PLEASE USE GOOGLE CLASSROOM

Students and parents: In an effort to streamline my classes and to make things easier to find, this blog will be phased out. Please use google classroom from now on to receive information about class and homework. If you need the class codes, please see me directly to get them.

The email with this account will be phased out as well. Please feel free to contact me at jlwells@aurorak12.org with any questions or concerns.

Friday March 23, 2018

NO SCHOOL. Enjoy your spring break!

Thursday March 22, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we watched the theatrical version of "Fences" to compare it to the original play.


English 10: Today students took a vocab quiz.

Wednesday March 22, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we watched the theatrical version of "Fences" to compare it to the original play.


English 10: Today students finished the questions for "Two Kinds" and we reviewed as a class for vocab.

HOMEWORK: vocab quiz tomorrow!!

Tuesday March 20, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students took the test over "Fences." If you were absent, please see me right away for make-up.


English 10: Today we continued to read "Two Kinds"

HOMEWORK: study for vocabulary quiz on Thursday

Monday March 19, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students were to complete their "Fences" study guides. Test tomorrow.

HOMEWORK: Review warm ups and study guides for "Fences" test

English 10: Today we started reading "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan.

HOMEWORK: Finish actively learn and study vocab

Monday March 12, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we finished Act one in Fences. 


English 10: Today we started reading and annotating the Diane Burns poem "Sure, you can ask me a personal question."

HOMEWORK: finish annotating the poem. Also start studying vocab list #1 for quarter 4. Here are the first 5 words:

1. abhor/abhorrence:  hatred, disgust

2. burgeon:  to grow, flourish

3. congenial:  pleasant, agreeable

4. destitute:  poor, in extreme poverty

5. elucidate:  to make clear, explain

Tuesday March 6, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students finished reading Act 1 Scene 1 in "Fences."


English 10: Students continued to work on reading "The Cold Equations"

HOMEWORK: continue working on the graphic organizer.

Here is a link to the text:

http://mrgravuer.wikispaces.com/file/view/The+Cold+Equations+Adapted.pdf

Monday March 5, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students started reading "Fences" by August Wilson.


English 10: Today students received a graphic organizer for the short story, "The Cold Equations."

Monday February 26- Friday March 2

MAPS testing and scheduling

Friday February 23, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we went over the "rhetorical precis" outline. Students need to have two rhetorical precis done, one for each article by next Thursday.

HOMEWORK: Students need to have two rhetorical precis done, one for each article by next Thursday.

English 10: Today students received the outline for writing an argument analysis. 

HOMEWORK: students need an argument analysis written by next Thursday. 

Here are the directions and an example:

uWrite a paragraph analyzing the author’s argument. Use the following format:

u

1.Introduce the author and text.

2. Use a verb to describe the claim and give the claim.

3. Identify the audience

4. Identify the most powerful evidence in relation to the claim

5. Explain the appeals the author used to impact the audience

6. Explain the significance of the article

Example:

1 And 2: In Bob McDonald’s article, “How to effectively paint your hamster,” McDonald VIBRANTLY ARTICUALTES how hamsters that are painted enrich the lives of their owners and make for a unique pet.

3: The article is clearly intended for hamster owners that may be bored or looking for a different way to show off their pet.

4: The author uses statistics of hamster owners that say they have found new joy in painting their hamsters, stating that, “8 out of 10 owners involved in the study claimed they were happier with a painted hamster.”

5: To further his evidence, McDonald appeals to the emotions of his readers, providing anecdotes about hamster owners who found new intense love for their hamsters after painting them, inviting his readers to empathize with happy owners

6: Ultimately, this article is important for pet owners to consider new and unique ways in which to engage with their pets. 

Thursday February 22, 2018

Wells out for Man-up event.

Wednesday February 21, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students used the rubric to evaluate their novel review drafts to help guide their revisions. 

HOMEWORK: Novel reviews. Novel review due to turnitin.com by Feb. 23rd at 1:00am. If you worked with a partner, ONLY SUBMIT through one account. Make sure both names are on the assignment.


English 10: Today students took note on evidence to support claim.

HOMEWORK: From the articles you read last week, you need to go back through and find at least one example of each type of evidence. You need to do this for BOTH articles you chose

Find at least:

1 Quote

1 Anecdote

1 Comparison

1 Facts/statistics

1 Historical/Current Reference or comparison

Tuesday February 20, 2018

Honors English 10: Today groups with chapters 13-24 story board projects did their presentations.

HOMEWORK: Novel review. Have it 90% completed by tomorrow.


English 10:Today students reviewed appeals for argument.

HOMEWORK: From the articles you read last week, you need to go back through and find at least one example of each appeal. You need to do this for BOTH articles you chose

Find:

1 example of ethos

1 example of logos

1 example of pathos

Monday February 19, 2018

No school in observance of President's day.

Thursday February 15-16 2018

Mr. Wells is out these days. Students have articled to read and annotate. We will look at them next week.

Wednesday February 14, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students had their last work day for in-class work time to get novel reviews or storyboards done.

HOMEWORK: Novel reviews and storyboards


English 10: Today we kicked of the argument unit by analyzing a satirical piece based on The Lord of the Flies.

HOMEWORK: make up work, if you have any.

Tuesday February 13, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students had time to work on their novel review and story board.

HOMEWORK: Novel review and storyboards


English 10: Today is the LOTF test.

HOMEWORK: any makeup work. We start a new unit tomorrow!

Monday February 12, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we took a quiz over The Scarlet Letter. We then reviewed the whole novel for the novel review.

HOMEWORK: Novel review and story board project.



English 10: Today we reviewed for the Lord of the Flies test and vocab. The test tomorrow will cover: LOTF, characterization, character development, topic, theme and the recent vocab list (10 words). Basically, if you completed the graphic organizer and did the review in class today, you should be successful!

HOMEWORK: study for the test.

Friday February 9, 2018

Honors English 10: Today, students had time to read. Students must be finished with the text by Monday!

HOMEWORK: Finish The Scarlet Letter. Work on novel review and storyboards if you have not presented yours yet.


English 10: Today we finished LOTF. Students then had time to work on the graphic organizer for chapters 9-12.

HOMEWORK: Chapter 9-12 graphic organizer needs to be completed by class time on Monday. Vocab quiz going down on Tuesday.

Thursday February 8, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students shred their Chapters to Headlines projects. We then reviewed chapter 19.

HOMEWORK: Read chapter 20. Novel review due soon.


English 10: Today we read most of chapter 12 in LOTF. We will finish the book tomorrow.

HOMEWORK:Study vocab! Graphic organizer due monday!

Wednesday February 7, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students worked on their assignment for chapters 16, 17 and 18. This assignment is due tomorrow.  Here are the directions:

•By yourself, or with a partner, you are going to create three short news stories for chapter 16, 17 and 18.

•Each chapter should be modeled into a short news story. Each story needs to include good journalism, which includes: who, what, when, why and where. Use my example for inspiration.

•Make sure you include a title. A pic is encouraged but not required. Limit your articles to 150 words or less. Be as creative as you want!

HOMEWORK: finish the above assignment and read chpter 19!

English 10: Today we read chapter 11 in LOTF.

HOMEWORK: study vocab.

Tuesday February 6, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we reviewed important plot points form chapters 13-15. Tomorrow we will review 15-18. We also went over important dates for students to remember. Here they are:

•Chapter 11 AP reading quiz revisions due tomorrow by 3:30pm

•Complete The Scarlet Letter by Monday February 12th

•Work days on Tuesday February 13th and Wednesday February 14th <3

•Chapters 12-24 storyboard presentations on Tuesday February 20th

•Novel review due by midnight February 21st  to turnitin.com. No exceptions at all!! I am giving you tons of notice.

•If you have multiple accounts or can’t access your account, figure it out BEFORE February 21!!! Only one partner should submit!!

English 10: Today we reviewed chapter 9 in "Lord of the Flies" and then read chapter 10.

HOMEWORK: study vocab. Here is the complete list if you missed it in class:

Ludicrous: obviously absurd; foolish and laughable 

Ineffectual: Insufficient to produce an effect; useless

Jeer: to abuse vocally; taunt or mock

Inarticulate: Incomprehensible; unable to speak clearly

Clamor: A loud outcry; great expression of discontent

Tacit: Not spoken; implied by actions or statements, unspoken agreement.

Blatant: Totally or offensively noticeable; very obvious

Taboo: Excluded or forbidden from use or mention—you shouldn’t talk about it

Sinewy: Lean and muscular; stringy and tough

Malevolently: Having an ill will or wishing harm to others; malicious

Monday February 5, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we reviewed the AP reading test for chapter 11 and discussed revisions.

HOMEWORK: Chapter 11 reading test revisions will be due Wednesday February 7th. All students should be through chapter 18. Here are the directions for revisions:

•For the multiple choice sections, choose the right answer.

•Then, write a couple sentences explaining how you arrived at your answer. Prove to me that it is the right answer. IF you are unable to do this, the answer will still be counted a wrong.

•Everyone should revise and rewrite their short answer questions unless I wrote that they had a good, solid or excellent answer. 

•Show me excellent writing skills. Use text evidence. Explain and be clear. Absolutely, never, ever, ever, ever use “I”.  

English 10: Today we reviewed chapter 8. Students turned in their graphic organizers for chapters 5-8. I then handed out the final graphic organizer for chapter 10-12. Students were also given their first 5 vocab words to begin studying.

HOMEWORK: study vocab. Turn in late graphic organizers for partial credit tomorrow. 

HOME

No school Thursday and Friday 2/1-2/2

Wednesday January 31, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students had time to read. All students need to be through chapter 18 by Monday.

HOMEWORK: Read through chapter 18.


English 10: Today students had time to finish their chapter 8 questions and work on their 5-8 graphic organizer.

HOMEWORK: Chapter 5-8 graphic organizer is due on Monday 2/5!!!

Tuesday January 30, 2018

Honors English 10: Today, groups with chapters 1-12 storyboards completed their presentations.

HOMEWORK: students need to be through chapter 18 by Monday February 5th.


English 10: Today students read chapter 8 independently and answered the following questions:

1.  What two things does Ralph say that insults Jack? 

2.  Who calls the meeting? 

3.  List two reasons that Jack offers for why Ralph is not a proper chief.

4.  What kind of vote does Jack call for? 

5.  What childish thing does Jack say after the vote doesn’t go his way? 

6.  What does Simon suggest doing? 

7.  Where does Piggy suggest building the fire? 

8.  Where do Maurice, Bill, and Roger go? 

9.  Where does Simon go? 

10.  What does Jack rub all over Maurice? 

11.  What do they do with the sharpened stick? 

12.  What is the pig’s head name? 

13.  When Jack comes for the fire, what is he wearing? 

14.  How does Jack try to tempt the boys who have stayed with Ralph?

15.  What does the Lord of the Flies say to Simon about having fun?  

HOMEWORK: finish these questions. Here is a link to the digital text if you need it:

http://colleronline.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/0/2820270/lotf_text.pdf

Monday January 29, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students took the chapter 13 AP reading quiz. If you missed this you need to make it up ASAP.

HOMEWORK: read through chapter 18 by Feb. 2nd!


English 10: Today students read chapter 7 and worked on their graphic organizers.

HOMEWORK: make sure you are at least halfway completed with your chapter 5-8 graphic organizer.

Friday January 26, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we reviewed and students had work time for their storyboards and novel reviews.

HOMEWORK: read chapter 13 and 14

English 10: Today students completed and reviewed chapter 6. Then there was time to finish the "letters home" project.

HOMEWORK: "Letters home" project

Thursday January 25, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we reviewed chapter 12. Then, students had time to work on their storyboard or novel reviews.

HOMEWORK: chapter storyboards and novel reviews


English 10: Today we reviewed chapter 5 and then started working on the letters home project. The letters home project is due at the end of class tomorrow. Here are the directions for the assignment:

Lord of the Flies “Letters home” activity

You and a partner are going to choose any character that we have met in Lord of the Flies. You are then going to imagine that you are that character. Using what you know about that character’s personality and their desires on the island, you are going to write a letter from that character’s perspective to their family. Think of it like a letter they would then put in a bottle and fling into the sea with hopes that it will return to their home country of England. In the letter you should include:

·         Their overall feelings about the island
·         Their overall feelings about the other boys
·         What that character might think they do well
·         What that character might think they need to do better
·         How this character envisions (sees) their fate ending up
·         Anything else you think this character would want to add
·         Use at least one quote from chapters 3-6 to support, but make sure it still reads like a letter, not                      an essay
·         Should be at least 1-page long

It should be clear in your letter that you clearly understand that character’s personality and emotional state. I encourage you to use more quotes from the text if you like. BE CREATIVE! Have fun with this!

HOMEWORK: Letters home project.

Wednesday January 24, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we read part of chapter 12. If you missed yesterday's chapter 11 quiz, you need to make it up by Monday 1/29.

HOMEWORK: Finish chapter 12


English 10: Today we finished reading chapter 5 and went over the questions for that chapter.

HOMEWORK: None tonight.

Tuesday January 23, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we discussed the writing center and what is offered. Students then took a AP style reading quiz and we discussed.

HOMEWORK: no reading tonight, but students are encouraged to look over chapter 12. We will review this chapter tomorrow.

Here is a link to a digital copy of the text:

http://www.literatureproject.com/scarlet-letter/index.htm




English 10: Today students turned in their graphic organizers for chapters 1-4. We then reviewed these chapters, I handed out the organizer for chapters 5-8 and then students read. Students are responsible to read to page 84 on their own and answer the following questions:

1.      What does Ralph decide about the meeting that he is about to have? 

2.      What does this say about how Ralph is changing? 

3.      What does Ralph start to realize about his appearance? 
 
4.      What did Ralph, Jack, and Piggy not have the “wit” to do? 

5.      What does Ralph realize a chief needs to be able to do? 

6.      Where does Piggy stand at the beginning of the assembly? 
 
7.      What is the first thing Ralph lists as something that the boys have failed to do? 

8.      What is the last thing Ralph tries to talk about before he loses control?
 
9.      What does Jack have to say about the littluns’ fear? 

10.  What did the boy named Phil think he saw?

Here is a link to the text:
http://colleronline.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/0/2820270/lotf_text.pdf

Monday January 22, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we reviewed chapters 9 and 10. Then we went over the storyboard group project. Here are the directions I handed out:

Story board project

As a class, we are going to develop an extended storyboard that outlines the main plot points of The Scarlet Letter. In Groups (3-4 people) you will choose the most important plot parts in three specific chapters. These chapters will randomly be selected by each group.

Using www.storyboardthat.com, groups will depict their chapters through a visual storyboard. Each group will be evaluated on how well they synthesize the important pieces of their chapters and put them into storyboard form. Each group will need to print out their storyboard and do a short presentation of their final project. The end result, will be a complete storyboard of the entire plot of The Scarlet Letter.

Chapters 1-12 will be due Monday January 29^th.

Chapters 12-24 will be due ________________________.

HOMEWORK: read chapter 11 before class tomorrow.

English 10: Today students took a vocab quiz. They had the rest of the period to complete their chapter 1-4 graphic organizer. This will be due at the start of class tomorrow,

HOMEWORK: Finish graphic organizer before class tomorrow. 

Here is a link to the text:

http://colleronline.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/0/2820270/lotf_text.pdf

Friday January 19, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we took a pop quiz over chapter 8. We then reviewed and I explained the process for the novel review for Scarlet Letter.

HOMEWORK: read chapter 9 and 10 before class on Monday. Begin working on the novel review. The template is available on my google class.


English 10: Today we reviewed vocab for the quiz on Monday, We then finished chapter 4.

HOMEWORK: vocab quiz on Monday. Graphic organizer for chapters 1-4 is due Tuesday.

Thursday January 18, 2018

Honors English 10: Today we read chapter 7 and discussed.

HOMEWORK: read chapter 8 for tomorrow

English 10: Today we studied vocab and read half of chapter 4 in LOTF.

HOMEWORK: study for vocab

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Honors English 10: Today students took a quiz over chapter 5 and 6. Students then worked through the chapter comprehension questions. Here are the questions for 5 and 6:

Chapter 5

1. Hester comes to some conclusions about her life on the first page of chapter 5. What does she realize about the scarlet letter?

2. What does Hawthorne suggest about people who are shamed and where they end up?

3. Where does Hester end up living after her prison sentence? How does she make a living?

4. What is ironic and even hypocritical about her job?

5. How is she treated by the townspeople?

6. What strange and unexplainable thing starts to happen to Hester in relation to the scarlet letter?

Chapter 6
1.       Where does Hawthorne say the infant was worthy to have come from? Why is this important? What does it relate to? (Think of the religious aspects)
2.       How does Hester perceive her child? Use a line from the text to support your thinking.
3.       What is Pearl’s behavior like around other children?

    HOMEWORK: Study vocabulary! Vocab is located on your Scarlet Letter pre-reading sheet! 

  

    English 10: Students were checked off for completion of their chapter two questions. We then reviewed vocab. Then we read chapter 3 together in LOTF. 

     HOMEWORK: Study vocabulary! Also, a practice list is now available on vocab.com! This is practice only, you do not need to do it, but it can help you for the quiz coming up on Monday!

Tuesday January 16, 2018

Honors English 10: Today, students answered questions for their previous reading of chapters 2-4. Here are the questions, which should be answered in your notebook:

Chapter 2

•       1. What piece of equipment in the town served “…to be as effectual an agent, in the promotion of good citizenship, as ever was the guillotine among the terrorists of France.”?

•       2. In chapter two, what does Hawthorne specifically compare Hester’s appearance to?

•       3. Whose presence kept the mood of Hester’s punishment grave and somber, rather than raucous and filled with more vocal ridicule?

•       4. Hester day-dreams during her punishment. Of whom and what does she think about?

Chapter 3

1. In this chapter we learn the exact punishment for Hester’s crimes. What is the exact punishment?
2. The Governor asks a member of the religious elite to pressure Hester into revealing the father. Who ends up pressuring her in a speech? What is Hester’s reaction to the speech?

Chapter 4

1. What is wrong with Hester and the baby?
2. What is the name of the man who comes as a doctor to help Hester and her baby?
3. What does Hester initially fear the man is trying to do?
4. Ultimately, who do we find out this man really is?
5. What do we learn about Hester’s relationship and attitude she had towards her husband?
6. What pact do Hester and Chillingworth make at the end of the chapter? 

HOMEWORK: Read chapter 5 and 6 before start of class tomorrow!

Link to digital copy of the text:

 http://www.literatureproject.com/scarlet-letter/

English 10: Today, students read chapter 2 in Lord of The Flies on their own. Answer these questions in your notebook:

1.      What rule does Ralph set for the tribe?

2.  What fear do the small children have?  How does Jack respond and how does Ralph respond?

3.  What effort does Ralph say the boys should take to get rescued?

  

4.  How does the plan to get rescued back fire on the boys?

  

5.  What worry does Piggy have at the end of the chapter?

   

6.  From what view point is this story narrated?

7.  In what genre is this novel?  

9.  What was the author's purpose in writing this story? How do you know? (Inform, persuade, entertain)

10. Find an example of personification in this chapter. Write the line down and explain how it is an example of personification.

HOMEWORK: finish chapter 2 and questions before class tomorrow.

Here is a link to a digital copy of the text:

http://colleronline.weebly.com/uploads/2/8/2/0/2820270/lotf_text.pdf