Class today: 2/26

1. Sign into usatestprep.com
2. Click "assignment" tab on your profile page.
3. There you will see an assignment named "practice for Friday 2/27"
- From the feedback on your tests and on the Google Doc Feedback page.. I constructed some practice questions that addresses our highest need areas.
4. Remember that Test #2 needs to be completed by Monday.

Be ready for Monday:
We will have our Socratic Seminar addressing The Iliad- Books 1,6,22, An Iliad performance...
* Review your notes that you worked on as a group- Characterization, Epic Conventions, Epic Themes, Narration, Point of View
* Go through the 7 An Iliad questions and have some notes on your ideas about each question.
* Review the Socratic Seminar Scoring Guide and expectations.

Do not forget to have your non-fiction book from one of my lists signed up on the link for your class..  These presentations will be March 12th and March 13th.

Be good! ;)

Today's class: February 26th

1. Take out your EOC notes. Create a space where you will be monitoring your progress as we get ready for the test. This is a critical aspect in test prep- Trying to establish and declare an accurate baseline for your skill set. There were 23 questions on the first test. Write down your score out of 23.
23-21: Advanced
20-17: Proficient
16-13: Basic
12-0: Below Basic

According to the chart above, assign yourself the level of your performance. Advanced is where each one of us needs to be by the end of April... This will indicate what type of ground you will need to make in the next two months... or MAINTAIN.

2. Look over the first practice test with a critical eye. Look at the questions you MISSED. In your notes jot down the SKILL that each question is TESTING.

3. Once you have identified the SKILL, I want you to determine if there is a PATTERN in the skill sets in the missed questions.

4. In your EOC notes, please write down the TOP THREE AREAS that you need to improve upon.

5. When you are done, go up to the EOC tab and click English II... Click take a practice test..  Load LARGE TEST.  This test is 34 questions..

6. Refresh the list of skills that the EOC tests before you begin.

7. Take large test.

TEST #2 (Large Test) Score Breakdown
34-31: Advanced
30-28: Proficient
27-24: Basic
23-    : Below Basic

8. Report back to me via the following Google Doc on your TOP THREE AREAS/Skills you need to give attention... Use this document for observances or questions, also!
EOC SKILLS FEEDBACK

Oh.. and this.. Perfection
Best thing. EVER

Today's Class: Tuesday, February 24th

As I mentioned last week, we will be taking the Missouri End of Course test in late April. In order to prepare for this test, we will, like any good test prepper, be examining the format of the test, taking practice tests, and reviewing content.

Today, we are going to utilize USA TEST PREP. USA TEST PREP LINK

1. I suggest opening two browsers so you can refer back to directions on this site.
2. Log in to USA TEST PREP with the first part of your email (without the @lsr7.net). This is the same log in that you did when you took the ACT practice test in October.
3. Go up to EOC tab. Click ENGLISH II.
4. I first want you to review the "Reading Standards for Literature", "Reading Standards for Informational Texts", and "Writing Standards". These are the LEARNING TARGETS for the EOC test. In other words, these are the skills you need to be able to execute at an advanced level of proficiency.
5. On a piece of paper, I want you to have a strengths and weaknesses column. As you read through these standards, I want you to jot down where you think you fall with each standard.
6. After this is done, click on practice test. You will be taking a MEDIUM LENGTH TEST.
7. Select teacher: Me! Class: Your current class
8. Load the test and take the test.
9. While you are taking the test.. you may take notes on things you notice, or wait to do reflective notes when you have completed the test.
The reflection is what gives a tester an advantage. As you start to determine patterns in weaknesses, this is where you dig in and address the problem. This can be through the USA test program... clicking individual standards and looking at questions, or videos with the standard. It can also be as simple as googling "how to use a semicolon". You can also, of course, chat with me. This is an important skill in test taking. Remember...the EOC is a basic sophomore skills test... if you have holes in your accumulation of skills, it is up to us to work together to address them!!


You need to complete the medium length test before class on Thursday. The results are delivered to me. This is how we are going to be monitoring progress and addressing needs! 

Due: Tuesday, February 17th

1. Read 162-173 in literature book. Take very good notes. Study these notes, well. You will have a quiz on this information on Tuesday.

2. Review the Literary Theory PowerPoint from philosophical beginnings to the Formalist slide. Make sure in your notes, you have Formalism as the first school of theory and Moral and Philosophical will be the second.

This information (from the slides) will not (yet) be on the quiz on Tuesday.. but it will be soon.

For class: Thursday, February 12th

1. Go through the following quiz. Write down your initial answer on a piece of paper. Then write down the right answer (hopefully they coincide). Turn this in on Thursday.
Prosody Quiz

2. Do a Formalist reading of the five Black History Month poems from class. Construct a THESIS from your literary analysis/formalist analysis for each poem. Do your best!

Due: Tuesday, February 10th

1. Refresh on your Formalism notes. Look over them again. We are now going to be putting these poetry/literary devices into play, so don't let them get away. Make sure you bring your 3 poems to class with you on Tuesday.

Test on FRIDAY, February 6th

Remember: The first half of the poetic terms test will be on Friday! This is up through "hovering stress". I have also pushed the comma portion of the test until Monday..  FYI! Study hard!!

My new mantra:

Class today: February 3rd.

1. Turn in 3 writing responses at the beginning of the hour when the sub collects them.
2. Open the Literary Theory PowerPoint. Take notes through FORMALISM QUESTIONS (slide 14).

Homework: Get ready for your terms test on Friday.

February 2nd (Monday)

You have been introduced to approach to studying literature. Now that you have a brief introduction,
you need to consider where your opinion is currently before we move forward...
Bring in the introduction to literary theory... Dr. Fry's lecture.. the reading of we study literature..

You will be writing a response to the following prompts:
What is literature?

What is theory?

How do these two large concepts interact in your opinion?

Quizzes:
Friday, February 6th: First half of terms and commas

Monday, February 9th: 2nd half of terms

To do for Monday, February 2nd (Ground Hog Day!)

1. You were given a list of 83 poetry/literary terms on Friday. You should be putting those terms on flash cards, and start getting to know them. Take them to dinner... check out their Instagram..

Test announcements will come on Monday.