Puritanism versus Rationalism

We have been reading about puritanism and rationalism in our early American literature studies. From Anne Bradstreet to Jonathan Edwards to Benjamin Franklin and more, we have read and analyzed a range of opinions on the Puritanism-Rationalism spectrum.
For five (5) bonus points, leave a comment below about where your beliefs fall on the spectrum.

Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week is Coming!

September 26-October 3, 2009)

Mrs. Mahannah's English III classes will be celebrating this week with projects centered on a banned book of each student's choice.

The following websites will be helpful for choosing and researching banned books:

Banned Books Week:
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/

American Library Association's Banned Books Week Page:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm

Frequently Challenged Books:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm

Banned and Challenged Classics:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/index.cfm

Explanation of Bannings and Challenges for Specific Books:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned/index.cfm

You can earn 2 bonus points for class by commenting on this post! (Be sure to sign off with your name so the points go to the correct student.)

Welcome to English III and Creative Writing!

Welcome to English III; I am excited to have you in my class this year! Our time is going to be focused on personal and academic growth as we prepare for your future collegiate and professional careers. This handout outlines my expectations of you in this class and the most significant subjects we will be studying this year. You are responsible for fulfilling expectations, but I will guide you and be available for any necessary help you would like to exceed these expectations. We will concentrate on literary analysis, linguistics, cultural intertextuality, and surpassing TCAP and ACT goals.

English III is designed to help students continue to develop knowledge and skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing and representing. The course focuses on strengthening and refining vocabulary, grammar and composition skills, with the greater part of grammar and vocabulary instruction based upon individual weaknesses evidenced through writing and discussion. A chronological approach is emphasized with various units for comparative purposes. The literature study includes theme, style, genre, literary analysis, research and techniques of writing clearly and concisely. Our literary and linguistic studies will meet or exceed standards set by the State of Tennessee.

In previous English courses, you may have succeeded by using simple techniques such as choosing a correct answer. In 11^th grade, we are more intelligent than that. This year many of our projects and assignments will require us to go beyond the simple, to analyze and support/justify decision and opinions regarding your own work and the work of others. As you prepare for college, you will find these skills extremely useful.

The theme of this room is Professionalism. When you are in this classroom, you are to look, act, and speak like a professional. Professionalism undergirds interpersonal key aspects of our class work: in the workplace and in college courses, there is a good deal of collaboration. Our class practices and discussions will highlight that no text exists by itself and that no person exists by him/herself.

Contact Information

I encourage you to contact me if you have a question about school or for any other reason you deem necessary. You are more than welcome to stop by during my office hours if you have a free period (TR1). I am available any time that you need me, day or night.

Cell Phone: 309-750-0429 Email: m.t.mahannah@gmail.com

Course Outline

As we strive to meet and surpass our goals, there are eight concentrations that we will study in a multidisciplinary approach. These are: 1. Studies of the Self/Identity; 2. Literary Research; 3. Persuasion; 4. Text Inquiry; 5. Literary Media; 6. Literary Theory; 7. Creativity; and 8. Professionalism in Action.

We will be learning new vocabulary words and practicing our grammar skill throughout the course of this year. In our studies of intertextuality, we will notice the way each text can be approached or created in reference to several of our unit topics and how significant the role of language is in every text. Every two to three days you can expect these linguistic skills to be assessed through quizzes or tests.