Important English I Honors Information 3/30/2020

Good Afternoon, Freshman Family! And happy Monday! 

Last week, Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman encouraged you to dip into the world of Ancient Greece by beginning to read Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. You may have found yourself noticing some familiar names, like Aphrodite, Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena! These Olympians were supremely important in their own rights, but there are two other deities whose gifts, and powers, were essential to human life on Earth: Demeter and Dionysus. These two gods are the subject of the next passage we would like you to read this week:

• Chapter 2: The Two Great Gods of Earth (pdf) 
• Link to Ch. 2 study questions 

Furthermore, as the week rolls along, we would like you to read about the Creation of the Gods and the Universe, according to this Greek culture: 

• Chapter 3: How the World and Mankind Were Created 
• Link to Ch. 3 study questions 

As a review exercise for last week’s recommended chapters (Intro & Ch. 1) from Mythology, Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman suggest that Freshmen use this suite of Kahoots! Please observe these Kahoot review game guidelines: 

• Click the link to the Kahoot for your class period 
• When in the lobby, please enter your full name 
• Students may need to download the Kahoot app for the challenge to load 

English Class Period	Kahoot Link & Pin #
Syes’ and Tidyman’s  2nd P	https://kahoot.it/challenge/0607864?challenge-id=439f0fa8-1648-4484-99b2-4fb1af360a71_1585597825102
	0282438
Syes’ and Tidyman’s  3rd P	https://kahoot.it/challenge/0168642?challenge-id=439f0fa8-1648-4484-99b2-4fb1af360a71_1585597909617
	0607864
Syes’ 4th and Tidyman’s 6th	https://kahoot.it/challenge/0168642?challenge-id=439f0fa8-1648-4484-99b2-4fb1af360a71_1585597909617
	0168642
Syes’ and Tidyman’s  5th P	https://kahoot.it/challenge/0827208?challenge-id=439f0fa8-1648-4484-99b2-4fb1af360a71_1585597990762
	0827208
Syes’ and Tidyman’s  7th P	https://kahoot.it/challenge/0429383?challenge-id=439f0fa8-1648-4484-99b2-4fb1af360a71_1585598123715
	0429383

Furthermore, don’t forget to treat yourself to a session or two of Membean, if you have the time and internet access to do so!

Lastly, Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman would like to offer you a small task, almost along the lines of the old game “I Spy”: can you find a reference to, or mention of, the Greek Gods in today’s world? It might be a product, a business, a logo or piece of art, a song lyric, an idiom…options abound! By “today’s world”, we mean since the year 2000. Mythological references should of course be classroom appropriate. Post your discoveries, or links to them, in the Discussion panel of your English Class on Schoology! (log in with your regular school user name & password) 

We hope this e-mail finds you and your families safe and well, and hope that you have been having some time to rest and re-charge! As always, please feel free to reach out to us with questions, but allow 24-48 hours for us to respond. 

Have a wonderful week! 

• Mrs. Syes & Mr. Tidyman 
• (Mrs. Syes’ Website // Mr. Tidyman’s Website) 

Important English I Honors Information 3/24/2020

Good Afternoon, Freshman Family –  

Hello! Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman hope that you enjoyed Spring Break, and that this e-mail finds you and your family happy and healthy!  

There’s no denying that the 4th Quarter of this school year has gotten off to an unusual start. As much as we would love to see your smiling faces in our classrooms, we understand that such a meeting would not be wise at this time. Here is an update about the plans we had made for Freshman English, as well as some recommendations (not assignments): 

Our main focus for the 4th Quarter is the Ancient Greeks, their stories and societies. To explore this civilization, and appreciate its lasting connection to our own modern world, we are going to look at 2 major texts: 

• Mythology by Edith Hamilton (here is a link, though this book has been such a high-school staple, there’s probably an old dog-eared copy somewhere on your bookcase). No, you are not required to purchase it, although the Audio Book is quite good and might make for an enjoyable listen. Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman will try to make passages available on their respective websites, and communicate with you when they are available. 

• The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald. Here is another link. This story, mightily abridged, is available in your English class textbook, and just like Mythology, you don’t have to buy it. It is an epic poem, and the unabridged tale is quite long. Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman will have more information forthcoming about how to find, and where to find, the passages we would ordinarily assign in class. If you have your textbook at home, you’re in great shape! 

Some students have also e-mailed us asking about Membean vocabulary studying. We highly recommend you continue studying and learning new words! However, in acknowledgement of students’ access to the internet (or lack thereof), we will not be requiring studying sessions as graded work. Should this change, we will keep you informed. 

For This Week (3/23-3/27): If you are able to, please read the Introduction to Classical Mythology, and also Chapter 1: The Gods, both found in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. Mrs. Syes and Mr. Tidyman are working out a recommended, non-required reading schedule, and plan to send out updates weekly. (The reading passages are linked here, for your convenience. If you are more interested in the Audiobook format, please click here for options.) 

In closing, we again note these interesting times, and we urge you to prioritize the health and safety of you and those you love. Please reach out and let us know if there’s anything we need to be aware of, but please allow us 24-48 hour to respond. We hope to see you again soon! 

• Mrs. Syes & Mr. Tidyman 

Socratic Circle Prep

Link to Powerpoint with Tips from Class

Link to  REQUIRED Question Sheet

HW:

• Bring 6 Discussion Questions AND Answers to Block Class for Discussion
• The completed Question Sheet is Required in order to participate in the Discussion