November 18-22

This week in American Literature we will be continuing our study of Romanticism.  We began last week by reading from the Fireside Poets and are now studying the Gothic and Anti-transcendentalist writers.  Today, the students used Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" to learn how to make evidence-based claims in preparation for writing a literary analysis essay.  

Later in the week the students will be working on a group project called the Gothic Story Chain that will test their knowledge on the elements of Gothic literature and help them practice narrative writing.

Also, on Thursday the students will have their Vocabulary #5 quiz.  I have included the words below if you would like to help your child study.

Have a great week!

Set #5

consonant (adj):  harmonious; in agreement

assimilate (v):  to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly

reciprocate (v):  to repay or return in kind

cryptic (adj):  mystifying; mysterious; puzzling

bemused (adj):  confused; bewildered

conjecture (v):  to guess based on little evidence

ambiguous (adj):  unclear in meaning; able to be interpreted in different ways

abstruse (adj):  difficult to understand

flagrant (adj):  glaringly bad; notorious (refers to what you see or do)

salient (adj):  jutting out; striking; conspicuous

November 4-8

On Monday and Tuesday the students are viewing their documentaries and handing in their accompanying essays.  The students have been working in small groups for the last month on this culminating project to The Scarlet Letter, and I am really looking forward to viewing their work. 

Last week the students viewed a PowerPoint presentation on American Romanticism and learned a new method for note taking.  Today they were assigned to read Washington Irving's short story "The Devil and Tom Walker."  They will take a quiz on the story on Wednesday. 

There will be school-wide testing on Thursday and we will pick up with Romantic literature on Friday with a close read of the poem "Thanatopsis."

Have a great week!

Don Erickson

October 28-November 1

Get ready for a week of testing in American Literature!

We are finishing up Unit 2: Revolutionary Literature this week and the students will be reviewing for the exam on Tuesday and taking the exam on Wednesday. 

On Thursday, the students will be quizzed on set #4 of their vocabulary lists.  I have included that list below.

Also, I wanted to inform you that I exdended the due date of the students' documentary film/paper to Monday, November 4.  Hopefully, your child is working diligently on this very important project.

Have a great week!

Don Erickson

Set #4

autonomous (adj):  independent; self-governing

celibacy (n):  abstinence from sex; pure

ascetic (adj):  monk-like; practicing self-denial

reclusive (adj):  withdrawn from society

sequester (v):  to set or keep apart

polarize (v):  to break into opposing factions or groups

chasm (n):  a deep, gaping hole; a gorge

complacent (adj):  self-satisfied; overly contented with oneself

collusion (n):  conspiracy; secret cooperation

complement (n):  to complete; to be the perfect counterpart

October 21-25, 2013

Today, the students will be taking their American Literature mid-term exam in class.  The grades should be posted on ParentConnect by Wednesday. 

The students' group projects for The Scarlet Letter, a documentary film and short research paper, are due on Monday, October 28.  Hopefully, your child has almost completed this assignment and will be putting on the finishing touches throughout this week.

We will be continuing our study of Revolutionary literature and will take the unit exam next week.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me at derickson@d220.org.



Have a great week,

Don Erickson

October 7, 2013

For the next few weeks, we will be utilizing the videos from learnzillion.com to help develop close reading and writing skills.  Your son/daughter signed up to the site today and he/she will be viewing videos for homework a few times per week.  Please encourage your child to do so. 

Last week we completed the novel The Scarlet Letter and the students will begin their final project/paper on the book.  This week we will also begin Unit 2: The Age of Reason.  The students will be studying literature from the Revolutionary Period.

On Thursday we will be taking the vocabulary set #3 quiz.  The words they will be tested on are listed below.  Please help your child study for this important quiz!

Set #3

protract (v):  to lengthen or prolong

abridge (v):  to shorten or condense

copious (adj):  plentiful; abundant

profuse (adj):  flowing; extravagant

sycophant (n):  flatterer; one who sucks up to people in power

ascendant (adj):  superior; dominant

undaunted (adj):  fearless; courageous

supercilious (adj):  scornful superiority; haughty

circuitous (adj):  roundabout; indirect

diffident (adj):  shy; aloof; lacking self-confidence

September 25-29

On Thursday, we will have our second vocabulary quiz worth 40 points.  I have included a list of the words below so you can study with your child if you would like to do so.

We are currently in the middle of the novel The Scarlet Letter and the students will be required to read chapters 15-22 this week.  Tonight's homework is reading chapter 15 and the students will be quizzed on what they read tomorrow in class.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me at derickson@d220.org.

Have a great week!

Set #2

belligerent (adj):  combative; quarrelsome

gregarious (adj):  out-going; sociable

affable (adj):  easy to talk to; friendly

chicanery (n):  deceit; underhanded behavior

pejorative (adj):  negative

acerbic (adj):  bitter; sour; severe

altruism (n):  selflessness; helping others without accepting anything in return

prudent (adj):  having forethought; wise; careful

frugal (adj):  economical; penny-pinching

confluence (n):  flowing together; converging

September 9-13

This morning, we will be taking our first vocabulary quiz of the year.  For future vocab quizzes, I will send you a list of words, so you can study with your child if you would like.

On Tuesday, we will be taking the Unit One exam.  Over the week-end, the students completed a study guide for the test and we will continue to prepare for it in class today.  The test is worth 80 points, so please encourage your child to study for it tonight.

On Wednesday, we will begin reading the novel The Scarlet Letter.  Typically, your child will have approximately 15-20 pages of reading for homework per night.  Please make sure he/she is completing this work as we will have quizzes each morning to check if the students are reading.

Thank you for your time, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me at derickson@d220.org.

Jan 28-Feb 1

Last week, the students took a 40 point vocabulary quiz.  If your son/daughter scored poorly on this quiz, he/she can come to RAM period to retake it.  Please check Parent Connect if you would like to view your child's score. 

This week we will be finishing up the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  At the completion of the novel, we will be tested in the form of a unit exam.  Please encourage your child to read the remainder of the book (he/she should have a reading assignment for homework every day this week). 

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at derickson@d220.org.

Thanks,

Don Erickson

January 22-25

We will have our first vocabulary quiz of the second semester tomorrow (Thursday, the 24th).  I have included the word list below in case you would like to help your son/daughter study for the quiz.

Thanks,

Don Erickson

Set #8

mercurial (adj):  emotionally unpredictable; rapidly changing in mood

candor (n):  honesty; truthfulness

delineate (v):  to describe accurately; to draw in outline

capricious (adj):  whimsical; quick to change one’s mind or stance

metamorphosis (n):  a magical change in appearance; a sudden and striking change

proselytize (v):  to attempt to convert someone from one religion or belief to another

transient (adj):  temporary

vicissitude (n):  a change in fortune; an upheaval

torpid (adj):  apathetic; devoid of feeling

ostentatious (adj):  showing off; pretentious