Happy Banned Books Week!

From the American Library Association's (ALA) website...

"BANNED BOOKS WEEK 2015: September 27-October 3

Top ten frequently challenged books of 2014 has been released as part of the State of America's Library Report. Find out which books made the list.

The ALA promotes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinions even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those viewpoints to all who wish to read them.

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) promotes awareness of challenges to library materials and celebrates freedom of speech during Banned Books Week. This event is typically observed during the last week of September of each year. See Banned Books Week for information and resources for getting your library or organization involved in this event!

OIF compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted to us by librarians and teachers across the country.  For more about books challenged as well as information about classic novels that have been challenged and/or banned, please see Frequently Challenged Books.

OIF also offers support for librarians facing challenges to materials in their library. The support librarians seek will not be disclosed to any outside parties and the challenge report OIF receives is kept confidential. Please see Challenges to Library Materials for resources and information to help you prepare for and respond to challenges.

If you would like more information about banned and challenged books not covered in the website, please feel free to contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4220, or oif@ala.org."

Homework 9/28-10/2

English 10R:

• MM chapter 3 and journal due Friday at midnight

*Must be turned in via your class' Digital Dropbox

English 10H:

• Complete the "American Dream Poetry Discussion Qs" for class on Monday by making a copy of the Google doc of the same name. Use your notes from last Thursday and Friday to help you answer the questions.
• In-class poetry essay Thursday
• QIRJ #1 (MM) due Friday at midnight

*Must be turned in via your class' Digital Dropbox

Announcement: Phillips Free Library Open House

There is an Open House this Saturday (Sept. 26) at Phillips Free Library:

• 1:00 Ribbon Cutting
• 1:30 Keynote by Michael Buckley, children's/YA author (He wrote NERDS, The Sisters Grimm, and the Undertow Trilogy.)
• 2:30 Writing Workshop with Michael Buckley for 6th-12th-grade students

Contact the Phillips Free Library for further details!

Homework 9/21-25 (UPDATED 9/23)

English 10R:

• Finish up article questions (classwork on Friday) if you did not finish for class on Monday
• Literary Terms Self-Assessment due in class on Tuesday
• Bring a book to read for SSR on Wednesday
• MM chapter 2 journal due Friday at midnight on Google Docs.

*Must be turned in via your class' Digital Dropbox

English 10H:

• Read and annotate the "The Great Depression" and "Migrant Workers of California" articles for class on Monday
• Literary Terms Self-Assessment due in class on Tuesday
• Bring a book to read for SSR on Wednesday
• Revise the Supplementary American Dream Articles doc by Wednesday at 3:00 using my comments
• Read and annotate "I Hear America Singing" and "I, Too" for class on Thursday
• Revise your Summer Journal by Friday at midnight using my comments
• QIRJ #1 (for MM) due Friday 10/2 at midnight

*Must be turned in via your class' Digital Dropbox

Homework: 9/14-18

English 10R:

• Signed syllabus and supplies due in class Monday
• MM chapter 1 journal due Friday in class on Google Drive
• Six-word memoir due Friday at 3:00

English 10H:

• Signed syllabus and supplies due in class Monday
• Read and annotate the two American dream articles for class on Tuesday
• Summer Journal Assignment Focused Peer Review comments due Tuesday at midnight on Google Docs
• Find and read one recently published article about the American dream, and fill out the "Supplementary American Dream Articles" chart (in your class EDIT folder on Google Drive) by class on Thursday
• Summer Journal Assignment due Friday in class on Google Docs: Choose your best journal of the two to submit for a grade.
• Six-word memoir due Friday at 3:00

GoGuardian Link

Go here to enroll your Chromebook in GoGuardian. You will receive your class code in class.

Six-Word Memoir Links

• YouTube video: "Six Tips for Writing Six-Word Memoirs"
• SMITH Magazine Six-Word Memoirs: Teens
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus

2015-16 Beginning-of-the-Year Survey

Click here to access the Beginning-of-the-Year Survey. You must finish the survey in one sitting, so make sure you have enough time to complete it before you begin!

Homework 9/8-11 (REVISED 9/10)

English 10R:

• If you are absent on Thursday or do not finish in class, complete the Beginning-of-the-Year Survey by 3:00 on Friday
• Signed syllabus and supplies* due in class next Monday, 9/14

English 10H:

• Summer assignment journal drafts due in class on Thursday
• Beginning-of-the-Year Survey due at 3:00 on Friday
• Signed syllabus and supplies* due in class next Monday, 9/14

*If for any reason you cannot get all of the required supplies by Monday, see me BEFORE MONDAY to discuss!