English 11 Assignments

This letter is entirely optional, but I would appreciate it wholeheartedly if you did it. I start every school year by showing the incoming classes letters that my last year's students wrote to them. Your letter could include advice on how to succeed, what obstacles they may encounter, who they can turn to if they need help, places to go on campus to relax, whatever comes to mind that helped you endure this strange year.

Like I said, this is optional, but the more letters I have for next year, the better. Please be real with this if you choose to do it. I'll be having a lot of students coming in who will be confused and a bit unfocused. These letters could go a long way in helping them.

I appreciate you! Thanks for an amazing year.

-Mr. Melville

You will interview the oldest member of your family (via phone or email or face-to-face if they live with you) and get a memory that means a lot to them. The memory must take place in one particular moment only. It cannot take place over days or weeks or months. One particular moment that stands out in their mind. You must write the memory as if it is taking place in the present moment, and it can be written in 1st or 3rd person point-of-view. If you cannot get a hold of the oldest member in your family, you may get a memory from another family member. However, the whole point of this is to capture a memory from a relative who is getting up there in age.

There will be a total of four drafts. After each draft, I will provide feedback on how to expand and improve your writing. Take that advice into account when you begin writing each time. You may have to add in certain details that may or may not have happened to reach word count, but try your best to stay true to the memory.

I get around to this project every year because it's vitally important. Your elders will not be around forever, and the one thing you will keep as you age is your memory of them. This project may help you learn something new, or it may help you discover some details you never knew about them. This could be a memory that you pass down to your children or grandchildren one day. With everything that's going on, it's important for us to cherish and love our family. Speaking of which, I'm an ass. Got into an argument with my own mother last night over the phone, who's currently doing chemo plasma to fight her kidney disease. I'm going to call her and apologize. Again, our loved ones will not be here forever.

To help you expand each draft, keep in mind that I'm looking for the following:
-An attention grabbing hook
-Dialogue
-Descriptive Writing (show-not-tell writing)
-Paragraphing

Like I said, I'll help you with suggestions for each draft. The first draft (250 Words) is due this Friday. This will give me time to read your writing and provide feedback for the next draft, which will be due next Wednesday, 5/20. For each draft, click TURN IN. I will return your memory with feedback to help you expand for the next draft. We will use the same document throughout this process. Follow the schedule below:

1st Draft Is Due: Friday, 5/15
2nd Draft Is Due: Wednesday, 5/20
3rd Draft Is Due: Monday, 5/25
Final Draft Is Due: Friday, 5/29

Hope you and your loved ones are doing well. I'm tired of hearing and reading it myself, but... stay safe, everybody.

-Mr. Melville

Our last thing for Misery! I'm posting three websites where you can watch the film for free. One of them should work for you. Do not sign-up for anything to watch it. If you have Hulu, the film is currently on there as well. Answer the two BCR (brief constructed response/body paragraph) questions after watching the film. Make sure you're doing your Book Summaries/Responses as well. Enjoy the film!

Read the instructions carefully on the assignment. Get your reading on!

Hey, 11th Graders! Hope you and your family are doing well. I also hope you’re going on walks and getting outside a bit. Get away from all those screens for a bit.

I’m posting a free PDF version of Misery on Google Classroom for you to continue reading. Pickup where we last left off. It was a couple of chapters after Paul wrote the first chunk Misery’s Return (the one Annie’s enjoying). Read the whole book. It’s amazing, and escalates, escalates, escalates. Use the space below to write down important quotes and page numbers.

When we return (hopefully) to school, I will give a major assignment that will assess whether you read the book or not. Hint: it will require specific quotes. We will also continue working with our sock puppets, and we’ll also watch the incredible film.

You will continue reading your independent reading book and posting two summaries/responses a week. You will also finish reading Stephen King’s Misery. Happy reading!

Take care of yourselves.

-Mr. Melville

Choose a scene from from Misery so far and write it from Annie's perspective, justifying her thoughts and actions

Create a TV interview with Paul Sheldon. Ask questions that will provide insight into what we know about him already. Get close to a whole page.

Prompt: Why are people more depressed now than in the past, and what are ways to deal with it? Use three sources: The Subtle Art..., Hyperbole and a Half, and a credible source of your choice (preferably an academic article or research paper)

For the Two Dog Themes BCR, read and answer the prompt accordingly. Remember: I'm looking for two well explained pieces of evidence along with some transition words.

For the One Shot of a Recent Stressful Moment, draw a sketch similar to Hyperbole and a Half depicting your stressful moment. Beneath the sketch, provide an explanation of what's going on.

Research a secret society that has had an impact at some point in history (or now). Who are they? What have they done? Who were/are some notable members? Do they have any impact on today's society? Are they involved in any conspiracies? (6-7 sentences)

Finally, what is the connection to The Court of Owls? (6-7 sentences)

Read through all of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. It is an ancient Chinese text written as a guide on how to live a virtuous and fulfilling life. Yes. I am expecting you to read all of it. You must take three specific chapters and do the following three times:
a) Provide the chapter number
b) Break down the chapter into your own words and understanding
c) Provide a quote from the story that makes a clear connection to a character from Shawshank (one must be Warden Sam Norton, one must be Andy, and the last one can be a character of your choice)
d) Provide an explanation of how the quote and the character fit your interpretation of the Tao Te Ching chapter

Pretend you're Brooks writing a letter back to the inmates at Shawshank, who you miss deeply. Hint: this is the last letter you'll ever write. You've been an institutionalized man for a very long time, and life on the outside in closin' in on you. Keep in mind what happens to people who get used to life behind bars. What do they miss? Why is life so hard for them on the outside? What do they fear?

1/2 Page minimum

Complete all the questions/parts. Make sure to answer all questions fully in complete in paragraphs

Focus Question: Why has homelessness become such a prevalent problem in the East Bay, and what is a possible solution for it?

Make sure you have two paragraphs. Your first one should focus on the problem. Second should focus on a solution. You need two different reliable sources. Make sure each paragraph has one source. Do not worry about a header, but do make sure your last name is in the upper right hand corner. If you're not sure on how to do this, just ask me. Make sure you are making it clear where your sources are from. You can do this by introducing the source from the quote: In the New York Times article titled Homeless and Abused by Dylan Thomas, he states, " ."

Zits is learning a lesson with each person he becomes. You will need to identify the potential lesson, while also researching a piece of modernist art, a song, and a recipe that reflects three different characters. A character you connect to one of the three pieces must be Gus, the Indian tracker. For example, you could search for a recipe that reflects Gus’s character and what he goes through. Also, you could connect Hank Storm to a song that connects to his character and situation. Don’t forget to explain the lesson Zits is supposed to learn from that character. Above each explanation, make sure to paste the picture, lyrics, or recipe of what you’re focusing on.

8-9 Sentences for each of the three pieces!