Class Calendar: September 29th to October 6th

Monday, September 29th (H)
• Due: Draft of college essay in hard copy to me (typed, double spaced, include question or prompt, proofread). Keep all drafts and editing sheets as you go.
• Class: Debrief on Weimar Republic; introduction to identity; return, log, and discuss essays on First They Killed My Father.

Tuesday, September 30th (F)
• Due: Nothing today!
• Class: Review vocabulary with substitute; practice SAT questions. If you are out for the holiday, just be sure you’re ready for the quiz on Friday.

Wednesday, October 1st (S)
• Due: Continue studying the vocabulary words.
• Class: Debrief on identity charts; The Bear That Wasn’t.

Thursday, October 2nd (U)
• Class does not meet today.

Friday, October 3rd (M)
• Due: Practice faux SAT prompt; study for vocabulary quiz. Click here if you need the prompt.
• Class: Quiz on remaining “Route 66” words; peer review of homework essays; “Little Boxes” by Anthony Wright.

Good luck to those of you taking the SATs this weekend!

Monday, October 6th (T)
• Due: This was a light week due to the holiday and upcoming SATs. Take advantage of the situation by getting some of your college application paperwork in order! We’ll be starting a new unit at a brisk pace on Monday so make the most of this weekend; I don’t pass up the opportunity to give you homework very often.
• Class: Introduction to When The Emperor Was Divine.

Understanding the Weimar Republic

Click here to go to the Facing History online module for the Weimar Republic. Where it says "If your teacher has created a page for you to view ..." enter my last name and you're ready to go! If you finish reviewing the artifacts I have suggested, continue exploring on your own.

What Your Test Scores Tell Colleges

Apparently, not that much. Click here to read coverage by the New York Times of a commission of college admissions officers calling for less reliance on SAT and ACT scores.

Class Calendar: September 22nd to September 29th

Monday, September 22nd (S)
• Due: Photo project on Jewish life before WWII (two printed photos, two photo worksheets, one with locale research, one family photo, one reader response paper; please do not staple your work yet).
• Class: Wrap up mock admissions panel; share, discuss, journal on photo projects.

Tuesday, September 23rd (U)
• Class does not meet. Identify a prompt for your college admissions essay.

Wednesday, September 24th (M)
• Due: Work on college admissions essay; study vocabulary.
• Class: Grammar review; introduction to the Weimar Republic.

Thursday, September 25th (T)
• Due: Work on college admissions essay; study vocabulary.
• Class: Activity: “Voices of the Weimar Republic.”

Friday, September 26th (W)
• Due: Rough draft of college essay (at least one draft, type your work, include the original prompt or question). Prepare for quiz on second 22 words on “Route 66.”
• Class: Quiz on “Route 66” words; peer feedback on college admissions essays.

Monday, September 29th (H)
• Due: Draft of college essay to turn in to me for feedback (make it as good as you can!).
• Class: Understanding identity.

Class Calendar: September 15th to September 22nd

Monday, September 15th (M)
• Due: Lemkin and the Genocide Convention (reading and response).
• Class: Scope and sequence for the class; wrapping up Lemkin and the Genocide Convention; setting up writing folders; introduction to identity.

Tuesday, September 16th (T)
• Due: Work on vignettes; study vocabulary.
• Class: Timeline of Holocaust; introduction to photo project.

Wednesday, September 17th (W)
• Due: Work on vignettes; study vocabulary.
• Class: Work on photo project in the computer lab (Room 321).

Thursday, September 18th (H)
• Due: Five vignettes in preparation for the college essay.
• Class: What colleges are looking for; share vignettes; short vocabulary review.

Friday, September 19th (F)
• Due: Study for vocabulary quiz over the first 22 words on “Route 66.” Read and mark up sample college essays; be ready to accept or decline and say why.
• Class: Vocabulary quiz; “admissions committee.”

Monday, September 22nd (S)
• Due: Photo project on Jewish life before WWII (two printed photos, two photo worksheets, one with locale research, one family photo, one reader response paper; please do not staple your work yet).
• Class: Share and discuss photo projects; SAT practice exercise.

Photo Project: Resources

You'll want to use the following links for this week's photo project on Jewish life in Europe before World War II.

Click here to access the USHMM's photography archive.

Click here to go to a timeline of major events of WWII.

This is a fascinating project but has several steps, so read the directions carefully and ask me if you have any questions!

Summer Reading: Audio Enrichment

I'm still trying to get the school computer set up with the right software to hear these extra goodies!

In the meantime, click here to listen to an NPR interview with Loung Ung, author of First They Killed My Father.

Click here to go to a story about Art Spiegelman, including a clip of his father, Vladek.

Class Calendar: September 8th to September 15th

Monday, September 8th (W)
• Due: Letter to Ms. Kitsis; prepare for essay on First They Killed My Father.
• Class: Essay on First They Killed My Father. Let me know if you require extra time or other accommodations according to your ed plan; otherwise we’ll finish before the bell.

Note: I’ll be collecting your “intro inventory” surveys and signature pages from the syllabus; please bring those in as soon as possible!

Tuesday, September 9th (H)
• Due: Review Maus for Socratic seminar on Wednesday.
• Class: Scope and sequence of the course; small group follow up discussions of First They Killed My Father.

Wednesday, September 10th (F)
• Due: Bring your notes (to be collected) for Socratic seminar on Maus and a copy of the book if you have it. (And let me know too if you would like to borrow one!)
• Class: Socratic seminar on Maus.

Thursday, September 11th (S)
• Due: Vocabulary and SAT exercises.
• Class: Timeline of the Holocaust; introduction to “Totally Unofficial: Raphael Lemkin and the Genocide Convention.”

Friday, September 12th (U)
• Class does not meet.

Monday, September 15th (M)
• Due: Reading and response to Lemkin.
• Class: Defining genocide; introduction to the college essay.

Class Calendar: September 8th to September 15th

Monday, September 8th (W)
• Class does not meet.

Tuesday, September 9th (H)
• Due: Letter to Ms. Kitsis; prepare for essay on The Road.
• Class: Write essay on The Road in class. Let me know if you require extra time or other accommodations according to your ed plan; otherwise we’ll finish before the bell.

Note: I’ll be collecting your “intro inventory” surveys and signature pages from the syllabus; please bring those in as soon as possible!

Wednesday, September 10th (F)
• Due: Prepare notes for Socratic seminar on The Road (questions provided last week).
• Class: Socratic seminar on The Road.

Thursday, September 11th (S)
• Due: If you are taking the class for honors credit, get to work on Digging to America reader response assignment.
• Class: Wrap up The Road with Oprah and film trailer; sign out books. Discussion: “What is science fiction?”

Friday, September 12th (U)
• Due: Start on Monday’s assignment.
• Class: Wrap up yesterday’s discussion; debate Wired editorial.

Monday, September 15th (M)
• Due: Read Ch. 1-6 in War of the Worlds, taking notes on discussion questions (see reverse!). Bring your notes and books to class. Digging to America response due.
• Class: The early history of science fiction; H.G. Wells and the beginning of War of the Worlds; introduction to college essays.

Summer Reading

Click here to view the summer reading information page! You'll need Adobe Reader to see the brochures.

We will write an essay on First They Killed My Father on Monday. The guiding question from the brochure follows:

"How does pain and despair shape the main character?"

Next week you will receive questions to prepare for a graded discussion of Maus.

Reminder: Don't forget those letters to me and signature forms from you parents or guardians.