Blog Posts - Hill's English Unleashed.life

As WE Grew Older- Defining and Re/defining Destiny

8/20/2019

We all have dreams. Our lives revolve around the things we love, the people who support us, and possibilities of the future, but often there is a cost. We don't always achieve because we are scared, because we are unsupported, or because of some societal or physical issue we struggle with daily. That is exactly what Langston Hughes poem, "As I Grew Older" expresses for all of us. As we read deeply, we can see the challenges he faced and see ourselves in his mirror. What are your walls? And how will you break through?

As I Grew Older-Poem

Assignment:

Read and annotate with the class.
Write an essay explaining the rich meaning of Hughes' poem and how it relates to our lives. 5 paragraphs with evidence, in-text citations, and a works cited.
We will also write much of our essay in class. The rough draft template will be on Google Classroom.
Final draft is due Wednesday 8/28 on TurnItIn.com.

Rough draft - #1- Annotations!
Rough draft - #2 - Paragraph sheets and Outline
Please staple #1 and 2 together and turn into the basket during class
Rough draft - #3 - Google Classroom
Please hit submit when finished
Final drafts will only be graded on TurnItIn.com.
The date stamp on TurnItIn.com qualifies it as "on time" or not.

Sophomore Reboot 2019-2020

8/13/2019

Wednesday:
Reminder: Today is a traditional day. Make sure that you pick up your new schedule
Have an excellent first day everyone!!!! I am so excited to meet you!
Think about your favorite skills. Come ready to play . :)
Homework/Extra Credit-- Are you proactive?

Friday:
We will be working on Chromebooks to get everyone set up on Google, StudySync, TurnItIn.com, and more.
You are welcome to bring your own device.
Please bring your student ID or a photo of your student ID. :)
Steps 1-3 due in class.

Step 1: Google Classroom 2019-20
Log into Google Classroom:
Period 6: 8mvy1lk
Together we will annotate and sign your syllabus in Google Classroom

Step 2: Log into your Lit. Book From the Glendora Portal
We will go over and complete our first assignments together!

Step 3: Make an account to turn in your essays
Sophomore TurnItIn.com Class Id:
Enrollment Key: Please see Hill
Note: After you make an account, you will log into your account with your email and the password you create. This is were we turn in our essay final drafts. This site checks for plagiarism-- this includes sharing material with other students. Never share your work. Just do you.

Step 3: Time for dreams!

Write a letter to your future self about your goals, dreams, and life.
Make a "pocket" and we will hang it in the stars!
I will have some supplies, but bring your favorite glitter pens and decorations!
Feel free to take home to finish, but due Tuesday.

Personal Reviews

5/21/2019

Want a personal paper review to see where you stand and what to fix?
A notebook check? Or help on your How to Write a Research Paper?
Any tutorial or any lunch. Bring a hard copy and let's chat. :)

Final Weeks!!

5/13/2019

House of the Scorpion: Finish book.
Time to silent read in class
Test- Tuesday May 28th.
This Week:
Monday 5/13- Silent Reading,
Introduction and last section in class
Wednesday 5/15- Silent Reading,
Typed Rough Draft Hard Copy Due IN Class
we will write conclusion in class
Friday 5/17- Silent Reading, Time to work on the computers finishing paper- uploading final draft
Time to work on Notebook
Next Week:
Tuesday 5/21- Silent Reading, Movie. Last Day for Extra Credit for uploading Final Draft Early
Thursday 5/23- Silent Reading, Final Draft due- in notebook and on Turnitin.com

Finals Week! Yay!
Monday- No School :)
Tuesday: Test on House of the Scorpion
Finals begin at 8 A.M.
Finals: 1/3 - Performance Task Essay
Finals: 2/5 - Performance Task Essay
Finals: 4/6 - Performance Task Essay

Culture Weeks 1&2

4/28/2019

These two weeks are weeks of fun connecting to what we want to preserve, protect, share, and celebrate.

Monday 4/29:

Silent reading: read chapter 13- at least 20 min.
Use Chromebooks to work on finding a good cultural article and work any StudySync assignments that you need to catch up on. Culture articles should be signed by a foreign language or other cultural expert. At least 30 min. on your own.
Then research your food with a partner if you desire. What goes into its history and contribution to culture? Sign-ups will be on Wednesday just so I know who is doing what, but overlap is okay.
Begin your slide show for your food presentation. Citations mandatory. See Google Classroom. Due May 9th.

Wednesday:

Bring signed annotated culture article. Make sure that you have science and history as well. Update your packet. I will check it off.
Reading Chapters: 14-15
Possibly finish Robin Hood

Friday:

Culture StudySync Paragraphs due
Reading Chapters 16
Begin putting paragraphs in one document and organizing paper
Tentatively: Zorro

Mexican War for Independence-History.com

Your Sophomore Research Paper

4/25/2019

Now that we have been looking at the pieces, it is time to look at how it all comes together. Below is a slide show on the book and paper. It reviews the notes and discussions.
If you are in a good place, finish the history section this week, then all we have left is fun: culture, food, and symbolism. If you are behind, this is the perfect time to catch-up!

Paper packet dates, outlines, paragraph sheets, introduction and conclusions-
on Google Classroom. :)

House of the Scorpion- Slides

Food Presentation: May 9th
Full Typed Rough Draft Hard Copy due on May 17th.
Final Draft Due: May 23rd.

The Real Life of The House of Scorpion

4/18/2019

Important conversations...

The Importance of Eating Together Family dinners build relationships, and help kids do better in school.

Chinese Scientist Says He's First To Create Genetically Modified Babies Using CRISPR

Can the Legacy of Trauma be Passed Down the Generations

'Farming While Black': A Guide To Finding Power And Dignity Through Food-NPR

How Poverty Changes the Brain The early results out of a Boston nonprofit are positive.

Food Historian Reckons With the Black Roots of Southern Food

College Admissions Scam Fallout: What Happened to Everyone in the Scandal- 2019 (Farmer 84).

The Communal Table In Milpa Alta, Mexico, the faithful eat, pray, and celebrate to keep life whole.

Saving The Story Of Grits, A Dish Born Of Poverty Now On Fine-Dining Menus

British Doctors May Soon Prescribe Art, Music, Dance, Singing Lessons

Research Suggests Loneliness Is As Bad for You as Smoking Nearly a Pack of Cigarettes a Day

Polish Grandma Making Awesome Drawings to Preserve Ancient Tradition

Our Research Paper

4/5/2019

What responsibility do we have for what we create?
Farmer shows us dramatically what it looks like when we do not take responsibility... Is this good?

Chapter 1-Allusions- Due 4/8

Chapter 2- Symbols- Due 4/10

Farmer uses lots of symbols and allusions to make her point. Watch for them.
Pick the best examples and compare them to their counterparts.
Assignments on StudySync. Do your best! They are rough drafts for your research paper.

Science Article due- 16th
Signed and annotated

Chapter 3- Science- Due 4/18

History Article due-4-23
Signed and annotated

Chapters 3-5- History- Due 4/25

The House of the Scorpion

4/2/2019

Our last book and paper!!
Work through the sources that I have gathered for you and gather your own quality sources. We will be working on a paper to articulate your thoughts on the novel. We will read most of it in class. Take notes, gather sources and take your own notes or annotate, and be prepared to discuss the meaning of the book and its relevance today.

Because it isn't the books themselves that matter as much as it is what you see in them. It is how they weave together human experience and offer you a glimpse of another life-- allowing you to question, argue, and determine meaning for yourself.

Ray Bradbury: "Number one, as I said, quality of the information.
Number two, leisure to digest it.
And number three: the right to carry out actions based on what we learn from the inter-action of the first two."

National Book Award Winner for Young People's Literature, Newbery Honor Book, Printz Honor Book.

Matteo Alacrán was not born; he was harvested. His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium--a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster--except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself

As Matt struggles to understand his existence, he is threatened by a sinister cast of characters, including El Patrón's power-hungry family, and he is surrounded by a dangerous army of bodyguards. Escape is the only chance matt has to survive. But escape from the Alacrán Estate is no guarantee of freedom, because matt is marked by his difference in ways he doesn't even suspect (Simon and Schuster).

StudySync Login

4/2/2019

Login to the GUSD Portal and click on the connectED link.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students will be directed to 1 of 2 possible screens.

If they see THIS screen first, they have to enter a Class Code in order to access the course. --------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Please follow these steps before proceeding. (Some students will automatically be directed to the next screen which is fine. )

They must enter this 8 digit CLASS CODE and hit the TAB button on their keyboard. Then, they will be able to click on ‘Access My Course’

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->

Class Code Period 1: mV63gWBL
Class Code Period 2: Gu1yu5rE
Class Code Period 3: JevEurbj
Class Code Period 4: 7XHUciHU

Once ALL students are on THIS screen, have them click on the blue ‘Join a Class’ button. They will be prompted to provide a REDEMPTION CODE (different from Class Code) in order to join your class.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->WX2M-CFQE-XGDQ