It’s already week five – can you believe it?! Over the last few weeks, you all have been doing a great job analyzing poetry from different perspectives across America. This week, we will start with one more analysis of a Langston Hughes poem before diving in to Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun. As I said in class on Friday, please do your best to be on time and present each day. It is particularly difficult to read a play and get caught up by yourself. We will also be discussig a great deal, and you won’t want to miss out! 

Click here for a copy of the play.

Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together: 

Welcome to week four! We will continue working with poetry this week, with a focus on different perspectives on America and the American Dream. Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together:

Monday: Click here to download the Bill of Rights Graphic Organizer

Welcome to week three! Last week, we discussed the American Dream, its history, how it has changed over time, as well as barriers to attaining the American Dream. This week, we will focus on different perspectives on America and the American Dream. Please see below for a brief schedule of our week together:

Click here for the OPTIC Graphic Organizer!

Political Cartoon Options (please number on your paper):

1. by Mike Luckovich

2. by Steve Greenberg

3. by Monte Wolverton

4. by David Horsey

5. by Ed Stein (hint: consider what year this cartoon was drawn)

6. by Andy Singer

7. by Mike Luckovich

8. by David Horsey

Outside of class, we will have weekly enrichment activities for you to complete. Every week, you will have a NoRedInk assignment, as well as a USA Test Prep assignment to complete. Both will go in the gradebook as grades! Please follow the steps below to join our classes on each website.

1. Sign up for NoRedInk and add our class

Follow the steps below to join our class, create an account, and take your diagnostic test.

• Click here if you are in first period with Ms. Antonacci and Ms. Lowe.
  • 1st period class code: breezy cow 72
• Click here if you are in fourth period with Ms. Antonacci.
  • 4th period class code: calm faucet 77

After you join the correct class, please make an account. The easiest way to do this is to sign up through Google!

Once you have set up your account, please complete the diagnostic test. Due to technical issues, the diagnostic is now due by 11:59 pm on Sunday, September 6th. 

2. Sign up for USA Test Prep and add our class

Follow the steps below to create an account and add our class. If you know you’ve made a USA Test Prep account at Pebblebrook but don’t remember your password, Ms. Antonacci can look it up for you.

1. Go to http://www.usatestprep.com
2. • Access ID: pebblebrook (all lowercase)
   • Student activation code: stu1223 (all lowercase)
3. Once you have entered this information, create your personal user ID and password. Make sure you remember this information – write it down!
4. Once you log in, click “Join a Class” (orange button on home page – NOT class party!).
5. Find my name: Mariko Antonacci and add yourself to your class. Make sure you’re adding the correct class period!
6. Once you have been added to the class, you’re done! Your first USA Test Prep assignment will be posted on Monday, August 31.

All USA Test Prep and NoRedInk assignments are due by 11:59pm every Sunday. I would recommend scheduling one day each for yourself to complete these so that you don’t get overwhelmed on Sunday night. Go ahead and put it in your iCal, planner, reminders list, whatever works for you!

Welcome to week two! The American Dream: we’ve all heard of it, but is it the same for everyone? Is it even a thing anymore? This week, we’ll create a working definition of the American Dream and discuss its history, how it has changed, and barriers one may face when pursuing their Dream. You will also have an opportunity to create plans for your American Dream.

This week, you will start on your American Dream timeline mini-project!

1. You will create a timeline with a starting point of your current grade/age and an ending point of ten years from now. You should be between the ages of 26-28, depending on your current age. What does YOUR American Dream include? Be specific and make sure you have a place for every age (10 years; 3 bullet points each year).
   • What are your plans and what will you do to be successful between now and then? Please remember everyone’s idea of what the “American Dream” looks like is different. Some may include going to college, getting married and starting a family, while others may only include doing what is necessary to ensure they are financially stable. Please make sure you are considering EACH step in your journey. For example, if you would like to attend college, make sure that taking the SAT/ACT is on your timeline, as it is a requirement for college admission.
2. Your timeline should be colorful, creative and detailed. You have choice in your presentation. You can draw and color your timeline by hand and upload a picture, or use online tools such as Google Slides/PowerPoint, Canva.com, Adobe Spark, or any other digital software to illustrate your timeline.
3. A 3-4 paragraph response that describes what’s included your “American Dream” is mandatory. This should be an extension of your bullet points.

We will start on this in class on Tuesday, and you will have Wednesday and Thursday to complete it. Please make sure to take advantage of class time by asking questions and working diligently. Your project with the writing component (two separate files) is due by 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 27th. Please click here for your rubric and checklist!

Welcome to another school year and welcome to Ms. Antonacci’s American Literature course! Things will certainly look and feel very different this year, but I look forward to having you in my class! My blog will be updated daily with what we do in class, as well as additional resources. Please be sure to bookmark this page so you can access it easily throughout the semester.

A few things you must do in order to set yourself up for success this semester:

1. Visit CTLS Learn and this blog daily, especially if you miss class – getting missed work due to absences is the responsibility of the student (you)!
2. Sign up for Remind! PLEASE! Life gets busy and we all need reminders. Download the app or text the following code (including @) to 810-10
   1. First period: @msaamlit1
   2. Fourth period: @msaamlit
3. Come to school! Seriously. According to the Indiana Partnerships Center, missing only two days of school per month lowers both your test scores and your chances of graduating high school. In a virtual setting, this is even more important. We have A LOT to make up for since March!

Below is a brief schedule for our first week together.

I look forward to a great semester of reading, writing, learning, and fun! Don’t forget – you have until Friday, October 2nd to turn in your summer reading assignments. Check the PHS website for details.