingly solid world?

Bottom is very confused as to why his friends have left him and figures they are playing a practical joke on him.

Now that Bottom is an ass from the neck up, is there a better creature for Titania to fall in love with? Nope!
Bottom’s whistling wakes Titania and she’s in love!
How does Bottom respond? Easy graciousness with extraordinary new companions. He has an ability to adapt immediately to whatever life offers him. His innocence gets him into the fairy world and he enjoys it

We also meet four fairies……what is Bottom’s response to the following two?

Cobweb: he will use him if he cuts his finger, cobwebs were used to stop bleeding

Mustardseed: Bottom says he is aware of the patience associated with him and says that mustardseed has caused his eyes to water, which refers to the spice.

2007-02-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 18

TACTLESS -adj- having no skill in dealing with people; rude; insensitive

THWART -v- to stop something from happening; to hinder. oppose, or frustrate

UNOBTRUSIVE -adj- not noticeable; inconspicuous, seeming to belong

VICARIOUS adj- to experience through someone or something else

WHET -v- to increase, sharpen, stimulate

ADMONISH -v- to caution or warn, to criticize or warn midly but firmly

AMBIVALENCE -n- indecision, experiencing contradictory emotions

ASSUAGE -v- to soothe, make less severe, to satisfy, ease, lessen

BLITHE -adj- cheerful, carefree

CATALYST -n- something which causes reactions in other things without being affected itself

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS..........

BLANDISHMENT -n- flattery, sweet talk

COEVAL -adj- of the same or equal age, or duration, originating or existing during the same period

MOLLIFY -v- appease, calm, to pacify

PRETEXT -n- a false reason put forth to hide the real one

RECTIFY -v- to correct, to straighten, amend, revise, set right

2007-02-05T09:50:00.000-08:00

Hey ms wallace, its dan. things in english class couldn't get any better except if you were there, but overall everything is good. Seems like your getting back into reading again, i finished my book Murder At A Vineyard Mansion and i moved on to another book. Ms. S gave us the choice and we picked ou the book a Million Little Pieces, it is good but this guy is very hopless in this story, and it is quite long. It hasn't snowed in a while and i dont think it will, so i'm waiting for the wonderful summer. I did well on the mid term and hope for a good grade for the year. try not to let all this typing on the blog wear you out, ms. s is taking all the responsibility for the class, and i heard richie might come back, tell me what you think of that and get back to me when you can.
Good to talk
Dan

2007-01-31T16:24:00.000-08:00

Hello, folks -

How are you? Did it snow? Was there a snow day? I'm so out of the loop. . . I didn't even leave the hospital today. Maybe it snowed here. Did it? Do you know?

So, I've been reading! Duh . . . Okay, I finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Did I already tell you that? It was good; parts were great - so descriptive and vivid and REAL. But it was morbidly depressing (in my opinion). Is reality that depressing? I don't believe it. Just call me a glass-half-full-kind-of-girl. (And no remarks about how I'm too old to be considered a girl . . .)

Then I read Bringing Down the House . . . Shoot. I can't remember who wrote it. I'll get back to you on that one. But they have it at the MVRHS library. It's about these kids from MIT who make millions playing blackjack in Vegas and elsewhere. The writing isn't fabulous but the story is full of intrigue - violence, sleaziness, money, backstabbing, etc. I don't enjoy gambling AT ALL (why throw your money away on gambling when you could be buying BOOKS!?!?!?!?!) and I've never even played blackjack, but I was fascinated. There was a little too much info. about how to card count and how to improve your blackjack odds - I don't need to know. But there was so much human interest and action that I was hooked. Read it in one day. Some of you might like it.

Next I read Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA by Ellen Meister. It was terrible but in a really fun and scandalous and ridiculous kind of way. I haven't read a book this trashy in a little while. I don't recommend it exactly, but I read it and I enjoyed it and I am embarrassed to admit it. Don't read it if you're looking for a LITERARY experience. . . Catcher in the Rye it ain't. (OOPS! I'm an English teacher and I said "ain't." I was using it as a quaint colloquialism.)
It was all about these ridiculous women who were on the PTA and trying to get a George Clooney movie filmed at their town elementary school. The women are idiots, the plot predictable, the dialogue forced, the characters one-dimensional, and the ending way too easy. If you wrote it, I'd give you a C. Maybe. But it was entertaining.

I'm not sure what my next foray will be. I have lots of choices. I'll keep you posted. I'm thinking it's going to be A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher. Anyone read it?

Hannah has taken a turn for the better this past week. She's not feeling or looking nearly as sick. We may be able to leave the hospital and head for the Ronald McDonald House in the next few weeks. We'll still be in Boston for a while, but we won't have to sleep in the hospital. We're all a little nervous about this; Hannah hasn't been away from the hospital since November 7. It's scary, but I'm sure it will be a good thing.

Hope all of you are doing well!

Ms. Wallace

2007-01-31T05:13:00.000-08:00

Midsummer Night's Dream ACT II Scene ii HANDOUT
Miss Simison
31 January 2007
Handout III

The way these Fairyland characters speak is very light and graceful, which Shakespeare did to express their spirit-like nature. The fairies use bat wings for elf coats:
“Some war with rere-mice (bats) for their leathern wings,
To make my small elves coats; and some keep back….” (lines4-5)

This reminds us that……..what?

We read both a lullaby by the fairies and an incantation by Oberon:
The lullaby tries to ward off spells and charms The incantation puts a charm on Titania.
The lullaby names eight small animals and The incantation adds six large animals to the list.
insects plus a nightengale.
The lullaby asks that nothing come near the queen. The incantation asks for something to come near, and that the viler it is, the better.

What is not covered by either song?

So what’s up with Hermia and Lysander? We haven’t seen very much of either of them but they’re supposed to be meeting in the woods and Helena and Demetrius are out there looking for them!

Does Lysander seem confident to you? Why?

What is his response to Hermia hoping he’ll love her till he dies?

This is a scene when things really pick up! When Oberon told Puck to go find the two mortals wearing Athenian clothes, what did he not take into account?

Convenient coincidence:
Hermia made a big issue over not sleeping too near Lysander:
“Nay good Lysander. For my sake, my dear
Lie further off yet; do not lie so near.” (lines 43-44)

So, to wrap things up:
Titania’s eyes have been enchanted! She awaits being awakened by her destined “beloved.”

Puck has mistaken Lysander for Demetrius, OOPS! Now Lysander will love Helena!

We have an even worse situation than we had at the beginning: neither man loves the woman who loves him.
Hermia‡ Lysander ‡ Helena ‡ Demetrius ‡ Hermia
Got it? Good! Everyone dance!

2007-01-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

Permission Slip For Field Trip! B and C Periods ONLY!

"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact."
(Act V, Scene I).

WHO: Miss Simison’s B and C period Honors English Classes
WHEN: Wednesday, 21 February, 2007
Leave on the 9:30am boat, return on the 6:15pm boat. Parents can pick students up at the Steamship Authority terminal at 7:00pm.
WHERE: Boston Theatre Works
COST: $30 includes boat/bus/theatre ticket

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
Shakespeare’s classic romantic comedy where passionate lovers, ham-handed actors, and discordant spirits of the world cross paths in a moon-drenched wood and discover the transformative power of love.
We are currently reading this play in class and I am hoping to get all 47 students on the trip!
If you are writing a check, please make it payable to Elizabeth Simison as I am the one coordinating the trip and MVRHS is not providing any funding.
Upon arrival in Boston, we will have time for a quick lunch. Students are invited to bring their own, or bring a couple extra dollars for a sandwich.

Parent Signature ____________________________________ Date:___________

A final head count is needed by Monday, 5 February, so PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THIS SLIP WITH PAYMENT TO MISS SIMISON BY FRIDAY, 2 FEBRUARY, 2007.
THANK YOU!

If you have any questions, please contact me via firstclass: Elizabeth_Simison@fc.mv.k12.ma.us

2007-01-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 17

NONCHALANCE ~n~ carelessness, lack of interest or concern

PARSIMONIOUS ~adj~ too thrifty, stingy, cheap

PIQUE ~v~ to hurt feelings; to excite or arouse interest

TACIT ~adj~ unspoken, silent but implied

PUGNACIOUS ~adj~ eager to fight

REDUNDANT ~adj~ repetitive

LIMPID ~adj~ clear (like water), clear (easy to understand)

MARTINET ~n~ a strict disciplinarian

SOPOROFIC ~adj~ producing sleep

SAGACIOUS ~adj~ very wise

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS

TITANIC ~adj~ gigantic

GADFLY ~n~ an animal biting fly, an irritating person

PURLOIN ~v~ steal

ARDOR ~n~ passion, heat, zeal

WAX ~v~ increase, grow

OH YIPPEE! THE EXTRA CREDIT WORDS ARE BACK IN ACTION!

SPARGE ~v~ to spray or sprinkly

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK ~n~ cabbage and potatoes fried together

BONTON ~n~ sophisticated manner or style, the proper thing, high society

ALGOPHOBIA ~n~ abnormal fear of pain

GRACILE ~adj~ gracefully slender, graceful

2007-01-29T05:12:00.000-08:00

Midsummer Night's Dream ACT II Scene i HANDOUT
Miss Simison
29 January 2007
Handout II

The clandestine meeting in the woods……..
As you all probably recall, the Duke’s wood is the designated meeting spot for the characters from the two preceding scenes. We finally meet Puck (Robin Goodfellow), when he and a fairy enter the scene. We learn from Puck that Oberon (King of Fairies) is angry at Titania (his queen). Why? She has stolen an Indian boy and Oberon wants the child for his own. Because Titania won’t give the boy up, she and the King get in the biggest fights every time they see each other and scare the elves into hiding in acorn cups:
“But they do square (quarrel), that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn cups and hid them there.” (lines 30-31)

The King and Queen end up meeting by accident and greet each other as “proud Titania” and “jealous Oberon.” This is important because in just a few lines we learn their identities and how they feel about each other:
∑ Titania accuses Oberon of coming to for the wedding only because Hilppolyta is a former girlfriend.
∑ Oberon responds with saying Titania is in love with Theseus.
∑ Important: Titania has foresworn Oberon’s bed and company:
“What, jealous Oberon! Fairies skip hence,
I have foresworn his bed and company.” (lines 61-62)
Once again, the course of love is running less than smoothly, a theme we are already familiar with. This relates back to the first scene of the play:
* Hermia might have to foreswear forever what Titania chooses to give up
* Helena has already had to do so against her will

Ah, Cupid: Of course he has to play a part in this! HE tried to shoot and arrow and it missed its target, hitting a flower instead:
“Yet mark’d I where the bolt of Cupid fell:
It fell upon a little western flower,
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound,
And maidens call it love-in-idleness.” (lines 165-168)

Oberon sends Puck out to get the flower because the juice from it, when put on the sleeping eyelids of a man or woman, will cause the person to fall madly in love with the very first live creature that is seen when they wake up.

We then learn in a soliloquy that Oberon intends to put the juice on Titania’s eyelids in hopes that she will be distracted by whatever it is she sees when she wakes up. He will take that opportunity to steal the Indian boy from her.

Oberon then hears two people coming and makes himself invisible……….it’s Demetrius and Helena!
Helena is being really annoying and Demetrius just wants to be left alone! He’s looking for Hermia and Lysander….remember they are eloping! After they leave, Oberon sends Puck off with the flower to Titiania, but tells him to look for Lysander and Helena as well, and to use some juice on Demetrius.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch CHANGE: Such a focus on change!
1. Quarrel between Oberon and Titania is over a changeling
2. The cause and result of the quarrel concerns change
3. The solution to the quarrel is possible because of a change in a flower
4. The power of the changed flower is to transform (change) love-sight

Puck: He is the jester to the king and is one of, if not the most, memorable character of MND. From the fairy, we learn that Puck is responsible for all of the following and more:
1. Frightening village maidens
2. Skimming milk so it wont churn
3. Taking the kick out of liquor
4. Misleading people who travel at night
5. For those who treat him well, doing work and bringing luck
WHAT A RASCAL!
For years, Puck was featured at the top of many Sunday comics, with the banner "What fools these mortals be."
Fairies!!! The fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are Shakespeare’s invention. There had been fairies in English folklore before, but Shakespeare’s differ in several important respects:
1. They are tiny! Miniscule, tiny, itsy bitsy!
2. They are associated with flowers
3. They are caring, compassionate, and generous
It is these fairies that have remained in the public’s imagination ever since the first production of MND.
MND inspired four hundred years of stories and pictures of tiny, butterfly-winged people living in the woods. Walt Disney's fairies are their descendants.

2007-01-24T06:16:00.000-08:00

EXTRA CREDIT WORDS ARE AT THE END OF THIS POST..... above you can see Gold and Gross experiencing the joys of English.........and fairy wings?
F period, 24 January.

And now for something less fun...... don't forget to read to page 16 in Catcher in the Rye for Friday. Also, there is a Vocabulary quiz (if you're missing the vocab scroll down on this page) and if you didn't have sentences today, I need them!

A-B-C
Vocabulary quiz is tomorrow (Thursday), make sure to have your sentences. A period should come prepared with ideas about Catcher in the Rye, and Honors classes should read the first act in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

EXTRA CREDT WORDS:

defenestrate~ to throw something out of a window

otiose ~ Means, roughly, "too complex/arrogant/whatever to be dealt with right now." But, the word is rare and obscure enough that just using it automatically means that you're being otiose yourself...

bugaboo - a chipper word for something that means "an imaginary object of fear." It certainly sounds imaginary!!

2007-01-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

SHAKESPEARE, YAY!

Here's a snapshot of what we talked about in class today..........

Did you know the word 'housekeeping' was a Shakespeare invention?
Believe it or not, Shakespeare literally invented 1,700 words in the English language. He was the first person to use words like - aerial, critic, submerge, majestic, hurry, lonely, road, assassination, laughable, reliance, exposure...... 'Break the ice', 'All that glitters is not gold', 'Hot-blooded', 'In the mind’s eye', 'Housekeeping', 'It’s all Greek to me', 'The naked truth', 'One fell swoop', 'Method in his madness'..... There you go. Shakespeare is probably in all our lives in some way every day. Even those of us who’ve never seen one of his plays or read one of his sonnets.

Box Office!
Ever hear of a box office? Of course you have! Know where the name comes from? Well...... In Elizabethan times many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed at The Globe Theatre in London. To get in, you put one penny in a box by the door. Then you could stand on the ground in front of the stage. To sit on the first balcony, you put another penny in the box held by a man in front of the stairs. To sit on the second balcony, you put another penny in the box held by the man by the second flight of stairs. Then when the show started, the men went and put the boxes in a room backstage - the box office.

'The Globe' The Globe Theatre didn’t just show plays. It ‘acted’ as a bear pit, brothel, and a gambling house.

No Copyright In Shakespeare’s time copyright didn’t exist, so the actors only got their lines as the play was in progress. They only got to know who else was playing what the day of the performance. Many times they didn't even get their own lines. They did "cue acting", which meant that there was a person backstage that whispered the lines to the person right before he was going to say them. Actors were not considered trustworthy people, and the market for good plays was large.

No women allowed, ewwww girls have cooties! The actors were all men in Shakespeare's day. The parts of women were played by boys who still had light voices.

Birthday Nobody knows Shakespeare’s true birthday. By tradition and guesswork, William is assumed to have been born on April the 23rd, a date now commonly used to celebrate the famous Bard's birthday. He also died on 23 April

Images of him There are only two authentic portraits of William Shakespeare. An engraving of him by Martin Droeshout first published on the title page of the 1623 First Folio, yes you're looking at it right there!And the monument of the great playwright in Stratford's Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. I've seen the engraving.....it's at the National Portrait Gallery in London. However, it is often traveling and can be found in places like Connecticut!

An older woman! William married a much older woman. Anne Hathaway was 26 years old when William married her at age 18. They married at Temple Grafton, a village approximately five miles (8 km) from Stratford. Anne Hathaway was said to be from Shottery.

No BA Shakespeare, one of literature’s greatest figures, never went to university. This doesn't mean you shouldn't go to college though!

His first play? Most academics agree that William wrote his first play, Henry VI, Part One around 1589 to 1590 when he would have been roughly 25 years old. I'm almost 25 and i can't begin to imagine ever writing a play......ever.

Survivor William lived through the Black Death. This epidemic killed over 33,000 in London alone in 1603 when Will was 39.

Shakespeare lost a play The play Cardenio that has been credited to him and which was performed in his life, has been completely lost to time. Today we have no written record of its story whatsoever.

Death
Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52. He wrote on average 1.5 plays a year since he first started in 1589. His last play The Two Noble Kinsmen is thought to have been written in 1613 when he was 49 years old.

Nearly missed out William never published any of his plays. We read his plays today only because his fellow actors, posthumously recorded his work as a dedication to their fellow actor in 1623, publishing 36 of William’s plays.
This collection known as The First Folio is the source from which all published Shakespeare books are derived and is an important proof that he authored his plays.

His Booty Shakespeare left most of his property to Susannah, his first child and not to his wife Anne Hathaway. Instead his loyal wife infamously received his "second-best bed". The Bard's second best bed wasn’t so bad, it was his marriage bed; his best bed was for guests.

Doom and gloom
Suicide occurs an unlucky thirteen times in Shakespeare’s plays.

It occurs in Romeo and Juliet where both Romeo and Juliet commit suicide.In Julius Caesar where both Cassius and Brutus die by consensual stabbing, as well as Brutus’ wife Portia.

In Othello, where Othello stabs himself, in Hamlet where Ophelia is said to have "drowned" in suspicious circumstances, in Macbeth when Lady Macbeth dies, and finally in Antony and Cleopatra where suicide occurs an astounding five times (Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Eros.

2007-01-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

So here we are, all having survived midterms. Congrats! Now it's time to move on to bigger and better things!

Honors: Get ready for some Shakespeare! We will be reading A Midsummer Night's Dream. Don't worry, it's one of the easier of Shakespeare's plays and it's no tragedy like Romeo and Juliet, it's a comedy.....hahaha! Get ready to laugh be be enchanted by fairies! I'm doing my best to get some plants and lights in the room to create a sort of fairy land, but i'm not sure how successful my efforts will be......anyone have extra lights? Or plants? Or anything to spice up the room? Bring it in! There may be some extra credit in it for ya!

C1 classes: We will begin reading Catcher in the Rye. I know, it's hard to contain your excitement!
You can see the cover of the first edition <--over there to your left and a photo of our main man, Mr. J.D. Salinger over there on the right -->
Isn't he handsome?
Can you believe this book was on the top of the list of banned books in the 1990s? That wasn't too long ago!
We are SO LUCKY that we are allowed to read it now, aren't we?

C2; I'm working on finding a book for you guys.........I'm thinking that the curious incident of the dog in the night-time would be super duper, but only if you haven't read it. Let me know if you have!

2007-01-16T07:23:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 16

INSIDIOUS~adj~ sneaky, sly, meant to deceive or entrap, treacherous

ENGENDER~v~ to cause or exist or to develop; produce

EXACERBATE~v~ to make worse, to make more violent

GIBE~v~ to mock or ridicule
~n~ an expression of scorn or derision

GARRULOUS~adj~ tiresomely talkative, wordy and rambling

ALACRITY~n~ cheerful willlingness, eagerness

IMPLAUSIBLE~adj~ difficult to believe, provoking disbelief, not plausible

PHLEGMATIC~adj~ having or showing a slow and stolid temperament, having a sluggish temperament, unemotional

CONSECRATE~v~ to decleare or set apart as sacred, dedicated to a sacred purpose

LISTLESS~adj~ lack of interest, energy, or spirit, lethargic

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS...............

PREVARICATE~v~ to lie, to stray from or evade the truth

EXTOL~v~ to praise highly, exalt, glorify or honor

BEFUDDLE~v~ to confuse, perplex

YEN~n~ strong desire or inclination, a yearning or craving

MUTINOUS~adj~ rebellious, unruly, turbulent, uncontrollable

2007-01-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

2007-01-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

HEY HONORS! WANT THE FIRST FOURTEEN WORDS ON YOUR EXAM? SURE!

mettle-n-
jubiliation-n-
comely-adj-
waggish-adj-
squander-v-
lurid-adj-
preclude-v-
dolt-n-
cherubic-adj-
somnolent-adj-
xenophobia-n-
besmirch-v-
glutinous-adj-

YOU'RE WELCOME!

2007-01-11T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hey, long time no blog! But here I am. Did you miss me? Probably you're too worked up about mid-terms to be checking for possible Ms. Wallace blogs. Good luck on mid-terms! At least it's a four-day week and half-days every day. . .

Things here have been a little crazy. Hannah had her bone marrow transplant last Friday. Olivia had her surgery to collect the bone marrow - she was REALLY sore for a few days, but she is back to her same old full of beans self now and feeling like QUITE the celebrity. Big sister Emma was SOOOOOOOOO nice to her while she wasn't feeling well. I believe that novelty has worn off and it's back to sibling rivalry like usual. Hannah is really feeling awful. If you've been checking her care page, you know she hasn't been updating (although her dad has been acting as her mouthpiece). She hasn't done ANYTHING since before Friday. All the chemo and drugs and transplant have taken everything out of her. Hopefully, she'll start to feel a bit better in the next week or two.

I've been reading (big surprise). Some good stuff, too. I read one book that was VERY inappropriate - so much so that I can't even tell you its name. . . For some reason, I didn't realize its "content" until I got it home . . . Then I became hugely embarrassed that the checkout girl saw me buy it. Oh, well. I'm far from home. She doesn't know me. And this is a big city. And THEY'RE the ones selling this . . . um. . . dirty stuff.

Then I read a book called Stick Figures by Lori Gottlieb which is a memoir of this 11-year old girl. Well, she's not 11 now. She was 11 in 1977 or 1978. (Me, too.) It was based on her 11-year-old self's diary of anorexia. Pretty intense but good. I am a big sucker for anorexia books - always have been. If I had read that book when I was 11 or 12 or 13, I probably would have tried all of her dieting strategies. Luckily, now I know how dangerous and horrible that is. It's really disturbing how a person's mind can trick them into doing crazy things like eating NOTHING and still feeling fat. Minds are so interesting. . .

Next was Marley and Me by John Grogan. It's the one about the family with a CRAZY yellow lab and their lives together. Even though I'm not really a dog person, I enjoyed this book. The author is not only telling a story of a dog but of the growing up of a family. He has sort of a journalistic style - like someone who writes editorials or magazine articles. (He should; that's his profession.) But the style makes you feel like it's a friend talking to you - very comfortable to read. And I think everyone knows a dog like his (crazy) - We used to have a crazy dog like this. Her name was Dixie. She ate linoleum, a doorjamb (sp?), every expensive pair of shoes I owned, a winter coat (mine), cd cases (and cds), dictionaries, hard-cover books, soft-cover books, board games . . . you get the idea. I could relate. Other people I know apparently sobbed their way through the end of this book. Um . . . not me. Maybe I'm hard-hearted. Maybe they're lily-livered. Maybe it's just not sad. (Magic 3!!!) It was good, though.

Finally, I read Love is a Mix Tape by Rob Sheffield. So good. Every chapter starts off with a cassette tape cover listing all of the songs on a mix tape he or his wife or a friend made. That's cool enough. Then the author (who is a dj, writes for Rolling Stone, etc.) tells his life and the meaning he makes from it with the help of the songs. His wife died after they were only married five years - she was only 30. He's devastated and is telling the story of him, of her, of them through the music they loved or hated. The beginning and the end are sort of sappy, Hallmark love story - a little too much for hard-hearted me. But the middle is compelling and beautiful and makes you think. To me, it's interesting to learn about the life of someone for whom music is so important - it defines his life and different times in his life. I like music, but it's not like that for me. I guess books are like that for me. There was my Sweet Valley High period and my memoir era and my goofy romance epoch and . . .

And I've been watching the series House on DVD. So good. Gory and sarcastic and shocking and I love that Hugh Laurie! I recommend.

Well, perhaps I've rambled enough. And I need to go get the laundry. So see ya later, alligators.

2007-01-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

EXAM REVIEW GUIDE- THIS INCLUDES ALL VOCABULARY!!!!

Miss Simison
Midterm Exam Guide
5 January 2007

It’s that time of year again…….MIDTERMS!

Here’s what will be included on yours:

Vocabulary!
Study all of the words, 150 words for C1 and 225 words for honors. I know it sounds like a lot, but there will only be 50 on the exam. This part of the exam shouldn’t take you longer than 45 minutes.

MCAS Practice Prompt!
This might quite possible be the most exciting part of the exam. You will be given 30 minutes to write the prompt. It will ask you to draw knowledge from something you have read. Usually you have to talk about how a character develops, events that happened in the book, or relationships of the main character. Keeping the methods of characterization in the back of your mind is an excellent idea. It may also be a good idea to make a list of books you have read with their authors and who the main character is:

BOOK AUTHOR MAIN CHARACTER
1. The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger Holden Caulfield
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The best way to format your prompt would be to….
1st Paragraph: Give an opening sentence related to the question you are being asked.
State your thesis (main idea)
State three points to support your thesis

2nd Paragraph: First point
Examples to support point

3rd Paragraph Second point
Examples to support point

4th Paragraph: Third Point
Examples to support point

5th Paragraph: Last one! Restate the question
Restate your thesis
Restate your three supporting ideas
Wrap it up with a killer last sentence!

Smiley Face Tricks!
Be familiar with all eight Smiley Face Tricks…especially figurative language! I may have you write them down for me, or give you a piece of writing and have you identify as many as you can find.

1~ MAGIC 3—Lists, examples, adjectives......three examples in a series can create a rhythm, or add support for a point, they add emphasis and a poetic, musical quality for listeners/readers

2~REPETITION FOR EFFECT—Writers often repeat specially chosen words or phrases to make a point, to stress certain ideas for the reader........repeat a symbol, sentence starter, important word for importance. This is not because you can't think of another work, repetition for effect is always conscious!

3~ SPECIFIC DETAILS FOR EFFECT—Instead of general, vague descriptions, specific sensory details help the reader visualize the person, place, thing, or idea—uh, you know, a SHOW as opposed to tell! Add vivid and specific information to your writing to clarify and create word pictures. thundered instead of noise, Cadillac instead of car.....you get the point.

4~ FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE—Non-literal comparisons such as similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, symbolism, irony, alliteration, assonance etc —add “spice” to writing and can help paint a more vivid picture for the reader:

~SIMILIES~ compare using like or as...stiff AS a board

~METAPHORS~ compares without using like or as... her face is an open book

~HYERBOLE~ an extreme exaggeration... so hungry i could eat a horse

~ONOMATOPOEIA~ a word that sounds like what it means... BAM! BOOM! ZAP! CRUNCH!

~ALLITERATION~ repetition of beginning consonant sound...peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers...gives noise and music to the piece of writing

~ASSONANCE~ related to alliteration, the dark side of it, repetition of vowel sound in neighboring words...rain in Spain....but it doesn't have to rhyme...hEat of the mEan girls' argument is a near rhyme

5~ FULL-CIRCLE ENDING - When you include an image at the beginning of a piece of writing and then mentioning it again at the end, it gives your piece a sense of closure.

6~ HYPHENATED MODIFIERS— When you connect two adjectives or adverbs together with a hyphen to describe a noun, it lends an air of originality and sophistication to your writing. Sometimes a new way of saying something can make all the difference; hyphenated modifiers, or single-thought adjectives, often cause the reader to “sit up and take notice.” They add originality and more flavor to writing and allow you to invent words:

7~ EXPANDED MOMENT—Instead of “speeding” past a moment, writers often emphasize it by “expanding” the actions, developing it fully to make your reader take notice. Taking a moment you would ordinarily speed past and stretch it out intentionally. This makes writing BETTER, not longer!

8~ HUMOR—Professional writers know the value of laughter; even subtle humor can help turn a “boring” paper into one that can raise someone’s spirits. Whenever possible and appropriate, inject a little humor to keep your reader awake. Remind the reader that reading is fun!

Methods of Characterization!
~ How a writer develops his or her character

STARRD!

1. Speech
What a character says and how they say it...very important.

2. Thoughts
What's going on inside a character's head? A lot probably!

3. Actions
What a character does can teach a reader, and other characters, a lot about them.

4. Reactions
How other characters respond to events.

5. Relationships The saying goes.........you can tell a lot about a person by who their friends are! Relationships reveal LOADS about a character!

6. Direct Description This is where the writer comes right out and tells you about the character!

GRAMMAR!

There will be a paragraph edit on the exam.

HONORS CLASSES:
THERE WILL BE A PORTION OF THE EXAM RELATED TO CATCHER IN THE RYE COMPRISED OF BOTH QUESTIONS TEXT-RELATED AND QUESTIONS OPINION-RELATED. BRING YOUR BOOKS!

C1 CLASSES:
THERE WILL BE A PORTION OF THE EXAM RELATED TO PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION!

There are several ways to organize your writing. Not every pattern will work for every writer or for every piece of writing. It is important to organize the writing in an order that is interesting, but more importantly it must be logical. In other words, it has to make sense to the reader. Everything must fit together, much like the pieces of a puzzle.

Chronological Order
Chronological order is the order in which the events occurred, from first to last. This is the easiest pattern to write and to follow.

Cause and Effect Order
In this type of order, the cause (or reason) is usually discussed first. This then leads to a discussion of the effect (or result.)

Problem to Solution Order
In this type of order, the problem is presented first. Details about the problem, including its cause, follows. Next, a suggested solution will be discussed, including details that support the solution.

Spatial Order
Takes the reader from one spot the next, as if the reader were looking at something. It is very descriptive.

Climactic Order
Takes the reader from the least important idea to the most important idea. The ideas build in importance, holding the reader's attention. The best is saved for the last.

Reverse Climactic Order
The most important idea is stated first and the least important idea is stated last. This method is used most often in newspaper articles. This way if the reader does not finish the article he/she will still know the most important details. This method grabs the reader's attention in the beginning, but it does not work very will in holding the reader's attention clear to the end.

Process Order
A sequence of actions is described. It instructs the reader on how to do something. It is basically a set of directions. Owner's manuals and cookbooks are organized in this pattern.

Classification Order
The main idea is broken down into smaller areas or classifications. Each classification is then discussed.

Comparison/Contrast Order point by point/ block
This type of order is again based on comparison (the similarities) and contrast (the differences.) Instead of being divided into parts, however, both sides of each point are discussed together.

EXAM SHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS:

16 January: A and B Periods
17 January: C and D Periods
18 January: E and F Periods
19 January: G and H Periods

GOOD LUCK!

VOCABULARY 15

INVETERATE-ADJ- long standing; habitual
MULTIFARIOUS-ADJ- having great variety; numerous and diverse
RENEGADE-N- an outlaw, a traitor, a deserter
RUMINATE-V- to meditate, to think at length
CARPING-ADJ- complaining
CLAIRVOYANT-N, ADJ- having exceptional insight; a person with exceptional insight (a psychic)
PANOPLY-N- 1. A splendid array 2. warrior's armor
LOLL-V- to lounge, to act in a lazy manner
COMPUNCTION-N- remorse, regret
DISPARAGE-V- to discredit, to belittle

ADIITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS CLASSES:

COMELY-ADJ- attractive and agreeable
ASKEW-ADJ- crooked, slanted
PRESAGE-V- foretell
UNCOUTH-ADJ- outlandish and rude
GOSSAMER-ADJ- sheer, like cobwebs

VOCABULARY 14

RECLUSE-n- a person who lives alone and away from others
FARRAGO -n- a careless or confused mixture, a hodge-podge
VERNACULAR -n- standard, everyday language; common, idiomatic
UNGUENT -n- ointment; salve for wounds
SUCCINT -adj- concise, clearly said in a few words
TACITURN-adj- habitually untalkative, uncommunicative
TOUT-v- to promote or praise energetically
UNIMPEACHABLE-adj- beyond doubt, beyond reproach
VIABLE-adj- able to live or exist
WANTON-adj- immoral; deliberately cruel and malicious

additional 5 for honors classes:

PRATTLE -v- babble, chatter
METTLE -n- courage, spirit
GREGARIOUS -adj- sociable
ENMITY -n- ill-will, hatred
VEXATIOUS -adj- full of annoyance or distress; harassed, intended to vex or annoy

THE EXTRA CREDIT WORDS!!!!

VERMICULATE-V- TO DECORATE WITH WAVY OR WINDING LINES or ADJ- WORM-LIKE, TWISTING, INFECTED WITH WORMS (EWWW!)
MISPRIZE-V- TO DESPISE; TO UNDERVALUE
HEMIALGIA-N- PAIN AFFECTING ONE HALF OF THE BODY
HELMINTHOLOGY-N- THE STUDY OF WORMS (EWWW AGAIN!)

VOCABULARY 13

BELLICOSE-adj- war-like, quarrelsome
ABJURE-v- to renounce; to avoid or shun
INGRATIATE-v- to get on someone's good side, to make oneself acceptable
JUDICIOUS-adj- wise, careful, showing good judgement
LEVITY-n- lightness, lack of seriousness
CORROSIVE-adj- acidlike, eating away gradually; bitterly sarcastic
PARIAH-n- an outcast
STENTORIAN-adj- extremely loud
OBVIATE-v- to anticipate and prevent
RETROGRESS-v- to move backward, to return to an earlier condition

additional words for honors.........

BROWBEAT-v- to bully, to intimidate
BRAZEN-adj- insolent, rude
JUBILATION-n- rejoicing, celebration
REPREHENSIBLE-adj- deserving blame
WAGGISH-adj- mischievous

EXTRA CREDIT:
RACONTEUR
SPASMODIC
PRATFALL

VOCABULARY 12

CIRCUMSPECT-ADJ- careful, cautious
HISTRIONIC-ADJ- over-acting, melodramatic, theatrical
DEBILITATE-V- to weaken, to sap the strength of
GESTICULATE-V- to make gestures, especially when speaking
DISMANTLE-V- to take apart
BUCOLIC-ADJ- pastoral, rural, rustic
ENERVATE-V- to weaken or destroy the strength of
EVANESCENT-ADJ- fleeting, gradually disappearing
DIDACTIC-ADJ- instructive, meant to teach
GARNER-V- to collect

and all you honors students can add on the following:

SQUANDER-V- to waster, to use extravagantly
PANDEMIC-ADJ- epidemic over a large region
GRUELING-ADJ- exhausting, difficult
BELLIGERENT-ADJ- war-like, ready to fight
LURID-ADJ- shocking and sensational; glowing through flames

x-tra credit: this differs from class to class depending on which words we assigned

PYE-DOG (MAY ALSO BE SPELLED PI-DOG)
PURULENCE
LIGER
DOGGO
BELLESLETTRES

VOCABULARY 11

ingenuous-adj- innocent; sincere
altruistic-adj- selfless
arduous-adj- difficult, hard
venal-adj- open to bribery or corruption
capricious-adj- changeable, whimsical
sycophant-n- flatterer, suck-up
vacuous-adj- stupid or inane, devoid of meaning
ungainly-adj- awkward, clumsy
quell-v- to suppress or quiet by force
strident-adj- loud, harsh, doscordant, grating

additional words for honors:

cherubic-adj- angelic, innocent
meddlesome-adj- interfering
reprisal-n- retaliation
ebullient-adj- enthusiastic
dogged-adj- stubborn and perservering

VOCABULARY 10~ this is the week where honors and c1 had separate lists

HONORS:

QUISLING-n-a traitor, someone who betrays his/her country to help an invading enemy
PAINSTAKING-adj-very carefule, attentive
NEFARIOUS-adj-wicked, evil
PRECLUDE-v-to prevent
PROVINCIAL-adj-unsophisticated, countrified
RECCALCITRANT-adj-unmanageable, refusing to follow rules
SYBARITE-n-a person devoted to luxury and pleasure, a hedonist
JUXTAPOSE-v-to place side by side to compare or contrast
FECUND-adj-fertile, productive
GAMESOME-adj-merry, frolicsome
DOLT-n-idiot, stupid person
AGAPE-adj-open-mouthed
IMPECCABLE-adj-perfect, flawless
RESPLENDENT-adj- brilliant, lustrous
PERORATE-v- to lecture or give a sermon

C1:

MOROSE-adj-gloomy and bad tempered
PAINSTAKING-adj-very careful, attentive
NEFARIOUS-adj-wicked, evil
PRECLUDE-v-to prevent
PROVINCIAL-adj-unsophisticated, countrified
RECALCITRANT-adj-unmanageable, refusing to follow rules
RESCIND-v-to take back, cancel, appeal
JUXTAPOSE-v-to place side by side to compare or contrast
FECUND-adj-fertile, productive
SUBSTANTIATE-v-to support with proof or verify

VOCABULARY 9

duplicity-n- deceitfulness
emulate-v- to try to equal or surpass
euphemism-n- a nice way of saying something that is harsh
fastidious-adj- hard to please, particular
garbled-adj- confused mixture
hierarchy-n- organization by rank or class
impassive-adj- without feeling or emotion
indigent-adj- poverty stricken
jargon-n- specialized vocabulary of members of a group
lethargic-adj- drowsy, dull sluggish

ADDITIONAL FIVE FOR HONORS:
panache-n- flair, flamboyance
inept-adj- incompetent
disconsolate-adj- sad
somnolent-adj- half-asleep
nepotism-n- favoritism to a relative

EXTRA CREDIT-
scofflaw-n- one who flouts laws....traffic, liquor, etc
perspicuous-adj- easily understood
perspicacious-adj- having good judgement, discerning
operculum-n- body process or part that suggests a lid, the covering of the gills of a fish
interstice-n- crack, crevice

VOCABULARY 8

adulterate - v - to corrupt, contaminate, or pollute
aloof - adj. - standoffish, indifferent, not interested
apochryphal - adj. - false, counterfeit
belittle - v - to make something seem unimportant, to trivialize
capitulate - v - to surrender, to give in
If we don't capitulate to the criminal's demands, she may kill the hostages.
crestfallen - adj. - discouraged, disappointed
conciliatory - adj. - meant to soothe or reconcile
dearth - n - shortage

desecrate - v - to treat with disrespect
diffident - adj. - shy; modest, unassertive

HONORS ONLY:

spectral - adj. - ghostly
mendacious - adj. - lying, false
guffaw - n - boisterous laughter
bilk - v - to swindle or cheat
pusillanimous - adj. - cowardly, faint-hearted

VOCABULARY 7

quintessence - n - the purest form, the most typical example
tentative - adj. - not definite; hesitant
repugnant - adj. - disgusting, loathsome (um . . . MAYONNAISE!)
venerate - v - to honor, to treat with great respect (what you should do to your
English teacher)
sophomoric - adj. - immature; over-confident
stultifying - adj. - causing to appear stupid, rendering useless
stark - adj. - harsh, desolate, grim, bleak
rebuff - v - to reject, to snub
voracious - adj. - ravenous, greedy
quiescent - adj. - dormant, inactive, at rest

Honors only:

xenophobia - n - fear of foreigners, fear of strangers
besmirch - v - to tarnish or soil
imprudent - adj. - not careful
penurious - adj. - stingy, parsimonious
perfunctory - adj. - superficial, not thorough, half-hearted

Extra credit:

nictitate - v
emotophobia - n
scuttlebutt - n
coulrophobia - n
oenophile – n

VOCABULARY 6

heretic - n - someone who goes against a church
laudable - adj. - praiseworthy
propensity - n - tendency, inclination
indefatigable - adj. - tireless
impartial - adj - unbiased, fair
pragmatic - adj - practical
peruse - v - to study, to look over carefully
overt - adj. - obvious
mitigate - v - to make less intense, to relieve
irrelevant - adj - not related, not important

Honors only:
dawdle - v - to linger, to go slowly
doddering - adj - shaky
glutinous - adj. - sticky
malediction - n - a curse
pundit - n - a learned person

Extra Credit:
joypop - v
poshlust - n
upsilamba – n

VOCABULARY 5

chimerical - adj. - absurd, wildly fanciful, imaginative
cogent - adj. - strong and convincing
cursory - adj. - quickly and without attention to detail
derogatory - adj. - negative and degrading
discerning - adj. - perceptive, shrewd, observant
dormant - adj. - asleep, at rest
embroil - v - to involve or engage (in a quarrel)
deft - adj. - skillful, adept, nimble
fallacy - n - false idea, mistaken belief
galvanize - v - to stimulate, stir up, or get started

Honors only:
extirpate - v - to destroy completely; to tear up by the roots
craven - adj. - cowardly
impecunious - adj. - without money
restive - adj. - unmanageable
turbid - adj. - muddy

Extra credit:
solidus - n
crepuscular - adj.
cysticercoid - n
counterpane - n
popple - n, v

VOCABULARY 4

aversion - n - strong dislike
unequivocal - adj. - very clear, obvious
alleviate - v - to relieve, to make easier
voluminous - adj. - large; enough to fill volumes
callous - adj. - unfeeling, insensitive
tenets - n - principles, beliefs, or truths held by a group
abstinence - n - the giving up of certain pleasures like food, drink, sex, etc.
antithesis - n - direct opposite
validate - v - to verify or substantiate
surreptitiously - adv. - sneakily, slyly

Five more for Honors:

fracas - n - brawl, melee
munificent - adj. - very generous
complacent - adj. - self-satisfied
veracious - adj. - truthful
mendicant - n - beggar

Extra Credit:

hemidemisemiquaver - n
plug-ugly - n
fustigate - v
terpsichorean - adj.
bowyer – n

VOCABULARY 3

meticulous-adj- careful about details, fussy
opulent-adj- wealthy; luxuriant
peripheral-adj- external; tangential (not central)
ponderous-adj- heavy; dull or tiresome
prolific-adj- producing a lot; having many children
raze-v- to destroy or tear down
repudiate-v- to reject, to refuse or acknowledge
salutary-adj- healthful, useful
serene-adj- peaceful
stringent-adj- strict or severe

ADDITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS:

coddle-v- to treat indulgently
spendthrift-n- one who wastes money
hoodwinked-v- deceived or cheated
tatterdemalion-n- a raggedy person
gingerly-adv- carefully

EXTRA CREDIT:
elephant folio-n-
anaphora-n-
sphygmomanometer-n-
unciform-adj-

VOCABULARY 2

dogmatic - adj. - certain that opinions and beliefs are true; arrogant
embellish - v - to decorate; to add to
esoteric - adj. - understood by only a select few
facilitate - v - to make easier
furtive - adj. - sneaky, secretive
hedonist - n - one who lives for pleasure
immutable - adj. - never changing
incorrigible - adj. - unable to be reformed
irrefutable - adj. - cannot be disproved
latent - adj. - present but invisible

Additional words for honors:

amorphous - adj. - shapeless
benison - n - blessing
celerity - n - speed
doldrums - n - blues, sadness
extemporaneous - adj. - unplanned, impromptu

2007-01-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 15

INVETERATE-ADJ- long standing; habitual
MULTIFARIOUS-ADJ- having great variety; numerous and diverse
RENEGADE-N- an outlaw, a traitor, a deserter
RUMINATE-V- to meditate, to think at length
CARPING-ADJ- complaining
CLAIRVOYANT-N, ADJ- having exceptional insight; a person with exceptional insight (a psychic)
PANOPLY-N- 1. A splendid array 2. warrior's armor
LOLL-V- to lounge, to act in a lazy manner
COMPUNCTION-N- remorse, regret
DISPARAGE-V- to discredit, to belittle

ADIITIONAL 5 FOR HONORS CLASSES:

COMELY-ADJ- attractive and agreeable
ASKEW-ADJ- crooked, slanted
PRESAGE-V- foretell
UNCOUTH-ADJ- outlandish and rude
GOSSAMER-ADJ- sheer, like cobwebs

Extra Credit:
quadrumanous-adj
ufology-n- the study of yep, you guessed it, UFOs!
pantoffle-n-
comstockery-n-

2007-01-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

Hi, folks!
Hope everyone had a wonderful vacation. I ran into a few of you in my travels - some of you LITERALLY in my travels (bus, bus station) and others of you just in my Stop & Shop and Bunch of Grapes and Cronig's type travels. As always, lovely to see you!

I've jumped back into whole-hearted reading this week! Hannah has been transferred to the bone marrow transplant ward. She has a (small!) private room and she's not allowed to even leave her room. She feels pretty miserable from all of the chemo, so she sleeps A LOT. And she likes to have me at her side. So . . . she sleeps and I read. I finished Kite Runner, of course. It was, seriously, the best book I've ever read. SOOOO good. It was darker than I usually like, but I think I'm starting to appreciate dark, realistic stories a little more - they make me appreciate what I have. Anyway, there's a really disturbing incident early in the book, and you think, "Is that it? How can there be more? What's the author going to do for the next 300 pages?" But the author doesn't let you down. There's more and more and more again. I talked to Ms. Ferrone about it - she thought the ending was too neatly tied, too full-circle, too melodramatic. I guess I agree with all parts of that EXCEPT the "TOO." I thought it was perfect.

Next I read a book called More, Now, Again by Elizabeth Wurtzel. Elizabeth Wurtzel wrote a pretty famous memoir of her adolescent/young adult struggle with depression; I read it long ago. This book is a memoir of her drug addiction in her late 20's and early 30's; it is EXCELLENT! It is pretty graphic in terms of her drug use, but it is realistic and highlights her highs (no pun intended) and lows and self-discovery. Another dark book.

Yesterday, I read one called Things to Bring, S#!t to Do by Karen Rizzo. It's a book of lists from 10 years of her life. The beginning is kind of lame, but I really appreciate the concept of the book - a book in lists. It reminds me of the magazine Found or of the book Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse-Rosenthal. As the book goes on, it gets much better. Or maybe I just got better at reading it - it takes a while to get used to garnering a story from the lists.

I did read a trashy but fascinating book called Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgans. I think it's a Harlequin Romance but now they're calling them HQN because they know that people like me are WAY too snobby to read something that says Harlequin Romance on it even if we'd LOVE the romantic storyline and happy ending. Anyway, one of my best friends gave me the book because one of her friends and neighbors in Connecticut WROTE it! I practically know the author! Very cool. And it's set on Cape Cod in Orleans and Eastham, an area I know pretty well. Usually I don't like that because I spend too much time trying to figure out place landmarks, but the love story of this was so compelling, I actually enjoyed it. It's not perfectly written - some of the dialogue feels a little bit fake and some of the story feels a little bit forced, but I got very sucked in to it and read it in a morning. It was like watching addictive tv.

Whew! That was a lot of book information - told you I'm reading a lot. Probably I should take a break and talk to Hannah or fetch her some ginger ale or do her laundry or something. I'm thinking about all of you and hope your last weeks of first semester are going well. Almost halfway through the school year!

Ms. Wallace

2007-01-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

HONORS:
STOP STRESSING ABOUT THE CATCHER IN THE RYE PAPER!
It's not that bad, really!
I'm here to help, stop in anytime, or contact me via firstclass.

Ok, now for the technicalities:
Papers must be 1,200-1,300 words....double-spaced, preferably in a font I can read.
Topics must be approved by me! So don't start writing until you get the A-OK!
Papers are due on 12 January. NO EXCEPTIONS.

A and F Periods:
YOUR SECOND AND FINAL WRITING PIECE OF THE QUARTER IS DUE ON THURSDAY 4 JANUARY OR FRIDAY 5 JANUARY.

NO DIALOGUE JOURNALS DUE THIS WEEK...........
"Thanks Miss S, you're the best!"
"You're welcome class!"

Everyone:

Vocabulary 14 as usual, quiz and sentences due Thursday or Friday depending on when you have class.

Selfless Act MUST be completed by Thursday so we can reflect on them in class and get on with our next three week project!!

2007-01-02T06:42:00.001-08:00

VOCABULARY 14

And now that you've thoroughly enjoyed my cartoon (HA HA HA!), here are the words:

RECLUSE-n- a person who lives alone and away from others

FARRAGO -n- a careless or confused mixture, a hodge-podge

VERNACULAR -n- standard, everyday language; common, idiomatic

UNGUENT -n- ointment; salve for wounds

SUCCINT -adj- concise, clearly said in a few words

TACITURN-adj- habitually untalkative, uncommunicative

TOUT-v- to promote or praise energetically

UNIMPEACHABLE-adj- beyond doubt, beyond reproach

VIABLE-adj- able to live or exist

WANTON-adj- immoral; deliberately cruel and malicious

additional 5 for honors classes:

PRATTLE -v- babble, chatter

METTLE -n- courage, spirit

GREGARIOUS -adj- sociable

ENMITY -n- ill-will, hatred

VEXATIOUS -adj- full of annoyance or distress; harassed, intended to vex or annoy

AND NOW...........THE EXTRA CREDIT WORDS!!!!

VERMICULATE-V- TO DECORATE WITH WAVY OR WINDING LINES or ADJ- WORM-LIKE, TWISTING, INFECTED WITH WORMS (EWWW!)

MISPRIZE-V- TO DESPISE; TO UNDERVALUE

HEMIALGIA-N- PAIN AFFECTING ONE HALF OF THE BODY

HELMINTHOLOGY-N- THE STUDY OF WORMS (EWWW AGAIN!)

2006-12-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hello there, favorite students!!!

It's approaching winter break, and I know you are excited for the festive vacation - looking forward to plenty of free time to snuggle in front of the fire and READ or maybe do a new puzzle. Maybe some of you are celebrating holidays and will see family and friends and maybe get a present or two . . . I hope you have fun.

I was so thrilled to read the posts sent by some of you - I almost started CRYING I was so happy to hear from you!!! So I have some notes back:
Gretta - I'm glad you liked The Golden Compass books - I'm definitely going to try the others in the series. The first one went quite well.
Ben H - I'm so glad you tuned in for homework and found me! Thanks for your kind wishes!
Phebe - Hi back. I miss your sarcastic antics.
Prudence - Thanks for being so encouraging. I hope your family has a nice holiday.
DAN - Thank you SOOOOOOOOO much for the post! I miss you and your class like crazy. I hope that I'll be able to come in to visit soon. How is your book going? I haven't been doing nearly as much reading as I'd like to be. It's a little distracting here. . . Anyway, you are a champ! I hope you have a merry Christmas, and I'd love to hear from you again soon!

For anyone who wants to hear my reading history, I just finished the most recent IT Girl book - Reckless. It was great, but . . . some of the characters are starting to seem a little too much like Gossip Girls characters . . . Easy is a little to Nate-like and Tinsley is too Blair and Heath is WAY too Chuck. See what you think. I read the David Sedaris book Holidays on Ice which was very short and VERY funny - in a very inappropriate way. One story was about a tv producer talking to a Kentucky congregation in their church on Christmas - might make you laugh until you wet your pants. Another one was about totally selfish families competing to appear the most generous in the land - very dark but very funny. Now I'm reading The Kite Runner. It's wonderful so far; I can't believe I haven't read it before. I, as always, have an enormous stack of books beside my bed.

If you'd like a Hannah update, she appears to be in remission right now which is good news; her doctor says: "Do a happy dance." Hopefully, she will be going in for a bone marrow transplant on 12/27. She'll have 9 days of really hard chemo, and then the doctors will harvest bone marrow from her sister Olivia and transfuse it to Hannah. It's scary, but we're all hoping for the best.

I miss school and you guys so much! You might not believe this, but it's hard to be away from school, from you, from home. We're going to have our Christmas up in the hospital. We have plans to decorate our tree (a huge fake one that I got at the thrift shop) and decorate gingerbread cookies and maybe even leave the hospital to go out for dinner (if Hannah's allowed). I'm sure it will be fun - just different from what we're used to.

Have a great vacation!

Love, Ms. Wallace

2006-12-20T09:02:00.000-08:00

Update on Your Responsibilities:

SELFLESS ACTS, DO THEM! Remember, it's selfLESS, not selfISH......doing something that benefits you is NOT what I'm looking for! Spread your love elsewhere!

WRITING PIECES:

HONORS:
Congratulations on turning in your second writing pieces of the quarter, YAY! If you didn't, i better have them in hand by Friday OR ELSE!!!!

This leaves only the Catcher in the Rye paper, which will be due on the 8 of January. The book has to be finished then so we can move onto bigger and better things. I may push the paper to the 10 if we need to cover more information in class, but the reason for the due date being the 8 is if a couple of you forget, I can get them the 10th.

COLLEGE I:
You've already turned in your first writing pieces, give yourselves a pat on the back. Your next piece is due on the 3 or 4 of JANUARY, depending on when we have class. Please have them all typed up and looking pretty for me. If you would like to e-mail them to me, that's perfectly acceptable. Go to the MVRHS website, click on FACULTY and look under S for SIMISON, you can find me there!

2006-12-20T08:48:00.000-08:00

Regent Street (Above)

Picadilly Circus (Below)

2006-12-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION:
Class notes from 18-20 December
If you missed class or just didn't take notes like a good student........voila!

PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

There are several ways to organize your writing. Not every pattern will work for every writer or for every piece of writing. It is important to organize the writing in an order that is interesting, but more importantly it must be logical. In other words, it has to make sense to the reader. Everything must fit together, much like the pieces of a puzzle.

Chronological Order
Chronological order is the order in which the events occurred, from first to last. This is the easiest pattern to write and to follow.

Cause and Effect Order
In this type of order, the cause (or reason) is usually discussed first. This then leads to a discussion of the effect (or result.)

Problem to Solution Order
In this type of order, the problem is presented first. Details about the problem, including its cause, follows. Next, a suggested solution will be discussed, including details that support the solution.

Spatial Order
takes the reader from one spot the next, as if the reader were looking at something. It is very descriptive.

Climactic Order
takes the reader from the least important idea to the most important idea. The ideas build in importance, holding the reader's attention. The best is saved for the last.

Reverse Climactic Order
the most important idea is stated first and the least important idea is stated last. This method is used most often in newspaper articles. This way if the reader does not finish the article he/she will still know the most important details. This method grabs the reader's attention in the beginning, but it does not work very will in holding the reader's attention clear to the end.

Process Order
a sequence of actions is described. It instructs the reader on how to do something. It is basically a set of directions. Owner's manuals and cookbooks are organized in this pattern.

Classification Order
the main idea is broken down into smaller areas or classifications. Each classification is then discussed.

Comparison/Contrast Order point by point/ block
This type of order is again based on comparison (the similarities) and contrast (the differences.) Instead of being divided into parts, however, both sides of each point are discussed together.

2006-12-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

Methods of Characterization!! Horaay!
See the cartoon to the left? Get it? Making SPIRITS bright? I know you're laughing. Ok, onto the methods!

1. Speech
What a character says and how they say it...very important.

2. Thoughts
What's going on inside a character's head? A lot probably!

3. Actions
What a character does can teach a reader, and other characters, a lot about them.

4. Reactions
How other characters respond to events.

5. Relationships The saying goes.........you can tell a lot about a person by who their friends are! Relationships reveal LOADS about a character!

6. Direct Description This is where the writer comes right out and tells you about the character!

2006-12-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

OK WALLACE BALLACE, I (MISS S) JUST FOUND ALL OF THESE COMMENTS AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO POST THEM SO YOU CAN READ THEM ALL AT ONCE! THEY'VE BEEN COMING OVER THE PAST MONTH!!! MISS YOU LOVE YOU!

Gretta said...

I LOVE the Golden Compass + series

:)

A loving student said...

Hey Ms. Wallace! Glad to hear all is going well. HOPE YOU"RE BACK SOON! We miss you! (not that Ms. S isn't FANTASTIC). well, I came on looking for the vocab 10 list and found your blogs...very funny and cute! haha anyway, see ya later Ms. Wallace. Tell everyone your class says HI! WE LOVE YOU!

Hey its Ben H. I came here to find about homework and stumbled upon your wonderful blog. Ill keep looking for the homework. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope your daughter has a quick recovery and best wishes to you all.
Ben

Hey miss walace it's Prudence ... I just wanted to say hi and see how you were doing. I dought if you'll see this before I see you but it's the thought that counts. How is Hannah doing? My mom had leukimia when I was little it was a long period of being confused and upset but she pulled through it just as I'm sure Hannah will do! I wish you guys luck and tell Hannah I hope she feels better!!!
~Prudence

Hey Miss Walace ... I just wanted to say hi and see how you were doing. I dought if you'll see this before I see you but it's the thought that counts. How is Hannah? When I was little my mother had leukimia it was a long period of being confused and upset but she pulled through and I'm sure Hannah will do the same... I wish your family luck. Tell Hannah I hope she feels better!
~Prudence

I MISS YOUUUU! its just phebe popping in to see how youre doing...figured you needed a comment....hope to see you soon!

hi ms wallace its dan i miss you very much as well as danny and christian. We need and want you back but ms s is okay, she is acting just as you would and teaching us all the wonderful things neccesary. How is your reading going, are you getting your daily books in? it is good i found a way to get a hold of you and i hope that you write me back. and good luck to you and your daughter and have a very merry christmas! sincerely Dan Ferry

2006-12-18T07:29:00.000-08:00

OKEY DOKEY, HERE'S VOCABULARY 13

BELLICOSE-adj- war-like, quarrelsome
The bellicose 6th graders kept on hitting eachother and calling eachother names during recess.

ABJURE-v- to renounce; to avoid or shun
It might be a good idea to adjure your peers when they make bad decisions

INGRATIATE-v- to get on someone's good side, to make oneself acceptable
If you want to get a good grade, you may want to ingratiate your teacher by bringing her a valentine.

JUDICIOUS-adj- wise, careful, showing good judgement
The judicious student always looked before crossing the street, didn't drive after midnight, and never did drugs.

LEVITY-n- lightness, lack of seriousness
The professor shouwed such levity with his lecture that the students were unable to take it seriously.

CORROSIVE-adj- acidlike, eating away gradually; bitterly sarcastic
The corrosive liquid destroyed the marble countertop.
The corrosive comments hurt the girls feelings so much that she went home after school and cried.

PARIAH-n- an outcast
Social pariahs, although they are often quiet and keep to themselves, can often be some of the smartest students.

STENTORIAN-adj- extremely loud
Every class has a stentorian student, you know, the one who doesn't shut up and will stop at nothing to be heard.

OBVIATE-v- to anticipate and prevent
Vaccinations can obviate the dangers of childhood diseases.
RETROGRESS-v- to move backward, to return to an earlier condition

Students who don't study or do their homework often retrogress instead of making progress

additional words for honors.........

BROWBEAT-v- to bully, to intimidate
If you want to browbeat on of your friends, you could say mean things, treat them poorly, or even spit on them

BRAZEN-adj- insolent, rude
The brazen secretary repeatedly rebuffed all questions the patients had and eventually ignored them altogether.

JUBILATION-n- rejoicing, celebration
The end of year jubilation included silly string, cleaning out of lockers, and LOTS of candy.

REPREHENSIBLE-adj- deserving blame
The student who burned all copies of The Catcher in the Rye was reprehensible and was punished appropriately.

WAGGISH-adj- mischievous
The waggish student was always sllipping in and out of class with a sly grin on his face.

EXTRA CREDIT:
RACONTEUR

SPASMODIC

PRATFALL

2006-12-13T12:45:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Children's Hospital! Nothing much new to report here, but I wanted to say hello. How's school? How's reading? Writing?

I know I told you about the last book I was reading - it was Parched by Heather King. It was pretty good, but by the end, it got a little bit more religious. Hmmmm, that's not quite it. It's just the author started to feel more spiritual maybe and she talked less about other things. I recommend it, though. Interesting to get into the mind of this woman.

Now I'm reading Michael Crichton - State of Fear. I am really enjoying it - it is so quick to read even though it's 600+ pages. It's about environmental issues - global warming/climate change. It provides a lot of scientific information, and a lot of that information flies in the face of everything you may have heard in the media about global warming. I don't know what to believe! Which is good . . . I like when books really make me think, especially about issues that are important and I feel a bit ignorant about them.

Have you done your selfless acts yet? I'm still working on mine. I think I have an idea, though. It's going to be a little bit hard to do, because it requires me to swallow my pride and give up a revenge fantasy and really forgive someone I've been holding a grudge against for a long time. . . Wish me luck. Good luck to you, too.

I hope you are all doing well. I miss you. I'll keep in touch.

2006-12-13T04:48:00.000-08:00

VOCABULARY 12

CIRCUMSPECT-ADJ- careful, cautious
HISTRIONIC-ADJ- over-acting, melodramatic, theatrical
DEBILITATE-V- to weaken, to sap the strength of
GESTICULATE-V- to make gestures, especially when speaking
DISMANTLE-V- to take apart
BUCOLIC-ADJ- pastoral, rural, rustic
ENERVATE-V- to weaken or destroy the strength of
EVANESCENT-ADJ- fleeting, gradually disappearing
DIDACTIC-ADJ- instructive, meant to teach
GARNER-V- to collect

and all you honors students can add on the following:

SQUANDER-V- to waster, to use extravagantly
PANDEMIC-ADJ- epidemic over a large region
GRUELING-ADJ- exhausting, difficult
BELLIGERENT-ADJ- war-like, ready to fight
LURID-ADJ- shocking and sensational; glowing through flames

x-tra credit: this differs from class to class depending on which words we assigned

PYE-DOG (MAY ALSO BE SPELLED PI-DOG)
PURULENCE
LIGER
DOGGO
BELLESLETTRES

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO POST THE DEFINITIONS OF EXTRA CREDIT WORDS MAY DO SO.

2006-12-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

Hello, 10th grade English people! Hope you are all doing well - feeling mighty grateful after you amassed that collection of thankful lists. Doesn't it brighten your day to remember you have SOMETHING to be grateful about even when it's shivery and dark and snaining (snowing and raining) and your piggy bank is empty and your boyfriend is chasing some other girl and your mom threw out your Global Studies project and your brother stole your hat and you have wicked bedhead and . . . You've got to hang on to the positive. Right?!?@?@?@?@?@ I'm trying.

I'm reading an excellent book called Parched by Heather . . . Thomas? Maybe. I'll double check the last name. Anyway, it's a memoir of an alcoholic in the making - and goes on to reveal how she made it. It reveals a lot of telling stuff about her family - not how they hung out in bars and beat her but how they had sort of a famly philosophy, a family ethos, which contributed to her drinking. I like that so far, she's not a blamer - she's not saying her mom was so horrible that she turned to the drink. She's accepting of her circumstances and her own weakness. She does cite the Bible at the start of many chapters which worried me at first - was this going to be a FOUND-GOD kind of memoir, but it's not. It's real and not depressing and not too easy; Excellent.

I'm in the hospital now with Hannah. She's pretty miserable. All her hair has fallen out except a pink fringe around her face - kind of a pink tinged lion look. She has enjoyed hearing from many of you on her care page. You guys are so nice. Hannah had a spinal tap and a bone marrow aspiration and chemotherapy injected in her spinal fluid last Friday, and she's still not recovered from the subsequent painful headaches and nausea. Her sisters came up today - Olivia was getting checked out for her bone marrow donation which should be coming up soon. We got all the information about it. It's kinda overwhelming - even when Hannah finally leaves the hospital, we'll have to be here daily for check ins and checkups. When she finally gets home, She's going to be pretty isolated for 6 months or more. Wow.

I miss school. I miss you. I'm sorry I haven't seen you. It's just not going to be possible for a while. I know Ms. S is working her brains out. Be kind. She has a lot to teach you. Remember, she has studied under the master. (ME!)

Dan Ferry and Danny Thomas - how are those Philip Craig books coming? Are you almost finished?
Antone - How's the Rusty Nail? Gruesome enough? Hey - do you still want some carpentry work? I'm pretty desperate. Tell Ms. S. if you do, and then we can arrange to get my front steps fixed. Thanks!

Max - Thanks for writing to Hannah! Aja and Shelby, too! I know there are more of you, but I can't remember this second!

Prudence - way to go with finding cool word pool words!

I'll keep blogging!

2006-12-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

Ok Chicklets, here's the deal with assignments:
Grateful Lists are due on 4 or 5 of December, depending on what day you have class. They were assigned three weeks ago and you are expected to have them in hand when you get to class. There has been a reminder on the board for the last three weeks so NO EXCUSES!

WRITING PIECES:
Congratulations Honors Classes on turning in your first writing pieces of the quarter, YAY!
Your other due dates are as follows:
15 DECEMBER
5 JANUARY

COLLEGE I:
You have writing pieces due on......
TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER or WEDNESDAY 13 DECEMBER
3 or 4 of JANUARY!!!!!