9 Honors (2015-2016 School Year)

All communication pertaining to the 9 Honors class will be given through Google Classroom. Students should access the 9 Honors English Google Classroom for reading assignments, writing assignments, handouts, and PowerPoints. 

Google Classroom

All communication pertaining to the 9 Honors class will be given through Google Classroom. Students should access the 9 Honors English Google Classroom for reading assignments, writing assignments, handouts, and PowerPoints.

The Odyssey

We will finish reading The Odyssey during the week of  January 5.  Please review the calendar found in Google Classroom for upcoming reading assignments, tests, writing prompts, and the marking period  assessment.

The Odyssey

Final Research Paper - Due Monday, December 15.

The following are the books we will be reading from The Odyssey.  The reading due dates will be announced in class.

Book I --  "A Goddess Intervenes" (Pages 1-15)  Book I is due on Thursday, December 11 
Book V -- "Sweet Nymph and Open Sea" (Pages 81-95) Book V is due on Tuesday, December 16
Book IX -- "New Coasts and Poseidon's Son" (Pages 145-161) Book IX is due on Thursday, December 18
Book X -- "The Grace of the Witch"  (Pages 165-182) Book X is due on Monday, December 22
Book XI -- "A Gathering of Shades"  (Pages 185-206)
Book XII -- "Sea Perils and Defeat" (Pages 209-225)

Take notes as you are reading and complete any study guides provided to you in class.

The Odyssey Resources:

Use this website to get a short version or a longer version of what happens in the books that you are finding difficult to understand and also to get a brief summary of the books we will not be reading in The Odyssey:
  http://www.mythweb.com/odyssey/index.html 

The following website also provides a summary of what happens in each book.  It provides a chronology of The Odyssey and a thematic structure of Odysseus' wanderings:

http://www.temple.edu/classics/odysseyho/index.html


Learn about ancient Greece (Great Interactive Website):
 http://carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/GREECE/home.html

The Research Paper

We will continue to work on the research paper the week of November 24 and the week of December 1. A rough draft will be completed during the week of December 1.  Once the rough draft is completed, you will have a week to work on editing and revising the rough draft in preparation for turning in your final draft to www.turnitin.com.  The due date for the final draft will be announced in class.

The week of December 8 we will begin studying Homer and The Odyssey.

The Research Paper

Please refer to our Google Classroom for all of the handouts and information pertaining to the research paper and research paper process.  We will be working on the research paper until Thanksgiving break.

WAR HORSE

This week we will begin the movie War Horse.

Do not forget the following due dates:

Articles and summary/connection paragraphs for Khadra novel are due Monday, Oct. 27.
Cultural Analysis for Khadra novel due Wednesday, Oct. 29.

All Quiet on the Western Front End Test -- Wednesday, October 15 (Quote Section) and Thursday, October 16 (Objective Section)

Yasmina Khadra novel -- We will discuss the project portion of the marking period end assessment during the week of October 20.  However, make sure you have been reading the novel!  Note the new due dates for the marking period assessment -- articles with paragraphs are due Monday, Oct. 27 and cultural analysis is due Wed., Oct. 29.

We will be doing some war poetry and viewing the film War Horse.  As this will close our unit of war literature, you will be writing a thesis paper focusing on the works studied this marking period.  However, we will most likely not begin this paper until the end of October/the beginning of November.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Finish All Quiet on the Western Front for Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Once you are done reading the novel, you should have a bit of "free-time" at home to work on reading and completing the project for your Yasmina Khadra novel.  The assignment and final due date is posted under the ABOUT section of google classroom.

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front
Read Chapters 7 & 8 for Tuesday, September 30
Read Chapter 9 for Friday, October 3

Computer Lab #438 -- Webquest:

We will meet in the lab on Thursday, October 2 and Friday, October 3.

World War I Website 
http://www.worldwar1.com/reflib.htm

The Christmas Truce
http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/christmastruce.htm

Outside Resources/Study Guides:

 http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/suss97677  
(The above link is for the Gale On-Line database from the High Point On-line Resources .  Look in your planner for the password you must use.  Once you have access to it, Click on The Gale Virtual Reference Library only.  Once you get into the Reference Library, type in All Quiet on the Western Front in the Search box.)

 http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/all_quiet.pdf  

All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front
Due Wednesday, September 24:  Chapters 1-4
Due Friday, September 26:  Chapters 5 & 6

The Week of September 15, 2014

Time to share your summer reading books!  On Monday, September 15, you will be asked to share your summer reading book with the rest of the class.  You may use your computer-generated project (which is due on the 15th!) to help you through your discussion.

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, the 9th grade guidance counselor will come into your class to share with you all that High Point has to offer!

On Wednesday, September 17, we will have our summer book discussion, "Marriage is a Private and begin discussing our first novel of the year...All Quiet on the Western Front.  Before we begin the actual reading of the novel, we will start by reading Luis Pirandello's "War." An in-class writing prompt pertaining to "War" will be given in class on Thursday and Friday (9/18 & 9/19).

You will also be assigned your independent reading for the first marking period.  This will be a Yasmina Khadra novel.  You will be given the books and the assignment on Friday, September 23. Due dates for the independent reading assignment and project will be given in class.

The Week of September 8-September 12

This week you will be learning about and discussing a few of the literary terms we will be using throughout the year.  The short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" and questions pertaining to the short story will be used in the discussion of literary terms. The homework questions will be assigned in class and a due date will be given.  A zero will be placed in the gradebook if the assignment is not competed by the due date.

Here is a link to the short story "Marriage is a Private Affair" --
http://peopleandstories.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/marriage-is-a-private-affair.pdf


Please study for the following quiz -- 
Thursday, September 11:  Literary Term Quiz (based off of PowerPoint presented in class on 9/8)

Do not forget to also be working on your summer reading project.  I handed the assignment to you in class and have also placed a copy of it in https://classroom.google.com .  The summer reading project is due Monday, September 15.  You will be penalized a letter grade for each day it is handed in late.

September 2014

Unit 1 of 9 Honors World Literature:  Below is a brief synopsis of what we will be doing during the first few weeks of school.

As 9^th grade English students, you will be exposed to many different cultures this year through films, literary works, and nonfiction.  What can we learn from reading articles and stories and from viewing films about different cultures?   Why is it so important for young students in today’s society to be exposed to these different cultures? 

All of the tools you will need to be a successful high school English student will be given to you during the first marking period. The following are the items we will be working on over the next marking period:

·         Quote Analysis

·         Critical Thinking Skills

·         Writing Skills (Thesis Statements, Paragraph Organization, MLA format, Citations, Works Cited Page, etc.)

The works we will be focusing on during marking period 1 include:

·         Summer Reading Choice

·         The Sirens of Baghdad, The Swallows of Kabul, or The Attack by Yasmina Khadra

·         “Marriage is a Private Affair” (http://peopleandstories.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/marriage-is-a-private-affair.pdf) and other selections from World Literature: An Anthology of Great Short Stories, Drama, and Poetry 

·         Osama

·         2014 summer and fall current event articles from around the world

TAKING NOTES...

You are required to take notes while reading and viewing films.  

·       

Welcome to 9 Honors

Summer Assignment

I hope you are enjoying the book you had chosen for your summer reading assignment.  The first assignment of the year includes sharing what you have read with the rest of the class.  I will go over your written assignment during the first week of school in order to prepare you for your informal presentation.   I will share with you past examples and discuss the Honors level expectations before you begin the written assignment.  Make sure you have your chosen work read before the start of the school year! 

EXAM REVIEW

Section I:     Vocabulary

Units 1-6 from the vocabulary book will be on this section.  This will include definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and meaning based on context clues.

Section II:    Literary Terms, Dramatic Conventions, Poetic Devices

vignette, round character, flat character, dynamic character, static character, stock character, Assonance, alliteration, consonance, simile, metaphor, protagonist, antagonist, foil, couplet, sonnet, iambic pentameter, situational irony, dramatic irony, soliloquy, concealment, blank verse, prose, diction, syntax, hyperbole, symbol, imagery, allusion, synesthesia, oxymoron, malapropism, onomatopoeia, and aside…

Section III:  Authors/Directors/Playwrights

Hedda Gabler & A Doll’s House

Antigone & Oedipus

The Alchemist

Romeo and Juliet

Whale Rider

Minority Report

The House on Mango Street

Section IV:  Quote Identification

Know the significant themes/events of the above works and the important characters within each work in order to be successful on the quote identification section of the exam.

Section V:  Writing Prompt

You will be able to choose between a creative writing prompt and a more formal writing prompt.  In any case, specifics from the works listed above must be used for either writing choice.  Therefore, review each work and know the plot, theme, characters, etc. for this section of the exam. 

The House on Mango Street & Whale Rider

UPDATE 5/30:  COMPLETE THE ROUGH DRAFTS OF YOUR FIRST THREE VIGNETTES AND BRING THEM TO CLASS ON MONDAY, JUNE 2. 


The House on Mango Street Assignments --


The Vignette Writing Project: 

• The completed booklet must be turned in by Monday, June 9, 2014 (This is the last grade of the marking period...worth 50 points)
• Individual due dates for rough drafts of each vignette will be provided in class

Reading Assignment: 

• 9 Honors students must read the entire book by Friday, June 6. 
• The following vignettes, however, are to be read by Wednesday, June 4:
• "A Smart Cookie" - page 90
• "Sally" - page 81
• "What Sally Said" - page 92
• "Linoleum Roses" - page 101
• "Marin" - page 26
• "There was an Old Woman..." - page 29
• "Alicia Who Sees Mice" - page 31
• "No Speak English" - page 76
• "Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice..." - page 79
• "Minerva Writes Poems" - page 84

Whale Rider --


We will be viewing The Whale Rider the week of June 9.  Our discussion will connect this film to The House on Mango Street.


Exam --


I will be providing you with an exam review sheet during the week of June 2. 

Upcoming Events

Friday, May 23 -- End Test for Ibsen's Hedda Gabler and A Doll's House.  Don't forget to review the Ibsen PowerPoint!


The Weeks of May 26  and June 2-- We will begin reading and doing a creative writing project for The House on Mango Street.  Due dates for individual vignettes will be discussed in class.


The Week of June 9th -- Whale Rider


* I will be providing each class with a review sheet during the first week of June. 

A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler

Starting on Monday, May 5 we will begin to study Henrik Ibsen's plays.  As you are reading and analyzing Hedda Gabler independently, we will focus on A Doll's House in class. 

The following assignments must be completed for Hedda Gabler:

• Taking notes (see handout) while reading Hedda Gabler in preparation for a Socratic Seminar on Thursday, May 15.
• Writing an essay based on one of the two writing prompts provided in class (see handout) by Wednesday, May 14 at 11:59PM (use turnitin.com to submit the essay).

A Doll's House assignments:

• Assignments and due dates for this play will be provided to you during class.

End test for Hedda Gabler and A Doll's House:

• To be determined at a later date.

Shakespeare Unit

Wednesday, April 30:  End Test  for Shakespeare, Elizabethan Theater, and Romeo and Juliet

• Review the PowerPoint I provided prior to studying Romeo and Juliet
• Review the webquest you completed in class on Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Theater
• Review your notes from the How William Became Shakespeare CD
• Review all handouts and notes provided before, during, and after the reading of Romeo and Juliet
• Review the entire play of Romeo and Juliet

Online text:
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/

Study guide:
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/romeoscenes.html

Romeo and Juliet Skits: 
Upon our return from the break, you will begin preparing a modern version of Romeo and Juliet.  The assignment and due dates will be provided in class on Wednesday, April 23. 


Upcoming Reading and Assignments:
You will be independently analyzing and reading Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler.  As you are completing Hedda Gabler at home, we will be studying Ibsen's A Doll's House as a class.