Hail and Farewell

Incoming Pre-AP II students: Welcome. Thanks for coming by. Bookmark this page so you can visit it again (and often). The Summer Assignment will be up by June 3rd.

To my 2010/2011 Students: Have yourownbadselves an awesome summer. You have earned it. Pre-AP II's, please get next year off to a better start than you did last year -- do the AP III Summer Assignment! I will miss each and every one of you, so please come by my room next year to keep me updated on your many successes. Thanks again for a memorable (and amazing!) year. Take care of each other.

--Mr. Mikesell

ACP Tips

Please do the following to succeed on all your ACPs, but especially English.

• Get a good night's sleep. (All you little scene monsters, take a week off.)


• Eat high-protein dinners.


• Eat fruit for breakfast. (Jelly donuts and Fruity Pebbles do not count as fruit.


• Keep your head up during the test. (Maintain a positive mental attitude and don't take a nap; no time for slacking off during the ACP.)


• Make sure you understand what the questions are asking. (If you don't know what you're being asked, you cannot truly succeed.)


• Pre-AP: Pay attention to the positive and negative connotations of key words/phrases when you're being asked mood/tone questions.


• Everybody: Remember, you CAN do it ... you just have to DO do it.

Be awesome.

Final Extra Credit Opportunity

Got a gorilla picture from class/school?
E-mail it to me!

See the collection.

Read The Pearl Online

An online text is available, here.

It appears you can download it if you have a facebook account (doesn't work at school, so I haven't tried it yet).

Enjoy.

English II: What's in a Name?

In class we discussed that Kino and Juana's baby's name, Coyotito, means little coyote. Why that's significant to the story will become apparent later on. Your name probably means something, too. The purpose of this project is to explore the meaning of your name and how it applies to your life's story.

Collect the following information, then create a poster (8.5"x11" or larger) displaying everything you know about your name. (If you don’t want your poster displayed, write “do not share” on the back.)

1. What does your name mean (first, middle, last) – You may look it up in a baby-naming book at a bookstore or online at a site like Baby Names World. You can possibly get information on your last name from Search for Ancestors. If your family has a traditional crest (coat of arms), it might be found at All Family Crests.


2. If possible, ask your parents why they chose the name(s) they gave you and write down their response(s).


3. How much is your name a part of your identity? What do you feel your name “says” about you? If you changed your name would you become a different person? Why or why not?

Due: Tuesday, May 17, 2011.

I AM SO OVER TAKS

If you would like the possibility of a few extra credit points, see how many words you can make from the letters in the sentence:

I AM SO OVER TAKS

For instance, you can spell the words MOIST and VISOR from those letters, but you can't spell MOISTURE or VISITOR because not all those letters appear (no U for MOISTURE; only one I for VISITOR).

Words must be classroom-appropriate and at least four letters long (you may not use OVER or TAKS). Proper nouns may not be used unless they are also common nouns (MARK and MIKE, for instance, are both names that are also regular nouns). Foreign words are also no-go.

You may use a dictionary.

Enjoy!

English II: The Pearl notes

Thank you Ms. Farinas!

English II: Jeopardy Review

Review the information you'll need to know for the 5th 6-wk. exam by playing this Jeopardy-esque practice quiz.

Extra Credit: Meaningful Sentence Illustration

Illustrate your meaningful sentences from Word Set #2 (draw a picture showing what's going on in the sentence) to get extra credit.

Up to 2 points each, for a maximum total of 20 points. This will supplement your Project Grade (Pre-AP: IWA; Eng II: Speech Performance) for the six-weeks .

Pictures must be of good quality. Color will help. If stick figures are the best you can draw, then you'll get credit for awesome stick figures (but I've seen the work you doodle in the margins of your assignments, so I know whether you can do better than stick figures).

Write your meaningful sentence at the bottom of the page large enough to be read from 5-10 feet away.

Due before Friday, April 15.

Julius Caesar Meaningful Sentences II

Complete meaningful sentences for all 10 of the following vocabulary words.



The illustration element of this assignment has been changed to extra credit. See this blog post: Extra Credit: Meaningful Sentence Illustration.

Remember:

• a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)


• the first sentence includes a vocabulary word


• the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word


• the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized


• you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Bequeath (v): to assign something as a gift in one's last will and testament.

a meaningful sentence would be:

My uncle bequeathed his comic book collection to me; unfortunately, it was destroyed in the same house fire that killed him, so I didn't get it when he died.

English II: Inside the Mind of ... Julius Caesar

Please complete the "Inside the Mind of..." worksheet.

Inside the characters brain, write what the character’s thoughts are about other characters, evil plans, how he thinks of himself, etc. Outside the brain, write what others think about that character. Be as detailed as possible. Write in “regular” English. You must have at least one response inside and outside the brain: 5 responses, total=70; 6=85; 7=100.

**You must include act, scene, and line numbers as evidence.** (Use a classroom textbook.)

To determine which character you should analyze, pick a number between 1 and 4. If your number is 1, write about Caesar; 2, Brutus; 3, Cassius; 4, Antony. No fair changing your number to match the character you want to write about.

Julius Caesar: The Musical!

Find a song whose lyrics would be appropriate for a musical version of Julius Caesar. It must deal with some significant aspect of the play: betrayal, deception, over-confidence, women being ignored because they’re women, conspiracy, etc.

Then on a separate sheet of paper, include

1. “Song Title” by ______________________
2. Lyrics (the entire assignment can be printed out in one word processing document with the lyrics pasted in) – sanitize the [bad words]
3. Explanation of connection to the play.
4. Identify who would sing it and when.

Due date: Friday, April 8th.

Example:

“Back Stabbers” by The O’Jays

(What they do!)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
All you fellows who have someone
and you really care, yeah, yeah
Then it's all of you fellows
who better beware, yeah yeah
Somebody's out to get your lady
A few of your buddies they sure look shady
Blades are long, clenched tight in their fist
Aimin' straight at your back
And I don't think they'll miss
(What they do!)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
I keep gettin' all these visits from my friends,
yeah, what they doin to me
They come to my house again and again
and again and again, yeah
So are they there to see my woman
I don't even be home but they just keep on comin'
What can I do to get on the right track
I wish they'd take some of these knives off my back
(What they do!)
(They smile in your face)
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers (back stabbers)
Low down... dirty...
(What they do!)
(They smile in your face)
Smiling faces... smiling faces sometimes tell lies
(Back stabbers)
(They smile in your face)
I don't need... low down, dirty [fat heads]
(Back stabbers)

This song is relevant to the play because Julius Caesar gets “stabbed in the back” and front and sides by people pretending to be his friends.

Julius Caesar would sing this song as he is approaching Brutus, waiting for that final knife to stab him.

English II: Julius Caesar Act III Test Preview

This blog entry has been removed. You were advised to be prepared prior to Monday morning.

English II: Julius Caesar Act III, Scene i

After reading the opening scene of Act III, answer the following questions:

1. What was Caesar’s reaction to the soothsayer? To Artimedorus’ letter?


2. Who has been selected to be the first to stab Caesar?


3. What is Metellus Cimber’s petition?


4. What is ironic about Caesar’s speech in lines 58-74?


5. What was Antony’s initial reaction to Caesar’s death? Why do you think he reacted like that?


6. What did you think about the conspirators when they bathed their arms in Caesar’s blood?


7. How and why does Antony’s reaction to Caesar’s death change?


8. What bargain does Antony strike with Brutus? What is Cassius’ reaction?

Testing Change

Due to this afternoon's unexpected cancellation of Patriot Academy, students who need to make up the 3/11 test will have to do so during their class period tomorrow. It will be up to those students to get the review/correction information from me after school.

Pre-AP students should review this post for study info: Othello: Acts I-III Test Preview

Students who miss tomorrow's test administration will take an entirely different, and likely more challenging, exam. Don't be that student.

English II: Julius Caesar Speeches and Memorization Tips

To hear the speeches, select the links below:

Cassius: Two Stories

Brutus: The Serpent's Egg

Antony: Funeral Oration

(To download for MP3-player use: right click link, choose "save link/target as".)



MEMORIZATION TIPS

1. Use flash cards. Divide the speech into logical sections. Put the beginnings of sections on one side and the remainder of the lines on the other.


2. Draw a series of pictures that represent your speech or your lines. Remember picture stories from preschool? Be very creative and think of a picture story to go along with your lines. After you've created your picture story, go back and say your lines as you look at the pictures.


3. Say your lines in front of a mirror and move your face or your arms a special way to emphasize specific words or passages.


4. Write out your lines. The act of writing the words provides very strong reinforcement.


5. Carry your script or speech with you at all times and read the full text when you get a chance to get a strong emotional "feel" for it.


6. Get to know your character. Understand why you say and do what you do.


7. Act out your lines as you say them, even if this is an unemotional speech. You can exaggerate your words with dramatic gestures. Of course, you may not want to do this during your actual speech, but you will be thinking about it.


8. Record your lines with exaggerated vocal expressions. You may even want to yell your words. Exaggerations leave big imprints in your brain. Carry your recorder with you and listen to it as often as you can.

Audio Files copyright Caedmon Shakespeare, 1996. Academic Fair Use for student analysis. Do not reproduce or distribute these files.

Memorization tips via about.com

English II: Julius Caesar Meaningful Sentences

Download and print the worksheet handed out in class.

Complete meaningful sentences for all 15 vocabulary words.

Select three (3) vocabulary words and on separate sheets of paper illustrate your meaningful sentence for that word. Write your meaningful sentence at the bottom of the page large enough to be read from 10-15 feet away.

Remember:

• a meaningful sentence is made up of two independent sentences combined with a semicolon (;)


• the first sentence includes a vocabulary word


• the second sentence contains the definition of that vocabulary word


• the first word of the second sentence is not capitalized


• you should underline the vocabulary word and its definition

For instance, if the vocabulary word was:

Triumvirate (n): a government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointly.

a meaningful sentence would be:

The triumvirate met in the Senate twice a month; Julius Caesar and the two other co-rulers of Rome listened to the petitions of the people and then conferred and made decisions to benefit the country.

"Better Words" Worksheet

You'll be streets ahead with your TAKS essay/story if you use higher-grade vocabulary instead of humdrum verbs and expressions.

Several classes performed an exercise on this during the TAKS-prep period at the end of the day today. Here's a worksheet so you can play along at home! Simply come up with three words/expressions that are better superior alternatives to the listed words. Then, use one of those words as the basis for a simile or metaphor.

Easy, right?

TAKS Tips

Enliven Writing with Mood-Based Metaphors

Remember to choose words for similes, metaphors, personification, etc., that causes your reader to feel the mood your narrator is in your personal narrative. For instance in the simile

I was as happy as a vampire that had devoured all the babies in the village

it is clear that you were very, very happy; unfortunately, your reader feels repulsed. Bad move. And while the simile

I was as happy as a kitten with a ball of yarn

is cliched, at least your reader feels somewhat happy, too.


Remember these examples from class, and use something like them in your TAKS essay (mood words in italics:

The gnarled trunk loomed over both of us -- encompassing us in darkness.

The dark, ominous, broken tree lured us inside the forest.

The tree branches were so high they almost reached heaven.

The precious golden sunflower danced back and forth in the wind.

My bloody heart burst in pain.

The neon green shoes she wore totally highlighted her outfit.

The tree swayed in the breeze like a graceful dancer.

The willow tree hung low over the pond.

The coward sun hid behind the storm clouds.

The lemon-drop sun soured my afternoon with a bitter glare.

The golden sun blessed our morning with joyful light.

My face was as red as dynamite.