Welcome back for the 2010-2011 School Year!

Dear Students and Parents,

I am looking forward to seeing you again this year for English 9, British Literature, and/or College Writing!

I hope you are having a great summer! Don't forget to work on summer reading! Remember, that's a total of three books -- the book from the nonfiction list, the book from the fiction list, and the class book (for 9th -- Animal Farm and for 12th -- The Tale of Two Cities ). The assignments will be collected the first week of school. You can also expect for the class-assigned book to be testing within the first few days of class.

Please contact me IN ADVANCE through e-mail if you need help on your assignments or want to make a special request for a specific book.

School supplies for English class:
--A4-sized binder with A4 Loose leaf paper for all assignments, except for journal.
--B5 or A4 Notebook for journal: must be consistently used. (Obviously, if and when the notebook is full, you’ll buy a new one, but don’t change notebooks every week.)
--NEW: 3 highlighters -- yellow, blue, and green.
--Pens/pencils.
--IR book, or another novel as assigned by the teacher.
(12th Homeroom Students: Two boxes of kleenex
(College Writing Students: One box of index cards and one box of sticky-notes, if desired -- otherwise, you may tear paper to fulfill these requirement, as long as it's neat.)

See you in August!

Ms. Rowe
allen.rowe@ocsi.org

J-Term Sociology Information

J-Term: Sociology Class Syllabus

Class Name: Sociology
Hour: Periods 3-4, 10:20am-12:05 pm; Periods 5-6, 1:10-3:00 p.m.
The best time for parents to call me is: 958-3000, from 8-3. Please set up an appointment to see and speak to me.

Course description: Sociology is an introductory course in the area of behavioral science. The course reviews the ways cultures and social groups affect human behavior through social status, institutions, and changes in society. Students identify and apply sociological principles and the scientific method to various aspects of their lives and society.

Class Activities: Class activities are designed to develop the students’ understanding of sociology and their communication skills. These activities include but are not limited to: reading in class (independently and in groups), writing to examine and explain their thoughts, working actively both individually and with others, viewing and analyzing media, and demonstrating their understanding through tests and projects.

You will need the following materials for this class:
-- A4 or B5 Loose leaf paper for all assignments, except for journal.
-- B5 or A4 Notebook for journal: must be consistently used. (English Students: Using your regular journal is fine.)
-- Pens/pencils.
-- IR book
-- Assigned textbook copy of Sociology: The Study of Human Relationships: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2005.

Your grade will be based on the following:
Your grade will be determined based on the total number of points earned, from points available, in a given category.
--40% Tests (three quizzes at 50 points each; one exam at 150 points)
--25% Assignments (classwork, homework, participation)
--20% Journals (four entries: to be collected each Friday)
--15% J-Term Project and Presentation (to be displayed at the J-Term performance)

An important note on J-Term:
Remember, you are completing the responsibilities for 78 class periods (the equivalent of ONE FULL SEMESTER for which you will receive ½ credit) in a month. You are basically participating in a double-block academic class, which actually is a faster speed than what you will be expected to maintain in college. Take your assignments seriously and stay organized!

SCHEDULE FOR SOCIOLOGY:
Please note: The schedule is subject to change.

Tuesday, 1/5/2010 – Introduction to Sociology and Culture
Wednesday, 1/6/2010 – Culture and Social Structure
Thursday, 1/7/2010 – Culture and Social Structure
Friday, 1/8/2010 – The Individual in Society; JOURNALS due; QUIZ today
Monday, 1/11/2010 – The Individual in Society
Tuesday, 1/12/2010 – The Individual in Society
Wednesday, 1/13/2010 – Social Inequality
Thursday, 1/14/2010 – Social Inequality
Friday, 1/15/2010 – Social Inequality; JOURNALS due; QUIZ today
Tuesday, 1/19/2010 – Social Inequality
Wednesday, 1/20/2010 – Social Inequality
Thursday, 1/21/2010 – Social Institutions
Friday, 1/22/2010 – Social Institutions; JOURNALS due; QUIZ today
Monday, 1/25/2010 – Social Institutions
Tuesday, 1/26/2010 – Social Institutions;
Wednesday, 1/27/2010 – Social Institutions
Thursday, 1/28/2010 – The Changing Social World
Friday, 1/29/2010 – The Changing Social World; JOURNALS due; QUIZ today
Monday, 2/1/2010– The Changing Social World; PROJECTS/PRESENTATIONS due
Tuesday, 2/2/2010 – EXAM today; Last day of J-Term

IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT ME: My e-mail address is ALRowe1742@yahoo.com. Outside of school, this is the easiest way to contact me. Please put YOUR NAME AND CLASS in the subject box. E-mails that do not follow this set-up may not be recognized by my computer and deleted. I try to respond to all e-mails within 2 days (48 hours) You may also call the school office (958-3000) to set up an appointment.

End of First Quarter!

Dear Parents of OCSI High School Students,

The first quarter at OCSI this year ends next week -- on Friday, 10/16!

First quarter report cards will be available to parents on Parent Teacher Conference Day, which will be held Friday, 10/30. Additional information about these important meetings will be sent home with your child over the next few weeks.

Also, your family is invited to College Night in the cafeteria at OCSI on Tuesday, October 13th, at 7:00 p.m. Our counselor, Elizabeth Lofland, will be covering issues such as academic credits, preparation for college, and financial aid.

Please make plans to join us for these events!

Thank you,
Allen Rowe
ALRowe1742@yahoo.com
allen.rowe@ocsi.org

WORK FOR ALL STUDENTS

Dear Students,
I hope that you stay healthy and/or get well during this week we have off from school! Remember -- lots of rest, lots of chicken noodle soup, and no sharing of water bottles!
Take care,
Ms. Rowe

Assignments for all students in English classes:

--If you missed Thursday and/or Monday, please get your make up work from your classmates.

--ALL three pages of journal are due on Tuesday, 9/8, when you return to school. On this journal only, please ***star*** the parts where you want comments. I will be trying to grade quickly in order to return them to you within a few days.

--Continue working on IR for first quarter.

--Continue watching your e-mail: Later on this week, I will be sending you your new code and password for Skillwriter, as well as instructions for an essay assignment you should complete.

--Please remember to complete all of the additional work below for the class(es) you are in.

Work for 9th Grade Students

In addition to the work "For All Students,"

--Go over "Compound Subjects and Verbs." You may use either pg. 43-44 of your Language Network book, OR this website: http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000026.htm . Be sure you learn them well, because the GWB section on the same information will be graded when you complete it next week.

Continuing with our Poetry Unit...

--Please read the poetry definitions on this page: http://www.gardendigest.com/poetry/quoap1.htm and on this one: http://www.quotegarden.com/poetry.html
Write out the two you most agree with, and explain why.

--Read the poem, "A Theme for English B" (Lit. book pg. 467-468 OR on the website here: http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/English_B.html). Write in response to each of the following questions: What are your impressions of the author? What kind of diction does the writer choose for this poem, and why? Looking at the four poems we have read this week, which one was the most effective for you, and why? What about effectiveness for other audiences?

--Select a theme or issue that you have seen in your life. Write a poem of at least 8-10 lines, address this theme. You may choose level of diction, and rhyme scheme or free verse.

Work for 11th Grade English Class

In addition to the work "For All Students,":

--Complete GWBs pg. 91-93.

We are beginning our unit on The Crucible, a play set in the Puritan era and based on the historic Salem Witch Trials, so you'll need to complete background work for the unit.

--Read Puritan background, either in your Literature books from pg. 134-148, OR online on this website: http://academicamerican.com/colonial/topics/puritannewengland.html
Please write a summary of your reading.

--Complete the Computer Lab Activity on Salem Witch Trials (to be e-mailed).

--Define Literary elements (10): theme, irony, paradox, allegory, setting, protagonist, voice, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy. http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xLitTerms.html

--Identify vocabulary definitions and parts of speech from The Crucible (15), also on the SAT: Abyss, Begrudge, Calamity, Corroborating, Deference, Ecstatic, Innate, Pallor, Parochial, Partisan, Propriety, Prodigious, Prudent, Vindictive, Wily

--Read article I gave you on Thursday (Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "From Images or Shadows of Divine Things"). He wrote during the time period. You should write a summary of 3-4 paragraphs, identify the main points, and explain your reaction (whether you agree or disagree with the main points and why).

--Read the Anne Bradstreet poetry here: http://academicamerican.com/colonial/docs/AnnBPoems.htm

AND the Margaret Atwood poem, "Half-Hanged Mary," here:
www.janaedwards.com/FILECABINET/HALFhangedmaryhoriz.doc

Anne Bradstreet was another writer from the Puritan era. Margaret Atwood wrote more recently, but she wrote ABOUT a real woman in the Puritan era who was convicted of witchcraft, hung, and survived.

Choose ONE poem and write a response of several paragraphs. Explain how the poem adds to your knowledge of the time period, and how you personally reacted to the information and/or emotion expressed in the poem. Be specific!

Work for College Writing Class

In addition to the work labeled "For All Students,":

--Finish annotating "The Old Bird, a Love Story."

--Respond to each of the following questions in a paragraph each:
1) What is the author’s basic belief about the individual, society, or life, as shown in the story?
2) What connection does the title have with the conflict or theme of the story?
3) Describe both the type and specifics of the conflict used in the story. Was the author effective with his or her use of this conflict?

--Create and revise strong thesis sentences for each of the questions/responses above, as if you were going to use the questions to formulate essays. (In-class essays are pretty normal for college evaluations, so it’s important to be able to get the main point in a clear thesis quickly.)

--Quick write (about a paragraph): Why is understanding an author’s point of view, feeling, or attitude important?

--Check your e-mail for information on your Persuasive Research Project. You need to read everything, and fill out (either by printing, or writing out on paper) and complete:
1) Topic selection with rationale and a working thesis
2) "Research Paper Sources -- Trying it Out"

--These websites should help with topic ideas:
1) goodessaytopics.com (categories: controversial, persuasive, Christian, argumentative)
2) nwmissouri.edu/library/courses/english2/termindex.htm

BE SURE to choose a topic you're interested in, because you will be spending a lot of time working with it over the next month. We will have two days in the Computer Lab and two days in the Library next week. Be sure you're ready to research!

--Complete Bellwork assignments and be ready to turn in Bellwork notebook (9 entries) on Tuesday. Here are the rest of this week's:

9/1: 1) Youre copy of alph waldo emersons essay self reliance is different than mine I wonder why 2) neither of the events were exciting so we left early then we went to pats house to play tennis

9/2: my Uncle and Aunt will unknown to him be surprised next week at a merica ary party at the park country club 2) please bring this book merica revisited to the deans room victor since he needs it

9/3: 1) Our class will be involved I think in doing a project sometime on the civil war however it is to late to begin this semester
2) for you to finish on time your going to have to work hard and meet the scheduled deadline father bonsan stated