Poetry Unit Materials

Looking for the poetry unit?  

Go to the ELA 12 - Poetry Unit class on Google Classroom.  In order to access announcements, assignments, and other postings on the class page, you need to be logged into your school email account.

Sample Annotation

This is a sample annotation:

This article was written by three medical professionals and published in a well-known academic journal. It focuses on the level and frequency of caffeine consumption in high school students. It also discusses the correlation between caffeine consumption and behavioral problems, as well as the correlation between caffeine consumption and other mental health issues. Additionally, the authors discuss their findings in the area of gender and levels of caffeine consumption, finding that young males are far more likely to over-consume caffeine than young females. The article includes detailed statistics on caffeine consumption that would be useful as evidence to support my essay thesis.


This annotation includes:
2-4 sentences summarizing the source (no quotes)
1-2 sentences evaluating the source's reliability/objectivity
1-2 sentences reflecting on the source's usefulness for an essay on the topic

Leadership Annotated Bibliography

One of the pieces of the Senior Project that we will be doing later this year is an Annotated Bibliography, which is a way of organizing research on a topic prior to writing about that topic.  To help you prepare for that, we will be doing an Annotated Bibliography now that will serve as a practice assignment for the Senior Project one.  

During the Senior Project, you will be researching and writing about a topic of your own choice, but this time you will be researching (but not writing) about a topic I chose: Leadership.  You should have ample time to work on the assignment in class.

Important Dates: 
November 13 - Google Doc share is due by 5PM
November 18 - digital draft collection at 5PM
December 2 - final printed bibliography/articles are due by 2:40

TEWWG - Ch 18 online assignment - DUE November 1

Chapter 18 of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" includes several good examples of both suspense and foreshadowing.

Your assignment is:
1) Provide a definition and non-book example for Suspense and Foreshadowing (20 points)
2) Provide TWO EXAMPLES of each literary device from Chapter 18, including a quote and a page number (15 points each)

The assignment is worth a total of 50 points and is due no later than 5 PM on Friday, November 1, and can be submitted as either an email or a shared Google Doc.

NOTE:
For an email, the subject line should be "Last Name Hour Ch 18."  For a shared Google Doc, the document name should be "Last Name Hour Ch 18."  An incorrect name/subject line will cost you 5%.

TEWWG - Chapter 7-9 Online Assignment - DUE October 23

Chapters 7, 8, and 9 of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" have some fantastic examples of figurative language in them. Part One of this assignment can be done before you read these chapters, and Part Two can be done as you read them. Your answers can be turned in by email or in a shared Google Doc, and the fully completed assignment is due by 5 PM on Wednesday, October 23.

Part One (before you read):

Look up definitions and non-book examples of the six types of figurative language. Each definition and example is worth up to 10 points (total of 60 points).

*Metaphor
*Simile
*Personification
*Allusion
*Irony
*Alliteration

Part Two (as you read):

Using Chapters 7-9, find examples of FOUR of the six types of figurative language listed above. Share your findings as a quote and a page number. Each quote and page number is worth up to 10 points (total of 40 points).

The full assignment is worth up to 100 points. For up to 20 extra credit points, share book examples with page numbers for all six types. You are welcome to share Part One and Part Two separately or together, but both parts are due by 5 PM on Wednesday, October 23.

NOTE:

For an email, the subject line should be "Last Name Hour Ch 7-9." For a shared Google Doc, the document name should be "Last Name Hour Ch 7-9." If you send Parts One and Two separately, add "Part One" and "Part Two" to your submission name. An incorrect name/subject line will cost 5%.

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" background assignment - DUE October 11

Read these two short essays carefully, looking for answers to the following questions:

1. Who were five of the twenty-nine men who signed the incorporation papers for Eatonville? 

2. What is odd about the men who signed?

3. Who discovered Hurston's grave and published an essay about Hurston?  

4. Where was that essay published, and in what year?

Reading: History of Eatonville, FL

Reading: Zora Neale Hurston biography

When you have finished the assigned reading, send me your answers either via email or in a shared Google Doc.  See note below about the proper naming convention for submitting responses to online assignments.

Each answer is worth up to 25 points, for a total of 100 points for the assignment.  Your answers are due to me no later than 5 PM on Friday, October 11.    

NOTE: 

For an email, the subject line should be “Last Name Hour Their Eyes background.”  For a shared Google Doc, the document name should be “Last Name Hour Their Eyes Background.”  An incorrect name/subject line will cost you 5%.

Miss Shier's Tips for Asking for a Recommendation Letter

When you ask for a letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, or another adult, you should provide the following information:

• Your full name
• What the recommendation is for (college or scholarship)
• Who the letter needs to be written to, if it's someone specific
• When you need it by
• Hard copy or email (and where to send it)

Include the following important information about you and your academic and extracurricular activities:

• Academics (honors classes, AP, college courses, early college, etc.)
• Rank and GPA, if you know it
• Clubs or sports teams you are involved in (NHS, Key Club, football, etc.)
• Special awards or honors you have received
• Anything else special you think your recommender should know or include

Remember: You are asking your recommender to do you a favor, so as a matter of courtesy, give them as advanced a warning as possible.  This should be AT LEAST one full week, but more if you can.  If you give less warning, there is a very good chance that they will say no or you will not get your letter in time.

October College Visits

Check the assignment calendar for dates and times for all of the currently scheduled college/university/trade school visits.  More will be added as information becomes available, so check back often.

Student Resume Examples/Templates

Check your email or your "Shared" folder in your Google Drive for a set of sample resumes that can be used as templates if you would like.  You will need to make a copy of the document before you can do any editing.

The templates in the "Materials" folder are mostly for professional resumes, not student resumes.  You can still use them, but you would need to make some changes to make the format work for you.

Welcome, Class of 2020!

Welcome to a brand new school year!  I am excited about what this year has in store for you, and I look forward to helping you prepare for heading off to whatever comes next for you.

Moving forward, there are a few things I strongly recommend:

1. Bookmark this page.
2. Check this page frequently - this is where you will find pretty much everything you need for ELA this year.
3. Keep track of assignments and due dates. 
4. Check your school email regularly.
5. Start thinking about what you might want to research for the Senior Project.  We're doing it slightly differently this year, but it will still be helpful for you to have an idea of what you are interested in for when we get started later in the year.

Senior Project Presentation Fair Days - May 13 and 14

Here is the schedule for the two presentation days in the library.  Remember that you need to be dressed up for both days (at least while you are presenting) and that you need to have a charged Chromebook and your presentation board with you.

Note: All seniors will eat during A lunch on these two days.

If you miss one of your assigned presentation times, you will be required to complete an alternate assignment to receive makeup credit.

In-Text Citations - MLA

Every piece of information that you include in your essay that comes from an outside source (other than your own personal brain) or that is not common knowledge needs an in-text or parenthetical citation.

We have talked about this in class, but just in case:

VIDEO: "What are in-text citations?" (This is the video we watched in class)

VIDEO: "MLA In-Text Citations - an in-depth guide" (Long, but VERY useful)

VIDEO: "Plagiarism & Citing Sources: Common Knowledge Explained" (Useful information we watched in class)


Helpful information sheets, links, and practice:
"MLA In-Text Citation Helper"  (Handed out in class)

"MLA In-Text Citations" from the Bedford Writing Center (Lots of detail, but very useful)

"MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics" from the Purdue OWL


It is very important to remember that ignorance is not an excuse; if you do not know the right way to do a citation, it is never okay to just skip over doing it.  

High School vs. College

In case you were wondering, this is actually a pretty accurate comparison between high school and college, regardless of what college you might attend:

"How is College Different From High School?"

Senior Project Office Hours

Now that we've started the Senior Project, I know you are going to have lots of questions.  You are welcome to talk to me about them during class or before/after school.

You can also email me or text me via Remind* with questions or concerns.  Please be aware that, while I am happy to help you with the project, there are limits to my availability outside of school hours.  College professors refer to their available time as "office hours," so here are mine:

During my Prep Hour: by appointment only
Monday: 2:30 to 6:30

Tuesday-Thursday: 2:30 to 7:00

Friday: 2:30 to 2:45

Saturday: 10:00 to 5:00

Sunday: unavailable

I will make every effort to answer questions in a timely manner, but patience is a must - I have a lot of students sharing my time so messages will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis.  Your best bet for a quick response is to take advantage of in-class work time or our weekly student/teacher conferences during the Senior Project process.

*Everyone is required to sign up for the Senior Project Remind, by texting @shiersp19 to 81010.

Senior Project Remind sign-up

Sign up for Senior Project Remind messages by texting @shiersp19 to 81010.

This is required by 3/1 and is worth 50 points.  

It's Senior Project Time!

It’s my favorite time of the year: it's Senior Project Time!  

The project is broken down into multiple components: Annotated Bibliography, Research Essay, Digital Presentation and Presentation Board, In-Class Presentation, and Presentation Fair.  All due dates and work days are listed on the assignment calendar already, to help you as you work.  Remember that I take due dates and deadlines very seriously, so it is important that you keep track of what is due when and plan accordingly.

On the right side of the page is a set of Senior Project links, including: 

• a list of topics chosen by my students
• a detailed overview of the ENTIRE project
• the letter that was sent home about the Senior Project
• a checklist/due date list with everything you are expected to do, with point values for all assignments
• the late work cover sheet that is required to be included with anything turned in after due dates
• folders of information and handouts specific to the Annotated Bibliography, Research Essay, and Presentations

Many of the materials included here will be given out in class, but you are responsible for making sure you have everything you need, so these links and folders are to help you as you work.  If you plan on using any of the templates provided here as a basis for your work, you will need to make a copy before you can make any edits.

Once you create your Annotated Bibliography, Outline, Research Essay, and Digital Presentation, you will share each of these with me for points.  Before you do, you will need to name your documents using the following format: Last name Hour Item.  So, my annotated bibliography would be called "Shier 2 Annotated Bibliography."  My essay would be "Shier 2 Research Essay."  My presentation would be "Shier 2 Media Presentation."  Points will be lost for misnamed files.

I know this seems like a lot of work, and it is, but I'll be working with you every step of the way, and I have absolute faith that you can do this.  Good luck and DON’T PANIC!!!

Doing Research through Clinton-Macomb Public Library

To begin:

Go to cmpl.org.  If you have a login/library card number, click on “My Account” and log in.  This will give you access to everything on the library site.  If you don’t have a login, you can still use many of the library services, including most research databases.

To do research:

Click on “Research.”  Under “Advanced Research Databases,” use the drop-down to choose the database you want to search based on the topic you are searching.  Once you pick a database, remember to search using KEYWORDS, not sentences - you will get a better result that way.

"Explora for High School," “MeL” (Michigan eLibrary) and “ERIC” are good for scholarly sources like academic journals.  “InfoTrac Student Edition” and “Britannica School - High” are good for magazines and newspapers, as well as academic journals.  There are many, many databases to choose from, but they should all give you good, reputable, scholarly sources that you can use for your research and Senior Project essay.

Once you open an article from any of the CMPL databases, you will find a toolbar on the right side of the page to help you.  Tools include citations, the ability to print or download articles, and the ability to highlight text and save notes about your highlighted sections.

If you need to pick a topic (also helpful for researching):

On the Research tab, use the drop-down and pick “Opposing Viewpoints.”  Once there, click on “Browse Issues.”  This brings you to a list of possible topics.  Clicking on any of these will bring you to a dedicated page of information, sources, and links about that topic.  

OR

On “Opposing Viewpoints.”  Once there, click on "Advanced Search," then click on “Topic Finder.”  This brings you to a search box that then gives you a chart (wheel or tiles) of increasingly narrowed topics related to the broad topic you search for.  Clicking on any of these will bring up a list of articles that could work for your research.

"Great Gatsby" vocabulary worksheets and quiz

For "The Great Gatsby," you will need to complete vocabulary worksheets that go along with the various chapters, as well as a vocabulary quiz on words from the book.  All of these assignments are due by 11:59 PM on Friday, February 22.

Right now the worksheets and the quiz are accessible via the 12th Eng LA II course page on Schoology.  In order to access it, you need to go to clintondale.schoology.com and log in by choosing your school email from the list.  Once there, you can enter your class's page and the worksheets and quiz are there for you to complete.

If you are not able to access the class Schoology page, you need to let me know as soon as possible so alternative access can be arranged.  If you do not contact me about access issues, I will assume that you can get into the page to complete the assignment and you will be graded accordingly.

Starting "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Our final novel this year is "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  This is a short one, only nine chapters, but it's a great story.  And yes, we will watch the movie adaptation after we finish.  I would not recommend watching it beforehand, though - it's a good adaptation, but not close enough to help you on any of the assignments we'll be doing in conjunction with the reading.

We will primarily be reading in class, but you should use the information from the list of links on the right to help you if you miss or need to catch up.  This should be your first stop with any questions.

As we read, you will be working on two long-term assignments: one deals with F. Scott Fitzgerald's extensive use of symbolism in the novel, and one deals with the advanced vocabulary that appears in the novel.  We will discuss both in class, but information about these two can be found in the "Gatsby Handouts and Worksheets" folder at right.  Be aware that due to the snow days, you will have very limited class time to work on these, so manage your time wisely.

Also available is an ebook of the novel, a set of links to the audiobook version, and a pair of videos that walk you through the story, the setting, and the themes of the novel ("LCC: Gatsby Part 1" and "LCC: Gatsby Part 2").   We will talk about most of this in class, but you may want to watch these videos for yourself, especially if you are confused by anything we read in the novel.

Lastly, be aware that we will be wrapping up "The Great Gatsby" differently.  For the other novels we read, you wrote an essay or completed a project about what we read, but for this one, you will be taking a quiz based on the reading.  Be prepared - the quiz is scheduled for February 15.

"Brave New World" Final Project

Even though we haven't quite finished the novel, now is a good time to start thinking about which of the ten project options you would like to work on.  The complete list of options, as well as the rubrics I will be using for grading, are in the "BNW Handouts and Assignments" folder on the right side of the page.  

You will need to make a decision and report your project choice to me by the end of class on Thursday, January 10.  There will be limited class time available for working on this project, but you may need to do some out-of-class work in order to finish on time.

Your completed project and accompanying Works Cited page are due by 2:45 on Friday, January 18, regardless of whether you have chosen to do a written (and printed) essay or digital project.  Late work will not be accepted after 2:45 on Tuesday, January 22.

Requirements by project type:
Essay (# 1, 3, 4, 9) - 3 to 5 pages plus Works Cited
Digital Presentation (# 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10) - 10 slides plus Works Cited
Annotated List (# 2, 6) - 10 items plus Works Cited
Video (# 7) - 2-3 minute video plus Works Cited

Good luck!