CP - Life of Pi Important Takeaway

Now that we have finished reading Life of Pi, please reflect on the book as a whole. What will you take away from it? What lessons does it offer, if any? What aspects of the book did you like, find frustrating, etc.? Answer one or more of these questions on your blog, including plenty of your own ideas and personality. Since this is personal writing and not analytical writing, use your own writing voice, whether formal or informal.

Survival Needs

Imagine you are stranded at sea. What do you feel is most important for survival, and why? You may discuss a maximum of three things; be specific in your answer.

Tell Us a Story

Think of a time when you were keeping a secret from someone--and, somehow, they found out your secret. Write the story of this moment however you wish. (Please write at least one paragraph.)

Mango Journal #3: Peer Role Model OR A Metaphor

Please select one of the following topics and post a response on your blog. (Of course you may write about both of them if you'd like, but in class, please focus on just one so that you can develop it in some detail.)

Option 1: Peer Role Model
Think of a peer in your life whom you admire and respect. What quality or qualities would you like to emulate in this person, and why? If you select this topic, please adopt a serious tone.

Option 2: A Metaphor
In "Four Skinny Trees," the trees outside the House on Mango Street serve as a metaphor for Esperanza herself. What element in nature could serve as a metaphor for you, and why? Consider animals, plants, bodies of water, terrains, etc.

Mango Journal #2: Growing Up

Think back to a time in your childhood when you tried to act more grown up than you were. Describe this memory--both your feelings and the actions you took to make yourself seem older than you were.

Mango Journal #1: "My Name"

In 1-2 paragraphs, please tell the story of your name. Consider addressing the following questions:

• What does your name mean? (Possible resources: Baby Name Wizard, Baby Names.com)
• What abstract concepts or ideas are associated with your name?
• What is the history of your name within your family, if any?
• How and why did your parents choose your name?
• Can your name be described with any figurative language? (similes, metaphors, imagery)
• What are your own feelings about your name? Consider its sound, spelling, or anything unique about it.

"The Most Dangerous Game" - What's Next?!?!

Now that we've finished reading "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell, let's explore some possibilities for what could happen next. On your blog, please write an extension of the story. This is a creative writing assignment, so you can decide what you think would happen next, but you should stick to the content that's in the story--don't add brand new elements like aliens or a love interest.

CP - Generational Conflict

A generational conflict may occur when beliefs and values change from one generation to another.

You and your parents belong to different generations. Think of a time when you and your parents disagreed about something related to your life. What was the situation, and how did it make you feel? Has the conflict been resolved, and if so, how?

Please answer these questions on your blog, in a response of at least one paragraph. You may organize your writing in any way that makes sense. Please feel free to use your own 'voice' when writing this post, but remember that you are writing for school; you should still follow all standard rules of capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.

Welcome to HHS, Class of 2018!

I look forward to working with you in English class this semester. Let's get started by setting up your blogs!

You will be doing a lot of shorter pieces of writing this year on a blog that you will create today. The more you write, the better you will get at writing. Some posts will be creative, some will ask you to react to a statement or to a reading assignment, and others will provide important practice for your analytical thinking skills.

So, let's set up your blog.

1. Log into your school Google account.

2. Navigate to Blogger. (Open this site in a different tab or window.)

3. Click "New Blog" on the left-hand side of your page to create your blog.

4. Give your blog a title that follows this format: First name Last initial's English 9 Blog. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog would be called John S. English 9 Blog.

5. Give your blog a custom URL that follows this format: First name Last initial English 9. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog URL should be johnsenglish9blogspot.com.

6. Choose a template (you may choose whatever template you like, and you can feel free to change this later).

7. Next to your blog, you will see a drop-down menu. Choose Settings.

• Under "Privacy," set up your blog so that it is not listed in Blogger's listings and not visible to search engines. 
• Adjust your Blog Reader settings if you wish. I would suggest that you leave this as "public" but if you are concerned about your privacy, you may change the setting to "private" and add me by email.

8. Once your blog is set up, please view your blog in another tab. You will then fill out this form to make sure I have all of your blog information. THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT! I will be reading and commenting on your blogs throughout the semester.

9. Finally, write an introductory post of one or two paragraphs on the following topic. Please use the subject line What I Did On My Summer Vacation* 
What did you do this summer vacation? Rather, what do you wish you did this summer? Use your imagination to write about all the awesome stuff you didn't really do, but wish you had done. Please use this opportunity to show off your sense of humor and creativity, as well as your "accomplishments." You should follow standard rules of spelling, capitalization, and punctuation, but otherwise, the sky is the limit. Click here if you would like to read Ms. Meyer's example. Yours can be longer. You may want to focus on one or two things that "happened" to you or that you "did," but add a lot more details than I included in my example.

Please review this article about online safety for teens. Remember, you should never post personal information online! 

Cartoon from http://www.allvoices.com/cartoons/c/94263908-back-to-school

"Gold...poison to men's souls"

In a blog post of at least one paragraph, please explain your views on the following:

Is money "poison to men's souls"? 

Cite examples from your experiences and observations in your answer.

CP - Teenagers in Love?

In Act 3, as their relationship faces the challenge of Romeo's banishment from Verona, Romeo and Juliet both demonstrate extreme emotions.

On your blog, please:

• Provide at least 1 example of an extreme emotion in Act 3, Scenes 2-3.

• Reflect on your own views: Do you think Shakespeare accurately depicts the way teenagers in love behave? Or is it hyperbole? Please use examples from your own experiences or observations to reflect on the characters in the play.

Act III, Scene 1 - Fate vs Free Will

As he is dying, Mercutio cries out, "A plague a both your houses!" (III.i.100). After stabbing Tybalt, Romeo cries out, "O, I am fortune's fool!" (III.i.130). Citing evidence from the play, argue in a blog post of at least one paragraph either that fate is or isn't responsible for Romeo's actions.

DUE: on your blog, Friday, May 2, 10pm

HONORS - Act II, Scene 6 - Friar Lawrence's Advice

In Act II, Scene 5, Juliet is frustrated with the Nurse for taking such a long time to tell her that Romeo wants to marry her.

In Act II, Scene 3, Romeo wants to hurry to marry Juliet, but Friar Lawrence advises him to move "Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast" (II.iii.100-101).

Friar Lawrence echoes this advice in Act II, Scene 6:

These violent delights have violent ends                                    Passionate love ends violently, the

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,                        way that fire and gunpowder

Which, as they kiss, consume. ...                                                consume each other when they

Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.                        meet. So, love each other in

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.                                    moderation – that’s how love lasts.

Is it possible for Romeo and Juliet to slow down? Why or why not? Cite evidence from the play to support your answer. 

Love at First Sight: Is It Real???

Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not? Please answer this question on your blog (minimum one paragraph).

"I Stood Upon a High Place" by Stephen Crane

"I Stood Upon a High Place" by Stephen Crane

I stood upon a high place,
And saw, below, many devils
Running, leaping,
and carousing in sin.
One looked up, grinning,
And said, "Comrade! Brother!"

---

On your blog, please explain how this poem connects thematically with Lord of the Flies.

Responding to Fear

On your blog, in approximately two paragraphs, please do the following:

• Identify something that makes you experience fear (please remember you are publishing this!)
• Describe the feeling of fear that this gives you
• When you are faced with this situation, what is your reaction--fight or flight? ("Fight" means you confront the situation; "Flight" means you run away from the situation.)
• Is one of these responses better than the other? Why?

HONORS - Lord of the Flies, Chapter 2 - Civilization vs Savagery

Jack Merridew: “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English and the English are the best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things.” (Golding 42)

"Beneath the capering boys a quarter of a mile square of forest was savage with smoke and flame... Startled, Ralph realized that the boys were falling still and silent, feeling the beginnings of awe at the power set free below them. The knowledge and the awe made him savage." (Golding 44)

---

In chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, William Golding depicts rising tension between Jack and Ralph. The conflict between the boys symbolizes a central conflict in the novel: civilization vs savagery. Each boy on the island will have to confront this conflict. Jack and Ralph's strained relationship also foreshadows important events from later in the novel.

In a thoughtful post of at least two paragraphs, please explore some of the following questions:

• How would you define "savage"?
• What does Jack mean by saying that the boys are not "savages"?
• Why is Ralph "savage" as a result of power?
• Does power make people savage?
• What do you think Golding is foreshadowing, and why?
• How does this conflict relate to our thematic essential questions of How might evil come to flourish in a society? and How do societal structures function and why might they break?

How you organize your thoughts is up to you. But take this as an opportunity to look into your views and analyses of what we have read thus far. You may use first-person pronouns, if appropriate for your post, but please avoid second-person pronouns, and be sure to use present tense verbs when discussing the text.

DUE: Friday, February 28, 10pm

CP - Ralph vs Jack = Civilization vs Savagery

In chapter 2 of Lord of the Flies, Jack states, “I agree with Ralph. We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English and the English are the best at everything. So we’ve got to do the right things” (Golding 42). 

In this chapter, William Golding builds tension between Jack and Ralph. The conflict between the boys symbolizes a central conflict in the novel: civilization vs savagery. Each boy on the island will have to confront this conflict.

In a thoughtful blog post of at least two paragraphs, please explore some of the following questions (at least 2):

• Who seems like a better leader, Ralph or Jack? Why?
• How would you define "savage"? Are people savage by nature or do they become that way later?
• What does Jack mean by saying that the boys are not "savages"? Is he right?
• How would you explain the conflict between civilization and savagery? Have you ever felt this tension yourself? If so, what were the circumstances?
• How does the conflict of civilization vs savagery relate to our thematic essential questions of How might evil come to flourish in a society? and How do societal structures function and why might they break?

How you organize your thoughts is up to you. But take this as an opportunity to look into your views and analyses of what we have read thus far. You may use first-person pronouns, if appropriate for your post, but please avoid second-person pronouns, and be sure to use present-tense verbs when discussing the text.

DUE: Friday, February 28, 7am

Semester 1 Writing Reflection

Now that we have reviewed the mid-year exam and the mid-year benchmark writing assessment, you will have an opportunity to reflect on your writing. You will post your reflection on your blog.

First, re-read your work. Review (or think about) the Google Presentation we viewed in class. In your blog post of 1-2 paragraphs, be sure to identify specific things you need to work on, or would like to work on, this semester. Communicate what improvements you are hoping to make this semester and how you will make them.

This post will be graded; it is worth 10 points in the Essays category of your grade.

• 9-10: thoughtful, accurate reflection on steps student should take to improve
• 7-8: thoughtful reflection on steps student should take to improve
• 6: attempt to reflect on steps student should take to improve
• 0-5: post is not complete or demonstrates little thought 

DUE - Friday, Feb. 7

Semester 2 - Blog Kick-Off

Welcome to 2nd semester! If you've had me before, take a moment to double-check your use name, blog title, and your digital identity (first names only!). Feel free to change the look of your blog, too. Then, move ahead to the writing prompt.

For new students, you'll do 2 things today: create a blog and write your first post.

1. Log into your school Google account.

2. Navigate to Blogger. (Open this site in a different tab or window.)

3. Click "New Blog" on the left-hand side of your page to create your blog.

4. Give your blog a title that follows this format: First name Last initial's English 9 Blog. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog should be called John S. English 9 Blog.

5. Give your blog a custom URL that follows this format: First name Last initial English 9 Blog. For example, if your name is John Smith, your blog URL should be johnsenglish9blog.blogspot.com. 

6. Choose a template (you may choose whatever template you like, and you can feel free to change this later).

7. Once your blog is set up, fill out this form to make sure I have all of your blog information. THIS STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT! I will be reading and commenting on your blog posts throughout the semester, and I will need this URL.

8. Finally, write a response to the following topic. Please use the subject line An Important Lesson. 
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in your first semester of high school? Your lesson may be about academics, athletics, friends, sports, family, or anything else you wish to write about. Remember that this will be posted publicly, so keep your identifying information private.

Please review this article about online safety for teens. Remember, you should never post personal information online!