STUDENTS & PARENTS: I UPDATE THIS PAGE REGULARY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ADDRESSED HERE, PLEASE SEE ME.
ONLINE LEARNING BEGINS MONDAY, APRIL 6. CHECK YOUR STUDENT EMAIL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. MISS YOU GUYS!
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILIES OVER OUR EXTENDED BREAK. 
Wednesday, 3/11 - Students attended a special performance in the PAC about the Harlem Renaissance. This was a graded assignment.
Monday & Tuesday, 3/9 & 3/10 - Students completed their 2-day DISRICT BENCHMARK.
Friday, 3/6 - We reviewed the test answers and began a 5Ws and 1H Coronavirus article graphic organizer (I did not collect).
Thursday, 3/5 - Students took a 100-point test on semicolons and colons. Congratulations to my top scorers: Tabitha J and Angel G. 
Wednesday, 3/4 - Today we did some more reviewing of just semicolons; tomorrow students will take the 100-point test.
Monday & Tuesday, 3/2 & 3/3 - Semicolons and Colons review. On Monday, students received their corrected Pre-Quiz back for study notes.
Wednesday & Thursday, 2/26 & 2/27 - Sub Days. Please follow the sub instructions; we will begin our semicolons and colons review upon my return.
Monday and Tuesday, 2/24 & 2/25 - Students completed a handout about the Upfront article "The U.S. vs. Iran."
We discussed the importance - and variety of - text features, as well as why quotes and statistics are important to non-fiction writing
Friday, 2/21 - Today students worked in groups and compared two mediums: a memoir and a graphic novel.
Thursday, 2/20 - Today the class continued to analyze the excerpt of the novel in preparation for Friday's groupwork.
Wednesday, 2/19 - Today students began reading and analyzing an excerpt of the memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran.
Tuesday, 2/18 - Today stduents color-edited a peer's paper in preparation for the Wednesday, April 1 Grade 9 FSA test. Practice makes perfect!
NOTE: Students who came to class unprepared today were given the class period to finish their essays; they received a zero for today's color-editing.
Thursday, 2/13 - Today most students finished their essay; all students should bring their completed essay to school on Tuesday for a color-editing activity.
Wednesday, 2/12 - I can't wait to read your essays! Today in class everyone was hard at work finishing their 5-paragraph essay.
Tuesday, 2/11 - Today students wrote the introduction and the first body paragraph of their informative essay.
NOTE: I do strongly encourage students to re-write/edit/polish their introduction and body paragraph tonight.
The entire paper will be due when students walk into class on Thursday, February 13.
Monday, 2/10 - Today students received an FSA Informative Essay rubric and this week's writing assignment. The plan was due today.
Thursday, 2/6 - Today we began annotating Kennedy's speech; as we annotated, we discussed King, Kennedy, parallel structure, and repetition.
Friday, 2/7 - Today students read and annotated Bobby Kennedy's speech, answered Questions #1-6, and submitted their work for a grade.
We also analyzed a piece of artwork that juxtaposed a photograph of Bobby Kennedy with one of MLK Jr for rhetorical effect. Great discussion!
Wednesday, 2/5 - Today we went over test items that many students missed; we also watched and listened to Bobby Kennedy's eulogy for MLK.
Tuesday, 2/4 - Today students finished their computer-based assessment and began reading a speech in their Close Readers.
The speech is "A Eulogy for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." by Robert F. Kennedy on pages 25-28.
Monday 2/3 - On Monday, students took the first part of a computer-based assessment on MLK's I Have a Dream.
There were also questions on the colon (:).
Please review the proper use of the colon (:) and semicolon (;) in preparation for the Grade 9 FSA Reading test in May.
Monday 2/3 - On Monday, we will be taking a computer-based assessment on MLK's I Have a Dream.
Friday 1/31 - Today we reviewed the "Process of Elimination" test-taking strategy. On Monday, we will APPLY it!
Thursday, 1/30 - Today students worked on their rhetorical devices project; students may submit Friday for full credit.
We also read a book today in Period 2 - The Three Questions - in honor of Literacy Week.
Wednesday, 1/29 - Wow! I just LOVE the AWESOME creations students are coming up with for their assignment on rhetorical devices!
I can't wait to hang up ALL the EXEMPLARS! We will finish this project tomorrow (Thursday) in class. Can't wait to get them all!
Tuesday, 1/28 - Today students learned what the expectations will be for their Rhetorical Devices assignment. Some students began the work.
Monday, 1/27 - Today students took an "open-magazine" test on the article "Sitting Down to Take a Stand."
Friday, 1/24 - Today students took a test on the Gettysburg Address.
After the test, students completed a packet that included a photo anaylsis, graph analysis, and inference activity.
NOTE: All of these skills will be tested on the Grade 9 FSA Reading Test in May. (The FSA Writing Test will be on April 1.)
Thursday, 1/23 - Today we discussed "The Greensboro Four" and began a photo analysis.
Students, remember to study for your test on the Gettsburg Address tomorrow - Friday, 1/24!
Wednesday, 1/22 - Today students evaluated a "top" student paper that was written in response to a 2008 argumentative prompt.
Tuesday, 1/21 - Today we discussed the FSA Writing Test that all Grade 9 students will take on Wednesday, April 1.
Friday, 1/17 - Today we viewed and discussed MLK Jr's I Have a Dream.
Thursday, 1/16 - Today students answered a more challenging multiple choice question about parallel structure.
Several students also successfully wrote their own parallel sentences. AWESOME JOB! 
Wednesday, 1/15 - Today students began thinking about the meaning behind the term "civil rights."
We also discussed a few of the Civil Rights Movement's most important, galvanizing moments.
Tuesday, 1/14 - Students pulled evidence of the "seminal" (notworthy, historically significant) aspects of Lincoln's speech.
Period 3 also completed a skills check "mini-test" on the semicolon; I will share the data with you tomorrow.
Monday, 1/13 - Today we continued analyzing the Gettysburg Address, in particular its parallel structure.
Friday, 1/10 - Today students attended a performance in the PAC. THANK YOU, STUDENTS, for behaving respectfully! 
Thursday, 1/9 - Today students received back their letters.
Review your grade on the Family Access Portal, and unless you have any questions, return them SEALED to me. 
NOTE: If you did not use a semicolon correctly, your score is a 71%. Please review your semicolon notes before our next quiz. !
Today we began discussing President Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address. In particular, we focused on his assassination.
Wednesday, 1/8 - Today students submitted their January letters.
We also discussed student data and employability expectations (except Period 8 - they attended the Grade 9 Assembly).
Tuesday, 1/7 - Today students wrote a "January letter" to themselves that meets the following requirements:
Address two bullet points that are reflective (focused on 2019). Choose from the instructions provided in class.
Address two bullet points that are forward-looking (focused on 2020). Choose from the instructions provided in class.
Include one semicolon, correctly used, in your letter. Highlight the semicolon. (See examples on the board.)
Address the envelope provided as shown.
The letter is due Tuesday, 1/8. Period 8 will need to submit the letter at the beginning of class on 1/8 (before the assembly).
Everyone else: The letter is due at the end of class on 1/8. (If you were absent, I need it no later than when you arrive on 1/9.)
WELCOME BACK, FRESHMEN! And happy new year!
QUARTER 2 GRADES HAVE BEEN FINALIZED.
HAVE A WONDERFUL WINTER BREAK! I WILL SEE YOU ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 7 - THE FIRST DAY OF QUARTER 3!
MIDTERMS BEGIN ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, AND END ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20. WE WILL HAVE AN ALTERNATE BELL SCHEDULE.
Wednesday, 12/18 - Wow. Students really put forth 100% on today's midterm; as a special treat, we will be going to a play in the PAC on the Friday of your return!
Tuesday, 12/17 - Students assumed the role of Mr. Pirzada and wrote a letter to their family in Dacca. PERIOD 2 MIDTERM IS TOMORROW.
Monday, 12/16 - Today students took a test on Kashmir; students who chose to had the opportunity to earn up to 9 extra credit points.
If you were absent today (I had several absences), see me ASAP on Tuesday for the in-class makeup.
Friday, 12/13 - Today we finished the short story by Jhumpa Lahiri. On Monday, you will take a test on Kashmir.
Thursday, 12/12 - We read further in and discussed "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine." Students added to their quadrant exercise.
NOTE: On Monday, students will take an open-magazine test on Kashmir. It will be their last test grade of Quarter 2.
If any student wants to borrow a copy of the magazine to read in advance, please ask Mrs. Yeh.
Wednesday, 12/11 - Today students continued to read the short story "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine."
Tuesday, 12/10 - Students began a quadrant exercise related to the short story cited below.
Monday, 12/9 - Today students discussed "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine" by Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri.
The short story is in your Collections text, beginning on page 103.
We also started an index card assignment that we will finish in class tomorrow.
Thursday and Friday, 12/5 & 12/6 - Students read and the class discussed the narrative poem "Pyramus and Thisbe."
Students, you will participate in a PRACTICE FSA WRITING TEST on Wednesday, 12/4.
By now, you should have written down your testing time and location. If you aren't sure, please see me ASAP.
Please make sure you sign up for my course on Blackboard before 12/4. This is how you will access the test materials on test day.
Tuesday, 12/3 - Today we discussed tomorrow's FSA Writing Practice test. Do your best. It is a 100-point test grade.
In addition, students completed the Kashmir handout (2 sides). Students who did not finish in class were allowed to take the work home. It's due Thursday.
Monday, 12/2 - Today students continued their analysis of the article on Kashmir, focusing on how the author presented cause and effect.
HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!
Friday, 11/22 - Students read an article about Kashmir and completed a graphic organizer.
Thursday, 11/21 - Students completed an open-magazine test related to the Ebola article.
Wednesday, 11/20 - Today we continued looking at the Ebola article. Students were also advised about the December 4 Mock FSA Writing test for Grade 9.
Tuesday, 11/19 - Today students read the article "Winning the War Against Ebola" in the October 28, 2019 edition of Upfront.
Monday, 11/18 - Today students took their Shakespeare/Romeo & Juliet test.
Students, please make sure you sign up for my course on Blackboard before 12/4.
On 12/4, all students will need to access Blackboad to complete the MOCK GRADE 9 WRITING FSA.
YOUR SHAKESPEARE / ROMEO & JULIET TEST (25 QUESTIONS; MULTIPLE CHOICE) WILL BE ON MONDAY, 11/18.
Use your two Study Guides (one is blue & one is gold) to help your prepare.
Friday, 11/15 - Today we reviewed for the Shakespeare/Romeo & Juliet test.
Thursday, 11/14 - Today we analyzed Mercutio's dying words to Romeo, and discussed what is a pun.
We also finished reading the condensed version of Romeo & Juliet.
Wednesday, 11/13 - Today we read the condensed version of Act III (Scenes 1-5).
Students also submitted their (second) index card assignment: Analyzing the motivations of Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo.
If you were absent, view the scene at these links (~9 mins.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ0kOi6qqHY
And here (~ 5 mins.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BftisZAv7tY
List three observations about each of the characters listed above; in addition, state, based on their actions and dialogue, what motivates each character.
Tuesday, 11/12 - Today we discussed the dramatic climax of Romeo & Juliet: Act III, Scene 1.
Monday, 11/11 - Today we looked closely at Act 2 of the play. Tomorrow, you will complete an assignment pertaining to 2.6 (Act 2, Scene 6).
Friday, 11/8 - Students took their semicolons quiz. I will grade them over the weekend! Stay tuned!
Also, congratulations Period 2 for completing your first official discussion. Overall, you did an EXCELLENT job!
We reviewed the Accountable Talk expectations; in the future, I will grade you on your demonstration of these important behaviors.
STUDY FOR YOUR SEMICOLONS QUIZ ON FRIDAY, 11/8!
Thursday, 11/7 - Students read and annotated Act II, Scene 2, of Romeo & Juliet. The expectation was four annotations per page.
Today was a sub day; I will see you tomorrow for our quiz. Study tonight!
Wednesday, 11/6 - Students took a practice semicolon quiz and began reading Act II, Scene 2 of Romeo & Juliet.
Tuesday, 11/5 - Today we finished our lesson on the semicolon; the quiz will be on Friday.
Study your semicolon packet, including the notes you wrote on the back page, and you will do GREAT!
Monday, 11/4 - We are learning how to use a semicolon; practice makes perfect!
Friday, 11/1 - Today students wrote a 4-paragraph essay/reflection about one of three possible topics.
For example, some students chose to write about their freshman year so far.
Every paragraph must contain at least five sentences - to help ensure that students' ideas are adequately developed.
Period 2 had the option to submit on Monday (but no later).
Thursday, 10/31 - Today we examined several adaptations of Act 1, Scene 5, of Romeo & Juliet. We added notes to our gold packet.
Wednesday, 10/30 - Today we added notes to Act I, Scenes 1-3, of our Romeo & Juliet Study Guide (gold packet).
Tuesday, 10/29 - Today we discussed dramatic conventions and we read a condensed version of Act 1 of Romeo & Juliet.
THANK YOU to our volunteer readers! Plays were meant to be performed - seen and heard - so your participation helped make Shakespeare come alive!
Monday, 10/28 - Today we looked at the Prologue to Romeo & Juliet.
Students received a new gold handout that provides a character map and scene synopses of the entire play.
Friday, 10/25 - We reviewed answers to the article students read yesterday and students took a 7-question, FSA-style quiz on a passage about Shakespeare.
Thursday, 10/24 - Students read an article about Shakespeare and answered questions in pairs; we'll go over the answers together tomorrow.
Wednesday, 10/23 - We had a fantastic discussion today in Period 2 about Queen Elizabeth I and her rise to power! Good stuff!
Tuesday, 10/22 - YIKES! I am missing papers from several of you. I will accept late work for a 10% deduction per day. After three days, it is a ZERO. 
Make arrangements to see me before or after school if you have questions or need assistance. "I don't know" or "I don't understand" are never good excuses.
ADVOCATE for yourself and get the help you need! (For those of you who submitted on time, I look forward to reading your work! )
Monday, 10/21 - Several students submitted/shared their papers with me online. If you did this today, I will print it for you.
The paper due date is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 22. If you did not finish it on Monday in class, please bring me a typed or handwritten copy.
Check the Student Portal for a copy of the rubric (how I will grade it). The rubric I will use is the same rubric that will be used on the FSA.
Friday, 10/18 - Students worked on their argumentative essay. The paper is due at the end of class on Monday (shared with me via laptop).
Some students who are behind will be drafting their papers long-hand over the weekend, so that on Monday they can type them.
Thursday, 10/17 - Students completed Day 2 of their 2-day District benchmark.
Wednesday, 10/16 - Students completed Day 1 of their two-day District Benchmark.
The District Benchmark is a computer-based test meant to simulate the Florida Standards Assessment/FSA.
Tuesday, 10/15 - Students began drafting Paragraphs 1 and 2 of their argumentative essay. They saved it on Office 365.
Tomorrow Period 2 will be displaced to Room 8-216 (computer lab). While there, students will take the first part of their District Benchmark.
QUARTER 1 GRADES HAVE BEEN FINALIZED.
Friday, 10/11 - Students completed their plans for their argumentative paper; they will begin drafting their essays on Tuesday. Laptops will be available.
Thursday, 10/10 - Sub Day (while Mrs. Yeh attended mandatory training elsewhere on campus). Students were to have completed the handout provided.
Wednesday, 10/9 - Students planned their introduction and wrote their claim statement. The plan must be complete by the end of class on Friday.
Tuesday, 10/8 & Monday, 10/7 - Students finished collecting text evidence from NIght, An Ordinary Man, and "The End and the Beginning."
Friday, 10/4 - Period 2 got off to an excellent start collecting text evidence for their next paper!
Thursday, 10/3 - Students took a colon quiz and received a packet for "How to Write an Argument." We'll begin our segment on argumentative writing tomorrow.
Wednesday, 10/2 - Students read and, together, we discussed the poem "The End and the Beginning" by Wislawa Symborska.
Tuesday, 10/1 - Happy October! (Where has the time gone?) Today we practiced with colons and parallel structure.
Monday, 9/30�- Today we completed our colon lesson. Our quiz will be on Thursday.
Friday, 9/27 - Today we learned about Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the "Final Solution." We examined Ben Kingsley's portrayal of Eichmann on film and reviewed literary terms including extended metaphor and parallelism.
Thursday, 9/26 - We had Part 1 of a lesson on the colon (:). Students took notes and practiced sentences using a colon.
Wednesday, 9/25 - We took a 2-part test on Night today; the first part was closed book, and the second part was open book.
Tuesday, 9/24 - We proofread our papers today and added some examples to our Literary Terms dictionaries (pink packet in students' binders).
Monday, 9/23 - HOORAY! We finished our papers; now all we need to do is PROOFREAD! The Night test will be on Wednesday.
Friday, 9/20 - Students worked on their essays; I WILL BE CHECKING ON MONDAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED PARAGRAPHS 1-3.
So far, everyone is doing an outstanding job!
Thursday, 9/19 - Students completed half of their essay; we will be finishing the essay on Friday and editing and proofreading our work on Monday.
Wednesday, 9/18 - Students completed their first paragraphs of their essays, and most students have already selected their text evidence for paragraph 2.
Tuesday, 9/17 - After discussing the grading rubric, we began writing a 4-paragraph essay on Night in response to the Performance Task on page 314.
Monday, 9/16 - We finsihed the packet on NIght (Questions #1-14); however, a couple of students will need to complete it at home.
Today in class we discussed the story of Holocaust survivor Steen Metz, who visited NPHS a couple of years ago to share his story.
Friday, 9/13 - Today students discussed the difference between denotation and connotation, and why "skinny" is not the same as "thin," which is not the same as "emaciated."
Make sure that you have answered through Question #9 in your Night reading packet.
Thursday, 9/12 - Students answered Questions #4-6 in their Night packets. Today we discussed the notorious Dr. Mengele.
Wednesday, 9/11 - After discussing 9/11, we resumed working on Night. Students received a handout packet for Night and we answered Questions #1-3.
Tuesday, 9/10 - Students wrote down definitions for five words that appear in the memoir.
We read the first two pages of the excerpt and discussed the followed terms: euphemism, verbal irony, and connotation.
Looking ahead, we also examined the content requirements for the 4-paragraph essay students will be writing when we complete the memoir.
Monday, 9/9 - Today we began discussing the Holocaust and the memoir that we will be analyzing for the next several days: Night by Elie Wiesel.
Friday, 9/6 - Today Period 2 had a breakthrough when we realized that, yes, we can SOAPStone any text!
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! What a fun class! You guys are the best!
Thursday, 9/5 - We began learning about "SOAPStone" - a reading strategy to help increase comprehension.
Today we started to "SOAPStone" the excerpt of Paul Rusesabagina's memoir An Ordinary Man. We will be referring to this strategy throughout the year.
Wednesday, 9/4 - Students completed the Pre-Test assessment and completed a 16-question online school culture survey.
NOTE: Any student who was absent on Tuesday or Wednesday is responsible for completing the 30-question Pre-Test assessment at home this evening.
Tuesday, 9/3 - Students received written feedback (and a grade) today for their Close Reader page 84 assignment.
We also started a computer-based "Pre-Test" assessment that we will complete tomorrow.
No School on Monday, Labor Day
Friday, 8/30 - Students completed a RAFT (Role/Audience/Format/Topic) assignment related to An Ordinary Man. See me for the makeup work next week.
Thursday, 8/29 - Students who finished their academic response began a SOAPStone exercise with their peers. Students who did not complete the writing assignment should finish it this evening and bring it with you to class on Friday.
OPEN HOUSE IS THURSDAY, 8/29, FROM 6:00-7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, 8/28 - Students began writing an academic response based on the plan we created. The response will be due at the end of class on Thursday.
Tuesday, 8/27 - As a class, we discussed how to approach planning an academic response - and we began an excellent plan!
Tomorrow, we will finish the plan and write a response to both parts of the "Short Response" prompt on page 84 of the Close Reader.
Monday, 8/26 - Today was picture day! There was just enough time at the end of class for a quick binder check for those students who were ready.
Friday, 8/23 - Students finished reading the excerpt from An Ordinary Man. We discussed author's purpose and Paul Rusesabagina's final explanation as to how he believes he was able to protect 1,268 people in Rwanda's 1994 genocide.
Thursday, 8/22 - We analyzed, annotated, and discussed pages 80-81, lines 66-112. Propaganda - what it is and how it works - figured prominently into our discussion, as did the theoretical origin and progression of genocide.
Wednesday, 8/21 - We looked closely at pages 78-79, lines 25-65, practiced annotating, and discussed how the rhetorical use of similes help advance the author's purpose. Period 2 is participating, asking insightful questions, and working well together!
Tuesday, 8/20 - We discussed and looked at examples of three kinds of annotation: Text-to-Self, Text-to-World, and Text-to-Text; students practiced annotating lines 1-24.
Monday, 8/19 - Students were issued their Close Reader workbooks, and we began discussing the excerpt of the memoir An Ordinary Man (pp. 77-84).
Mrs. Yeh's freshmen English classes will get their pictures taken on Monday, 8/26. Students were given written photo information in class.
Friday, 8/16 - We practiced procedures for entering and exiting class, and students played a BINGO icebreaker game and completed a textbook survey.
Thursday, 8/15 - We formed groups today and discussed group etiquette, including Accountable Talk. Students participated in an icebreaker.
Wednesday, 8/14 - We discussed Growth vs. Fixed mindset. Students did an in-class writing.
Tuesday, 8/13 - We practiced classroom procedures and completed index cards. Students took a short assessment on Growth vs. Fixed mindset.
Monday, 8/12 - Students received the course syllabus (orange) and an Acknowledgment Form (gray). The acknowledgement form is due Friday.