Welcome to English class!  The goal of this summer course is to provide you the opportunity to earn credit for one high school English course.  Once the course is completed, you should feel ready to enter the next level English course in the fall.  This course will cover a broad range of topics, including political rhetoric, lyrical poetry, personal narratives, and nonfiction informational texts.  All units are designed according to Massachusetts state curriculum frameworks and the Common Core standards.  If you have a positive attitude and work hard, this will be a very positive experience.  I look forward to a great summer.

DOWNLOAD FINAL EXAM REVIEW HERE! 

Day 28:  Friday, August 9, 2013

Final Exam

Day 27:  Thursday, August 8, 2013

Final Exam Review 

Day 26:  Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Work on portfolios in computer lab. 

Day 25:  Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Work on portfolios in computer lab.

Day 24:  Monday, August 5, 2013

We will be working in the computer lab today.

Download the requirements for the writing portfolio assignment here.

Day 23:  Friday, August 2, 2013

Today's Goal:  To assess our ability to read critically and to understand main ideas, supporting details, and tone.  To read a nonfiction article or two and to debate the issues presented in the article.

Today's Agenda:

1. Test 4
2. Self-selected reading
3. Nonfiction articles (soda ban)
   1. news article
   2. research-based opinion on whether the ban unfairly targets the poor
4. Prep for debate in small groups
5. Debate

This weekend's HW:

1. Read your outside reading book.  Be prepared to write a report on it by mid-week next week.

What's on tap for next week:

1. Monday - hand back and review test 4, nonfiction articles - students choose the topics
2. Tuesday - review requirements for portfolio, hand back and review workshopping of personal narratives, work in computer lab on portfolio
3. Wednesday - work in computer lab on portfolio
4. Thursday - submit portfolio, read nonfiction articles, review for final exam
5. Friday - final exam, share portfolio, party because we are done!

Day 22:  Thursday, August 1, 2013

Today's Goal:  To review tests.  To work on critical reading skills.  To actively begin to write.

Today's Agenda: 

1. Hand in make-up work
2. Self-selected reading
3. Critical reading (review MLK passage from College Board practice test)
4. Essays (personal narratives)
   1. Revisit with partner from yesterday to workshop essay
   2. Write more (20 minutes) based on your partner's suggestions
   3. Share with a partner
   4. Share with group
   5. Submit

Tonight's HW:  Prepare for tomorrow's test (critical reading, essays that worked, be able to summarize, ID supporting details, comment on tone)

Day 21:  Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Today's Goal:  To review tests 2 and 3.  To work on critical reading skills.  To actively begin writing.

Today's Agenda:

1. Self-selected reading
2. Hand back and review tests; review missing assignments - who owes what
3. SAT critical reading - read paragraph, ID main idea, and answer questions 11 and 12
4. Read Karina's essay, my Everyday Use essay, and the essay about Oreos - discuss what makes them effective
5. Examine Common App 4.0 writing prompts; brainstorm ideas for writing
6. 10-20 minutes of silent writing; in the middle, give back diagnostic personal narrative
7. Turn and talk - share essay with a partner and workshop

Tonight's HW:  Make up any work that you've missed.  Do test corrections.

On tap for Thursday:  pass in make-up work, self-selected reading, critical reading on MLK 13-24 (and review for quiz), revisit with your partner from yesterday - get a few ideas on where to go with your piece, silently add to your piece, turn and talk and share, read aloud to class, submit, read and discuss nonfiction article (Bloomberg and soda?), HW: study for test 

Day 20:  Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Read an essay with Mrs. Donlon and ID what makes it an effective essay.

Day 19:  Monday, July 29, 2013

Self-selected reading

Critical Reading questions 9 and 10 (ID main idea, discuss answers)

****** DO THIS WITH SOPHOMORES THIS YEAR*****

Talk about Pepys and how he basically invented the dictionary, read example from www.pepysdiary.com (entry from Saturday, July 28), decode using reading skills (context clues, look up words we don't understand, talk about prior knowledge), write your own entry for the weekend, share

Read and discuss three essays from Essays that Worked book - why do they work, what makes them effective, point out particular lines, etc.

Begin writing your own piece in response to a Common App prompt 

Day 18:  Friday, July 26, 2013

Today's Goal:  To assess the grammar skills we learned this week.  To assess and reflect upon our writing.  To read a personal narrative and to determine its effectiveness.

Today's Agenda:

1. Grammar Test(IDing sentence errors) 
2. Self-selected Reading
3. Correct/review Test
4. Review school-wide rubric for writing
5. Reflect on song analysis essay - write a response according to rubric
6. Share and submit reflections/essays
7. Read and discuss effectiveness of two essays from "Essays that Worked" (all together, on your own, and or in small groups)
8. Come up with a master list of why they worked

This weekend's HW:  make-up work

On tap for next week: 

1. M-W Pepys, On Living, essays that worked, my personal narrative essays (Little Big Man and Everyday Use), return to diagnostic, more writing, what makes effective writing, cover letter, common app 4.0
2. W-F nonfiction reading, your choice
3. somewhere in there, critical reading passages; test on F

Day 17:  Thursday, July 25, 2013

Today's Goal:  To practice grammar skills.  To analyze songs as poetry.  To incorporate quotes in the essay.

Today's Agenda:

1. Period 2 - switch up seats
2. Self-selected reading
3. Transferrable skills - what are they? 
4. Paragraph writing
   1. Do some models on the board like this.
   2. Quiet paragraph writing - write at least one paragraph using a quote following the model
   3. Share paragraphs
5. Refocus with structure - explain signposting, explain topic sentences and how they should always revert back to thesis, talk about quote sandwich
6. Show Purdue OWL on overhead, workshop how to create a works cited page for a sample song
7. Questions about the essay

Tonight's HW:  5-8 paragraph song analysis, study for grammar quiz

On tap for tomorrow:  grammar quiz, outside reading, correct quizzes, score essay according to school-wide rubric, share and submit essays, read some good personal narratives from college essay book, ticket out:  suggestions for nonfiction reading

Day 16:  Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Today's Goal:  To practice grammar skills.  To analyze songs or poetry.  To incoporate quotes in the essay.

Today's Agenda:

1. Self-selected reading
2. Grammar 24-28
3. Song analysis
   1. Mr. Ambrose's choice - "Same Love," Macklemore - watch the film, write journal (What is the narrative in the song/film?  What is the theme?  What literary devices are used?  How does structure contribute meaning?  Discuss.)
4. Graphic organizer
   1. Quietly fill out Mr. Ambrose's 5-paragraph essay organizer
5. Incorporating quotes - quote workshopping - have students throw out a quote and a statement about the quote and Mr. Ambrose crafts it into a model statement on the board.

Ongoing HW:  Song analysis essay due on Friday.  Grammar quiz on Friday as well.

On tap for tomorrow: 

• Period 2 - new seating chart
• Self-selected reading
• Last IDing sentence error questions and quiz review
• Song du jour (period 1 - Open Letter, period 2 - Viva La Vida)
• Talk about transferrable skills - learning to analyze a piece of poetry, incoporating quotes, writing about it in a formal essay, always going back to thesis, crafting topic sentences, etc.
• Paragraph writing - do more models on the board, write quietly on your own, share
• Refocus on structure - it all goes back to the thesis
• More quiet work
• Work in groups - peer edit
• Wrap up with questions about where you going with the essay tonight

On tap for Friday:

• grammar quiz (with word bank explanations)
• reading
• correct quiz
• score your own essay according to the school-wide rubric
• share and submit essays
• active reading of model college essays

Day 15:  Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Today's Goal:  To practice grammar skills.  To analyze songs or poetry.  To begin ideas for an essay.

Today's Agenda:

1. Army Presentation
2. Self-Selected Reading
3. Grammar 20-23
4. Song Presentations
   1. Period 1 - Tricia's song, Eric's song (Boston - good choice)
   2. Period 2 - Dear Mama (Soleil), Ignorance is Bliss (Darion) - both awesome songs
5. Wrap-up:  Work on essay - period 1 

On tap for tomorrow:

1. Self-Selected Reading, Grammar 20-23, Songs - Open Letter, November Rain, Trials and Tribulations, Same Love, Crooked Smile, Graphic Organizer, Writing Workshop - Adding Quotes
2. Self-Selected Reading, Grammar 20-23, Songs - Xavier's song, Tenzin's song, Ludy's song, Same Love, Crooked Smile, Graphic Organizer, Writing Workshop - Adding Quotes

Day 14:  Monday, July 22, 2013

Today's Goal:  To practice grammar skills.  To analyze songs or poetry.  To begin ideas for an essay.

Today's Agenda:

1. Self-selected reading
2. Identifying sentence errors (12-15)
3. Song Analysis (period 1 - Mike, Karten, Emily, Melissa; period 2 - Rebecca, Bryan, Darell, Jeremy)
4. Intro essay and brainstorm
5. Work on outline in groups

Ongoing HW:  Completed DRAFT of your song analysis essay in MLA format due Wednesday. 

On tap for tomorrow - Period 1:  8 Mile Song?, Same Love, Crooked Smile, November Rain (Robert), Open Letter (Wes), It Never Ends (Tricia), Trials and Tribulations (Liam); Period 2:  8 Mile Song?, Same Love, Crooked Smile, Juicy (Paul), As We Enter (Xavier), Viva La Vida (Tenzin), ______________ (Mike T.) - graphic organizer, writing, writing workshop

Day 13:  Friday, July 19, 2013

Lyrical Analysis, Day 4 of 6

Today's Goal:  To assess the skills that we have learned this week.  To analyze songs of our choice.

Today's Agenda:

1. Last minute test review
2. Test
3. Self-selected reading
4. Students present songs for analysis
5. Ticket out:  Get your work and get your progress report

This weekend's HW:  No new homework.  If your progress report indicated that you were missing something, make up all missing work.

On tap for next week:  Throughout the week - IDing sentence errors, intro self-selected reading assignment, M and T - more song analysis, song anlaysis essay or presentation, lyricist cypher, W and Th - personal narrative writing, read nonfiction pieces, work on college essay, F - test on IDing sentences errors, more essay workshopping, present essays that we have written 

Day 12:  Thursday, July 18, 2013

Lyrical Analysis, Day 3 of 6

Today's Goal:  To write a poem/rap that references Shakespeare and uses literary devices.  To review literary devices.  To analyze songs of your choice.

Today's Agenda:

1. Self-selected reading
2. Does anyone still need to do speeches?
3. Vocabulary #5-8
4. Literary Device Jeopardy Review
5. Shakespeare Rap
   1. Brainstorm quotes, characters, titles all together
   2. Work in groups (challenge:  incorporate literary devices)
   3. Present out
6. Analysis of songs
   1. Share HW
   2. Present song to class
7. Test review
   1. analyze the song of your choice
   2. literary devices from Jeopardy
   3. sonnet form
   4. Romeo and Juliet
   5. sonnet 18
   6. 8 vocabulary questions
   7. Hip Hop and Shakespeare video

Tonight's HW:  Study for tomorrow's test.

On tap:  test and song analysis tomorrow, lyricist cypher, more songs, add to rap, song analysis essay Monday and Tuesday

Day 11:  Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Lyrical Analysis, Day 2 of 6 

Today's Goal:  To learn about the sonnet form to be able to analyze songs and poems.

Today's Agenda:

1. Who still needs to do speeches?
2. Self-selected reading
3. Vocabulary of the Day:  SAT section 7, #3-4
4. Sonnet Notes
5. Romeo and Juliet Sonnet
6. Sonnet 18
   1. Summarize the text
   2. Literary devices
   3. Explain structure
7. Start brainstorming ideas for Shakespeare rap

Tonight's HW:  A 2-paragraph analysis of the song of your choice.

On tap for tomorrow:  self-selected reading, vocabulary questions 5-6, literary devices PPT or Jeopardy, work on your own Shakespeare rap, more sonnets to prepare for elements of the quiz, Same Love, Eminem, Bob Dylan, your own songs from HW!

On tap for the future:  sonnet quiz/test, more songs, lyricist cypher, song analysis essay

Day 10:  Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Lyrical Analysis, Day 1 of 6

Today's Goal:  To finish our speeches and to score according to rubric.  To introduce our next unit by watching a video that compares Shakespeare to rap music.

Today's Agenda:

1. Self-selected reading
2. Vocabulary of the Day:  SAT section 7, #1-2
3. Finish up speeches
4. View TED talk about Hip Hop and Shakespeare
   1. Journal:  Write down at least 5 takeaways in your notebook
5. Small group discussion the TED talk, then large group discussion

Tonight's HW:  ID some narrative songs that you would like to analyze during our song analysis unit.

On tap for tomorrow:  Sonnet notes, Romeo and Juliet sonnet, sonnet 18, 12 Jewels, Sam I Am, rap challenge:  5 Shakespeare plays, 5 quotes, 5 insults, 5 characters 

Day 9:  Monday, July 15, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 6 of 6

Today's Goal:  To assess the skills that we practiced during our rhetoric unit.  To deliver our own speeches and score them according to the school-wide rubric.

Today's Agenda:

1. Rhetoric Test
2. When you are finished, read your book or work on your speech
3. Speeches

Tonight's HW:  ID some narrative songs that you would like to analyze during our song analysis unit.

On tap for tomorrow:  Self-selected reading, vocabulary and grammar questions of the day, finish speeches, TED talk about Shakespeare and rap, journal on takeaways and then discuss, teach the poems and raps from the example (including the Shakespeare sonnet)

Day 8:  Friday, July 12, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 5 of 6

Today's Agenda (with the Donlons):

1. Collect speech analysis short essay (last night's HW).  Place in a pile on my desk.
2. Have students read their self-selected reading book for 10 minutes.  If they don't have it, they can write a journal entry in their notebook.
3. Have students work on their five-minute speech for Monday.  They already have the rubric for oral presentation, but there are extra copies on the table at the front of the room.  Tell students that their speech can be about any appropriate topic.  (Some have already begun to brainstorm.)  They should have a clear thesis, three talking points, and specific examples.  They should clearly include some of the rhetorical devices that we learned about in this unit.  Tell them extra credit will be given to students who dress up or use a visual aid (like PowerPoint).  The goal for today should be for students to write their whole speech and to practice delivering it.
4. When students are finished, they may review their notebooks to study together for Monday's test.  It will include questions about rhetoric, all of the speeches we studied this week, and grammar questions 1-11.
5. Period 2 (10 o'clock class) - "I have a dream" speech

Weekend HW:  Study for test.  Finish speech.

Day 7:  Thursday, July 11, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 4 of 6

Today's Goal: To analyze the use of rhetoric in several political speeches. To work on organizing our thesis statements and outlines.

Today's Agenda:

1. 10 minutes of self-selected silent reading
2. Grammar Questions of the Day (section 5, #10-11, explain why the correct answer is the correct answer - on your own as a do now and then to the group)
3. I Have a Dream - listen, annotate, discuss (text available in Great Speeches textbook)
4. Mary Fisher speech from 1992 RNC- listen, annotate, discuss (text available in Great Speeches textbook)
5. Examine mentor text of analysis of Mary Fisher speech - QUITE USEFUL
6. Get into groups to plan your rhetorical analysis essay - you may write about Clinton, Lincoln, MLK, or Fisher
7. Individual writing time
8. Wrap-up:  Mention write your own speech assignment; tell students to enter the classroom with some ideas tomorrow.

Tonight's HW:  Finish 3-5 paragraph analysis of one of the speeches for tomorrow.  Test and original speech on Monday.

1. Test format for Monday:  4 multiple choice Clinton questions, 11 questions about SAT grammar - explain your answer, rewrite your JFK response from the diagnostic, multiple choice and short answer questions about various speeches - Penn, Clinton, MLK, Lincoln, Obama, Romney, Fisher

Day 6:  Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 3 of 6

Today's Goal: To analyze the use of rhetoric in several political speeches.  To work on organizing our thesis statements and outlines.

Today's Agenda:

1. 10 minutes of self-selected silent reading
2. Grammar Questions of the Day (section 5, #7-9, explain why the correct answer is the correct answer - on your own as a do now and then to the group)
3. Yesterday's Speeeches
   1. Workshop thesis statements on board as a class
   2. In small groups, find evidence (quotes) and offer analysis for your three talking points
   3. Present out what quotes you will use and what analysis you will offer for your talking points
4. Presidential Debate rhetoric
   1. view clippage from final Presidential debate here
   2. use graphic organizerto respond to rhetoric
   3. discuss as a class
5. Review school-wide rubric for oral presentation
   1. explain that this will be the rubric for the speech that each student delivers on Monday

Homework:  Rhetoric test and original speech for MONDAY

On tap for tomorrow:  self-selected reading, grammar questions 10 and 11, work on writing up the formal speech analysis we've been working on for Clinton and Lincoln, I Have a Dream, AIDS survivors and/or student choice, introduce ideas about your own speech assignment, HW: type up your formal analysis that you wrote today

Day 5:  Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 2 of 6

Today's Goal:  To learn about other rhetorical devices, in addition to ethos, pathos, and logos.  To analyze rhetoric in some famous political speeches.

Today's Agenda:

1. 10 minutes of self-selected silent reading
2. Grammar Questions of the Day (section 5, #4-6, explain why the correct answer is the correct answer - on your own as a do now and then to the group)
3. 5 paragraph essay on either Kal Penn or Deval Patrick's use of rhetoric
   1. pair and share
   2. share with group
   3. submit
4. Bill Clinton's second inaugural address (text taken from Princeton Review book)
   1. read and annotate on your own
   2. small groups:  ID main idea, ID details and rhetorical devices, answer multiple choice questions
   3. review the above with the large group, write notes on board
5. Other literary devices - write a definition on the board and provide an example of the following devices (use rhetoric in the State of the Union address handout):
   1. allusion
   2. anaphora
   3. antithesis
   4. epistrophe
   5. metaphor
   6. rebuttal/refutation
   7. simile
6. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (text taken from Great Speeches book)
   1. listen to speech at www.americanrhetoric.com, annotate as you listen
   2. share main ideas, supporting details, and rhetorical devices with class; Mr. Ambrose marks up text on the overhead
7. Small Groups
   1. decide whether you want to analyze Clinton or Lincoln's speech
   2. grouping - make three categories of "talking points" that you want to address
   3. write a three-tiered thesis statement
   4. begin to outline some examples to use in your analysis
8. Ticket out the Door:  Share your thesis and 3 talking points 

On tap for tomorrow:  self-selected reading, grammar questions 7-9, continue with small group work from today, more speeches - AIDS survivors, presidential election, and/or MLK; also, be ready to return to JFK at some point and to review the school-wide rubric

Day 4:  Monday, July 8, 2013

Rhetoric in Political Speech, Day 1 of 6

Today's Goal:  To learn about the three Greek rhetorical devices - ethos, pathos, and logos.  To identify these devices in speeches and to analyze what they add to the main idea.

Today's Agenda:

1. Grammar Question of the Day (explain 1-3 in SAT grammar diagnostic)
2. 10 of minutes of silent reading
3. Kal Penn's DNC speech - 1st viewing
4. Notes on ethos, pathos, and logos
5. Kal Penn's DNC speech - 2nd viewing
6. Deval's Patrick's speech
7. Group - organize 5 paragraphs for essay - ethos, pathos, logos
8. Individual writing

Tonight's HW:  5 paragraphs on how either Kal Penn or Deval Patrick uses ethos, pathos, and logos to convey meaning.

• Your thesis for this essay:  "In his speech at the 2012 DNC, ____________________ uses ethos, pathos, and logos to effectively convey his main idea."

Day 3:  Wednesday, July 3, 2013 

Diagnostic Day 3 of 3

Today's Goal:  To demonstrate our grammar skills.  To demonstrate our ability to analyze rhetoric.

Today's Agenda:

1. Grammar (SAT practice test, section 5)
   1. on your own
   2. in a group
   3. review as class
2. Rhetoric
   1. read and annotate JFK speech
   2. write rhetorical analysis in groups
   3. share rhetoric analysis

Announcements:  No classes Thursday or Friday.

Tonight's HW:  Bring in outside reading book on Monday

On tap for Monday:  introducing rhetorical terms with Mr. Bow-Fly's rhetorical PPT, checking out some initial speeches on www.americanrhetoric.com, discussing how to structure a speech analysis, watching videos of speeches (Kal Penn?)

Day 2:  Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Diagnostic Day 2 of 3

Today's Goal:  To show what our critical reading skills are.  To show what our personal narrative skills are.

Today's Agenda:

1. Critical Reading
   1. 30 min. - on your own, complete section 7 of online SAT practice test.
   2. 15 min. - collaborate with classmates in a small group to defend your answers and achieve concensus
   3. 30 min. - as a large class, review answers and strategies with Mr. Ambrose (download answer key here)
2. Personal Narrative
   1. Review Common Application 4.0 essay prompts.
   2. 10 min. - silent brainstorm and free write on one of the prompts
   3. Small groups - share your initial ideas from your free write
   4. Wrap up with large group - share ideas about what your topics are, discuss what the final product will look like

Tonight's HW:  None

On tap for tomorrow:  Collaborative Diagnostics

1. Grammar (College Board SAT practice test)
   1. on your own
   2. in a group
   3. review
2. Rhetorical Analysis (JFK speech analysis)
   1. read and annotate independently
   2. plan out essay in group
   3. write essay (as a group with scribe?)

Day 1:  Monday, July 1, 2013

Diagnostic Day 1 of 3

Today's Goal:  To familiarize ourselves with the class format and to do a writing diagnostic.

Today's Agenda:

1. Review syllabus.
2. Complete survey.
3. Shane Battier goals activity.
4. Writing diagnostic
   1. Review MCAS rubric.
   2. Review MCAS prompts.
   3. Brainstorm together.
   4. Pre-write and draft for 30 minutes in response to one of the prompts.
5. Learn everyone's name.

At the end of class, be sure to submit survey, goals, rubric, and draft of essay to Mr. Ambrose.

Tonight's HW:  None.

On tap for tomorrow:  Collaborative Diagnostics

1. Critical reading (College Board SAT practice test)
   1. 25 minutes on your own.
   2. 15 minutes in group.
   3. 20 minutes to review.
2. Common Application 4.0.
   1. Examine prompts.
   2. Brainstorm prompts.
   3. Silent writing.
   4. Share and workshop with partner.
   5. Share with group.

Summer School Units:

Unit 1:  Rhetoric in Political Speeches:  MLK, JFK, Nelson Mandela, AIDS survivors, and Kal Penn

Unit 2:  Narrative Lyric Ballads:  William Shakespeare, Bob Dylan, Eminem, and Immortal Technique

Unit 3:  Personal Narratives:   Samuel Pepys, Stephen King, and Common Application version 4.0

Unit 4:  Nonfiction Informational Texts:  Readings from Grantland and The New York Times

Language Standards will be addressed with various grammar activities.

Additional Reading (Literature) standards will be addressed with self-selected reading tasks.

Summer School Handouts:

Syllabus

Survey

MCAS Rubric (writing diagnostic)

MCAS Prompts (writing diagnostic)

College Board SAT practice test

SAT practice test answers

Common App 4.0 essay prompts 

JFK speech for rhetorical analysis (pp.10-11 on PDF)

Presidential debate graphic organizer

Oral presentation rubric 

Mentor text for rhetorical analysis

Political Rhetoric test 

Sonnet notes

Romeo and Juliet sonnet

Sonnet 18 

Literary Terms Jeopardy Review 

Lyrical Analysis Test

Grammar Test (IDing sentence errors)

Test 4 (Critical Reading)

Final Exam Review Sheet

Final Exam