Mrs. Vivian Sawicki   

Room 305

Summer Reading List for Am Lit – Comp II: Sophomore Summer Reading List of Recommended Books 2008.doc

I teach the following classes first semester 2008-2009:

                                                English 9-Composition I (1st, 4th, 7th  hours)

Public Speaking (2nd hour)

American Literature (5th hour)

Tutoring: I am available before and after school for help with the class.  You need to speak with me if you are having difficulty so that I can make arrangements to meet with you. Please don't wait until the last day before an exam. Let's make sure you understand the material as soon as possible so you can succeed.

ESL - Some resources for English as a Second Language (ESL) students:

Voice of America: Wordmaster

This news and information site allows users to read along as they listen to audio files of articles about English grammar and usage. The site also includes word games and quizzes.

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/wordmaster/index.cfm

 

Diana Hacker guide for ESL students

 This site gives several resources to aid English Language Learners in their study of the language.

http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/Pocket5e/player/pages/Main.aspx

 

Absences: If you are absent (excused) and miss a test or quiz, see me. Remember that you have a limited time to make up missing work after an excused absence before the grade becomes a 0%. In general you have 2 days to make up work for an excused absence.  (This includes written class work, homework, and tests or quizzes.) Check the handbook for details.

All tests are usually given in the testing center in Room 310 before school or in Room 306 after school. You need to see me first to be certain I have your test in the test center! Some quizzes must be made up with me.

Be sure to see me about missing class work so you can make it up in the time provided. You are responsible for all the work you may have missed during an excused absence. Be sure to check with me to avoid missing assignments your classmates may have not told you about. Get the work in within the time allowed! Zeros aren't acceptable and will really screw up your grade.

Cool links: As I cruise the internet, I often find really cool links that I think you will enjoy or will appreciate for enhanced understanding of work we are doing in class. Check back for new links from time to time. If you really like a link let me know.

If a link is broken please let me know.

Need a dictionary for those pesky vocabulary assignments? Try http://www.dictionary.com. Remember that all sentences used for your vocabulary homework need to be original not copied from websites or other students.

If you are searching for an interesting book to read, check out http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm

You might also check out the Teen Web Page at the Michigan Virtual Library: http://www.mel.org/SPT--BrowseResources.php?ParentId=680

Vocabulary word games and fun activities http://www.vocabulary.com/

Another interesting vocabulary site: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/vocabulary.htm

An interesting grammar site: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/

Writing Links

Grammar and usage

Diana Hacker Guide exercises http://www.dianahacker.com/pocket

Dialogue information http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/quotation.htm

Dialogue quotation quiz http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/quotes_quiz.htm

Avoiding plagiarism http://sja.ucdavis.edu/avoid.htm

Grammar review: http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

Another fun grammar site to clarify grammar ideas: http://aliscot.com/bigdog/

Verb tense tutorial: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html

Common errors in English usage http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html

Grammar, punctuation and spelling http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html

MLA documentation http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocMLAWorksCited.html

Daily grammar lessons http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml

Speech Links

Speech topics: really cool site with many topics listed  http://www.speech-topics-help.com/

Logical fallacies and how to recognize them http://www.fallacyfiles.org/introtof.html

Tips on writing a speech http://www.roch.edu/dept/spchcom/anxiety_getting_started.htm

A great resource for speech information: http://www.powerpublicspeaking.com/ 

Another good source for information: http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/jreinard/internet.htm

Speech topic ideas (demonstration and process/informative/persuasive) http://www.speech-topics-help.com/

Demo and process topics: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/npeck/spd100/units/demotopics.htm

Personal Experience Speech link: http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/teachers/alehrer/personal%20experience%20speech.htm

Informative Speech links: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/speaking/infomod/

Topics for informative speeches: http://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/infotopichelp.html

Persuasive speech topics: http://www.uttyler.edu/meidenmuller/rhetoricandwesternculture/speechtopics.htm

Another source for persuasive speech topics: http://www.leeogle.org/byron/bhs/library/persuasion.htm

Listen to a few great speeches: <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/monkeytrial/>

John F Kennedy inaugural speech: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/35_kennedy/psources/ra_inaug.html

Martin Luther King Jr. speeches: http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/

Persuasive argumentation theory: http://www.unl.edu/speech/comm109/Toulmin/index.htm

Top 100 speeches of the 20th century http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html

Novel Links and Contemporary Authors

National Park Service Historic places of the Civil Rights http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/index.htm

Jim Crow information http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm

A web exploration of Jim Crow attitudes http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/index.html

About.com info about Jim Crow laws http://afroamhistory.about.com/cs/jimcrowlaws/a/jimcrowlaws.htm

Civil Rights history http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/15/fyi/main2359504.shtml

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute http://www.bcri.org/index.html

Maya Angelou information http://www.mayaangelou.com/

David Frost interview with Maya Angelou http://www.newsun.com/angelou.html

The Life and Times of Elie Wiesel http://www.pbs.org/eliewiesel/index.html

Oprah's interview with Elie Wiesel http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/200011/omag_200011_elie.jhtml

Information on Auschwitz http://www.auschwitz-muzeum.oswiecim.pl/html/eng/historia_KL/monowice_ok.html

The Holocaust http://twi.classroom.com/holocaust/

Holocaust web exploration: http://teacherweb.com/NY/HoneoyeCentralSchool/TheHolocaust/h1.stm

Farmington Hills Holocaust Center http://www.holocaustcenter.org/index.php?option=com_magazine&Itemid=1

Weisenthal center for Holocaust Studies http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=gvKVLcMVIuG&b=358201

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/secret_life_bees.html

 

American Lit Links (I haven't used these links lately so let me know if they are broken)

 

Library of Congress American discovery http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/1764-1789

Plymouth Plantation http://www.plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html#

Jamestown information http://www.history.com/classroom/jamestownstory/

National Park Service Jamestown http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/jamestown-fact-sheets.htm
      Another historical link to Plimoth Plantation info http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-025/summary/index.asp

Huck Finn discovery page http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/huchompg.html
      Civil War information http://usa.usembassy.de/history-civilwar.htm (be sure to check out the links)     

Text of Huckleberry Finn to read on-line http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Twa2Huc.html  

PBS Civil War info page http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/classroom/lesson_letters.html                           

Another cool Civil War info site http://www.teacheroz.com/civilwar.htm                                                                                

Transcendentalism http://www.transcendentalists.com/                                                                                                                                 

Thomas Jefferson library website on US history http://www.monticello.org/library/links/general.html                                       

(totally cool page) Edgar Allen Poe http://www.online-literature.com/poe/                                                                                                                                               

Gonzaga University http://guweb2.gonzaga.edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/litfram.html                                                                                            

American Literature .gov: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/oal/oaltoc.htm

Theatre

Shakespeare

Public Broadcasting site that ties to their program on Shakespeare http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/

Food and information on the Renaissance and Medieval period http://www.tms.riverview.wednet.edu/lrc/middle_ages.htm#Food%20And%20Recipes

Clothing of the Renaissance http://www.elizabethancostume.net/

Interesting web site on period http://www.omnibusol.com/mediev2.html

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/

Some insight into Romeo and Juliet http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/love-in-the-arts/romeo.html

Movies and Shakespeare http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/film/lessonplan.html

Shakespeare dictionary http://www.william-shakespeare.info/william-shakespeare-dictionary.htm

The Tragic Hero basic information (go to "The Process"): http://www.teachtheteachers.org/projects/JZarro2/index.htm

Tragic Hero in Shakespeare: http://global.cscc.edu/engl/264/TragedyLex.htm#GENERAL

Greek Theatre

Greek theatre link you will enjoy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ancientgreece/classics/theatre/intro.shtml

Greek theatre information links: http://www.parsonsd.co.uk/theatre/theatre_index.php

Greek theatre info: http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots/tragedy.htm

Greek tragedy and comedy: http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/articles/230400b.htm

Theatre history: http://www.cwu.edu/~robinsos/ppages/resources/Theatre_History/Theahis_2.html

Theatre history: http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/greek.html

Greek theatre and play introduction: http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/ancientgreek.htm

Yet another theatre history site: http://www.greektheatre.gr/

Design of the Greek theatre: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/drjclassics/lectures/theater/ancient_greek_theater.shtm

Design and architecture of Greek theatre and plays: http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/Architec/AncientArchitectural/GreekArchitecture/GreekBuilding/Theater.htm

Origin of Greek theatre: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/drjclassics/lectures/theater/ancient_Greek_drama.shtm

Greek theatre and stage: http://www.angelfire.com/ct2/evenski/greekdrama/greektheater.html

Greek theatre, religion, morality: http://www.angelfire.com/ct2/evenski/greekdrama/greekdramahome.html

Ancient Greek manners and customs: http://www.bible-history.com/links.php?cat=3&sub=256&cat_name=Ancient+Greece&subcat_name=Manners+%26+Customs

Greek burial rites: http://people.uncw.edu/deagona/ancientnovel/kristina.htm

Death and burial in Ancient Greece: http://www.umich.edu/~classics/programs/class/cc/101/Elizabeth/main_death_page.htm

Greek funeral practices http://www.morbidoutlook.com/nonfiction/articles/2002_11_greekfuneral.html

Aristotle's Tragic Hero: http://brainstorm-services.com/wcu-lit/tragedy.html

Creative Writing

Creative sites (general)

A poetry exploration: In the Poet's Shoes http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson78/poetshoes4.htm

An awesome visual poetry site that creates animals from letters http://www.bemboszoo.com/Bembo.swf

Interesting mandala meditation site http://www.ababasoft.com/mindconcentration/poem_reminder.html

A fun creative writing site: http://www.writingfix.com/

Suggestions for creative writing presentations: Creative Writing presentation ideas.doc

Errors in creative story telling http://www.sfwa.org/writing/mistakes_allen.htm

Grimm's Fairy Tales for the Point of View project http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~spok/grimmtmp/

Hans Christian Anderson tales for the Point of View project http://hca.gilead.org.il/#list scroll down the page

The Writer's Almanac http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/

Writing prompts from Writer's Digest: http://www.writersdigest.com/writingprompts.asp

Creative Writing includes contests for teens http://teenwriting.about.com/

Some fun writing activities from Scholastic http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/index.htm

Creative writing ideas: http://www.teachersdesk.org/writing_plans.html

Poetry

Poetry terminology http://www.poeticbyway.com/glossary.html

Poetry by professional writers http://www.poets.org/

Meditation poetry for fun http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/resources/poetry.html#love

Poetry 180 with professional writers <http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/>

Poetry page with links to professional poems http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/home.html

A virtual poetry workshop http://www.writenet.org/virtualpoetrywrkshp.html

Memoirs

Writing Memoirs http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/lifestyles/links/how_tos/howto_memoirs.html

Study Skills links (these links have good suggestions on taking tests and organizing your study)

Career Planning Links

Begin by trying the career planning link at mapping-your-future website below, then find information concerning one of the careers that you find most appealing.

Career planning http://www.mapping-your-future.org/

The career exploration Mrs. Dulgerian had the class explore: http://www.careercruising.com/default.asp

Student Gov http://www.students.gov/STUGOVWebApp/Public

College Navigator

This source for college information allows you to search for U.S. colleges by name, location, type of institution, and programs/majors. Provides   material about expenses, financial aid, enrollment, admission, athletics, and more. Include multiple institutions on a "favorites" list to see side-by-side comparisons. Also includes links to material about applying for financial aid and careers. From the Institute of Education Science (IES) National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education.

URL: http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

High School Hub website http://www.highschoolhub.org/hub/hub.cfm

Teen Space career planning http://www.ipl.org/div/teen/

Finding a career http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/

The Career Key interest questions http://www.careerkey.org/english/

What to include in your report:

Name of Career, Why that career interests you, What a person does on the job, The risks or rewards involved in that career, The talents or interests that appeal, How much and what kind of education is needed, 3 schools in our area that offer programs for that career, The prospects for this career in the next 10 years, The income that people earn in that career.

Study Guide Links

Sign up for a study skill free newsletter from this site: http://www.learning-study-skills.com/

How to Study website with many useful suggestions: http://www.how-to-study.com/

Study guide with many helpful hints http://www.studygs.net/

Handouts to help you with study info: http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/stutips.html

Another study skills page that has useful information: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_ISS.htm

Marquette University study guide pages http://www.eop.mu.edu/study/

Virginia Tech study guide aids http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html

SouthWestern University test recommendations http://www.southwestern.edu/academic/acser-skills-teststr.html