To see who has signed up for 2011-2012 high school classes,
go to REGISTRATION & Class Lists
Semester 2
William Faulkner:
As I Lay Dying characters
Semester 1
Inquiry
by Margaret Pope
At the annual school book fair in fifth grade, my mother told me to pick one book. I walked around the school library looking for the perfect one. I did not look at the content of the book, or the topic; I was looking at covers. After a tedious hour of looking I picked Underground Cave, a book about a troll's life. After reading half a chapter I realized the book was no good. The characters were boring, the plot was slow, and there were not enough pictures. People always say, "don't judge a book by its cover;" I believe there is truth to that. Many prestigious books have boring, uncreative covers but are award-winners. Likewise, many books with fabulous covers seem to be the literary work of a child. The school book fair in fifth grade taught me not to judge books by their covers; however, I have noticed that judging people this way can be useful.
Airports are melting pots of chaos and human flesh. The first step to reaching a destination is getting through security, which has itself become quite an inconvenience. We are, after all, in the midst of an international war against terrorism. Thousands of people pass through security each day, and every so often security conducts a "random" search. In all the time I have spent traveling through airports, I have never seen a hot woman with a low-cut shirt and a nice ass being searched. Often I see people like my sister being searched. No fashionista herself, my sister normally wears baggy pants and a big sweatshirt. When traveling, she claims, she "would rather be comfortable". Of the last three out of four family trips, Kathryn has been picked for a "random" search (though if I were security I would probably pick her too; her black baggy sweats do look sketchy and suspicious). But why does security never pick me to search if it's "random"? When I travel I tend to look a bit more polished. Maybe my sister is not a terrorist, but how would security know? TSA has to base its search off something, and a person's outside cover is the simplest thing to judge. When it comes to protecting the people, judging clothing is beneficial.
However, getting through security is just the first step. Once you pass through you are in the midst of it all. The airport's own little mini mall is complete with food courts, shops, and hundreds of people: all dressed in different clothes, some screaming at whining Ękids, some chatting on phones and some running to their gates. I cannot help but look around and make conclusions about the people who surround me. You would think I would learn not to judge a book by its cover: after all, it is my sister who always gets caught up with security, and I know she is no terrorist. Fifth grade taught me never to just look at the cover. Still, in the mess of the airport, I judge.
Last summer, traveling alone to meet my sister, I found myself standing by a middle-aged lady who was a bit overweight and smelled like roses and elder bark. She comforted me. The woman was a motherly figure who wore loose-fitting clothes of pink and blue to hide her size. In a time of chaos, I felt safe standing next to this strange lady. I chose this woman perhaps because, right at that moment, I needed a sense of security. I felt calm. This lady could have been a terrorist, but right then, she helped me. No matter who she was, she made me feel secure and comforted. My conclusions were advantageous to my own security. Judgement is crucial and influential. If I had stood by the taller, skinnier guy, who was dressed in army boots and black pants, I would have been much more jittery and nervous. Uncertain times call for ceratin spontaneous judgements.
To see all of your VOCABULARY to date, go to: American Lit. Vocabulary page
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Our presentation/open house for 2011-2012 programs will be combined with the Spring performance from 6:30 - 9:00 at the Alpine Playhouse on Tuesday, May 31.
The presentation will run from 6:30-7:30, we will break for refreshments from 7:30-8:00, and the Spring Program will begin at 8:00. Click on this icon for your invitation:
3rd Quarter Unfinished Pieces
Gerrit
Assignments: 95% [E] / 95% [C]
AP essays = 67%
SAT essays = 83%
Vocab/Mult. Choice = 82%
Final exam grade = 94%
Final AP LANGUAGE & COMP EXAM = 5
FINISHED!!!
Margaret
Assignments: 98% [E] / 94% [C]
AP essays = 54%
SAT essays = 79%
Vocab/Mult. Choice = 69%
Final exam grade = 90 %
Final AP LANGUAGE & COMP EXAM = 5
FINISHED!!!
Bennet
Assignments: 96% [E] / 93% [C]
AP essays = 43%
SAT essays = 72%
Vocab/Mult. Choice = 71%
Final exam grade = 93%
Final AP LANGUAGE & COMP EXAM = next year!
FINISHED!!!
Mary
Assignments: 85% [E] / 93% [C]
AP essays = 46%
SAT essays = 95%
Vocab/Mult. Choice = 71%
Final exam grade = 94%
Final AP LANGUAGE & COMP EXAM = 5
FINISHED!!!
GRADING:
Participation = 30%
(purely subjective, based on my perceptions of your initiative, interest, self-motivation, & tenacity)
Assignments (two parts of grade)
1st Semester EFFORT = 20%;
CONTENT = 10%
2nd Semester EFFORT = 10%;
CONTENT = 20%
Vocab/Multiple Choice tests = 15%
AP Portfolio essay grades = 15%
Exams = 10%
An explanation of the assignment grades above. The grade you see is an average of the CONTENT grades you have received over an average of the EFFORT grades you have received. During the first semester, the effort grade will be weighted more; during the Spring semester, I will look at the content average as the more signifiicant part of your grade.
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