May 17
AP: I have posted a copy of your research paper assignment sheet on your
Assignments & Rubrics page. There is also a plagiarism handout there. I have
a better handout, but apparently I don't have an electronic copy of it. If
you'd like to see it, just ask and I'll pull it from my files.
Sophomores: Here is the vocabulary list you need to know for Lesson 40.
Ignore the other words that are not on this list. Remember, the quiz is 5/25!
And because I'm feeling magnanimous (if you don't know that word, go look it
up. Seriously, go now. I'll wait...Ok? then...), I'm going to dictate the
words to you. You'll still need to spell them correctly, but that should help
you study under the condensed timeline.
Lesson 40: Beliefs & Religion
*Agnostic--a person who believes it's impossible to know whether there is a
God or not.
*Apostate--someone who forsakes his faith or principles.
*Apotheosis--an exalted or glorified ideal.
*Benediction--a blessing at the end of a religious service.
*Blasphemy--irreverent (unholy) acts or speech. (N)
*Deist--a person who believes God created the world and then stepped back,
assuming no control over life since setting it in motion.
*Mantra--a form of incantation often practiced in Hinduism and Buddhism.
*Ornithology--the study of birds. (YES, THIS word is in the religion
chapter...go figure!)
*Raison d'etre--a reason for existence (literally "reason of being").
Usually used in the context to describe a person or passionate interest that
"gets you up in the morning" or makes life worth living.
*Sacrilegious--disrespect toward anything sacred. (ADJ)
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May 16
Okay, hopefully this is the last time I have to update your calendars. The
relative days have been rearranged to accommodate a variety of meetings and
important events. Please see the calendar on my white board if you want to
copy the schedule down. Hopefully deadlines listed on your calendar pages are
now finally correct! Note that I am not going to change the dates in PowerSchool.
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May 14
To my awesome AP students: best of luck on Wednesday's exam! You guys are
going to rock the socks off of that test!
Don't forget we'll be starting our research papers by the end of this week.
Your calendar has been tweaked to reflect our final days together.
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May 11
Sophomores, your final exam study guide is posted. Start reviewing a little
bit every week!
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May 1
AP: Check out the last link on my Links page--a Beatles compilation review of
rhetorical devices!
Everyone, here's the last disruption due to MCAS. Science MCAS (mostly
freshmen) will be June 5 & 6. The 6th is our 7-period exam review day. If
you have a science class in the morning, you will be displaced/not seeing your
teacher the last 2 days before finals start. Plan accordingly!
-June 5 (Day 2) until the end of P4 (3 periods total)
-June 6 (Day 3, 7 period day) until the end of P4 (4 periods total)
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April 25
10H: I had to adjust your calendar a bit to account for the Math MCAS. If you
already copied or printed due dates, please go back & see the changes made to
the weeks of May 14th and May 21. My apologies for the closeness of Vocab
quizzes 39 & 40--I didn't have another easy option.
Math MCAS
-May 15th (Day 2) until the end of P5
-May 16th (Day 3) until the end of P4
Everyone, be aware that senior final exams messes up the relative days for a week!
-May 21 = D6
-May 22 = D5
-May 23 = D1
-May 24 = D7
-May 25 = D6
-May 29 = D4 (relative days continue on as normal after that)
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April 13
AP: Your calendar is updated. PowerSchool has a full list of assignments and
their categories. PLEASE NOTE that this is a short quarter. We only have 3
weeks of classes after your exam is over. Even with the ungraded prompts from
last quarter, we have very few assignments for Q4 (3 for each of the 20%
categories and 4 for Essays/Tests, which is the 40% category). It is
important that you finish each assignment with your best effort to end the
year well.
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April 12
AP: The Scarlet Letter doc has been updated to include the graded discussion
grading system.
10: Handouts for the various assignments you're working on are uploaded. Your
calendar is also up for the rest of the semester.
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April 4
AP: The new resources on essay writing are on your handouts page (last 12
documents). Your Q3 grades are almost complete (I just need to finish the
Gatsby Letters). Check PowerSchool, as a few of you didn't pass in modern
poetry or Eliot questions from MCAS week & a day I was out the week before
that. If you want credit, I need them tomorrow; I double-checked all the
collected paperwork, and I don't have them.
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March 30
AP: Scarlet Letter discussion topics are on your assignments page. Read the
book & take notes for the graded discussions the Monday & Tuesday we return
from vacation. I will be looking for specific textual evidence! Also,
remember that you don't need to read the introductory parts; just start on
chapter 1 (p. 41).
All students, there is another fun vocabulary link on my Links page!
2 more weeks till vacation. We can do it!
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March 23
Sophomores, please don't forget about Monday's IR assignment! See your
handouts page for a refresher on the instructions.
Also, visit the CCC Grammar link if you need more help with capitalization &
comma rules. There are great explanations, examples, and even quizzes you can
take if you want.
P4: Your assignment for next Wednesday is posted as well.
AP: There is a new link to Am Lit literary time periods for your reference.
I will update everyone's calendars once I get Q3 grading completed.
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March 19
Sophomores, your Q3 IR assignment is posted. Be sure to take a look at the
document by the end of the week--it's due Monday. Good luck on the MCAS!
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March 5
Sophomores, I also added the Soft Rains literary elements sheet to your page
if you need to check your answers. Remember, it will be on Friday's test.
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March 2
Calendars have been updated to reflect changes after yesterday's snow day.
AP: Letter assignment is posted. I'll be using the Literary Essay rubric to
grade it.
10H: the review sheet for the Short Stories test is posted.
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February 25
I hope you're all enjoying your vacation. I added a few new links to satisfy
your intellectual appetites. Embrace your inner nerd and check them out!
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February 8
10H: TKAM writing assignments & the critical thinking rubric that I will use
to grade them with are posted on your handouts page. Calendar dates are
adjusted to account for the guidance visits.
AP: I posted the Communication rubric, which I will use for grading your
Current Events Fridays presentation. Note that on the last item I obviously
will not be grading GUMS since it is an oral presentation; instead, I'll just
look for the organization of the ideas you present to the class. Remember
that you must sign up for your topic the Wednesday before your assigned day.
The Calendar is updated with the day you selected/were placed in.
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February 5
Everyone's calendars now lists what days guidance will be coming in to talk
about course selection with you.
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February 1
AP: Your Gatsby questions are up (please type your responses!). Also, note
the new homework rubric for homework this quarter. Finally, your calendar is
updated with a tentative list of all assignments & categories for this quarter.
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January 29
Teacher's Schedule: S2 schedule posted--note my study period has changed.
10H Calendar: major assessments for Q3 posted. Note the dates may change
based on when guidance comes to our classes.
AP Calendar: Gatsby deadlines up. Stay tuned for a more complete list of
assignment deadlines this week.
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January 17
Creative Writing: There is a new page with your amazing writing journals
posted! See me with the password for access.
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January 11
Creative Writing: A copy of your final assignments is on your page.
AP: New links are up for midterm help.
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January 5
10H: The Vocab Review list is on your handouts page. The test will be January
25th
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December 14
10H: YOUR RESEARCH PAPER FINAL DRAFT DEADLINE IS NOW TUESDAY, DEC. 20TH! This
should allow you to finish your paper and still adequately prepare for
Monday's vocabulary quiz. Turn in just your final draft & the blue rubric sheet.
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December 7
AP: Schemes & Tropes handout is now the one with all the definitions and
examples listed.
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December 5
10H: IR classic book suggestions are posted in your handouts page.
AP: Check the "Virtual Salt" link for help with you homework for Wed.
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November 30
10H: calendar has been altered to reflect new rough draft deadline
AP: participation rubric is on the handouts page (which has been reorganized);
latest assignment sheets are on the assignments page
Creative Writing: participation rubric is posted
Links page has been updated to include some very useful grammar and vocabulary
sites
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November 16
Lots of updates!
10H Handouts--Night project is up. I'll have hard copies for you on Friday.
10H Calendar--due dates are now accurate
AP Calendar--due dates are now accurate
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November 9
10H: Your web quest for class on the 10th is on your Handouts page. Be sure
to spend time over the weekend preparing for Media Center days. Do you have
your paper topic picked? If you're feeling unsure about developing a thesis
statement, check out my link for UNC's Writing Center and view their Thesis
handout. If after completing the worksheet you feel unsure about MLA
formatting, spend some more time looking over OWL's handouts. See you on Monday!
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November 7
10H: Your research paper documents are on your handouts page now.
AP: There are 2 links for Tuesday night's homework on the links page.
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October 4
Welcome! I'm excited to be back! Website will continue to be updated as I
solidify plans for the rest of the first semester.
Students, please feel free to stop by to get extra help, make up work, or talk
about your grade. My schedule lists where I will be on each day of our cycle.
Major assignments are posted on your calendar. If you think you have "no
homework," think again and see what upcoming assessment you should be studying
for!
If you need an extra copy of a worksheet, download and print it from the
Handouts section.
The Links section includes helpful websites, especially for writing and
grammar.
And always remember that I am here to help you succeed! Please email me or
come see me in school for help or advice.
Mrs. Palazzo
epalazzo@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us