Thursday, February 13, 2014

A Message for Parents and Students

Open House: A Celebration of Learning is scheduled for Thursday, February 13th from 6:15 to 7:45. It will be a busy night, so I will not be able to stay in my classroom the entire evening. Here is my schedule:


5:15 - 6:15: Appointments
6:15 - 6:40: Spaghetti Dinner (Cafeteria)
6:40 - 6:55: Yearbook table (outside the Student Bank/Moor Market)
7:00 - 7:20: Open Classroom (C224)
7:25 - 7:45: AP/Honors Night (Career Center)


If I don't get a chance to speak to you personally that night, here is a description of what to expect from this class for the rest of the year and some advice about how to succeed in English!

English 3/4 (10th grade English):

Ms. Naylor's Period 1 and Period 4.

Semester Two FAQ:


Q: What are you studying now?

A: We are currently reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (we just started today). We are going to read the play in class. We read the play in two parts (up until Caesar's murder in Act III and then everything from the murder until the end of the play) and we stop in the middle and at the end to take a test and turn in a packet of work. There are two Julius Caesar work packets - the part one packet and the part two packet - both are due on the day of the test (the date of the test ail vary depending on how long it takes us to read the play). Students are required to bring their packets to class with them every day, but they should also take their packets home to work on anything they didn't finish in class or to study.

Here is the READING SCHEDULE for the second half of third quarter. It is subject to change, but we should be able to stick to it pretty closely.

Here is the JULIUS CAESAR PART ONE PACKET in case you lose yours, or just want to take a look. I will put up the part two packet in a few days.

NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE: JULIUS CAESAR is a great way to read the play at home if you are lost, want to review, missed a day, etc. You should not have to do any reading at home since we will read the play together in class. You can also check out a copy of the textbook from the book room if you feel you will need it.

SPARKNOTES: JULIUS CAESAR is a useful study guide with a character list, scene summaries, a practice quiz, and more. It also has a NINE MINUTE VIDEO SUMMARY of the play that is a good way to review - but beware of spoilers!

Q: What works will you be studying for the rest of the semester?

A: After Spring Break we have two novels to read: William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. For these two novels you will have to do the reading at home (I will give you a reading schedule of how many pages/chapters you should read a night) and then we will do review, discussion, etc. in class. We will talk more about these works in the fourth quarter. For the last few weeks of the semester we will have 11th Grade Bootcamp and prepare for a cumulative final exam.

Q: Is there any extra credit available?

Yes (well, a little)! There actually is an opportunity for you to earn some extra credit when we are reading Fahrenheit 451 at the end of the semester - but not before then.

Q: Do you accept late work?

I usually do not take late work, but I definitely will not take any late work after the end (cut off date) of each unit. The cutoff dates are:

CAHSEE and skills review unit: February 6th.
Julius Caesar Unit: March 14th
Lord of the Flies Unit: TBD.
Fahrenheit 451 Unit: TBD.

Q: What can I do to improve my grade in English?

A: Keep the following things in mind if you want to do well in English:

  • Come to class on time. If you are often tardy or absent, you will miss important instruction time.
  • Be prepared every day (bring your book, packets, pen, etc.).
  • If you are absent, bring a note and speak to me about what you missed.
  • Ask questions whenever there is something you do not understand. You can ask during, before, or after class.
  • Check your grades regularly at family.ausd.us
  • Tutoring and help with essays is available (usually at lunch) by request. See me.
  • Take notes/annotation when you read. You need to "read with your mind" not just with your eyes.
  • Study! Sparknotes.com is a good website to use when reviewing for a test or essay on a novel or play. Our class website (this one) has links to grammar and vocabulary websites, etc.

Q: What do I do if I have a question about grades?

A: You should check your grades regularly at family.ausd.us - as soon as something is graded it shows up there. If you click on your grade for English, a detailed list of assignments and scores will pop up. Any score that looks like this: --/10 is for an assignment that has not been entered yet. A score of zero (for example: 0/10) means you did not turn in the assignment (it could also mean you turned it in late and the new grade has not been entered yet). I do not give zeros if you turn in the work - zeros are only for work that is missing.

If you cannot check your grades online, you are welcome to see me before or after class and I can look up your grades for all of your classes. Please ask nicely!

Q: Should I take AP Language next year?

A: If you plan to sign up for AP English next year, let me know! I can give you extra help or modified assignments to make sure you are prepared for the rigorous coursework.

Q: What if I have another question that has not been answered here?

A: For other questions about our class, please refer to the ENGLISH 3/4 COURSE SYLLABUS or contact me (email is the fastest way to reach me) my email address is listed on the syllabus.

Thank you!

Ms. Naylor