September 24 - 28

It's the last week of September already! We will take an in-depth look at tone this week, which is an essential concept for rhetorical analysis, and begin our first full rhetorical analysis prompt.

Here's the agenda for the week: 


MONDAY: Journal warm-up. Go over JFK homework prompt and outlines, samples. Notes: thesis statements. Tone lesson - receive reference lists for notebook. Whole class: identify tone in two different song clips. Small groups: tone exercises.

Due: Read, annotate, outline, and write a rough thesis for the JFK prompt. Be ready to turn this in.

Homework: Receive another rhetorical analysis prompt by Alfred M. Green. Read, annotate, outline, and write a rough thesis for the prompt. Please bring this with you for Friday. 

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Current event day - read and annotate two opposing viewpoints (mini-rhetorical analysis). Discuss and debate using evidence and examples, vote.

Due: n/a

Homework: Continue work on Green prompt that was passed out on Monday. 

Study 15 words on Tone Vocabulary sheet for Friday's quiz. 

FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering fifteen-word tone vocabulary sheet. Go through Green prompt, share rough theses. Fill out PSAT forms in class. Tone exercises in groups.

Due:  Receive another rhetorical analysis prompt, Alfred M. Green's 1861 speech. Read, annotate, outline, and write a rough thesis for the prompt. Please bring this with you for Friday's class.

Homework: Using your outline with any additional notes, write a full rough draft of the Green essay and upload it to Turnitin.com by Monday night, October 1 at 11:00 p.m. Set a timer for 20-30 minutes, and using the outline, write the draft out into sentences, then upload. 

Please add our 11 AP class to your Turnitin.com account:

Class code = 18791729
Password = soaps

If you have any trouble at all uploading, feel free to e-mail it to me directly at mogilefskya@pvpusd.net.

September 17-21

Welcome! It's the week of back-to-school night! Be sure to invite parents and guardians to come to PVHS on Thursday night, September 20 to walk through your school schedule.

Also, Cammie McGovern, author of A Step Toward Falling, will be live via Skype in the library at 7:50 this Wednesday morning. I'm offering 2 extra credit points for those who attend with one prepared, high quality question for the author.

Here's the agenda for the week:

TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Collect Setting the Stage assignment. . Receive the official AP nine-point rubric for essays.  Go through a rhetorical analysis prompt as a whole class, reading, annotating, and outlining.  Read through actual sample responses, and the College Board's evaluation and scoring.

Due: Setting the Stage assignment.

Homework: Study for current events quiz, which will cover the "10 Things" e-mails from Sunday, September 16 through Wednesday, September 19. (See sidebar under "Class Handouts" for all of the e-mails on a Word Doc.)

THURSDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering current events e-mails, receive next week's special Tone -themed vocabulary list.  Finish reading samples of 2018 Rhetorical Analysis responses to the Albright prompt. Approximate breakdown of timing during rhetorical analysis essay.  Receive Rhetorical Analysis Outline Format (one possible way of creating a good outline for this type of essay). Complete the "5 Things" activity from last week.

Due:  Study for Current Events Quiz.

Homework: Please read, annotate, and write a full outline response for the 1962 JFK speech prompt. Include a very rough thesis statement. (Note: the outline can be rough; please put specific body paragraph topics and examples, but short phrases are fine. Don't spend more than 20 minutes writing the outline.)

September 10-14

We're off to a roaring start this year! We've learned a number of important rhetorical analysis concepts and have already read through much of the first part of The Grapes of Wrath already. This week, we'll add a few more concepts, review and begin looking at rhetorical analysis essay prompts and sample responses.    

MONDAY: Journal warm-up. Finish logos, ethos, pathos skits. Go over homework and add connotation and denotation to notes. Talk about AP Setting the Stage assignment. Read Toni Morrison's letter from the Rhetorical Analysis packet. Imagery notes and exercise.  If time, read and discuss Chapter 7. 

Due: 

1. Write down at least two examples of figurative language from Chapter 5, identify the examples and how they advance Steinbeck's overall argument (how do they affect the audience)?

2. Identify at least two examples of logos, ethos, and/or pathos from Chapter 5 as well, and be ready to explain what they do for Steinbeck's argument.

3. While you're reading Chapter 6, imagine known actors that could play the parts of Tom Joad, Casy, and Muley.  Be ready to share your choices and using logos, ethos, and/or pathos, persuade others that you have the best casting suggestions.

Homework: Please read Grapes, Chapter 7 and 8 for Friday.

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Current event day - read and annotate two opposing viewpoints. Perform a mini-rhetorical analysis on them.  Hold a stakeholder-style discussion/debate, then vote. 

Due: n/a

Homework: same as Monday

FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering Vocabulary List #2, grammar, Grapes reading. Diction, syntax notes. Read Chapter 9 in class, group exercise with rhetorical terms practice. 

Due: Please read Chapters 7 and 8 of Grapes.

Homework: Please finish the AP Setting the Stage assignment for Tuesday, September 18.  

September 4 - 7

I hope everyone enjoyed the three-day weekend! We'll use this short week back to delve further into the rhetorical analysis unit and learn how figurative language is used for persuasion, as well as logos, ethos, and pathos with in-class activities. 

TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Go over SOAPS homework. Discuss overall argument in Grapes of Wrath, as well as the controversy it generated, view Googlemap of the novel, talk about the structure and dialect. Notes: logos, ethos, pathos. Identify examples in video clips as a whole class. 

Due: Read The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 1-3.

On a separate piece of paper, please perform a SOAPS analysis on the following two communications:

1.  Beto O'Rourke, a candidate running for a Senate seat in Texas, at a speech at a town hall, answers a question about anthem protests.

2. President Trump, in a speech at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama in support of Senator Luther Strange in his primary election race, talks about anthem protests. 

Please write out each letter (S-O-A-P-S) and then some notes beside each one. Think about how the rhetorical situation affects the message and its reception, and whether or not it was effective.

Homework: Please read Grapes, Chapter 4, noting the new character and dialect.

THURSDAY: Journal warm-up. Current events quiz covering "The 10 Things You Need to Know Today" e-mails from Sunday, September 2 through Wednesday, September 5 and the Grapes reading. Dialect exercise as a whole class. Notes: figurative language. Logos, ethos, pathos skits at end of class.

Due: Please read The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 4, noting the new character and dialect.

Homework: Please read Grapes Chapter 5 and 6, and:

1. Write down at least two examples of figurative language from Chapter 5, identify the examples and how they advance Steinbeck's overall argument (how do they affect the audience)?

2. Identify at least two examples of logos, ethos, and/or pathos from Chapter 5 as well, and be ready to explain what they do for Steinbeck's argument.

3. While you're reading Chapter 6, imagine known actors that could play the parts of Tom Joad, Casy, and Muley.  Be ready to share your choices and using logos, ethos, and/or pathos, persuade others that you have the best casting suggestions.

August 27 - August 31

It's the second week of school and the last week of August. It's been a pleasure to meet everyone, and I look forward to starting our first novel as a class, The Grapes of Wrath, as well as diving into the basics of rhetorical analysis.  This is the first style of essay that we'll master (one of the three styles on the AP Lang exam, and the same style required for the SAT).

 
TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Collect Letter to Freshman Self. Receive "Rhetorical Analysis Packet". Notes: Aristotle's Rhetorical Triangle. SOAPS analysis. A Step Toward Falling (summer reading) discussions and activities. 

Due: Letter to Freshman Self.

Signed syllabus and Turnitin.com form.

Sign up for TheWeek.com current events daily e-mails (see sidebar on the right-hand side of this website for step-by-step instructions).

Homework:  Summer reading written homework, (if you haven't already turned it in).

Please read "How to read like a writer" by Mike Bunn and be ready to discuss on Thursday. 

THURSDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz: Vocab/grammar list #1 and summer reading questions.  Gallery Walk: The Grapes of Wrath.  Intro to Grapes of Wrath. Read Chapter 1 together, act out Chapter 2. Review SOAPS and introduce homework.

Due: Summer reading written homework.

Homework:  Read The Grapes of Wrath, Chapters 1-3.

On a separate piece of paper, please perform a SOAPS analysis on the following two communications:

1.  Beto O'Rourke, a candidate running for a Senate seat in Texas, at a speech at a town hall, answers a question about anthem protests.

2. President Trump, in a speech at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama in support of Senator Luther Strange in his primary election race, talks about anthem protests. 

Please write out each letter (S-O-A-P-S) and then some notes beside each one. Think about how the rhetorical situation affects the message and its reception, and whether or not it was effective.

Enjoy the three-day weekend!

First Week!

Welcome to the first week of school! I'm looking forward to meeting everyone, and kicking off the new year.

WEDNESDAY: (minimum day) Journal warm-up. Welcome and introduction. Share journal answers using the bucket. Receive syllabus, turnitin.com forms. Summer reading reminder. Begin work on interest inventory sheet.

Due: first journal entry, completed in class.

Homework: (for next class)  Completed Interest Inventory Sheet

(for next week) signed syllabus, Turnitin.com forms, review summer reading.

FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Interest Inventory Worksheet activity. Structure of AP Language and Composition exam in May.  Discuss syllabus, including upcoming units, procedures and routines. Eleventh Grade: The Dark Side PowerPoint. Lockdown instructions. Introduce TheWeek.com and current events.  Receive first Vocabulary sheet. Summer reading small group/whole group discussion questions. Introduce and explain "Letter to Freshman Self".

Due: Completed Interest Inventory Sheet

Homework: For Tuesday:

Review summer reading books, especially A Step Toward Falling.

Letter to Freshman Self.

Please sign up for TheWeek.com free e-mail newsletter using the instructions on the right-hand sidebar of this website. 

Signed syllabus and Turnitin.com permission form.

For Thursday:
Please have the summer reading homework printed and ready to turn in. 

Welcome to 11 AP: English Language and Composition!

I'm Ms. Mogilefsky (also known as Ms. M).  I'm excited to work with you this year as we prepare as a team for the AP Language and Composition exam and explore a variety of well-known books, short stories, nonfiction articles and essays that are an important part of the conversation about the nature of American life, past and present. 

In this highly interactive class, we will read American literature, as well as a wide range of nonfiction pieces – essays, memoirs, letters, speeches, articles about current events, literary criticism, and even scientific passages and Supreme Court cases.  You'll also read books and articles of your choice as you work on research-based pieces, independent reading, current events assignments, debates, and other activities.  Themes from classic texts will be read and discussed alongside related current events, and you'll have a lot of opportunities to express yourselves verbally and in writing.  You'll practice each of the three styles of essays on the AP exam and will be confident and prepared by May.

I know junior year can be stressful: SATs, ACTs, extracurriculars, CAASP testing, and of course the AP exam on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.  We'll take on the challenges one step at a time, and all of the activities we'll work on will help you succeed.  I look forward to a productive and enjoyable year with you and your classmates!