Fun in the Sun! May 15, 2020

Focus: How should we celebrate our last day of high school?

1. Warming up in the sun

2. Getting outside to play and enjoy the day; have your own, socially distanced fun in the sun day!

3. Cooling down with the peace of knowing that you have had a spectacular high school career

Final A.P. Lit tasks:

1. Please bring back all your books! (Some of them I purchased with my own $ and can't replace). Put a sticky note inside each won with your name, my name, and the class name. Thank you so much!

2. Keep being a lover of reading and writing.

3. Stay in touch with me!

Nailed It! May 14, 2020

Focus: What should you do with your talents now that A.P. Lit is over?

1. Warming up by watching this clip from Nailed It

2. Selecting your own cake to make; feel free to send along photos of your creation! Or samples!


Final A.P. Lit tasks:

1. Please bring back all your books! (Some of them I purchased with my own $ and can't replace). Put a sticky note inside each won with your name, my name, and the class name. Thank you so much!

2. Keep being a lover of reading and writing.

3. Stay in touch with me!

(Un)written: May 13, 2020

Focus: How can we get a little college credit for the work we've done in AP Lit?

1. Warming up with your favorite morning routine

• If you need a little extra encouragement this morning, watching my One-Legged Vault video or try some one-minute meditations from the past few blogs!

• Read through my Prose Passage Advice, in a Nutshell.

2. Signing into the test at 11:30 am and dancing around / rocking out / meditating until noon

Tech reminders: 

• Don't refresh or hit the back arrow once you log in.

• Print or download shared documents that you'd like to have during the test. 

• Check your printer and internet connection.

• You will not be able to sign in before 11:30.

• If you need to request a make-up test, click HERE.

3. Remembering this:

This test is just an opportunity to get a little college credit. It is nothing more than that. You are brilliant, so just try to enjoy the passage (if it's British, imagine your classmates reading it in their Shakespearean accents!), then write about some cool stuff you noticed and what you think it means. That's it! Love you all!

Final A.P. Lit tasks:

1. Let me know how it went!

2. Gather any books you borrowed from me; put your name, my name, and the course name on a sticky note inside each one. Please return your books to the school! I purchased your book club ones with my own money and would super love to have them back for next year. :)

Still Waters: May 12, 2020

Still waters run deep.

Focus: How will you find closure this week?

1. Warming up with a one-minute meditation to still the waters

2. Enjoying an optional last creative writing on the best day

3. Offering you a few reminders for tomorrow:

• Follow your routine, starting with a good dinner and a good night's sleep tonight.

• Tomorrow, sign into the test at 11:30 am (and dance around / rock out / meditate until noon).

• Check your tech: Don't refresh or hit the back arrow; print or download shared documents. Check your printer and internet connection. Use the AP checklist to make sure you're ready.

• Read through my Prose Passage Advice, in a Nutshell

• Enjoy! Remember that this test is not a measure of who you are or how smart you are; it is just an opportunity to get a little well-deserved credit in college. That's all. I am proud of you no matter what.

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

• Check your e-mail for your A.P. Lit test ticket.

• Try out the A.P. demo.

• Check out Tuesday's optional class if you missed it (we went over all the testing details).

• Take care of the A.P. Checklist.

• Print anything you want to have out while you take the AP Lit test, such as this sheet.

• Check your e-mail for you A.P. Lit exam ticket.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Your One-Legged Final Vault: May 11, 2020

Focus: How will you find closure this week?

1. Warming up with my final Welcome Your Week: The One-Legged Vault

2. Checking out my final screencasts of feedback on your TW revisions (let me know if you revised and did not receive new feedback)

3. Wrapping up any A.P. lit tasks that you still need / you'd still like to do: all A.P. Lit coursework due TODAY

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. For this class: 

• Check your e-mail for your A.P. Lit test ticket.

• Check Infinite Campus. Your grades should be up-to-date. Let me know if any grades need to be changed.

• Today is the last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. 

2. For the A.P. test:

• Try out the A.P. demo.

• Check out Tuesday's optional class if you missed it.

• Take care of the A.P. Checklist.

• Print anything you want to have out while you take the AP Lit test, such as this sheet.

• Check your e-mail for you A.P. Lit exam ticket.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Wrapping Up: May 8, 2020

Focus: How do we know that we're ready for this?

1. Warming up with a one-minute mini meditation on releasing stress

2. Wrapping up any A.P. lit tasks that you still need / you'd still like to do (all A.P. Lit coursework due this Monday)

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. For this class: 

• Check Infinite Campus. Your grades should be up-to-date.
• Today is the last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. 

2. For the A.P. test:

• Try out the A.P. demo.

• Check out Tuesday's optional class if you missed it.

• Take care of the A.P. Checklist.

• Print anything you want to have out while you take the AP Lit test, such as this sheet.

• Check your e-mail for you A.P. Lit exam ticket.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Final Workshop: May 7, 2020

Focus: How do we know that we're ready for this?

1. Warming up with two special, unrehearsed guest speakers :)

2. Offering you my prose advice, in a nutshell

3. Sharing your AP Lit stats with you

4. Remembering that this Sunday is Mother's Day


Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT:

• Revise last week's timed writing or try this one. See directions above.

• Try out the A.P. demo.

• Check out Tuesday's optional class if you missed it.

2. MONDAY, May 11:

• Last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. Except for this week's timed writing, all grades for the course are already posted in IC, so please let me know if anything is incorrect!

• Take care of the A.P. Checklist.

• Print anything you want to have out while you take the AP Lit test, such as this sheet.

• Check your e-mail for you A.P. Lit exam ticket.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Two-Minute Meditation: May 6, 2020

Focus: How do we use this week to generate focused yet relaxed mental energy?

1. Warming up: Try out this two-minute meditation (set video to full screen and do nothing)

2. If you haven't done this yet, please take care of it today: Completing your final practice exercise for A.P. Literature! You may either...

• Revise part of your previous A.P. timed writing on Middlemarch,    OR

• Try out one last brand new timed writing (e-mailed to your school account).

• If you choose to revise, please HIGHLIGHT YOUR REVISIONS and re-share the doc with me when it's ready (before Thursday, please). 

• I've condensed all of our prose writing workshop advice onto a single, simple page. 

3. Trying out the A.P. demo! Click HERE and enter "PRACTICE" instead of your AP ID.

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT:

• Revise last week's timed writing or try this one. See directions above.
• Try out the A.P. demo.
• Check out yesterday's optional class if you missed it.

2. THURSDAY:

• Our last class. :( This will be a feel-good workshop with two special guests. :) 

3. Next MONDAY, May 11:

• Last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. Except for this week's timed writing, all grades for the course are already posted in IC, so please let me know if anything is incorrect!

• Check your e-mail for you A.P. Lit exam ticket.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

The At-Home Test Experience Preview: Cinco de Mayo!

Focus: How do we use this week to generate focused yet relaxed mental energy?

1. Warming up with an optional creative writing on your wants (inspired by Maggie Rogers)

2. Enjoying a fascinating walk through the A.P. At-Home Test Experience! See you for an optional live class today at 1:30!

• You should have received a Google Hangout invite from me last week.

• We'll record and post it if you can't make it.

• If you're already getting this presentation from a different AP teacher, you probably don't need to hear it twice. :)

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. EARLY THIS WEEK:

• Revise last week's timed writing or try this one. See directions above.
• Try out the A.P. demo.

2. TODAY:

• Optional live class at 1:30 to go through the A.P. At-Home Testing Experience (you should have received a Google Hangout invite). We will record & post the session if you can't make it.

3. THURSDAY:

• Our last class. :( This will be a feel-good workshop with two special guests. :) 

4. Next MONDAY, May 11:

• Last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. Except for this week's timed writing, all grades for the course are already posted in IC, so please let me know if anything is incorrect!

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Welcome To Your Week! May the 4th Be With You.

Focus: How do we use this week to generate focused yet relaxed mental energy?

1. Warming up with Welcome To Your Week; send me your three good things!

2. Completing your final practice exercise for A.P. Literature! You may either...

• Revise part of your previous A.P. timed writing on Middlemarch,    OR

• Try out one last brand new timed writing (e-mailed to your school account).

• If you choose to revise, please HIGHLIGHT YOUR REVISIONS and re-share the doc with me when it's ready (before Thursday, please). 

• I've condensed all of our prose writing workshop advice onto a single, simple page. 

3. Trying out the A.P. demo! Click HERE and enter "PRACTICE" instead of your AP ID.

Final A.P. Lit Tasks!

1. TODAY/EARLY THIS WEEK:

• Revise last week's timed writing or try this one. See directions above.
• Try out the A.P. demo.

2. TUESDAY:

• Optional live class at 1:30 to go through the A.P. At-Home Testing Experience (you should have received a Google Hangout invite). We will record & post the session if you can't make it.

3. THURSDAY:

• Our last class. :( This will be a feel-good workshop with two special guests. :) 

4. Next MONDAY, May 11:

• Last day to submit any coursework for A.P. Literature. Except for this week's timed writing, all grades for the course are already posted in IC, so please let me know if anything is incorrect!

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Last Chance Review: May 1, 2020

Focus: What review do you need to fine-tune your A.P. Lit skills?

NOTE: If you need to take today off, you can! This activity just needs to be done before you either revise this week's timed writing or compose next week's (whichever you choose). Nothing urgent here.

1. Warming up: Understanding your review session choices

• If you haven't watched my screencast explaining your review session choices, you can watch it now! Click here for the screencast.

• Click here if you just need the Google doc Takeaway sheet.

2. Watching whichever review session suits your needs and adding your thoughts to the takeaway sheet

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. BY MONDAY: 

• Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

• Listen to my screencast of feedback on your timed writings.

• Either revise your previous timed writing or compose the new one in your e-mail. If you revise, please help me out by highlighting your changes and e-mailing me when it's ready. If you're doing the new one, just share it like usual.

2. TUESDAY:

• Join our OPTIONAL class at 1:30 in which we go over the exam-day experience. I will share with you the details that A.P. shared with me. This session will be recorded, so no worries if you can't make it.

3. THURSDAY:

• Join our last class. I hated typing that. :(

4. By FRIDAY, MAY 8:

• Complete the AP Test Demo.

• Print the AP checklist and start completing it (due Friday, May 8).

• Set up the document you will be typing on for AP Lit; type your AP ID and initials at the top.

• Prep and print any notes (or download as PDFs) that you will want to have in front of you for the A.P. Lit test; do NOT open any shared documents during the exam.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Online Workshop #5: April 30, 2020

Focus: How we use shifts to establish a line of reasoning?

Please use last week's Zoom link for today's 1:30 workshop!

1. Warming up by using visual cues to deal with multiple characters in a prose passage

2. Looking for shifts in the passage from Middlemarch

3. Celebrating your lines of reasoning!

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all workshop materials.

4. Offering you the short version of the AP Exam Day Resources

• For all the details on AP Exam Day, please join me for an optional class this Tuesday, May 5th at 1:30!

• You'll receive a Google Hangout invite from me (not Zoom).

• I will record and post the session for anyone who cannot attend.

• If you are receiving this presentation from another A.P. teacher, you probably don't need to hear it more than once.

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. EARLIER THIS WEEK: 

• Follow the steps posted in yesterday's blog and complete your timed writing (in your school e-mail).

• Leave comments on each other's recent blogs.

2. TODAY: 

• Attend our live timed writing workshop at 1:30!

4. BY TOMORROW: 

• Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

5. By FRIDAY, MAY 8:

• Complete the AP Test Demo.

• Print the AP checklist and start completing it (due Friday, May 8).

• Set up the document you will be typing on for AP Lit; type your AP ID and initials at the top.

• Print any notes (or download as PDFs) that you will want to have in front of you for the A.P. Lit test; do NOT open any shared documents during the exam.

A.P. Literature Exam: Wednesday, May 13th at 11:30 am.

Your e-ticket should be available Monday, May 11th; check your e-mail.

Dancing in Each Other's Brainstorms: April 29, 2020

Focus: What can you learn from each other's brainstorming?

1. Warming up: This isn't due until Friday, but consider getting it done today or doing more than one!

• Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

2. Taking a look at each other's cumulative essay brainstorming and loose thesis statements:

• Spend about 10-15 minutes perusing your classmates' prompts and book lists, which they have posted on their blogs.

• Leave comments on others' blogs in the comment section underneath the post.

• Since my brain is limiting my ability to give you feedback speedily, your comments are more important than ever! Thank you for helping each other out!

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. EARLIER THIS WEEK: 

• Follow the steps posted in yesterday's blog and complete your timed writing (in your school e-mail).

2. TODAY: 

• Leave comments on each other's recent blogs.

3. THURSDAY: 

• Attend our live timed writing workshop at 1:30.

4. BY FRIDAY: 

• Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

Optional: 

5. Creative writing / mental health exercise posted on Tuesdays

6. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Thank You: April 28, 2020

Focus: What is quarantine offering us that we're grateful for? How do we use our time meaningfully?

1. Optional: Warming up with a creative quarantine writing exercise, created by yours truly

2. Required: Composing your next culminating essay post; in a nutshell, you're writing about Subpoint #2 (aka, your second insight / claim) that you uncovered in your brainstorming last week. You can make it as memoir-ish, as literary, or as philosophical as you like. I'm in the process of writing mine right now--will post it as soon as I'm done.

Note: Because of my concussion, I'm going to be a bit slow in giving you feedback. I will read every single word you write, and I will give you feedback--I promise. But I need to practice my screen safely to avoid permanent damage to brain. 

There's no one right way to write your blog, so just ask yourself this:

Does my post feel finished, at least for the day?

Did I bring in a few different texts?

Did it feel at least kind of good to write it? Do I feel kind of proud of this?

Does it sound like me?

If the answer is yes to all of the questions above, then you're doing it right! If your answer is no to any of the above questions, then what can you do to turn it into a "yes"?

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. YESTERDAY: 

• Follow the steps posted in yesterday's blog and complete your timed writing (in your school e-mail).

2. TODAY: 

• Complete the next big installment of your Big Question Blog, which is to explore the second subpoint (claim / insight) you uncovered in your brainstorming a few weeks ago. I'm working on mine as an example, but it's quite similar to the blog post you did 2 weeks ago. Please post this before you go to bed tonight.

3. THURSDAY: 

• Attend our live timed writing workshop at 1:30.

4. BY FRIDAY: 

• Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

Optional: 

5. Creative writing / mental health exercise posted on Tuesdays

6. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Welcome To Your Week: April 27, 2020

Focus: What is quarantine offering us that we're grateful for? How do we use our time meaningfully?


1. Warming up with Welcome To Your Week; I'd love for you send me your three good things :)

2. Practicing effectively for your A.P. Lit test by following these steps, in this order:

Step 1: Open up your previous timed writing and listen to your screencast of feedback. If you have questions, feel free to set up a quick conference with me!

Step 2: Watch THIS (it's a short screencast)before you do your timed writing to review our class takeaways from last Friday and to understand your task this upcoming Friday.

Here is the Google doc version of last week's takeaways and this week's takeaways on prose timed writings (also shared directly with you last Thursday via your school e-mail address)

Step 3: Find 45 minutes TODAY (preferably) to complete your timed writing, which you can find in your school e-mail as a PDF. Share your Google doc with me.

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. TODAY: Follow the steps above and complete your timed writing (in your school e-mail).

2. TUESDAY: Complete the next big installment of your Big Question Blog, which is to explore the second subpoint (claim / insight) you uncovered in your brainstorming a few weeks ago. I'm working on mine as an example, but it's quite similar to the blog post you did 2 weeks ago.

3. THURSDAY: Attend our live timed writing workshop at 1:30.

4. BY FRIDAY: Watch the A.P. Lit review session that will help you the most; add your name and takeaways to this document (and here's the screencast explaining this assignment, also posted above).

Optional: 

5. Creative writing / mental health exercise posted on Tuesdays

6. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Friday Freedom: April 24, 2020

Focus: What do you need to do today?

1. Warming up: Go for a stroll and find one thing you're grateful for.

2. Wrapping up: What loose ends from our A.P. Lit-Light week do you need to wrap up?

• Make sure you have posted your walk-up song / pre-test routine post (see my culminating blog if you need more direction with this). Check out other people's, too!

• Watch the review session on Developing Claims To Support a Thesis if you didn't get to watch it yesterday. Add something brilliant to the takeaway document!

• Click here for the link to the review session.

• Click here for the takeaway document; make sure you add to it, even if you're just reinforcing what someone else said.

• Watch my screencast of feedback on your timed writing! I'm almost finished!

Weekly Tasks:

See above. Also, there's optional vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Online Workshop #4: April 23, 2020

Focus: What thorns are we likely to see in older prose passages, and how do we develop claims to support our thesis statements?

Please use the new Zoom link (e-mailed to you yesterday) for today's 1:30 workshop!

1. Warming up by considering what "thorns" we're likely to see in 19th century prose, and why

2. Looking for thorns in the first paragraph of the 2018 Nathaniel Hawthorne passage

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all workshop materials.

3. Watching the A.P. Lit live (well, live yesterday) review session on Developing Claims To Support a Thesis

• Click here for the link to the review session.

• Click here for the takeaway document; make sure you add to it, even if you're just reinforcing what someone else said.

Weekly Tasks:

1. For today: 

• Watch the review session on Developing Claims to Support a Thesis and add to the take-away doc.

2. For Friday: 

• Make sure you have posted your walk-up song / pre-test routine post (see my culminating blog if you need more direction with this).

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Your Walk-Up Routine: April 22, 2020

Focus: How will get yourself in the right headspace before the test?

1. Warming up with this week's blog post 

2. Required: Enjoying a Victorian film! Please click HERE for some options, and try to watch by Thursday.

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. By Thursday: Watch a Victorian film! Click HERE for options and overview.

2. By Friday: Add your walk-up song and pre-test routine to your blog (see mine for an example).

Optional: 

3. Timed Writing (full, partial, or not at all): Please check your school e-mail for the PDF.

4. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

My favorite quote of the week:

Mrs. Binney: So how's you get a concussion?

Me: I stood up into a glass chandelier.

Mrs. Binney: That's kind of a rich-white-lady way of getting a concussion, no?

The Isolation Journals: April 21, 2020

Focus: How are you going to take care of your mental health this week?


1. Warming up with an optional creative quickwrite: The Isolation Journals (this is a really cool, huge project right now--I recommend taking a look even if you don't want to write)

2. Required: Enjoying a Victorian film! Please click HERE for some options, and try to watch by Thursday.

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. By Thursday: Watch a Victorian film! Click HERE for options and overview.

2. By Friday: Add your walk-up song and pre-test routine to your blog (see mine for an example).

Optional: 

3. Timed Writing (full, partial, or not at all): Please check your school e-mail for the PDF.

4. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Welcome to Your Week: April 20, 2020

Focus: How can you improve your mental health this week?

Speaking of mental health, I have a concussion and have been ordered by the doctor to stay off screens this week. I apologize to the half of the class still waiting on timed writing feedback! I promise I will address this as soon as I can, and if you don't want to wait, we can set up a phone call where you read your essay to me, and I give you feedback out loud.

1. Warming up by welcoming you to your week; PLEASE SEND ME YOUR 3 GOOD THINGS :)

2. Required: Enjoying a Victorian film! Please click HERE for some options, and try to watch by Thursday.

Weekly Endeavors:

Required: 

1. By Thursday: Watch a Victorian film! Click HERE for options and overview.

2. By Friday: Add your walk-up song and pre-test routine to your blog (see mine for an example...as soon as my brain allows me to do this).

Optional: 

3. Timed Writing (full, partial, or not at all): Please check your school e-mail for the PDF.

4. Ongoing Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Final Day of Book Clubbing! April 17, 2020

Focus: What is your novel's tone?

1. Warming up by watching my screencast on Back-to-Basics Lesson #6: Tone

• Click HERE for the screencast.

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all Back-to-Basics slides.

2. Meeting virtually with your book club (20-30 min)

• Make sure that your syllabus is in your shared folder.

• Type notes on the syllabus to let me know what you're talking about, wondering, etc.

• Enjoy your final high school book club meeting!

Weekend Homework:

1. Get outside! 

2. Play with an animal! If you don't have a pet, try befriending a non-vicious wild animal (ligers don't count).

3. Before class next Thursday: Watch a film based on a 19th-century book! Click here for a list of ideas, and feel free to add to it!

Online Thursday Workshop #3: April 16, 2020

Focus: How do we decipher the tone of a prose passage and use it to structure our essays?

1. Warming up by watching today's screencast: Not to be redundant, but...

• You'll want to have a recent timed writing open/out as you watch!

• Click HERE for access to all the style lessons. Enjoy!

2. Workshopping the prose passage from 2019--please follow the Zoom directions in your school e-mail and join us at 1:30!

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all workshop materials.

Thanks for tuning in, kids!

Weekly Tasks:

1. For Friday: 

• Finish reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #5. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

• Watch the last Back-to-Basics screencast.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Commenting on Each Other's Blogs: April 15, 2020

Focus: What opportunities can find by strolling through each other's brainstorming?

1. Warming up by refreshing your Academic Vocabulary!

• Review lists 1-7.

• Optional: Take the cumulative test. (You can take this any time or not at all.)

• Optional: Start learning List 8. You can use the Quizlet review games, or find someone to play a little vocab Pictionary with you! A List 8 quiz is now available and linked here.

2. Strolling through each other's new cumulative essay posts:

• Spend about 10-15 minutes perusing your classmates' prompts and book lists, which they have posted on their blogs.

• Leave comments on others' blogs in the comment section underneath the post.

• Feel free to comment on mine. :) Sometimes, I feel left out!

3. Finishing your book club novel and preparing your final syllabus! It will be your final high school book club meeting, kids!


Weekly Tasks:

1. For Tonight: 

• Leave comments on each other's new blog posts!

2. For Thursday: 

• Watch my style screencast (and the previous two style screencasts if you haven't done so).

• Join our live workshop on Thursday from 1:30-2:00 on the excerpt from All the Living. If you can't make the live session, please set up a one-on-one conference with me.

3. For Friday: 

• Finish reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #5. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available and linked here.

Dream Deferred, or Cancelled? April 14, 2020

Focus: How do we use writing to find opportunities in the storm?

1. Warming up with an optional creative writing exercise: Dreams deferred vs. dreams cancelled

2. Wrapping up any loose ends from yesterday:

• Please share your new timed writings with me as soon as you can (don't wait until Thursday). Also, let me know if you had any trouble accessing the screencast of feedback I left on your last one.

3. Composing your next culminating essay post; click here for my screencast and see my example on the blog. In a nutshell, you're writing about Subpoint #1 that you uncovered in your brainstorming last week. You can make it as memoir-ish, as literary, or as philosophical as you like.

Weekly Tasks:

1. For Tonight: 

• Post your culminating essay brainstorming on your blog before you go to bed on Tuesday (see my screencast linked above).

2. For Thursday: 

• Watch my style screencast (and the previous two style screencasts if you haven't done so).

• Join our live workshop on Thursday from 1:30-2:00 on the excerpt from All the Living. If you can't make the live session, please set up a one-on-one conference with me.

3. For Friday: 

• Finish reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #5. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz is now available, linked HERE.

Welcome To Your Week: April 13, 2020

Focus: How do we find opportunities in the middle of a storm?

1. Warming up with a Welcome to Your Week video; SEND ME YOUR THREE GOOD THINGS!

2. Taking 45 minutes to complete a timed writing on the 2019 practice exam in A.P. Classroom: "Morning Rain"

• Please see my feedback on your previous timed writing before you complete this one.

• Do your best to take care of this timed writing TODAY.

• Resist the urge to print the passage since you need to practice reading on a screen.

Remember our (strongly) suggested AP Lit weekly schedule:

Monday: Complete and share the timed writing (don't wait until Thursday just because we have workshop that day--try have a little breathing space in between the writing and the workshop)

Tuesday: Complete your culminating blog post. I had so much fun doing mine this week (finally got to think through Parasite!); click HERE for my screencast on process and possibilities

• Optional: 10-minute creative writing activity

Wednesday: Read and comment on other people's blogs. Please make sure you're doing this--this is one of our few ways of communicating with each other.

• Optional: Academic Vocabulary (cumulative test on lists 1-7; new lists for 8, 9, and 10)

Thursday: Watch my style screencast; live workshop at 1:30.

Friday: Watch my Back-to-Basics screencast; meet with your Book Club (when Book Club is done after this week, we'll use this space to do a little reviewing).

Keep seeking your distance learning rhythm! The work is as pared down as it can be, so if you're finding that you're short on time, you may need to set your alarm and get up an hour or two earlier (that's what I realized I needed to do). As always, let me know if you'd like a one-on-one conference about anything!

Weekly Tasks:

1. For TODAY: 

• Complete your timed writing on "Morning Rain" (2019 FRQ).  Preferably, please type it and share it with me. If that's not possible, you can send me a photo, but my feedback might not be as detailed.

2. For Tuesday: 

• Post your culminating essay brainstorming on your blog before you go to bed on Tuesday (see my screencast linked above).

2. For Thursday: 

• Watch my style screencast (and the previous two style screencasts if you haven't done so).

• Join our live workshop on Thursday from 1:30-2:00 on the excerpt from All the Living. If you can't make the live session, please set up a one-on-one conference with me.

3. For Friday: 

• Finish reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #5. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz will be available starting this Wednesday.

Book Clubbing, Day 4: April 9, 2020

Focus: How do authorial choices about structure contribute to your interpretation of the novel?

1. Warming up by watching my screencast on Back-to-Basics Lesson #5: Figurative Language

• Click HERE for the screencast.

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all Back-to-Basics slides.

2. Meeting virtually with your book club (20-30 min)

• Make sure that your syllabus is in your shared folder.

• Type notes on the syllabus to let me know what you're talking about, wondering, etc.

• If you ever want me to be part of your book club meeting, just let me know!

Weekly Tasks:

For today: 

• Keep reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #4. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz will be available next week.

Online Thursday Workshop #2: April 9, 2020

Focus: How do we decipher the tone of a prose passage and use it to structure our essays?

1. Warming up by watching today's Screencast: Empowering Your Verbs (3 minutes, crashed by Henry)

• You'll want to have your timed writing and something to write with as you watch!

• Click HERE for access to all the style lessons. Enjoy!

2. Workshopping the prose passage from 2018--please follow the Zoom directions in your school e-mail and join us at 1:30!

• You are expected to attend the live class each week, but if you're working and can't be part of the live class, please set up a one-on-one meeting with me.

• Make sure that you have Google shared your timed writing with me.

• Click HERE if you'd like access to all workshop materials.

Thanks for tuning in, kids!

Weekly Tasks:

For Friday: 

• Keep reading your book club book! Complete your assigned reading and syllabus for Book Club Meeting #4. Find a 20-30 minute time (and online platform) to meet; make sure your syllabus is in your shared folder, and keep notes on it during your meeting.

Optional Vocabulary:

• Review Lists 1-7 and take the cumulative test linked HERE.

• Check Quizlet for brand-new List #8 and start getting to know those words. An optional quiz will be available next week.