Monday, September 11, 2017

The English Corner

Our new school year is off to a great start!  We welcome our new middle school and high school students and their families: Winston Moser, Travis Gerber and Daniel Bross!  We hope they have felt welcomed.  They each enrich our classes and we are glad they are here.

Each literature class began by listening to an audiobook followed by writing an in-class essay.  The Middle School were mesmerized by Frozen Fire by Nieritz-a Lamplighter Theatre production.  It was based on a true story in the setting of the development of the smallpox vaccine. They are now reading selections on "Friends" and will be preparing for their first literature test planned for next week.They are moving along nicely in Grammar. We have covered sentences and nouns, and are into the chapter on verbs. They will start a Field Notes project where we hope to see many nouns and verbs popping out in their writing!

The 9/1- class is busy and actively immersed in literature. They listened to a Radio Theatre production of Silas Marner, focusing on theme and character development. They will take their first lit test this week. Each of the writings has stretched us as we learn the depth that "imaginative comparisons" adds to writing (especially The Windows by George Herbert!)  There will be opportunities to try their "hand" at using these techniques soon. (was that a synecdoche??)

 The 11th grade listened to The Pearl by John Steinbeck, a parable that included issues of the American Dream though it took place in colonial Mexico.  Steinbeck writing is full of similes,metaphors, personifications, vivid descriptions and lessons. This sets the scene well for studying the beginning and growth of American Literature this year.  The early American writings are challenging to read since some have not been modernized.  Mary Rowlandson's narrative about being attacked and then captured by the Indians was written in seventeenth century English-it takes patience and diligence to soak up its meaning, but it has more depth and flavor, too!

Thanks for all your support from home and please feel free to contact me about anything.
Mrs. Lemmen

These things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15:10-11

No comments:

Post a Comment