Read the classics via your email!

Just learned about this site: Daily Lit.

Guess where I read about this interesting site? That's right...through my Google Reader where I subscribe to Ms. Carla's The English Teacher Blog.

At this link, you will discover 593 classics which are sent to you in installment format...meaning you receive a portion each day...via your email.

I chose The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald for three reasons:

1. This novel is now one of the newly released movies, and I like to have read the book before seeing the movie.
2. Written by Fitzgerald, this novel may give insights to the author as English 11 studies another of Fitzgerald's novels The Great Gatsby.
3. A goal of mine is to read more classical literature.

In eleven installments...or in eleven days, I will have read this novel. Not bad!

You are wondering, asking..."May I read one of these for my quarterly reading requirements?" Yes! Try it out!

Welcome to 2009!

Glad to have you back on our journey through English 10...Gillmore Style.

So far we have...

1. Reviewed run-on sentences. What are the two types?
2. Wrote in our Writer's Notebooks about a time in which you took a stand...served as a prewrite for our next writing assignment and as a starting point for our next thematic unit entitled Taking a Stand.
3. Assigned Antigone pages 65-74 and a bio of Sophocles to read for Friday.
4. Assigned a paragraph. Draft due on Friday. Check here for that handout. Remember to proofread aloud!
5. Assigned vocabulary for this drama. Quiz on the words on Tuesday.
6. Reviewed your semester test.

Now, for the rest of the week:

• Grammar Time: Review of parallel structure.
• Edit/Revise/Type paragraph.
• Read Antigone: Prologue-Act 2
  

What is in our near future?

• Completing Antigone and beginning The Call of the Wild.
  

Reminders:

• You have to read six books this nine weeks. As a class, we will read Antigone, Call of the Wild, and Animal Farm this nine weeks, so that means you are responsible for reading three novels of your choice.
• Expectations/Length Requirements:
  1-299 pages = 1 book
  300-599 pages = 2 books
  600 + pages = 3 books
• I would also like for one of your reads between now and the end of the year to be a selection from the AP Literature exam...will give you that list on Friday.
• I will post assessment options soon...just as soon as I get that all decided!
  

Once again...welcome back!

Check out my newest blog!

Throughout 2009, one of my goals is to write book reviews as I complete the latest great read.

Please check out Mrs. Gillmore's Book Reviews here.

Completed my first novel yesterday...Twilight!

Happy New Year!

I hope you have had a fun, relaxing, and restful break!

Here's to a great 2009!

See you next year!

Revised Schedule

According to an email sent out by Mr. Campbell today, our semester test schedule will be as follows:

• Thursday: All "A" classes
• Friday: All "B" classes

Also due on your test day for our class is...

• Your Julius Caesar essay
• Your Writer's Notebook

Reminder: Blogs are due!

I hope you have enjoyed your break...before the Christmas Break!

Questions?

See you on Thursday!

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Attention all you Muggles: I have four copies of J.K. Rowling's latest book...a children's book. Thank goodness, there is a kid in us all!

If you are a Harry Potter fan, please see me to check out a copy!

I have not had a chance to read this book yet (see blog post below!), but Zane has...and Rachel has checked out one of the copies. I "hear" the last story is the best!

Back from a Blogging Break

Life has been overwhelming lately...sorry about not blogging as much. My to-do list is getting smaller:

• Graduate course project: completed! Turned in! Did I mention my project is finished?
• Graded one of your tests!
• Have begun creating your semester review.
• Created the rubric for your essay.

To-Do List:

• Complete yearbook Deadline 2 and Deadline 3.
• Complete, proof, and print hardcopy of first newspaper.
• Prepare and decorate for a church Christmas party.
• Shop for Christmas
• Make Christmas goodies and share with all my young friends. Interested? No, I won't forget the candy canes!
• Back to reality...grade papers.
• Make out exams.

English Class To-Do List:

• Print Julius Caesar test to be admininstered on Friday.
• Print additional rubrics so they will be ready as I grade the Julius Caesear essays due on Tuesday.
• Print phrase test to be administered on Tuesday.
• Create and print a rubric for the the five blogs due on your semester test day.
• Print rubric for grading your Writer's Notebooks due on Tuesday.
• Print review sheets for semester test.
• Purchase candy canes for class reward for not talking! (Yes, that is to 4B!)
• Ready myself for some down-time over Christmas Break so that I will be energized as I synergize with the Pre-AP English 10 classes on January 7.

Let's complete this list and have a Merry Christmas!