Thursday, 10/1/15: Break out Briefly to Weave in the Wiser

* Open

Vote for your King and Queen 

• Mitigate (verb)
• to lessen in severity or harshness; to moderate
• Latin: mitis "gentle, soft"  + root of agere "do, make, act"
• Examples (copy either one):

"When we protect children from every possible source of danger, we also prevent them from having the kinds of experiences that develop their sense of self-reliance, their ability to assess and mitigate risk, and their sense of accomplishment." -- Gever Tulley

"There is no dealing with great sorrow as if it were under the control of our wills. It is a terrible phenomenon, whose laws we must study, and to whose conditions we must submit, if we would mitigate it." -- Joseph Le Fanu

Now create your own example with an opening clause or phrase.

* Today, we need some Chesterton before we go on.

Then we will go on.

First:  Some people think that we should not read tales like Beowulf because they fill our minds with false fears.  Let's read a bit by G.K. Chesterton on the subject of fairytales.

Show me your work while you reread parts of, Beowulf. 

HW: Come to 1940 Bonita Ave., in Aptos tonight at 6pm!  You will receive class credit (or you may attend another literary event of your choice over the next few weeks, or enter a contest).   

Wednesday, 9/30/15: What's in Your Closet?

* Open

ignominious (adj.) 

• disgraceful, shameful, contemptible

Etymology:

• from Latin ignominia "loss of a (good) name" 
• in- "not, opposite of" 
• nomen "name"

Examples (copy #1):
1. Crucifixion was an ancient mode of capital punishment considered especially ignominious to the Romans.  

2. "I was cleaning out the pigsty at a farm in Wales, where my mother had rented a room, when the results of my final school exam were handed to me by the postman, along with the news that I had a state scholarship to Oxford. I had waited for this letter for so many weeks that I had abandoned hope, deciding that I had failed ignominiously."  -- Nina Bawden

Now, create your own sentence (with an introductory phrase or clause).

* Review our Beowulf Guide

HW: None

Tuesday, 9/29/15

* Open

• Extricate
• P.O.S.: verb
• Definition: to free or release from entanglement
• Etymology: Latin extricatus, past participle of extricare "disentangle," figuratively "clear up, unravel," perhaps from ex- "out of" + tricae (plural) "perplexities, hindrances," which is of unknown origin. Related: Extricated; extricating. 
• Example: "The idea that an author can extricate her or his own ongoing life experience from the tale being written is a conceit of very little worth." Steven Erikson

   

  Now please create your own sentence (with an opening clause or phrase)

 * Continue Our Review

HW: Questions 6-11

Monday, 9/28

* Open

• Test yer wits!  The picture below illustrates a word from your terms.  Find it. 
• Do you have any idea where one might run into such a sign? 

* Review the Week

• Thursday Night, 6pm, 1940 Bonita Ave. for a Whale of a Time = ). 

* Allay 

• Part of speech: verb
• Definition: to mitigate; make less severe; soothe; moderate
• Etymology: Middle English aleyen; Old English ālecgan, to put down
• Quote: Montesquieu wrote, 'There's no sorrow that an hour's reading does not allay."
• Sentence creation: 
• Because it's good to be reminded how to open with a phrase or dependent clause, please do so this week to allay Mr. Schwager's grammar fears.

*Review Beowulf (Grendel and Grendel's Mother)

• Your annotations
• Some of mine

HW: Journal: Answer study guide questions 1-5 for Beowulf

Gradebook Update

Hi,

I am putting the participation scores directly into normal gradebook categories (homework and essays) so that no one gets too surprised at the quarter's end by those scores.  I divided the 20% for attendance and participation between my normal categories. 

The net effect is basically nil, but I wanted to explain the category changes for those interested.  I will review this on Monday.

Enjoy,

Mr. S

Block Day, Week 6: Quiz and Beowulf

* Open

•  Review until the bell rings. 

* Turn in Your College FD

• MLA?
• Prompt Included or Attached?  

* Quiz

* Read Beowulf on Your Own

* Read Beowulf together

HW: Finish Reading Beowulf

• Please annotate and come to class on Monday with questions for us to discuss.

Wednesday, 9/23/15: Beowulf

Open

• Look over your vocabulary weeks 3-6

* Review Anglo-Saxon Notes

* Read Beowulf from Line 150

HW: Review vocabulary and terms from weeks 3-6; review your Anglo-Saxon Notes

Free Black Silkie Rooster

Hi friends,

Would you like to have a black silkie?  They're really fluffy. 

We have a rooster on our hands (which is illegal in the city limits) and need to find him a home.

Any takers? 

Ours is younger than this, but is basically the same

Tuesday, 9/22/15

* Open 

• Prepare to read a loose sentence from your vocabulary to the class.  

* Beowulf

• Study Guide 
• Your Text 

HW: Journal, Beowulf: Answer the first three questions from the study guide reading questions.

Chapel Today: Where is God in the mess?

Open in Prayer.

• Romans 8:18-25

Questions:

1. What kinds of things do we see in our daily lives that demonstrate frustrated “fallen-ness”?
   
   
2. Have you ever seen something really broken and messed up that was then made truly beautiful and good? What things can be restored, forgiven, or healed? What things can't?
   
   
3. Have you ever seen students at MVCS fight against the Fall and try to bring what is good , whole, and right? Without using any identifiable names of people, what did that look like? By contrast, what ways do we sometimes try to cover up the “mess” or end up making the mess worse at MVCS?
   
   
4. What was Mr. Johnson suggesting when he stood on the football? What does that have to do with the fall? What “football” do you think God might want to let some air out of for you? For our school culture? American culture?
   
   
5. Do you think it’s possible for someone to deny that the world is messed up? Explain why or why not? Do you think it’s possible for someone to deny that all people are messed up? Why or why not?
   
   
6. It’s one thing to say the world is messed up; it’s another thing to say, “I am messed up.” How hard or easy is it for you to admit your own brokenness? (1-5)
   
   
7. Why are both of these questions good and fair to ask: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or “Why do good things happen to bad people?” Explain.
   
   
8. Monte Vista has a goal for its students to become “world changers?” Do you think your education is inviting and/or preparing you to change the world for good? Explain? How have you actually tried to participate in restoring the world to how it should be? If you haven’t tried, why not?
   
   
9. Who is the biggest world changer for good you can think of? Who do you think fights against the mess and brokenness as well as anyone you’ve ever seen? What has he or she done that you think really matters? What does it mean that we would call Jesus the “Redeemer”?
   
   
   Top 3 Changes I Should Make in My Life (in your journal)
   
   
   Top 3 Changes We Could Make at MVCS (on the board)

Monday, 9/21/15

* Open

• Answer in your notes:
• By nature of its style, a periodic sentence would generally be which type of sentence (simple, compound, complex)? 
• Explain, briefly. 

* Please load the following into Notability

• Study Guide 
• Your Text 

* Work On Vocabulary

HW: Vocabulary Unit 6

Picture Make-Ups

Monday, September 21 -

Picture Make-Up Day- For any students who did not already have their picture taken or anyone who did not like their initial photo.  Students will meet between the A & B building during Flex period (11:20-11:50).  Email was sent to parents on 9/14 with information.

Having Google Drive/Doc/Classroom Challenges?

2015 Google Classroom Challenges

If your students are unable to access PDF documents in your Google Classroom, there are a few workarounds that may help.

• Have the student download Google Chrome from the app store and access Classroom through the website not through the app.
• Find the document in Classroom, press and hold the document and choose “Open in new tab”

If they still cannot access the document

• Have students delete the Google Classroom and the Google Drive apps.
• Reboot the iPad by holding both buttons until the white apple appears.
• Reinstall both apps from the App Store.

These steps work in the many cases but not all cases.

Block Day, Week 5: How will we improve these college essays of ours?

* Open

• Review your poem

* Memorization quiz

* Travel To Britain in June with Us

• Video Trailer
• Blog for Info. and Signups 
• Dates: June 6-16, 2015
• Cost $3,500 to $4,000 (depending on whether we go to Scotland) 
• Meeting Next Wednesday (Sept. 23), during lunch in B22

* Get your college essay out.

• Make sure that the prompt is on or attached to your essay.  

* Trade and Comment On Other Students' Work (yes, please write on the page).  Read 2-3.

• Look for the following:
• Do you hear the voice of this student?  How is it unique?  How is it predictable or generic? 
• Are the opening and closing lines zingers?  Help a friend. 
• How could the narrative flow be improved? 
• Circle grammar errors.  Suggest improvements as you can.  Circle selections/sections that should be rewritten for greater impact.  

* Schwager checks your College Part I and II

HW: Outside Reading

Wednesday, 9/15/15

* Open

• Please read this college essay and list three things that the writer did well (ESL Program). 

* Vocabulary Review

•  The Periodic Sentence

* Beowulf, the Poem

• Beowulf, the Study Guide (see the right side)

HW:

• RD College Essay 

Tuesday, 9/15/15: What makes for an excellent college application essay?

* Open

• Read this essay and note at least three characteristics that make this a winsome application essay. 

* Review Anglo-Saxon Annotations

* Beowulf Guide and Poem

• What is the path to power, according to the author?

HW: Work on your College Essay RD (due block day, printed on paper)

Monday, 9/14/15: What is the Path to Power?

* Open

• Please answer in your notes: what characteristics does an excellent college application essay have?

* College Essay, Part II

* Beowulf Guide and Poem

• What is the path to power, according to the author?

HW: Work on Your College Essay

• A New Example: Homeschooling

This Day in History

On this day Americans remember a wicked attack by Islamic terrorists.

Here is an interview with a pilot from Carmel Valley: http://kazu.org/post/carmel-valley-woman-recounts-piloting-jumbo-jet-911#stream/0

Phyllis Cleveland of Carmel Valley piloted a 747 on 9/11/2001

Long Live the Queen!

And she has...this week, Queen Elizabeth II passed Queen Victoria as the longest reigning queen in English history.

As a British Literature students we join the general chorus: "Long live the Queen!"

Then



And now

Block Day, Week 4: 9/9-10

* Open

Copy these two sentences and label the type:

• I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate, and I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.

• It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.

* Review Your Notes and Such Together


* Do Part 4

• Let's talk about description and imagery first, though.

* Anglo-Saxon Literature

• Riddles
• Background Notes 

* If time allows, begin Beowulf.  

HW: Annotate Ch. 1 of Your Brit Lit Note:Background Notes pages 1-13; make at least 10 annotations, please.  

9/9/15: Quiet Riot of Imagery

* Open

• Homecoming Voting
• Check out The Lord's Prayer

* What if I'm not a leader or even very outgoing, naturally?  Is there a place for me in college?  I follow quiet paths:  A College Response for Quiet Kids

* And for those Louder than Life? A Famous Piece 

* Work on your College Essay Goodness

HW: Finish Parts 1-3 for homework; you will write part 4 in class on block day

Monday, 9/8/14: There Be Drahgons in Yer Future; I See Fire!

* Open

• Go to google classroom (did you fill out the Faith Questions Survey?)
• Do this College Essay Assignment

* Begin Review Anglo-Saxon Notes

* College Essay, Part 1 Assignment

HW: College Essay Part 1 Work

Tolkien's Drawing

Italy- Raphael

Byzantium

Block Day, Week 3

* Open

* Review TGD

* Essay Preparation

• Rubric
• Prompts 
• Student Samples
• Guide from the Lewis Foundation

HW: Read and provide at least 10 annotations total on the following .pdf
     * Western Literary History

Welcome!

* Your Host

• Marcus Schwager

* The Course

• British Literature

* How to Help Your Student This Year

Jeremiah 6:16: "Thus says the LORD : 'Stand in the ways and see,/ And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,/ And walk in it;/ Then you will find rest for your souls.' " 
 

 

Wednesday, 9/2

* Open

• Copy, label your sentence type (this one is tricky), and give your reason:
• Jeremiah 6:16: "Thus says the LORD : 'Stand in the ways and
  see,/ And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,/ And walk in it;/ Then you will find rest for your souls.' "

* Presentations

* Final Thought on TGD

* Essay Preparation

• Rubric
• Prompts 
• Student Samples
• Guide from the Lewis Foundation

HW: Essay Preparation

Tuesday, 9/1/15

* Open

• Take this short quiz and review your answers

* Presentations

* How to Annotate

HW: Make 20 Annotations to the .pdf above