If I Can Dream

Farewell, my literary interlocutors! The time has come for you to read literary works for pleasure (although, I'm sure I have ruined birds, windows, and other motifs for you). If you are so inclined, I highly recommend reading Brave New World, which time did not allow us to begin. It is modern, it is a dystopia, it is futuristic yet written in 1932. Whatever the case, you know where I am if you need me.

I hope that all of you fight for your dreams and help others to attain their dreams. You all have the capacity to make the world - here, there, anywhere) better. Here is a link to the song I played in class for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwqbuus8QPU&start_radio=1&list=RDiwqbuus8QPU.

And, lastly, here are the Birds of Paradise in all their glory:

The End

We finished up Wuthering Heights today with both classes completing the final discussion of AP Lit. Afterwards, we posed for our group photos - some serious, some surprisingly flexible - and started watching the 1992 version of the film, which we will finish during the next class.

Second hour, I read through your silent discussion board and left some comments if you feel the need to read my observations - just one more time.

Reminders:

1. Still would like to have your portfolio back for sample copies.

2. If you are hoarding any novels from the class, I need these NOW as fines will be assessed on Monday. Save you, me, and the front office from hassles.

Almost the End

First off, don't forget to wear you snazzy AP Lit original t-shirt tomorrow for our group photos. With all the testing on Friday, we may have some missing faces, but we definitely want a remembrance of the class.

As mentioned in second hour today, we are short on several of the books from AP Lit. This includes your big green textbook, Grendel, King Lear, The Cherry Orchard, The Metamorphosis, Frankenstein, and Wuthering Heights. With senior fines due prior to your exit next week, I will be fining students who want a keepsake from the class.

We wrapped up the alternative assessment today and grades are posted. There are only 2 grades that will be added to fifth hour (ch.12-14 close reading and Friday's participation); there are only 3 grades that will be added to second hour (ch.12-14 close reading, Thursday's silent discussion board - fabulous thoughts from you all - and Friday's participation). Of course, I will also be adding extra credit for those of you in the top 37. That will not be until after AP Lang finishes their reviews, so for those of you who spent quality time with  me during lunches and after school will have to wait for that component. Technically, you can still come to reviews if you want.

See you tomorrow - with a lot of textbooks - and we will finish our analysis of Wuthering Heights and start watching the movie. I can't believe we only have 2 classes left in this vintage of AP Lit!

The Winning Shoes

Well, I'm going to blame Edna for this one.

Here are the top 5 pairs voted on by your AP Lit class. I think it is only fitting that the Birds of Paradise was the victor because if it wasn't windows, it was birds in cages populating our motifs.

1: Charlotte Olympia's Birds of Paradise, which does make perfect sense with all the bird motifs flying through our literary developments. Yes, it costs that much. Yes, it is still in my size. Yes, I will be on a budget for the rest of the month since I usually buy everything on deeply discounted sales.  https://www.charlotteolympia.com/en/purrrfect-10/birds-of-paradise-multi-colour-V009958CDL0960.html?cgid=category_collections_purrrfect10#page=1&start=2

2 (tie): Charlotte Olympia's Eve, which I'm glad to see that a lot of you are a fan of my favorite shoe designer. I need to organize my shoe room, or rooms at this point, but I have about 20 pairs of her shoes at this point. I do keep count of the order that I buy her shoes. Weird, quirky, strange sense of organization? Probably all three. Plus, my dad loves Charlotte Olympia since we visited her London store and were completely pampered by their staff. After our trip, he now sees himself as an expert on Charlotte Olympia, Christian Louboutin, and Keats. Imagine my expression right now. https://www.charlotteolympia.com/en/purrrfect-10/eve-green-V009961SUK0300.html?cgid=category_collections_purrrfect10#page=1&start=3

2 (tie): Rupert Sanderson's Eden, and I am sensing a theme here with the previous shoes. I should have found one named Adam or apple or something likewise biblical. I don't have any shoes by Sanderson as of yet, so I don't have the ethos to communicate comfort or durability. https://www.zappos.com/p/rupert-sanderson-eden/product/9015641

4: Castaner Bee Platforms, which of all the shoes in the top 5 just went on sale! With Brooke's love of bees, I was surprised this did not receive more votes, but I know the bee shoes from last year were more of a favorite. As soon as they pop up in a 39.5 on the RealReal, I will have them! https://www.farfetch.com/shopping/women/castan-er-embellished-bee-platforms-item-12692243.aspx?storeid=9870&from=listing

5: Charlotte Olympia Belinda, which I have a version in Goodness Gracious Coral Reef and is the leading contender for AP Lang with a week to go. Technically, my exact size is sold out, so I may go for another pair for AP Lang - you know, one that is on sale. Nothing wrong with being pragmatic. https://www.charlotteolympia.com/en/collections/campaigns/bridal/belinda-ivory-B001141SUE0110.html?cgid=category_collections_bridal#page=2&start=22

As I mentioned in a very contrived, possibly corny toast this morning, you did enter AP Lit as baby Grendel, curious about literature, wanting to learn about poetry, not having the language to clarify interpretation. From your initial Awakening into the literary world, you amassed characterization, a return to themes (not purpose, former AP Langers), an author's milieu, figurative language. As you began your Metamorphosis into poetry, you came into contract with strange language like dactyl, anapest, hexameter, caesura, volta, and villanelle - all of the feet, meter, poetic elements that help you to understand the quirks of poetry. And then, you shed the identity of the Creature and became an Adam (or other name we picked for him) able to read, connect, and apply the great pieces of literature. After this class, I hope you continue to read - classics, beach reads, anything really that will continue your journey through the pages of creativity.

Twas the Night Before the AP Lit Test

Twas the night before the AP Lit test, when all through the 404 fam,
Not a spondee was stirring, not even an iamb
The prompts are awaiting for your eye
Ready to grant you a scintillating five
So my bibliophiles of this year or two,
Prior to our breakfast and, of course, coffee too
Hearken to the novels, the lens, the meter, the feet
Remember the voltas and the characters we did meet
Attack those multiple choice passages even if not so fine
And write about poetry, prose, and free response to score all nines.

Sorry that was not up to the level of your reading abilities at this point after a year of AP Lit (I probably disappointed Keatsy there), but I am very proud of all the work you have done this year in Lit - look at all the novels, plays, and poems that have helped you aggrandize into literary critics, ready to slash through a poem for its enjambment, its caesura, its stanzas, its meter or delve into the characterization - hey, don't forget those character types - of minor details, dialogue, and conflict. Yes, it is important to review the terms (and spelling for some of you) and to remember that you underline novels and plays and place quotation marks around poems. However, you have the ethos now for the occupation hand and will do the best that you can! Oops, the rhyming continues. Thanks for taking AP Lit and putting up with me. I hope you have learned a lot for not just the AP exam but your future endeavors.

Breakfast will be ready around 6:45, our toast at 7:10, and our walk to the foyer at 7:20!

P.S. Fifth hour shirts are here, and they are darling! Fingers crossed that second hour arrives tomorrow!

2 Days

Since lunches and after school have revolved around preparations for the AP Lit exam on Wednesday, I feel that I am ready for the test. Are you? At this point, you should have all your terms down, be able to break down poetry and prose prompts, and sculpt a free response with those critical lenses. All of this information will be part of our review lunch and 3 hour AP Lit cram on Tuesday, which would behoove all of you - taking the actual or alternative exam - and your comprehension of the skills needed for success on the last MC and writing prompts.

In class, our order is simple: MC, poetry prompt, prose prompt, free response prompt, toolbox cards, and buzzers for the ultimate in competitive knowledge.

I'm off to work with AP Lang and then our after school study session and then maybe make lists on the board of everything you should know at this point. That's going to take a while, and I hope it's worth it!

The MC Results

I just finished grading the MC portion of the practice exam/final, and I know that many of you are curious to find out your score and, possibly, exceed my score of 51/55. While I will not be posting the grades on the blog, here is a little overview of how both classes did on this portion of the exam:

• For the magical 50%, goal 1 of 28 questions, there were 27 of you that made it to this level or higher.
• For the tremendous 60%, goal 2 of 33 questions, there were 23 of you that made it to to this level or higher.
• For the phenomenal 70%, goal 3 of 39 questions, there were 16 of you that made it to this level or higher.
• For the scintillating 2 on the exam, goal 4 of 43 questions, there were 11 of you that amassed this score: HS, KH, IB, CL, MR, HB, NS, JK, KF, CB, KM.

And as for the highest score? Well, that still belongs to me with 51, which means my average on both of our exams would be 51.5. Not too shabby. I hope the AP Lang test will be as favorable for me tomorrow!

We will be going over the MC and the prompts next week before the AP Lit exam. I can't wait to see how you score on those prompts!

6 Days to Go

Second hour is now through 2 passages and the MC portion of the practice exam/final - with the final portion tomorrow, and fifth hour has completed all four components. If you have missed any parts of this exam, it is up to you to schedule a make-up time.

In the world of Wuthering Heights, which we are definitely shortchanging due to the crunch of the AP exam next week, fifth hour should be through chapter 26 for Monday, and second hour through chapter 20.

Don't forget that if you are taking the alternative assessment next week, it will occur on May 9 for fifth hour and May 10 for second hour.

Off to grade. I missed 4 on the MC (and in each case, my second answer was the correct choice), and I want to see if any of you beat me.

And, we have had a handful of you come to lunch sessions and after school sessions to prep for the exam. I highly recommend you attend - I know it is helping my score to study all of these elements over and over again - especially the big AP Lit Cram on Tuesday.

P.S. All seniors need to complete a digital survey regarding their exit from FZN. I have sent you an e-mail with the link, so do complete so that we can use all of our class time to prep for next week! Can you imagine that in two weeks you will be finished (in theory) with high school! And, that I won't have any more essays to grade (for three months)!

The Final Countdown

The AP Lit test is seven days away! That means preparations are under way for the final rush of literary terms, poetry analysis, prose characterization, and free response prompts. As you are aware, there are additional sessions for more practice and, what is probably most needed at this point in the year, tips and reminders regarding what you need on those essays to amass a high score. We have spent the entire class working on all those skills, so nothing should be new at this point in the game.

This is the week of the second practice test and final, which means are classes next week will be reviewing your responses and determining the order in which you will write your essays on the exam. If you have missed any portion of the exam, you will need to make that up immediately - especially for those taking the official exam so that you can have another practice under your belt and the knowledge of what you will need to review at the end.

Fifth hour has finished the second practice test/final at this point. For Monday's class, we will be working primarily with your practice exam. However, you do have 5 days before next class, so make sure to read through chapter 26. As mentioned in class, it may behoove you to polish off the whole novel prior to the exam. Heathcliff, the motifs, the dual settings/narrators/generations/everything really are highly conducive for free response prompts.

Second hour has completed the first 2 prompts of the exam with the remaining sections to be completed on Thursday and Friday. For Thursday's class, we will catch-up on WH through chapter 14, including your highlighting passage. It will be quick, but it will remind us of what is happening with the novel. As with any text in class, you are more than welcome to read ahead - and you will have bursts of reading assignments leading up to the test. This novel is a great one for free response prompts.

For those who are taking the alternative assessment, fifth hour will take their exam on May 9 and second hour will take their exam on May 10.