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Parents and Students: Welcome back to all! Hope you had a wonderful Summer. I am sure that you are ready for another exciting school year. My name is Mrs. McTiernan. My philosophy of education is that students should not only gain knowledge, but the desire to be lifelong learners. William Butler Yeats once said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." I will do my best to spark your interest in English and in learning about the world. PLEASE feel free to contact me at anytime for any reason. The best method of contact is my e-mail because I check it frequently during the day and also at night, but you can also use my phone extension at HS West. Thanks so much and I will speak with you soon! |
 A
new optional way to contact me and get to know me:http://www.myspace.com/kmctiernan |
| Summer Reading: I know it's rough to get the students to read over summer vacation, but it helps them exercise their mind and stay connected to school for an easier transition. The lists for Shenendehowa are on the high school library webpage. |
Book
Orders: Shenendehowa will provide a copy of each novel we read
to the students at no cost, so this is not mandatory, but an option. We
recommend this because it allows students to highlight while they read,
and make notations in the margins while we discuss. This is helpful for
discussion and study purposes, this year as well as for 11th grade when
they need to study for the Regents exam. The benefit to ordering it
through me is a 20% discount and it’s tax free. Money is due .
Field
Trip!! On November 6th we have the privilege of
attending the theatre representation of the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, at the New York State Theatre Institute. We are so fortunate to attend
this play, because it depicts one of the novels that we are reading this year. All 9th graders will be
attending. The cost is $12 and money is due by October 15th. The performance is from 10am-12:30pm, so
students will attend a modified school schedule for approximately an hour and a half in the morning, and
one hour upon return. They will need to bring a bag lunch to eat upon return. Please call the school with
any questions: 881-0330.
1. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects is located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside of class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be chosen once. Please see me with questions.
2. Honors Classes: Short Story Analysis. Read a short story (I recommend one located on the regular 9 calendar, but if you choose your own, it needs to be appropriate for 9th grade level). Complete a short story analysis sheet for the story (link is located at the top of the honors calendar). If the short story is not on the 9th grade calendar, please print out a copy and submit it with your short story analysis sheet.
Extra Credit Options for Second Quarter:
1. Enter the Poetry Out Loud contest - This consists of memorizing
two poems that you will recite on stage in front of competitors and
judges. The Shenendehowa school competition will
be held on Monday, December 8th right after school in the High School
East Little Theater, but you must tell me by December 5th if you are
going to be a part of it. For the school competition students need to
have two poems memorized. One poem must be a pre-20th century
poem and the other must be a poem that is 25 lines or fewer. (The pre-20th
century may also be fewer than 25 lines.) Students must select from the
list of poems on the Poetry Out Loud website (www.poetryoutloud.org)
One student from the school-level competition will be selected to
represent Shenendehowa at the regional competition. You do not
have to win in order to get the extra credit.
2. Attend the play Pride and Prejudice, put on by the
Shenendehowa Drama Club. This play will be running from November
20-22 in the High School West auditorium. Purchase a ticket for
one of the performances (the cost is $8 and the tickets will go on sale
around Friday, November 7th). After seeing the play, write
a one-page, typed, double-spaced reaction to the performance (should not
be merely plot summary). Edit, print, attach the ticket stub to
the reaction and submit. Here is a link with good information for
how to write
a proper review.
3. Complete an Independent Reading Project (list of projects is
located on the resources page), for any book read inside or outside of
class. Only one project per novel, and each project can only be
chosen once. Please see me with questions.
4. Honors Classes: Short Story Analysis. Read a short story
(I recommend one located on the regular 9 calendar, but if you choose
your own, it needs to be appropriate for 9th grade level).
Complete a short story analysis sheet for the story (link is located at
the top of the honors calendar). If the short story is not on the
9th grade calendar, please print out a copy and submit it with your
short story analysis sheet.