Reminder on Important Assignments Due

ENC 1101--PowerPoint Group Presentation on assigned group speech due Tuesday, November 13th; individual reading and note taking on all speeches also due on this day; Reflection Essay due on November 14th; MyLabsPlus completed by November 15th.

ENG IV--PowerPoint Group Presentation on assigned group speech due Tuesday, November 13th; individual reading and note taking on all speeches also due on this day; Reflection Essay due on November 14th; Word List Four due on November 15th.

You have known about all the above assignments for a long time. They have been posted on the board. You have been given explanations, handouts, and many reminders. No late work will be accepted.

Work hard to succeed.

American Political Speeches

You will read all of the short speeches listed at the bottom of this post. Take notes on the main argument, important points, and examples of effective rhetoric.

You also will be assigned to a group so that you and your partners can lead a discussion and create a PowerPoint presentation (flash drive) on one of the speeches.

English IV--Word List Four

Due November 15, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places, allusions to famous things, names of famous people); nevertheless, you should know them. 

Analyzing an Effective Argumentative Text

Click on the following link. Print out the speech; then read and annotate it. How and why is it effective?

President Obama on the Death of Bin Laden:

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead

English IV--Word List Three

Due October 16

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places, allusions to famous things, names of famous people); nevertheless, you should know them. 

Writing and Grammar Presentations One

Avoiding Common Subject and Verb Errors

• What are subjects and verbs (predicates)?
• Verb forms
• Verb tenses
• Verb tense, voice, and mood
• Subject and verb agreement

English IV--Background to Chaucer's England

Check out these links, where you can see short film clips, as well as read about life during Chaucer's time (approx. 1340-1400) and the Middle Ages (approx. 476-1492).

English IV--Word List Two

Due September 25, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places, allusions to famous things, names of famous people); nevertheless, you should know them. 

About the Teacher

Mr. James Mulhern has taught for over thirty-four years in various settings--college, high school, middle school, at-risk, and alternative environments. He has taught English, Writing, Math, History, Science, and a job skills course. Mr. Mulhern has editorial experience working for Houghton Mifflin Company (textbooks and The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition) and Ploughshares, a literary magazine, both based in Boston. He also worked for National Evaluation Systems, a teacher test publisher in Amherst, Massachusetts, and for Clark Boardman Callaghan, a law publishing house in New York City.

He was employed in the healthcare arena (unit management positions) for over ten years in New York, Massachusetts, and California. A few of the medical facilities where he worked include The Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, as well as St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco, California.

He taught writing and literature at Emerson College in Boston. He is on staff as adjunct faculty at Broward College in Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Mulhern was an AP Exam Consultant and Teacher Mentor for the National Math and Science Initiative (2012-2020) and a Reader for the Advanced Placement English Exam (College Board) from 2011 through 2019. He is also a freelance editor, publisher, writer, and web curator. 

James Mulhern's writing (fiction, poetry, nonfiction) has appeared in literary journals and anthologies over three hundred times. His writing appears in over one hundred publications (both print and electronic) on Amazon.com. His work has been published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, India, South Africa, Singapore, Japan, and Australia. He has been recognized several times: Finalist for the Tuscany Prize in Catholic Fiction, recipient of a fully paid writing fellowship to Oxford University, Runner-Up for the InkTears Short Story Award, longlisted for the Fish Short Story Prize (an international publishing prize), two Honorable Mentions for the Short Story America Prize, nominee for a Pushcart Prize in Fiction, recipient of the Kirkus Star (awarded to books of exceptional merit and given to only ten percent of books reviewed each year), a Readers' Favorite Book Award winner, a Notable Best Indie Book Award winner, author of a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, a Red Ribbon Winner for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, twice a Finalist for the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, and shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2021 for his poetry.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from his publications are donated to charities or a scholarship for an ATCHS graduating senior.

A Few Published Poems:

https://thegalwayreview.com/2020/01/17/james-mulhern-piano/ 
 
https://thegalwayreview.com/2020/01/13/james-mulhern-brother/ 

https://thegalwayreview.com/2019/12/21/james-mulhern-catherine/ 

https://thegalwayreview.com/2019/12/07/james-mulhern-the-crosswalk/ 

https://eunoiareview.wordpress.com/2020/01/01/copacetic/

A Few Published Stories: 

https://www.fictionontheweb.co.uk/2016/08/keep-calm-and-carry-on-by-james-mulhern.html

https://www.fictionontheweb.co.uk/2015/11/assumptions-by-james-mulhern.html

http://writingdisorder.com/james-mulhern/

https://boomerlitmag.com/james-mulhern/

English IV--Map of Anglo-Saxon Invasions/Settlements of Britain; Map of Modern Europe

First-Day Video and Forms--Parents Need to Input Information Online (see link below).

********For Parents to Fill Out--Back-to-School Forms Wizard:

https://scaweb.browardschools.com/BTS/

Parents--Be sure to print out the form at the end of the process that verifies you have input the necessary information. Your child must bring this printout to his/her teacher asap.

English IV--Word List One

Due September 5, 2018 

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example: names of places,allusions to famous things, literary termsf); nevertheless, you should know them. 

• Look up the definitions and parts of speech of each word. Write both in your notebook. (You must handwrite this assignment; not type, or cut and paste). 

English IV Syllabus

English IV

Mr. James Mulhern

james.muhern@browardschools.com

English IV--Beowulf Notes

Handwritten notes due on Thursday August 16th, beginning of class, MLA heading (google MLA heading format), titled "Beowulf Notes." Begin copying below--"Cultural Background" to end. If you do not turn in handwritten notes you receive a grade of zero. No late work ever accepted in this class (except in the case of an excused absence).

Background for Anglo-Saxon England: http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/celts.htm  http://www.localhistories.org/saxonlife.html-- http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/anglo_saxons/anglo-saxon_life/ -- https://oldenglishteaching.arts.gla.ac.uk/Units/2_Life_in.html  (links to great pages on Anglo-Saxon life. You can also google Anglo Saxon and keywords to find more information.)

The literature of the Middle Ages dates from 500 AD to 1500 AD. Beowulf, created/composed sometime between 750 and 900 AD, was an oral composition. It was first written down in approximately 1000 AD.

Khan Academy Works

New data shows studying for the SAT for 20 hours on free Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is associated with an average score gain of 115 points, nearly double the average score gain compared to students who don’t use Khan Academy. Out of nearly 250,000 test-takers studied, more than 16,000 gained 200 points or more between the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT.

JFK Inaugural Address Actitivity

• Copy the following terms and definitions--

     
        alliteration--repetition of same consonant sound beginning a 

        sentence or phrase

Presidential Oratory and Rhetoric

Objectives:

• Improve application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis skills.
• Recognize rhetorical techniques and their effects.
• Develop argumentation skills through the study of models.
• Recognize differences in language and style over time.
• Discover common themes/ideas/subjects in presidential rhetoric.
• Learn American history through presidential biography and oratory.
• Improve speaking, listening, writing, and presentation skills.

Reflection Activity:

• Explain what you have learned about the power of persuasive writing, rhetorical techniques, and the similarities and differences among the speeches we have read. 
• Why is presidential rhetoric so important, especially today?
• What have you learned about American ideals through your engagement with the literature? How have those values changed and/or remained the same over time?
• What techniques can you use to improve your own writing?

Transcendentalist Notes

Symphony No. 1--The Transcendental,
Richard Pousette-Dart (1942)

Scholars: Copy and paste the following post into a Word document; then place it in your binder. You may also handwrite if you prefer.

Speech in the Virginia Convention Assignment

St. John's Church, Richmond Virginia--Site of Patrick Henry's Famous Speech--
March 23, 1775 at the Second Virginia Provincial Convention.
122 delegates were present from the colonies. 

Speech in the Virginia Convention Assignment

• Read the selection carefully. Take copious notes. Look up the definitions of words that you do not know.

English III--Vocabulary List Four

Due April 17, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them. 

• Look up the definitions and parts of speech of each word. Write both in your notebook. (You must handwrite this assignment; not type, or cut and paste). 

The Declaration of Independence and the Enlightenment

Answer the following. Your response should be at least three paragraphs (a cohesive, fluid short essay).

• List and explain the main ideas of the Enlightenment.
• How does the Declaration of Independence reflect Enlightenment ideas?
• Why are Enlightenment values so important today?

AP English--Persuasive Techniques

Persuasive Techniques (Martin Luther King, President Obama, Patrick Henry, Jonathan Edwards, and other great orators)

The following persuasive techniques are some ways, among many, that writers and speakers effectively persuade their audiences.  Of course, not every technique is used by each speaker; and there are also additional techniques that you will learn about as we read more literature.

Rubric for an Argumentative Essay

 

Argumentative Essay Rubric

• Your essay should have a strong definitive thesis statement.
• Your essay should have at least five excellent examples to support your argument.

English III--Vocabulary List Three

Inquisition Scene, Francisco Goya (1812-1819)

Due February 21, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them. 

ENC1102--Poetry Activity

Create a poem using the following words:

English III--Vocabulary List Two

Due February 13, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them. 

• Look up the definitions and parts of speech of each word. Write both in your notebook. (You must handwrite this assignment; not type, or cut and paste). 
• For each of the words, find an excellent context sentence by googling the Internet (always cite your source within parentheses after the sentence--the name of the website). 

Narrative Essay Assignment

ENC 1101--due February 2nd. Late papers not accepted.

Write a personal narrative about an event or events that helped establish your sense of individuality (be specific), character, values, personality traits, choice of career, or life philosophy (attitudes/ideas about how to conduct oneself in a meaningful way). Your essay should be typed, MLA format, 12-point Times Roman font, one-inch margins, with a proper heading, header, and title, double-spaced. Minimum two typed pages to the very bottom.

This essay is helpful for college essays, scholarship essays, even interviews for jobs. Recounting and reflecting on important aspects of your character and life experience prepare you for future endeavors.

English III--"Plymouth Plantation" Essay

The Puritans had a vision of the world quite different from our contemporary point of view. Like people from different times and places, their notions about others, in particular, the indigenous people of the "New World" revealed bias. In addition, their religious attitudes affected their perception of reality. Write an essay in which you first discuss (briefly) Bradford's reasons for writing "Plymouth Plantation." Then analyze his essay to point out bias and prejudice. Also explain instances of how his religious point of view affected his perception of the world. How did the Puritan religion affect the people's emotion and logic? Cite textual evidence to support your arguments.

English III--Vocabulary List One

Due January 30, 2018

Directions: Copy the vocabulary words. Most of them have been taken from your textbook; some words/terms may not be typical vocabulary words (for example, names of places or allusions to famous things); nevertheless, you should know them. 

• Look up the definitions and parts of speech of each word. Write both in your notebook. (You must handwrite this assignment; not type, or cut and paste). 
• For each of the words, find an excellent context sentence by googling the Internet (always cite your source within parentheses after the sentence--the name of the website). 

ENC1101 Syllabus

ENC1101

Winter 2018                                                       Instructor: James Mulhern

Email: james.mulhern@browardschools.com.  Please do not email assignments to me.  You must give all assignments to me in hard-copy form.

All Classes--Life Vision Essay

The Son of Man, Rene Magritte (1946)

Due January 17, 2018

Tell me about your life plan/goals in a handwritten essay.

What do you hope to have accomplished by the time you are thirty years old? If you want, you may extend the age.

Think college, career, travel, where you want to live, life experiences, people you want to meet, and anything else you want to share. Be sure anything you write is appropriate for your "teacher" audience.

Length: At least two pages handwritten (front and to the bottom of the back of a lined paper). Write neatly in paragraph form. Late essays not accepted. You get a grade of zero.