Today we had a quiz on the first section of Fahrenheit 451. If you were absent, come in to see me or email me at mccordl1@fultonschools.org to schedule your make-up.
Tonight for homework, begin reading the second section, "The Sieve and the Sand," pages 71-75 (3rd period) or 73-77 (8th period).

---Mrs. McCord

Timed writing in class tomorrow! You'll be asked to assess the effectiveness of several rhetorical strategies you find in a persuasive essay.
Both your books may rest on Tuesday; just bring pen and paper.
Group 3: Your bulletin boards need to be up next Tuesday, so you should be checking with me about your content and concepts. (Yes, that's also the day you begin presenting your persuasion projects. Plan ahead!)
---Mrs. McCord

How much fun was that timed writing!?
To keep our linguistic spirits up, tomorrow we'll read a little literature: BRING YOUR RED BOOKS TO CLASS.
Mrs. McCord

Keep working on your reading journal / study guide as you read section two of Fahrenheit 451. The study guide is due next Monday, Nov. 8.
Tonight's assignment should get you through page 80 (3rd period) or page 82 (8th period). Be prepared for a quiz on the previous night's reading every day.

Before class tomorrow, read through page 87 - 3rd period, page 89 - 8th period; stop after Montag exclaims, "Committing suicide! Murdering!"
You should answer questions 1-7 on the study guide for Section Two before class tomorrow.

Poetry today, prose tomorrow. Bring your red American Literature book again tomorrow so we can read the prose selections from the unit.
And just when you thought it couldn't get any better---GRAMMAR on Friday!
Persuasion projects will be due next Tuesday. Busy yourselves.

Today you took notes and we discussed the two letters in this unit, Abigail Adams's (p 204) and Crevecouer's (p 210). These notes will be included in your unit portfolios---due Monday.
Friday will be devoted to linguistics and grammar. No specific books required.
Persuasion projects are due Tuesday, as is the bulletin board for the new unit, Group 3.
And finally, as a reward to those who actually check the web site, write the sentence "I'm cybersmart" on your classwork tomorrow for a 10-point bonus. Do NOT tell your classmates about this opportunity. Such collaboration in this matter would be a breech of the AP Code of Ethics. Okay, there is no AP Code of Ethics, but if there were, this offense would violate it.
---Mrs. McCord

Be sure that you understand and can explain the significance of the five important quotations we discussed. The first number in parentheses refers to the page number in 3rd period's books; the second number refers to 8th period's books.)::
1. Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. (74/76)
2. For your file, in case you decide to be angry with me. (75/77)
3. Fill this sieve and you'll get a dime. (78/80)
4. Denham's Dentifrice (78/81)
5, Three things are missing. (83/85)

A. Who is speaking and to whom?
B. What action accompanies the statement?
C. What is the issue, problem, or conflict demonstrated?
D. What social criticism is implied in the statement?

Tonight's homework: Read pages 87-100 (3rd) or 90-103 (8th).

Quiz tomorrow on the vocabulary words from parts 1 and 2:
See the entry for October 25 for the first words from Part One.
The second list from Part One was exotic, phoenix, capillary, proclivity, asylum, flourish, cacophony, odious, and incinerator.
The Part Two words are invigorated, verbiage, dentifrice, insidious, patronage, quaver.
No reading assignment tonight!

Optional persuasion projects are due tomorrow!
Before class tomorrow, do a little research or skimming to determine the general content and purpose of the "Custom House" section of The Scarlet Letter.
You will not need a book for class tomorrow, but you do need to bring your red American Literature book to class on Wednesday for use during student presentations.

You should have finished your open-book quiz in class today. If you were absent both Friday and today and need a copy of the quiz, e-mail me and I will send it to you: mccordl1@fultonschools.org.
Be sure to have YOUR book with you tomorrow, and to have read the assigned pages. For 3rd period, that's 113-121. For 8th, it's 115-123.

If you were absent Friday: Read "A Respectable Woman" on page 288 of The Scarlet Letter Related Readings and write a paragraph answering the question, "What did Mrs. Baroda mean when she said that she had 'overcome everything'?"
In class today we did a close reading of chapter one of The Scarlet Letter , looking for clues about setting, theme, symbols, and style in those first two pages. Continue reading tonight: pages: 51-61. (Tomorrow night's will be 62-72, for those who want to stay ahead.)
Bring your red US Lit book to class tomorrow!

In class we read "The Devil and Tom Walker." You should be able to cite evidence in the story of American capitalism and democracy, as well as indications that the power of the Puritan ethic is diminishing by this point in America's literary history.
Tonight's homework is to read through chapter 3 of The Scarlet Letter. A quiz tomorrow is not out of the range of possiblity. Such a quiz might focus on what methods of characterization Hawthorne employs in these first pages.

This week's DGP sentence is the spanish club traveled to madrid spain during the summer
Our reading of Fahrenheit 451 has gotten us well into Part 3. Third period students should have read through page 125; eighth period should have read through 127. We are having quizzes and book checks virtually every day, so be prepared!

You have many opportunities over the next couple of days to improve your grade:
1, Be sure to bring your signed grade sheet to class tomorrow, if you forgot it today.
2. Make sure that you have all the DGP work (Sentences 4-8) ready to turn in tomorrow.
3. Book check on Friday! Be sure to have your copy.
4. Expect a quiz on Friday over Fahrenheit 451, pages 113-130 (115-132)
5. The outline for your literary analysis essay is due on Monday.

Today in class, we took a sample multiple choice test from a previous AP exam. If you were absent, you'll find the work in your folder when you return.
By the time class begins tomorrow, you should have read the first FOUR chapters of The Scarlet Letter. Wise Puritans should observe that it's almost time for a quiz to be sure everyone is caught up.
For those of you whose travel plans will keep you from being with us on Monday and Tuesday of next week, be aware that we'll be watching The Crucible. You'll be accountable for the content, so plan to rent / borrow / download the video or---dare to think about it---READ the play.
---Mrs. McCord

Finish your open-book quiz on chapters 1-4 of The Scarlet Letter for homework, if you need to.
We watched the first 15 minutes of The Crucible in class today; we'll finish it on Monday and Tuesday.
By the time you return from the Thanksgiving holiday, you should have read through chapter 9 of The Scarlet Letter (pp 81-132).

Today, you turned in weeks 4-8 of your DGP sentences.
Then we had an open-book quiz on pages 113-130 (115-132). Email me at mccordl1@fultonschools.org if you need that quiz.
You have no reading assignment over the weekend, but remember that your outline is due on Monday.
---Mrs. McCord

Over the Thanksgiving break, celebrate the Puritans by reading through chapter 9 of The Scarlet Letter (through page 132).
Enjoy yourselves and fuel up for the dash to finals.
---Mrs. McC

If you didn't get the work completed in class, you need to finish reading Fahrenheit 451 and answer all the questions on the study guide.
Enjoy your holiday!
---Mrs. McC

Bring your US Lit books (the red one) tomorrow. We'll go over the basic tenets of Romanticism and the work of the Fireside (AKA Three-Name) Poets. By Wednesday, you should have read through chapter 14 of The Scarlet Letter.
If you were not in class today, ask a classmate for a copy of the character / style / symbol / theme chart we created.
---Mrs. McC

Today we finished Fahrenheit 451 by reading the "Afterword to the Novel" on page 167 (173) and answering these questions:
1, Where did Bradbury write most of F451?
2. Why couldn't he write at home?
3. About how many words are in the final version of the novel?
4. What are the "great granary silos where [writers'] wits are stored"?
5. What prompted Bradbury to call all his characters "from F 451 out of the shadows"?
6. Summarize Bradbury's imaginary conversation between Beatty and Montag.
7. How did Bradbury change Clarisse's fate in the stage version of F451?
8. What is the tone of the last sentence?

Tomorrow, we will begin turning your outlines into first drafts of your essays. Be sure to have your outline (if you took it out of your folder or haven't turned it in yet), your rubric, paper, and a pen with you!
---Mrs. McC

Two big assignments are coming up quickly:
1. On Friday, the first draft of your essay on Fahrenheit 451 is due. It should be typed, if possible. (The final draft, due December 13, MUST be typed.) We worked on this paper today in class. You will get back the work you have done so far and we'll continue to write these essays tomorrow in class.
2. Your test on Fahrenheit 451 will be next Tuesday (Dec. 7). We'll discuss the book and review for the test on Friday and Monday, so try to be in class.
Questions? E-mail Mrs. McCord at mccordl1@fultonschools.org.

Today we confronted our own mortality in "Psalm of Life" and "Thanatopsis." Tomorrow, we return to The Scarlet Letter to discuss the interplay of religion and psychology in chapters 10 and 11 and the literary style, symbols, and figurative language of chapters 12, 13, and 14.
Bring your US Lit books (the red one) on THURSDAY. No more hall passes for forgetful scholars.
Mrs. McC