HN English 10 - Hans Hubermann & Death: The Survivors

Vocabulary notecards are due (just like every Wednesday). 

Your 20 (minimum) motif notecards are due (as announced several weeks ago). 

You should WRITE DOWN your contemplation of the following question:

• Both Death (pg. 5) and Hans Hubermann (pg. 435) are faced with survivors.  Compare and contrast their experiences and attitudes when faced with survivors.  (How are they similar?  How are they different?)  

English 9 - "Narcissus & Echo" Myth

Vocabulary notecards due tomorrow (because it's Wednesday) and your independent reading novel is due, too (and has been announced for several weeks at this point).

You should finish reading the "Narcissus & Echo" myth handed out in class and answer the study guide questions from the back of the packet (separate sheet of paper, complete sentences).  

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Part IX to Epilogue Motif Quotes

Finish your sheet from class. 

Motif notecards due Wednesday. 

Test next Monday. 

English 9 - Mythology Introduction

You need to finish your character chart based on the mythology packet handed out in class. 

Your independent reading book is due on Wednesday, so read. 

HN English 10 - "The Word Shaker" Focus & Vocab Reminder

A quick change: Finish The Book Thief (Parts 9-Epilogue) for Monday.  Your motif notecards (the chosen image you should have been tracking through the WHOLE novel) will still be due on Wednesday.

Study for your vocabulary quiz.

Finish your bibliography for your mini-research project-- you received copies of the following handouts in class that should guide your bibliography:

1. Basic information about MLA formatting (link to handout in previous text)
2. Basic information about MLA bibliographies (link to handout in previous text)
3. Sample Bibliography (link to handout in previous text)-- Make yours look like this, formatting-wise! 

Due PRINTED at the beginning of class tomorrow.

You should re-read "The Word Shaker" tonight and provide answers to the following questions (not necessarily complete sentences or entire paragraphs, but something detailed enough that if I so chose, I could collect and give you credit for the thoroughness of your answers):

1.     Look up the definitions of “fable” and “fairy tale.”  Why does Liesel have such a difficult time deciding which category this story fits into?

2.     How does Max characterize Hitler in this story?  In reality, how does Hitler’s rise to power seem almost like a fable/fairy tale? 

3.     What does the term “word shaker” mean?  Who are these people in the real Nazi regime?

4.     Why does the tree hold strong despite the repeated attacks?  (Literally and figuratively.)

5.     Literally: Why does the tree fall at the end?  Figuratively: What is this saying about the nature of the seed from which the tree came (friendship)?

English 9 - "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Story & Vocab

Your personal or continued adventures of Walter Mitty short story is due tomorrow-- a link to the assignment can be found HERE and a link to an informational sheet about MLA Formatting (the way to set up any typed assignment) is HERE.


I'll remember to take up progress reports on Friday.

And you should study for your weekly vocabulary quiz on Friday. 

If you were absent today, you have one week from you return to take the test or it becomes a zero (as per class policy).

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Part VIII & Mini-Reserach Assignment

Reading (Part VIII) and your research assignment are due at the beginning of class tomorrow. 

Presentations will start next week. 

English 9 - Short Story & Literary Term Test

You have your first test tomorrow.  You received the study guide in class on Tuesday and I hosted a study session after-school on Wednesday.  Look over your class notes as well-- a lot of information that will be found on the tests is related to our discussions in class.

On Friday, you will have a vocabulary quiz and your first writing assignment for my class will be do-- a story that you will write based on the same idea (daydreaming) as "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."  It is a creative essay, but if it helps you to think of it as a short story written about yourself, feel free.  A link to the assignment can be found HERE and a link to an informational sheet about MLA Formatting (the way to set up any typed assignments) is HERE.

You should also get your progress report signed.  

English 9 - "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" & Vocab Notecards

Tomorrow is Wednesday which, like every week, means your vocabulary notecards are due. 

You should also finish reading "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and answering the study guide assigned in class-- links to a copy of the story and the study guide worksheet if you have misplaced either can be found under the keywords in the previous text. 

You have your first test on Thursday-- it will be on the short stories and literary terms we have been studying over the past three weeks.  I handed out a study guide today in class, and I will have an afterschool review session tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday) starting at 3:15 for students who want extra help.

Progress reports will go home Wednesday. 

Retakes for Short Story Vocabulary List #2 will need to be done by Monday, February 27.  Makeups for the number of you who missed the quiz on Short Story Vocabulary List #3 will need to have it done by this Friday, February 24. 

And if you didn't catch it in class, your independent reading novel is due Wednesday, February 29th.  Get to it. 

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Part VI & Quiz

Read Book VI tonight-- come to class prepared for a reading check and with some references in the chapter that help to characterize our narrator, Death. 

You also have a vocabulary quiz at the beginning of class tomorrow, so prep yourself (these are some weird words, spelling-wise). 

Future events:
1)  Your Book Thief-related mini-research assignment is due next Thursday, February 23.  You may opt to present in front of the class and get it over with, but you will have several other options over the course of the semester.  You will have to do at least one presentation in class during the semester, so make it count or get it over with-- whichever makes you feel more comfortable. 

2)  Final reading assignments for The Book Thief are the following:

• Book VII  due Tuesday, February 21
• Book VIII due Thursday, February 23
• Book IX due Monday, February 27
• Book X & Epilogue due Wednesday, February 29 
• 20 (min) Notecards with Quotes Tracing Chosen Image Through Novel due Wednesday, February 29

English 9 - "Usher II" Finish

For homework tonight, you should finish reading "Usher II."  You may skip the portion on pg. 139-40 within the squiggly lines-- all you need to know is that the robots are very realistic.  As with most of our stories, audiotexts can be found on my Moodle page. 

You should make sure that you have study questions (found on the final page of the packet) # 1-23 answered (omit 5 and 13).  Separate sheet of paper and complete sentences AS ALWAYS. 

You should also study for your vocabulary quiz tomorrow. 

HN English 10 - Book Thief?

No homework I'm aware of tonight except reading due Friday-- Book VI.  Keep tracking your chosen image through the book. 

English 9 - Independent Reading Tonight

In class today, you read for a little while in your independent reading novel.  You should read between 15-20 additional pages minimum for homework tonight and then make an entry in your reading journal.  If you need a copy, you can download the worksheet here. 

If you did not complete your weekly vocabulary notecards, you can turn them in Thursday for half credit. 

Some students need to decide if this class will be on your class load next semester, too.  If you continue to not do your work, you will not pass this class.  Students who struggle but do their work more often than not pass.  Students who get in the habit of not doing their work do not pass.  And I do not offer extra credit because you have plenty of opportunities to do regular credit. 

Choose your path now.  Make it the right one.

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Part V & Notecards Reminder

Vocabulary notecards are due tomorrow. 

You should also be prepared for a reading check on Part V of The Book Thief. 

English 9 - Usher II & Notecards Reminder

For homework tonight, you need read pages 132-138 (stop at "The ape killed Mr. Garrett.") in your "Usher II" story packet.  As per usual, you have access to an audiotext version at my Moodle page.  You should answer the study guide questions 1-11, omitting 5 on a separate sheet of paper and in complete sentences.  You should also look up what the Red Scare and "The Murders at the Rue Morgue" are (give a basic definition-- these things are being alluded to in this story, just like the title of the story itself). 

You should also complete your vocabulary notecards. 

Tomorrow is a half day, but you should come ready to learn. 

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Symbols

For homework, you should finish the symbol activity from class regarding Max Vandenburg's The Standover Man, focusing on the following four areas to discern symbolic meaning:

1. the materials from which it is made
2. the title 
3. the illustrations/characters represented in the story
4. the last line (before the vocab word list on the wall) and the last pictures

Be sure to explain in detail what you think the meaning of each of these is after simply identifying what it is.

You should then identify five "things" from the rest of the book that you believe to be potential symbols, excluding the accordian, books, Nazi symbols, and colors (the things you are supposed to be tracking on your notecards).  You should explain what you believe the symbolic significance of your chosen "thing" to be.  Some suggestions?  The apples, Ilsa Hermann's open window, the ax, etc.  Not anything can be a symbol, but many things have deeper meaning.

Looking towards the future: Book V is due on Wednesday, as are your vocabulary notecards. 

English 9 - The Fall of the House of Usher movie

If you did not finish the movie viewing guide and we spoke, you should complete it for homework. 

Vocabulary notecards are due on Wednesday.

Grades are uploaded, but are by no means complete.  As with most things, perpetual low grades for one certain repeated assignment (vocabulary quizzes, reading checks, etc.) should be of mild concern because with some discussion we can figure out how to improve your skills on that assignment.  Multiple zeros, however, simply mean you have not even been trying and you should get your butt in gear.  If you do not do your work in my class, you will not pass. 

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Part II

You should read Part II of The Book Thief, due tomorrow.  Expect a reading check. 

Vocabulary notecards also due.

Head's up: You should continue to track whichever motif you chose in class on Monday as you read (Nazism, the accordion, colors, or books/words).  Twenty notecards with relevant quotation and brief explanation are due the day of your final The Book Thief reading check. 

Book III will be due on Friday. 

English 9 - Cask of Amontillado & Notecards

First Period:  You need to finish "translating" the first paragraph from "The Cask of Amontillado" from class.  If you have lost the worksheet, you can find a copy of it HERE. 

You should read at least 20 more pages in your independent reading book and make a journal entry on the sheet provided in class.  You should aim to fill up both the summary and the reflection part of the page with writing. 

Vocabulary notecards are also due.

Fourth Period:  Read the adapted version of "The Cask of Amontillado" handed out in class.  You may take notes as you read. 

If you did not finish your independent reading journal entry in class, you should do so for homework.

Vocabulary notecards are also due. 

HN English 10 - The Book Thief Start

You need to complete your notes on the background terms distributed in class today. 

You should also read page 3-18 in The Book Thief, also known as Prologue and Part I. 

Reading check on Monday, with the terms from Friday as fair game.

English 9 - Allusions in Song Lyrics Homework

For homework, you need to find 10 allusions from songs other than the ones on the practice sheet in class.  Basic rules:  for each allusion, you need to provide 1) the lyric (and surrounding lyrics if they need to be provided to make sense), 2) the song title in quotation marks, 3) artist, and 4) what is the song alluding to.

You may use two allusions from one song, but no more. If your song has bad words (aka words that would get you in trouble in my class), use the star method: ****** for  the offending word. 

Example:
1) "With them moves like Jagger/ I've got the moves like Jagger"
2)  "Moves Like Jagger"
3)  Maroon 5
4)  The song is alluding to Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones who is known for shaking his hips on stage.

Class Policies and Procedures - ALL CLASSES

If you somehow misplaced your policies and procedures sheet (including the final page for parent/guardian signature), you may print yourself off another copy here.  Select your class, click, and download the document appropriate for your class.

HN English 10 Policies & Procedures


English 9 Policies & Procedures

Supplies you will need for my class:

• pen or pencil.  every. day.  (no red, please)
• college-ruled paper (looseleaf preferred)
• binder or folder to hold onto handouts and notes
• 3x5 notecards or paper to make notecards with (used for studying and weekly vocabulary notecards)
• agenda or other way to write down assignments

Supplies you may find useful in my class:

• flash drive (they're on sale now and a 1G will keep you set for a while)
• highlighter
• sticky notes/Post-It notes
• jacket (my classroom, my temperature)

Hello & Welcome

Welcome to a new semester and hopefully a new way for us to keep organized.

My goal for this blog is to help you keep up with my class. I will post important documents (hopefully) in a timely manner.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I will post daily homework assignments, but as with everything in my class, it is ultimately your responsibility to write down your work; "You didn't post it" is not an acceptable excuse for not doing your homework. Since this is English class, you will frequently have reading due the next day.

For some assignments if you are in Honors or all reading assignments if you are in regular English, you may take notes on any reading assignments, but be sure to take notes on the actual reading and not the Sparknotes. I will purposely try to bust you. Sparknotes are meant to help, not replace, the actual assignment.

You may navigate this site by (duh) reading the titles of the posts, or when we have more posts, you may also use keywords-- check out the bubble with just a few words now. I will use keywords to designate what type of post it is (homework, notes, project, etc.), what unit of study it goes along with, and which class it pertains to. Use logic to find posts relevant to you... and if you have questions, ask at an appropriate time.

If you have any questions, please email me at lewisma at chatham.k12.nc.us.
If you must telephone, just know that an email will receive a speedier reply 100% of the time.