For the next four weeks or so, we will be reading our first whole-class novel, Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. This is a new book for our school - I taught it for the first time last year and I picked it because I think you will really like it! It is also a good way to practice our literary terms, learn about the Hero's Journey, and to practice annotation and cognitive reading strategies. Below is some information you may find helpful during this unit: Reading Schedule: Links:
Sparknotes: The Alchemist Shmoop: The Alchemist Donors Choose: To help our class access more interesting, multicultural texts like this one, please spread the word about our Donors Choose fundraiser. We are trying to raise money to start a classroom library. You can share this link on social media: https://www.donorschoose.org/project/help-give-us-access-to-high-interest-mu/4275787/ Please help spread the word about our Donor's Choose project. We are trying to raise money to buy books for a new classroom library. Please share the link on social media:
https://www.donorschoose.org/project/help-give-us-access-to-high-interest-mu/4275787/ You can also donate any high school-appropriate new or used books you may have. Thank you! CONTACT AND WEBSITE:
The best/quickest way to contact Ms. Naylor is through school email at: [email protected] Helpful information about upcoming class assignments, due dates, worksheets, links, etc. can be found here on our class website! You can read The Moor Weekly (our school’s student-produced newspaper) online at: themoornewspaper.com REMIND: This year, Ms. Naylor is using the Remind app to send messages (via texts or email) to students and parents/guardians. To join our class remind text the code below to 81010. Period 2: @a63693 Period 3: @2hf362 Period 4: @99c699 HOMEWORK: Most of the homework for English class involves reading at home and annotating (taking notes on) the reading. A copy of the current reading schedule is usually available here on our website. We are currently reading short stories in class, but we will start our first novel (The Alchemist) soon. Studying is also required for quizzes, tests, essays, etc. If we take notes in class, students should review the notes at home. Students should also finish at home any work from their binder that they did not finish in class. There are other homework assignments as needed. GRADES: Grades are added to the grade book as promptly as possible. At the very least, all assignments will be up to date at the end of each grading period (with the occasional exception of essays which, by their nature, take longer to grade). All grades are available online via the Family Portal website at: family.ausd.us Blanks in the grade book mean the score has not yet been entered. A zero in the grade book means the assignment was not turned in. Information about points, late work, etc. can be found in our course syllabus (each student has a copy in his/her binder, you can also scroll down for a copy here on our website). CLUBS: I am the adviser for the newspaper club and the Black Student Union. Newspaper meets about once a month on Wednesday. BSU meets Thursdays at lunch. FIRST SEMESTER: (English 3/4): We are currently working on essay writing skills. We also took a reading level test and went to the library so students could choose and independent reading book. In a few weeks we will start our first whole class novel (The Alchemist). Soon, we will also begin a unit on poetry. As part of our poetry unit, students will participate in Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation contest. They must choose a poem from the Poetry Out Loud website, memorize the poem, and give a recitation in class. The student with the top recitation in each class will be invited to participate in the school-wide competition later this semester. More information about our class can be found in our course syllabus and on our class website. Information about Poetry Out Loud can be found at www.poetryoutloud.org SCHOOL INFORMATION Tutoring will begin on campus toward the end of September; check the tutoring schedule (when it is released) for times and locations. I am also available for tutoring, usually at lunch, by appointment. Let’s remind our students to show school spirit - Wednesdays are College Going Culture Days and Fridays are Blue and Gold Fridays! More information about our school can be found at our school website: ahsmoors.org I hope I was able to give you a good idea of how our class works. Feel free to contact me by email if you have any additional questions. I look forward to the rest of this amazing and educational year! |
Helpful LinksThe AHS Website Archives
September 2021
Categories |