This week, we took notes on the elements of plot and practiced diagramming our favorite movies.  We read "Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets," analyzing elements of plot as we progressed through the story.  

By Friday, please use Google Slides to complete an Introduction Slideshow, which must include the following items:

1. Your name
2. Your family
3. Your summer
4. Your background/interests
5. Your goal for this school year
6. Your favorite inspirational quote

Parents and students- please review the attached syllabus and complete the signature form.  

goo.gl/forms/77rMFdnoDDFKXaDv1

Winners as evaluated by your peers:

5th period- Kyle Orth
6th period- Hunny Quesenberry
​7th period- (tie) Harlee Allen & Austin Kirtner, and Josh Mutshipule, Willie Plympton, and Elliot Hall

These weeks, we finished reading Part VI and VII of Unwind and we took the accompanying reading comprehension quiz for these sections.  We also watched a video of a fictional unwinding and responded to the effectiveness of the video versus the text.  We worked on our Culminating Project for Unwind.  Then, we reviewed and created the Literature Movie Poster projects.  Students who completed their projects had time in class to work on missing assignments.   We also completed end of the year self-reflections, letters to next year's class, and a class evaluation.  

SAT Vocab sentences or pictures due Wednesday and Unwind ​Culminating Project due Friday. 

This week, we practiced scoring anchor EOC writing responses for the Writing SOL.  We then self-reflected and self-scored our last persuasive writing indicator for the year.  We continued to read and analyze Part V of Unwind, and we took a reading quiz on this portion of the novel.  The directions and rubric for the Unwind Culminating Project was distributed and reviewed.   Projects will be due June 3rd!

Dear Parent/Guardian:

In an effort to improve our students’ knowledge, the English Department at Salem High School has established a benchmark test for all grade levels. Students were given an assessment at the beginning of the year that set a beginning score for each student in grammar and mechanics, literary analysis, and other English skills. This score did not impact the student’s grade; it simply gave each student and teacher an understanding of what each student’s skills were at the beginning of the year.  We retested each student on these same skills at the end of the year. These scores reflect the growth for each student in these language skills.
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Your student’s scores are posted in PowerSchool.  The assignments are listed as Initial Benchmark Score and Final Benchmark Score.  We are asking our students to reflect on those areas where they believe they can establish personal growth objectives.  Teachers will also use these scores to develop strategies to enhance their instruction in these skills.
The English Department at Salem High School believes that every student has the potential to learn and to grow in his or her mastery of the English language.  We will continue to work together to promote this growth.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
 Andrea Johnson

This week, we finished Part IV and began reading Part V of Unwind.  We started a reading comprehension quiz on this part of the novel. While reading, we also analyzed allusions and motifs found in the novel.  We reviewed the directions for, and examples of, the Unwind Culminating Project.  We also worked in groups to create and present Demandments for school, much as the Admiral made Demandments for the Graveyard in the novel.  

This week, we read, analyzed, and reflected on Part III of Unwind.  We also took the Benchmark post-test.  When Benchmark testing was finished, we analyzed dynamic and static characters in the novel and began Part IV.    

This week, we finished reading Part II of Unwind.  As part of our reading the novel, we reviewed the different types of conflict and identified types of conflict in the novel. We character analysis and analyzed character using STEAL.  We reviewed and practiced adding hyphens and dashes to sentences.   We practiced analyzing poetry for figurative language using a paired passage poem, "Operating Room."

This week, we read Part I of Unwind.  As a part of our reading activities, we worked on character analysis, inference making, and connotation.  We also worked on the differences and uses of the hyphen and the dash.