that's+what+she+said

hi, my name is erica. clearly, i am a huge fan of the office (as is indicated by the title of this page). i believe it is a wonderful show with a humor that cannot be handled be all... so i feel fortunate :)

first off, i HATE capital letters. i only use them occassionaly to emphasize things. i also use them in formal papers because it is required (and i feel like it is a law). but regularly, i only use them as a form of identification of God, Jesus, and distinguishable religious terms like those. i am a Christian, and i love the Lord Jesus with all my heart. that's my number one.

secondly, i am a product of bucks county, pennsylvania which is just north of philly and just south of doylestown. my hometown and my family are very important to me, and i visit home regularly.

i am a senior here at bloom (being it my fourth year here), but i will graduate a semester later. my original major was secondary education and biology, but after a 3-hour bio lab, i hated my life. so i switched. i enjoy reading a lot, but i am a bigger fan of writing. i write as a hobby, as a journaler (not sure if that's a word), and for classes. it just comes naturally to me, so i just run with it.

the way i learn is fairly simple. i can copy down notes forever, but i do ask a lot of questions. i am a big believer in the "no stupid questions" motto, and i ask a lot of questions to clarify assignments, lectures, and projects. open-ended assignments are a dobule-edged sword for me because it could take me a long time to figure out what i am going to do, BUT that means i can use my creative side and come up with something really wonderful.

i am an CA (which is similar to an RA) here on campus, and that job makes me VERY busy. i live/work in elwell hall which is the biggest residence hall on campus, and it is full to the brim of little freshman babies. it often drives me insane, but i am getting MUCH better at time management, so that is a good thing.

i am a HUGE phillies fan, and i will represent that team until the day i die. i am a rival of all mets and braves fans. just an fyi.

ohhhhhkay, that's enough about me.

farewell, friends!

....that's what she said :)

back to personal pages

extrinsic motivators help me learn... probably like a lot of other people. i often think back to my high school english teachers to decide how i would like to teach in the future. i really enjoy the theatre and being creative with projects, so i think that will be a big factor in my future classroom, as well. i think this would be a good tool to get to know my future students. they could share anything they wanted to without a strict outline and/or feeling compelled.


 * INDIVIDUAL UNIT PLAN RATIONALE AND GUIDING QUESTIONS:**
 * -rationale: 8th grade, honors english. for my unit plan, i chose to look at s.e.hinton's __the outsiders__. students will study this text along with a few other mediums to examine the how innocence changes. is it completely lost? is it transferred or neglected as we grow and experience more? overall, innocence will be the big theme, and what it means to "stay gold". also, the role of family will be looked at, and what does a true family consist of? we can all relate to these topics because we all have or have had some kind of family structure in our lives. also, when we were all born, we were born golden and innocent. whether or not we stay this way, that's a different story.**


 * -guiding questions...**
 * ---what is the role of a family in today's society? how is that role similar or different than ponyboy's?**
 * ---what does it mean to be innocent? to stay gold? is that attribute even possible today?**
 * ---with which character can you relate most to, and why?**




 * assessment!!! wahoo!**


 * so, assessments are pretty cool and i enjoy writing, so i figure it would be a good idea to do an essay. granted, the students will know about the topic on the VERY first day we begin the unit so they will have time to look for topics to write about and brainstorm along the way. also, there will not be any maximum number of pages, only a minimum. as a student, i find it difficult when given a max number simply because i feel restricted. if a student really gets on a roll, they should run with it. i do understand, on the flip side, that this could make it more difficult to grade, but i feel like that's a chance i'm willing to take.**


 * SO essay time. here's the prompt options:**


 * 1) thematic elements: think about our time spent reading __the outsiders__, the frost poem "nothing gold can stay", wonder's song "stay gold" and __the outsiders__ movie. what is a common theme that all four pieces share? be specific. show specific examples, atleast one from each work, maybe more. use whatever evidence your need to get your point across. spelling and grammar usage count. 3 page minimum, double spaced.**


 * 2: comparison: compare hinton's novel of __the outsiders__ and the film we watched. what are some similarities and differences? use specific examples of character analysis, plot, and others you might come across. make sure to use, at least, 2 examples from each to prove your point. spelling and grammar usage count. 3 pages minimum, double spaced.**


 * 3. character analysis: choose one character and track their role in the novel from beginning to end. how have the changed? for better or for worse? have they matured, if at all? what has their impact been on the overall message of the novel? what is that message? be clear and concise using at least 3 textual examples from hinton's novel __the outsiders__. spelling and grammar usage count. 3 pages minimum, double spaced.**


 * standards met:**


 * 1.1.8 G**
 * Demonstrate after reading**
 * understanding and interpretation of**
 * both fiction and nonfiction text,**
 * including public documents.**
 * · Make, and support with evidence,**
 * assertions about texts.**
 * · Compare and contrast texts using**
 * themes, settings, characters and**
 * ideas.**
 * · Make extensions to related ideas,**
 * topics or information.**
 * · Describe the context of a**
 * document.**
 * · Analyze the positions, arguments**
 * and evidence in public documents.**


 * 1.2.8 A**
 * Read and understand essential content**
 * of informational texts and documents**
 * in all academic areas.**
 * · Differentiate fact from opinion**
 * utilizing resources that go beyond**
 * traditional text (e.g., newspapers,**
 * magazines and periodicals) to**
 * electronic media.**
 * · Distinguish between essential and**
 * nonessential information across**
 * texts and going beyond texts to a**
 * variety of media; identify bias and**
 * propaganda where present.**
 * · Draw inferences based on a**
 * variety of information sources.**
 * · Evaluate text organization and**
 * content to determine the author’s**
 * purpose and effectiveness**
 * according to the author’s theses,**
 * accuracy and thoroughness.**


 * 1.2.8 B**
 * Use and understand a variety of media**
 * and evaluate the quality of material**
 * produced.**
 * · Compare and analyze how**
 * different media offer a unique**
 * perspective on the information**
 * presented.**
 * · Analyze the techniques of**
 * particular media messages and**
 * their effect on a targeted audience.**
 * · Use, design and develop a media**
 * project that expands**
 * understanding (e.g., authors and**
 * works from**


 * 1.3.8 A**
 * Read and understand works of**
 * literature.**


 * 1.3.8 F**
 * Read and respond to nonfiction and**
 * fiction including poetry and drama.**


 * 1.5.8 C**
 * Write with controlled and/or subtle**
 * organization.**
 * · Sustain a logical order within**
 * sentences and between**
 * paragraphs using meaningful**
 * transitions.**
 * · Establish topic and purpose in the**
 * introduction.**
 * · Reiterate the topic and purpose in**
 * the conclusion.**


 * yay!**



here is my webquest! it's all done, and it took me awhile so i'm kinda proud of it :)

WHOLE ENTIRE UNIT PLAN! holy cow...



gatsby individual project explanation.

annotated gatsby lesson 2, CUPLS?

assessment feedback reflection