Ms. Bakin's Board

English Language Arts Teacher

About Ms. Bakin

My name is Brigid Bakin and this will be my 4th year here at Naples Classical Academy! I have taught a variety of subjects across the past few years, but this year I am happy to announce that I will be returning to the 8th grade Literature and 11th grade Philosophy classrooms. I am beyond excited to renew this noble endeavor with your students, and I hope that your scholars will enjoy my class as much as I enjoy teaching them!

Before gracing the halls of NCA however, I spent my intellectually formative years at Ave Maria University where I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Liberal Studies, as well as a minor in Politics and a minor in Shakespeare in Performance. One of the most important lessons I learned while at undergrad is the importance of truly desiring to learn. I hope to instill this love of learning in my scholars, and I do hope that you will assist in facilitating this by encouraging your scholars to share the discussions in class and perhaps introduce similar conversations with the family at home. For the families of my Philosophy students: Be Prepared! We will be discussing many “Hot Button” topics during class, so be prepared for a handful of seemingly absurd questions and propositions. I promise there is a method to my madness.

In terms of housekeeping: I am chronically online, for better or for worse. If you ever need to reach me for any reason or have any question about the syllabus, class procedures, homework, et cetera, please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email! While I cannot promise an immediate response, I will do my best to respond within 24 hours. However, between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., (and over the weekend), I turn into a pumpkin and will be unable to reply to any emails. If you do happen to send an email between those hours, I will reply as soon as I can once I am at work.

Once again, I want to extend a warm welcome to those of you who are new to NCA, and also my gratitude for lending your precious bundles of joy to me for the next 10 (or so) months. While this bio might seem a bit light-hearted, I do take my job very seriously. You scholar will receive, to the best of my abilities, an excellent education in Literature or Philosophy.

I cannot wait to meet all of you! You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Warm regards,

Brigid Bakin

Homework

8th Lit Homework 02/21

Chapter 13 (pt. 2)

Bell work:

Do you think Crusoe will finally manage to escape the island?

Vocabulary:

  1. Stave
    1. (verb) to break by piercing it
  2. Sentinel
    1. (noun) a watchman
  3. Pinioned
    1. (adj) to be tied up
  4. Stratagem
    1. (noun) a plan

Reading questions:

  1. What do the captain and Crusoe reflect on concerning Crusoe’s survival?
  2. What do they do to prevent the mutinous crew from returning to the ship?
  3. How does Crusoe threaten the prisoners he has taken?
  4. What did the next boat of people think had happened to the first boat full?
  5. Summarize the captain’s plan to surprise the sailors.
  6. How does Crusoe surprise the sailor in the boat?

Homework:

Read the first half of chapter 14 (249-256), and copy out the poem “Ozymandias” 3 times.

8th Lit Homework 2/20

Chapter 13 (pt. 1)

Bell work:

Do you think Crusoe is right to be afraid of the newcomers?

Vocabulary:

  1. Intervened
    1. (verb) to alter or prevent a series of events
  2. Parley
    1. (verb) talk to discuss terms
  3. Incorrigible
    1. (adj) not able to be corrected
  4. Legitimates
    1. (verb) makes just or correct 

Reading questions:

  1. Where does the ship Friday spots appear to be from, and how does Crusoe know this?
  2. What does Crusoe find out about the men who come ashore?
  3. How does Crusoe prepare himself to meet the newcomers?
  4. When Crusoe talks to the prisoners, what does he discover?
  5. What deal does Crusoe make with the prisoners?
  6. How does the ensuing fight go?

Homework:

Finish reading chapter 13.

8th grade homework 2/19

Today we took our Robinson Crusoe chs. 10-12 quiz. If you were absent, please study your notes to prepare to take the quiz when you return.

For homework, please read the first half of chapter 13 (pgs. 226-237)

8th grade Homework 2/18

Bell work:

What do you think of Crusoe as a person?

Vocabulary:

  1. Punctual
    1. (adj) happening at the proper time
  2. Candor
    1. (noun) quality of being open and honest
  3. Ingenuity
    1. (noun) quality of being clever
  4. Reckoning
    1. (noun) calculating, estimating

Reading questions:

  1. How does Crusoe title himself, and why?
  2. What does Crusoe have Friday ask his father, and what is the reply?
  3. List some things Crusoe learns from the Spaniard.
  4. What worry does Crusoe confess to the Spaniard, and what is his reply?
  5. What objection does the Spaniard raise?
  6. What does Crusoe make the Spaniard and the old savage promise?

Homework:

Study notes for chs. 10-12 quiz tomorrow.

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