MLA help

If you are working on your research paper over break, and need some help, this is a great site. I use it when I get stuck on something. It's easy to read too, so you can use it without getting too confused.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Of Mice and Men in full text

Remember, chapters 4-6 are due by FRIDAY (your exam will be on MONDAY). If you need to work on the questions at home, you can access a full version of the book online at the following link:

http://www.shipk12.org/web/filemgmt_data/files/Steinbeck_-_Of_Mice_and_Men.pdf

Now go get the "A"!

Grammar Time!!

Hello Children!

In keeping with our struggle to improve our writing skills, I am going to have you complete some simple grammar exercises (this one is on sentence fragments). Go to the following link and complete the exercise:

http://chompchomp.com/frag01/frag01.htm

Then, write a blog post about the experience. How did you do? While this probably wasn't the most fun thing you could be doing, was it beneficial? Do you need more work on this, or can we work on a different writing skill?

DUE BY 12/9/11 @ 3:30.

CHANGE!!!! READ ME

Ok,

Let's just make this simpler, shall we? Go to the webques address, and click on the "view the cabin" link. Read the text and look at the pictures associated with the piece.

Answer the following question....

Is Thoreau crazy, or is he on to something by living like this? Why. Give me real answers! I want at least a half page.

See you tomorrow!

Transcendentalism

Hey Young Scholars!

  When the cat's away, the mice will play. When Mrs. H is away, you will complete this webquest on Thoreau. Complete the essay part (at the bottom) on paper and turn in by Friday :)

Research, WOOT!

Hello Young Scholars!

Well, its getting to be that time in the semester when we start doing some real dirty work with our research papers. That means you will all have to do research. Quit your groaning! It's not that bad! You all have some good topics, we have talked about how they impact your life, and how we can apply them to American society- now we just have to find facts and information to back up your ideas (these are called sources). If you still arent sure exactly what kind of information you need to be looking for, that this exercise is just for you!

Read this article, and create a concept map (following the instructions). If you need help, just ask, but I think this will help you figure out what you will need to be looking for during our research time together. Remember, let's make the most of our time on Wednesday with Mrs. Matthews by being prepared! Have a good idea of what you are looking for BEFORE we go in the library.

Oh, and turn in your concept maps by Friday for your blog grade :)

http://www.lib.washington.edu/uwill/research101/topic03.htm

Another poet you should read (but we won't have time IN class)

Hello Young Scholars!

Have I told you all lately how proud I am of all of your hard work? No, well I AM. You are all really stepping up when it comes to these blog posts.

This week, I want you to read a little about the most famous and wonderful woman, Phillis Wheatly. SHe was the first African American female poet, and she was a contemporary (that means she lived during the same time) of Jefferson, Franklin, and Henry. I don't just want to teach you the writing of dead white men, but we won't have time to cover her poetry in class. So go to the following link:

http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/phillis-wheatley-106.php

After reading her biography, find ANY poem of hers that you want to read, and read it. Then respond, answering the following questions. (IF EVERYONE DOES THE SAME POEM, YOU WILL ALL BE FLOGGED).

1) Poem name, and date it was written/ published
2) Summary of the poem
3) Tone of the poem (remember that tone means how the writer feels about the subject, an example is if I am a poet and I use the term "snot-nosed brat" to refer to a young man, the tone is disrespectful toward the young man, but if I use the  term "well-mannered young gentleman" it shows that I like him, and believe him to be intelligent)
4) Mood (How do the words that the author uses make YOU FEEL inside)
5) Personal reaction. What does this poem make you think about, feel, or want to do? (If you skip this or give me the old "It doesn't make me want to do anything, and I don't feel anything because I don't understand it" You will get a zero. If you need help, select a different poem, or see me after school or during any lunch for help.

Peace!

Mrs. H

Thomas Jefferson: Slave Owner and Abolitionist

Well, Young Scholars, we have gotten to one of the more "messy" issues in American history. Thomas Jefferson was an AMAZING American- he founded the University of Virginia, started the Library of Congress (in his will, he left his personal library to the government to start it), and even brought agricultural improvements like peas! That doesn't mean he was perfect. There has been debate going on for centuries (literally!) about his position on slavery. He worked publicly to have the institution of slavery ended, but privately held over 200 slaves, and DNA tests have proven recently that he fathered at least one of the seven children that a slave named Sally Hemmings gave birth to at Jefferson's home, Montecello. I want you to read the following article and ask thes following questions in your reply (all of them).

The link:

http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/schager/Hon%20US/2008/thomas_jefferson.htm


Questions:

1) Can a person fight for one thing publicly and then do the oppposite privately? Is that American?
2) Can we really judge Thomas Jefferson? That was over 200 years ago, and he was just as much a part of his society, where slavery was normal (I know it's weird to think it), he never knew the great African American thinkers we do.


Good luck, and good reading!

Mrs. H

Chrisitanity and the Founding of Our Country

Happy Monday young scholars!

This week's article is meant to show you exactly how not "Puritan" our Founding Fathers were (I know, last week I was telling you how Puritan Americans ARE, and today, I'm telling you we're not). This article is meant to demonstrate the varied Christian influences on our country's founding. Read it. DIgest it. Then write a GOOD paragraph about whether or not our country is still living according to Christian values (please don't give me the boring answer of "no, because we are a meltng pot". Give me real answers that examine how our American society works, from the government to the small things people do each day.

http://congressionalcompass.org/content/rod-gragg

Brandons..the first blog

I do agree with the authers statement that recognizes the God given right to each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness, because as Americans we do have that right to be able to say what we want.

Puritan Culture

Hello Youg Scholars,

    Hopefully you enjoyed youe Labor Day weekend without much labor! This week's article is from a HISTORY textbook (you can stop cheering now). I know that most of the time reading a textbook article is boring, but the information in this article is really interesting. We have been talking about how Puritans resemble contamporary Americans, and now we learn some surprising things about how Puritans really behaved. So read the article and discuss with me things you find surprising, shocking, or funny. How are the Puritans different than what you originally believed? Remember, we are developing our writing skills, so be thoughtful and go beyond the "I like this because". Remember, I don't cre if you like it, I just care thast you know it :)

Love y'all!

Mrs. H
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=674

To an extent I think that ethnic lables matter. People born in the United States are all Americans, but ethnicity is not the same. We are all humans but our backgrounds and ancestors are different.We continue to label ourselves because of what someone has or doesn't have. We label based upon the outward appearance and not the real person. Lables can cause bad feelings between people. I believe they should be called what they choose. If the Indians don't like the term Native then they should decide what they want to be called. I feel like the terms American Indian and Native American sound like two different things. I agree with the majority of the Indians who don't want to be called American Indians because they are Americans.

Yes I think ethnic lables are important because if you call people the wrong thing they will get affended, and misunderstand their culture's and where they come from. I agree with the American Indian about his point of veiw of his culture because I wouldnt want anyone to misunderstand my culture, I could understand how he's feeling.

Ethnic labels do matter because you always have to look at it in the other persons point of veiw. We as Americans label people because we dont really know what race someone might be so we just label them. I've personally never really thought about it, im half Cherokee myself, and I guess they have a point. Some people take it to heart a lot more than other people. Either way it doesn't really matter to me but if I had to choose I would probably choose American Indian because I like the point the guy made in the article.

Labels and Americanism

Hello Young Scholars!

We have had some excellent discussions on the idea of what it means to be an American, and your ideas and thouhts are AMAZING. I am so excited to be a part of this year. I found an article online that deals with the labels we, as Americans, put on each other and ourselves. It talks about something called the Roadshow, they are talking about a television show called Antiques Roadshow where people bring in their antiques and professionals tell them how much they are worth. Here is the article link:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/bismarck_200504A16.html

There is only one question this time, so I want you to put serious thought and effort into it. Responses are due by Friday, September 2nd at 3:30pm.

Question:

Do ethnic labels matter? Why or why not? Why do we, as Americans, always seem to be labeling ourselves and each other? What do you think of the reponses of the "American Indians" in this article, how do you feel about the terms "American Indian" and "Native American"?

(Ok, students, I know that's really more than one question, but you still have to answer all of them.)

Good Luck, and I can't wait to read your posts!

Mrs. H

America

Obviously he wrote this after the 9-11 tragedy.Peter Ferrara is a proud American who believes to be an American about where you were born or who you are.You may not even live here.It's about people who want a better future,freedom and vast opportunity to pursue their dreams.Americans love life and want to live it to the fullest.

A Note About Context

Hello Scholars!

    After reading your posts I want to clarify what I mean about the concept of "context." Context means the situation in which the essay was written- like time (in the case of this week's article, right after September 11, 2001), is the writer rich, poor, southern, northern, etc? How about whether it is a man or woman, or other political and social issues of the time. All of that influences what a writer writes, and how a writer writes. These things are called the context of the article.  I am trying to teach you to look beyond just the article, and think about WHO the author is and HOW that changes their writing. Context DOES NOT MEAN MAIN IDEA. :) There, I feel better now.

I agree with the auther's statement that America recognizes the "God given right of each man and women to the pursuit of happiness because America is a free country and we are allowed to what we want basicly.

Welcome!

Welcome to our online English 3 class. This is where you can ask your peers to clarification on assignments, talk about the readings, and post connections. I will also TRY to post copies of your homework assignments and reminders here. There are, of course, a few rules:

                     1) Be professional (no text language, LOL, ROFL, etc,)
                     2) Be respectful (no put downs)
                     3) Remember that your parents have access to this page :)

There will be times when your assignment will be to post to our blog or to respond to a question I post here. These will be graded, but I think you will find these assignments more enjoyable than the traditional paper and book homework.

Here is your first assignment:


Read the Article at the link below:

http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-ferraraprint092501.html

Respond to the article in a paragraph that answers one of the following questions:

             1. Notice the date of the article. How does the date influence the emotion of this article. What is the context of the article?

             2. Do you agree with the author's statements that America recognizes the "God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness"? Why or why not?

            3. Are Americans the "embodiment of the human spirit of freedom" as the author states? Does being "free" equal being an American? Why or why not.


Good luck. Please have your posts written by Friday, August 26th, at 3:30.

Mrs. H