We will continue to work on the following skills:
1. You can study word parts and unravel meanings of words to increase your vocabulary and
ultimately your reading comprehension.
2. You can read & understand difficult text.
3. You will consciously use reading strategies—leveled questions, summary and paraphrasing--to
make meaning of text.
4. You will connect the text to personal/social relevance.
5. You will compose an argumentative, informational, or narrative piece between 4-9
paragraphs.
6. You will generate prose in an academic tone vs. a casual register.
7. You will cite text to support a claim.
Big Ideas for Greece Unit:
You can discover the relevance of studying ancient Greek
culture and connect its traditions to the Odyssey as well as make meaning of difficult text. You can
extract universal truths which apply to today and trace the archetypal pattern of the epic hero. I will
measure your understanding through your writing of a culminating essay containing multiple
paragraphs as well as through a variety of exercises whose focus is on characterization, theme,
summary, and creative writing.
“Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.” CCSS R.L.7
Wednesday, June 10th
Today is your final. I will sure miss you all! Make a fabulous summer.
Monday, June 8th
Timed Write:
Part 1: I want to trace the moral lessons our hero learns along his journey and relate the impact of
those lessons. What difference does any of Odysseus’ journal make? Ask the questions, “So, what?!”
Part 2: What universal truths transcend time and can be applied to people in our culture today?
I want to spend a bit of time sharing the claims we create from that journal. Be prepared for me to share
them out loud with the class—I won’t use your name!
Today is your last day before finals, so let’s review:
Items on the final include vocabulary lessons 31-34; comma, colon, and semi-colon usage; elements of
an essay; and a prompt so you can write an essay. Hint: It will have to do with the universal truths of
the Odyssey, the heroic pattern, and you!
Thursday, June 4th
Today we are going to gear up for the final essay and exam by reviewing comma, colon and semicolon usage. Also, let’s review the parts of an essay. If you are absent you will need to pick up some
handouts for review. I typed up some notes for you to make the process a bit easier. 
Tuesday, June 2nd
Today we will fulfill one of the freshman career requirements by going to the library to explore the
Nevada Career Information System Database. Important elements to know at the end of the lesson:
1.
What kinds of credible resources do we have available in our own library for exploring
Nevada careers?
2. You can cite resources using MLA format.
3. You can add parenthetical documentation when researching.
4. You can find information about a specific career in which you have a true interest.
Friday, May 29th
Before we do anything I will be checking your understanding on the Atalanta story. You may want to
review the story while I’m taking attendance.
**Can you identify how the Atalanta story fits the archetypal pattern of the hero? Does it?
**What are the lessons Atalanta learns as a result of her quest?
**What values do the Greeks wish to pass along to those they tell these stories?
We will only get through the Circe portion of the movie today, but we will keep jotting down
examples from the movie that exemplify Odysseus as a hero.
Wednesday, May 27th
Today was a rather crazy morning since we began class by blowing our projector bulb. I decide to show
1 movie the entire year and today’s the day the bulb blows!! We’ll pick it back up on Friday. Thank you
for your flexibility today!
At any rate, I passed back your Odyssey quizzes; we will be going over commas, semi-colons and colons
in the next week since we require the practice.
Your final will be contain the following: comma, semi-colon and colon usage; vocabulary lessons 31-34;
elements of an essay; composition of an essay which captures the archetypal pattern of the hero as well
as the universal truths of the tale. The latter will be worth 40% of the total grade—it’s a good thing you
have been taking fantastic notes because I will allow you to use them for your essay.
To support your understanding of the heroic pattern, we traced it all throughout the epic and jotted
down specific examples where Odysseus exemplified heroic traits. I was impressed by your
understanding.
Finally, I passed out the Atalanta story so we could trace the heroic pattern about a heroine. You have
to finish reading the story tonight and be prepared for a quiz next period. If you were absent, please
stop in and grab the story right away.
Friday, May 22nd
Please take the time to review your summaries from Part 2 of the Odyssey before I check your
understanding:
Part 2 Quiz: Please write the correct letter for 1-14 and complete the constructed response. As soon
as you’re finished, some of you need to finish your Independent Reading! I plan to show the movie to
discuss what was absent and/or emphasized in the three different versions of the Odyssey that we’ve
been studying. (“Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.” CCSS R.L.7)
Sometime next week I plan to share a story about a heroine and we will review Comma usage as well
as Semi-Colons and Colons. Please get some sticky notes for class next week!
I plan to watch the Odyssey today. Remember, we will “analyze how two or more texts address
similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take”
(CCSS R.L.7) So far we have read excerpts from the textbook, read a portion of Bernard Evslin’s
Ulysses, and watched the Odyssey. 
**You took notes from the movie when Odysseus acted heroically so you can insert that information
into your essays—bravo.
Wednesday, May 20th
Good morning, all! I’m checking Vocabulary #34 today. On pages 174-5 I’d like you to write one
sentence for EACH vocabulary word using the Odyssey as the context for each sentence. I will put you
“on the spot” in a few minutes, so write some excellent sentences! (We will be sharing!) 
We need to review the following from last class:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Books 13-15: Part 2: Coming Home page 690.
Book 16: “The Meeting of Father and Son” pages 691-694.
Book 17: “The Beggar and Faithful Dog” pages 694-695.
Books 18-20: “The Epic Continues” page 696.
We should be able to finish reading and summarizing the text today before I check your
understanding of Part 2:
5. Book 21: “The Test of the Great Bow” pages 698-702.
6. Book 22: “The Death and the Palace” pages 703-705.
7. Book 23: “Odysseus and Penelope” pages 706-709.
**We had just enough time to finish reading and to turn in our summaries. I will check your
understanding of the rest of the text on Friday!
Monday, May 18th
I hope you enjoyed a fabulous weekend! I’m checking vocabulary #33; we’re reviewing the Odyssey
from last week, and we’re continuing through The Cattle of the Sun. Afterward, I will check your
understanding of Part 1 of the Odyssey, so be ready!
If you missed the Circe quiz last week, you must make it up by Wednesday afternoon. It will take
around 20 minutes because it’s a writing quiz.
Here is what we were able to cover today! Bravo.  We did turn in our summaries at the end of the
period.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Book 12 cont.: The cattle of the Sun God” pages 684-686. The flashback is NOW over!
Books 13-15: Part 2: Coming Home page 690.
Book 16: “The Meeting of Father and Son” pages 691-694.
Book 17: “The Beggar and Faithful Dog” pages 694-695.
Books 18-20: “The Epic Continues” page 696.
Thursday, May 14th
Welcome back, all. I want to remind you that your Vocabulary exercise #33 is due on Monday, May
18th. Please do not copy your work. Complete it with fidelity so you actually benefit from the
lesson—I will be taking grades on the lesson!
Before I check your understanding of the Circe section of the Ulysses text, I’d like to review the Keeper
of the Winds with you from last time. Let’s show our 2 titled “photos” of that section.
Review the plot of the Circe story with your pod before I give you a quiz on this section. You will write
the answers on your homework.
Mike & Grace: You MUST come in and take the quiz by 5/20. It is a writing quiz and will take about 20
minutes to complete.
Let’s continue to read the story together in class:
13. Book 11: “The Land of the Dead” pages 675-677.
14. Book 12: “The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis” pages 678-683.
Tuesday, May 12th
We had short class periods, so I gave you an ORAL quiz on the Cyclops section of the Odyssey. We
added the term HUBRIS to our Mr. Stick notebooks since that reveals Odysseus’ tragic flaw—it
actually brought on a curse from Poseidon!
We turned in our homework from last night for the Cyclops section & Winds…
We didn’t have enough time to perform tableaux of “The Keeper of the Winds,” so instead we created
2 pictures and titles in groups of 5; we will present them first thing next period so bridge the gap.
HOMEWORK: PLEASE READ CIRCE IN THE ULYSSES BOOK. My page numbers are different from yours,
sorry! Be certain you capture this in 1-2 boxes for your Mr. Stick notebook. You don’t have
vocabulary due until Monday of next week.
Friday, May 8th
Happy Friday, all. Today is Miss Santoro’s last day, so please wish her well. 
You will want to take a few minutes to study your vocabulary before we take our test on lessons 3132. Afterward we will review what happened in the Odyssey last period.
For homework, make sure you read and complete your “Mr. Stick Notebooks for the following.”
15. Book 9 cont. “The Lotus Eaters” page 658.
16. Book 9 cont. “The Cyclops’ Cave” pages 660-670.
17. Book 9 cont. “The Keeper of the Winds” from the Ulysses book on pages 34-44.
Here is the poem format from this morning. So much fun, everyone.
I wish __________would __________.
I wish __________wouldn’t __________.
I need
I don’t need
I want
I don’t want
I am
I am not
I can
I cannot
**I’m still waiting for some of you to complete your independent reading/take the quizzes. Get it
finished ASAP because it will be for a grade!
**Make a wonderful weekend, all! Vocabulary #33 is not due until May 18th & #34 is due on May 20th,
so please work ahead.
Wednesday, May 6th
Good morning, all. Please read over the vocab words along with their synonyms and antonyms before
we begin our review activity. We will test over the words on Friday. Thank you for all of the helpful
feedback on the vocabulary sheets. I will share that with our English department as well as Mr.
Brown next week.
Let’s pick up the Odyssey where we left off. Remember to keep the following in mind while we read:
A. WHY do characters respond the way they do?
B. Can you follow the plot?
C. What terms are used to describe Odysseus?
D. Can you cite textual evidence when a character displays heroic characteristics?
Book 5: Calyspso pages 652-654
Books 6-8 Summary page 656. (Write values about guests, songs, & Odysseus’ flashback.)
Book 9: “I am Laertes’ son” page 656-658.
Continue to add your illustrations for homework; be certain you study for Friday’s test, too.
Monday, May 4th
Well, your class was NOT so good at completing your vocabulary lesson #32, so I decided not to waste
my time on it since so many of you were cheating right before my eyes—that’s a bit disappointing, all!
We will review 31-32 on Wednesday and I will check your understanding on Friday.
We reviewed the Archetypal Pattern of the epic hero, and continued to create our Odyssey notebook
which includes illustrating/summarizing the section. We completed the following:
18. Book 1: Mr. Stick in the Odyssey. The Invocation page 651. Also pay attention to these:
A. WHY characters respond the way they do.
B. Can you follow the plot?
C. What terms are used to describe Odysseus.
D. Cite textual evidence when a character displays heroic characteristics.
19. Books 1-4: Summary page 652.
20. Book 5: Calypso, the sweet nymph. We only titled this before we had to leave.
****Keep reading your independent reading books! Thanks to everyone who turned in their
writing!
Thursday, April 30th
Good morning, all! During announcements I spoke to several of you about your independent reading
goals. Some of you did NOT do ANY of your reading—that was your homework, along with your
vocabulary. You need to finish this book and start your next ASAP. Also, come and take your written
assessment on the finished book.
Please take out your vocabulary lesson #31, prepare to turn in your completed Mr. Stick
characterization of your Greek gods/goddesses, along with your “So what?!” timed write about those
gods. (What is your claim about them, and why do you believe the way you do?!)
Vocabulary Lesson #32 is due on 5/4; we will test your understanding of lessons 31-32 on 5/8.
After our vocabulary lesson we will review what we’ve learned about Greek culture so far and then
begin our introduction to the Odyssey. Please have plenty of paper because we will be creating our
own “textbooks” so-to-speak about the Greece unit which will contain summaries, important terms
and notes, illustrations, and reflections. Remember, at the end of the unit I will measure your
understanding by assigning a culminating essay where you will defend a claim with plenty of textual
evidence and logic. The better your notes along the way, the easier the essay-writing process will be
for you! 
Add the following to your Mr. Stick notes:
The Odyssey
Timed-write: What makes a hero? Discuss the aspects of a hero by
considering the names of people, real or fictional, whom you believe
possess heroic qualities. What are the character traits they possess?
How would you describe the hero’s actions? Are these traits
universal, or do they only represent your culture?
Add the following to your Mr. Stick notes:
The Epic Hero Pattern or Archetype
1. There is something special about the birth of the hero or heroine.
2. The childhood of the hero is briefly or rarely mentioned.
3. The hero is set apart from other people at an early age.
4. Destiny plays a very great role in the lives of the heroes—especially the
Greeks! These heroes are fated to be great, and to be great means that
their lives are inextricably intertwined with the gods.
5. There is help from spirits, gods, animals, or other unusual sources.
6. To prove his status as hero, the hero must undertake a dangerous quest
on behalf of his people. The hero faces trials and difficulties during this
journey.
7. There is the appearance of a monstrous creature which must be
overcome. (Evil)
8. After the object of the quest is attained, many of the heroes find
themselves confronted with an arduous journey back to their
homeland. In many cases, they meet new adventures and hardships.
9. The hero gains the rewards of his labors. These rewards are short-lived.
10.The old age of the hero is either obscure or inglorious.
11. The hero has encounters with women. There is the element of love and
romance.
We took notes about pages 640-646 in our purple books. Please add notes to your Mr. Stick
illustrations and turn everything in before you leave today.
The Odyssey Syllabus
**It took 4 days to prep for the epic story with everything else going on! I did take a day to complete the
map & discuss geography. During another class period we completed Gruesome Greek Life. It took 2
class periods to do the storytelling of the Olympic gods/goddesses.
Reading sections for the Odyssey:
21. Timed Write: What makes a hero? 5 Minutes total; completed 4/30.
22. Archetypal pattern notes of the Epic Hero. Completed 4/30
23. Background notes from purple text on pages 640-646. Key words for today: Epic Hero,
Archetypal Pattern, the Iliad, Homer, Epics, Journey, Theme, Rhapsodes, Homeric Similes…to
name a few. Completed 4/30 (all but the similes!)
24. Book 1: Mr. Stick in the Odyssey. The Invocation page 651. Also pay attention to these:
A. WHY characters respond the way they do.
B. Can you follow the plot?
C. What terms are used to describe Odysseus.
D. Cite textual evidence when a character displays heroic characteristics.
25. Books 1-4: Summary page 652.
26. Book 5: Calypso pages 652-654.
27. Books 6-8 Summary page 656. (Write values about guests, songs, & Odysseus’ flashback.)
28. Book 9: “I am Laertes’ son” page 656-658.
29. Book 9 cont. “The Lotus Eaters” page 658.
30. Book 9 cont. “The Cyclops’ Cave” pages 660-670.
31. Book 9 cont. “The Keeper of the Winds” from the Ulysses book on pages 34-44.
32. Book 9 or 10: “Cannibal Beach” in Ulysses book on pages 45-49.
33. Book 10: “Circe” in Ulysses book on pages 50-69.
34. Book 11: “The Land of the Dead” pages 675-677.
35. Book 12: “The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis” pages 678-683.
36. Book 12 cont.: The cattle of the Sun God” pages 684-686. The flashback is NOW over!
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
Books 13-15: Part 2: Coming Home page 690.
Book 16: “The Meeting of Father and Son” pages 691-694.
Book 17: “The Beggar and Faithful Dog” pages 694-695.
Books 18-20: “The Epic Continues” page 696.
Book 21: “The Test of the Great Bow” pages 698-702.
Book 22: “The Death and the Palace” pages 703-705.
Book 23: “Odysseus and Penelope” pages 706-709.
Friday, April 24th
I love looking at your Greek Gods Characterization drawings!  I will give you until 4/30 to finish
drawing and writing down adjectives about the characters for the following gods/goddesses: Zeus,
Hera, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hestia, Hermes, Demeter, Hades, Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Poseidon,
Ares, & Dionysus. After I finished the last story you wrote a 5 minute timed write which captures your
opinion and perception about these gods and goddesses and how they affected the culture. Be
certain you place that underneath your drawings because I will collect all of them. Don’t forget to
complete your Vocabulary lesson #31.
Wednesday, April 22nd
Today we took our vocabulary test and your lesson 31 is not due until next Thursday. You took notes
on four out of the fourteen Greek gods we will be focusing on for your Greek Unit. We took notes on
Zeus, Hera, Apollo, and Artemis. The focus for today was on Greek Culture as Mrs. Folkers told some
stories about the gods!
Monday, April 20th
** We started the day with a quick review activity to remember your words for lesson 29! Remember
those insults! You have a vocabulary test on lessons 28 and 29 on Wednesday! Don’t forget to look
over those words!
**We transitioned into Greek Mythology by reviewing Greek Geography. I was totally impressed by
your ability to recall the major players in the Ancient Greek Empire and where they were located. You
even articulated the economic import of the Aegean Sea. Bravo! We reviewed some of the
geographical difficulties, the top 3 agricultural crops, and then took notes on Gruesome Greek Life. If
you were absent, I have a handout you can read—you MUST take notes on the top 10 list. (They are
on my wall, too!)
The last set of notes we PARAPHRASED and SHORTENED came from the following:
The Myths of Greece and Rome
I.
Why are myths important?
a. These civilizations gave us much of our astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, architecture,
medicine, monetary system, and our systems of government and law.
b. They still reveal “truths” about who we are and why we behave as we do.
II.
What is a myth?
a. The word mythology means the study of myths. The Greek word is “Muthos” or story;
mu, meaning “to make a sound with the mouth.”
b. Myths are stories that are always in some sense religious.
c. Myths represent the deepest wishes and fears of “primitive” human beings.
d. Myths helped people understand the mysterious and sometimes frightening forces of
the universe.
1. seasonal changes
2. fire
3. lightning
4. drought
5. floods
6. death
e. Myths probably originated when people began to ask questions about creation of the
world and about their role in it.
I.
Collectors of Myths
a. Myths were passed on through the generations by word of mouth or storytellers.
Myth-makers were thought to be directly in touch with the gods themselves.
b. The first famous collectors of myths to write them down were the poets Homer &
Hesiod. (Circa 800 B.C.)
c. Homer is known for his epic poems, the Iliad, and the Odyssey.
d. Hesiod’s stories are collected in his books called Theogony (“the origin of the gods”)
and Works and Days.
e. By second century B.C., the Romans had conquered the Greeks and adopted the Greek
myths as their own. They added new tones to the stories that were less religious than
the Greek versions.
f.
Ovid was a Roman poet who retold the myths in his work, Metamorphoses.
g. Virgil was the other great Roman myth-maker; he wrote the epic called the Aeneid
about the founding of Rome by the hero Aeneas.
II.
The Uses of Mythology
a. The stories could speak to the real concerns of ordinary people & the mysteries of life.
The great myths give us insights into the nature of our world.
1. To explain the creation of the world
2. To explain natural phenomena
3. To give story form to ancient religious practices
4. To teach moral lessons
5. To explain history
6. To express, as dreams do, the deepest fears and hopes of the human race.
**I did have you draw pictures of Mr. Stick to help you remember key aspects about your notes.
(Some of you wrote too many words, so a picture can sum up ideas much quicker!)
You have a vocabulary test on lessons 28-29 on Wednesday, so please make certain you study.
Thursday, April 16th
Today Mrs. Folkers provided you with a 31 Day Independent Reading Challenge to ramp up
your independent reading before the end of the year. I’ve already read through your goals,
documented when you should finish a text, and passed back those sheets. I’m hoping to
encourage you to read each day—2 hours a week is imperative! 
I also provided you with a curriculum map of what to expect in English 3-4 Honors since it is
significantly more strenuous than what you are now used to for English:
31 Day Independent Reading Challenge for April & May, 2015
1. I should independently read at least 2 hours per week to
bolster my academic experience.
2. My 10 minute reading assessment estimates I can read
__________pages per hour.
3. If I independently read at least 2 hours per week, I should
be able to read an average of ___________ pages each week.
4. I have a Freshman Seminar class—Yes
or
No.
If yes, I am required to read between ______ and ______
minutes per week for this class; I only need to read
______at home to meet my goal.
If no, I must read ______minutes 5 days a week at home to
meet my goal.
5. If I stay on schedule, I should finish my current book by
________________________________.
6. If I stay on schedule, I should be able to finish
_________books by May 29th. (This is a total of 31 week
days.)
***The majority of the work we complete for your Greece
unit will be completed IN CLASS, so the bulk of your
homework will be to finish what we started in class and to
read independently. You will find a HUGE difference in
the amount of required reading expected for your
sophomore honors English class. Since sophomores are my
specialty, chances are you MIGHT be in my class next year;
I thought I would give you a heads-up for what my
curriculum map looks like in 2015-16:
English 3-4 Honors
English 1st Semester
English 2nd Semester
Culture Bag Presentations; test on Summer
Reading: Siddhartha (unless Galena decides to
omit); friendly letter; norms;
personalities/create claims; debate
Sir Gawain & the Green Knight (ISBN# 0-14044092-5): How to read a poem/creative
writing; essay
Skill Review for Efferent and Aesthetic
reading, responding, and writing;
annotation/questioning/active reading;
symbolism for Siddhartha; Stronger essay:
argument/parts of essay/writing rubric;
Parenthetical Documentation/Citing
Information; Presentation skill
Gilgamesh (ISBN# 978-0-618-27564-9) &
Literature from World Religions & Sacred
Texts compare/contrast & Cause/effect of
cultural values; SOAPSTone strategy; FIT
strategy; archetypal patterns; literary terms
Fahrenheit 451 (ISBN# 0-345-41001-7) : Lit
Circles, Shared Inquiry, Double Entry Journals
(DEJs), Level 2 Questions continued
Things Fall Apart (ISBN# 0-385-47454-7) :
Argument or Informational Essay
CHAUTAUQUA—Research Paper in Narrative
form; Performance & Speaking Skills for 7-10
minute oral presentation;
autobiography/biography ***We will work
on this from the end of March through June.
Please look at the calendar every day!
Vocabulary: Everyday Words from Classic
Origins—roots, suffixes & prefixes
Greek Mythology; storytelling/oral
tradition/heroic pattern; argument or
informational essay; mini lessons on writing
traits; ABC Summary
Independent Reading: 500 page minimum as
well as test for accountability. (Get a head
start during the December break!)
Grammar: Sentence Structure and sentence
Julius Caesar: Aristotle’s tragic hero; Argument types; Clauses & Phrases; review semi-colons
essay; elements of persuasion;
and colons.
summary/paraphrasing
Vocabulary: Everyday Words from Classic
Origins—roots, suffixes & prefixes
Independent Reading: 500 page minimum as
well as test for accountability: I might ramp
this up a bit over the summer.
Grammar: Subject/Verb agreement;
Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement; Case
Pronouns
Sample CHAUTAUQUA CALENDAR for 2015
Due Date
Assignment
Points
3/19
Chautauqua Lottery and Character Selection
/20
3/23
Library Time: Autobiography/Biography Selected—research!
-
4/22
Twenty Note Cards on Biography/Autobiography Source #1
/20
4/24
/10
4/30
Ten Note Cards from Sources 2 & 3; I’m assigning Timeline.
*4/28 you have NO SCHOOL due to ACT testing!!
Ten Note Cards from Sources 4 & 5
4/30
Annotated Source Cards (5 Sources); Assign Memory Poetry
/25
5/4
Timeline; Goal—Write 1stAnecdote today
/30
5/6
Goal: Write 2nd Anecdote today IN CLASS; DELAYED START!!!
5/8
Poetry Rough Draft; Goal—Write 3rd Anecdote today
/20
5/12
Poem Final Draft; DELAYED START TODAY!! Goal—Write
Public’s Perception tonight
Collage/Presentation Sign-ups; Goal—Write Introduction today
/30
Interview Questions/Personality Assignment ; Goal—Write
Conclusion today
/20
5/14
5/18
/10
/30
5/22
Personal Narrative Rough Draft/Works Cited must be typed!
/50
5/27
Personal Narrative Final Draft
/100
5/29
Rehearsal
/15
5/29
Submit Final Draft /Works Cited page in one document to
Turnitin.com by Midnight!
/50
6/2-6/10
Chautauqua Presentations
/150
3/19 - 6/10
Participation
/100
Please note that each assignment is due on the date listed. There will be NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED. If
you are absent on the day an assignment is due, it is your responsibility to arrange to have it brought
to school on the due date.
*******After this we transitioned in Grammar Usage Errors and reviewed some of our common
mistakes from last period’s handout. You are struggling with making certain your Subjects and the
pronouns agree with one another. You are trying to use plural pronouns when there is a singular
subject, so we’ll keep practicing.
We check vocabulary #28 and reviewed the essence of Mr. Stick by drawing 5 of our vocabulary words
using Mr. Stick’s expressions to capture the meaning of the word. In addition, we wrote another word
next to it to trigger the definition.
Finally, Mrs. Folkers had you create a map of the Mediterranean Region. It looks pretty wild, yet you
will understand where the region is located. We began taking notes on Gruesome Greek Life,
specifically on the Pottery Lottery. Please see a friend for those notes. 
Homework: Vocabulary #29 and your independent reading! Make a nice weekend.
Tuesday, April 14th
Today we worked on a few grammar activities that covered non-sexist terms plus double
negatives and took a quick assessment quiz on the material. We worked on a quick 10 minute
independent reading assessment to be able to self-regulate our progress with reading outside
of class. Mrs. Folkers started Greek mythology by introducing the unit with geography and
culture.
HW: Vocabulary 28, Next class we will be doing an activity with the vocabulary from this
lesson!
ABSENT STUDENTS: Grace, Sarah, and Alex: You need to figure out a time when you can make
up the grammar quiz
Friday, March 27th
We will be taking a quick grammar quiz at the beginning of class! Please
utilize the five minutes to review your notes and blue books if you need
to! We will be using the remainder of class to finish your skits and we will
be presenting at the end of class! Use your time well!
If you were absent: you will need to turn in a reflection on your
contribution to your skit and take the grammar quiz
Alex: you will need to do an alternative writing assignment to get the
points to the skit and will have to make up the grammar test!
I hope you have a fabulous spring break! Get some sun!
Wednesday, March 25th
Today we will finish up the presentations on grammar usage rules and continue to work in the
blue book with grammar usage. We will start our collaborative writing project today, where
we will turn song lyrics into a short play. You will be able to expand a piece of writing and
change its genre by making inferences based off of what you can see within the lyrics.
Monday, March 23rd
We took a survey in the faculty dining room and we worked on grammar usage rules for the
remainder of class. Your pods worked on and presented on one grammar rule and the rest of
the class took notes on the rule and pneumonic device. We will finish up the presentations on
Wednesday.
Thursday, March 19th
For the test: write one to two paragraphs for each of the
questions. I will be looking for your level 2 understanding and
your use of the text!
Tuesday, March 10th
Timed write on Chapters 7 and 8 take time to
review the chapters you have read!
Today we had a timed write on chapters 7 and 8, we worked on the character list,
their role in Animal Farm, and their purpose in the text. We moved into themes and
we worked on a top five list of themes and each pod picked one theme to present to
the class. We will finish the presentations in the beginning of class.
For next class: We will need to bring five level 2 questions to class and finish the book.
We will be having a Socratic Seminar, and using the rest of class to complete the final
test. Have a good day!
Friday, March 6th
Please have your essays ready at the beginning
of class today!
Timed write
Have your propaganda posters ready to
present to your group
We will be working on Animal Farm today and
finding symbolism within the chapters of 5/ 6.
We took a quiz on Animal Farm chapters 5 and 6. We completed a timed write on the
first 4 chapters of the text. We worked on symbolism and propaganda today by
engaging in an exercise where you explored the significance within the text.
What was due today: Your final draft of your essay, your propaganda poster, read
chapters 5 and 6
What we turned in class today: True or False quiz, and timed write about significant
quote.
What is due for next class: Read chapters 7 and 8
Monday, March 9th
Today we took some time to revise your papers. We turned in the papers and will be getting
feedback based off of your rubric on Wednesday. We were introduced to the Animal Farm
unit with a short video, a presentation on George Orwell’s profile, and a four corners exercise.
For Wednesday: You should come to class having read the first 4 chapters of Animal Farm.
Make sure you pick an important quote to support your understanding of the entire chapter.
It will aid you in Wednesday’s class to come prepared with that in mind.
Thursday March 4th
We will be taking a vocabulary test and working on your essays
in class!
**For Monday you are to read the first two chapters of Animal
Farm, and your Romeo and Juliet paper is due. Since the bell ring
and I did not have time to really discuss what I want you to be
able to do in your essays. So, look at the rubric, and do your best!
You may revise for a better grade if needed based off of your
paper you turn in on Monday! Have a good weekend!
Tuesday, March 3rd
Take out your vocabulary and study for the whole five minutes! We will be doing a review
activity!
We will be starting our Romeo and Juliet essay in class today!
Today we did a vocabulary activity with whiteboards. We worked on the essays that will be on
Romeo and Juliet. We worked on an introductory paragraph together and you completed
your introductory paragraph in class. You worked on your graphic organizer and should have
at least two pieces of evidence by the end of the class. You have a vocabulary test next class
and you will need to bring your rough drafts to class to work on them in your groups.
Friday, February 26th
Your Vocabulary 27 lesson is due
We will finish Act 5, take the last quiz and start working on your final essay for the play.
We finished the play today and took our last quiz on Romeo and Juliet.
We did a four corners exercise discussing the topic of your final essay WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR JULIET’S DEATH?
The energy and reasoning behind your stances were great! Put that same fire into your paper.
I gave you some handouts to look at over the weekend to help you prepare for your paper and
not to stress. There was a graphic organizer and the essay requirements. Have a good
weekend!
Wednesday, February 25th
We will check your vocabulary 26
Today we will look over our summaries for Act 4 then take the quiz.
Start reading Act 5! Our final Act!
We started the last scene of the last act! We have almost completed Romeo and Juliet!
Congratulations! We are starting to see all the events unfold and how all the complications of
the plan get in the way of our two “star-crossed lovers”. We went over the analogies of
vocabulary lesson 26. Vocabulary lesson 27 is due on Friday. We will finish up act 5 next class,
take the last quiz, and start working on the introduction of your final paper!
Ben and Camy—you will need to make up the act 4 quiz.
Monday, February 23rd
Today we will be taking the vocabulary test 23-24 at the beginning of class.
We will continue Act 4, through scene 2 and onward.
Things to keep in mind as we read:
Is there a shift in YOUR perspective on certain characters, i.e. Paris or the Capulets? Why is
that? Did Shakespeare implement any strategies in the writing to achieve the shift?
We read through ALL of act 4!! Woop woop!! And we took a vocabulary test? What a busy
day! We talked about the implications of the parents, YOUR perspective on how they treated
Juliet and their role in the events currently unfolding. Could they be suspects in the crime
scene investigation of Juliet? We also discussed the risks that Juliet is taking, we saw some of
her fears and her worries, but she moves forward in her plan to be with Romeo.
We will be taking a quiz on Act 4 next period.
Lesson 26 is due in your vocabulary workbook.
We will continue with Act 5, and watch all the events unfold in which we have been
anticipating through the whole play!!
If we have time: We will start your final essay by working with your introductory paragraphs
in class.
Thursday, February 19th
Today we will be finishing Act 3 and taking a quiz. We will be starting Act 4 and asking and
attempting to answer some level 2 questions about the text!
We took a quiz today on Act 3. We finished the act and started reading act 4, and finished the
first scene. We had a review activity of words you will see on the vocabulary test next class
on lessons 23-24. Congratulations to team 2 for winning some bragging points! We turned in
our act 3 and act 4 summaries today, along with your timed write. I will be looking at those
and seeing how you are critically thinking about the text. Your exit ticket for the day was a
post-it note, pinning some evidence against one of the suspects in the case of “Who is
responsible for Juliet’s Death?”
Make Sure for next class you are prepared to take your vocabulary test on lessons 23-24.
Tuesday, February 17th
Today we busted through act 3 and we almost finished scene 5. I wrote that your lesson 25 is
due next class, but that is your review lesson. You will have a vocabulary test on Monday.
We read through scene 1 through 5. We discussed the implications of Mercutio’s role in the
feud. We worked on the whiteboard and filled in our summaries through act 3, scene 5. We
will finish the act next class and will take a quiz on Act 3. We will continue through Act 4.
Timed Write!
What puts people in a bad mood?
THE BIG QUESTIONS:
 Who is responsible for Juliet’s Death?
 What does Mercutio mean when he says, “A plague
o’both your houses” (3.1.87)? What are the
implications of that statement?
 What does Romeo imply when he states, “O! I am
fortune’s fool!” (3.1.131)? What does this say about
his character?
 How does the suicidal tendencies of both Romeo
and Juliet effect the theme of “young love”?
Today we will start act 3 by watching a clip from the movie version of Romeo
and Juliet! You will have time to complete your summaries and will be
responding to some of the “Big Questions” along the way!!
We watched the Romeo and Juliet movie through most of Act 3 scene 1 today.
We investigated the death of Juliet by finding evidence against the Friar and
the nurse. We added another suspect to the list as well. Mercutio sure made
a mess of things. We discussed the implications of the line “A plague a’both
your houses” (3.1.81). We will be continuing that conversation with the class
next time! We will continue through Act 3 next period. For vocabulary today
you worked in your pods to create a cohesive paragraph that used your
vocabulary words from lesson 23. Everyone did a great job collaborating
today with your vocabulary activity.
Vocabulary 24 is due on next Tuesday!
Tuesday, February 10th
We will start our day with Romeo and Juliet at Act 2 Scene 4. We will finish reading Act 2 and
take a quiz on your understanding of the act. You may use you scene summaries and your
text, but must work INDEPENDENTLY.
Today we finished Act 2 and took a quiz. We read the last 3 scenes of the act and are within
the rising action of the play. We will continue onto Act 3 on Thursday. Most of you did really
well on the quiz, and most did a really good job with the response question and finding an
example of dramatic irony.
In Act 3, we will start to encounter extended metaphor as we encounter the turning point! It’s
a tragedy! Dun dun dun!!
Make sure your vocabulary lesson 23 is ready for Thursday! Miss Santoro will be checking
that.
Friday, February 6th
We will continue to work on Romeo and Juliet and discuss dramatic elements in the play and
their effects! We discussed the friar’s soliloquy in 2.3 and read up to 2.4.95. We looked at
some of Shakespeare’s language tricks with the aid of a worksheet and you continued to write
your summaries. I did not collect the summaries or language tricks worksheet, but make sure
you have those for next class, since we will be continuing working with those. We reviewed
aside, dramatic irony, and soliloquy. The plot is thickening! We are now smack dab in the
rising action of the play, so start thinking WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR JULIET’S DEATH??? The
crime scene investigators uncovered suspect #1 the friar, who will be next on our list??
You also took your vocab test today! Sean, since you were the only one absent, you will need
to make up your vocabulary test with Miss Santoro or Mrs. Folkers.
Wednesday, February 4th
***Have your vocabulary ready and on your desk at the beginning of class. You may have five minutes
to review for your activity!
*** Can you identify dramatic elements by locating examples directly from
Romeo and Juliet?
We will review lessons 21-22 at the beginning of class with a telephone game!
Today we will start Act II in Romeo and Juliet (The Balcony Scene!!) Get ready for some romance! Make
sure you will have your summaries you started last period today, because we will continue to work with
those. We will be looking at certain terms that will help you understand Shakespeare and all tragic
plays. We are going to be thespians of the globe theater today!
1st*- We read up to 2.3 today and we identified the terms aside and dramatic irony. You completed
your summaries up to this point in the play and I will be checking your understanding of the content. I
will go over again next class between the difference of soliloquy and aside for clarification and we will
continue to read the play. You did a great job citing directly from the text examples of dramatic
elements, and we will continue to go over those elements next period.
Make sure you study for your vocabulary quiz 21-22!!! We will be taking the quiz the very first thing
on Friday
By the end of class, you will be able to identify aside, dramatic irony, and comedic relief.
Monday, February 2nd
Have your vocab lesson 22 ready for class!
We will continue to read Romeo and Juliet through Act II. Continue your detailed summaries in your
own colorful voices as we read through the play.
***If you were absent or testing on Thursday! Please have the summaries up to date through 1.5.34!
We will be rocking and rolling today and need everyone ready to go!!
Today I checked your vocabulary lesson 22. We will review vocabulary lessons 21-22 Wednesday and
take the quiz on Friday. We finished Act I today and you reviewed your summaries for your quiz. You
were able to dive into your personal summaries and the text with your pod members to be successful on
the quiz. Everyone did really well! You kept your summaries for today, but make sure that you have
them for next period, since we will continue working on Romeo and Juliet and you will be accountable
for 1.5 summaries! We had a lot of interruptions today with registration and AP presentations, so great
job rolling with the punches!
Thursday, January 29th
1st *-- Today I checked your vocabulary lesson 21. We continued with Romeo and Juliet and we read up
to 1.5.34. (Party Time!!) If you were doing map testing or were absent, find the scenes that you missed
on YouTube, and watch them and also read those sections in your text books! We are going to keep on
trucking, so do not get lost in the dust! You will be responsible for those scenes when we take our quiz!
Make sure you go back and summarize those scenes!
Have Lesson 22 ready on Monday!
Tuesday, January 27th
1st*-- Today we took our vocabulary test on 18-19. We continued to read and summarize Romeo and
Juliet into Act 1 Scene 2. We encountered oxymoron during our reading (which is putting two
contrasting elements together for effect)! Make sure we keep that literary term handy! It will be useful
for further reading of Shakespeare! We summarized in our own words all the way through 1.2 to keep
adding to your own “Cliff Notes” of Romeo and Juliet.
I (Miss Santoro) have read your summaries on Act 1 Scene 2, and as a class, you are doing a really great
job providing details with precise nouns and vivid verbs! These summaries will be helpful for your
quizzes after every act! Great job letting your voice shine through your writing!
Do not forget about your independent reading! Your first due date for your first book is coming up!
2/6/15!!
Friday, January 23rd
**Please make certain you study for Tuesday’s vocabulary test on Lessons 18-19; specifically review
pages 93-95. 
Timed-Write
**How important do you think FATE is in affecting what happens to us? What role do we play in
our destinies? What is the difference between FATE and FREE WILL?
We are going to continue to get ideas about the historical context of Romeo & Juliet by checking out a
couple of clips and then we are off and running!  Remember to give us your best because we will
be reading and summarizing DURING class. Your homework will be your vocabulary. You will be
creating your own Cliff Notes for the play, so be prepared to read, think, and write quickly.
We were able to read and summarize the prologue and 1.1.1-127. Awesome work! You turned in
your summaries, and we will give you feedback next period. Make a great weekend!
Wednesday, January 21st:
Miss Santoro and I will check your vocabulary #19 Lesson and she will facilitate the review of those
words. You will NOT have vocab homework for Friday since I am planning a bit of a review for that
day. You will take a vocab test on Lessons 18-19 on Tuesday the 27th.
We will continue to prepare for the reading of Romeo & Juliet. Here are the activities I have planned
after we review concepts from last week:
1. Sn- words and Insults
2. Timed-Write:
You are a teenager in love—which is nice—but your parents neither like nor approve
of your boyfriend/girlfriend. You know it’s because your parents do NOT get along
with your significant other’s parents. (They’ve known each other for years…)
Actually, the two sets of parents cannot stand each other, and they FORBID you to
see each other. What do you do?
For those of you who need ideas, think about the following:
*Why is your boyfriend/girlfriend so special?
*What is the issue between the two sets of parents?
*Think about your situation in life, and the reality of how serious this is. What are
you going to do? Will it be easy? Hard? Explain how you know.
*How will your parents react to your decision?
3. Characters from Romeo & Juliet; Setting; watch a couple of movie clips to get an idea about the
historical context, dress, language, etc.
4. Begin the prologue and watch a clip of the prologue.
You will practice your summarizing skills for the entire play, and in essence, you will create your own
set of Cliff Notes or Spark Notes. 
Friday, January 16th
1.
You can study word parts and unravel meanings of words to increase your vocabulary and
ultimately your reading comprehension.
2. You can read & understand difficult text.
We will continue to discover who Mr. Shakespeare is and HOW to read his works. 
I have a host of exercises planned, so be prepared to be up and moving! Here are some of the activities
we will explore:
3. You are quoting Shakespeare (did on Wednesday)
4. “I Said It”
5. What makes reading Shakespeare so difficult? What’s the difference between connotation
and denotation?
6. What words have changed over time? What modern words would Shakespeare recognize?
What meanings would he draw from them? What words would he NOT recognize?
7. Language Tricks: Shakespeare uses a variety for emphasis: simile, metaphor, allusions,
inversions.
8. “I ate the sandwich”
9. Iambic Pentameter and reading Shakespeare with the proper “flow” and fluency.
Your class was awesome today! Thank you for making such a fun morning with the activities. Bravo!!

Wednesday, January 14th
Essential Question: Who is Mr. Shakespeare and why do we still read his work over 400 years later?
I’m checking your vocabulary lesson #17 and your Shakespeare Top 10 list. Please make certain you
complete Vocab lesson #18 for Friday!
**I did several book talks about some of the books that will be made into movies this year and passed
out an independent reading contract for you to fill out and for me to sign. I also provided you with a
cute handout on Breaking Up with a Book—cute!
After going over our vocabulary lesson (we wrote 1 sentence for each of the new vocabulary words
within the context of the 50 world leaders getting together this past week.), I have an initial thumbs-up,
thumbs-down quiz to prepare for the intro to Shakespeare; we will share our findings about
Shakespeare, take a few notes and I have a few more exercises just to familiarize you with this famous
playwright, actor, and poet.
**I provided with a Handout with notes about Shakespeare and How to read his stuff.
We finished the class by listening to a Reader’s Theater story called “Quoting Shakespeare” to see if you
recognized any familiar phrases that actually originated with Will.
Phew! We have a lot to accomplish in the next couple of days! 
Monday, January 12, 2015!!
Welcome back, all. We spent today reviewing our class norms, practices, expectations, and protocols.
I taught you a new literary device called Anaphora, and shared an example of it by reading my poem
called, “When I Was Young and in Nebraska.” You wrote down the definition of anaphora and created
your own verse during a 6 minute timed-write.
I provided you with a handout, which I copy and pasted to this agenda, so please read through it
carefully.
Finally, we played a little bit of 4 Corners with our class. Here were the topics we explored: 1. Teachers
intentionally control knowledge to reduce conflict. 2. Writing is emphasized too much in our
classrooms. (We didn’t have enough time to discuss #2!!)
**You need to pick up your hall passes and to complete Vocab Lesson #17 by next period if you were
absent today. Also for HOMEWORK: Take 5 minutes to go online to research Shakespeare. Create a top
10 list and bring it to class on Wednesday. Try to write down some things you don’t think others will
come up with. 
Here is the handout…
Fall Semester Finals Reflection 2014
Dear English 2 (H) Students,
I hope this letter finds you rested and ready for a new semester. We have a lot planned, so make sure
you put on a positive mindset and get ready to begin a steady routine. We spent first semester
acclimating to high school and reviewing some basic skills. Second semester we will be picking up the
pace and putting those skills into practice. You must be proactive and EXPECT to read, write, speak and
listen each and every day at a higher level—remember you will get out of the semester what you put
into the semester. My goal is to make sure you are ready to walk comfortably into Honors 3-4 English
when you leave, and also to have a jumpstart on AP preparation. 
As I reflect on your Semester Final here is what I noticed:
Finals Reflection 1: 26 students scored a 75% or above on the final. 3 students scored 70-74%, while 1
student scored a 67%. Our class had NO failures on the exam! 
Finals Reflections 2. Based on the writing portion of our final, 5 students need extensive writer’s
workshop and one-on-one time to improve writing skills; 25 students would pass the High School
Proficiency Exam today based on this assessment. 1 student Exceeds Standards and writes in the
COMPELLING/SUSTAINED range, which means the majority of the class needs to take our writing from
the ADEQUATE benchmark to the EFFECTIVE benchmark. Continue to work on the following: you
MUST insert quotes/facts; DO NOT SUMMARIZE stories; spend time inserting your opinion/logic by
using an academic stance or voice; read checklists Mrs. Folkers provides you before turning in the
work!
The great news is we still have another semester and many opportunities to practice our writing skills
and to improve our scores.
Finals Reflection 3. The section which gave you the most trouble on the test was the
Subject/Verb/Pronoun agreement section, specifically when it came to COMPOUND SUBJECTS using
and, or/nor. Some of you are still using the “sound test” to guess on the correct verbs or pronouns.
Keep those notes we highlighted and refer back to them before high stakes tests.  Remember, there is
no research which correlates improving writing by studying grammar in isolation; that kind of study,
however, is necessary for the college entrance exams you will be taking.
Here’s what we will be reading and studying 2nd semester:
1.
Continue to work on Vocabulary Lessons through Lesson 34. I want to encourage you to
complete those lessons at home or in Freshmen Seminar—you can always work ahead!!
2. We will be reading Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, Homer’s Odyssey, and George Orwell’s
Animal Farm. You might consider purchasing your own copy of Animal Farm so you can
annotate right in the margins and save yourself time and sticky notes.
The ISBN # is 978-0-451-52634-2
3. We will be completing a Career Research Project.
**********************************************************************************
Independent Reading: Your first big due date is February 6th. You must complete and test on a
minimum of 250 pages, so get started now. I suggest you read 20 pages each day until you finish your
novels…remember, you need to get these books pre-approved by me BEFORE you read and test. I’m
currently working on changing the format of the tests. More to follow.
Are you keeping up??!! I have one final piece of business. I’m pleased to announce that Miss Santoro
will join our classes for the next 14 weeks as an English Intern, and I want to encourage you to give
her a warm welcome. Thank you for demonstrating a positive mindset while she learns and grows
alongside us. She is a Galena graduate, so this is a special homecoming for her. 
I wish you many blessings of health and wellness this semester. Remember to check our class website
regularly, http://mfolkers.weebly.com, to communicate with your parents daily, and to take
ownership of your learning.
Warmly,
Mrs. Folkers