Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Welcome Back!

Welcome Back to English Class!
Dear EHTHS Parents/Guardians and Students,
Say goodbye to the scorching Summer heat and good riddance to sunburn and greenheads.  It is my pleasure to welcome you back to the cool and comfortable black and silver of EHTHS.  I am excited to see what surprises and blessings this school year will deliver as we further our study of English. 
In order to prepare you for the upcoming school year in my classroom, I would like to illustrate my philosophy that English is life.  A classroom based in that belief may encompass literature from all walks of life and provide a base for its practical application within the students’ lives.  Our class will discover and perfect reading comprehension, drawing conclusions / making inferences, and writing skills that will be transferable in whatever career path students choose, as well as build memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. 
Students will experience multiple forms of representation as we dive into our realm of study in English class.  Utilizing current events, popular culture, music, film, poetry, and a diverse set of literature our class will truly be a vessel of lifelong learning.  Exposure to such varied authors and forms of expression will springboard each student’s understanding of their own learning styles and develop creativity and establish credibility in his/her own writing.  My classroom goal is to establish an efficient and effective learning community to appropriately address relevant 21st century standards within our study over the course of the year.  Lessons will hinge upon essential questions and enduring understandings and all writing assignments will be graded using a holistic scoring rubric consistent with the EHTHS English department and state testing standards.
 Parents/Guardians, I thank you for your interest in your student’s education and I look forward to working with you throughout the course of the school year.  With continuous progress reports and flyers, I will keep you up to date with our journey into the world of English.  If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email (Mosetti@eht.k12.nj.us) or by phone at my extension at the high school (609-653-0100 Ext. xxx).

Thank you,

Mr. Mosetti                 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

HW Due for End of Year



Journals due Thursday. By Friday, complete Walden Economy to page 50.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Homework Due Wednesday

Read and annotate "Economy" pgs. 9 - 30.

End of the Year Journals

Journal #48 is a page that reflects on the day in which you marked everything you spent your day living. Try to take a transcendentalist bent towards the reflection of your day. WWTT (What Would Thoreau Think?)

Journal #49 & 50: Add your "Economy" assignment from this weekend labeled as two journals

Journals will be collected this Thursday!  

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Gov-Time Transcendentalism & Assignments



This assignment can be done in AP Gov tomorrow...Watch video...respond as Journal #47..what did you learn from the video? Did anything surprise you? How do you relate this environmentalist's teachings with Emerson's view. Also, feel free to poke around their website. storyofstuff.org. Lots of cool stuff that doesn't need to be thrown away.

Journal #48 prep should be done throughout the day on Thursday, May 30. Every half hour from the moment you wake up, jot down a sentence or two about what you did. Don't stop until you fall asleep for the night.

Read and annotate the first eight pages of Walden for tomorrow.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Memorial Day Weekend Assignment List

1. Journal #44: Relate the "Bare Necessities" of Baloo in The Jungle Book with the teachings of Transcendentalism, both in a general way and as evinced by Emerson in Nature.

2. You were given a worksheet entitled "Top 6 Signs that you might be a transcendentalist." Of the six, chose the one tenet you most relate to. Explain how and why you relate to it as Journal #45. For the remaining five, write three to five sentences describing what you think the tenet means and how you DO or DO NOT relate to its meaning. You may do this right on the worksheet if you'd like.

3. Emersonian aphorisms exist on page 222 of the text. Choose one or a few and expound upon its/their meaning as Journal #46. Explain the significanse or relate the importance to your own life. Or, simply explain how they evince transcendentalism as a whole.

Here's a pair of very transcendentalist Pearl Jam songs for you:





Transcendentalism Lecture Series: Dr. Baloo "Papa Bear", PhD, EDD

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Journal #43

Run some research on Abercrombie and Fitch's controversy over sizes.

Find at least one credible source, but use as many as you wish.

Marry the themes of the pieces you find to your annotation on the NY Times piece about body image.

Journal must contain at least one APA formatted citation.

Will be checked tomorrow.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Reading for Monday's class

Read the introduction to Romanticism/Transcendentalism found in the text (p. 206 - 214). Annotate in
your notes.

In class on Monday, you will read and annotate the excerpt from Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Nature" in the text. Please also read the biographical information.  


On Tuesday, I will be checking Journal #42, the annotations for both of these reading assignments and the NY Times article.


Also, plan for a vocab quiz Tuesday.  

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

THURSDAY's ASSIGNMENTS

The following assignments are to be completed both for homework and in class during my absence.

1. Journal #42: George Mason University asks its students of early American literature the following question. It is your job for this :

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Influential American Rubric


Influential American Paper Rubric

Here’s how the research paper points add up:

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Most Influential American Research Assignment


Most Influential Americans Essay Assignment
Due Date: Thursday, May 9th
The requirements: 
  • 5-7 Pages  
  • APA Format (Title Page, Abstract, Body, References)
  • Minimum 5 sources (2 Scholarly)
    •  Utilize the research databases provided on the school website.

Link to the OWL: Purdue Online Writing Lap Tutorial on APA formatting and style  

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Welcome Dr. Mouse & My Supervision of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Class

For my week two assignment, I have used our course work to solve the least high-tech part of my teaching: the fact that I demand my students use belt straps instead of book bags! Just kidding -- it's the fact that I still use Power Point to convey information during certain lessons. I realize that using Power Point is the educational technology equivalent of dancing the Hustle, but I am guilty.

So, I decided to spotlight and learn to use Animoto and Prezi...to two very different outcomes. My assignment consists of two parts.

Here is the link for part 1. 

Here is the link for part 2. 

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Study Study Study

Remember to study for our Huck Finn test tomorrow!  Below, I have posted the link to some Quizlet study flash cards if you would like to look them over.  They are basic surface level questions, but they may be useful for a quick review of the plot points.  Also, remember to bring both your copies of Huck Finn and Howard Zinn so that I can collect them.  

Best of Luck!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Journal #41


Journal#41:
Critics have complained that the rescue at Phelp’s farm is rife with coincidence and is overall problematic to the rest of the work.  What do you see as the problems this section presents to readers? Does this section change your view of the main characters’ moral development?  If so, how? How has Tom Sawyer’s insistence on “regulations” for escape forced him into the role of the colonizer, Huck into the role of agent of the colonizer, and Jim into the role of the colonized/oppressed?

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Finish the Novel

Class,

I wish for you to have completed our featured novel by Monday April 15th.  You all should have the entire novel (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) read by this date and be ready upcoming assessment.   Make sure to continue taking notes and it may also be wise to add any choices that Huck makes in the remaining chapters to your timelines. Enjoy the weather!

Thank you,

Mr. Mosetti

Friday, April 5, 2013

Read!!

Remember to read up to and including Chapter 34 of Huck Finn this weekend and to finish your Huck Finn choices timeline.  I will be checking to make sure both of those assignments have been completed on Monday.  Have a wonderful weekend and make sure you welcome in the warmer weather by taking advantage of it. Do something outside!!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Huck Finn Journal 4/3/13


Journal #40: (4/3/13)
In the novel Huck continually tells stories to get himself out of tight situations. Why doesn’t this bother Huck’s conscience? In what way is Huck forced to tell a lie? Is Huck morally wrong in doing so? Defend your argument with examples from the novel.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Read!

Attempt to read up to and including Chapter 22.  Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Journal #39


Choose one of the two journal prompts:

1.) The elopement of Harney and Sophia is reminiscent of the plot of Romeo and Juliet.  What other characteristics and elements of this episode resemble Shakespeare’s play?  The feud has been called a satire of the Civil War as well.  In a short writing, argue for or against the effectiveness of this satire.

2.) In the quotation provided below, Huck exhibits symptoms of what is now called PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder.  In a short writing argue for or against this diagnosis, considering how many deaths Huck has encountered by Chapter 18.
“I ain’t a-going to tell all that happened—it would make me sick again if I was to do that.  I wished I hadn’t ever come ashore that night to see such things.  I ain’t ever going to get shut of them—lots of times I dream about them” (116). 

Remember study for the vocabulary quiz tomorrow and read Chapter 19 of Huck Finn. 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Huckleberry

READ!
Continuing reading and taking notes on Huck Finn through chapter 18 to be completed by Tuesday.  Be ready to discuss chapters 15 & 16 in depth on Monday.

Monday, March 11, 2013

The Picaresque Novel

For those who missed class today (Monday, March 11th) we began discussing the characteristics of a Picaresque novel or narrative and how Huck Finn meets the criteria.  Below you will find the details of a Picaresque novel.  Continue reading Huck Finn you should have through chapter 16 (pg. 65)  by Thursday.

Picaresque Novel:
The picaresque novel (Spanish: "picaresca," from "pícaro," for "rogue" or "rascal") is a popular sub-genre of prose fiction which is usually satirical and depicts, in realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. This style of novel originated in sixteenth century Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It continues to influence modern literature.
Seven Characteristics:
Seven qualities distinguish the picaresque novel or narrative form. All or some of these may be employed for effect by the author. (1) A picaresque narrative is usually written in first person as an autobiographical account. (2) The main character is often of low character or social class. He or she gets by with wit and rarely deigns to hold a job. (3) There is no plot. The story is told in a series of loosely connected adventures or episodes. (4) There is little if any character development in the main character. Once a picaro, always a picaro. His or her circumstances may change but rarely result in a change of heart. (5) The picaro's story is told with a plainness of language or realism. (6) Satire is a prominent element. (7) The behavior of a picaresque hero or heroine stops just short of criminality. Carefree or

Saturday, March 9, 2013

HUCK FINN

Keep reading y'all...
For Monday read up to and including Chapter 11.
Click here to view the original illustrations that accompanied the novel.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Huck Finn: Journey Underway

Young Elijah Wood as Huck!
Our journey along the Mississippi will officially begin tomorrow ladies and gentlemen.  Be ready for plenty of Twain-esque humor and a healthy portion of satire to help frame quite possibly one of the most important novels in American Literature.
Please READ:  
Up to and including chapter 5 for Wednesday's class.
Up to and including chapter 8 for Friday's class.

Also the vocabulary quiz will now be on Thursday.
New words:
Surreptitious- secret; stealthy
Bowdlerize- to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc.
Victuals- food

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Mark Twain

To supplement this week's viewing of Mark Twain by Ken Burns, please review the website companion. We would like you to pay special attention to the well-done Twain scrapbook. Please send some time

Friday, February 15, 2013

Jeff Smith Speaking Points


DOUBLE JOURNAL: #35 & #36. All sources must be cited as part of the journal. Due Tuesday. Please also read Chapters One and Two of Huck Finn, as well as any introductory material (may vary based on edition). 

Families One and Two: "The heart of a volunteer." This documentary teaches us a lot about the power of "canvasing" and people power in a campaign.  Google some information about campaigns and look into the most common ways to get involved. Then, in your journal, explain what you learned and relate what you learned to the documentary.

Families Six and Ten: Discuss social problems as they relate to specific, niche organizations and certain interest groups. Look up minority voting groups (like VOTO, a Hispanic lobby to get out the vote for Hispanic interest). Are these groups effective? Is the status quo forced to consider these groups in their campaigns? What are the most powerful lobbies? Is there credence to the notion that the ONLY power base is the WHITE, RICH power base (which is an accusation forwarded in the film).
Families Three & Eight: Google and learn about the The electoral college system (there is a link below). Then research the system's pros and cons -- is this the only way to go, or is it an old system that needs updating?

Families Four & Nine: Some would say that a documentary like this points out the problems with the dual party system in national politics. Look into the roots and history of the two party system and then research the pros and cons. Is the two-party system ruining or saving politics?

Families Five and Seven: Based on what you have seen, outline the specific pros and cons of Jeff if he HAD won the election. Then research some current Congresspeople. Find one or two whom you would support and explain how his/her specific traits appeal to you and a larger voter base.

Here is a relatively concise breakdown of arguments for and against the electorate system.

Gun Control New Low.

Here.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

A Tale of Two Cubans


Information on the down-ward Cuban.

And the upward Cuban. 

Journals #32 will be on the State of the Union address (posted tomorrow) & response.

Otherwise, here's the Mr. Smith stuff. 



Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Journal #31: Boy Scouts & Gay America

In the news today, the Boy Scouts of America tabled a decision about lifting a ban on gay and lesbian volunteers and members. NPR presents both sides of the debate on Morning Edition today. Weigh in after listening as Journal #31.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Journal #30: Read the following article from the Boston Herald. Consider how this article relates to the film we are watching and the overall theme of ambiguity in ethics discussed over the past month.

1939 is considered by many to be the finest year of American movie-making. The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Good-bye Mr. Chips and John Wayne in Stagecoach. 

And Frank Capra made a little politcal movie called Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. The film was designed to ask the question: What would happen if a small-town nobody with high-ideals and an unquenchable love of American ideals, were suddenly dropped into the big-business, big-talking intimidation of the United States Congress? Would the ideologue find his way? Would he learn that somewhere on the road from MORALS to ETHICS to CIVICS...the terrain MUST get ROCKY and MUDDIED? Would the idealogue become corrupted and learn to hang in the big show? Or, would he become disgusted and go home? Or, would his ideals win the day?

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Midterm Study Guide


**Trip Fundraising Candy $ is due tomorrow. 

READ CHAPTER 6 of TOM SAWYER TONIGHT!

The Test: Essay, Short Answers, Diagramming Sentences

Recommended Reading & Studying:

Zinn Chapter 2, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano p. 56, The Scarlet Letter, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, Malala, President's comment on Newtown, CT & Inauguration, SAT prep & grammar.

Mandatory essay will be about characters from novels we read.

Anyone who has yet to turn in journals...must have them to turn in on the day of the midterm. 


Phish & Tom Sawyer



In-Class, Journal #29...Listen to the song. Read the lyrics. Consider. Relate. Comment on the song's intended meaning in journal then discuss how it evinces some of the thematic importance found in Tom Sawyer. 

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

President's Second Inaugural Address



Watch the speech. Annotate and highlight it with reactions as Journal # 27

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Catfish, Hawaiian Girlfriends, Notre Dame & Moral Ambiguity: A Bang to the End of Morality Week

Manti Te'o was a national superstar at one of the top football programs in the country. He was a Heisman Trophy runner-up and a national phenom as his team vied for a National Championship. He became an international star and inspiration to millions when a story broke that his grandmother and girlfriend died on the same day. His girlfriend was (supposedly) a beautiful, intelligent, 22 year old leukemia victim.

Now...Deadspin.com has broken the news...that there IS no such person. She never existed. Cruel joke on a tender, caring, but naive athletic superstar? A "catfish" if you will? Or a perpetrated hoax by a person looking to add some drama to an already promising NFL career?

Also, tell me what you know about this "catfishing" phenomenom. I am older than you, but cannot wrap my brain around such a heinous act. Explore this and whatever you find tonight as Journal #26. TO BE WRITTEN IN CLASS TOMORROW...PLEASE!





http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/16/sport/manti-teo-social-media/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/01/16/teo-deadspin-story-eight-crazy-things/1840729/


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Changing Educational Paradigms -- Journal 25

Journal #24

PRETEND! The US is going to mandate one year of military service when citizens turn 20. This would not guarantee combat, but young men and women would need to serve for one year based on their abilities and education. For example, a journalism major may, after basic training, be sent to write for the USO newsletter in Quantico. An excellent science student may be sent to work for the Army Corp of Engineers to replenish beaches here in Atlantic County, NJ. Of course, many would simply service as soldiers. As a perk for this, all state colleges and universities would be free to all citizens. Would you support this initiative or not, why or why not?

Friday, January 11, 2013

Virtue for the day: "Working Class Hero" by John Lennon

Good News on Malala

Here from AlJazeera.

And here from the BBC.

Academy Award Nominated Short Films

Paperman by John Kahrs (Disney)



"The Longest Daycare" by Matt Groenig (Fox)



"Fresh Guacamole" by PES (Showtime)

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Moral Perfection?

Our virtues worthy of pursuit:

1. Honesty: Truth for all! No cheating.

2. Compassion: Show kindness and concern for

3. Courage: Find occasion to step out of the "box" or your comfort zone.

4. Simplicity: Don't confuse your "wants" with your "needs"

5. Respect: Accord for all (deserving or not)

6. Confidence: Have strength in your convinctions. Faith in your actions.

7. Positivism: Make the best of what you have

8. Focus: Do what you say, say what you are going to do.

9. Patience: Be slow to anger. Take time for yourself and others.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

It's All About the Benjamins...WHAT?!

Get in your modified families to quickly share ideas on the following:

1. Which of Franklin's virtues are the most relevant today? Name 5 and provide reasons why. 
2. What single virtue are today's American young people most lacking? One virtue and why. 
3. Which virtue(s) is/are the most irrelevant to modern living? Why? Three virtues and why. 
4. What's most missing? Are there virtues you would consider as missing from this list? In other words, what virtues of modern life would YOU add if YOU were trying to live by a similar virtue chart. At least 2 virtues and why (as many as 5). 

Look deep into creepy, winking Franklin's one eye and put some very good thoughts behind these answers. One member of the modified family should record the dominant ideas from each discussion. (5 mins per question) 

VOCAB TEST = Monday