Scops and Bards In The Time of Beowulf by Jessica Longstreth

During the times of Beowulf, an epic students are currently reading, legends were not recorded in picture books for future generations. Instead, the northern Germanic tribes of Beowulf relied on scops and bards to tell embellished tales of lionhearted heroes throughout the years until, eventually, someone decided to write the story down.These poets were master improvisers, and provided entertainment for the tribesmen who gathered in mead-halls by chanting and singing about legends of the past. Tribal warriors held a great deal of respect for these scops, as it was the scops who would immortalize the warriors for their heroic deeds.

An illustration of a scop, likely singing an epic

The origins of Beowulf himself likely comes from scops throughout the years until an unknown poet published the epic in the eighteenth century. However, it is a mystery as to whether Beowulf actually existed. Of course, each storyteller told the tale differently, and certain details would have changed with time. For example, during Beowulf's time, northern Germanic tribes had not yet been introduced to Christianity, yet today's published version has some underlying Christian ideals. This is likely due to the influence of the anonymous poet who published the piece. Regardless, it is evident that bards and scops are to thank for some of today's classic epics.

Some classic epics:

• The Odyssey
• The Iliad
• The Divine Comedy
• The Epic of Gilgamesh

Book Review: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North | by Kristine Le

Normally, I’m more pulled to the young adult genre but this time, I decided to give adult fiction a try and picked up The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this book because in the beginning I would fall asleep every time I began reading it and was not really into it at all. To really appreciate the story that North was trying to tell, I had to open mind to her style of writing and really think about what she was telling me and why she was telling me these things. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, is a story about a man, Harry August, and how every time he dies he is reborn again and relives his life with all the memories of his past life. The starts with Harry on the death bed of his eleventh life and is told that the world is going to end. The fact that the world is ending is no surprise, what Harry is told to find out is the why.

In my opinion, the writing is perfect to listen to in audiobook form because how it is structured. To compare the writing would be like reading a giant thought cloud. The voice behind the narrator, Harry, is so forward that it’s as if every thought in his head was directly translated onto the paper. Besides the writing, I really enjoyed Harry as a character and the way he approached certain situations. For instances, at one time, he goes to infiltrate a Russian security base and he does so with absolutely no plan in mind only that if he fails he’ll have to die and go through his boring childhood again before he can come back and try again. It is hard to understand without having read it but, Harry has a unique comedic element to him with how he makes his decisions. Another attribute I loved about Harry’s personality is that he is very blunt and forward with people, it allowed me to relate with him on a small scale.

Along with Harry’s blunt personality, I really enjoyed his “ability.” The ability to be reborn but to still keep all the memories of past lives is fascinating. The power and responsibility behind the ability may seem blatantly obvious-- don’t try to change the course of events-- but, the story offers, in my opinion, such a greater depth to the “blatantly obvious.”The complexity of the story was one of my favorite parts because it added some interesting possibilities for themes and life lessons such as: too much too soon is not always a positive, dreams and ambitions can sometimes do more harm than good, and be a good man first before becoming a brilliant one. Everything falls together in a satisfying, yet still shocking, end, which I thought was absolutely amazing.

Some issues I had with the book was the organization and progression the author chose to tell the story. I felt that the plot was very scatter at some points for instance, in the middle of a scene the author would take a break provide some information about his past life and then come back to path of the story. I think that if the organization had been planned out more then it would not have it so difficult to get into. Also, because the main character was an intellect it was hard to comprehend what he was talking about at times whenever he would discuss things within the science field.

In all, I enjoyed by first reading experience of adult fiction and would definitely pick up another one. On a 1-5 rating scale, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North: 4.5

The Old English Language by Rebecca Greenberg

Currently in our Honors English we have just received the novel, Beowulf, which  is an Epic that takes place in the European mainland among two tribes, the Danes, and the Geats. An Epic is a long narrative poem that celebrates a hero's deed. What makes this novel so unique, is the fact that it is written in Old English, which seems like a completely new language to modern day English. As the students continue to read this novel, they may become frustrated with this odd vernacular however as one looks past this, the reader will understand how Beowulf is arguably the greatest achievement of Old English literature. Old English is the name given to the earliest recorded stage of the English language, up to approximately 1150 AD, which is when the Middle English period is generally began. It refers to the language as it was used in the long period of time from the coming of Germanic invaders and settlers to Britain—in the period following the collapse of Roman Britain—up to the Norman Conquest of 1066, and beyond into the first century of Norman rule in England. It is thus first and foremost the language of the people normally referred to by historians as the Anglo-Saxons. As we become accustomed to this language we will understand the values that pertain to us today, and why this story was passed down through generations upon generations. 




Try and decipher the following words that are in Old English! ( answers will be posted at the end of the blog. See how many you can get right!) 

• pannikan 
• soothsayer 
• Thwart 
• aglæca, 
• betweonan

Below, is an attached link that,  is the Prologue of Beowulf read in Old English 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K13GJkGvDw

Answers 

•  small pan
• someone who makes predictions
• hinder or prevent
• monster
•  between

Neverwhere Review by Melissa La Fountain

The book Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman was definitely my favorite of the two books I had to read over the summer for English. It tells the story of Richard Mayhew, a simple London man. It seems that everything about his life is average and boring, until one day he comes across a young woman named Door, who flips his world upside down...literally. Richard finds himself in London Below, a parallel of the London he knew where being abnormal is the norm. Richard spends the majority of the novel longing for London Above, to be ordinary once again. But once he has met a plethora of peculiar characters, defeated an ominous beast, and become a hero, he realizes that being ordinary isn't what he wants after all. I thought that the way that Neil Gaiman wrote each chapter really put a vivid picture into the readers' minds. His writing is thoroughly descriptive, to the point where if you close your eyes you can perfectly understand how each character and each placed looked. Gaiman also used a rotating point of view method to add more dimension to his novel. This allowed for readers to get inside each character's head and really understand who they were. In a lot of books, you only get the point of view of the protagonist. In Neverwhere, you get the points of view of the protagonist, the antagonist, and every character in between.
Usually, I'm not a very big fan of the books we have to read over the summer. I would much rather read a book that I choose and read because I want to read it, not because I am forced to. However, Neverwhere didn't feel like a book I had to read. I enjoyed it and I'm glad that I had the opportunity to read such a good book.

Picture Source: TV, Pond. "News: New Neverwhere Book". Anglonerd. N.p., 2015. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.

The Wooden Girl by Sylvia Kloian

I like to write, and occasionally I'll pen a poem. This is one of them.

The Wooden Girl

The Wooden Girl watches from inside her

imprisonment

She can't 

escape

Everyone who touches her leaves

their mark

They scar her skin, gouging at her soul

Her acid tears carve paths down her face,

permanently showcasing her

grief

for everyone to see

Her wood is so blemished that she is no longer

beautiful

Slowly the 

venom

creeps to her heart, encasing it, too, in wood

She thinks this will

protect

her from the 

hurt,

but it only

isolates 

her

The air around her grows 

warmer

and

warmer,

until the 

fire inside her 

cannot be contained

And the wooden girl goes

up in flames

Her anger and pain had 

destroyed her

She had doomed herself

Brianna Falco- Lone Survivor

I'm not quite finished with Lone Survivor, but this book is extremely interesting and something I would definitely recommend. The book is actually very informational and moving. I find it so interesting to learn about the U.S military and the hardships they have to get through. This book is sure to keep you intrigued the whole time and inform you of things you may not have ever known. Written by Marcus Luttrell( former Navy SEAL), makes the book much more real and interesting because you being told from a Seal's perspective. The setting is in Afghanistan on the Pakistani boarder, the Navy Seals were called in to take out an al Qaeda leader. These SEALs have gone through ruthless specialized training and have to fight like terrorists to beat terrorists. On their heroic mission, all were killed in less than 24 hours except for one, Marcus Luttrell. This was the biggest Navy SEAL loss in all of American history.
Honestly, this book has helped me envision what a Navy SEAL is all about, which is very inspiring. I have realized these people are some of the strongest, most courageous, and live for this country. I would love to watch the movie Lone Survivor as well as Black Hawk Down. There is a quote from the Dallas Morning News, " Every bit as thrilling as Black Hawk Down and unexpectedly, quite moving".

Personal Story - My First Horse by Josie Embleton

      On July 21 I was sad. I was sad because July 21 was the day that the horse that I loved was going back to his owner. I got this horse on a trial for one week and July 21 was the last day of the trial. My parents didn't wan't to pay for a lease on a horse, and that was the only way he could stay. He was a beautiful, large, chestnut, Dutch Warmblood horse. He was very kind and forgiving if I made a mistake during a riding lesson. On July 21, the horse, who was named Splash, was in his stall as I walked into the barn. I put a saddle and bridle on and walked out to the ring. Once I was on Splash, I felt happy. Whenever I'm on a horse I forget everything going on outside of the ring. Even though he was going back after that ride, I wanted to have an amazing last ride. So Splash and I had a wonderful, peaceful, and relaxing ride. As I walked back to the barn, I felt the gloomy sadness again. I had realized that my last ride on this perfect horse was over. I got off and walked into his stall, pulled the saddle off and took the bridle off. I began to groom him. This horse loved to be groomed, every time I brushed his neck, he would lean in and rock back and forth, thoroughly enjoying it. This did lift my spirits as it is very amusing. As I was brushing Splash, my mom arrived and sat down in the couches outside. Shortly after my mom arrived, my dad did too. I began to get a little bit suspicious that something was going on. In fact, I was slightly worried something bad happened. My mom, my riding coach, and my dad walked up to Splash's stall. As I was just finishing grooming Splash my mom asked me to stand next to him so she could take a picture. She raised her phone to take the picture and my dad and trainer did too. I smiled, and my trainer said "Don't you love this horse!" I replied with of course. (although I thought she kind of rubbed some salt in the wound considering he was going back that day) Then my mom exclaimed "I hope you love him, because he's yours for six months!" It took me a couple of seconds to process. When it finally did, I hugged my new horse, and burst into tears. I had never felt as strong of a connection with a horse as I did with this one. I walked out of the stall and hugged my mom, dad, and trainer, without my trainer we would never have found this horse. July 21 was by far one of, if not the best day of my life. It was the day I got my very own leased horse.

Is the Flex Classroom preferred by Students? By Stephanie Downes

Recently, Mrs. Kopp integrated a "flex classroom" into her Honors English 10th grade classes. I interviewed Sophie Venus and surveyed students to see if this class environment is preferred.

Q- What are some factors that you like about the flex classroom so far?

A (Venus)- I like that we have class discussions on Mondays and Tuesdays and then we can put what we have learned to use throughout the week. I also like that I am able to work at my own pace and collaborate with my classmates to get my work done. Lastly, I like that we have the freedom to manage our assignments while still getting help and mentoring from Mrs. Kopp. 

Q-What do you not like about the flex classroom system?

A- Overall, I enjoy it. However, I understand that some students may find it overwhelming or stressful at times. In addition to this, working in an open classroom can be distracting for students. 

Q- How does your experience with the flex classroom compare to those of your past English classes?
A- It is an overall less stressful environment. I tend to work better in a class rather than at home with distractions, so I like that we have time in class to work on our assignments and manage our time better. 

Q- Lastly, if you were to change one thing about the flex classroom, what would it be?
A- I really like this system, so I would just want more furniture to make our working and free-reading days more comfortable and relaxed! 

I also surveyed the class, asking them if they liked the flex classroom. 21 students said yes, while only 3 said no. However, many of the students added that although they like the new classroom environment as a whole, it has its drawbacks. Students remarked that all of the assignments at one time can get a little overwhelming an stressful at times. Overall, the flex classroom proves to be a success so far, and hopefully as the year goes on we will all adapt to this new way of learning!
Picture taken from www.communityschool.com

A new kind of learning by Ryan Dailey

This year the normal classroom is being flipped around into a fun comfortable environment. New kinds of freedom and responsibility have been handed to us, students, by the idea of a flex classroom. As you may have seen on Back to School night, our classroom is scattered with furniture from outside the usual classroom. From the peddle desk to trampoline and lawn chairs, this room gets exceedingly comfortable and cozy. As for assignments, we are given one due date per unit. Meaning we are given all assignments for one unit at the same time and hand them in either as we finish or all on the set due date. Mrs. Kopp leaves it to us to manage our time inside and outside of the classroom to get everything done. While it may seem easy to be come flustered and unorganized, the scheduled set for our class during the week keeps the disorganization from getting too hard to juggle. Mondays and Tuesdays consist of a class lecture. During this time the class gathers together while Mrs. Kopp teaches and explains topics relevant to our current unit. Wednesdays and Thursdays are independent work days. This is the time given to us to work on our assignments for the unit or other things related to class, like this blog post. While this work is independent, we are not completely alone. We have Mrs. Kopp and each other to ask questions and bounce ideas off of. Fridays are our relaxation day. We are given time to simply read. We are allowed  to chose any book we like to not only strengthen our reading, but writing and vocabulary as well. The flex classroom keeps class interesting, lively and gives us a chance to take responsibility and manage our time . Overall this year will be challenging but enjoyable.

Peddle desk 

Trampoline chair

Pictures from9: By Daniela Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa Jordi Canosa. "RE Bungee Chair." Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.

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Book Review: Neil Gaimen's Never where by Natalie Earl

The book was fiction, it interested me how Neil Gaiman came up with a book story about rat-speakers and a London Above or London Below. The story was so out of the ordinary and I was fascinated by the different type of characters, there was a Hunter, Royals like Door and her family, Angels, velvets, and so many more different characters. The story had murder and adventure, every chapter I read had more drama and suspense then the last. I wish Neil Gaiman went into more detail about Anesthesia being taken away, it was a quick explanation that I did not understand that well. I wanted to know more about Richard's love interest because it seemed at many situations in the book that Richard and Door felt something for each other. One part of the book I adored was how Richard won the key and that he was able to go to London Aove or Below if he wanted to at any time. It was a  perfect idea to add in the end that Richard was going insane because he didn't know if London Below was real. The homeless person on the street in London Above was scared of Richard because he was ranting on about wanting to go back to London Below and I thought that it was intriguing to see how badly Richard missed the life in London Below. The book is one of my favorites and I didn't expect to like the book as much as I did, the idea for the book was creative and I loved to read Neil Gaimen's book. 

Welcome to our Blog! By Mrs. Danielle Kopp

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blog! This blog is an experiment from a 10th grade Honors British and World Literature class.  My goal is to allow each of my students a chance to produce published work multiple times throughout the year.  Their task is to write about something related to our class or to reading and writing in general.  The students have carte blanche to use their own creativity and have fun with their blog posts.  A new blog post will be added by a different student each day and each student will end up posting about once a month. The students chose the blog name and created the design as a group.

 I hope that you enjoy reading our blog and that you comment on posts that you find interesting or exceptional.  I know that all my students would love and appreciate seeing comments on their posts.  This blog is also a great way for parents, guardians, family members, and friends to stay up to date with the topics we are studying in class. Please feel free to sign up for email notifications so that you will receive an email when a new post is added. 

 My hope is that this blog will be a place for students to thrive as writers and that they'll enjoy the process!  Thanks for stopping by!