The Wisdom of Mark Twain

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DRL Assignments

Most days in English begin with a Daily Review Lesson (DRL) that is completed in a DRL notebook. The notebooks are collected periodically. Any missed assignments can be found at the link above.

Reading Log Sheets

Students will be expected to do a lot of reading outside of the classroom. Reading is important. Reading increases comprehension and focus, and improves vocabulary and writing skills. Reading is to the mind what a gym is to the body.

To track student progress in reading, students will complete a form as they read books. They must get a parent signature for each book they complete or it will not be counted toward their grade. Students will receive a copy of this worksheet in class but if they need more copies, they may download them here.

A Christmas Carol

Some years ago I edited Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol for the classroom. I also recorded an audio version of the edited work. Although I no longer include this story in my curriculum, several students, former and present, have requested that I put the audio version online for download.

Below is the written version (edited of course) of Dickens' classic story that readers can follow while listening to the audio.

Essays, Papers, and Reports

Throughout the school year, students will write various types of essays and papers to meet the California standards. These links contain information on each type of essay including rubrics, outlines, and examples.

Public Speaking

Students will learn the fundamentals of preparing for and delivering a speech in front of an audience. Students, on average, will be giving at least one speech per quarter on various topics.

Writing Resources

There are many aspects to writing that students must learn and/or conform to. Students need to be aware that written papers or typed papers, essays or research papers all have their own styles and peculiar requirements.