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This page was last updated: December 12, 2008

Here is a great music site that allows you to listen to almost any and all music you could imagine.  Just click the link below, and start listening to music non-stop.

12th Grade English Class

2nd Semester "stuff" we'll be doing

--spelling words--2 words each week from the NEW list.  If you printed out a list last semester, print out a "new and improved" list.  You will be responsible to know:  spelling of the word, definition of the word, and at one synonym of the word

--Notecards--each week you will be responsible for 2 novels.  One novel is done as always, the 2nd novel needs to be written in Book Review fashion which is explained by "clicking" this button:

--Ten page Research Paper

--Speech

--Greek/Latin

--Princess Bride and To Kill A Mockingbird

--Literature Book

--Literary Terms

--Graduation Stuff

--Any other stuff I come up with...(evil laugh)

Writing Book Reviews

A book review is an in-depth, insightful analysis of a book.  A good review explains what the book is about and usually offers the reviewer’s opinion. 

Procedure:

A good book review includes  5 paragraphs including:

1.  Introduction

--type of story, name of story, number of pages, publisher, date of publication.

2.  Characters/Setting

--Introduce characters and describe BRIEFLY and setting including place, time period, and mood.

3.  Conflict

--Problems that must be solved.  The plan of the story.  What happens?

4.  Climax/Theme

--What is the turning point in the story?  Finish the paragraph with the message the story

is teaching about life (your perspective)

5.  Conclusion

--Liked?  Disliked?  Why?

If you want an example of a book review, read the VERY short story, then the book review of the story to get an idea of EXACTLY what I want by clicking this link:

Back to Senior Responsibilities

Back to Senior Responsibilities

The Fox and the Crow

One morning a plain black crow sat on a branch holding in her beak a piece of cheese.  Along came a fox, who had smelled the cheese.  The fox came and stood under the tree,saying politely to the crow, "Good morning, my friend.  My, how well you are looking today!"  The crow was very pleased at this, but of course could not reply because of the cheese she held in her mouth.

"Your eyes are the most beautiful I have seen," the fox went on, "and you feathers-how black and glossy they are."  The crow was even more please, but still said nothing.  She just say on her branch and swelled with pride.

"I have been told," he continued, " how beautifully you sing, and I should like so much to hear you!  Your voice could not possibly be so lovely as your feathers, but if it were, why, you would be the most wonderful bird in the world!  Do sing just a few notes for me, won't you?"  This was too much for the crow.  She opened her beak wide, cawed loudly and dropped the cheese right into the mouth of the waiting fox.

"Thank you so much!" said the fox, eating the cheese.  "Your song was very ugly, but your cheese was delicious.  Perhaps next time you won't be so ready to believe everything you hear."  With that, the fox laughed and trotted off into the woods.

Review of "The Fox and the Crow"

"The Fox and the Crow" is a fable attributed to Aesop.  Having only one illustration which covered most of the page, this story was extremely short. As is often with such well known anecdotes, animal characters who display human traits are pictured in clothing and with human accouterments.  Not surprisingly, this one page tale was found in a book of over fifty of Aesop's Fables from the local library.  The publisher is Grady Books.

Typically, the only characters in this story are the Fox and the Crow.  In a tree, the Crow sits while holding a piece of cheese in her mouth.  Hungrily the Fox below coverts her cheese.  She is silent.  Although congenial in attitude, the Fox shows a sugary and slightly sinister tone in his voice.  This story could take place anytime almost anywhere.

With flattery, the fox plays upon the vanity of the crow.  Although the crow cannot respond to his well-planned remarks because of the cheese in her mouth, the fox, by initially praising her feathers, subsequently praising her eyes and ultimately praising her voice, finally coaxing her to sing.  She is vain.  As she can bear it no longer, she opens her mouth and emits a loud "caw" as the cheese drops to the waiting fox.

The conclusion occurs when the crow drops the cheese and the fox gobbles it up.  Cruelly he laughs.  Running off into the woods and chastising the crow for her vanity, he barks out the moral of the story, "maybe next time you won't be so ready to believe everything you hear."  Although it is not described, one can imagine the chagrin of the crow at having been duped, and the perverse glee of the fox at having been successful in his ploy.

Mainly intended to parody our human weaknesses, fables such as these often teach a lesson, which if heeded, may save us some discomfort or misfortune in the future.  Portraying the criminal type, the fox will stoop to any depth of deception to achieve material satisfaction.  Conversely, the crow demonstrates the ultimate in self-absorbed foolish ignorance.  By becoming aware of these extremes in human character, we may possible avoid being taken advantage of, or perhaps, learn how to deceive and defraud others more foolish than ourselves.  This story teaches that there is a little Fox and the Crow in each of us.