Thursday, January 30, 2014

AP English---Multiple Choice Section of Exam

Regard Multiple, Enrico Baj (1989)
Scholars:

Most of the multiple choice questions consist of the following types.
  • Comprehension Questions
  • Main Idea Questions
  • Rhetoric Questions
  • Mode Questions (narration, exposition, description, persuasion, etc.)
  • Definition Questions
  • Tone/Mood Questions
  • Purpose Questions
  • Organization/Structure Questions (chronological, order of importance, topical, spatial order, etc.)
  • Grammar questions/Questions about Citations

Freshman English and AP English--Error Identification Pointers for PSAT/SAT Writing Section

Error on Green, Paul Klee (1939)
Scholars:

One of the best ways to prepare for the error-identification section in the sentences on the PSAT/SAT is to know the sixteen major categories of errors that appear.  That way, you know what to look for.

Below are listed the errors that you will most often see on these tests.  Chances are you don't know what many of the terms below mean.  If I were you, I'd google the terms/phrases below and learn as much as possible about these grammar issues. You will find lots of great sites with examples and explanations through the Internet.  Remember, you must take responsibility for your learning.  True scholars always do.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Freshman English--Stay Current on Reading and Note Taking for To Kill a Mockingbird

Scholars:

As we discussed in class, you should be taking copious notes on To Kill a Mockingbird.  As of January 29, you should have completed Chapter 14.  By next Monday, February 3, you should have read through at least page 230.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Freshman Exhibition Directions and Rubric for the 2013-2014 School Year

Lines in Four Directions in Flowers, Sol LeWitt (1981)
Below are the directions and rubric for the Freshman Exhibition Poster Project to be completed by May.  Read them carefully so that as we do activities throughout the term you can ask me if they can be included in your final project.  Right click on each image to print a copy for your binder.

Scholar-Led Discussions

The Discussion, Edouard Vuillard (1897-1899)
Dear Scholars:

I am proud of all of you who have led class discussions of the literature so far. It gives me great pleasure to see you act so maturely and respectfully with your peers. You are true role models! Read the sample guidelines below to brush up on your facilitator skills. Although the directions were created for a discussion of Henry David Thoreau's Walden, a text my AP Students will read later in the term, the suggestions apply to any piece of literature that we discuss in class. Thank you all, and keep up the great work!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

AP English--"Of Plymouth Plantation," Close Reading Questions

The Mew Stone at the Entrance of Plymouth Sound,
William Turner (1814)
1. Count the number of references to the Bible, scripture, religion, special providence, God, etc. What types of allusions and references do Americans often make and hear in our own mediums of discourse--music, media, movies, and everyday life? What do these references indicate about modern American ideals and values? Do you like the particular references that are so prevalent in our society? Why or why not? Are there ways that we can be more reflective about the allusions/references we make? How do allusions/references shape a people's culture and worldview?

Sunday, January 12, 2014

AP English--Link to Guide for Free Response Essays on the AP English Language and Composition Exam

Surrealist Essay, Salvador Dali (1932)
AP Scholars:

Download and print the pdf from the link below.  The Guide provides important information about all of the AP Essays and will help you study and prepare for the exam.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B71dLRDi7yfgQ0JiU1l1Q0NPc0E/edit?usp=sharing

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

How to Take Notes on a Text

Fiction No. 1, Koshiro Onchi (1953)
Scholars:

Copy and paste this information into a Word document. Print it out. Write your name, the date, and the period at the top. (You may also handwrite the suggestions below instead.) Then use a three-hole puncher so that you can keep the list of pointers for note taking in your three-ring binder.
  1. Summarize important chapters/scenes/sections of the text.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Freshman English and AP English--Why I Call You "Scholar"

Scholars at a Lecture, William Hogarth (no date)
The word scholar is a term of respect.  It means you are a person who is seriously and genuinely interested in learning and achieving your best in the subjects that you study.  I respect all of you and I want you to obtain your dreams.  We are all scholars of life.  Education is the first step.

Freshman English Syllabus

English I

Mr. James Mulhern
james.mulhern@browardschools.com
scholarmulhern.blogspot.com
754-321-5300

Resources:
McDougal Littell: The Language of Literature
Supplemental resources: classic novels, Internet Resource sites, newspapers, and teacher handouts

Course Description: The purpose of this course is to provide in-depth, enriched integrated educational experiences in the language arts strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature.