Sophomore English

Hey there!  I know some of you could not remember your login information for our class blog.  It took me several tries before I finally got the right combination!  So, don’t feel too bad.  If you can’t get in, let me know and Ms. Kemp and I will figure out a way to get you back in.

With testing starting already, how do you feel?  Did the year go by slowly or quickly?  Did you accomplish what you wanted to?  Are there some things you wish were different?

Share your ideas with the rest of us.  For myself, I generally liked the double block, because we got a lot more done.  But I’ll admit, sometimes it felt long!  We did cover lots of stuff, but we didn’t get to nearly as much literature as I think we should have.  How do you feel about that?

We are just starting our study of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, and learning about the play’s historical background.  As we read and discuss the play, I’d like you to post any questions you might have about the characters or events.  I would like you to do a little research and find at least five facts about witchcraft through history.  The Salem trials were an ugly episode in our nation’s history, but many people involved believed they were doing the right thing.  Share your interesting facts here, as well as your thoughts on the play and the issues.

Posted by Mrs. Kemp,

Hello, Mrs. Baldwin’s class! 

I read this article today and thought of you:   “Iraq Soldier Finds His Voice Blogging From Iraq”  by Brandon Griggs>  It’s on the CNN Web site. 

This soldier started a blog about his experiences in Iraq (he was a gunner) and eventually alot of people were reading it.  And, guess what?  The army made him stop writing it!  The article goes on to tell his story and he did later compile all his blog posts into a book. 

Now, I’m not recommending this book to you … I think he uses some pretty colorful language  

I do think you’ll find this news article interesting, though.  Let me know what you think.

In her article, Anderson writes about Mellie as if she were a real person, and this seemed to be a surprising idea to most of you.  Have you ever written a story?  How do you find your characters? 

Now that we’ve read through so much of the novel, what are your thoughts about the story?  About Melinda?  About any of the issues raised by the book, or events or characters in the book?  Speak out!

Some of you have read Speak, but most have not.  What are your thoughts on beginning this story, knowing the little bit you know about it?  If you’ve read it, talk about why or why not you would recommend it to a friend.

Today we will begin our study of the novel Speak, by award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson.  We will read an article about her, and then you will be able to post responses to this topic about your impressions of the author, the book, or any questions you might have.

In a moment, I’ll be leaving to watch the debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin.  I would be interested in hearing your thoughts about the debate if you get to watch it.

Please, no party-bashing……all of us have our favorite candidates.  If you comment, write about the issues and how you think the candidates handled the questions.  The idea is not to try to convince each other about which party to support……..the idea is to share our thinking about the issues and what the candidates had to say……also, how they said it, which is an important element of debating.

This is our place to “touch base” and keep up with what’s happening in everyone’s lives.  Just leave me a comment for the week, and I will get back to you.  

Think about something amusing, meaningful, or life-changing that you have experienced.  Share your story with us.  Tell us the when, where, what, and how……..how old were you?  Where and when did the event take place?  How did it affect you?

You may also make up a story.  In fact, it might be fun for you to make us guess whether your story is actually true or not.

Remember to keep all of our writing school-appropriate.  Get creative……..