CCS English Quarterly 4-2012-2013ccsengl.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/2/13927698/ccs_english...“Sonnet XVIII” by William Shakespeare, and “The Rider” by Naomi Shihab Nye. On April

Quarter 4 2012-2013

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading!” — Rainer Maria Rilke

quarterly

Capital Christian School

Capital Christian School Sacramento, CA English Department

Department Chair Scott M. Foran, M.A. Kitta McMahon English 6 Diana Nance English 7 Brenda Yttrup English 8 Advanced English 8 Donna Erie English 9 Advanced English 9 Beth Segal English 10 Advanced English 10 Peggy Bush English 11 Scott Foran AP Composition English 12 AP Literature Brenda Moore Speech This free publication is intended for educational purposes and is created by the English depart-ment of Capital Chris-tian School. If you would like more infor-mation about CCS, please visit our website: www.ccscougars.org. If you have questions re-garding this publication or the English depart-ment, please email the d epa r tmen t ch a i r : [email protected].

© 2013 CCS Editor/Designer: Scott M. Foran

National Poetry Month by Scott Foran In case you weren’t already aware, April was

National Poetry Month. The American Acad-

emy of Poets started the tradition of this month-

long celebration in 1996, and April has served

as the annual focal point for honoring poetry

ever since.

Throughout the

month, the CCS Eng-

l i sh depar tment

hosted a series of

events to raise the

poetic awareness of

both students and

staff.

In addition to fo-

cusing on poetry in

our classes, we ar-

ranged for a poem to

be read during the

morning announce-

ments each Tuesday.

Featured poems

included: “Today” by

Billy Collins, “Bank

Fishing for Bluegills”

by Ted Kooser,

“Wo r k wi t h o u t

Hope” by Samuel

Taylor Coleridge,

“Sonnet XVIII” by

William Shakespeare,

and “The Rider” by

Naomi Shihab Nye.

On April 18, we

celebrated Poem in

Your Pocket Day.

Students and staff

were encouraged to keep a paper copy of a fa-

vorite poem in their pockets throughout the

day. Anyone “caught” with a poem by one of

the English department’s secret agents won a

prize.

The signature event, however, was the first

annual Shakespeare Birthday Bash on April 23.

In honor of William Shakespeare’s 449th birth-

day, we threw a party for the Bard. The library

was the central location for games, activities,

and food, including birthday cake during our

morning break. After a rousing rendition of

“Happy Birthday,” we served cake to 300

guests. Students and staff were also invited to

English dress up as Shakespeare or a Shakespeare char-

acter, and a prize was awarded to the best cos-

tume.

The English department would like to extend

a public “Thank You” to all of the PAWS par-

ents who donated

prizes and food for

our poetry events.

Your great generos-

ity made for an even

more wonderful cele-

bration. We would

also like to thank

Rachel Silva for her

help and support and

for allowing us to

take over the library

to honor Shake-

speare.

National Poetry

Month is a chance

for us to remind our-

selves of the impact

that poetry has had

on culture. Poetry is

one of the oldest

forms of artistic ex-

pression, and it con-

tinues to be relevant

even in the digital

age. The wonder of

poetry is that it can

capture the thoughts

and emotions of a

particular person or

even celebrate the

traditions and mores

of an entire society. Poems can be simple or

complex, short or long, beautiful or terrifying.

As Percy Bysshe Shelley reminds us, “Poetry

lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the

world, and makes familiar objects be as if they

were not familiar” (Shelley). The purpose of

poetry is not to confuse (contrary to the opinion

of some), but to help us see the world in a new

way, to help us understand how we relate to

ourselves and to those around us. �

__________________________________

Sources:

Shelley, Percy Bysshe. “The 50 Greatest Quotes

About Poetry from Poets.” The Huffington Post

UK. AOL, 24 April 2013. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 1. Guest of Honor at Shakespeare Birthday Bash

CCS English Quarterly Quarter 4 2012-2013

The school year is quickly coming to an end! Open House

was a great success, and many of you got to see the Book-

sellers’ Day visual aids, as well as the other student items

that were on display.

We will be continuing to work on the basic five paragraph

essay. We have been working on a two part introduction

which consists of an occasion/position statement and the

plan. If the students are able to create this type of introduc-

tory paragraph, they will be well on their way to creating

informative essays. The students have created three formal

pieces using this type of

introduction. If time

allows, we will work on

becoming comfortable

creating two other types

of thesis statements,

one-line summaries and

power number. Both

types have been prac-

ticed, but neither has

been incorporated into

essays yet.

The students have

been reading the class

novel, Hatchet. Gary

Paulsen is a very de-

scriptive writer. We

will be using his writing

as a model for a narra-

tive piece that will be

written before the end of the school year. This writing will

include the sensory imagining and figurative language that is

often found in Paulsen’s writings.

The last Booksellers’ Day presentations are based on sci-

ence or historical fiction. The visual aids will be picked

from the project box, and the written piece will be a story

pyramid. I have really enjoyed the previous presentations

and look forward to this one. I am especially excited that

many of the students have shown interest in the books shared

by their classmates and have, in turn, decided to read them

for themselves.

Last, but not least, there will be an English final. The stu-

dents have been told to keep everything we’ve worked on

this semester so they have it to study from for the final. Now

would be a good time to get yourselves organized, figure out

what you might have questions about and get those questions

answered.

I have really enjoyed getting to know the CCMS families

this year and hope that everyone has a great rest of the school

year and a blessed summer vacation. �

Fig. 2. Hatchet in Stump

English 6 by Kitta McMahon

- 2 -


English 7 by Diana Nance

During this last quarter of the year, seventh grade students

have been reading The Call of the Wild by Jack Lon-

don. This novel is a classic story set during the Klondike

Gold Rush (1897-1898). The story follows the life of Buck,

a kidnapped dog who is forced to become a sled dog. Buck

must learn to adapt to his new surroundings if he is going to

survive. Through this adventure story, students are given

insight into the hardships and struggles of people in search of

gold during the Klondike Gold Rush. As we read this story,

we also read from the Bible and discussed how we are to

respond to adversity. Other topics of discussion as we read

through the novel were our value systems and how we deter-

mine right from wrong. In addition to these themes, we

reviewed the elements of the novel.

In addition to reading the novel, we read some poetry from

the literature book. Students learned different forms of po-

etry, including narrative, lyric, haiku, and concrete po-

ems. In an effort to understand poetry better, students

learned how to inter-

pret figurative lan-

guage.

Our writing and lan-

guage activities have

been centered around

our reading selec-

tions. After finishing

up the research report,

students wrote some

narrative pieces related

to both the novel and

the poetry selec-

tions. Students also

wrote a comparison/

contrast paper in con-

junction with the read-

ing assignments.

In language study,

we have been focusing

on adjectives and ad-

verbs. We have been

looking for these as we

read. Not only will students be able to identify these words,

but they will be able to tell how these words make writing

more interesting. Even better, they will be able to use these

words effectively to improve their own writing.

It is so hard to believe that the school year is drawing to a

close; time has just gone by too fast! Your children have

been a joy to teach and a blessing to me personally. Thank

you so much for sharing them with me. �

Fig. 3. Cover of Call of the Wild

call it the living “wax museum.” Students were given a list of

questions that three adults used to interview them as that

person. They received twenty-five points for each, or a total

of fifty for both.

One of their last writing assignments is

a graduation speech that all students will

be giving in class. They are given the

topics, and some are even selected to be

read at the commencement ceremony. It

is truly a wonderful way to end our year

in eighth grade English.

Overall, it has been impressive to see

the improvement in students’ writing this

year. They definitely understand (and are

able to demonstrate) the proper structure

and development of a five paragraph

essay. The third and last writing profi-

ciency test will be given in May. I am

giving some after-school workshops for

those students prior to the test and will

keep you posted on the dates and times.

Lastly, thank you for the opportunity to

be a part of your child’s life. It has been

a rewarding year and a delight to know

each and every one better. Furthermore, I

look forward to seeing all that they will

accomplish in the years ahead as they

continue to follow the Lord and fulfill his

perfect plan for their life. �


English 8 and Advanced English 8 by Brenda Yttrup Fourth quarter is here! Unfortunately, while summer is

almost upon us, there is still a little more left in English 8 to

accomplish.

Research papers are underway, and students have com-

pleted nearly all of their 100 note cards. I

have been impressed with their commit-

ment to detail and a desire to get it right.

Due dates for some of the requirements

were moved back a bit, and the final

draft was due at the end of April. Most

of the work was to be done at home. I

use class time to give instruction and

practice, and rarely are students given

enough time to actually write the bulk of

their papers in class.

Definitely a classic, Tom Sawyer has

been a truly, enjoyable selection. Mark

Twain’s multi-faceted characters and

rich, descriptive language make it fun to

read. We finished reading the novel near

the end of April and moved on to some

of the short stories from the literature

text, as well as others I have provided.

Incidentally, Open House was an op-

portunity for your student to earn some

extra credit. Students were able to recite

the poem they memorized last quarter, as

well as dress like a character from any

story we read about in class this year. I

Fig. 4. Mark Twain

- 3 -


Warm Summer Sun

by Mark Twain

Warm summer sun,

Shine kindly here,

Warm southern wind,

Blow softly here.

Green sod above,

Lie light, lie light.

Good night, dear heart,

Good night, good night.

Fig. 5. Under the Summer Sun


English 9 by Donna Erie Students have completed their final drafts of the research

paper and have submitted them to Turnitin. Students who

completed their research papers on time entered Easter break

with a heavy burden lifted from their shoulders.

After Easter break, students began aggressively reading the

rest of the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, completing it by the

end of April. In conjunction with the

reading, there were discussions,

group activities, and a unit test on the

novel.

Our English department celebrated

Shakespeare’s birthday on April 23rd.

On that day, students had an opportu-

nity to dress up as one of his charac-

ters and to participate in games in the

library. We completed the day’s cele-

bration with birthday cake in the li-

brary. This was an excellent introduc-

tion to our ninth grade Shakespearean

unit which centered on Shakespeare’s

tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Students

have entertained each other by par-

ticipating in the dramatic reading of

various scenes from the play. As

students examine Shakespeare’s writ-

ing style and literary elements used in

the play, we hope this will bring life

and understanding to this dramatic

experience. At the end of every act,

we watched the film version of Ro-

meo and Juliet produced by Franco

Zeffirelli.

We have also read selected poems

from our textbook and other sources,

and students have been given the

opportunity to express their desires,

frustrations, enjoyments, personal history, or goals in the

form of an original poem that was shared with the class. In

addition to the poem, students also wrote an informational

formal essay, identifying the influences of Shakespeare’s life

experiences on the literary elements expressed in Romeo and

Juliet.

Students will continue to practice ownership of vocabulary

words by incorporating their vocabulary words from lists 11

– 15 in their writing assignments. Students are now memo-

rizing Latin and Greek roots and affixes; we have completed

two lists and hope to complete a total of five lists by the end

of this quarter.

Grammar is also an important unit which will be a con-

tinuation of third quarter concepts—various types of phrases

and clauses (adjective, participial, gerund, and infinitive

phrases and adverb, adjective, and noun clauses). Focusing

on grammar mechanics will also be addressed in student

writing assignments. �

Advanced English 9 by Donna Erie We are beginning this final quarter with the completion of

the research paper. Students were relieved to enter Easter

break with the project completed. Students will finish read-

ing and discussing Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451.

As we finish the book, we will examine the effectiveness of

Bradbury’s writing style to emphasize the seriousness of his

theme. Then we will examine the rele-

vancy of his theme in our society today.

From there, students will begin read-

ing Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy,

Romeo and Juliet. Though tragic and

misunderstood circumstances led the

star-crossed lovers—Romeo and

Juliet—to end their lives with no hope of

being together, we will approach this

five act play in a humorous diversion

with the students dramatizing various

scenes from each act. In addition, stu-

dents will watch the film version of Ro-

meo and Juliet produced by Franco Zef-

firelli.

To complete the literature unit, stu-

dents will read various poems. They will

compare the styles from various authors,

the themes used, and the effectiveness of

each author’s message. Now the students

are ready to create two poems and one

sonnet. One poem will be free verse, and

one will have a rhyming pattern. Both

poems may have personal themes. The

sonnet will have a specific theme given

by the teacher.

While students are completing their

literature unit, they will finish an out-of-

class reading of the poignant story, To

Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.

The vocabulary unit for this quarter will continue with the

application of Greek and Latin roots and affixes to Vocabu-

lary Lists 13 – 16. Students will continue to learn vocabulary

words comprehensively and use these words in their writing

assignments.

The grammar unit will focus on grammar conventions,

such as adjective, participial, gerund, and infinitive phrases

and adverb, adjective, and noun clauses. Grammar mechan-

ics will continue to be utilized in all student writing assign-

ments. Students will be required to apply these various prin-

ciples to their personal writing.

Since writing seems to be the area that needs the most im-

provement, students will have two formal essays this quarter.

Both will be related to the literature we are reading. One will

be an argumentative paper and the other will be a personal

essay. As you can tell, this is a busy quarter, but it has its

rewards. �

- 4 -


Fig. 6. Juliet

Advanced English 10 by Beth Segal


The advanced sophomore English class is winding up a

year of reading literary classics. We have explored classical

Greek drama by reading Antigone and watching the ACT

performance of Elektra (both plays written by Sophocles).

We then read Homer’s epic tale of adventure, The Odyssey,

all of which brought a strong foundation of the classical

Greek model of literature. To segue from this ancient litera-

ture emphasis, we read Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Julius Cae-

sar, an example of Renaissance literature portraying the riv-

eting historical drama of Rome not even a generation after

Christ.

We then moved to easier and lighter literature,

exploring a variety of short stories and poetry

by multiple authors of various time periods.

After pre-learning exercises, students practiced

test taking skills as they took short quizzes each

week. Students had to cultivate their own

evaluation of material not generated by teacher

and peer interaction, but by independent critical

analyses of multiple choice questions much like

the SAT model.

For this final quarter of literature, students are

reading the Victorian classic, Pride and Preju-

dice, by Jane Austen. This classic provides high

level vocabulary, satirical humor and irony, and

an illuminating view of both the absurdities and

cultural necessity of established social conven-

tions. We will explore themes of social status

and prejudice, women overcoming historical

and cultural obstacles, and moral standards and

values based on historical contexts. Then stu-

dents will be encouraged to evaluate contempo-

rary emerging social and cultural conventions as

we recognize Jane Austen’s insightful observations of the

social issues of her era.

For writing, students will continue their weekly in-class

essays, and they participated in the annual sophomore poetry

contest by writing an original poem. The poetry contest coin-

cided with National Poetry Month which was celebrated by

all of the English classes this year. Additionally, students

will have the opportunity to explore and research their own

career interests in a short essay. The objective of this paper is

not just to continue honing critical thinking and writing

skills, but also to help students take the next steps in devel-

oping a college plan that best benefits their personal career

needs and interests. This paper will be background informa-

tion for a writing project and college planning that will con-

tinue in the student’s junior year.

Finally, we continue our vocabulary and grammar studies.

Pride and Prejudice will provide seventy-five high level

vocabulary words for study. Grammar exercises will be tar-

geted to correct typical writing errors in the area of sentence

structure and punctuation. �

English 10 by Beth Segal

The sophomore English class has just finished a four page

essay proving that all the conflicts of Cry, the Beloved Coun-

try are resolved by the characters living out Christian princi-

ples. Now, for the fourth quarter, we have moved on to a

different kind of essay. Students have the opportunity to do a

short career research paper. The objective of this paper is for

students to start researching a career that they think they

might pursue after college. This helps students take the next

steps in developing a college plan that best fits their needs, as

well as evaluating whether their dream job really is some-

thing in which they want to invest their

education and time. This authentic

research paper allows students to re-

search and evaluate internet sources for

credibility, synthesize information

from multiple sources, and present

their findings in a formal essay.

Although the career research essay is

the fourth quarter writing emphasis, it

is only three to four pages in length

and can be done in collaboration with

another student. Beyond the personal

development this essay offers in giving

students the opportunity to evaluate

career possibilities, as always, students

will continue to hone their writing and

critical thinking skills. The emphasis

on developing writing skills will con-

tinue to be addressed with weekly in-

class essays.

For literature this quarter, sopho-

mores are reading a variety of poems

and short stories from their literature

textbook. After exploring and critiquing several genres of

poetry, in support of April being National Poetry Month, the

sophomore class had its annual poetry writing contest. Fi-

nally, we will finish the year by reading short stories and

analyzing the elements of theses stories that make them

great. The work load of the literature component of class is

less time consuming at the end of the year. Students will not

be doing literature comprehension questions, but instead will

take short quizzes to check their comprehension and to prac-

tice test taking strategies.

Practice of grammar and vocabulary exercises will con-

tinue, and we will then launch an extensive review of vo-

cabulary. As we will have studied 100 words by the end of

this semester, it is important we take time to review those

words so they become a part of students’ working vocabu-

lary for improved writing, comprehension, and discourse

proficiencies. Grammar exercises will now be focused on

correcting and improving writing with an emphasis on sen-

tence structure and punctuation. �

- 5 -


Fig. 7. National Poetry Month Poster


English 11 by Peggy Bush With only a few weeks left in the 2012-1013 school year,

it’s time to focus on the last of our major assignments, in-

cluding the college project. The purpose of the college pro-

ject is to get students thinking about their education after

high school. As they become aware of the options available

to them, they are better equipped to make informed deci-

sions. Students have submitted a list of ten criteria for choos-

ing a college or

university and have

also identified five

universities that

meet most of these

and have taken on-

line tours of those

schools. Many have

also visited cam-

puses in person and

have talked with

admissions person-

nel.

Creating a resume

and writing a per-

sonal essay are the

next items students

are creating. Class

time will be spent

discussing the

“how-to’s” of these

parts of the project,

and I am talking to

each student, individually, about plans for life after high

school. I hope the college information your student has

found will be a welcome tool as he or she contemplates at-

tending a college or university

In addition to the college project, this quarter we will con-

tinue writing essays, learning new vocabulary, and reading

literature. The literature includes selections from the Harlem

Renaissance, as well as texts from the 1950’s to the present.

Comparison/contrast essays will be assigned in addition to

weekly responses to the literature. Classroom discussions of

literary devices writers use to communicate their message

and relevant topics with a Christian worldview will be ex-

plored.

I appreciate your contribution through your kids and your

encouragement to keep them reading and writing. The en-

ergy, enthusiasm and questions they bring to the classroom

challenge me as they bring contemporary insights to litera-

ture and to life in general. �

AP Composition by Scott Foran This final quarter has provided students with a lot of prac-

tice in critical analysis and writing. This will not only assist

students as they take the May 10 exam, but it will also help

prepare them for senior level English next year and college-

level work as they advance beyond Capital Christian High

School.

During the quarter, students were given a wide variety of

arguments to deconstruct. Most of these arguments were

written, but many also came in the form of visual advertise-

ments and short film presentations. Students have been prac-

ticing the skill of quickly grasping the major points of an

argument and evaluating its strength.

In addition to this, students have continued to create their

own written arguments through weekly informal essays and

the final writing project of the school year, the research pa-

per. This assignment was not merely collecting and report-

ing information on

a subject, but was,

instead, the careful

creation and sup-

port of an argumen-

tative claim. Stu-

dents were ex-

pected to develop

their own claims

and then support

those claims with

evidence and ex-

pert testimony. In

the process of do-

ing research, stu-

dents also learned

the value of evalu-

ating the credibility

of their sources,

especially those

found on-line.

During this quarter, students were also given an increasing

number of practice AP exams. The main purpose of these

exercises was to make sure students are familiar with the

exam structure, as well as the types of texts and questions

used by the College Board. Half the battle of the AP exam is

familiarity with the format.

Students were also given the task of creating a college

portfolio. This assignment helped students begin preparing

for the task of selecting colleges and applying for admission.

Students were asked to develop criteria lists for selecting

colleges, to create a student resumé, fill out a practice Com-

mon Application, and write a personal essay. �

Fig. 8. Langston Hughes

- 6 -


Fig. 9. Writing the Research Paper


English 12 by Scott Foran AP Literature by Scott Foran This quarter began with a practical application of skills we

learned earlier in the semester, namely how to read and un-

derstand a poem. Students were given a number of select

texts which they had to read and dissect, exploring the use of

poetic devices and thematic elements. The poetry sections

on the AP exam are notoriously difficult for students, so

these activities served as useful preparation for May 9.

After poetry, we began to explore the third major genre of

literature: drama. Students were introduced to the historical

development of this art form, and they read three complete

plays. The first selection, representing the ancient world of

drama, was Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King.

We then moved to the middle period of drama with William

Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The modern era was represented by

Arthur Mil ler’s

Death of a Salesman.

These plays are ex-

cellent examples of

drama during each of

the major time peri-

ods, and they truly

explore the human

condition in ways

that few other works

of literature have

been able to.

In addition to

weekly informal

essays, students also

worked on their final

formal writing as-

signment, the re-

search paper. Stu-

dents had to pick a

recognized work of

literature (poem,

short story, novel, or play) and develop their own argumenta-

tive claim as a working thesis. The goal of the paper was to

persuasively support this claim with evidence from the text

and the voices of the experts (scholars/critics). This project

served as further preparation for the essays on the AP exam,

and it is also a good example of the type of writing assign-

ments they are likely to produce at the college level. As part

of the writing assignment, students also learned the value of

evaluating the credibility of their sources, especially those

found on-line.

During this quarter, students were also given an increasing

number of practice AP exams. The main purpose of these

exercises was to make sure students are familiar with the

exam structure, as well as the types of texts and questions

used by the College Board. Half the battle of the AP exam is

familiarity with the format. �

- 7 -

Fig. 11. Hamlet


The fourth quarter concludes our year-long survey of Brit-

ish literature. We have read and discussed the major authors,

texts, and literary movements from the beginning of British

literature, the Anglo-Saxon Beowulf, to the twentieth cen-

tury.

We started this quarter with a final look at the Romantic

Era in the form of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Kubla Khan”

and “Rime of the

Ancient Mariner.”

After this, we studied

the Victorian Era,

reading several po-

ems by Tennyson and

Kipling. We then

began the transition

to the modern world

with the visionary

poems of Yeats and

Eliot, and we are

currently reading

George Orwell’s

dystopic novel, 1984.

In just a few genera-

tions of authors, Brit-

ish literature moved

from the relative

s a f e t y o f r e -

envisioning nature

and the imagination

to the uncertainties of post-World War I society, and it is

curious to note the parallels that exist between the disillu-

sionment of the early twentieth century and that of the West-

ern world after 9-11.

In addition to ongoing informal essays, students have been

working on their final writing project, a formal research pa-

per. This assignment centered on Mary Shelley’s Franken-

stein, and students were allowed to choose from five investi-

gative prompts. Each prompt required students to explore

Shelley’s use of a major philosophical or literary element in

her novel:

1) How does Mary Shelley’s portrayal of the monster re-

flect Rousseau’s concept of the “noble savage”?

2) How does Mary Shelley’s portrayal of the monster re-

flect Locke’s concept of tabula rasa?

3) How is Shelley’s Frankenstein a Romantic novel?

4) How does Shelley incorporate biblical allusions into the

novel, Frankenstein?

5) How is the monster a doppelgänger, or double, of Victor

Frankenstein?

As part of this writing assignment, students also learned the

value of evaluating the credibility of their sources, especially

those found on-line. �

Fig. 10. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein


- 8 -


The English department website, which launched earlier

this semester, is a resource-rich envrionment for students and

parents alike. This website grants access to information

regarding our English program, individual courses, as well as

tools for reading and writing. Visit today!

• Course Descriptions

• Course Syllabi

• Newsletter Archive

• CCHS Summer Reading Program

• Links to Major Exams (SAT/ACT/AP)

• Link to Common Core Standards

• Link to Turnitin

• Links to Grammar Tools

• Links to ESL Tools

Visit the English Department

Kitta McMahon: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Diana Nance: Agenda 21 by Glen Beck

Brenda Yttrup: It’s Not About Me by Max Lucado

Donna Erie: Joshua by Ellen Gunderson Traylor

Beth Segal: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching by H. Douglas Brown

Peggy Bush: Lincoln’s Battle with God by Stephen Mansfield

Scott Foran: Faith and Treason: The Story of the Gunpowder Plot by Antonia Fraser

Brenda Moore: The Skilled Helper by Gerard Egan

What are teachers reading?

Ready for College? by Scott Foran In our ongoing endeavor to improve the English program at

Capital Christian School, we invited Dr. Portia Hopkins,

English department chair at William Jessup University, to

speak to our English faculty about college readiness for our

students. One of the problems

plaguing modern education is

that an alarming number of

high school graduates, as they

move on to the college level,

suddenly find themselves

thrust into an academic envi-

ronment for which they are ill

prepared.

Dr. Hopkins, who has an

M.A. in English and a Ph.D.

in Humanities, has served as

both the English department

chair and the Interim Associ-

ate Academic Dean at WJU.

She has also been teaching college-level English for nearly

twenty-five years. Needless to say, Dr. Hopkins brings a

great deal of experience to bear on this issue.

Dr. Hopkins explained a number of realities for college

freshmen, including what students should expect from a typi-

cal college course:

• Read 4-8 books per course, per semester.

• One or more research papers per course, per semester.

• Numerous short papers per course, per semester.

• No daily homework or progress checks.

• No extra credit or time extensions.

• No study sheets or practice exams.

She also shared strategies with our faculty that will help us

better prepare our students for college-level thinking, read-

ing, and writing.

We hope to have Dr. Hopkins come back in the fall to meet

with administrators, as well as with the faculty in several of

our CCS departments. �

Fig. 12. Dr. Portia Hopkins

Fig. 14. Books to Read

www.ccsengl.weebly.com

Fig. 13. Website


- 9 -

CCS Libraries by Alison Cranshaw and Rachel Silva PRESCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY LIBRARY

1. The elementary library is now available, after school (until

4 pm), for A.R. (Accelerated Reading) testing.

Guidelines for A.R. testing in the library:

- Student must be accompanied by a parent.

- Student needs to be logged in by 3:30.

- Student needs to know A.R. log-in and password.

- No visiting or sitting with anyone while testing.

- No materials nearby while testing.

- Book may be used to pull up test, but then needs to

be put away.

- If test is not completed by 4 pm, student will need

to log out and complete test at another time.

2. Due to our libraries closing for the summer, the checking

out of books ends as of May 1. Please get all your books

turned in before school is over for the year.

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY

The MS library hosted our annual book reading contest in

February. Students received a goodie bag and were entered

into a drawing for each book they read during the month of

February. Julia Thompson won a Kendama in one of our

drawings, and Zane Wilkie won a Starbucks gift card in our

guessing contest.

Congratulations to our book reading contest winners! We

had four girls and four boys qualify as top readers by reading

the most pages for the month of February:

- Marissa Santos - Jayson Files

- Kelly Salfen - Elijah Stone

- Annemarie McClanahan - Andre Gabrial

- Megan Filer - Diego Fontes

These eight students were treated to a Starbucks treat and a

behind-the-scenes tour of Barnes & Noble. They were each

given an employee nametag and taken to the stocking room

to see where it all starts. They also learned about how a

bookstore is set up. Next time you see one of our winners,

ask why there are no longer couches or big cozy chairs in the

bookstores (very sad). They also had a great time learning

about the process of writing a book and what it takes to get a

book published. It was a great time!

HS LIBRARY

Greetings! We ended the month of March with a March

Madness Reading contest. Boxes of Skittles, Sour Patches,

and Hot Tamales were given as prizes, and students also

competed for gift cards.

In addition to the contest, we also watched The Time Ma-

chine (based on a book by H. G. Wells) after school one day.

This was the first of (hopefully) many book-to-film events.

Keep your eye on the calendar for future viewings.

The Junior Library Committee met in March and April. If

you are interested in serving the library for community ser-

vice hours, please join us at our next meeting. �


__________________________________

Sources:

Fig. 1. Foran, Scott. Guest of Honor at Shakespeare Birthday Bash. Photo. 23 April 2013.

Fig. 2. Hatchet in Stump. 2013. Colourbox. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 3. Call of the Wild. 2013. Amazon. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 4. Mark Twain. Photograph. Wall Street Journal, 2013. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 5. Cantanzaro, Joseph. “Under the Summer Sun.” Oil Painting. Chicago Contemporary Art. 2013. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 6. Waterhouse, John William. Juliet. 2013. Waterhouse. Web. 23 April 2013.

Fig. 7. National Poetry Month Poster. 2013. The Academy of American Poets. Web. 23 April 2013.

Fig. 8. Langston Hughes. 2002. San Francisco Chronicle. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 9. Writing the Research Paper. 2012. Educational Star. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 10. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. 2009. Columbia University. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 11. Hamlet. 2003. PBS. Web. 23 April 2013.

Fig. 12. Dr. Portia Hopkins. 2013. William Jessup University. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 13. Website. 2012. Muddy Colors. Web. 24 April 2013.

Fig. 14. Books to Read. 2011. Design Techtonics. Web. 15 24 April 2013.

Fig. 15. Penn Station. 2013. Fine Art America. Web. 23 April 2013.

Fig. 16. National Poetry Month Poster. 2013. The Academy of American Poets. Web. 23 April 2013.

Congratulations to the following students who competed in the ACSI Speech Meet on Thursday, April 11, 2013:

Taylor Stephens - Bronze Medal and Excellent Rating in Impromptu Speaking; Excellent Rating in Expository Speaking

Brianna Gutierrez - Excellent Rating in Dramatic Interpretation


- 10 -


Penn Station by Erin Donoho Editor’s Note: Erin Donoho is a senior at CCS. Her story

received an “Excellent” rating in the ACSI Creative Writing

Festival.

“Listen,” I say. “You’ll write?”

He grins. He has the best grin. Half wild, half charm-

ing. But completely sincere. “I already told you I’d write,

Bea. Relax.”

“Okay.” I’m trying to

think of something else to

say. I have to. I can’t just

waste our last minutes to-

gether saying nothing.

“Look – try not to let

yourself think you’re, you

know, immune to anything .

. .”

“I ain’t dumb, Bea.” He

shoots me that grin

again. But now he

frowns. “Listen, honey. I’ll

do the best I can. And if

that . . .” he pauses. Puts his

hand on my shoulder. His

are large and rough, just like

my father’s. Maybe that’s

why I decided to marry

him. “I’ll stay safe. Not

everyone’s out on the front

lines, you know.” His smile

is softer this time, hope-

ful. Trying to keep me from

worrying.

“Yeah. But – “

“It’s alright. Look. I’ll

come back, I’ll be fine. I’ll

get back and we’ll move out

to the country some-

where. Don’t worry about

it.” He grabs my hand now,

squeezes it. His is so warm. How is that possible? It’s

freezing cold outside, and the sky is dark with clouds. My

hands are halfway numb, even here inside, even with my

gloves.

“Bea,” he says, in that solemn tone he rarely uses, and I

look at him. His eyes, dark hazel, round and firm, lock me in

position. He has such lovely eyes.

“I’ll be home soon.” His voice is nearly a whisper as he

leans his forehead against mine. The people around us buzz

a million miles away. His eyes bore into me. Believe

me. “I’ll be home soon, Bea. And I will write to you, every

chance I get. I’ll stay safe. I don’t want you to worry one

little bit about me. Okay?” I nod. “Don’t worry. I want you

to work hard and spend time with your family. And before

you know it I’ll be home. All right?”

I nod again. Tears are welling up in my eyes, and though I

try to push them back they don’t fully leave. My chest

aches. Raymond. Raymond Lewis Carter. My hus-

band. He’s really going away,

really leaving, really going off

to fight . . .

“Bea, now don’t start cry-

ing. Bea. Come on,

honey.” He pulls me into him,

and wraps his arms around

me. As tears run down my

face I breathe in the scent of

his military uniform, light tan

wool, fresh and new and never

worn before. And his co-

logne. I think of home. Our

apartment. It’s going to be so

empty without him.

“I won’t ever forget you

w h i l e I ’ m o v e r

there. Okay? Don’t

worry. You got your parents

real close. Stay in contact

with them.”

“I know.” I do. They’re my

family. As close to Ray as I

can get.

“Cheer up! I’ll be back be-

fore you know it.” He leans

forward, pulling me closer to

him, and kisses me. Sweet,

soft, warm, passionate like

always.

H e d r a w s b a c k

now. Reaches up and gently

wipes a tear from my cheek. I

remember him telling me, so long ago, standing out on the

pier, “You have such pretty eyes, Bea. I’ve never seen such

bright green eyes before.”

It seems so long ago. But it was only three years ago at

most – three? That’s it? Yes. We started dating when I was

seventeen, and we married when I was nineteen. He was

twenty-three. We’ve only been married for thirteen months,

I realize.

“Well, I don’t wanna miss the train,” Ray says. I nod, step

back, run my fingers along the edge of my purse. He looks

at me.

Fig. 15. Penn Station

- 11 -



Angie by Rebecca Wolfe Editor’s Note: Rebecca Wolfe is a senior at CCS. Her story

received a “Superior” rating in the ACSI Creative Writing

Festival.

Nobody should ever have to see her own face, lifeless,

pale, lying in a plush purple coffin. Why are coffins plush,

anyhow? If someone is in one, she is dead. Dead people

don’t care about silk cushions. My twin sister didn’t care

about her purple cushions.

That’s what I thought about through the whole service: the

cushions. It helped distract me from the absolute obliteration

going on inside my chest. I stared blankly at the pastor. He

was talking about her as though he’d known her. Talking

about how she’d fought courageously until the end, as if

there’s another way to do things when you’re dying of can-

cer.

Angie would have laughed about it. She would have leaned

over and whispered it to me, and everyone within ten feet

would have heard her. She couldn’t whisper for her life.

I’d been there when she lost her life. I’d skipped several

weeks of school, staying there in the hospital with her. I’d

held her hair when she was puking into those weirdly shaped

hospital toilets. I’d brought her new books and snuck in bur-

gers and fries when the nurses weren’t looking. I’d switched

clothes with her, accidentally tricking the nurse into almost

giving me her massive dose of morphine. I’d felt guilty. I’d

lain awake wondering why I wasn’t admitted with the same

diagnosis, seeing as we had the same DNA. I’d woken up

from a nap to check on her and find that her chest was no

longer rising and falling. I’d yelled. I’d slammed the button

to page the nurses. I’d been held back and had to watch them

wheel her away.

In some ways, I was almost glad for her. She didn’t have to

puke, deal with the pitying looks, or try to avoid the guy she

liked because she was missing patches of hair anymore. In

all ways, I mourned for myself. She was fine. I was not. She

was gone. I was at her funeral. Funerals aren’t for the de-

ceased. Funerals are for those still breathing.

I felt wrong not crying as they said prayers and sang

hymns. My tears were all gone, let out in rage and exhaus-

tion in a steaming shower every night since she’d died. I’d

lost everything in her. She wasn’t just my best friend, the

only person I actually trusted, or my sister. She was me. I

was her. We’d spent every second together since birth. That

was how it worked. We had the same face, we came from the

same egg, we were the same soul. Now, our soul was de-

stroyed. She had not neatly taken her half. No, the whole

thing had been shredded, devastated by a slow, cruel disease.

And now, I was looking at us in a coffin. Now, I was

watching them close our lid. Now, I was watching our par-

ents cry. Now, I was burying our soul. �

“I’ll seeya, kid,” he says. The lump in my throat grows,

and I nearly choke. I only nod in response.

“Take care.” With that he waves, and I reach my arm up

and wave back. And now he’s walking, walking, fast and

brisk – no doubt he’ll be good in the military – to the

steps. He hands his bag to the porter. Steps up.

The whistle blows. My heart races. Ray turns around and

waves, then ducks inside. I step closer. The engine’s starting

up again. People, men, all in the same uniforms, are crowd-

ing on.

Suddenly I see him. He sticks his head out the window,

yells, “Love you, Bea!” and waves, emphatically. I laugh

and wave back.

“I love you too!” The whistle blows again, this time

longer. He shuts the window just as the train begins to

move. Turns, and walks away from it.

I watch the train until it’s all the way down the dark tunnel

of Penn Station, gone. �

Fig. 16. National Poetry Month Poster

Documents

CCS English Quarterly 4-2012-2013ccsengl.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/2/13927698/ccs_english...“Sonnet XVIII” by William Shakespeare, and “The Rider” by Naomi Shihab Nye. On April