Dear Parents/Guardians: 

Jim Trelease wrote The Read-Aloud Handbook. The book contains helpful reading information. Here is a printable brochure: www.trelease-on-reading.com/10-reading-facts-brochure.pdf 

2011-2012

What will we read?

Freshmen Honors (periods 2,5 and 7) 

• Expect to read a book per quarter for pleasure (SSR).  All freshmen classes will read poetry, fiction, drama and nonfiction in the textbook, as well as longer, independent works.  The literature will be thematically focused, highlighting such things as growing pains, trials and tribulations, rites of passage and more.
• The textbook is McDougal Littell's Language of Literature
• Longer, independent works will be from this list:
  • The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (October 2010)
  • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  • Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
  • The Odyssey by Homer
  • Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
  • Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
  • My Antonia by Willa Cather

G&P Conference Room blog

 Miss Pflaumer's AP Language and Composition Classroom Blog

Welcome class of 2012! 

The goal of this class is to read, write and peer edit a variety of poems in a safe and supportive environment.  I look forward to sharing this opportunity with you.

Here are some poetry links you might find enjoyable:

• A Poem a Day
• Writers Almanac

Senior class:  Poetry:  the power of words.

Currently, students should be reading Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.  Taking notes, rereading, summarizing, and using the margin notes provided in the text (and a dictionary if/when necessary) are important for comprehension.

We will continue to act out the play in class.  Please show you understand the tone of voice the character should use, where the character should be standing, to whom the character should be facing (speaking to), and so on.  Although you are holding your play on "stage" in the classroom, do not simply read from the text.  Infuse your voice with the appropriate emotion.  Pronounce words accurately.  Show you understand what it is you are stating.  You are being graded on how well you demonstrate understanding through your dramatic performance.

To determine the tone of the character, think about where the character is (setting), to whom they are speaking, what the topic is about. do the words they use have positive or negative connotations?  Remember, too, that sound devices contribute to the tone, as does figurative language.  Review the pages on these elements, located in your text, if you need a refresher.

Please bring props!  It was assigned 11/17 to bring in props for the play.  Thank you to those who did.  And please wear the appropriate colors of the house hold, if you can:  red for Capulet and blue for Montague.

Each class has a leader/director (Kim, period 2; Molly, period 5; Ashley, period 7)  Thank you for volunteering ladies!