"Diagnosis: Plagiarism"

UI Essay #2: Article Links

"Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?"

"So, Eclipse Boomtowns, How Did it Go?"

"For a More Creative Brain, Travel"

"Why Comfort Food Comforts"

"Why Sports and Elite Academics do not Mix"

"Constant Anxiety Won't Save the World"

"How Friends Become Closer"

Office 365 Login Page

Microsoft Office 365: Login Page

Quarter II Reading Assignment (QRA), Due: 20 December 2017

All of the studies suggest that frequent readers tend to write, read, speak, and understand language on a level that infrequent readers struggle to reach.  For this reason, you are required to read a novel  (250 pages) outside of class.   The subject of the book is entirely up to you so long as it is age appropriate, of sufficient length, and is a book that you have NEVER READ BEFORE.  

To get credit for your book, you must write a five paragraph essay which contains the following components:
1) MLA Formatting
2)  Name of book and author
3) Number of pages in the book (be accurate)
4)  Two paragraphs summarizing the plot of the book 
5)  One paragraph identifying two characters that you relate to and why

-Be specific

-This section needs to include two quotes from the novel (including pg #)

6)  One paragraph detailing the elements of the book that struck you

-Writing Style

-Characters

-Situations/twists, etc.

7) Recommendation paragraph: Do you recommend the book?              
8) ENGLISH 101 ONLY: One paragraph detailing why the book is a European classic

-Why is it a classic?

-How did it influence European culture?

-How did it influence literature as a whole?

-Why is it still relevant today?

Image Credit: Pixabay                                                                             

Terms to Know, Beowulf Exam

Beowulf Exam

Part I (Multiple Choice and Matching): Wednesday, Nov. 1

Part II (Short Answer and Essay Question): Thursday, Nov. 2

Terms/Concepts to Know:

Epic (Traits)

In Medias Res

Invocation

Verse

Deus Ex Machina

Episodic Plot Structure (episodes)

Epithets

Large Scale Setting

Allegory

Xenophobia 

Nationalism
Primary vs. Secondary Epic

Archetype

Archetypal Criticism

Archetypal Characters (know specific character types)

The Monomyth

Archetypal Symbols (know specific symbols)
Archetypal Situations (know specific situations)

Collective Unconscious 

Personal Unconscious 

Carl Jung

Joseph Campbell

Alliteration

Kenning
Litote

Caesura 

Elegy

Angleland

Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians

Germanic Language

Romance Language

Thegn

Wergild

Scop
Wyrd

Flyting

Comitatus
Anno Domini
Hwaet

Barrow (Tumulus)
Mead Hall
Mead
Cremation vs. Inhumation

Economic Migrant

Post-Migration Epic/Literature

Honor/Shame Culture

Paganism vs. Christianity
Norman Conquest
Battle of Hastings

Bede of Jarrow (The Venerable Bede)

Ecclesiastical History of the English People
The Hero with a Thousand Faces

Old English (Anglo-Saxon)

Middle English

Modern English (including Early Modern English)

Image Credit: Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, "Beowulf with the Head of Grendel" (1908). 

Homework, 10/23/2017: "The Wanderer"

For tomorrow (10/24), read "The Wanderer." Identify similarities between the poem and the following lines from Beowulf:  

"Remember, Hrothgar, Oh knowing king, now
 When my danger is near, the warm words we uttered,
And if your enemy should end my life
Then be, oh generous prince, forever
The father and protector of all whom I leave
Behind me, here in your hands, my beloved
Comrades left with no leader, their leader
Dead. And the precious gifts you gave me,
My friend, send them to Higlac. May he see
In their golden brightness, the Geats' great lord
Gazing at your treasure, that here in Denmark
I found a noble protector, a giver
Of rings whose rewards I won and briefly
Relished. And you, Unferth, let
My famous old sword stay in your hands:
I shall shape glory with Hrunting, or death
Will hurry me from this earth!"

Complete study guide question #24 and be ready for a quiz over the poem.

Painting by Nicholas Roerich, "Guests from Overseas," 1901.

Michael Wood, In Search of Beowulf

Beowulf Project Resources (FOOD), Due: 10/25/2017

HWAET! The Beowulf Project is due on Wednesday, the 25th of October!  Here are some resources that might help you craft your culinary masterpieces!

Medieval Recipes:

Anglo-Saxon Recipes

Gode Cookery

Regia Anglorum: Feasting and Fasting

Regia Anglorum: Food and Drink

Pinterest: Medieval Recipes

Image Credit (Top): Pixabay

Book Club Survey

Book Club Survey: Teen Read Week Survey

Image Credit: Pixabay

Scholarships/Essay Contests

Looking for a scholarship?  Check this out: list of scholarships/essay contests @ scholarships.com

ACT Student Champion Award: ACT State Contest

Idaho Forest Products Commission: Forest Products Week Essay Contest

Picture Credit: Pixabay (image of Oxford University)

Five Resume Mistakes to Avoid

Comitatus Explained

Struggling with the concept of comitatus?  This link might help:  Comitatus (Gettysburg College)

Image Credit: Sven Rosborn - Own work, CC BY 3.0, Original Image

University of Idaho, Application for Admission (DC)

University of Idaho, Dual Credit Admissions Page: Application for Admission

Dogs on the Loose (50 Points), Due: Monday, 9/18/2017

Dogs on the Loose Essay (50 Points):

-MLA Format (Heading, Last Name/pg. #, etc. )

-Should Have a Title (Use Title Casing)

-5 ¶ Essay

-Cite Your "Sources" (In-text)
-Use the Academic Voice

-Remember to Use Facts, Statistics, and Quotes to Support Your Argument

-Typo Free, Written Using the Standard Conventions of English (Make Sure to Edit and Revise)

-Structurally Sound (Topic Sentences, Supporting Details, Clincher/Sum-up Statements)

-This Essay Will be Used for Diagnostic Purposes (I am Looking for Strengths/Weaknesses)

-Staple Your Brainstorming List and Outline to the Final Draft of Your Paper

-When You Get Your Graded Paper Back, DO NOT THROW IT AWAY!  

Image Credit: Pixabay

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (QRA)

If you are interested in reading one of Shakespeare's plays for the QRA, they are all online at: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (MIT)

Quarter Reading Assignment: Project Gutenberg

Both the FHS Library and my own personal collection have been picked clean by students looking for European classics.  As a result, many students have been frustrated by a seeming lack of suitable books.  Fear no more! Project Gutenberg has your back!  Project Gutenberg has "over 54,000 free eBooks," many of which are entirely suitable European classics.  Just do a simple search for a book from my list and you should be good to go!  

Check it out: Project Gutenberg

Senior Project Portfolio, Due: 9/29/2017 (250 Points Total)

Components:

1) White Binder (1/2" or 1" bindings)
2) 12 Sheet Protectors (to hold Senior Project documents)
3)  Senior Biography (100 Points)
4)  Resume (100 Points)
5) Activities List (50 Points)

Senior Project, General Information

The Senior Project is the culminating academic event for twelfth-graders at Fruitland High School.  The skills involved in the successful completion of the project (which includes the use of technology, research in completing a paper, and an oral presentation) demonstrate the broad range of learning throughout the curriculum.  The Senior Project is an indication of our students' preparation for college, the workplace, and life and citizenship in a global society.  The Senior Project must be successfully completed in order for a student to graduate from Fruitland High School. 

In order to provide for more support and assistance with the project, seniors will be allowed to complete the project components as part of their English curriculum.

All seniors will be required to meet the minimum requirements of the project for graduation.  Because students receive credit in a variety of English courses (Advanced, Honors, Regular Senior, Applied, Special Education) additional requirements may be necessary in order to receive a passing grade in English.  Thus, it is possible for the paper to pass as a graduation requirement, but receive an "F" in the English class.  Likewise, a senior may receive a "0" in English class for not turning a component of the Triad in on time, but will still be required to complete that component for the graduation requirement. 

The requirements for Senior Project topics are as follows:

            ●   The topic must be of an appropriately high level of academic challenge.  Topics that are too simplistic or basic will not be accepted.

            ●   The student should be cautious about a topic with which he/she is very familiar.  The topic should be an area of new exploration for the student.  If the student chooses a topic within a familiar field of study, the topic must explore a new angle, theory or extension of the field. 

            ●   Topics must be sufficiently specific to allow for full explanation within the paper.  Students should avoid too general or too vague.

            ●   The student must be able to take a position on the topic.

            ●   The student must select a topic on which sufficient information is available for exploration and research.  The position must be supported by factual information gathered from outside sources.

The requirements for the components of the Senior Project are as follows:

Paper:

            ●   Regular: 3 pages, 2 sources (minimum)

            ●   MLA format, research will be conducted using LILI.  The student must     defend a thesis, and his/her position must be supported by factual information gathered from outside sources.

            ●   Paper must meet appropriate in-class deadlines.

PowerPoint:

            ●   Must be 10 slides in length

            ●   Each slide must follow the prescribed format as outlined by the English Department.

Presentation:

            ●   Student must be appropriately dressed for the presentation (business professional attire).

            ●   Presentation must last a minimum of seven minutes (eight minutes for Advanced), a maximum of ten minutes. 

            ●   Students will have a portfolio for the judges containing the following: a resume, an activities list, a senior biography, a post-graduation plan, a proposal letter, and, of course, a copy of the student's approved paper.  Judges will be given time to peruse the portfolio before the student begins his/her presentation.

Quarter Reading Assignment #1, Due: 10/12/17 (100 Points)

All of the studies suggest that frequent readers tend to write, read, speak, and understand language on a level that infrequent readers struggle to reach.  For this reason, you are required to read a European classic that is at least 250 pages in length.

To get credit for your pages, you must create a poster for your classic which includes the following components:

                                1) Your name

                                2)  Name of book and author

                                3) An author bio (brief)

                                4)  A plot summary (bullet points are acceptable)

                                5)  Description of the cultural importance of the book

                                                -Why is it a classic?

                                                -How did it influence European culture?

                                                -How did it influence other works of literature?

                                                -Why is it still relevant today?

                                6)  A description of the major characters in the work

                                7) A listing (and description) of key themes

                                8) Two quotes (your favorite)

                                9) Three images

Senior Reading List (By Genre)

Adventure/Historical Fiction

The Three Musketeers, Dumas

The Count of Monte Christo, Dumas

Les Miserables, Hugo

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hugo

War and Peace, Tolstoy

A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens

Don Quixote, Cervantes

A Passage to India, Forester

Treasure Island, Stevenson

Science Fiction/Dystopian

Brave New World, Huxley

War of the Worlds, Wells

The Invisible Man, Wells

The Island of Dr. Moreau, Wells

1984, Orwell

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Verne

Journey to the Center of the Earth, Verne

Greek and Roman/Mythology/Epics

Medea, Euripides

The Trojan Women, Euripides

Bacchae, Euripides

Lysistrata, Aristophanes

The Eumenides, Aeschylus

Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King), Sophocles

Antigone, Sophocles

Oedipus at Colonnus, Sophocles

The Aenied, Virgil

The Iliad, Homer

The Odyssey, Homer

Medieval Literature

The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Anonymous)

Beowulf

Le Morte d'Arthur (The Death of Arthur), Sir Thomas Mallory

The Song of Roland

The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri

The Decameron, Boccaccio

War (Non-Fiction, Memoir, Fiction)

The Forgotten Soldier, Sajer

Storm of Steel, Junger

Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, Sassoon

Empire of the Sun, Ballard

Homage to Catalonia, Orwell

Fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Tolkien

The Hobbit, Tolkien

The Silmarillion, Tolkien

Literary Fiction

Notes from Underground, Dostoyevsky

The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoyevsky

 The Idiot, Dostoyevsky

Crime and Punishment, Dostoyevsky

Madame Bovary, Flaubert

Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf

Oliver Twist, Dickens

A Christmas Carol, Dickens

David Copperfield, Dickens

Hard Times, Dickens

Great Expectations, Dickens

Fathers and Sons, Turgenev

Renaissance Literature

The Prince, Machiavelli

Paradise Lost, Milton

The Faerie Queen, Spenser

Hamlet, Shakespeare

The Tempest, Shakespeare

Two Gentlemen of Verona, Shakespeare

The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare

Measure for Measure, Shakespeare

The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare

Love's Labour Lost, Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare

As You Like It, Shakespeare

The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare

All's Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare

Twelfth Night, Shakespeare

The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare

Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Shakespeare

The Two Noble Kinsmen, Shakespeare

King John, Shakespeare

Richard II, Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part I, Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part II, Shakespeare

Henry V, Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part I, Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part II, Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part III, Shakespeare

Richard III, Shakespeare

Henry VIII, Shakespeare

Troilus and Cressida, Shakespeare

Coriolanus, Shakespeare

Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare

Timon of Athens, Shakespeare

King Lear, Shakespeare

Othello, Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare

Cymbeline, Shakespeare

Romance

Pride and Prejudice, Austen

Mansfield Park, Austen

Emma, Austen

Sense and Sensibility, Austen

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

Satire/Comedy

The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde

Candide, Voltaire

Horror/Gothic

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde

Faust, Goethe

Frankenstein, Shelley

Dracula, Stoker

The Phantom of the Opera, Leroux

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson

Non-Fiction/Memoir

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Solzhenitsyn

The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell

The Diary of a Young Girl, Frank

Twentieth-Century Literature/Contemporary

The Stranger, Camus

The Bell Jar, Plath

The Plague, Camus

Heart of Darkness, Conrad

Murder in the Cathedral, Eliot

The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde (1895)

Pygmalion, Shaw

The Trial, Kafka

The Waste Land, Eliot

Ulysses, Joyce

The Lord of the Flies, Golding

Bio Presentation, Due: 8/28/2017 (50 Points)

Craft a presentation using either Powerpoint or Google Docs which contains the following information:

Slide One: Name and Class Level

Slide Two:  Short Bio--Write a paragraph about your family, where you were born, background, etc.

Slide Three:  List Your Hobbies, Sports, Favorite Activities

Slide Four: List Your Favorite Movies

Slide Five: List Your Favorite Music

Slide Six: List Your Favorite Books/Authors

Slide Seven: Bucket List --Identify SIX things that you would like to accomplish before you die

Slide Eight: Life After High School --Identify, using specifics[1], what you would like to do after high school

Your presentation should include three pictures[2] that represent who you are. 

---

[1] Specifics help me help you with scholarships, college applications, etc. 

[2] Classroom appropriate