Gamma Rays and dreams

This blog homework posting is due by the end of the day on Friday, Dec. 18

The play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds focuses on the Hunsdorfer family – Beatrice, Ruth, and Tillie.

The poet Langston Hughes wrote two poems about dreams which may relate to what we’re reading. Read both of the following poems – "Dreams" and "A Dream Deferred." Select the one poem you think most speaks to the situation in the play. What is Hughes saying about dreams that can be applied to the larger ideas in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds? Explain your connections with direct references from the play. To earn full credit, each post must be between 150-200 words, written in standard conventional English, and fully explore the requirements of the prompt.

Dreams
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

- by Langston Hughes

A Dream Deferred*
What happens to a dream deferred*?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

- by Langston Hughes

*to put off action, delay

Welcome to Miller's English Blog

Hello English 10 students.

Welcome to our English 10 blog. This site was created several years ago as a way for me to use technology and forge new connections with our reading and writing. We will use this site in several ways.

Often, I will post a prompt as a new blog entry and ask that you write an answer in the comments section. Doing this will allow us to better share ideas and opinions about what we are doing in class. Just remember, I still expect you to follow all the typical rules of composition and writing. This is no place for text-message abbreviations or sloppy writing.

Another way we will use this site is as a central resource for the class. If you look around you will find almost everything you may need for the class. There are links to the calendar of due dates, ongoing vocabulary lists, and our classroom wiki page (more on that later). For those pursuing the honors option, there is also a link to the honors option web site.

Finally, you need to remember that what we say and do here is available for any of us to read - teachers, classmates, parents, members of the community, even others in the world. Look at that map of the world to the right and see where some of the visitors are from.

Keep this site bookmarked and refer to it regularly. Again, good luck this year.

Farewell English 10 classes

I hope everyone had a good year in English 10 this year. I certainly enjoyed all the work we did together, from our short story unit to our iSearch papers. Reading your final portfolios, I witnessed a lot of growth in your writing throughout the year.

Enjoy the summer and hope to see you next year!

What do we need to learn about using computers?

Hello English 10 students.

Throughout the school year, you will be using this site to review information, share ideas, and complete assignments. To help make that work in class, we also will be regularly using a class set of laptops. It is my hope that by using these computers, the educational experience in English 10 will be broadened.

However, not everyone has shared the same positive experiences when it comes to using laptops. We've read about one school, in Liverpool, N.Y., which has decided to scrap its initiative to issue laptops to all students. The plan, the school officials say, did not lead to improved learning. Here is the link to that article for your reference. The publicity about what happend in Liverpool also prompted many people in education to think harder about the best way to use laptops in the classroom. In response to Liverpool's decision, one educator criticized schools for giving up on technology so easily.

I want you to think about the issue and help us craft a set of classroom guidelines for the use of the laptops and computers in class. As a writing assignment, make suggestions about what we can do in F14 to get the best use out of the laptops. How should we use them in class? What should we be using them to learn? What guidelines do we need? What would you suggest the teacher do to make the most out of the laptops? Post your response in the comment section of the blog. Write your answer in a few paragraphs, using complete sentences and proper grammar. Sign your first name (no last names) and class period after your posting.

photo credit: NY Times, published May 4, 2007

Welcome back for another school year

Welcome back to Branford High for a new year in English 10.

This year promises many exciting opportunities for learning. A big part of our classwork and learning will include the use of this blog. Here you will find regular assignments, important links, and opportunities to contribute ideas. In many instances this site will also serve as an extension of the reading, writing, and thinking we do in class. Using a blog like this allows us unique opportunity to publish our writing and maintain a record of our thinking and learning through the year.

You'll also notice that there is a calendar on the right of this page which lists upcoming due dates and other important announcements. Right below the calendar is a list of important links for this class. As the year goes on, I plan to add even more materials and information to help you learn in this class.

Good luck and enjoy the year.

Goodbye English 10 students

I wish everyone and enjoyable summer vacation, and, more important, I hope each of you were able to enjoy learning English this year. It has been a wonderful year for me, too. Thanks for the memories.

Don't forget to come by and see me next year. I'll still be in F14.

1984 and Fahrenheit 451: Just what kind of world are they?

Note: This blog spells out the assignment for the wiki post #1 due Tuesday, Jan. 29 on the class calendar.

As we continue with our Dystopian Literature unit, we will begin using the class wiki page to compile and gather ideas about the novel. Directions for creating this wiki resource page can be found at that site, but I will continue to post information on assignments here.


Each group will create their own page where they will record their ideas. It is expected to grow and evolve as more ideas are added. The first posting I'd like each group to create involves describing just how the world of their novel is a dystopia. Describe what makes the London of 1984 or the nameless country in Fahrenheit 451 a dystopia. What are the dystopian characteristics of those worlds?


Each group should collaborate in class to write and post a well-developed paragraph that makes mention of events and ideas in the novels and connects it to the definitions of dystopia we've used in class. Post your paragraph on your new wiki resource page.

Miller's English pre-Thanksgiving Day Survey

With Thanksgiving upon us, I have begun to think about just what I'm thankful for this year. Aside from the getting to know a brand new batch of sophomores, I am thankful for the opportunity to experiment with a classroom set of laptops and other digital learning tools. I hope it's helped strengthen the learning in this class.

However, I'd like to know more from you about what you think. Would you please complete the following survey? The results will be confidential, unless you want to leave your name. Good luck.

Click here to take survey

How would you describe a good group discussion?

This blog posting is due Wednesday, Oct. 31 before class starts.

Throughout our study of A Separate Peace, we have spent several class periods discussing ideas from the book in small Literature Circle groups. Often, members of each group are responsible for coming up with the topics worth discussing in groups. While you've discussed, I've been listening and watching.

Now I want to hear from you. How would you describe a good group discussion? What should it look like from a teacher's perspective in the classroom? In the comment section, record some descriptions and characteristics of a good Literature Circle discussion. In your posting, consider what you think the teacher should see, what the teacher should hear, what students should be expected to be doing and saying?

Finalizing our F14 laptop policy

This assignment is due Monday, Sept. 24 before class starts.

Earlier this month, all of you contributed ideas about how we should best utilize our laptops in F14. I've had a chance to read your responses, and now I want you to take a second look at what your classmates wrote.

Begin by reading through your classmates' comments from Getting Started with Classroom Laptops. Our goal will be to generate a list of guidelines that will help make our use of laptops a rewarding experience. Your assignment is to select the best ideas from your classmates. Write your answer in the comment section of this posting, and please use the following guidelines.

• First, complete this sentence stem. "I really liked the comment(s) from _________________ because... (Note at least two)"


• Next, finish this sentence stem. "The following guidelines should become part of our Laptop Etiquette Policy in F14: (Suggest at least three)..."

Remember, no last names. Put your own first name, last initial, and class period on the posting to earn credit.

New Vocabulary

The following ten (10) words have been assigned as vocabulary in connection with the unit on The Moustache. You can find definitions for all of them at Dictionary.com. You'll notice at that site that there are different definitions. Use the ones from the American Heritage Dictionary.

There will be a quiz on Sept. 21. Check the calendar to the right for the latest due dates.

calamity
scrutiny
proactive
unfettered
clamor
chasten
lucid
regally
imply
acquiesce

Throughout the semester, all the vocabulary will be compiled in anticipation for the midterm, which will include all the words. You can find the cumulative list here.

Crafting a Laptop Etiquette Policy

Complete this task after you have posted comments on how we should best use our laptops in this class.

As we finish up our responses to our Getting Started with Laptops topic, I'd like you to next read through your classmates comments. Our goal will be to generate a list of guidelines that will help make our use of laptops a rewarding experience in this class. Please open up a MS Word file and type notes for the following statements below as you read through the comments from your classmates. In additionn to our class, Ms. Baker's English 10 classes have also weighed in on the issue. Read their ideas here.

We will use what you write as part of a class discussion.

From your classmates' ideas, please suggest at least three guidelines that should become part of our Laptop Etiquite Policy in F14.

Another blog posting

This assignment is due before class starts on Monday, May 21

Please post your thoughts or ideas that arise from your reading to your blogs. This could be pointing out a significant quote or idea from the story; or you could reflect on larger ideas you encounter; or raise an important question that you also attempt to answer.

In all postings, you need to remember the following:

1. Come up with an interesting title - or headline - that relates to what you are writing about.
2. Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. These are school assignments and should be treated as such, with proper punctuation, grammar, and spelling.
3. Write more than one paragraph.
4. In your first paragraph, include a sentence that states clearly what it is you are writing about.

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment.

Responsible blogging

Hello English 10 students...

I have read and reviewed your postings from Monday's assignment. There were many great ideas brought forth from your blog postings, and I have compiled them here as part of our new classroom policy on blogging. Several of you referred to the blog policy of Mr. Hunt in Colorado, which we used as a guideline in drafting ours.

From reading your postings, it seems like we agree on the following general guidelines:

• No personal information (last names, contact information, pictures, etc...) should be included anywhere in your blog. This parallels what the school district's policy is regarding these matters. Even e-mail addresses should not be made public on the blog.
• Information and ideas on the blog should only be on school-related topics. More specifically, your blogs should deal with ideas related to the novels you are reading. These blogs are not places to socialize or meet other people.
• All students - and teachers - should be careful and conscious about what they write because their blog exists on the internet, which is a public place. Only post what you want the world to know. This means that all writing should be school-appropriate, respectful, and free from harmful, hateful, or offensive language.
• Students and teachers have the right to delete any comments posted by someone else on their blogs that they do not feel comfortable with. Students can also restrict the settings on their blog to prevent comments if they feel it is necessary.

In addition to the policies, many of you posted some valuable ideas and thoughts about our work blogging. Here are some excerpts that I thought might be of interest:

Tori mentioned a concern that is relevant to a lot of things when it comes to technology, whether it's computers or video games. She writes, "Another danger that was not discussed is the fact that some teens get so involved with their pages, that they spend all their time inside on the computer."

John wrote about how there are dangers in a lot of activities, but that doesn't mean we should ban them, only that we need to be safe about it. He writes, "I like in the 2ND text, how they say bad thing happen [in other activities for example]. "You could get hurt in a sport, whats the difference with the online thing" the teacher explains. Some good rules would be to consistently check your blog, and if any comments come up that you don't know who they are, report it to a teacher right away."

Shane writes, "Also you want to make sure that anything you write in a blog or link to your blog is something that you understand and want to be associated with."

Morgan writes, "On a website I recently read, it said that you should be sure that anything you write you are proud of, it can and will come back to get you if you don't. I found this very interesting, but right. In the future, if you were to be looking for a job, it might be possible for an employer to discover some immature things posted when you were younger. I'm sure that nobody would want this to happen, but it will if unnecessary things are written."

And finally, George writes, "One shouldn't try to make friends as if it were myspace, attracting the wrong type of people. The key to safe blogging is to use your own good judgement in what you say or do."

I agree. Thank you for your efforts and in class, and please let me know if you have any comments, concerns, or suggestions.

What does it mean to blog responsibly?

This posting is an assignment to be completed IN CLASS on Monday, May 14

As we get started using our class blogs for posting our writing and ideas, it is important to fully understand the medium we are using. Many of you may be familiar with such technology if you've used sites such as MySpace or Facebook. Those, typically, are geared towards social networking and meeting friends. Our purpose here is to use a blog as a learning tool first, not a place to socialize.

With that in mind, your first task today should be to make sure there is no personal information on your blog or blog profile. Make sure you do not show your e-mail address on your profile. I would recommend also that you name your blog and give it a description that easily identifies it as a school assignment blog.

Once you do that, you are ready for today's lesson. By the end of class today, students should recognize the potential dangers of irresponsible blogging, and contribute to an "acceptable blog use" policy for English 10.

Your assignment is to read the following texts:
Schools grapple with policing students' online journals from USA Today.
"More on Safety" from teacher Mr. Hunt in Colorado
"Student blogging handbook" from Mr. Hunt's class
After reading them, write a post on your blog that explores the following questions:

What are some of the potential dangers of blogging discussed in these texts? Which of these concerns are legitimate? Why or why not? What other dangers are there in blogging that were not discussed in the texts? What should students keep in mind in order to practice responsible blogging? Suggest 2-3 rules you think would be appropriate for the class to follow as part of a blog policy.

Start your own post by linking back to this posting via a hyperlink like this.

When you are done, I will compile your responses from your posts.