English 11
Rosemary Dibben
(707) 965-6759, PrepEnglish@yahoo.com
English Department
PUC Preparatory School
McKibbin Hall, 1 Angwin Ave.
Angwin, CA 94508
Office Hours: Periods 2, 8 & 9. Other times by appointment.

Syllabus | Second Quarter's AssignmentsRevised: Nov. 5, 2009
[First Quarter's Assignments]
Week of October 27 to 31 (Beginning of Second Quarter)
MonHand back last week's test. "New Nation" unit. Ben Franklin's Funeral and Grave handout. Franklin's epitaph. Create an epitaph that expresses how you would like to be remembered and your beliefs. Can you write it as an extended metaphor--as young Benjamin Franklin did?
Hmwk: Complete epitaph. (Lay it out so that it looks as though it could be carved in stone.)
TuesDue: Young-Franklin-style epitaph. Journal #?? (New quarter: What went well last quarter? What changes do I need to make for this quarter?) Read Patrick Henry's "Speech to the Second Virginia Convention" (pp. 147-149). Listen to the speech while reading at: http://www.history.org/media/audio.cfm. Do qstns: p. 150, #1-4, 6, 7.
Hmwk: Complete questions, if you didn't finish in class. Due tomorrow at the beginning of class. [link to Patrick Henry qstns in the textbook]
Wed

Read aloud Thomas Paine's selection "from The Crisis, No. 1," pp. 154-157. Do qstns: p. 158, #1-5, 11.
Hmwk: Finish questions if you didn't finish in class. Due tomorrow at the beginning of class.

Thurs

Begin re-writing essay on last test. Discuss writing test essays, analyzing the question, organizing your answer, and strategies for making the the answer better. Begin drafting revised test essay.
Hmwk: Finish drafting revised test essay. Print a hard copy BEFORE class and bring it to class. Store file so that you can access it during class tomorrow.

Fri ADue: Hard copy of revised test essay. Evaluate your own essay using the questions on the board. Revise it, as necessary. No hmwk. [National Novel Writing Month]
Week of November 3 to 7
Mon

Continue with writing process started last week. Finish revision based on your own evaluation. Print out new hard copy of your essay. Swap essays with a friend. Peer review--using questions on board. Revise as necessary.
Hmwk: Complete revision based on self and peer evaluation. Print out new hard copy before class tomorrow. [National Novel Writing Month]

Tues

Due: Hard copy of peer reviewed essay. Proofreading. Turn in revised, proofread copy by end of class. (Submit all previous drafts with the final draft.) Submit essay to Turnitin.com.
Hmwk: Submit essay to Turnitin.com before midnight--if not done during class.

WedAphorisms. Read aphorism from Poor Richard's Almanack, pp. 134-5. In groups, discuss assigned aphorisms. What do each mean? What is the truth or observation about life that each makes? Write down your explanation, and be prepared to share. Find two more aphorism that are not in the textbook. Write them down, and follow each with an explanation. No hmwk.
ThursRead and discuss the writing structure of the Declaration of Independence, pp. 169-172 or online in the National Archives site. Write a paraphrase (in your own words, in your own handwriting) of the body of the Declaration (the list of wrongs--the reasons for separation and rationale for declaration). These wrongs make up the bulk of the middle section of the Declaration. There are 18 reasons in the version included in our text, and reason #13 has 9 sub-reasons. Look up words you don't understand. Wrestle with the language. What does it mean? (Save paper in the "In Progress" section.)
Fri BNo class
Week of November 10 to 14
Mon

Resume writing paraphrase started last Thursday.
Hmwk: Finish writing paraphrase started last Thursday. Due tomorrow.

TuesDue: Writing paraphrase of the reasons for separation in the Declaration of Independence. Share paraphrases. Notice particularly effective re-wordings.
Thinking hmwk: Of what would you like to declare your independence? Of what would you like to be free?
WedOrganize your personal declaration of independence. Parallel the writing structure of our national Declaration of Independence. What are the sections you are going to need?
Hmwk: Begin drafting your personal declaration of independence. (Get well into the list of reasons for your declaration.)
ThursContinue drafting personal declarations of independence.
Hmwk: Finish rough draft. Bring hard copy to class tomorrow.
Fri ADue: Complete rough draft of personal declaration of independence. Self evaluation of writing structure. No hmwk.
Week of November 17 to 21
MonWashington Irving short stories. Read aloud "The Devil and Tom Walker" (pp. 203-213). Discuss elements of the story that make it a great read-aloud story.
Hmwk: Research Washington Irving. Document your research with at least a page of notes (in your own handwriting, in your own words, with source/s). Be ready to share in class.
TuesDue: Irving research. Share what you've learned. Washington Irving short stories. Begin "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
Hmwk: Continue reading "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." [Link to LibraVox recording of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"] [There are a couple of free podcasts of this story available at iTunes.]
WedReading quiz. Continue reading "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
Thurs[Ropes Course All-School Field Trip] No class
Fri BNo class
Week of November 24 to 28: Thanksgiving Vacation
Week of December 1 to 5
MonWashington Irving short stories. Begin reading "Rip Van Winkle." Christmas ornaments.
Hmwk: Read enough of "Rip Van Winkle" so that you'll be able to finish in class on Tuesday.
TuesWashington Irving short stories. Finish reading "Rip Van Winkle."
Wed 
Thurs 
Fri A 
Week of December 8 to 12
Mon 
Tues 
Wed 
Thurs 
Fri BNo class
Week of December 15 to 17
Mon 
Tues 
WedRead over Episode 1 questions before viewing. Begin viewing: Do You Speak American? Up North. No hmwk.
ThursFinish viewing : Do You Speak American? Up North. Read over Episode 2 questions before viewing. Begin viewing: Do You Speak American? Down South.
Hmwk: Journal #8 (Untimed, at least a page on one of the Episode 1 questions that interests you.)
Fri AFinish viewing: Do You Speak American? Down South. Read over Episode 3 questions before viewing. Begin viewing: Do You Speak American? Out West.
Hmwk: Journal #9 (Untimed, at least a page on one of the Episode 2 questions that interests you.)
Christmas Break (Dec. 18 to Jan. 4)
Week of January 5 to 9
Mon
Tues 
Wed 
Thurs

 

Fri BNo class
Week of January 12 to 16 (End of Second Quarter)
Mon 
Tues 
Wed

Test review. Test fodder:

Review (write out answers in your own handwriting):

  1. Write a (+/-) 1-page summary of each of the Irving stories.
  2. Note similarities in the Irving stories.
  3. Identify the central conflict in each story. (Man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. himself)
  4. Identify the main characters (protagonist, antagonist)
  5. The essay question on the test will be: Do you speak American? Answer personally based on the series we watched in class. Demonstrate that you watched and thought about what was discussed. (The study and discussion questions handout should be useful.)

Hmwk: Continue preparation for the test. Think about the essay question in preparation for class tomorrow.

ThursTest review. Focus on essay question: Do you speak American? Discuss: What are the main points of the series? How do they apply to you personally? What is the evidence that you speak "American"--as described in the series? What are the influences on your language? What are your language attitudes? Put your ideas into essay format: Be sure to craft a thesis statement (at the end of your introduction) that identifies what you are going to say. Put each new idea in a separate body paragraph. Then, write a nifty, neat-o conclusion.
Hmwk: Finish preparation for the test. Complete review questions, and prepare for essay question. Notebooks are due at time of test.
Fri A 

Syllabus | Assignments