Tuesday, February 26, 2013

"Soon, Diedrich is going to ask us to place our loose-leaf binders in a container so he can give us a grade. He has observed several students on a daily basis-actually the SAME students- who have NOT entered his classroom with the required notebook-a BINDER! Diedrich wonders what these students have been doing with the "conveniently" hole-punched handouts...Furthermore, he will NOT permit anyone to go to his/her locker to retrieve it NOR will he accept the required class binder after the class or on the next day the class meets. I am sure glad that I have been bringing MY loose-leaf binder to class everyday-I certainly would not want to receive a "0"...for not following the requirements in AP English Language and Composition." 

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Schedule for Week of 25 February:

A-B-& G Bands: Root Word Quiz #2 ("ced to dent") on Friday, 1 March.

Monday, 25 February: G-Band-No textbook required today. You will continue with the analysis of Swift's A Modest Proposal and then you will complete an assessment on this satire. Please bring all the informational handouts you will given, especially the text of this satire-you will need it for the assessment-do not ask for another.

I am not requiring you to bring your textbook to class this week BUT I am recommending that you take your text home this week since specific assignments will be given related to "Exploring the Text" and "Questions on Rhetoric and Style".

Please Note: The specific readings will be announced in class -and most likely,-the specific assignment will be due on the following day!

Tuesday, 26 February to Friday,  1 March: FOCUS: AP Exam Question #2
Children's Privacy Partitions - Set of 10

"Why would Diedrich post this image?"  

FYI: Qualifiers

Rhetorical Analysis of The Declaration of Independence
http://mail.baylorschool.org/~jstover/technology/techfair04/DecofIndrhetanalysis.htmdependence

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

College Week Live: Destination College (click-on link)

Feb. 26, 2013


5–8 p.m. EST
Join us for the first of five online events to help you and your family prepare for the college admissions process. These presentations will be given in both English and Spanish and will serve as a great opportunity for middle and high school students and their parents to successfully plan and pay for college.
Sign Up Now
Presentations: See Spanish Agenda

5–6 p.m. Financial Aid Basics: What Students Need to Know

Learn the basics for financing higher education. You'll learn how to make college affordable and to stay ahead of important college deadline dates. You will gain step-by-step guidance to help you navigate college admissions for the coming year.

6–7 p.m. Get College Ready Now

Early planning is necessary for long-term college success. This session will help you and your parents prepare for college, with action plans for middle school through senior year in high school. The presentation includes handy online tools to help you prepare for college admissions.
7–8 p.m. Admissions 101

Get expert advice on applying for and enrolling in four-year universities. Knowing about admissions practices will make the process go much smoother as you prepare for your college future.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Please be patient: The process of evaluating your research paper is taking me longer than I had anticipated for several reasons. I am attempting to add comments other than those that are indicated on your paper. In addition, I am checking the "originality" report by turnitin-as long as you have documented your sources- there is NOT going to be a "problem". Also, the "paper" rubric you were given and/or shown prior to this assignment is more "generous" than the "Common Core" rubric that is on this program. Therefore, you will most likely receive two grades INTI ALLY-which ever grade is higher will be the grade that I will enter on Jupiter grades. For me, reading your assignment on my computer screen is taking me much longer than reading the hard-copy of this assignment. Since you exerted a considerable amount of effort completing this asignment, I will do the same in assessing your finished product.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Amazingly, several students in an unnamed Band have consistently-on a daily basis- neglected to bring their textbook to class. Perhaps, they think that Diedrich has not noticed students "sharing" a textbook simply because he has not issued a verbal reprimand and/or entered a "0" in the attendance book...but Diedrich notices everything and he will surely enter a "0" for failure to comply with the directive to bring the textbook to class if he observes this infraction on Thursday/Friday of this week. In fact, Diedrich may even give a "surprise" quiz on Thursday or Friday where the use of the text is an absolute necessity! Diedrich would like everyone to read the posts about this-he has repeatedly made it clear what will happen if students fail to comply with this directive. NO EXCUSES!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Schedule for Week of 11 February:

G Band: Bring your textbook to class on Monday (2/11) and on Tuesday, (2/12)

A and B Band: Bring your textbook to class on Tuesday (2/12) and on Wednesday (2/13)

Failure to bring your textbook to class will result in a "0" -this is considered a "homework" assignment. DO NOT ASK FOR PERMISSION TO GO TO YOUR LOCKER TO RETRIEVE THE TEXT-PERMISSION TO DO SO WILL BE DENIED!

SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 17: 15 February, Friday

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Be Advised: Once you have taken the SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 17, you will begin to take quizzes on "Root Words" each week (15 roots per quiz). For this quiz, you will have to "memorize" the meaning of the "meaningful word part" since you will have to write the meaning of each root "in the space provided" next to the "targetted" root word. (This is not a "matching" quiz-meanings will not appear on your paper.

COMMON ROOT WORDS AND WORD ORIGINS

Friday, February 8, 2013

 
I wonder why Diedrich posted this power point/video?
Please be advised that if you were absent on Friday, 8 February for The Timed Write on Question #3-you will be given a "different" prompt than the one your classmates were given. This is only fair-why should you have additional time to prepare? Furthermore, you MUST report to 37.5 minutes on Monday and/or on Tuesday to complete this Timed Write. You must also present an absentee note to take this assessment.

ATTENTION STUDENTS who completed the Timed Write on the Singer Solution, click on this link to review the student samples provided by the college board. Sample papers scoring an 8, 6, and 4 are provided-which response is "similar" to how you responded?
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/ap_englangcomp_apcent_47314.pdf

(See pages 16-22)

Scoring Commentary
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/_ap05_comm_englishlan_47195.pdf

Recall, how many times I have indicated that students have TWO SCHOOL DAYS upon their return to make-up a SAT Vocabulary Quiz? Believe it OR not several students have neglected to do this-and regrettably- these students will not be permitted to make up previous missed quizzes during 37.5 minutes! You have had ample time to complete this obligation. I find it curious that the same students are consistently absent on these days.

Amazingly, two students in an unnamed Band completed the Timed Write in approximately half the allocated time and began to engaged in nonsensical behavior, distracting those students who were striving to earn an 8 or a 9. These students actually received a comment on their report card indicating that their conduct needed to be improved! I wonder why their parents have yet to contact me? Soon, I will contact their homes...

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Saturday, February 2, 2013


Schedule for Week of 4 February

A Note of Concern: How is it possible to write a research paper without including in-text citations? Why would a student NOT refer to the model papers and other resources for this task posted on this blog? Recall how I had indicated that citations must be used when one summarizes, paraphrases, and/or uses direct quotations? Imagine, several students “simply” used direct quotations throughout their research paper without citing a source…

SAT Vocabulary Quiz: List 16 will be on Thursday, 7 February NOT on Friday this week.

A Reminder: Synthesis Essay on Civil Disobedience due Tuesday, 5 February (uploaded to turnitin.com as well as a “Hard” copy presented to me as you enter the classroom). See below for assignment posting and associated links.  


Monday, 4 February: G-Band-BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK! Do not ask permission to go to your locker to retrieve it-permission to do so will be denied! You will be ASSIGNED to a small group-and I will then assign specific Questions on Rhetoric and Style for Kincaid’s On Seeing England for the First Time for your group to answer and then, subsequently-present to the class.

Tuesday, 5 February: A and B Bands- Read posting above for G-Band. G- Band: Presentations from Monday’s class will continue.

Wednesday, 6 February: A and B Bands-Presentations from Tuesday will continue.
 

Resources for Argument Essays

Thursday, 7 February: SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 16

 Together we will look at argument rubrics and examples .While you are examining (studying) the examples of 8s and 9s in the links below, please pay attention to (1) the ways that the essays build to a bold assertion in the introduction and conclusion, (2) the ways that some of them attack opposing arguments, and (3) the ways that the essays incorporate effective examples and counterexamples to support a position.

2009 Argument Prompt (adversity develops character) last page of the PDF
2009 Argument Rubric, Example Essays, and Comments
2009 Argument Prompt Additional Comments by Graders

2009 Form B Argument Prompt (effects of TV) last page of the PDF
2009 Form B Argument Example Essays

2007 Argument Prompt (incentives for charitable acts) last page of PDF
2007 Argument Rubric, Example Essays, and Comments

Friday, 8 February: Your First Timed Write (AP Examination Question #3)
Please review the Argument prompts from previous examinations since I will use one of these prompts for your Timed Write:
http://www.mvla.net/teachers/HectorP/Language%20and%20Comp%20AP/Documents/Argument/INDEX%20of%20AP%20Lang%20Argument%20Questions.pdf