Mr.+Vang+-+English+9

Welcome to English 9. My Name is Mr. Vang, and I am currently student teaching with Mr. Kocon during periods 3 and 5.

My Email address is wavang@stthomas.edu and you may contact me at this address if you have specific questions.

Please check this site for assignments.


 * My student teaching at Totino Grace has come to an end. I have really enjoyed my time here! The students have been great, I have really appreciated their support.

Please check the class log for Mr. Kocon for all future activities.**

Class LOG: May 7: Students went over their Unit 3 vocab exercises. 30 note cards are due Monday along with 2 examples of figurative language that could be used in their presentations. May 6: Students had a work day to study and finish vocabulary, read through their articles and work on notecards. Students have the Unit 3 exercises due Friday. May 5: Students had a work day to study and finish vocabulary, read through their articles and work on notecards. May 4: Students need to work on their notecards, have articles and works cited page. May 3: Students were in the library using ProQuest and finding articles. April 27:Students had another day in the library to look up sources for their papers/presentations. April 26: Students went to the library to learn about ProQuest, a database research tool available for them on the TG website. April 25: Students went over proper ways to create notecards. Students also received a homework assignment in which they need to complete a thesis along with ideas and supports for Wednedsay's class. A separate sheet that will help them with this is below: April 24: Students took the Unit 2 vocabulary test and the final project was introduced to them. April 23: Students corrected their vocabulary exercises and reviewed for the Unit 2 text which will be on Monday. April 21: Students reviewed Unit 2 vocabulary and talked about techniques for public speaking. Students were given sheets with jokes on them. On Thursday and Friday they will present their jokes to the class with an emphasis on proper public speaking technique. April 20: Students worked on Unit 2 vocabulary and finished their pressure writing assignment. April 19: Students worked on a pressure writing assignment in which they had the class time to work on a writing essay. The writing process was emphasized. April 16: Students took their vocabulary tests. April 15: Students finished their impromptu speeches and were reminded of their vocab test on Friday. Unit 1 exercises are due Friday. April 14: Students started their impromptu speeches. Speeches will continue on Thursday. Students receive 2-3 minutes to prepare a speech on a topic that they draw out of a hat. April 13: Students reviewed notecards for vocabulary words and also created pictures to help them remember the words in preparation for the quiz Friday. April 12: Mr. Vang talked about literary analysis papers. Students were given vocabulary books. Sections for Chapter 1 need to be completed by Friday. March 31: Students had a day of review and went over some tips and helpful strategies for making sure their paper is done correctly. The paper will be due Thursday during class. Mr. Vang is accessible via email (although not until after 9 pm because of conferences) and after school in Room 108 from 2:00-3:00 for help. March 30:Students reviewed some overlying issues on their ICE paragraphs. We also talked further about an introduction within our papers. A final draft is due tomorrow. Students can email me at the address above or meet with me after school in Mr. Schwalen's room (108) from 2:00-3:00 if they have any questions or would like help with their papers. March 29: Students handed in their two, typed ICE paragraphs. Students should complete an introduction and conclusion and should have a typed rough draft in by Tuesday. March 26: Students transitioned their supports for their literary analysis into actual ICE paragraphs. Two typed, double spaced ICE paragraphs are due on Monday. March 25: Students began creating their thesis statements. Assignment for the night is to begin finding their supporting evidence that will prove their thesis. March 24: Students went over an ICE assignment working with Eight Oared Crew. If students did not finish it in class, they need to finish it at home and return it to class on Thursday. March 23: Students went over "Eight Oared Crew" and talked about themes and important passages. A group ICE paragraph was created. March 22: Students read "Eight Oared Crew" Areas of focus were major themes and important quotations. Students should bring themes and important parts/quotes of the short story to class on Tuesday. March 12: Students continued to talk about irony. Students 2nd ICE paragraphs were turned in and students had small revision groups to talk about what they found. No homework was assigned for over break. March 11: Students went over ICE paragraph examples and talked about irony in "The Gift of the Magi" We focused on common mistakes in the ICE paragraphs and how they can be improved. Their 2nd ICE paragraph is due Friday using "The Gift of the Magi." March 10: ICE paragraphs were collected. Students went over some ICE paragraph examples that were done well. Students also reviewed some "Do" and "Don't" hints for writing ICE paragraphs. "The Gift of the Magi" was also read with the students taking notes on questions they had, important parts and examples of irony. March 9: Students went over the ICE technique. Students were assigned to complete one paragraph using ICE to be turned in on Wednesday. March 8: Students talked about the short story "Trademark." We focused on plot development and character. Students were told to come up with a list of two characteristics and traits that go along with what makes up their trademark/personality. March 5: Students went over character and plot worksheets. Assignment is to read The Trademark from the yellow Literary textbooks. March 4: Students went over the quiz. Students also took a pre-assessment on short story elements in preparation for their unit starting on Friday. March 3: Students took the poetry quiz. March 2: Students reviewed for the quiz that will be taking place on March 3rd. Students were told to study the poetry terms sheet, connotation/denotation sheet along with the differences between a lyric and a ballad. We also spent time working with allusion and sensory imagery. March 1: Students went over some Robert Frost and Shakespeare poems. The point of emphasis was reader interpretation with Frost and what comprises a sonnet with Shakespeare. Students also learned about iambic pentameter. Students were assigned to bring in a sonnet and write two paragraphs about the meaning and any figurative language found. February 26: Students went over the poem "Dandelions" and "Steam Shovel" focusing on what makes them metaphor poems. February 25: Students went over the poem "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." We focused on what makes it a ballad and went over some details on how it was similar to "Big Bad John." Students also listened to the music by Gordon Lightfoot. February 24: Students went over the poem "Big Bad John." Focusing on what makes it a ballad. Students should review the poetry notes sheet handed out on Monday. February 23: Students went over a connotation/denotation worksheet and read the poem "Mrs. Rosie." Assignment was to find music lyrics from a song and look for figurative language along with other terms covered in class such as content, rhyme and tone.
 * April 22:** Students performed jokes in class and were grading each other. Vocabulary exercises (pp28-33) are all due tomorrow.