The Conclusion

Read over every blog you have posted over the course of the 2010-2011 school year.  Look back on your writing: what have you learned, what have you written, what is your blog is all about and how have you evolved as a writer?

Write a comprehensive conclusion to your blog - consider your English blog as a body of work and reflect on the meaning and significance of it all. This should be a creative, complex, and encompassing post: the more you write and the more you reflect on, the better your grade will be. Consider a minimum of 500 words as a guideline for length. However, quality trumps quantity.

Also, include a quotation that supports your message as to the meaning and conclusion of your blog. This quotation can be from anywhere - Great Expectations, Robert Frost, a lyric from a song...anything that reflects the meaning of the body of work that is your blog. Be sure to embed your quotation in a way that clarifies its relevance to your message.

This blog post is meant to give a clear, reflective conclusion to the year-long blog assignment. The more reflecting you do on your past blogs, the higher your grade will be. If you have fewer blogs than were required, go into more detail to compensate for your lack of assignments on which to reflect. Feel free to include photos, videos, or other enhancements to wrap up the blog with a bang!

This post is worth 50 points and will be assessed for quality and thoughtfulness. Due no later than Tuesday, June 21.

Reflecting on a Memorable Assignment

With all of the blogs, essays, projects, questions and annotations we've done this year, thinking back on it all can be mind-boggling. However, when you think back on all of the work you've done in English this year, there is sure to be one assignment that stands out to you as your favorite or most memorable.

Write about the assignment that stands out in your memory above all others. This should be something that you feel proud of - something that you worked hard on; something that showcased your talents for reading, writing, and thinking creatively.

Clearly describe the assignment and what you did to make it memorable. Write at least two paragraphs about your work on this assignment and why you are proud of your achievement.

Due Sunday, June 12.

A Good Experience with Poetry

Most people have mixed emotions about poetry. Odds are, you've studied poetry in many different ways throughout your academic career. You also may have experience with poetry outside of school - from reading nursery rhymes with your parents to participating in or observing an open mic or poetry slam.

Consider your poetry background and write about one specific positive experience you've had with poetry. Write several paragraphs about the experience and why or how it made a positive impact on your life. Be sure to be specific in recalling the poetry or type of poetry involved - titles and poets names are important to recall.

After describing your good experience, write a little about your attitude toward poetry at this point in your life. This does not have to be a long paragraph, just a few sentences about your feelings or emotions when you hear the word "poetry" or what you think about when poetry is mentioned in class.

Due Saturday, June 4.

Conflict in Romeo and Juliet

Wow! This is the latest in the week the blog assignment has ever been posted. Instead of being due on Saturday, you have until Tuesday, May 17 to complete your post.

Throughout the year we have focused on different literary elements in each unit. Although conflict is present within every work we've studied, it is most prevalent and most crucial to the plot and characters in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Your essay for this unit will involve both Shakespeare's use of language and how conflict is created within the play.

Throughout the play, characters struggle with conflict on many different levels. The title teenagers face their own internal conflicts, are involved with conflicts with other characters, and are essentially in conflict with the society of which they live. Identify one specific conflict at work in Romeo and Juliet and describe its importance to the central themes of the play and how it extends to your life, our society, or to people important to you.

Write two complete, thoughtful paragraphs for this post. The first should identify a specific conflict in the play: accurately paraphrase or quote the play and describe the type of conflict. Then describe this conflict's importance  and how it develops central themes of the play.

In the second paragraph, discuss how this type of conflict is present in your life or in the lives of people important to you or how it is present in our society. What is the significance of conflict? How does conflict link to meaning in your life? How do you or people in general deal with conflict? Be thoughtful and creative in addressing these questions.

Considering these ideas will serve as prewriting material for your final essay for 9th grade Honors English.

Due Tuesday, May 17.

Romeo and Juliet: It's Everywhere!

As you immerse yourself in Romeo and Juliet you should be becoming aware of the pervasiveness of the story's impact on modern culture. Some references to the story are obvious, like Gnomeo and Juliet or Letters to Juliet, but others are more subtle - think The Hunger Games or Twilight.

Find something that references the timelessness of Romeo and Juliet. You could find a picture, post a link to an article, embed a video, copy song lyrics or just blog about a specific instance where you noticed the play being referenced in modern culture. Try to think of something no one else will think of! 

Make sure the reference is clear and your reaction to it is clearly and cleverly conveyed...creativity counts here!

Post and comment by Saturday, May 7.

Connecting with Romeo and Juliet

As you read at home and we cover the material in class, how are you personally connecting with the characters and relationships in the play? Also, how much are you getting out of the reading?

1. Some of the concepts we are discussing in class this week include Romeo's personality, Juliet's personality, relationships between the two title characters and their parents, the escalation of the feud between the families, advice given to Romeo by his friends, and decisions the characters make. What are you thinking about these ideas as you read on your own or as we read in class? Write a thoughtful paragraph about something in the first few scenes in the play that you can personally connect with. Clearly explain the specific character or idea from the play and how you connect with it.

2. Also, remark on the effectiveness of reading at home and then covering the material in class. How are you doing with the reading on your own? How much are you able to decipher without help? Is it getting easier? Are you using other resources to help you read at home? If so, what are they and are they helping?  The goal of reading aloud in class is to help you be able to get a deeper and more complete understanding of the text with the help of the teacher and your classmates. Do you feel that goal is being met for you? Write a paragraph about the effectiveness of both reading at home and in class.

Due Saturday, April 30.

Missing Dickens

Are you missing reading Dickens? Are your friends reading A Tale of Two Cities and you're wondering if it's any better than Great Expectations? Read A Tale of Two Cities on your own by the first week of June and discuss it with me for extra credit!

Need Essay Help?

Need help on your essay? Chances are your classmates may have similar questions. You can post comments here with questions and I will answer them with a comment back for the benefit of all who follow this blog.

If you have a question that is very specific to your essay or you'd like me to look at a portion of your essay over the weekend, you can email me at cgilman@osd.wednet.edu

Good luck and happy writing!

Wrapping up Great Expectations

Your essay prompt for Great Expectations asks you to analyze the overall theme or message in the novel. For this week's blog, write about what you feel is the message Dickens intended to send to his readers. What is the story really about? Answer this question in a well-developed paragraph. Try to write the entire paragraph about this message or "life lesson" with limited reference to plot and characters. Instead, focus on the universal experiences you could relate to while reading. How is this book relevant to people in general, regardless of time and place?

Due Saturday, April 16.

Check Out These Extra Credit Projects

Great Expectations: Thoughts on Reading

Write a few paragraphs describing how you enjoyed and made it through the novel. 
Write at least two complete, thoughtful paragraphs for this blog post.

1. Once you have finished reading the book, write your own personal reaction to the novel. What did you think of the story, the characters, the settings, and the writing? Did you enjoy Dickens as an author? Did you sympathize or identify with Pip or any other characters? How much of the mysteries were you able to solve with powers of deduction and inference, without the aid of Sparknotes or loose-lipped sophomores?

2. Also, comment on the physical act of reading outside of class. Did you read the entire book? Include details about your reading habits. You probably recall my habit of getting up at 5:30 am and reading each day's assignment before school. I've really enjoyed the dark, quiet, coffee-fueled morning reads and although I guess it is a form of procrastinating, with class just a few brief hours away, it's helped me have the reading fresh in my mind each day. Did you have a "routine" for getting reading assignments done on time? Or was your reading more haphazard, finding the time along with the rest of your homework each evening...or cramming a hundred pages at a time to catch up? In a lengthy, candid paragraph, discuss when and where you completed the assigned out-of-class reading and what effect it had on your overall comprehension of Great Expectations.


Feel free to make any stray comments about this unit and the novel in general.

Please wait to write this blog until after you are completely finished reading the book. Due Saturday, April 2. Enjoy your spring break!

Welcome Ms. Smith! Get-To-Know-You Survey

Ms. Smith will be with us through the month of May. Please read her introduction to you and complete the following get-to-know-you survey.


Hello students and families! I am very happy to be joining you all at Olympia High School this spring. I will be teaching in Mrs. Gilman's classroom through May. During this time I will be teaching Romeo & Juliet. 

A little bit more about myself:

• I graduate with my Master's in Teaching Degree this June
• My favorite color is red
• I love writing 
• I don't have any pets, but I will be getting a cat soon. 
• I have lived in Australia
• My favorite food is Pad Thai :)
• I'm from Portland, OR
• I have been learning about education and working with youth for 10 years (Yikes!)
• I went skydiving to help get over my fear of heights....sadly, this made it worse. 
• I go to musicals whenever I get the change (Wicked is one of my favorites!)
• Someday I want to teach high school sociology (If you don't know what that is, come ask me.)
• I'm a lefty...see the constant pencil/marker/chalk stain on my left hand
• When I was 13, I had back surgery for scoliosis, and now I have a metal rod on my spine....don't worry, I only rarely set off metal detectors. :) 
• I love teaching!

 Alright, enough about me. I want to know more about you. I look forward to being in your community this spring!


Get-To-Know-You Survey
What: A short survey

When: By Monday the 28th

Why am I taking this survey?: So I can be the best teacher possible for you. Your opinions, ideas, and lives matter to me.

To take the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/MySurvey_EditorFull.aspx?sm=qTq6O%2buFjFbUYVxXdYbDq%2fI4gPjBcizq2EFK892KUIU%3d

(Note: If you are not able to link to this website, copy and past the URL.)

Great Expectations Photo Post

Post a photo on your blog that relates to an important concept throughout the first two stages of Great Expectations. Explain how your photo specifically relates to the novel - showcase your insightful understanding of the reading through your choice of photo and discussion of its relevance to the novel. Make sure your discussion of the novel reflects the novel through chapter 29 and is not limited to "little Pip."

Be creative! Originality definitely counts for this.

Due Saturday, March 26.

Making Connections and Posting a Picture

For this week's blog post, think of another story that you think has similar themes or messages about life to Great Expectations. This can be a story, novel, or movie. Describe similarities between Dickens' work and this movie or story. How are the characters in this work's experiences similar to those of Pip? Write several paragraphs connecting the themes and messages about human nature in these two tales.

Be sure to discuss thematic connections rather than just similarities in plot or setting.

Also, post a picture that depicts characters or ideas in your connecting story/movie that enhances its relevance to Great Expectations.

Post by Saturday, March 19 and comment on a classmate's blog. Your comment should remark on the similarity or connection between the writer's idea and the novel.

If you've read ahead, be careful not to spoil the ending for those students keeping up with the reading schedule in class.

Hard at Work Writing Literal and Inferential Questions

Great Expectations,the Second Stage

While it may not seem like much is happening during  the second stage of Great Expectations, there are many literary techniques at work. Consider:

• How new characters help to enhance the themes and motifs established during the first stage.
• The many contrasts or "doubles" introduced and how they relate to the themes and motifs established during the first stage.
• How Pip's character develops in relation to his new setting and interactions with new characters.

Identify something that happens during the second stage (chapters 20-39) and relate it to themes and motifs discussed in class. Write two paragraphs - the first paragraph identifies the idea from the novel to be discussed, giving context and showing your clear understanding of what happens and the second paragraph relates it to a theme/motif discussed in class. Relate this event to something that happens in the first stage that also enhances this theme or motif.

Be sure to show your understanding of the novel and its characters and settings, as well as you're comprehension of our lengthy Q-and-A style discussions from the past few weeks.

Post and comment by Saturday, March 12.

The last sentence in chapter nine reads:

Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.

Respond to this quotation.

• What is Pip referring to? 
• How has this day altered him?
• Consider this quotation as a turning point in Pip's character development. How is Pip different in chapters 10-16 in contrast with the first nine chapters? Discuss his changes. Are they positive or negative changes? How is your perception on this character altering as he changes? Be specific, include details from chapters 10-16.

• Think of a memorable day in your life that began your "chain." How can the formation of your character or the person you are now be traced back to one life-altering day?

Write two paragraphs.  The first paragraph should discuss Pip's character development and respond to the first three bullets above.  The second paragraph should relate the quotation to your own life.



Due Friday, March 4.

Great Expectations - Question about a Passage

While you read Great Expectations there are sure to be sentences, paragraphs, or sections of entire chapters that you don't quite understand due to complicated or confusing diction and syntax. Find a specific passage in this week's reading that you don't fully comprehend and ask a question to be answered by your classmates through comments. Cite the passage with chapter and page number and specifically state what about the passage you do not understand. Make sure your question is clear and include enough of the passage (directly and correctly quoted) so that your classmates can comment an appropriate answer in response.

Make sure that your question is clear and significant. It can either be literal (something that can be answered by deciphering the text) or interpretive (related to motive of author or character.) You will be evaluated on the depth and thought you put into the question - show that you do understand most of what you read by the type of question you pose. Your questions should cover something from this week's reading: chapters 26-35.

Post and comment a response on a classmate's blog, including an attempt to answer the question, by Saturday, February 26.

Group Essay Collaboration

Due Monday: 2 copies of your complete body paragraph. Work on the essay in the lab during class and turn in 2 complete copies of the entire essay at the end of class.


Before you begin your post, please keep in mind that you need to have the core of your paragraph (all concrete details and commentary) complete or nearly complete.


In Friday's class, body paragraphs were in varying stages in every group. Write your post focusing on what has changed or developed since your group members read your paragraph in class and how your group members can help you transition into their paragraphs (see the previous post on transitions between paragraphs.)

Post: 
1. What you haven't seen yet. Tell you group members what's new in your paragraph. Are you using a different concrete detail? If so, your group members need to know to avoid repetition. Did you change or add commentary? Explain the new commentary so your group members can make sure it ties in with the thesis.
2. Ask questions of your group members to get feedback in their comments. This could be anything ranging from asking for synonyms for words you're repeating, asking for ideas on how to write a topic sentence for your paragraph that ties into the thesis, asking for help on commentary, proofreading questions, etc. 

Comment: Read each of your group members’ posts and comment back to them. Your comment should include your critique what's new in their paragraph, respond to their questions, and give them ideas for their three-fold transition sentence. Give each member of your group an idea for how they can transition from or to your paragraph and refer subtly to the thesis without being overly repetitive. *The comments are each worth 10 points and need to be substantial and thoughtful.

The three-fold transition sentence is explained in detail with examples in the previous post.


Post and comment on each group members' blogs by Saturday, February 12.

Group Essay: Transitions Between Paragraphs

Once each group member has his/her body paragraph completed, you will need to start working on how to make the essay cohesive or flow smoothly from one paragraph to the next. Here is a helpful strategy:

Three-Fold Transition Sentence:

• Refers subtly to the idea discussed in the previous paragraph
• Refers briefly to the overall thesis idea
• Refers more specifically to any new ideas to be discussed in the next paragraph; for example:

Thesis: Throughout Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre uses her dominant personality traits of passion, independence, and faith in God to make important decisions with confidence.

Transition Sentence #1

Jane's sometimes concealed but ardent passion defines many decisions in her life.

Transition Sentence #2

In addition to being passionate, Jane is a very independent person who insists on distinguishing her views from others in order to make intelligent decisions.

Transition Sentence #3

Over and above Jane's passion and independence, faith in God leads Jane along the right path, grants her the gift of unconditional love, and wisely influences her decisions.

(From The College Board's The AP Vertical Teams Guide for English.)

Part of your group essay grade is cohesion...work together to make sure your essay reads smoothly and enables the reader to get a clear idea of your overall message about the play.

Dishonesty in The Importance of Being Earnest

One of the major themes in The Importance of Being Earnest concerns dishonesty.

Consider the following concepts from your dialectic journal assignment:

• Humor: particularly epigrams
• Satire of social institutions: marriage, education, social class and religion
• References to earnest/Ernest and the title of the play
• The pursuit of pleasure

Write two paragraphs for this post:
1. How does dishonesty relate to each of these concepts? Write a few sentences on each.
2. What does Wilde seem to be saying about dishonesty through the characters and their speech and actions in the play?

Look through your dialectic journal entries to help you. You can refer to anything from anywhere in the play for this assignment.

Due Friday, January 28.

Animal Farm Project Evaluation

In addition to the projects presented in class, view ten projects of your classmates from their blogs. For each project complete the following:
1. Name of classmate
2. Type of project (comic strip, poem, artwork, etc.)
3. Effectiveness in conveying literary elements from the novel. Write a 1-3 sentences for this part for each project.

After evaluating the ten projects, write a little bit about how your own project measures up to those you viewed - did you do as well as your classmates? Did you put in enough effort? Do you think your project conveyed literary elements successfully?

Post by Sunday, January 10.
Happy viewing!

Extra Credit: New Year's Resolution

I apologize for the delay in posting your extra credit blog post. You have one week to write it - due Sunday, January 9.

A new year is an excellent opportunity to think about how you can improve your life. Think of one thing you could do to improve yourself and the quality of your life. Write a new year's resolution: describe what you resolve to change in the new year and how it will improve the quality of your life. This could be a personal, social, academic, or athletic goal - you have the freedom to think of any type of resolution - just be specific about how this plan will improve your life.  Be detailed and entertaining in your post. Describe how you will go about keeping this resolution. Attach a photo to enhance the post.