Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Alternate Ending Due. Wednesday, 3/30 by 11:59 PM. Comments Due by Thursday, 3/31.

Do you think Nora even thought about how her children will be impacted by her absence in the future?
Your last assignment is the following:

You are to either add on to Act III, meaning you would write what happens after Nora leaves Torvald and the children OR you can pick up from any point in the play (in Act III) and rewrite the ending.

If you are picking up from a specific part in Act III, make sure you state where you are picking up from. For example, you would state, "After Dr. Rank leaves Nora and Torvald..." Also, you can include any stage directions, such as, "(As Nora walks to the door, Torvald grabs her arm)."

Finally, don't forget to include vocab words from Act III. And visit other Blogs and leave your thoughts on different alternate endings.

You have all done a great job with blogging and expressing your opinions. I especially liked that some of you included pictures and memes (some had me cracking me up). Most importantly, your comments to each other were really excellent. It is really important to get feedback from your peers and you were all really encouraging to each other.

Before Spring Break you will begin writing your next (and last!) research paper on A Doll's House. After we come back form break, you will have an opportunity to watch the movie as well. Then we move on to The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Anyone up for a visit to Caesar's Italian Restaurant?

We are ALMOST there. Two more weeks...

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Act II Post Due. by Wednesday, March 23rd- 11:59PM. Comments Due. by Thursday, 03/24.

Our Nora looking glamorous and being "playful" with Torvald. 
I just finished looking over all of your posts for Act I and I cannot express how impressed I am with what you have written. Most importantly, every single person had more than one comment on their Blogs. That means that your peers went out of their way to read what you wrote and to leave you a meaningful comment. The replies to each other were extremely impressive and in-depth. I love that you are posing questions and encouraging others to answer them. Always make sure that your comments are not simple words of encouragement. You want to add on to what has been said in the post. 

For Act II you are going to do the exact same thing that you did for Act I. You are to analyze the characters, their actions, and their relationships with each other. Things got pretty hot and spicey with our characters in Act II and most of you had plenty to say. So now you can share your opinion (the clean version) with your peers. IMPORTANT: You must use in-text citations every time you include a quote (Ibsen 200).

As always, don’t forget to spell check. Also, don’t forget that you cannot leave comments on the same Blogs. The idea is to read different points of view and to support different individuals. By the end of our Blogging experience we want all students to have comments on at least one post. Please refrain from leaving comments such as, “Right…,” “I agree,” and “I feel the same way.” If you agree or feel the same way, then make explain why. Or if you disagree, then explain yourself. Minimum of 3- 4 sentences for each reply. 

Challenge yourself by posting thought provoking questions for your peers to answer and don’t forget your vocab words and QUOTES!


A couple of more weeks of working hard before our break. Remember, we still need to write our paper on A Doll's House and we will do it in the next two weeks after Easter Break. I will try to make the process as painless as possible. Meanwhile, I'll be daydreaming about being here...

I can see why Nora was so desperate to "save" her husband. Who doesn't want to "vacation" for an entire year due to too much STRESS?

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Act I Post Due. by March 20th, Sunday 11:59PM. Comments Due. by Monday, 03/21.

Had Nora played her cards right and paid attention to the DATE, she probably wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place. 


I want to start off by apologizing to all of you for all of the craziness regrading our schedule. Before even starting the play, we had to pause everything for the Benchmark. Now we have to speed read to make sure we can complete all of our work before Spring Break, including our last research paper for the year. But I promise that after working hard the next three weeks, things will settle down. As soon as we come back from the break you will watch the movie for A Doll's House. Then, we will start The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, which will bring us into the end of the school year. We are almost at Spring Break..hang in there!

I read all of your Ibsen posts and overall you did a good job. However, some of you did not meet the requirements. Make sure you complete everything that is asked of you. Remember, we are not texting or on I.G., we are writing for an audience.  I will not be leaving comments on all Blogs, however, I will be reading all of your posts and the replies to each other. Occasionally, I will add to the conversations you are having on the Acts.

For your Act I post keep in mind that you are NOT writing a summary. Instead you are offering your insight/analysis on the characters, their inner struggles and development, as well as your views and opinions of the plot. The requirement is 2 paragraphs minimum.

Other requirements:

*At least 3 vocabulary words from Act I.

*QUOTES! Look at your Study Guide for quotes you have written.  At least 2 quotes are recommended.

* Reply to a minimum of 4 people from any of my classes. (Comment on your own post telling me who you commented on.)

* Do not forget, Text to Text, Text to Self, and Text to World.

Some questions to keep in mind as you Blog or Vlog:

-+-+- Who do the characters remind me of and why? Can you relate the characters and plot to other characters we studied or other literary works?

-+-+- How do I feel about the interaction between certain characters and what would I do if I were in their situation?

-+-+- What questions can I ask to help my peers to engage in a “conversation” about my post?

These questions are only meant to guide you. Your post should not be composed of simple answers to these questions. Take a look at the rubric so you can view the requirements to become a Platinum Blogger. We highlighted and underlined all the important requirements you want to focus on.

Most importantly, have fun reading other Blogs, especially from students in my other periods, and commenting. In addition, write properly (punctuation, spelling, word choice, etc.).

Creativity is welcome! You can try Vlogging (Video Blogging), but a writing portion to the assignment is still required. 2 paragraphs minimum

HAVE FUN! =)

What macaroons look like. Pistachio is my favorite flavor!

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

First Post by Tuesday, 11:59PM

Now that you have created your very own blog, you are ready to write and publish your first post...

You can begin your first post by introducing yourself and stating what you have liked the most about our English class this year (be positive!). Then, I want you to do some research on the author of A Doll's House. Therefore, you need to provide us with some facts on Henrik Ibsen. Explain how you think the title of the play relates to what the play may be about or how it may even relate to the author. Also, what themes and symbols does the play focus on? This can be done in two paragraphs. Remember, you MUST have minimal grammatical mistakes. Luckily Blogger already has a spell check option incorporated into their system, so use it! Please cite your information because if you do not, then it is plagiarism and you will not receive credit for your work. Simply including the link(s) at the end of your post will do. Also, you are not copying and pasting the information you find. You are paraphrasing!

Want to get creative? Add some pictures and even videos. Just remember that it must be relevant to what you are writing about/discussing.

We are starting the play really soon and you will LOVE it! #trustme

Any questions? Hit the "Student Opinions" button and ask away.

Ibsen was ahead of us...


ps: You do not need to comment on Blogs for this assignment. 

Have fun! :)

Friday, March 4, 2016

Hi Class of 2018! :)

Thank you so much for being patient on Friday as we set up our Blogs. I always anticipate some sort of issue, but I was not expecting to have so many students not be able to set up their Blog. I was extremely impressed with how you were all willing to let your peers use your phones and how you helped each other out when someone was left behind. Great job! #virtualhighfive

On that note, congratulations on setting up your Blogs! Many of you, if not most, have no experience with Blogging. This will expand your learning experience and you will get a little taste of a virtual classroom. So let's have some fun! There will probably be a few hiccups along the way, but just be patient and I will work with you so we can take advantage of this awesome opportunity. And if you have ANY questions, feel free to ask me. Take advantage of our Wednesday schedule so you can meet with me with questions.

 Blogging will help you with typing and learning how to write properly for a specific audience. Also, navigating Blogger will help you learn a different format of media and interaction, as well as help you become more comfortable with a different writing outlet. I follow many Blogs on a daily basis and people actually make a living from Blogging. Maybe you can too one day! If you do make Blogging a way of life, do not forget who introduced you to it. ;)

You are going to LOVE reading this play as a class. It has a little bit of everything...lies, betrayal, love, friendship, forgery, and scandal. Who doesn't like a little scandal now and then? ;)

Once you have created your Blog, please post a comment in reply to this post. Just click below on "student opinions." Please remember to keep it clean and "professional." Leaving a comment will count as a homework grade. Also, don't forget to mention your name! Include the URL to your Blog in your comment so that I can add it to my Blog List for our period ( Look to your right, scroll down... you see the different periods? That is where the link to your Blog will be). Your URL should look something like this: http://www.misscsantos.blogspot.com/. This will also count as a homework assignment.

Basically, you are being given the opportunity to receive two easy homework grades.
1) Comment on this post
2) Include your Blog link in the comment

Let’s enjoy #BloggingOnADollsHouse and all the #drama related to the play!

I'll leave you with this final thought...


Monday, March 30, 2015

Alternate Ending Due. on Tuesday, 3/31 by 11:59 PM. Comments Due by Wed., 4/1.

Can you predict who the above characters are based on the quote?
Your last assignment is the following:

You are to either add on to Act III, meaning you would write what happens after Nora leaves Torvald and the children OR you can pick up from any point in the play (in Act III) and rewrite the ending.

If you are picking up from a specific part in Act III, make sure you state where you are picking up from. For example, you would state, "After Dr. Rank leaves Nora and Torvald..." Also, you can include any stage directions, such as, "(As Nora walks to the door, Torvald grabs her arm)."

Finally, don't forget to include vocab words from Act III. And visit other Blogs and leave your thoughts on different alternate endings.

You have all done a good job with blogging and expressing your opinions. I especially liked that some of you included pictures and videos. Most importantly, your comments to each other were really good.

As soon as we get back from Spring Break you will begin writing your next (and last!) research paper on A Doll's House. So exciting! Then we move on to The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Anyone up for a visit to Caesar's Italian Restaurant?

We are all in desperate need of a vacation from each other. Enjoy our long Spring Break and recharge your batteries so that we can finish off the school year with a bang!

Anyone going away for Spring Break?

Stingray City in Grand Cayman

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Act II Post Due. by Friday March 27th- 11:59 PM. Comments Due. by Saturday, 03/28.


I love how delicate, glamorous, and graceful Nora looks in this picture while Mrs. Linde looks completely disheveled. And how handsome does Dr. Rank look in that purple vest and bow tie?


I am proud of many of the Blog posts that I have seen. Most of you have refrained from summarizing and have analyzed the characters and what is occurring in the story. Also, I have enjoyed reading your comments to each other. I love that you are posing questions and encouraging others to answer them. Make sure that your comments are not simple words of encouragement. You want to add on to what has been said in the post. 

For Act II you are going to do the exact same thing that you did for Act I. You are to analyze the characters, their actions, and their relationships with each other. Things got pretty hot and spicey with our characters in Act II and most of you had plenty to say. So now you can share your opinion (the clean version) with your peers. IMPORTANT: You must use in-text citations every time you include a quote (Ibsen 200).

As always, don’t forget to spell check. Also, don’t forget that you cannot leave comments on the same Blogs. The idea is to read different points of view and to support different individuals. By the end of our Blogging experience we want all students to have comments on at least one post. Please refrain from leaving comments such as, “Right…,” “I agree,” and “I feel the same way.” If you agree or feel the same way, then make explain why. Or if you disagree, then explain yourself. Minimum of 3- 4 sentences for each reply. 

Challenge yourself by posting thought provoking questions for your peers to answer and don’t forget your vocab words and QUOTES!


In exactly one week we will be preparing for our Spring Break. So let's hang in there because soon some some of you will be sleeping in/ going on vacation/ hanging out at the mall/ skateboarding, etc.