Brit Lit:

Today I passed out the rubric for the "Make your Own Pilgramage" assignment. In class we worked on this for most of the class. We also listened to a musical version of Barbara Allen and agreed as a class that some things are better left unheard.

No "official" HW on the weekends- so enjoy.

WOS

Some new pictures. Quiz on all terms. Enjoy the new pictures from class today....

Brit Lit

For tonight, please search the intertubes for a song version of Barbara Allen. I was able to find at least 5.

Please also finish your pilgrimage tales (1 pg)

WOS

Today in class we blocked the fighting scene in Act 3 in R+J. I am sorry that your final performances were rushed...

Enjoy the pictures from today, and no HW tonight...

Soph Lit:

Today in class, we worked on understanding your vocab words in the context of the sentence. Each group was given the page numbers of your vocab, and asked to rewrite the sentence using the def rather than the word.

During the 2nd 1/2, we talked about IM as slang. I passes out a sheet of IM terms for you to use, if Holden could text.

Please finish both if you did not have time to finish for HW.

Also- study vocab words/ read CH 14, 15.

Soph Lit:

Vocab def. were due in class today.  Please finish them tonight and show them to me Wed. for partial credit.  Tonight, please read CH 11,12,13 in Catcher.  Please be ready for a quiz.

WOS:

Sorry that we ran out of time today.  We will work on blocking a specific scene in class Wed., with the goal of using lightsabers in the aud.  Sorry Jimmy- but it will be worth it.....

Brit lit:

Today in class we wrote origional ballads and read one in class.  HW- Tonight- please find a song or poem which follows the def. of a ballad.  Please be ready to share in class.

WOS:

HW- Find a song or poem that has one of the Shakespeare Language tricks that we went over in class.

Soph:

Please define your 10 vocab words tonight. Vocab quiz on Friday.  Also, please read ch 9-10 in Catcher.....I smell a quiz Tuesday.....

Soph Lit

Please read Ch 8 tonight.  We will finish your final drafts in the lab Friday.

World of Shakespeare

From now on, we are just known as WOS.  For tonight, please create a sim (character) to live in the world that we just read about.  1 page, written in 1st person.  Think outside the box.....

Brit Lit:

Please work on your video game manuals.  Due to the storm delays, I have extended the due date to Monday.

World of Shakespeare

Quiz today on ch 1-3 od S. ALIVE!  Please read to pg 88 tonight for HW.  See you on Thursday (snow fingers crossed!)

Soph Li

Today we had a quiz on Ch 4-7.  3 people are not reading- use tonight to catch up in Catcher.  Please also work on your 1st draft of your "Write like Holden" paper.  Remember- the point is to duplicate tone and style.  Please use the checklist that we gave you in class today to see what you still may need to include.

Brit Lit

Beowulf, the video game, is due this Friday.  Today we researched weapons of the time.  Please make sure that you work on this at home during the week.  Today in class, we also had a pop quiz on your reading.

Word O' the Week

Ryparographer {rip-uh-RAH-gruh-fer}:  A painter of unpleasent or sorid subjects.  Greek words= filthy and writer.

Brit Lit:

HW- Please read the 1st 10 intro pages of the Anthology.

Soph Lit

HW Please read ch 4 and 5 in Catcher.  Today in class:
We reviewed CH 1-3
Talked about reactions to the book
Quiz, Ch 1-3
Went over 1st person narration
Wrote about the biggest lie in 1st person narration (1/2 page)

Friday we will be running a debate in class.
Book covers are due- 100 point on a quiz if covered.

Brit Lit:

Please finish your Grendel depictions and have them ready to present.  Thursday we meet Grendel- and he is not happy (father issues)

World of Shakespeare

HW:  Please come in with one line from any Shakespeare play or Sonnet.  Be prepaired to recite it from memory....

In class Wed, we will be mixing the lines up and creating skits based on strange combos.  Make sure that you have a line ready....

Soph Lit

Today you answered questions designed to help us get to know you.  For HW

Think about the greatest lie that you ever told.  Be prepaired to write about it....

Read CH 1, 2, 3 in Catcher

Ask those around you about Catcher.  Could they read it?  Did they like the book? 

Word O' the Week

Halch (halch) to hug or embrace.

The End

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of my classes for a great term.  You are a great group of young adults, and I enjoyed every second of our time together. 

As I told you on the first day of class, I work hard to always remember what it was like to be bored sitting behind a wooden (or in your case some form of high density carbon based plastic) desk.  I hope that you find the time to stop by and say hello once in awhile- or at the very least pass a smile in the hall.  Thanks again for a wonderful start to my Tantasqua life.  Stay in touch!

Final Thoughts....

Brit Lit:
Today we began our review for the Final.  Please make sure that you can define all the terms given on the board today, as well as solid examples of each from the literature that we have read.

Tuesday we will be looking at the essay questions and working in class on how to answer each.

Soph Lit:

I will try to have your Night tests back ASAP- kind of crazy this week trying to finish... I am sure you are feeling it as well....

Today we defined the first set of terms for the final.  Tuesday, we will work on the second set.


Don't go quietly into that good night.....end in greatness......

Welcome Back!

I hope that you all had a great break. With the term ending soon, we need to return, recharged, and ready to end on a high note.

Brit Lit:

Today in class, we imagined a futuristic world.  In class, I had you write a one page description of what the world would be like in the year 2049.  I asked you to ponder the following questions:
What will tech allow us to do?
What world conflicts will there be?
Is it a dark future (WALL-E), or a perfect world (Meet the Robinson's)

If you were missing, please finish this for HW tonight.

Brit Lit:

HW Read 1-48 in 1984.  Quiz Tuesday.

Word O' the Week

Jirble [jur-ble] to spill liquid by unsteady movement of the container.  ie) Collin spilling choc milk in Block A

Holiday Word O' the Week

Hibernacle [hye-ber-nack-kle]:  A Winter retreat, or the Winter home of an animal.

Happy Holidays!

To you and yours- The warmest of holidays!  See you guys in the new year!

Reminders

Brit Lit:  Your final college essays are due this Friday

Soph Lit:  Your Midsummer videos are due this Friday.  Boys on the right side- don't blow this off!

12.9.08

Brit Lit:
Great job this am in your Paradise Lost translations- real good stuff.  Try to watch the Disney version of Fantasia.  The Night on Bald Mountain could be scripted to what we read today.  Some of my fav classical music in that.  For HW tonight, I would like  you to craft a 2008 response to Milton's poem.  Must be at least 14 lines, and model itself in the same style as Milton.

Soph Lit:

Thanks M for bringing in our Holiday Bush!  We will be decorating it English Class Style this Friday!  If you have any good holiday music, please bring it in.  I am kind of a XMAS music nut.  HW tonight- please read the poems that I assigned from Dead Poets.

Progress Reports

Alert, Alert- Danger Will Robinson!

I will be afterschool Tuesday for as long as it takes for any of you to make up missing work before progress reports.  Please check with me to make sure you are not missing any assignments.  Progress report grades will be passed in Wed. morning.

12.08.08

Congrats to our football team!  Central MA Superbowl Champs!

Brit Lit:  HW- please read all of the poems that I gave you from Dead Poets.  Last call to research you Paradice Lost stanza.

Soph Lit:  Reminder- Midsummer videos due this Friday.  Make sure that you do not leave it to the last min- this counts as a test grade

Word O' the Week

Deturpate [dee-tur-pate]:  To disfigure, or defile.  From Latin- to make ugly.

Try to use it this week in class or in assignments for extra credit :-)

Are You Ready for Some Football?

I am at a loss- Boston College plays in the ACC championship on Saturday, while at the same time, our own football team plays in the central Mass Super Bowl.  What is a pigskin loving teacher to do?  Good luck to our football team!  Regardless of the outcome, you have made our school very proud of your season.

12.5.08

Brit Lit:  This week we explored poetry.  Please have your Paradise Lost translations ready for Monday.

Soph Lit:  Over the next 10 days, you will be making a video of A Midsummer Nights Dream. You can modernize, and change the script- have fun with the possibilities- A Mob boss for King, a High School Musical love triangle, Darth Vader as Oberon….Chewbacca as the lion….anything school appropriate goes…




Rubric:

You will be graded on the following rubric:



A script is passed in with video………………………………..20 points



Characters in video followed script…………………………….20 points



At least 5 minutes in duration (one act)…………………………20 points



Effort (costumes, production value, general effort in video)……40 points

12.2.08

Brit Lit: Remember to write your sonnets tonight. 14 lines- iambic pentameter; Begin in delight, end in greatness. Remember- the only one who needs to understand and enjoy it is YOU. Make it meaningful and share a part of you on paper. IMMORTALITY!

Soph Lit: I have just passed back everything that I had- some things did not have names, so please be responsible to check to see if you have anything missing. I also gave out grades (as of this week.) So- if any parent or guardian is reading this- ask them how they are doing in English tonight :-) I am working on making up the video assignment now- I will explain in class Wed.

12.1.08

I hope that you had a good break, and had a chance to spend some good quality time with those around you.

A big congrats to the football team in their win romp domination over my former school. UNDEFEATED!

Brit Lit:
Tomorrow we start a week of poetry. I am going to bring in some things that I wrote when I was 16 for you to make fun of- but it will allow me to prove my point about poetry and immortality.....

Make sure that you have your big "fat" books...

Soph Lit:
Today in class you did AMSND in 32 seconds. Forcing the play into a small box made you realize the key important facts. That sound is Shakespeare rolling in his grave....

Word O' the Week

Kench [kentch]:
To laugh too loudly.

11.29.08

What a great win over SH. Go Warriors!

11.21.08

Brit Lit:

Happy Friday! I started to correct your Macbeth tests- so far they look very good. If any of you want your grades early, shoot me a email to cusicks@tantasqua.org. Starting Monday, we will be taking a few days before the break to look at and write a killer college essay. I will explain this in detail on Monday. Have a safe weekend!

Soph Lit:

Today in class I showed about 5 minutes of my version of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I did with Ms. St. Jean at ol' Shepherd Hill. I hope that it helped you visualize some of the things that we were talking about this week.
Every Friday, I try and do some fun assignments- today you did some writing on the history of the Slinky. After lunch, I taught you the very basics of what handwriting can tell us about the person. Remember- it was just for fun- I don't want any of you to read too much into it :-)

11.19.08

Brit Lit: We finished Macbeth today- the lightsabers were fun. I wish that I could have made the room darker, but it was still cool. I told you learning could and CAN be FUN! Macbeth is a difficult play, and I can't tell you how proud that all of you understand it. I also hope that I was able to show you that Shakespeare can be fun.

We will be playing a review game based on Wheel of Fortune Thursday, and catch up on any missing notes. Remember, you can use all notes on the test- so make sure that you have the complete set. If you are missing any- get them from me, or a person that you think takes good notes. On Friday- we TEST.

11.17.08

Brit Lit:
Block A: Today we continued to write the missing narration for Macbeth. Friday we completed Act 1, and 2. Today we did Act 3. We also had a quiz on Act 4, and a wee bit o' 5.

Block B: We acted out Act 5 in class and caught up on our notes.

Both Blocks- We will be finishing Macbeth this week. I am aiming on a review game Thursday, with our test this Friday. I am after school Tuesday for anyone who needs to make up work, or needs to catch up on their notes.

Word O' the Week

Zedonk [zee-donk]  The rare offspring of a male zebra and a female donkey. 

11.12.08

Soph:
Today we talked about contrasts in imagery. Hot/cold, love/hate, sweet/sour.... Shakespeare had a great way of mixing comedy with tragedy- we explored that today. In class we made skits that were funny, and sad at the same time. Look for this contrast as we continue the play....

11.12.08

Brit Lit:  Today we broke into groups and had to work out a scene that told the story of Macbeth in 32 sec.  This forced you to decide what things are important to keep the story "intact."  On Friday we will be working on making the missing narrative in Macbeth- what you did today in class should help you decide what is important to stress....

Word O' the Week

Gongoozler {gahn-gooz-ler} 
A person who stares at activity on a canal.

11.11.08

Soph Lit:  Reminder- your 16 lines from AMND are due this Thursday- so use the day off today to stomp around your house and learn the lines :-)

Brit Lit:  Last call on videos- If you elected to do the alternative paper, you need to write a 3-5 page paper explaining a Shakespearean Tragedy, and how the play Macbeth follows this model.  These are due Wed.

Have a great day off, and take a moment to remember the sacrifices that those in the military have made for all of us.

11.05.08

I hope that you are enjoying the day off.  Reminder: Block A- your Macbeth videos are due Wed.  Bring some popcorn...

11.03.08

Block A: Macbeth videos are now due Tuesday.

Block B: Missing prijects are due this Wed. Jeff- that means you!

Block C: No HW- sorry that it is taking so long to get your last projects in. I will have your character journals, Survival guides, and test back for Wed.

I will have your term grade ready this Wed. So to any parents out there in cyber space reading my thoughts, ask them how they are doing in English Wed. night. Please also feel free to contact me by eith email or phone as always.

Word O' the Week

Spanghew {spang-hyoo}  To cause a frog or toad to fly into the air from the end of a stick, usually violently.

When teacher inspiration goes too far...

Scene from my old classroom at SH

Happy All Hallows Eve!

I hope you liked my Irish ghost story today in class.  As most of you are typical teenagers who don't talk to you parents anymore- try and tell the story again around a Fall fire this weekend.  It gets better with age and each time it is told. 

Brit Lit:  Please work on your Macbeth videos- Due A Block, wed.  Due B Block, Monday.

Soph Lit:  Get ready to have your neg feelings about Shakespeare to be smashed.  We are going to laugh out loud in class next week as we start the comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Word O' the Week

Onolatry: [oh-nah-luh-tree] The worship of donkeys.

10.29.08

Alert (whoop, whoop, whoop...) Grades close this Friday. I can stay after for anyone needing to make up work. Remember, not completing an assignment is a zero. A few of these can take a large bite out of even the strongest grade. Please see me before or after class to see if you are missing work....

Brit Lit.  This morning, we went outside to act in the woods.  Despite the cold breeze, we managed to have fun.  Nothing says Mr. Cusick is teaching Shakespeare like the buzz and crackle of toy light sabers....

Reminder to work on your Macbeth video. These will not be able to be done "at the last minute."  Make sure that you see me if you have problems- before the due date.

Soph Lit:  I posted a picture of your character journals.  I am impressed!  Now, if I can get the smoke smell off of my hands from reading some of them...  A special "thank you" to Courtney for bringing in cupcakes.  Random acts of kindness...... :-)