SCIENCE FICTION

Monday, Aug. 24: Please see me when you return for an article I handed out today. You may then copy the directions from the board for a response paper that I would like you to write on the article. :) We also changed the date of the next quiz, for section two of the novel, from this Wednesday to this Thursday. If you missed the first quiz, the make-up day is tomorrow, Tuesday, at lunch. You may bring your lunch.

Tuesday, Aug. 25: Today, we discussed the second section of the novel and also covered some leftover issues from the first section. Reminder: the quiz has been moved from tomorrow to Thursday. It will be scantron, multiple choice. Homework: keep reading the book!

Wednesday, Aug 26: Today, we discussed the novel in preparation for the quiz (tomorrow). Please finish section two of the novel tonight. Be prepared to ask me any last-minute questions, which I will take before I give the quiz.

Thursday, Aug 27: Today, we took the quiz on section two and then discussed the novel further. You may make up the quiz this coming Tuesday at lunch. You may bring your lunch with you if you promise to be careful with it. We forgot to decide, together, today, upon the best day next week for the final test on the novel, so check the website tomorrow if you have been absent and need that information. FYI, we will not have a "quiz" on section three. We will just jump right to the test, which will involve an objective, scantron section and a section in which you will have to answer questions about the novel in writing. You may use the novel for the written section but not, of course, for the scantron section. I assigned Journal #2 today, and I've also realized that I have not listed the topic of Journal #1 on the website. Here they are: #1. Suppose that you have been asked to represent your generation at a world conference at which Earth will have its first fact-to-face contact with a newly-discovered alien species. What will you want this species to know about the goals, interests, strengths, and weaknesses of your generation, and by what events has it been shaped? #2. This journal topic is dedicated to Professor Faber, in Fahrenheit 451: Can you admit to cowardice in the past? Have there been incidents in your life, or those of people you know, that have been affected by either cowardice or courage? Have you been affected by acts of cowardice or courage that you have heard about or read about? As a reminder, I will be giving you plenty of warning before I come around to record the journals, near the end of the grading period.

Friday, Aug. 28: Today, we discussed the novel and made a decision regarding the dates of the final test, on the entire novel, this coming week. The test will be given over the course of two days. The objective, scantron portion will be given this Thursday, 9/3. It will be a minimum day, but try to show up, seniors! I often call parents to find out where you are if you do not show up for a test. I'm not kidding. This portion of the test is not extremely lengthy, so you will have plenty of time to complete it, even though it is a shorter class period. The written portion of the test will be given the following day, Friday, 9/4. You must bring pens and paper, and you MAY USE YOUR BOOK. BRING IT! Most of the questions will require some subjective analysis. On Wednesday, I will be preparing you for one of Friday's written questions. I want you to answer it in a very specific way, so we are going to discuss it ahead of time. For other important information, please read the entry, above, for Thursday, 9/27.

Monday, Aug. 31: Today I took questions about the novel and we then began our viewing of a History Channel documentary on the history of science fiction (how it developed as a genre, etc.) A paper will be assigned on this documentary. If you were absent today, please see me when you return so that we can discuss this. Make-ups for either of the two quizzes (on sections one and two of the book) will be tomorrow at lunch.

Tuesday, Sept. 1: Today, we discussed issues from the final section of the novel and watched more of the History Channel documentary. Tomorrow, I will be doing some last-minute discussion and test preparation. We are on schedule for the test: scantron portion on Thurs. and written portion on Friday.

Wednesday, Sept. 2: Discussion and test preparation, followed by more of the documentary.

Thursday, Sept. 3, minimum day: Scantron test on the novel. Make-up days for the test will be next Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch.

Friday, Sept. 4: Written test on the novel. Make-up days for the test will be next Tuesday and Wednesday at lunch. Journal #3: Dedicated to the end of the novel: If you were asked to "become" a book -- to memorize it as Montag is asked to do -- which books would be your first considerations/choices AND WHY? All journals will be recorded on Sept. 18, just before the closing of the grading period.

Tuesday Sept. 8: Today, we finished the documentary. You do not need to have watched the entire thing to answer the following questions, typed or in pen:

1. What is your definition of Science Fiction?

2. Has the documentary affected or determined your definition of Science Fiction?

3. What has Science Fiction contributed to society (how has it helped or affected humanity?)?

4. List three other things that you learned from this program.

5. What was your favorite part of the documentary?

6. Based on your definition of Sci Fi, what is your favorite Sci Fi film, story, or novel and what is it about?

IMPORTANT INFO: Journals will be recorded on Friday, 9/18. Make-ups will be today at lunch and tomorrow at lunch. See me then for any make-ups or other business.

Wednesday, Sept. 9: Today, we went over some class business and I also began to hand back essays and tests. This will continue tomorrow. I also handed out three Ray Bradbury short stories that are to be read for an objective quiz tomorrow. If you were absent today, see me for copies of the stories. There will be a make-up quiz given next Monday and Wednesday at lunch. If you were absent, you should be prepared, when you return, to copy a list from the board, titled "Essay Comments." Keep it, as you will need it. Also, Journal #4 was assigned, dedicated to Granger: What "mark" would you like to leave on the world? What would you like to accomplish before you leave this world? Reminder: All journals will be recorded on Friday, 9/18.

Thursday, Sept. 10: Class business continued (handing back of essays, tests, etc. and looking at grades). Discussion of the Bradbury stories and the end of the novel. We also began a project. You will be filled in on Monday if you were absent. Call me if you have questions. Make-ups are now only on Wed. at lunch this coming week.

Friday, Sept. 11: Project. You will be filled in on Monday if you were absent. Reminder: All journals due Fri., 9/18.

Monday, Sept. 14: We are working on our Ray Bradbury project. If you are absent, see me when you return.

Tuesday, Sept 15: More project time (we will be working on it this entire week in class). Reminder: Make-ups are tomorrow at lunch; journals due Friday (all four topics can be found in the entries above).

Wednesday, Sept. 16: More project time. Please see entry above for other important info and reminders.

Thursday, Sept. 17: The project continues. Reminder: All four journals are due tomorrow.

Friday, Sept. 18: The project continues. It is due by the beginning of the period on Tuesday. You may work on it on Monday in class, but not on Tuesday in class. Journals 1- 4 were recorded today. If you were absent, please have them ready promptly at the beginning of class on Monday.

Monday, Sept. 21 through Friday, Sept. 25: We went over grades. I will be absent Tuesday through Friday. The substitutes will be showing the classic Sci Fi film "The Day The Earth Stood Still" (the original version) AND assigning some classwork for which you must have the handouts. So, if you are absent, see the subs (Mrs. Rembac and Mrs. Pellett) for that paperwork. I will not be able to answer phone messages or e-mails until Saturday or Sunday, so please feel free to leave me messages and I will return them at that time. Thank you.

Wednesday, Sept 30: We spent much of today just doing clean-up and business from my absence. We discussed the film from last week and its unique place in science fiction history. We also discussed the short story that the class read with the sub. last Friday. If you were absent, you may borrow a copy of the book which contains that story. Tomorrow, the class will be working on an assignment about that story. We also went to the library today to pick up our next novel, Frankenstein. If you were absent, you may pick it up during class tomorrow. Please bring your I.D.

Thursday, Oct. 1: In-class assignment on "Of Missing Persons." See above for more info.

Friday, Oct. 2: Assignment from yesterday finished and collected. Introduction to Frankenstein began. See me for paper work next week. We also read the first of the opening letters of the novel. Bring your book next week.

Monday, Oct. 5: Reading of the opening letters of the novel continued. If you were absent, read the second and third of the letters.

Tuesday, Oct. 6: We discussed the plot structure of the novel (that series of boxes on the board that you've been staring at).We also discussed what we've read to this point and then we read the fourth and final opening letter. No reading is assigned for tonight, but you will have reading for homework soon. Tomorrow, we will read chapter 1 together. If you were absent, see me for a glossary of the novel and a reading schedule.

Wednesday, Oct. 7: We read and discussed chapter one. Journal #7 was assigned. The prompt is on some paperwork I handed out today (Frankenstein Intro Notes). If you were absent, please see me on Friday for a copy of that paperwork Journals are due next Wed. or Thurs.. I will not be here tomorrow because I will be on the 11th grade field trip. You will be reading with the sub.

Thursday, Oct. 8: You had a sub today because I was on the 11th grade field trip. The class read chapter 2 and you are to read chapter 3 for homework.

Friday, Oct. 9: Read chapter IV (4) in class. No homework.

Monday, Oct. 12: in-class research time: find and take notes from the text on at least four examples EACH of Romantic and Gothic elements in the novel to this point. Include page numbers (in prep for an essay later). Journal #8: Discuss instances in which your life or the life of someone you know has been affected by obsession (dedicated to Victor Frankenstein, for his obsessive behavior).

Tuesday, Oct. 13: Discussed novel. Read chapter V (5) in class, and chapter VI (6) for homework. Journals due tomorrow (#'s 5 through 8).

Wednesday, Oct. 14: Journals recorded. Discussed novel. Read ch. VII (7) in class, and chapter VIII (8) for homework. Quiz #1 tomorrow! Bring a pencil! It will involve everything through chapter 8.

Thursday, Oct. 15: Today, we took Quiz #1 (from beginning of the novel through chapter 8). Read chapters XI (9) and X (10) for homework. Remember, late points for journals are better than NO points for journals. Do them, even if they are going to be late! QUIZ #1 MAY BE MADE UP TUESDAY, 10/20, AT LUNCH.

Friday, Oct. 16: Journals/clean-up discussion/grades discussed for progress report. QUIZ #1 MAY BE MADE UP TUESDAY, 10/20, AT LUNCH! For Monday, read chapters XI (11) and XII (12).

Monday, Oct. 19: Discussion of novel (what we read for homework). We read chapter XIII (13) in class. Read chapter XIV (14) for homework.

Tuesday, Oct. 20: Discussion of novel and reading. For homework, please read through chapter XVI (16).

Wednesday, Oct. 21: Read chapter XVII (17) in class. Journal #9 assigned: Friendship plays such an important role in the novel. What would your friends say about you if they were asked to evaluate you as a friend?. What would they say about your strengths and weaknesses as a friend? Read chapter XVIII (18) for homework. Reminders: Do not forget your books tomorrow: you have an in-class assignment. Also, Quiz #2 will be given on Friday, and it covers chapters 8 through 20. Also, tomorrow is a minimum day!

Thursday, Oct. 22 (minimum day): in-class research time, second round: find and take notes from the text on at least four additional examples EACH of Romantic and Gothic elements in the novel to this point. Include page numbers (in prep for an essay later). QUIZ #2 TOMORROW! IT COVERS CHAPTERS 8 THROUGH 20.

Friday, Oct. 23: QUIZ #2. Read chapters XXI (21) and XXII (22) for homework. You may make up quiz #2 Tuesday at lunch.

Monday, Oct. 26: Footage of the ALPS shown. Novel discussed. Finish the novel for homework! QUIZ #3 TOMORROW. You may make up quiz #2 tomorrow at lunch.

Tuesday, Oct. 27: Novel discussed. Quiz #3 given and discussed. Prep for test tomorrow. You need pens and the book for the test.

Wednesday, Oct. 28: Written test on entire novel. If you were absent, you may make this test and/or quiz #3 up at lunch this coming Tuesday. You will need pens and the book. JOURNAL #10: Victor Frankenstein regrets his actions. Discuss your own regrets and how they may shape your future. Bring I.D. for the next few days; we are picking up Jurassic Park.

Thursday, Oct. 29: This class did not meet today due to the school-wide disaster drill. Bring I.D. tomorrow, as we are picking up Jurassic Park.

Friday, Oct. 30: The class picked up Jurassic Park. We still need Frankenstein, so please do NOT turn that in yet. However, if you still have Fahrenheit 451, get it back to the library ASAP, please! We need them! The first quiz on Jurassic Park will be given this coming Wednesday, through page 81. PLEASE NOTE: you must read both the introduction and the prologue in order to understand what is happening at the beginning of the novel. Be here on Monday and Tuesday as well, if at all possible. Part of Monday will be devoted to prep for an in-class essay on Tuesday. Speaking of Tuesday, you may make up the final Frankenstein quiz, or the final written test, on Tuesday at lunch. Today, we also began our discussion of the "Every 15 Minutes" program, which will take place next Thursday and Friday. More discussion of this will follow. Happy Halloween!

Monday, Nov. 2: Please see the entry above for important information. Today, we prepared for our in-class essay, which we will write tomorrow. You will need pens, your own paper, and you may use the book for reference. If you finish early, you will need to stay quiet all period. So, bring Jurassic Park and do some reading or study something else quietly. Our first quiz on JP will be this Wednesday, through page 81. See me for a reading schedule if you were absent today. We also continued our discussion of the "Every 15 Minutes" program, which will take place next Thursday and Friday. This class will NOT meet on Thursday and Friday of this week, due to that program. Your presence on campus will still be required, but you will be involved in the program.

Tuesday, Nov. 3: In-class essay, all period. You may make this up at lunch next Wednesday. Reminder: Quiz #1 on JP tomorrow, through page 81.

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Final prep and questions answered for the "Every 15 Minutes" program, which begins tomorrow morning. A final reminder to all students: Appropriate behavior is expected for the next two days, while the program is in progress. Please don't compromise your personal integrity -- and the integrity of our school -- by making any jokes, talking inappropriately, or focusing on other things while you should be paying polite attention. We must behave as if this were really happening. Ask yourself how you would feel if the "deaths" of your peers were real. We must also remember that on Friday, we will be hearing from people who have really lost children or whose lives have been seriously affected in some other way by an alcohol-related driving incident. It takes courage to talk about these personal losses, so please keep that in mind. Today in class, we also took our first quiz on JP. I will be holding a make-up day next Wednesday instead of next Tuesday. You may make it up then. This class will NOT meet Thursday (tomorrow) and Friday, due to the "Every 15 Minutes" program. Please e-mail me, text me, or call me if you have any questions on JP or anything else during that time or over the weekend. Please remember that, upon your return to class, on Monday the 9th, you will take quiz #2, which will be through page 177.

Thursday, Nov. 5: I thought that the "Every 15 Minutes" program would keep 5th period from meeting today, but we ended up having time to meet for part of the period. Everyone was pretty drained from having attended the simulated crash scene. We discussed the events of the program and some basic class business. If you were not here, you did not miss an assignment. REMINDER: Quiz on Monday through page 177.

Friday, Nov. 6: This class did not meet today due the "Every 15 Minutes" assembly. Please see important information in the entries above for the 4th and 5th.

Monday, Nov. 9: a reaction paper on the "Every 15 Minutes" program. This is an informal reaction paper. It does not need to be in formal essay structure. You should organize it into paragraphs as you see fit. You may speak in the first person (as "I"). The paper should be typed or written neatly in pen and should be a minimum of one side of one page. It is due on Tuesday. If you were absent for any or all of the program, then you must interview someone who was present.

Friday, Nov. 6: Some classes did not meet today due to the "Every 15 Minutes" assembly. Those that did meet worked on the assignments from yesterday.

Monday, Nov. 9: We took JP quiz #2 today. Regarding make-ups for this and other things: I admit that I made a mistake when making my calendar. I did not realize until this past Friday afternoon that we do not have school this Wednesday. Due to that, and the fact that Thursday is a minimum day, I will be allowing you to make up things during class this week and on Friday at lunch. Please see me if you must make something up! JOURNAL #11 was assigned today: What is your unfinished business? Is there something you have left undone that you need to take care of? Apologies, Confrontations? Telling someone how much you care? Visiting someone? What have you left undone? Also assigned: a reaction paper on the "Every 15 Minutes" program. DUE THURSDAY. This is an informal reaction paper. It does not need to be in formal essay structure. You should organize it into paragraphs as you see fit. You may speak in the first person (as "I"). The paper should be typed or written neatly in pen and should be a minimum of one side of one page. If you were absent for any or all of the program, then you must interview someone who was present. REMINDERS: QUIZ #3 THIS FRIDAY, THROUGH PAGE 251, AND I WILL BE RECORDING ALL NEW JOURNALS ON THAT DAY AS WELL.

Tuesday, Nov. 10: CHANGE: I will be recording the journals this coming Monday instead of this Friday so that we won't have to rush through the quiz. I will be recording journals 9 - 12. JP Quiz #3 will still take place this Friday, through page 251. Today, I assigned a project on Frankenstein. You may work on it in groups in class on Thursday (minimum day), Friday, and next Monday through Wednesday. It will be due at the end of the period next Wednesday. If you were absent today, you may still become part of a group, as I did not assign the project until mid-period today. So, the groups have only just begun to discuss it. JOURNAL #12 was also assigned: Discuss both your best and worst school experiences (this could have to do with any aspect of school: academic, social, etc.). See entry above for other important info.

Wednesday, Nov. 11: No school - - - Veterans' Day

Thursday, Nov. 12 (minimum day): We worked on the Frankenstein project. Please see entry for Nov. 10 for other important information. Reminder: JP quiz #3 tomorrow, through page 251.

Friday, Nov. 13: JP Quiz #3 was given today. After we went over the quiz, we worked on our projects. REMINDERS: The final test for JP is next Friday (on the entire novel), and journals 9 - 12 will be recorded on Monday.

Monday, Nov. 16: Journals 9 - 12 recorded. Worked on projects. Due date for projects is extended to the end of the period on Thursday. Reminder: Test on entire JP novel will be on Friday. Make sure you know who all the characters are, their occupations and roles in the plot.

Tuesday, Nov. 17: Projects continue. Due date for projects is extended to the end of the period on Thursday. Reminder: Test on entire JP novel will be on Friday. Make sure you know who all the characters are, their occupations and roles in the plot.

Wednesday, Nov. 18: Same as entry above. :)