Zarwell Sophomore English

THE END, YOURS TRULY MRS. ZARWELL

2009-06-03T19:10:00.004-05:00

Thank you, everyone. It has been a delight and a privilege to be your teacher. I hope you find yourself enriched with a broader understanding of story and the power of words, and armed with an arsenal of skills.

Best of luck to you, tomorrow and always,

A fond and admiring,
Mrs. Zarwell

DAY 5 - CYCLE 15 - SEMESTER 2

2009-06-02T15:07:00.005-05:00

Today in class, we worked on constructing solid thesis statements and supporting claims. Group 2 found itself struggling a bit with the problem of elevating mere evidence to the status of actual claim, suggesting it was the cause of something when really it was just an indication of something. What do I mean by this? Well, consider the following statements:

It is raining outside...
The ground is wet.
The atmosphere is so saturated it can no longer hold moisture.

Now, of the above statements, which one should get the word "because" in front of it and which one should get "as evidenced by the fact that" in front of it? The answer is pretty obvious. When you put "because" in front mere evidence, you are suggesting a faulty relationship. You're also setting yourself up for plot review.

As you know, a good chunk of your argument's progression is based on your commentary sentences. If you're using evidence as a claim, you can't write a good commentary sentence.

Consider the following:

BAD CLAIM

CLAIM: Winston wants to keep a journal because he buys a special one in Mr. Charrington's shop.

EVIDENCE: He goes to Mr. Charrington's in the prole district and buys for himself an old leather journal with rich creamy paper.

COMMENTARY SENTENCE: Remember that the purpose of a commentary sentence is to explain how the evidence shows your claim. Here's the claim: He buys a journal. Here's the evidence: He buys a journal. You can see the problem.

GOOD CLAIM
CLAIM: Winston wants to keep a journal because he believes that keeping a record of history is the best way to preserve humanity.
EVIDENCE: He goes to Mr. Charrington's in the prole district and buys for himself an old leather journal with rich creamy paper, in which he carefully records his feelings, thoughts and actions..
COMMENTARY SENTENCE: The fact that Winston cherishes the journal and writes his personal history in it in spite of the real risk to his life indicates that its contents are precious to him, his understanding of himself, and his connection to others--indeed, humanity itself.

Practice identifying differences here: Handout from today's classes (used in groups 4 and 6 and inspired by group 2's discussion) may be found here.

All of your claims, not just your thesis, need to be arguable, and their logic must be sound, Make sure your claims are firmly rooted in the "because" side of the equation and not "as evidenced by" side. How can you practice? Take a look at ANY of the class notes from Huck Finn or 1984 and try responding to the discussion questions with a thesis and claims. Very often, you'll have GREAT luck simply by starting out with identifying characters' values. Characters act in certain ways because they value certain ideas and things over other ideas and things. Identify those ideas and things and you're establishing yourself firmly in "because" territory.

When you have a good thesis, tweak your topic sentences so that they, too, are arguable.

For tomorrow, please bring questions you would like to have answered. I will have no lesson plan--you lead the show. There is also an optional review at 4:30 in Kohl. Again, no lesson plan--you lead the show there, too.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 15 - SEMESTER 2

2009-06-01T07:45:00.003-05:00

Today, we had a quick activity, and then spoke about the end of the novel. In addition to the discussion questions offered to you at the beginning of the class, you offered some fine questions of your own:

Why doesn't Huck want to go back with civilization?
Is there any hope of civilization changing? What would be required for it to do so?
Is this a happy ending?
How are we supposed to feel/what are we supposed to think at the end of the novel?
Does Tom have any respect for Huck?

Notes for today's discussion may be found here.

HOMEWORK

Develop 3 claims for the thesis statement you chose. Remember, a claim must further the argument stated in the thesis, so each claim must be arguable (explain how or why).

For example: If the thesis is:

Huck & Jim's and George & Lennie's relationships may be (1) rooted in compassion, but in the end, these relationships are unhealthy because (2) they expose the weaker partner to greater risk and (3) indignity.

The claims might be:

Huck and George's compassion for their friends motivates them to actively try to help their friends find safety.
But their attempts to help their friends actually puts those friends at physical risk by allowing them to be hunted by others.
When Jim and Lennie become no more than prey in the eyes of the community, they have lost the very human dignity George and Huck meant to protect.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 15 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-28T20:35:00.002-05:00

Today, we finished going over the last 5 words of Unit 9 in the vocabulary book.

In the rest of the class, we took a closer look at some of Twain's potentially more subversive methods in including these last chapters of Huck Finn. (Group 4 especially: many of you clearly had not read, or at least not read well. What a disappointment--you missed some great stuff, and left the rest of us to carry that slack: we were none too appreciative. Pick it up, would you? We're depending on you.) I mentioned what Ernest Hemingway had said about the novel. Here it is in full: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called 'Huckleberry Finn.' If you read it you must stop where the Nigger Jim is stolen from the boy. That is the real end. The rest is just cheating. But it's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since." -- from Ernest Hemingway, "The Green Hills of Africa" (1934). Is it "just cheating?" Or is there some honest work going on there?

We looked at Tom and Huck's perspectives toward problem solving. Huck says to hell with authority and trust to pragmatism. Tom says to do it the right way, the way it's done in books. That might not seem like a big deal, but in a literate society, it is. In fact, you recognized that part of Tom's authority stems from that fact that he's formally educated: i.e. exposed to books. The other source of his authority? He's white. You noted that Twain brings both sources of authority into question. Do either race or tradition make for a valid foundation for authority or superiority? If this section got you asking those questions, there might be some honest work going on after all.

We also made some comparisons between older scenes and new:

The mischief the boys practice lead slaves to talk about being pestered by witches. Who are the witches?
Tom's shenanigans haven't changed much since the "gang of robbers" days, yet this time, it's a great deal more sinister. Why?
Jim is once again beset by biting animals. Has our sense of compassion shifted?

Given all of this, what do we wish Huck would do and why? If there is some sense of urgency in your reaction to him, so sense of exasperation with Tom, think about why Twain has manufactured those reactions in you. Is he cheating? Or is this an honest day's work in a novel?

You can find your notes from the discussions here.

HOMEWORK
For the love of Pete, READ AND READ WELL. FINISH THE NOVEL. (And be ready to tell us all what you think about Tom.)

AND, pick what you think is the BEST thesis statement from the posts to last night's blog post. Print it or copy it and bring it with you.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 15 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-27T09:15:00.007-05:00

Today, we covered words 10-15 in Unit 9 of the vocabulary book, and then worked on an activity. Some of you worked with a small group to write a thesis statement about the friendships of George & Lennie and Huck & Tom.

Group 2 should post their group thesis statements as comments to this blog post. You may add as much detail as you would like, and post any additional thesis statements you'd like. Groups 2 & 6, I took pictures of the board and will add those to the blog post when I get home tonight.

Ultimately, the activity asked you to give serious consideration to the central friendships of these novels. To help frame the discussion for groups 4 and 6, I asked you to identify (perhaps in a macabre manner) the traits for which you would like to be remembered when you die. You noted such things as:

Loyalty
Kindness
Decency
Accomplishments/Smarts
Contribution-minded
Athleticism
Humor
Honesty
Generosity
Fairness
Dedication

These are all noble traits, of course, and it speaks quite well of you that you prize these. Continue to do so. I then asked you how many of you had friends of whom your parents do not approve. A majority of hands went up. I asked that majority if they demonstrated the traits for which they would like to be remembered around those friends, and a majority of the majority said no, they didn't. Not by a long shot. Some friendships, no matter how much fun they are, are not healthy because they lead us away from the goals we have set for ourselves. It is for this reason that our parents and sometimes even our other friends disapprove, not because they're giant kill-joys who want to suck the fun out of everything. They want us to reach the noble aspirations we have set for ourselves. (So remember that when your parents freak out on you because you're hanging out with that troublesome Smedley again. They really DO have your best interests in mind, and Smedley really isn't as fabulous as you'd like to believe.)

We then discussed Huck's goal: to be loyal to his good friend Jim by helping him escape to freedom. Tom's goal is to honor the tradition of his favorite literature and have an adventure. Does their friendship with one another help them reach those goals or not? If there are problems, why? What is preventing success? How exactly is this a reflection of society's failings? (Erica C., you summed all of this up with glorious clarity that escapes me utterly at the moment. Could you work some of your mental magic in your comment to this post? Thank you!)

Lennie and George hope to "get a stake" where they can take care of each other and their own responsibilities. Does their friendship help or hurt that? If societal interference is the greatest obstacle to that mission, what does that tell us about that society?

These friendships do not exist in a vacuum, and they are shaped--for good or ill--by the world around them. You are to write an arguable thesis about the power of these friendships--for good or ill-- and/or about what they reveal about society, and post that thesis as a comment to this blog. If there are supporting data (yes, data is plural) you'd like to include, go for it. These thesis statements will help you prepare for the exam.

Remember the traits of a good thesis (Group 2, Jake, Nick, Henry and Jack--you'll want to especially review features 2 and 3):

Is the thesis arguable? In other words, could anyone who read the same texts reasonably take a different view?
Is the thesis focused? Does the writer direct attention to a specific, concrete idea and take a clear perspective on it, or are the terms the writer uses too broad, vague, and open to interpretation?
Is the thesis strictly based in the text? Does the claim ask the reader to think about the texts or about ideas that exist independently of the texts? If a meaningful discussion could be had about the idea without ever referring to the texts, the claim is not well-directed.
Is the thesis provable? Can the thesis be backed up with analysis of scenes or ideas from the text and avoid hypotheticals?
Does the claim answer “how” or “why”? Does the claim simply state the way things are, or does it seek to explain how or why they are that way? For example, if the author claims that we are meant to pity Mrs. Miller, does the author also suggest how we could know this or why she’s deserving of our pity?

Remember, these Thesis Statements MUST be focused and text-based. The trouble with trying to compare two novels is that you need to be broad enough to encompass ideas in both, but not so broad that your ideas become meaningless.

HOMEWORK

Read the above, carefully and completely. Really.
Write a thesis statement that summarizes your insights into the novels thus far.
Read up through chapter 39 in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 15 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-26T16:55:00.003-05:00

YOU LOOKED GREAT IN YOUR SHIRTS! :)

Today, we covered the next 5 words in Unit 9 Vocabulary.

Afterwards, you took a quick, 5 question multiple-choice quiz on Of Mice and Men. If you read with an eye for basic detail, you should get a perfect score.

Then, we took a good look at pages 268-271 of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the scene where Huck decides to rip up the letter. In our discussions, we recognized that Huck actively chooses to defy the laws of his tribe, but still considers them valid--he sacrifices his own salvation for the sake of another after thinking about him and the hopelessness of his situation. How does this measure up to Widow Douglas's lessons on prayer (page 13)?

We then spoke of George and Lennie's relationship, comparing similarities between George and Huck, Lennie and Jim, and their societies at large. Assuredly, these authors are making a stinging comment about the way we define and relate to our outcasts. What is the nature of that comment? Notes of our conversation are available here, and it would behoove you to look at the notes of other classes.

Throughout this week, we will be drawing parallels between the two texts, collectively brainstorming thesis statements (do you remember the tenets of a good thesis?) in preparation for the exam, when you will be asked to write a 12-sentence paragraph about these two novels. Look for connections at every available opportunity!

HOMEWORK:
Read to page 305 in Adventures of Huck Finn. Look for connections between the two novels!

DAY 5 - CYCLE 14 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-22T17:02:00.004-05:00

T-SHIRT DAY!

Sophomores may wear their sentence diagramming T-Shirts on Tuesday, May 26th. Standard Wildcat Wednesday Rules Apply!

For Tuesday, finish reading Of Mice and Men. We will be talking about the similarities between the novels' central friendships. You should be up through 275 in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn too. Please bring your vocabulary books with you.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 14 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-21T20:39:00.003-05:00

Notes are on the wikispace for today's class, in which we talked about Huck's growing appreciation for Jim's situation and his own sense of moral agency (i.e. responsibility to and for others). He is clearly making the transition from being self-preserving to being self-sacrificing, and we like him more for it. Where are YOU on the scale? Are you more advanced than Huck?

We'll work on our T-Shirts in Friday's class. Try diagramming your sentences to speed your efforts. Some links to help you:
The author's website with LOTS of sample diagrams
More easy to follow examples.
How to diagram "See Spot run" (more complicated than you think).
Most basics covered here; see esp. slides 7 & 10

Please read up through 275 for tomorrow. While we will not discuss the book, please remember that you must have all of the Steinbeck novel read for Tuesday, and I want you to parse out your time accordingly.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 14 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-19T17:35:00.004-05:00

Today, we reviewed sentence diagramming, lessons 13-18. I had you diagram the following sentences:

Most of the students did well on the first part of the test. (Prepositional phrases)
Roberta, did you eat the dessert in the faculty refrigerator? (Direct address)
Charlie, a senior, is scared of college. (Appositives)
Hooray! We beat out opponents, the Nicolet Knights! (Interjections and appositives)
Have the freshmen girls' backpacks been found? (Possessive pronouns)
Why aren't they going with us to the game? (Interrogative Adjectives and Adverbs)

If you can't figure out one of those sentences, check out the corresponding lesson.

In today's discussion of the novel, we looked at mob behavior in general, and at the important moral lessons Huck is learning from exposure to many mobs. The three classes all took slightly different paths, so be sure to check out the notes.

For tonight, read up through page 248 (chapter 26 through chapter 28). FORGOT YOUR NOVEL? CLICK HERE!

DAY 2 - CYCLE 14 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-18T10:20:00.003-05:00

Today, we covered the first 5 words of Unit 9 vocabulary. Tomorrow, we will review lessons 13-18 in the Sentence Diagramming Workbook.

We covered A LOT of ground today, including the tragic end of the Grangerford-Shepherdson feud, the arrival of the duke and king (notice that Huck doesn't capitalize their names: neither should you), the Boggs-Sherburn incident, and the circus. In these passages, Twain offers plenty of subtle commentary about society and its tendencies at ALL levels. Please see your class notes for today for a full picture.

For tomorrow, please read to page 219.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 14 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-16T19:32:00.002-05:00

Today, you took the unit 8 vocabulary quiz and had a reading day with Mrs. Parsons. Please be up to page 195 in Huck Fin by Monday, and be finished with Of Mice and Men by Tuesday, May 26th.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 13 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-14T17:26:00.003-05:00

Today, we spoke about Huck's change of heart. Some were surprised that he could consider turning Jim in, but given the culture he was a part of, we shouldn't be. We looked at the video clip I put in last night's blog post to get just the merest sense of how bizarrely race relations were structured. If that clip was OK in 1950, what on earth could have been OK in 1880? Yeesh!

In last night's reading, Huck sees Jim unabashedly look forward to freedom. While we place our sympathies wholly with Jim, whose family is torn apart because his wife and children are owned by others, Huck places his sympathies elsewhere. In responding to Jim's talk of freedom and what it means, Huck is conflicted about whether to listen to what he has been taught or what he has experienced with Jim. He has been taught to identify with white slave owners, but he has experienced Jim's friendship. Which to follow? In the heat of the moment, he chooses to listen to the wisdom of experience, but is this full-out loyalty? Well, check the class notes to see what you all think.

We also spoke about the Grangerfords and the Grangerford home. This episode, though it seems silly and foreign to us, is really not that far removed from us. I asked how many of you have rooms in the house you're not allowed in, or fancy books that are pretty much for decoration. Some of you brought up the candles you're not allowed to light--ever--or the fancy Christmas dishes. These items are the icons of respectability. How else do you show you're respectable but have fancy things you don't use or consult much? It is this idea that Twain is having fun with, and he takes it a whole lot further. He sees that our emotional relationships to one another are just as contrived as our economic ones, hence the spidery armed drawing and absurd poem. Our Sense of Occasion is silly, even if the impetus that moves us to seek out occasions is pure and admirable (Emmaline, after all, is kind to mourn the loss of a drowned child, which truly is quite sad. But her poem? Preposterous.). Please see the Explanatory Notes on 415-422 to get a sense of just what Twain is talking about in this chapter. It's worth it.

Tomorrow will be a reading day; you may read either Huck Finn or Of Mice and Men. By Monday, you should be up to page 195 in Huck Finn.

QUIZ TOMORROW ON VOCABULARY UNIT 8 and SENTENCE DIAGRAMMING 1-12.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 13 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-13T09:52:00.007-05:00

Today, we started with a review of some plot facts, and then went into interpretive work, with a close look at the conversation Jim and Huck have after being separated in the fog. All three sections did great work on the topics and you can find notes detailing these discussions here.

Minstrel shows came up in today's discussion. You can read more about them here. Minstrel shows lasted well into the twentieth century and faded out as movies and eventually TV took over as a primary means of entertainment. Although they were no longer common by the fifties, here you can see a clip of a 1950 performance that has all the elements of a minstrel show. How can this help us understand Twain's novel? If what this clip demonstrates passed as entirely acceptable just 15 years before major Civil Rights legislation passed Congress, imagine what must have been considered "acceptable" to Twain's audience just fifteen years after the Civil War (when Twain began writing the novel). The oddities of Jim and Huck's ability to be honest with one another (and honest with themselves about one another) make a great deal more sense.

If you are struggling with understanding the text, check out the apps on iTunes for Huck Finn. Cheap and useful, they can help you get through those troublesome passages by reading the vernacular aloud, allowing your ears to surely catch what your eyes are having trouble with.

REMEMBER:
Vocab Quiz on Friday with five sentence diagrams

HOMEWORK:
Read 106-107 (stop with the paragraph that ends "...a good plan when you wanted one.)" & 123-141 (resume on 123 with the paragraph that begins, "I didn't wait to kiss good-by...")

DAY 3 - CYCLE 13 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-11T14:59:00.005-05:00

We began with an eight question quote quiz covering pages 1-85. Two classes used today as a reading day. One discussed the text. Notes are on the wikispace.

In the reading for today, Huck and Jim are forming a budding relationship. In their reactions to the discovery of a murder victim in a house washed away in flood waters, we see Huck and Jim are very practical, and desensitized to violence, but still wary around it. Jim is loath to talk about the body, and at first, Huck is happy to leave it alone (though afterwards, he's fascinated). We see Jim demonstrate care for Huck and vice versa--here is a healthier relationship, and one steeped in similar belief structures. But we also see that the two are on unequal footing. There is an incongruity in Judith Loftus' reactions to the two runaways: she sympathizes with white boy whom she thinks is a runaway apprentice, but wants to hunt down the black runaway slave. Is she motivated solely by money? We don't know. We do know that Jim has it harder than Huck, a fact underscored by his desire to explore the wreck of the Walter Scott while Jim, with so much at risk, fears to do so, and rightfully so.

In tonight's reading, we'll see how some of that society's pervasive racism affects these two. While there will be many questions to tomorrow's discussion, the ones you should be prepared to answer are these:
1. Why does Jim call Huck "boss" on page 103?
2. Does Jim think he dreamed the separation?

For the next class, be up to page 105 and ready to answer the questions above.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 13 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-08T11:23:00.005-05:00

Today, we finished reading through the words for unit 8 vocabulary. Please continue to bring your book to class as we will do the exercises for Unit 8 in preparation for the quiz on Friday, May 15th.

Afterwards, I passed out the exam review sheet (also available immediately to your left and on the "course handouts" page of the wikispace). In addition to identifying the content you need to know, it also identifies the skills you will be tested on. If you cannot do what is listed on page two of the review sheet, then you are not ready for the exam.

Those groups not decimated by AP Euro responsibilities held discussions (and I just have to say this--I know the AP is a really big deal and it's super important, but getting prepared for that doesn't relieve you of responsibilities elsewhere). Those who took notes, you'll find them on the wikispace. Those who did not, you'll find the questions that we would have discussed on there. You might want to download them anyway, simply because the pictures on the back of the questions show the sorts of rafts that both Huck and Jim make reference to and which you need to understand in order to really get what they're saying. Because some groups discussed and some did not, here is the overall lesson plan for the day. Make of it what you will.

Discuss Huck's reaction to both captivity and freedom.
Identify what Huck accepts as normal and what he seems to be unaware of (e.g. the existence he lives with pap would bring social services in like a S.W.A.T. team today, but he seems unmoved by that relaity, as well as by the reality that once he has faked his own death, he has cut himself off from all of the people in his life, presumably never to connect with them again, a loss he does not mourn).
Note: Huck escapes being civilized and being uncivilized. He's in an interesting limbo with nothing to draw on to create a new universe but his own limited experience and his observations.
Identify evidence revealing Huck's acceptance of the world as a violent, unfair place.
TAKEN COLLECTIVELY, these elements reveal certain characteristics: pragmatic self-reliance, a tendency not to question, stubbornness, independence, skepticism, naivte, self-sufficiency, lack of reflection but powerfully observant ("it smelt late").
We also learn a lot more about Jim, too from what he reveals. Which of these qualities do Huck and Jim share? By reading between the lines (i.e. not taking Huck's version as the definitive whole and making sure we notice what he does not), we learn much more about Jim, too.
Ultimately, Huck and Jim have MUCH in common, though Huck does not yet recognize this. Likewise, he fails to recognize the critical differences between their situations, but we will see and perhaps appreciate these in the next reading; keep your eyes peeled for what Huck doesn't see.

HOMEWORK

Read through page 85. Expect a quote quiz.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 13 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-07T18:41:00.002-05:00

We covered the next 5 words in Unit 8 Vocabulary. Remember, quiz will be on FRIDAY, MAY 15th. It will include five sentence diagrams.

“All ‘civilizations’ are legitimate matter for (private, but not public) jeering & laughter, because they are so conspicuously made up of about three tenths of reality & sincerity, & seven tenths wind & humbug.” ~Mark Twain (source)

We began our discussion of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn today, where Twain presents to us hints of the 30% reality & sincerity he celebrates in this novel, and the 70% he jeers. We focused most of our efforts today on figuring out Jim. If Jim doesn't know the boys are there when they sneak by the widow's kitchen in the dead of night, he is dim-witted and not very self-aware. If he does know the boys are there, he is rather crafty and sly. Huck believes that Jim believes that he was "rode by witches," and perhaps he does. But if he does not, saying he was persecuted by witches and demons carries a different meaning entirely. Also, by looking at how Jim interacts with Huck over the fur ball, we can get a better sense of who Jim is. Does Jim exploit Huck or show kindness toward him? Is it a combination of both? Does Huck realize he might be getting exploited for money? Why does Jim tell Huck the nifty potato trick, anyway? And why is Huck loath to admit he didn't know it?

Clearly, this is a not-so-simple relationship and many external factors influence its conduct and their views of one another. What is obvious, however, is that Huck and Jim both turn to superstition to explain the world around them, and in that respect, there is a mutual understanding, one in which Pap is likely to share. Their worldview is different from the widow Douglas and Miss Watson's, and Judge Thatcher's, and is also different from Tom's. Tom, whose personal circumstance most closely resembles that of the widow, Miss Watson, and the judge, is clear about where he learns his truths: "'Don't I tell you it's in the books? Do you want to go to doing different from what's in the books, and get things all muddled up?'" (11). Huck has many inflences in his life, all of whom draw on different sources for their authority. To whom is Huck most responsive? Receptive? Why? Figuring that out will help us sort the thirty percent from the seventy percent as we move forward.

Notes from today's discussion will be on the wikispace first thing Friday morning.

HOMEWORK
Please, be prepared to disuss pages 29-58 in detail. Discussion questions will include:

Why does Huck want to spite pap, even if it means pap will beat him?
Why does pap kidnap Huck?
Think carefully about what he tells us: he is kidnapped by his physically abusive, impoverished father and held captive in the woods across the river where he is beaten daily, and yet he tells us he gets "used to being where I was, and liked it" (30). What exactly does he like?
What are the reasons that finally drive Huck to seek escape?
Why do yo suppose Twain includes pap's tirade about the "govment"? What do we learn about the responsibilities of government and citizen from it?
Why isn't Huck more deeply affected by pap's imprisonment of him and his efforts to murder him?
Huck talks about being able to get logs that broke off of log rafts. Click here to see a picture of the larger sort of raft that was common on the Mississippi.
Would you characterize Huck as violent?
Why does Huck wish Tom were there?
Huck is a very keen observor of his surroundings. Provide ample proof of this statement. Do his observations (e.g. "...it looked late, and smelt late" (42) add to the story?
See the explanatory notes on pages 394 & 395 to help understand why the ferry fired cannons and why the bread had mercury in it.
When the ferry containing all of the people he's been connected to--good or bad--comes along, Huck is noticeably silent about the effect of his apparent murder on them, and the fact that to maintain the ploy, Huck can never talk to them again. Why is he seemingly indifferent to this?
Why is he terrified by the discovery of the campfire?
Page 50: fantods. (Simon, I'd bet oodles of money you either love or hate this word.)
What hints do we have early on in the coversation Huck has with Jim that Jim does not trust him?
Why does Huck agree to keep Jim's secret?
Are Jim and Huck's escapes comparable in any way? If so, how?
Would you say Huck and Jim are smart? Qualify this a bit and explain what you mean.
The explanatory notes about Jim's unusual investments are helpful.
How is the final quote of the chapter a loaded one?

DAY 5 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-06T17:16:00.006-05:00

Today, we began by double-checking the T-Shirt order form. Greg, I know you want green. What size? S, M, L, XL?

We then listened to a lecture about Twain, and I had you practice your notes. Here are mine. Compare.

What are the things that made Huck unrespectable at the time, and throughout the various cultural climates the novel has passed through since?
Initially banned on basis of:
.....CHARACTER: He was considered a horrible role model for others.
.....GRAMMAR: It used the vernacular of the uneducated rather than the more highly esteemed language of the educated classes
.....FIRST PERSON PERSPECTIVE: Far from being a trusted authority, Huck was a disreputable child allowed to tell his story without any interference from “one who knew better.”
..........It was these first three elements that made Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so innovative. A common child telling a story in his own words was really revolutionary. This fresh, creative approach was seen as a threat by literary traditionalists and moral purists.
.....REPRESENTATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS: Now, its use of now-offensive terms has been problematic since about WWII. Less insightful readers challenge the novel’s representation of African-Americans, assuming the way the characters present themselves/are presented by Huck is how they actually are. Be careful in your assumptions as you read.

How did this novel differ from conventional literature of the 1880s?
FAR LESS FORMAL:
.....IN PHRASING: compare the text of the novel to the trumped up, stiffened prose of Emmaline Grangerford (a Southern aristocratic character in the novel who uses “hark,” “Lo,” “Whilst,” “Behold,” and the like, which speaking people simply did not do then any more than they do now.)
.....IN SUBJECT MATTER: Huck does not need an occasion to speak (i.e. a death, a significant event, a tidy story to tell, etc.)
.....IT’S SOURCE OF TONAL AUTHORITY: the novel relies on idiom (the way people actually speak and the things they speak about) as an authority, not traditional cultural authorities (i.e. European style novels and traditional Western myths/tropes/conceits).
..........By breaking with this formality and deliberately and satirically calling into question our reliance on traditional sources of cultural authority, Twain both creates and unleashes a distinctly American voice, more richly steeped in the oral, story-telling tradition than the European, literary tradition.
..........Huck’s language is derived from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, not LITERARY TRADITION. For instance, to describe the color white by comparison, he uses words like “fish belly” and “tree toad,” things he knew and saw. Emmaline, drawing from books rather than experience, would use words like “alabaster” and “ivory,” even though she had probably never actually laid eyes on either.

How does the novel change Americans’ sense of themselves?
.....By giving an uneducated boy the chief say, he allows the traditionally marginalized (but nevertheless, the majority of folks) a loud voice.
.....Since Huck is unaware of traditional authorities (books, the Judeo-Christian tradition, etc.), Huck has to take a basic, practical, pragmatic approach to everything, rather than base his actions on long-held ideas about right and wrong that have been handed down to him. This approach in the novel reveals the self-importance, weak rationalizations, and other silliness in traditional thinking.

That’s how satire works. Watch the following clip in which Sacha Baren Cohen (as Ali G.) inteviews venerable elder statesman of the Republican Party, Pat Buchanan.

Here, "Ali G" is woefully inappropriate for the occasion, from the way he is dressed to the clear lack of knowledge he reveals, and quite poorly spoken. Would you want your kid genuinely emulating him? Yeesh... These are the same criticisms leveled at Huck when he appeared on the scene. Ali G. isn't doing anything new, yet we watch "Ali G." Why? What is it about the cringe-worthy moments about "BLTs" that has us hooked? What is revealed about Buchanan in this process? About what Buchanan thinks of himself? (Buchanan is actually one of the more gracious guests. Crusty old Andy Rooney tossed him out! Ralph Nader's turn on the seat is also quite cringe-worthy.)

In this novel, Huck is Ali G., but he doesn't know it. Twain knows it, but Huck doesn't, and Twain doesn't tell us. He lets us figure it out for ourselves. And everything that Huck talks about is Pat Buchanan.

However, Twain's agenda is a serious one. He is getting at some of the foundations of our cultural beliefs in this novel, in a remarkable way. We take his criticism like her were offering us dessert. Why? He's funny. Note the NOTICE and EXPLANATORY NOTE at the beginning of the novel. From the very get go, he tells us that traditional thinking won't apply here, and that he's very deliberately, and very carefully rendering the words so likely to give us pause.

As noted above, this book is steeped in the ORAL tradition. He writes in the vernacular. When you don't understand when reading silently, read aloud. Your ear will catch what your eyes won't. (e.g. "shet de do" (201) = "shut the door")

You'll find the full reading schedule for your class here.

HOMEWORK:
Read through page 28 (up to chapter 6). We will begin the day with the question, "Does Jim know the boys are there?"

Remember, you will be reading Of Mice and Men on your own this month and will need to have it completed by Tuesday, May 26th.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-04T18:42:00.004-05:00

Today, we covered the last lesson on sentence diagramming. Huzzah! Coordinating conjunctions are tricky but with practice, you'll get the hang of them. We also signed up for T-Shirts (Greg H., see me about this so we can get you signed up).

Then we discussed the end of the novel, by which many of you seemed initially disappointed, but I suspect you were willing to change your tune a bit as we discussed some of Orwell's larger lessons.

Chief among the concerns we addressed:

In what way did Winston die?
When did he truly sacrifice his humanity? How so?
Why did facing his worst fear do what months of torture could not?

You can find your notes on the wikispace.

FOR NEXT CLASS
Select your T-Shirt Sentence. Your T-Shirt sentence must be well-suited for the following scenario: on the day you wear your sentence-diagrammed T-Shirts, you develop flu-like symptoms and must go to the nurse. On the way to the nurse's, you run into a lower school student, parent, and visiting family who, perhaps insensitively, ask to read your T-Shirt sentence diagram. Do not make that moment more awkward by choosing the wrong sentence. You know what this means. Thank you!

DAY 3 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

2009-05-01T15:18:00.004-05:00

Today, we talked about the reading between pages 198-232. We took a look at how Winston's worldview differs from O'Brien's and questioned which Orwell wants us to think is more likely. We also questioned whether Winston's beliefs about the inherently good, equality-seeking, freedom-loving nature of people is manufactured or hardwired into him by O'Brien.

Wow. Deep stuff.

Take a look at the class notes. All three sections did a great job today, but were different in nature, so it is worth it to see all three sections' worth of notes.

For Next Time:
1. Bring your sentence diagramming workbook for the last lesson.
2. Finish the novel.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-30T10:17:00.003-05:00

Today was an in class reading day since so many of you had the AP Euro exam this morning and late games last night.

For today, I recommended that you get up to page 213 in the novel. This is, no question, a more disturbing portion of 1984, as we see what happens in the Ministry of Truth. We'll talk a bit on Friday. You might want to check out the links to the left. Be forewarned: they too can be disturbing and you should talk with your parents and read the news to help create a broader context for your understanding. I have provided links to news articles as well.

For Friday: try to be up through 232. For Monday, be up through 266.

Questions we'll consider:
PAGES 194-213

What is beautiful to Winston about the singing laundry woman below?
Why does Winston maintain hope in the proles, even if the book makes it pretty clear that such hope is in vain?
Why don’t Julia and Winston try to escape?
How effective is the paperweight as a symbol? (198)
What indications do we have that Winston has been through this before?
Why don’t the regular criminals talk to the “’polits’” (203)? Why do regular criminals have the power there?
Winston believes that he will not betray Julia because he loves her. At that same time, he “hardly even wondered what was happening to her” (204). How is this possible? Does he love her?
What realizations come with each of the prisoners he encounters: the drunk, 60 year old woman; Ampleforth; Parsons; the starving man; Bumstead.
The starving man makes many offers to avoid room 101. What is signified by these offers?
Why does the starving man turn on the one person who offered him food?
What does O’Brien mean when he says, “’They got me a long time ago’” (213)?

PAGES 213-232

What is the purpose of all that Winston is subjected to? His treatment goes in phases. Identify the various phases of his torment, their purpose, and the result.
Where do we see Winston's resolve breaking down? Identify the specific instances and be able to explain how you know.
Why does Winston consider O'Brien both "protector" and "friend" as well as "tormentor" and "inquisitor" (217)?
What is O'Brien's ultimate goal with Winston? Why?
Do you believe O'Brien's claim that reality is entirely within the mind?
Does Winston want to meet O'Brien's goals for him? How do you know?
According to O'Brien, how does Oceania differ from earlier regimes?
What does O'Brien mean exactly when he tells Winston "'You do not exist'" (231)?
Why won't O'Brien answer the question about the Brotherhood (232)?

DAY 1 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-29T20:01:00.005-05:00

Today, we covered adverbial objectives in the sentence diagramming work book. Wheeee! OK, so maybe they weren't a great party, but they're not so tricky once you get the hang of them. See me if you're confused.

We also answered questions about the reading covering 179-194. Note may be found on the wikispace. Questions included:

Is Winston’s hope in the proles in vain?
What are the four ways a state can fail? Which are the ones of legitimate concern to Big Brother and how are they managed?
Did Big Brother ever exist?
Why is Big Brother necessary as a figure?
Would the regime fail if Big Brother's non-existence were revealed?
What’s the purpose of the two tier party system?
How does the fact that position within the Party is not hereditary help it survive? (“The essence of oligarchical rule is not a father-to-son inheritance, but the persistence of a certain world-view and a certain way of life, imposed by the dead upon the living. A ruling group is a ruling group so long as it can nominate its successors.” [186]).
If what The Book says about the inner party is true, should we trust O’Brien (171-172, 187)?
Can reducing the language to Newspeak really reduce independent thought?
Do you think crimestop is possible?
Are Winston and Julia as independent of mind as they believe?
Why is there no law in Oceania?
Why is the book a relief to Winston when its message is so bleak?
Given what we learn in the book, is it possible for Big Brother to be defeated?
What do you think "the motive" for the regime is?
Is Winston living a worthwhile existence?
What are Winston’s options at this point?
If they are trying to get rid of the word and idea of revolution, why do they continue to build up the Goldstein story?
Julia isn’t particularly impressed by the book. Is her lack of interest a product of the party or the personality?

HOMEWORK
Read to page 213. Tomorrow will be a reading day. We will conclude the novel for Monday.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 11 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-28T17:46:00.003-05:00

Today, Coordinating Conjunctions in the Sentence Diagramming Workbook. Questions? See me.

Then, it was on to discussion. The questions we covered:

Why does Big Brother wait until the end of Hate Week to say that Oceania is at war with Eastasia and that Eurasia is an ally?
“In so far as he had time to remember it, he was not troubled by the fact that every word he murmured into the speakwrite, every stroke of his ink pencil, was a deliberate lie” (162). Why not?
What is Oligarchical Collectivism? Look up the words!
Why does war exist in Oceania? What purposes does it serve? (See pages 165-167, 177.)
Do you agree that a social hierarchy is necessary for society to function? Do you believe that true equality is possible? (169)
Groups bonded by fanatical ideology (Taliban, Al Quaeda, etc.) are not limited to the borders of nation-states, and their ideologies are not grounded in economic concerns. Does Orwell’s message still apply to the modern world?
Why doesn’t Julia care about the book?
Who are the high, middle and low in Oceania. How do their interests compete?

Notes are on the wikispace.

Sure, Goldstein's book is not a riveting read, but the ideas are chock-full or remarkable assumptions. For instance: war is perpetuated because it deprive the nation of goods; this is necessary to keep people living on the edge of privation; this is desireable because comfortable living standards would give people the chance to become aware/smart; if that happens, they'll become politically active, and thus dangerous. So, to break that down further, if people have all of their needs and many of their wants met, they'll grow politically active. Hmmmm. Does our own experience bear this out? As always, it depends on how you look at it. That's the value of this novel, especially during these drier passages. No, it does not have the riveting plot twists of The Count of Monte Cristo, but it's rife with material against which we may sharpen our own values and understanding of the world we live in.

FOR TOMORROW
Read up through 194.

Is Winston’s hope in the proles in vain?
Why is the book a relief to Winston when its message is so bleak?
Given what we learn in the book, is it possible for Big Brother to be defeated?

DAY 4 - CYCLE 11 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-27T08:43:00.005-05:00

Today, we covered the next 5 words in the vocabulary book (with the never-fail crowd pleaser "juggernaut"). We then discussed 138-158 in 1984. Notes may be found on the wikispace.

In your discussions, you're making references to the text, but a number of those references are not finding their way to the class notes. Let's keep an eye on the notes as we go and help create a more useful record for ourselves.

HOMEWORK:
Read up through the top of page 179, just before the dialogue. Be prepared to discuss the following topics (the last two questions apply to reading through the end of the chapter on 198, which we will do for tomorrow night's homework):

BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING, WITH EVIDENCE, IF CALLED ON:
Why does war exist in Oceania? What purposes does it serve?
Do you agree that a social hierarchy is necessary for society to function? Do you believe that true equality is possible?
Why doesn’t Julia care about the book?
Is Winston’s hope in the proles in vain?
Why is the book a relief to Winston when its message is so bleak?
Given what we learn in the book, is it possible for Big Brother to be defeated?

DAY 3 - CYCLE 11 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-23T18:23:00.003-05:00

Reading day today. I am looking forward to tomorrow's well-informed conversation. It's a big news week this week with the Senate releasing reports and the Justic Department releasing memos about interrogation methods. Wrong to question people in this way or wrong to reveal our methods? You choose. See links to left.

Be up through page 158 by tomorrow.

And just so you know, today in Chicago, it was Talk Like Shakespeare day. Methinks t'was a brilliant jest.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 11 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-22T20:46:00.002-05:00

Today, we covered the first five words of Unit 8 in the vocabulary book. Then, it was on to book discussion of reading #5: pages 103-130. This was a quicker read than earlier assignments and indeed, the novel picks up its pace from here. Winston and Julia finally develop a relationship, and while it begins as a physical one, soon Winston wants it to be more and is willing to risk more to have it be so. We touched on major issues of the reading which you can see from your class notes, but there is more to be had. We'll get to that tomorrow, as well as a discussion of your 12-sentence paragraphs which are due tomorrow. (Lost the handout from last week? Check here.)

Tonight's homework is to finish your paragraph. For Friday, please read up through page 158 of the novel.

Oh, and for group 4, here is the link about real lemming behavior. So much for thinking Disney tells us nothing but the truth... (ha!)

Also, here is more about the nursery rhyme from the novel.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 11 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-21T19:38:00.003-05:00

Today, we did a review of lessons 19-21 in the Sentence Diagramming book. I have issues with one of the sentences -- group 6, you know which one, and I am looking for answers.

Then, it was on to a discussion of last night's more dramatic plot line, and the three sections covered a wide variety of material. The main point that we reached, however, was this: to become increasingly human is to become increasingly revolutionary. How did we get there? We looked at Winston's progress from being an acquiescent (if begrudging) sheep to becoming an active dissident of the Party. He becomes increasingly determined to imagine life beyond the world view constructed by Big Brother, and starts taking steps to learn about it. He goes further to imagine how he might defy Big Brother for his own sake. As he becomes more of an individual, he becomes more of a criminal. It is with the greatest act of criminality--devoting his attention, emotions, and aspirations to a member of the opposite sex to whom he is attracted--that he shows the greatest commitment to life. When he feels empathy for another, seeks connection, and places faith in her potential for decency, he feels life is worth living and doesn't want to risk losing it through small infractions. It is an extraordinary mix of the personal and political. In tonight's reading, you'll see how that mix develops.

I forgot to put the notes for groups 4 and 6 up on the wiki. They'll be up first thing in the morning and I apologize for the inconvenience.

HOMEWORK
Read through page 130 in the novel.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 10 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-20T09:37:00.002-05:00

Today, we began on page 67 of the Sentence Diagramming Workbook: Objective Complements (21). We'll be using the modern method on our in-class work, though I will accept either on a quiz.

We then discussed 056-072 in 1984, and you can find those notes here. I gave you the last third of the class to start on the reading for tomorrow: up through page 103.

HOMEWORK:
Read through page 103 of 1984. Come fully prepared to discuss at least three of the questions below (flagged evidence, thoughtful reflections, etc.).

Questions for tomorrow:

Who is bombing the proles and why?
Why does Winston approach the old man with such uncharacteristic openness and determination?
Why does he find the answers from the old man at the bar annoying but the similar quality of answer from Mr. Charrington interesting?
Does Winston have courage?
Why does the dark haired girl write that particular message when she has never spoken to Winston? Does she mean it?
Why does he want to see her?
We end Book One in this reading assignment. Such sections of books are generally unified sections, distinct from one another. What are some of the unifying themes of Book One? Just from the first chapter, can you tell if Book Two is going to focus on something different?
Should Winston trust the dark haired girl? Do you?
Just from the way the dark-haired girl goes about shadowing him, then attracting Winston’s attention, learning about him and then arranging a meeting with him, what can we tell about her? (see pages 8, 10, 12, 27, 54, 55, 89, 93-4, 98-103)
Why does everyone rush to see the prisoners? What can we tell from their expressions?

DAY 4 - CYCLE 10 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-16T18:49:00.005-05:00

Today, you took the Unit 7 vocabulary quiz, and then we finished the video. I asked you then to make a list of any kind of comparison you could between the novel and the video. Discussion time was short, but you were able to jot down a few notes, which are available on the wikispace. I did ask you to give some thought to the following questions:

Is it possible to maintain independence of mind in such a society as Winston's? (Think about the documentary's comments about belief and fear near the end of the video.)
Are there any indications that Winston has had problems with too independent a mind in the past?

If you'd like to learn more about North Korea (our overviews of them and their presentations of themselves), please visit:

Homework
Read up to page 72 with consideration to the two questions above, AND the additional discussion questions below. Non-talkers? Really think about these and start arming yourself with ideas.

Why does recalling the evening with the prostitute inspire such violent reactions in Winston?
How does life differ for Party members and the proles?
“The aim of the Party was not merely to prevent men and women from forming loyalties which it might not be able to control. Its real, undeclared purpose was to remove all pleasure from the sexual act” (58). Why? What purpose does this serve?
Why aren’t the proles supposed to have gin? Why are they allowed to be promiscuous and divorce one another, but Party members are not?
Why does Winston think “If there is hope, it lies in the proles” (61)? Explain what his reasoning is likely to be.
“The ideal set up by the Party was something huge, terrible, and glittering -- a world of steel and concrete, of monstrous machines and terrifying weapons -- a nation of warriors and fanatics, marching forward in perfect unity, all thinking the same thoughts and shouting the same slogans, perpetually working, fighting, triumphing, persecuting -- three hundred million people all with the same face” (65). What about this is appealing?
What does the literacy rate imply about life in Oceania?
What sort of person hangs out at the Chestnut Tree Café?
What do you suppose in meant by the lyrics on page 68?
Why did he throw away the photograph then, and why would he keep it now?
Why does he think he is writing the diary for O’Brien?
Explain the logic that motivates the lines: “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows” (72).

DAY 3 - CYCLE 10 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-15T21:12:00.005-05:00

Today, we talked briefly about "doublethink," or the power to willfully believe what you know to be false. In the world of Big Brother, it is necessary to ignore one's own memory and experience for the sake of survival. Winston knows that Oceania has been at war with both East Asia and Eurasia, but to say so would defy Party doctrine and therefore endanger him.

In such a world, is it possible to maintain your own mind? Can you really effectively perceive reality after so much doublethink? Does resistance eventually erode?

Toward understanding this sinister world, I showed you the first part of a documentary about North Korea. (It's worth reading some of the Amazon reviews for criticism of it.) The documentary is available via Youtube:

HOMEWORK
Study for tomorrow's 10-question quiz covering ONLY the words from Unit 7. Catch up on your reading if you're behind; read ahead if you're up to date.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 10 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-14T16:39:00.004-05:00

Today, you did the first review exercise in the vocabulary book. Then, with a few discussion prompts, you all had great conversations and typed up notes. You can find the notes and study guide here. Silent types? You're leading tomorrow with questions!

More about the Nazi Youth:

HOMEWORK: Read up through the top of page 56. You can get to the study guide for the section by clicking the link above.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 10 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-13T10:43:00.004-05:00

Today, you turned in your Say Show Mean papers. (Those who used your "Get Out of Jail Free" cards, I will NOT seek you out with a reminder to meet the terms of the agreement that card establishes.) Afterwards, we covered Lesson 20 in the Sentence Diagramming Workbook, "Indirect Objects." Remember that with an indirect object, the "to" is implied, as suggested by the blank line in the diagram itself. You can always insert a "to" after the verb in a sentence using an indirect object, which should help you understand. Then, we covered the last five words of Unit 7 in the vocabulary book. Groups 4 and 6, you will have a brief, 10-question objective quiz on Thursday covering ONLY Unit 7. Group 2, yours will be on Friday. Continue to bring your book to class as we will be doing the exercises in the book.

Then we began 1984. We started with an anticipation guide in which I asked you to respond to several ethical/political statements. One of these statements will form the basis of your 12-sentence paragraph due a week from Thursday. We loosely talked about several of the statements, but you'll need to follow up on your own to cultivate a more dimensional view of your own values. I also distributed a Study Guide, which I will not check. This is for you to make sure you are understanding the details of the reading. If you tend to get a B or below on your reading quizzes, then you should use the study guide to make sure you are getting the larger ideas.

Ultimately, Orwell asks us to take a long, hard look at some of our most unquestioned convictions. Why does any government have a right to exist? For what purpose? What traits and motives make any government legitimate? And once in power, to what extent is it right for that government to want to keep that power? What means are permissable? You will be exploring the very same questions in Western Civilizations in your study of Totalitarianisn, and they are questions you have already loosely entertained in your reading of Lord of the Flies, Macbeth, Watership Down, and Farenheit 451. We will apply your burgeoning understanding to discussions which connect the novel to articles and videos about North Korea, Burma (Myanmar), the Taliban and others. This book is not an articfact: it is a vibrant document that addresses some of the most pressing questions of the age. How do we construct stable societies without restricting humanity? Under what circumstances may any power be trusted? These questions shape our own world today, just as they do for our protagonist of this 1949 classic, Winston Smith.

Tomorrow, we will begin class with the question, Why can't Winston remember his childhood? There will be additional questions, but read through page 25 and be prepared to start with this one and to offer several of your own. You'll be driving discussion collectively, and you'll be keeping notes as you go.

Tangentially, we got to some questions about new demands on our government in the wake of 9/11. We looked at some headline grabbers of the past few years that both sides have sought to spin for political gain. Here are links to follow up stories that represent a variety of versions, and homefully, explain the situations better:

Valerie Plame

US Government wiretapping of US citizens

You can find TONS more, both conservative and liberal, on these stories.

HOMEWORK

1. Start thinking about that 12-sentence paragraph. Read a paper tonight. Talk about these statements over the dinner table. Read an op-ed page from any paper.

2. Read 1-25 of 1984. Come ready to discuss. Write down your questions.

3. Study for Thursday's (4&6)/Friday's (2) vocabulary quiz.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 9 - SEMESETER 2

2009-04-09T09:58:00.005-05:00

Today was a work day so you could make progress on your Say Show Mean.

YOUR SAY SHOW MEAN IS DUE ON MONDAY. IT SHOULD BE TYPED AND DOUBLE SPACED.

PLEASE FOLLOW CONVENTIONS:

Poem titles appear in quotation marks.
Refer to the narrator of the poem as the speaker, not the poet.
Use line numbers to indicate where a quote is located within the poem: The soldiers often “think of firelit homes, clean beds, and wives” (8) when at the front.
Use a slash to indicate the start of a new line in the poem segment you are quoting: The speaker conveys that the soldier suffered greatly in the trenches: “I see them in the foul dug-outs, gnawed by rats,/And in the ruined trenches, lashed with rain” (9-10).
Quote only a few words, not an entire stanza.
Avoid cliches. Don't offer meaningless drivel like, "The poet shows it is important to enjoy the little things in life."
ABSOLUTELY NO INSTANCES OF "This shows that" (or anything of similar ilk) SHOULD APPEAR IN YOUR ESSAY!

Again, here is a significant recommendation: CIRCLE THE NOUNS IN YOUR CHOSEN POEM. Start looking for patterns in them. Are they references to weaponry? Nature? Duties? Leisure? You can do the same with verbs. If there are symbolic pieces (poppies, torch, etc.), think about the attributes of those items and look up information about them

You should have one coherent paragraph for the Say section, one for the Show section and one for the Mean section.

PLEASE BRING 1984 TO CLASS WITH YOU ON MONDAY!

DAY 4 - CYCLE 9- SEMSETER 2

2009-04-09T09:43:00.005-05:00

Today, we discussed a poem of your choice and talked through the Say Show Mean exercise. "Dreamers," "Dulce et Decorum Est," and "In Flanders Fields" were all the subjects of dicussion.

Here is a significant recommendation: CIRCLE THE NOUNS IN YOUR CHOSEN POEM. Start looking for patterns in them. Are they references to weaponry? Nature? Duties? Leisure? You can do the same with verbs. If there are symbolic pieces (poppies, torch, etc.), think about the attributes of those items and look up information about them).

Tomorrow is a workday. Tonight, just keep working on your Say Show Mean. Group 2, your notes are here.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 9 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-06T21:13:00.002-05:00

Well, today was a bit of hitting the reset button. After discussing the Macbeth tests, we went over Say-Show-Mean in class to catch you up from last Friday. I had you turn in whatever you wrote over the weekend. You'll be completing a fully written Say-Show-Mean this week, polishing it over the weekend and turning it in on Monday.

For tonight, the homework is light (hope you went to An Evening with the Experts at school tonight!): read all of the poems in the packet and pick the one that you want to talk about. Be ready to give the poet and title immediately when you get to class. We'll discuss what we can in class, and then you'll have a work day to start your writing. We'll go through the same process as today, asking the central questions for each portion:

SAY: Who is the speaker? Where is he/she speaking? To whom? About what? With what overall attitude?

SHOW: How is the poet trying to get the reader to think/feel particular things? (Remember, the same skills you use to parse out the hidden meanings in the words uttered to you by your secret crush are pretty much the same kind of skills you bring to bear on the study of literature, once again proving that much of life can be expressed by means of analogy to eighth grade social dramas.)

MEAN: So what? Why does the poet want us to feel this way? How does that help us better understand history, ourselves, or the reason we're on the planet?

DAY 2 - CYCLE 9 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-06T07:37:00.003-05:00

I was out today (Friday, April 3rd), so Mrs. Basson subbed for me. According to her:

You diagrammed odd # sentences from Lesson 19 in the sentence diagramming workbook.
You did a long and deep analysis of "Anthem for Doomed Youth" by Wilfred Owen, focusing on the images raised in the poem. Remember that an "image" in poetry is something that appeals to any of the five senses, not just the visual sense.
You discussed what it means to "parse" something.
You covered the vocabulary terms in the poem: anthem, pall, orisons, pallor, shires.
You did NOT review the Say-Show-Mean exercise, which was supposed to be the focus of the day, so we'll work on that on Monday.
Group 2 read aloud "Dulce et Decorum Est" and "The Parable of the Old Man and the Young," but Groups 4 and 6 did not.
FOR HOMEWORK, you were asked to write one paragraph for EACH stanza of the poem, answering the question, "What does the stanza SHOW?" You were to use three quotes per paragraph.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 9 - SEMSESTER 2

2009-04-02T10:22:00.003-05:00

Today, we covered the next five words of Unit 7 and finished the sentence diagramming review on page 60. Then, you took out your homework and we discussed Rupert Brooke's "The Dead" and "The Soldier."

Specific questions about the poems included:
"The Dead"

In line 9, who is "our"?
What is personified in line 11? How?
What is personified in line 13? How?
What effect does this personification have? What does it tell us about the speaker's values & beliefs?
What exactly have the Dead brought? How has it changed the recipients?
Consider this as an Italian sonnet: what exactly is "posed" by the octave? What exactly is "resolved" by the sestet?

"The Soldier"

To whom is the speaker of this poem addressing his words?
What exactly makes the "richer dust" referenced in line 4 actually "richer"?
According to what is suggested in the octave, what makes England special? What makes the speaker special?
There is a transition between the octance and sestet. What exactly is the nature of that transition?
Where is the speaker in the sestet?
About whom is the speaker speaking in the last line? Why are they at peace?

Then we moved on to discuss Mary Herschel-Clarke's "The Mother," which was written in response to Rupert Brooke's "The Soldier." We read it aloud together, and addressed the following questions:

To whom is the speaker of this poem addressing her comments?
Where does she assume her audience is?
How is the speaker handling things?
Why are the last two lines in parentheses?
What is the attitude of this speaker?
Does this poet like/admire Brooke's perspective?

After we concluded our discussion, I distributed a handout on Say Show Mean exercises. You will do a group Say-Show-Mean activity in class tomorrow on Wilfred Owen's "Anthem for Doomed Youth" (page 8 of the packet).

HOMEWORK

Read over both the poem and the worksheet distributed in class (both handouts are linked to on this blog and you can find them on the wikispace) in preparation for tomorrow. You will want to refamiliarize yourself with literary terms.

Add 15 adjectives about WWI to the wikispace page (it will be up by 4pm).

DAY 5 - CYCLE 8 - SEMESTER 2

2009-04-01T20:15:00.005-05:00

Today, we went through the first five words of Unit 7 in the vocabulary book. Then, we did four sentence diagrams on page 59 of the sentence diagramming workbook. Afterwards, I distributed the WWI poetry packet and cruelly told you that you needed to memorize ten poems by Monday. Hooray for April Fool's Day! You don't need to memorize anything. Thanks for letting me have fun at your expense, though!

Together, we read through the introductory essay. Test your remembrance of that essay by asking yourself:

What is a "poetic moment"?
How is form important to poetry?
How should you approach the reading of poetry to get anything out of it?

We then read over some instructions about how to read poems. Remember that simply to go through them once to get the gist of them is like walking by a stadium to get an understanding of a particular game of football. Doing so in either case won't lead you to a rewarding understanding and you certainly won't have any fun. So, take the trouble to get inside where what you see might excite, startle, and amuse you.

We'll be getting more into form in the following days, but for today we looked at sonnet forms: the Italian, English and Spenserian. Check your memory:

What are the stanza formations in each?
What is the rhyme scheme in each?
How do the stanzas relate to one another?
What's an octave, sestet, rhyming couplet, and quatrain?
What meter are sonnets written in? How would the rhythm of one line of that meter sound?

When poets deviate from these standards, look for reasons why he/she might have done that. Often, there's a reason that gives a clue to the poem's meaning. In two of the classes, I had the chance to tell you about a segment of the late Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture;" the segment of which I spoke is at 37:20 in the video. The reason the ending of that virtual world is hilarious is because its opening was pure precious treacle. The whole notion of contrast is vitally important to WWI poetry (and just about any human endeavor to teach or amuse, frankly), so keep an eye out for it.

We began to look at a poem together: Rupert Brooke's "The Dead." Brooke, as I mentioned, died on the way to Gallipoli, and while he died young, perhaps he was spared a worse fate by missing that particular military encounter.

We all got through the first octave and started to make some good sense of that. But there is still much to be gained, and that's where your homework starts. In groups 2 and 4, I had brains enough left to collect your homework assignment due today: the list of thirty words you associate with WWI (15 nouns, 15 verbs). Group 6, I still need most of yours. You'll be writing your own war sonnet over the course of this unit, just to get a feel for what things are like on the other side of the pen.

But for tonight, you just need to get comfortable with the process of reading a poem for meaning, so I gave you a paraphrasing assignment.

HOMEWORK
Using the model poem, paraphrase, and note/comment form I passed out in class, complete your own paraphrase of the last stanza of "The Dead" and do one for "The Soldier," the poem that appears immediately to the right of "The Dead." We will talk about them tomorrow, right after we do some vocabulary and sentence diagramming. Group 6, bring your word lists with you.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 8 - SEMESTER 2

2009-03-30T19:56:00.012-05:00

Welcome back, everyone! Today, we reviewed the skills that you will need to master in the remaining ten and a half weeks in order to be fully prepared for junior English next year. These include:

Maintaining use of literary present tense;
Properly employing subject/verb and pronoun agreement;
Properly citing in MLA format;
Effectively proofreading and revising (no, they are NOT the same!);
Doing close reading;
Constructing and sustaining an argument (and avoiding plot review);
Effectively incorporating evidence in support of an argument;
Transitioning within and between paragraphs;
Correctly employing literary terms;
Effectively and accurately using new vocabulary terms;
Accurately diagramming sentences;
Writing a twelve sentence paragraph;
Using vivid and concise terms;
Avoiding banal, trite phrasing ("very," "good," "nice," "interesting," etc.);
Effectively extracting literal and figurative meanings from texts;
Employing efficient methods of tracking a text's basic information (characters, plot, setting, theme, etc.).
Using this information in fruitful analysis.

To help you toward these goals, I asked you to fill out a goals sheet for fourth quarter. I asked you to take it seriously because this sheet will form the basis of our mutual expectations of one another and for our communication. On the sheet, I also asked you to identify and forces, circumstances or personal traits that may have hindered your success in the past.

After you completed and turned in the sheet, I asked you to do some sentence diagramming review, and the skills have no doubt grown rusty through disuse. Well, we're gearing up again, and picking up with vocabulary, too. PLEASE BRING BOTH YOUR VOCABULARY AND SENTENCE DIAGRAMMING WORKBOOKS TO CLASS ON WEDNESDAY!

Your homework, in preparation for the six day WWI poetry unit, is to write a list of thirty words you associate with WWI. Fifteen of them must be verbs. The other fifteen must be nouns. NO ADJECTIVES. For those of you who checked that you do your homework just to get it done, here's how you aspire beyond that state of mediocrity for which such behavior dooms you: don't accept the first fifteen that come to mind. Visualize scenes from the war and pick the most precise terms you can think of to describe them. Aspire to replace the humdrum terms with words that smack of precision and deep accuracy.

DAY 1 - CYCLE 8 - SEMESTER 2

2009-03-11T16:56:00.003-05:00

Today, you took one of two quizzes (your choice): one containing quotes and short answers, and the other asking you to connect a picture to the novel by discussing a theme implicit in both and using three facts from the novel to back up your assertions.

We then discussed Lord of the Flies, focusing our discussion on the last section of the novel where the naval officer arrives. We considered the following questions:

How does the description of this adult's arrival and interaction with the characters we have come to know throughout the novel change our perception of them?
What do the adult's words and actions tell us about the adult world he represents?
Why does Golding leave us with the image of the adult officer turning his back on crying children (so they can "pull themselves together") and looking at a military cruiser in the distance? If you consider this image as you would a painting, its symbolism becomes more apparent.
We connected our discussion of the the above closing image to Ralph's treatment of Piggy in the opening chapters (wherein a weak, emotive boy is rebuffed with unintended cruelty).
Some of us also looked at Ralph and Piggy's reaction to Simon's death in the hard light of day. Why do they cling to the notion of "accident"? Why do they each change their stories when both were witnesses to the other's actions?
Henry asked an excellent question in Group 2: Do these boys form a religion during their time on the island?
That led us also to consider whether or not Jack himself believes in the beast. While there wasn't consensus on that, we all agreed that he exploits fear of the beast for his own ends.
Ultimately, most people liked the book; those who didn't thought it was just too darned pessimistic about human nature.

HOMEWORK:

Prepare THREE questions for tomorrow's review session on Macbeth.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 7 - SEMESTER 2

2009-03-11T08:03:00.003-05:00

Today, Groups 2 and 6 discussed Macbeth, focusing on the journal entries used today. From this discussion, we looked at the values and worldview Shakespeare promotes--one governed by reason, moderation, and careful consideration of the past and present (it is in abdicating these virtues that Macbeth runs afoul). We considered the ongoing conflict between self-restraint and self-indulgence (which Mr. Zarwell stepped in to say is one of the defining arguments in Western thought) as it appears in Lord of the Flies and in our own lives. Our parents, teachers, and better angels of the self advocate moderation, but when simply waiting in line at CVS is fraught with temptation (key chains that squeak and light up? a supersize Caramello bar? etc.), is it really that easy to employ? We know it isn't, and this suggests why we find ourselves identifying with the monster, Macbeth (with thanks to Michael S. for pointing out the absent comma in the original post).

Group 4 led the 6th graders through a spell-casting activity. Using Act IV, scene i as the basis of their work, sophomores helped sixth graders develop their own 8 line spells in the same manner as the witches, matching rhyme scheme, rhythm and tone. Thank you to ALL students for making this activity so much fun. Your creations were sublime, and the 6th graders have a new crew of role models.

HOMEWORK
Study for tomorrow's Lord of the Flies quiz. It will cover material through the end of the novel.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 7 - SEMESTER 2

2009-03-04T15:15:00.004-06:00

Today, we watched the end of Act V. Macbeth is finally conquered. We watched scenes 4-8 today, and then went over the text. We spent particular attention over Macbeth's soliloquy "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...," one of Shakespeare's most famous. Here, we see Macbeth at the natural philosophical end of the path he has chosen (or not chosen, if you think him demonically possessed)--a life empty of honor, dignity, and purpose. His words are stirring and sad. I asked you to play around with the soliloquy, looking at how emphasizing different words change the meaning.

Here is the soliloquy again:

And yet, rather than take his own life, as his wife does, he battles on. Why?

YOUR HOMEWORK:
PART 1 of 2
Write a journal entry on ONE of the following topics. Your journal entry must contain two quotations (cite them properly):

Why does Macbeth continue to fight, long after he knows all is lost? (Do you admire him for this?); OR,
How do you know in Act V that the Great Chain of Being is being restored?

PART 2 of 2
Select an important quote from each scene from scenes 4-8 and enter it on the wikispace.

COMING UP
On Tuesday, March 10th, Group 4 will be meeting with the Sixth Graders to work with them on the Witches scene. Watch your mailbox for information on Monday!

DAY 3 - CYCLE 7 - SEMESTER 2 -

2009-03-03T16:53:00.002-06:00

Today, we watched Act V, scenes i-iii performed and read along with the performance. Then we clarified particular areas of the text. Then, in small groups, I asked you to act as clinicians, determining the following about Lady Macbeth and Macbeth:

What is the patient's current state of mind?
What is the patient's ability to reconcile with the past?
What is the patient's attitude about the future?
What is the patient's ability to adapt to present circumstances?

I asked you to identify quotes to substantiate your assertions.

Your homework is to add FOUR quotes to the wikispace for the scenes we read and watched today.

Need to see that unhuman scream again? Here you go!

DAY 2 - CYCLE 7 - SEMESTER 2

2009-03-02T17:30:00.003-06:00

We began the day with a 15 question quiz covering Lord of the Flies through page 144 and Macbeth acts III & IV.

The rest of the period was devoted to discussion of Lord of the Flies.

Topics included answers to the following questions:

Why do the boys not answer Jack when he seeks to depose Ralph through consensus, but then secretly follow Jack anyway?
What is signified by the beast's words?
According to Golding, can human beings be ruled by something other than fear and selfishness?
What various aspects of human nature (or archetypes: the definition on this site is useful, but you have to scroll a ways down to get to it) are represented by each of the characters?
If Simon = Fiver, who is like Hazel, Bigwig, Blackberry, Dandelion and others? Which boy is most like Macbeth?
How does Ralph's relationship with Jack change? Clearly, they had some good moments. What led to the problems, and how does Golding reveal them?
How has Golding's assessment views of power, leadership, followership, and effective leadership structures evolved through the course of the novel?
How does Ralph have an impact on Jack and Piggy's relationship?
Who is loyal to whom and why?
What is Simon's symbolic significance?
Why is force the most likely means of establishing order in this community?
In order for authority to be respected, what must it be based upon?
What is the opposite of force in terms of controlling society? Which does Golding prefer?

HOMEWORK

Keep reading in Lord of the Flies, and answer ONE of the top two polls on the left! There probably isn't a pattern, but let's just see. Be honest!

DAY 1 - CYCLE 7 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-27T16:48:00.000-06:00

Today, we finished Act IV, scene iii of Macbeth and watched the scene. Many lines were excised from the televised performance. Why? What effect was the director seeking? Did the Malcolm and Macduff we saw match the characters we created in our minds? By comparing the series on TV to that in your mind's eye, you can develop a better understanding of the text.

Here is all of scene iii, but it begins at the end of scene ii:

PART I

PART II

HOMEWORK
Read up through page 144 in Lord of the Flies. You will have a 20 question quiz on Monday covering the novel and Acts III and IV of the play. The quiz will include quotations and literary terms from both Acts. Those of you who have not made a meaningful contribution to the wikispace really ought to do so!

DAY 5 - CYCLE 6 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-26T18:59:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the late posting, everyone. I just got back from a series of late appointments.

Today, after I collected your paragraphs comparing the two witches scenes, we covered Act III, scene iii, a longer scene in which Macduff comes to England to solicit Malcolm's help in overthrowing Macbeth. We began the day by talking a bit about the dicey diplomatic situation in which these characters find themselves. There is a certain amount of distrust between the two, and until it is resolved, no progress can be made. Malcolm, fearing for his own safety, must make doubly sure that Macduff poses no threat, and he goes about it in a most interesting way.

To make sure you came away from the discussion with a full arsenal of understanding, make sure you can answer the following:

Macduff's opening lines are an example of dramatic irony: how?
Malcolm reveals the source of his distrust of Macduff. What led him to doubt his kinsman's intentions?
According to Malcolm, why would he be a worse ruler than Macbeth?
Is this true?
Why does he tell Macduff these things?
How does Macduff prove he can be trusted?
Who is the messenger who arrives?
List all the news the messenger brings
When does the messenger change the subject? Why?
There are a number of clues in the text of this scene that suggest how other characters must be speaking (pausing, rushing, showing some sort of emotion, etc.). Pay attention to these clues for they make it much easier to visualize what is happening.
NOTE: Notions of masculinity have been explored throughout this play. How does Macduff add to our understanding of that theme?

Whatever part of the scene we did not finish in class, we will read tomorrow, and then watch the scene performed.

HOMEWORK
Post 4 important quotes and 2 examples of literary terms from Act IV on the wikispace.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 6 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-25T13:40:00.000-06:00

PART ONE: THE QUIZ AT THE BEGINNING
Today, you took a 10 question quiz on Lord of the Flies, Macbeth and literary terms. So far, the scores for those quizzes range from 2 out of 10 to 10 out of 10. Some people's errors were concentrated; other people's were spread out. If you know you struggled on any portion of the quiz, take a look at these possible solutions. If these don't work, you should schedule time to see me.

Lord of the Flies

Keep a character list in the front of your book and track major actions and dominant character traits.
Set up your own spectrums: each character starts as WHAT and is becoming more WHAT?
At the bottom of the pages where you see major events happening/critical moments of tension occurring, write a few key words and the names of the characters involved. This will help in review.
When you come across particularly revealing quotes, highlight them.
Create your own quotation study guide with your findings.

Macbeth Quotations

Review the wikispace on a regular basis, adding to it as well.
Preview scenes the day before class so that you have familiarity with the words, even if you don’t understand them well.
Identify the words you don’t know and look them up.
Paraphrase passages in class into your own words as we cover them and afterwards.
Each night, go through the scenes we have covered, highlighter in hand, and highlight the quotes you think are particularly revealing.
Review the blog consistently and make sure you can answer the review questions that are posted there.
Try to relate quotations to larger themes (great chain of being, forcing the wheel of fortune, etc.). Think about what Shakespeare considered a virtue and what he considered a vice; use your studies of the early Enlightenment to inform your thinking. What quotes reveal these moral lessons?

Macbeth Literary Terms

Review the wikispace regularly and add to it.
Make note cards of the terms, their definitions, and examples that you can understand easily.
At the end of class, spend a few minutes going through what we studied in class, and look for examples of terms. Underline them in the text and write the name of the term next to it.
When looking at the wikispace, be able to explain why a certain passage exemplifies a term. If you can’t explain it in your own words, your understanding of the term is not yet complete.

When the solutions above are not yielding the results you’d like to see, schedule extra help with me.

PART TWO: THE READING OF ACT IV; SCENES i AND ii
Then we read Act IV, scenes i and ii. Here, Macbeth, tormented by the fear and paranoia that consumes him and robs him of rest, goes to consult the witches. There, they show him four images, which lead him through a series of emotions. At the end of the scene, he makes a plan about Macduff & family. The second scene takes place at the Macduff castle in Fife, where Lady Macduff is none too pleased. In her conversations with Ross, we learn quite a bit about the political climate of Scotland under Macbeth.

REVIEW QUESTIONS: if you cannot answer these, you need to go back to your text and clarify your understanding.

What do the ingredients of the witches' brew tell us about them?
What cost is Macbeth willing to pay to get answers from the weird sisters?
What are the four apparitions that Macbeth sees? Know exactly what they are.
What exactly does each apparation tell him?
What is his emotional response to each of the apparitions?
What does Macbeth decide he will do after he hears the second apparition? Why?
What does he learn after the witches disappear?
What does he decide to do in response to this news?
What is Macbeth saying when he states "From this moment/The very firstlins of my heart shall be/The firstlings of my hand"?
Why is Lady Macduff so angry at her husband?
What is Ross trying to tell her in a thinly veiled way?
What does the conversation Lady Macduff has with her son reveal about the political climate in Scotland?
What has the messenger come to say?
NOTE: In the opening of the scene, Ross tells Lady Macduff that "Cruel are the times when we are traitors/And do not know ourselves" (IV, i, 18-19). At the end of the scene, Lady Macduff says, "I remember now/I am in this earthly world, where to do harm/Is often laudable, to do good sometime/Accounted dangerous folly." First, make sure you understand how these quotes show the world in opposition with itself. Then, consider: how might this relate to our larger understanding of the natural order of things, and of the play's larger theme about appearance and reality?

HOMEWORK

Write a paragraph comparing Macbeth's meeting with the witches from the first act with his meeting in the fourth act. Exactly how has Macbeth changed? Give specific details in your paragraph, incorporating quotes. This may be hand-written or typed, and should be about a page in length.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 6 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-23T18:47:00.000-06:00

After I collected your creative journals, I designated today as a reading day in preparation for tomorrow's BRIEF quiz which will contain:

5 multiple choice questions on Lord of the Flies;
3 quote identifications on Macbeth, Act II;
2 literary terms identifications on Macbeth, Act II.

Your homework for tonight is to add 4 important quotes for Act III to the wikispace, and 2 examples of literary terms in action. Don't go for monologue/solilioquy. Go for the more complicated ones that involve more interpretive skills to discern, OK?

DAY 2 - CYCLE 6 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-21T17:39:00.001-06:00

Today, we watched the remainder of Act III of Macbeth. We saw two versions of the banquet scene.

and

There's another version that's quite different. Roman Polanki's shows the ghost and shifts the order of the lines dramatically. To good effect? You decide.

You should have a good understanding of Lennox's sarcasm in scene vi and know what Macduff has gone to do.

HOMEWORK
First, choose one of the following:
A. Design a costume for Macbeth in the banquet scene that captures the essence of his character and suggests what's going on in his mind. You may use design elements from ANY era. Give a written explanation for your choices (a few sentences will do). You may draw the costume or write up a description of it.
OR
B. Design a set for any scene in Act II that calls attention to the themes of that scene. You may use design elements from ANY era. You should explain in writing why your set is suitable to the play's themes (a few sentences will do). You may draw your set or provide a written description.

AND DO THE FOLLOWING
C. In writing, explain how YOU would direct the ghost sequence. How would you represent the ghost and why would you do it that way?

DAY 1 - CYCLE 6 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-19T17:32:00.001-06:00

Today, we read a "parallel" version of Act III, scenes i-iii. In these scenes, I asked, Macbeth plots the murder of Banquo and his son Fleance, and discusses some of his concerns with his wife. In scene three, the murderers kill Banquo, but Fleance escapes. I asked you to consider Macbeth's and Lady Macbeth's emotional states while we read, and the state of their relationship.

You should be able to answer the following questions about the first three scenes. If you cannot answer these, you need to review the material.

What does Banquo suspect?
For what does Macbeth ask Banquo to return that evening?
Where is Banquo going?
What news does Macbeth report about Malcom and Donalbain?
Why doesn't Macbeth enjoy being king?
What has been the cost for Macbeth in "helping" Banquo's descendents?
What do the murderers blame Banquo for?
How does Macbeth convince the murderers to murder Banquo? How do his arguments resemble Lady Macbeth's? HINT:Why does Macbeth spend time talking about dogs?
What reason does Macbeth give for not killing Banquo himself?
Why doesn't Lady Macbeth enjoy being queen?
Lady Macbeth complains about what tendency that Macbeth has?
Why does Macbeth envy Duncan?
How do Lady Macbeth's and Macbeth's speeches resemble one another?
Both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth tell each other to do what?
What is Macbeth's brain full of? Isn't that an incredible image for describing mental stress?!
For some of the lines to make sense, you need to consider the listening character's facial expressions. Identify those lines and imagine the expressions.

We watched some of Ian McKellen/Judy Dench's Royal Shakespeare version of Macbeth in class. We shall watch the rest of Act III tomorrow.

HOMEWORK:

Preview the remainder of Act III. You should have a very firm handle on what happens in each scene, the identity of the characters involved, their emotional states, and some assumptions about what they think about one another.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-18T17:04:00.000-06:00

Today, we took a break from Macbeth today to discuss Lord of the Flies. We began the class with a 12 question quiz and then opened discussion on the novel with three basic prompts:

Who GETS power? Why?
Who WANTS power? Why?
WHO DESERVES power? Why?

I asked you to take notes on the discussion and to substantiate claims with evidence. The three classes had quite different discussions, but ultimately arrived at some conclusions about power sharing and the perils inherent in establishing order in a group. Some classes got farther than others, connecting ideas in the book to their understanding of democracies, authoritarian regimes, oligarchies and republican (not the party) forms of government. Review your notes from today. Add to them. Jot a comment to this blog post, if so moved. Your insights are fantastic.

Each class investigated Piggy, Ralph and Jack's competencies, shortcomings, and challenges, and each class got around to talking about what the following items symbolize in a larger consideration of exercising power within a society:

conch - rule of law, authority. Note that it has (through sound) the ability to call everyone together, but it can also be broken--it is fragile.
fire--power. When controlled, it can be life-sustaining; when uncontrolled, it is a destructive force.
glasses--Tekne, insight. Remember your studies of Greek history? This helpful tool is critical in establishing the infrastructure everyone relies on, and is a reflection of Piggy's intuitive understanding of what needs to be done (count the children, use the conch, recognize dangers, ask for names...).
knife--militarism, violence, criminal element. Note that Jack is the one who carries the knife, who almost kills the pig, and who wants lots of rules so he may punish those who break them.
little 'uns --society at large as well as its weaker members. Those in power are not only morally responsible for caring for them, they must do so effectively to maintain power.

There were a wide variety of questions that came up during the class:

Why doesn't Jack kill the pig?
What makes a person or a group "civilized?"
Why are Piggy's suggestions dismissed, ignored, or criticized?
What are deciding factors in the battle between civility and savagery? Are we predisposed toward one?
What do our observations from today tell us about the nature of power?

After our discussion, I asked you to take a look at the three initial quotes again: in an ideal world, what would the answers to these be?

Tomorrow, we'll be heading back into Macbeth. Tomorrow and Friday, we'll be looking at a video performance of Act III.

HOMEWORK

Post FOUR important quotations and TWO literary terms on the appropriate pages on the wikispace. Be sure to study the literary terms closely. The majority of you need some review on those!

Group 2: Quotes Lit Terms

Group 4: Quotes Lit Terms

Group 6: Quotes Lit Terms

DAY 4 - CYCLE 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

Today, we covered Act II, scenes iii and iv in Macbeth, where Duncan's murder is discovered. Shakespeare spends much of his time suggesting how the Great Chain is being inverted more and more. As a rock thrown into a lake makes ripples, so too does this murder have ongoing repurcussions: the weather is a mess, domesticated animals are rebelling, day is night, owls are attacking falcons, etc. It's a mess! In addition, we get to see Macbeth and Lady Macbeth's actions in the wake of their misdeeds. I asked you to consider whether Macbeth is a good liar (you said no), and if Lady Macbeth really fainted (you said no again; she was creating a diversion!).

Questions to consider as you review your understanding from today's class:

How do you know Macbeth is a bad liar?
What prompts Lady Macbeth to "faint"?
Why is it ironic that Macduff hesitates to tell Lady Macbeth about Duncan's murder because he fears her sensibilities are to delicate for her to hear the news?
Why do Malcolm and Donalbain flee?
Why do people believe they bribed the guards?
What happens in Colmekill? Scone?
Where does Macduff go at the end of Act II? Why is this choice significant?

Homework:

Pretend you are a servant in the Macbeth household during the time of Act II. Write a letter to a friend explaining some of the bizarre happenings from your own, limited perspective. You'll need to study the Act carefully to determine what a servant might reasonably know. You do not need to write it in Shakespearean prose.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-11T16:28:00.000-06:00

Today, you took a quiz on Act I. The quiz contained five quotes and five quotes demonstrating literary terms in action. Because we have not spent as much time on the literary terms as on the play itself, if the literary terms section of the quiz averages below 80%, I will drop that portion of the quiz.

Afterwards, we looked at Act I, scenes i and ii. Here, Macbeth starts telling lies. He lies to Banquo, saying he never thinks of the witches, and he lies to his servant saying that Lady Macbeth is to ring the bell when his "drink is ready." That, of course, is her terrible signal to do the deed. In addition to deceiving his friend, he shows other signs of undoing. He hallucinates a dagger, which grows bloody as he watches and beckons him toward Duncan's sleeping chambers while he draws his own dagger. He gives himself a pep talk and off he slinks. The next scene finds Lady Macbeth excited but nervous, claiming that she herself would have done the deed had Duncan not looked like her father as he slept.

Macbeth returns from the murder, greatly troubled. He clutches the daggers, knows that he shall never sleep again (you can see how he mourns the loss by his listed and rich descriptions of sleep), and claims that to wash his bloodied hands in the oceans would not cleanse them, but turn all of the waters red. Wow. Lady Macbeth takes charge, marches off with blades in hand, and comes back as bloodied as he. As the couple hears knocking at the castle gate, She states that a "little water clear us of this deed," and marches her husband-gone-tharn off to change into his nightgown so they may look as though they were in bed.

Afterward, I had you play "Mr. & Mrs. Macbeth visit the marriage counselor." In that activity, you enthusiastically berated your spouse for his/her failings; he's too wimpy, she's too controlling; he's too indecisive, she's too ambitious; he's too virtuous, she's too callous; he's too timid, she's too over-reaching. You brought up his femininity, her masculinity. The Great Chain of Being is now toppling!

HOMEWORK
Continue reading in Lord of the Flies.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-10T19:19:00.000-06:00

This will be short and sweet. Today was a reading day for Lord of the Flies, and you have your quiz on Act I tomorrow. See yesterday's post for sample questions, and PLEASE use the wikispace study guides to review!

DAY 1 - CYCLE 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-09T07:43:00.000-06:00

Today's post begins with a poem by Edward Arlington Robinson. This famous poem is an excellent example of situational irony. I present it simply because the clarity of this example is so stellar.

Richard Cory
by Edwin Arlington Robinson, 1869-1935

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him;
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
“Good-morning,” and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.

Sad, yes. But it makes excellent use of situational irony to snap us out of our assumptions about our own lives and the lives of others. When used well, situational irony often has this startling effect that makes us see anew.

Today in class, we finished Act I. In scene vi, Lady Macbeth welcomes Duncan into her home, and the two exchange pleasantries. Rich in subtext, this passage shows Lady Mabeth become the very serpent under the flower she asks her husband to be. In scene vii, Macbeth shows his hesitation. In his opening soliloquy, he lists several reasons that counsel against the act of murder. Can you remember what they are? Summrize them in the margins of your text if you didn't do so already. Then, Lady Macbeth enters. Macbeth tells her they "will proceed no further in this business, but she gets him to change his mind and commit to murder. He offers himself LOGICAL arguments against the act. What types of arguments does she offer?

We all agreed that Lady Macbeth is a real piece of work, a person whose evil is jaw-dropping in scope. Henry P. raised a good point in group 2, however. It's not like Macbeth didn't spur her on with his letter. He planted the seed in her mind just as the witches planted it in his. (Looked at in this context, that's in interesting introversion of the "Eve/female as temptress" mythos.) Summarize her arguments to Macbeth in your margins.

HOMEWORK:
At the close of class, I asked you to indicate the 5 literary terms you found in your homework for today. Your homework for tonight is to add those to the wikispace (group 2/group 4/group 6). This is due by the start of class on Tuesday.

Add FOUR important quotes for Act I to the wikispace as well (group 2/group 4/group 6). This is due Tuesday by 6:00 PM!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
There will be a quotes based quiz on Act I of Macbeth on Wednesday of this week.
Sample questions:

Who is described in the lines: "If I must say sooth, I must report they were as cannons overcharged with double cracks, so they / Doubly redoubled strokes upon the foe?"
Who says, "Her husband's to Aleppo gone, master o' the Tiger; / But in a seive I'll thither sail, / And, like a rat without a tail, /I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do."
Who asks "...have we eaten on the insane root / That takes the reason prisoner?"
Ross tells Macbeth, "...As thick as hail / Came post with post..." This is an example of what literary term?

We will begin Lord of the Flies as an Outside Reading Book this week. The majority of your outside homework will be to keep up with the reading there. Note that I did not say ALL your homework, so you should still expect additional responsibilities for Macbeth outside of class. Please see the reading deadlines to the left of the post.

There will be a TEST on Macbeth on Friday, March 13th (seems fitting, no?).

DAY 5 - CYCLE 4 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-06T10:27:00.000-06:00

Today, we met the inimitable Lady Macbeth, whose personal ambitions make her husband's look like child's play. In Act I, scene v, the three characters involved are Lady Macbeth, a messenger, and Macbeth himself. As you read through the scene aloud, I checked your homework (the literary terms sheet).

Then we parsed out the scene, looking at the progression of Lady Macbeth's emotions. She reads aloud the letter Macbeth sent in which he calls her "partner." In her first monologue, she criticizes her husband for his shortcomings (stupid virtues!), and wishes he were there so she could scold him for being virtuous. Then, she learns that Duncan will stay the night at her castle. After that, she seeks specific changes in herself, calling upon the agents of darkness to bring them about. Then, Macbeth enters, and she says "Leave everything to me!" In this short scene, Lady Macbeth has willfully placed herself above her husband (with his help!) in the Great Chain. What might this lead to? As we figured out exactly what she says, I asked you to keep two questions in mind:

What changes is she asking for in herself? In Macbeth? For what purpose?
On both pages 27 and 31, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth make a specific appeal to the heavens. What is that appeal, and how does it relate to our understanding of the Great Chain of Being?

Afterwards, I asked you if you thought whether or not Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had any control over their actions. Do they have any say in what plays out? Is there a difference between the two?

YOUR HOMEWORK:

This scene contains a number of examples of the literary terms you looked up for today. Now, I want you to apply that knowledge by identifying FIVE (5) examples of literary terms in action within the scene. You should write out the example and an explanation of HOW it shows the term in action.

Also, next week, we will begin Lord of the Flies as an out-of-class reading experience. That's about a group of boys whose plane crash lands on an uninhabited island and what happens to them in this Eden of no adult supervision.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 4 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-04T16:09:00.000-06:00

Today, you translated Macbeth, Act I, scene iv into modern English. To help you, I handed out two sheets of some basic vocabulary and translated words. These materials came to me via hardcopy from Chicago Shakespeare, so I do not have them in electronic form (anyone feel like earning some in school service hours by typing them up?). Those who were absent today will find them in their mailboxes.

In rough, rough terms:

Duncan: Is Cawdor dead yet? Have the executioners returned?

Malcolm: Sir, they're not back yet, but I heard that it looks like Cawdor admitted his crime, begged forgiveness, and died with dignity.

Duncan: Well, you can't tell what a man's mind is from the way he looks. I trusted that guy completely...Macbeth, Banquo, Ross and Angus enter... Oh! Macbeth! I cannot thank you enough for all you've done for me.

Macbeth: My pleasure. Just doing my job.

Duncan: Well, I'll make sure you're rewarded for your help to me. Banquo, I feel the same way about you, too.

Banquo: Well, any help you give me will be sure to benefit you.

Duncan: Wow, well, I am just crying tears of joy here. All of you know that Malcolm here is the Crown Prince, but those who deserve it will gain in nobility (suggesting that Macbeth is in store for even more titles). From here, let's go to Macbeth's castle so we can build our relationship further!

Macbeth: Well, then, the only thing left to do then is to prepare for your arrival. I'll go tell my wife you're coming. She'll be so happy! Excuse me, then.

Duncan: Thank you, Thane of Cawdor!

Macbeth: aside - So Malcolm's Crown Prince. Great. I've either got to give up my ambitions because of that or figure out a way around it. Heaven above, don't watch what I'm about to do, and may I have the werewithal to do it. Macbeth leaves.

Duncan: Oh Banquo! He's such a great guy; I love hearing about him! Let's follow him to his house. What a guy! There's no one quite like him.

We then talked about dramatic irony, in which the audience knows something that the character in the play or movie or story does not know. Horror movies use this all the time. We know the crazed axe murderer is hiding behind the bunk bed, but the dippy teen counselors sneaking into the cabin do not. It's a way of adding tension.

There's plenty of dramatic irony throughout this little scene. As soon as Duncan says you can't judge a book by its cover, who should happen to show up? Macbeth! And what has he been thinking about? Murder! Woo-wee: awkward! I then asked you to block out the scenes in such a way that your gestures, facial expressions and postures would heighten this dramatic irony.

Your homework:
It helps to know the literary terms that can explain some of the dynamics in the play, so I've asked you to look up a number of literary terms I passed out on a worksheet. One of the terms is "Apostrophe." I DO NOT MEAN THE PUNCTUATION MARK! Please look up the terms and provide brief definitions on the sheet.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 4 - SEMESTER 2

2009-02-03T16:45:00.000-06:00

I began the class today by passing out a map of Scotland. The map comes from Isaac Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare: Volume 2. No, you needn't memorize it; it's simply quite useful to see where things are taking place. Please refer to it as we continue our reading of the play. If you missed class today, you may find a copy of the map in your mail box at school. The map is part of a larger essay that does a great deal to explain the historical and cultural context of many lines, and if you are interested, I would be delighted to make a copy of the essay for you.

We worked on creating our own cultural context today by looking at the Elizabethan world view, focusing chiefly on two things: the Great Chain of Being and the Wheel of Fortune. This handout is composed predominantly of pictures associated with each concept, and they can help us to understand the principles.

The Great Chain of Being, above all else, suggests that there is a hierarchical order to the universe, and everything within the Chain has its place. From God down to the lowly rock, all things have their purposes, and their limitations.
God
Angels
----Seraphim
----Cherubim
People
----King
----Nobles
----Merchants
----Serfs
----Slaves
And within each of these subsections, all people are ranked by gender and age, too.
---------Men
---------Women (beneath men because, as Aristotle said, "their thinkers are broken")
---------Children
-----------Boys
-----------Girls
Beasts
----Elephant is king of non-carnivorous animals
----Lion is king of carnivorous animals
----Dolphins are kings of the sea
Plants (and you know their order from your work in biology!)
Elements (fire, air, water, earth)
Dirt/minerals

Even the skies themselves are ordered into different spheres, with the dome of heaven being visible to us. This is why Robert Frost's lines in the poem "Birches" are suggestive of so much more than mere icestorm: "Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells/Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust/Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away/You'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen." His reference here is not simply to the appearance of ice, but to our sense of the universe crumbling into chaos. (And the poem is clearly not just about trees, either. I recommend you read it. You will find interesting things in it. Keep reading it every few years; you will find that you keep finding more in it, and more in yourselves, too. It's a wonderful touchstone, that poem.) When the order is disrupted, because someone tries to break rank, disorder and strife ensue. Humans seem unable to learn this lesson.

Whenever you come across ANY reference to stars, plants, or nature in general, Shakespeare is telling you something about the order of the world. Look with a critical eye: is that order threatened? Solid? Being restored? What is the source of the threat or protection? What is happening to the Great Chain of Being?

Think of what happens when you pluck a string; the whole thing vibrates, of course. Apply this principle to the idea of a chain; mess up one part and the whole thing is under threat, right? How does this chaos and strife come about? What plucks the string, as it were? By messing with the Wheel of Fortune! Fortuna was the Roman goddess of fortune, modeled after the Greek goddess Tyche. For a fine picture of a statue of Tyche, click here (it takes a while to load, but it's worth it!). Whereas the Greek version of the goddess is my role model, er, I mean, quite cruel at times, the Roman goddess was eventually tamed by Christianity, and she was a functionary in God's master plan. This is why she often appears to be leashed. She is also unpredictable, demonstrated by the fact she (often) stands upon a sphere. There are four stations on the wheel she spins, and these stations are actually ones we recognize in our own lives:

Regno (I reign)
I get to use the eighth grade stairs because I am King/Queen of the Middle School!
Regnavi (I reigned)
Well, 8th grade graduation sure was nice, but I am nervous about meeting my Big Brother/Big Sister
Sum Sini Regno (I have no kingdom)
Oh no. My Big Brother and Big Sister are about to introduce me on stage and give me my stupid sailor hat.
Regnabo (I shall reign)
Junior year was great! When do we find out who our Little Brother and Sister are and when can I ask them to bake cookies for me?

It's when people try to force the wheel to turn in their favor that they disrupt order, and thus the Chain of Being. And when THAT happens, evil prevails. You know this to be true as well. What happens when juniors try to boss freshmen around, or when a 6th grader tries to use the 8th grade stairs? Heads roll and people get very, very angry! These are very useful concepts to apply to Macbeth.

When the witches give their predictions, they are suggesting Macbeth's station on the wheel, and he is presented with a temptation: spin the wheel faster! Banquo urges caution, but Macbeth, before even seeing the king, is already thinking about murder. These thoughts cause his heart to pound "against nature" and make his hair stand on end. Clearly, he is NOT comfortable with the idea. And yet he thinks it. And thinks it. And thinks it some more. As we go through, ask yourself, is this guy really in control of his fate? What are his choices and does he have the power to effectively make a choice? I am giddy at the prospect of talking about this!

Your homework for tonight:
Read Act I, scene iv. Look for references to nature & the heavens. What is Shakespeare pointing out to you? Yes, the text will be confusing. THAT'S OK! Wrestle with it a bit to get meaning out of it. That's how you train your brain to be worth anything, so avoid the outside resources.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 4 - SEMESTER 2: Macbeth I:iii

2009-02-02T08:26:00.000-06:00

Today, we looked at how to decode Shakespeare's lengthy statements so they make more sense to us. This is actually where sentence diagramming helps, because the same logic you use to tease apart sentences for a diagram are the very same skills you'll use to aid comprehesion here.

We stated by looking at the following lines of text (from I, ii, 16-23):
1. For brave Macbeth
2. —well he deserves that name—
3. Disdaining fortune,
4. with his brandish'd steel,
5. Which smoked with bloody execution,
6. Like valor's minion
7. carved out his passage
8. Till he faced the slave;
9. Which ne'er shook hands,
10. nor bade farewell to him,
11. Till he unseamed him from the nave to th’ chops,
12. And fixed his head upon our battlements.

12 people in each class were handed a line, and the remaining people had to organize them so that the key ideas (the same things that would go on top of the horizontal line in a sentence diagram) were in front, and the modifying phrases were lined up behind the appropriate main idea.

Then, we talked about some of the odd conventions Shakespeare uses (I' = in, 's = us, o' = of, ne'er = never), and addressed the questions you had about the scenes we covered on Friday. The first place you should look when you have a question is the left hand side of the page, as quite often, the book will offer an explanation of the more obscure or complicted references.

After that, we looked at the rest of scene iii, where Angus and Ross tell Macbeth that he has been made Thane of Cawdor. We studied Macbeth's reaction to this news, and Banquo's reaction to Macbeth's reaction, looking carefully at the warning Banquo gives him, and Macbeth's response. We also tried to figure out what Macbeth thinks about when he hears this news.

Macbeth and Banquo seem to respond to the witches' prophesies in different ways.
PHASE 1: During and immediately following the encounter with the witches

BANQUO: Curious, distanced, wary, interested but uninvested
MACBETH: Scared, spellbound ("rapt"), curious, invested, eager, disbelieving, hopeful, excited

PHASE 2: During and immediately following the encounter with Ross and Angus

BANQUO: Leery, cautious, disbelieving (cleary distrusts the source="Can the devil speak true?")
MACBETH: Reckless, ambitious, mesmerized with more concrete images of Duncan's death, eager, seeming to rationalize.

These two have just been in battle together and are good friends. What does this difference in responses, and the increasing divergence between them, tell us about their relationship?

Then, in your table "pie pieces" groups, I had you do two things:

Write stage directions for the types of facial expressions and gestures both Macbeth and Banquo would use from lines 104-146 of scene iii.
Make conjectures about what Banquo will say to Ross and Angus when he pulls them aside for "a word."

Your homework for tonight:

Go to the following websites and prepare a brief summary (one page in length) about the Elizabethan Worldview. You may focus on any aspects that seem relevant to you.

http://www.montreat.edu/dking/milton/significantideasofseventeethcentury.htm

http://faculty.up.edu/asarnow/GreatChainofBeing.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Chain_of_Being

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rota_Fortunae

http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/Tillyard01.html

http://guildofstgeorge.com/chain.htm

http://f01.middlebury.edu/FS010A/STUDENTS/n076.htm

DAY 1 - CYCLE 4 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-30T14:09:00.000-06:00

Today, we worked with Mr. Matt Daniels of Milwaukee Shakespeare Theatre. Mr. Daniels is an actor and director here in town, and he led us through the first three scenes of Macbeth, where we encounter the witches, Macbeth and Banquo, and the fascinating prophecy the witches give the soldiers: Macbeth, already Thane of Glamis by inheritance, is told he will be Thane of Cawdor and King, too. Banquo, though destined not to be king, is told he will be father of kings.

We did a series of warm up exercises, from stretching out the muscles of our necks to practing our elocution of consonants, and then we did a cold reading of the first two scenes. Once we understood the plot, Mr. Daniels had us choose words and gestures that we thought captured the essences of these characters. He had us first speak and then shout these terms and act out the gestures so that we felt the meaning of the play rather than just read it. Then acted a few portions out. Using our chosen words, we also created whispered soundscapes for the actors, adding to the tension of the witches' actions.

Our discussions and actions helped us to understand that both the witches and these hardy Scottish generals are comfortable with violence and revenge: the witches prefer to meet in violent weather, have control over nature, and conspire to torture a man at sea for 81 weeks, just because his wife would not share chestnuts. Macbeth and Banquo conquer not one, but two armies in a day, and bathe in the blood of their enemies with great relish. These are creatures who are not squeamish, do not balk, and seem to know no fear. Or do they?

YOUR HOMEWORK:
Write a few sentences in answer to the following question: How does Macbeth feel about and what does he think about what the witches tell him? You'll want to look at the same scenes we looked at today.

I'd also like you to write up questions about confusing lines, works, markings and syntax. There is plenty left over from these first three scenes that I am sure you do not understand. For instance, What is the difference between I and I'? Bring your questions with you to class.

An important thing to note at the outset: we're not going to understand everything about this play as we go, and you SHOULD experience uncertainty as we make our way through. Ask questions. Say "slow down!" when you're lost. Come in for help.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 3 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-29T10:28:00.000-06:00

Today, we worked in the lab for half an hour, and then went to Mellowes for story time where I read to you a modernized version of the opening events of Macbeth. Tomorrow, we will begin the play in earnest by working with Matt Daniels, and actor with the (now defunct, alas) Milwaukee Shakespeare Company. Report to Mellowes Hall tomorrow, and bring your Macbeth books with you! (See picture.)

Bring your argument papers, too! Remember, you need a cover page and a Works Cited page. Please consult the assignment sheet, the MLA guide, and http://www.noodletools.com/ to help.

DAY 4 - CYCLE 3 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-27T20:08:00.000-06:00

Today, everyone worked in the computer lab on the argument essay. We will do the same thing Thursday. The homework is to do work on the essay. The final product is due on FRIDAY.

You MUST know your guiding logic in order to write this effectively, and that means you need to question your assumptions. Let's say you are arguing that USM should install multiple computer terminals in every classroom. The key assumption (premise) behind this is that computers are necessary to learning in the modern day. To effectively prove your case about adding computers in the classrooms, you must first convince your audience that computers are essential to learning. Then, the idea of adding more computers to the school seems like a logical next step for the school to take. If you know your basic premises well and try to convince your audience of those, the conclusion will seem quite attractive to your reader. So, know your logic!

And remember, you can use a conversational tone, talk about yourself and take similar approaches to get your reader to identify with you. Try reading your paper out loud to your parent(s); not only will they be thrilled to have you share your thoughts with them (I know, I know, this may not seem appealing, but they aren't going to be as critical as you fear and they'll be honored that you asked), they'll let you know just how convincing you are. It works better if you read it aloud to them, and much better if they read it aloud to you. Ears will catch what eyes do not.

HOMEWORK
Write, revise for stronger phrasing and better organization, edit for errors. Repeat. (Notice that "writing" is only about 33% of what you should be doing. Drafting and then giving it a lick and a polish is not the way to go about this.) Final draft is due on FRIDAY. See original assignment sheet for specifications.

DAY 3 - CYCLE 3 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-26T19:39:00.000-06:00

Today, we took the sentence diagramming quiz on Lessons 16-18. Afterwards, we looked at two sample introductory paragraphs to an argumentative essay (handout to be posted online on Tuesday). Each had merits and weaknesses, but one was more effective than the other (not necessarily better). Afterwards, you worked in small groups to draft your own sample introductions. While you worked, I checked your research articles. For those of you who are having issues finding something of use, go see Mrs. Ihrke. The woman is a font of profoundly useful information, and can give you tailored advice that will help get you going in the right direction, if not right to your actual destination.

For those of you who are dealing with school related issues (any school, not necessarily limited to USM), you might also try http://www.eric.ed.gov/. ERIC is a database of education related articles.

Homework for tonight:
Prepare TWO possible introductions to your own essay. They should be quite different from one another. Try using different appeals in your opening (e.g. one logical and data based, on pathetic and anecdotal). You'll need to have a good idea of just what it is you want your reader to feel or think by the end in order to craft this well, so give it some serious thought.

Tomorrow, groups 4 and 6 will meet in the computer lab to work on your essays, and group 2 will do the same on Wednesday.

Bon soir, mes amis.

DAY 2 - CYCLE 3 - SEMESTER 2: The argument paper overview

2009-01-22T16:43:00.000-06:00

Today, we went over the basics of the argument paper. I provided a three page handout (on wikispace) and showed you how you can use both Proquest and Sirs. Proquest and Sirs are subsription databases that give you access to reliable newspapers, journals, magazines, etc.

If you were absent today, most of your questions will probably be answered by the handout itself. HOWEVER, it's unlikely that you'll have a full understanding from that alone, so you should schedule a few minutes to come in and I can address important points.

As I noted in class, you will be providing a WORKS CITED page on this paper, and you can read more about what exactly that is in the MLA handout from earlier this year. Essentially, it gives all the defining features of the sources you use so that anyone who reads your work can go out and consult the very same sources. That's why people are so fussy about citation format--it's the standardization of the trade, in much the same way that lightbulb or outlets are standardized so everyone can use them the same way.

I then showed you a fabulously remarkable tool that will make your citation jobs a joy: www.noodletools.com. Go to the website, and click the last link in the center column: "NoodleBib Express." BOOKMARK THIS SITE. By plugging in data, you can generate perfectly formatted citations! Well, you need to tweak margins and spacing, but the punctuation will be perfect!! Nifty, huh?

HOMEWORK
1. Study for sentence diagramming quiz on lessons 16-18
2. Pick (and post, if you haven't already) your topic for your argument paper.
3. Using ProQuest and SIRS, find TWO articles that you could use for your paper.

Have a great weekend and let me know what questions you have!

DAY 1 - CYCLE 3 - SEMESTER 2: Inaugural speech, paper overview

2009-01-21T08:42:00.000-06:00

Today, we resumed sentence diagramming with Lesson 18: Interrogative Adverbs and Adjectives.

Then we discussed the inaugural address. At the end of class, you handed in your journals. My questions to you were these:

What did the speech attempt to do?
How did it attempt to do it?
Did it work with you? Why or why not?
Is it a good speech overall?
According to his premises and assumptions, what is the role of government?
According to his premises and assumptions, what is the role of citizen?

Every inaugural address attempts to redefine the relationship between a citizenry and its government, setting forth the President's vision for how both should behave, and what each may reasonably expect from the other. In addition, an inaugural address encourages citizens to tie their personal fates to the fate of the nation, to recognize that each are inextricably entwined, however difficult it may be to recognize that in the course of day to day life. Indeed, our fates are indeed entwined: traditional American values do define who we are, and what we take for granted. We expect our phones to work, our roads to be patched, our water to run clean, our children to be educated, our hospitals to treat us when we are sick or injured, our universities to teach us skills that will bring us to the forefront of our chosen fields. We expect our fates to be within our own control, and not in the hands of a dictator or limited by a caste system. These expectations are not shared around the world; we must remember they are remarkable, despite their simplicity. We see class distinctions as permeable, and aspiration not only as a defining force, but a fundamental right--in short, there are truths we really do believe to be self-evident. We recognize why others want to come here, why we want to stay here, but sometimes struggle to remember that our collective wants and actions are, in fact, the essence of who we are as a country, and not just as individuals. An inaugural address is meant to remind us of this shared destiny so that we may treat it with the dignity and responsibility it deserves. By connecting us with these extraordinary foundations of our past, a good inaugural address helps us not only glimpse the better future these foundations make possible, but inspire us to commit ourselves to the work of bringing ourselves there.

Obama's speech promoted the virtues of personal responsibility, restraint, dedication to hard work, diplomacy and pragmatism. Some of you said he spoke to us like a father speaks to a child who needs encouragement, and perhaps a bit of chastising. We have neglected some of our duties as citizens, he implies, by not showing restraint, or demanding restraint in our nation's institutions or corporate citizens. We need to recognize that we are in troubled waters, and that only hard work and a sense of common purpose will help us find calmer shores. We have all the skills and convictions we need to meet this challenge, he notes; now we must put them to use:

“Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin again the work of remaking America,” he said. “What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."

Elizabeth Alexander's inaugural poem (which, quite frankly, is better on paper, in my humble opinion) obliquely referenced these same ideas in the concrete images of poetry:

She tied the poem to the speech, and she tied the poem to the occasion, but all throughout it, I kept thinking of a different poem--one I think is better at capturing the spirit they each wish to kindle: Marge Piercy's "To Be of Use."

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who stand in the line and haul in their places,who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

It's worth reflecting upon.

Thank you for your comments today, and your own commitment to work. My work is a joy because you take your work seriously. That's worth reflecting upon, too.

YOUR HOMEWORK:

Tonight, you are creating a list of "The top three things an author should do to create a strong introduction to an argument." To do this, you will need to reconsider the two essays we have read, and the inugural address. YOU SHOULD ALSO read the introductory paragraphs of SEVEN other essays in the Seagull Reader (your choice). On a piece of paper, please write down the PAGE, the TITLE & AUTHOR, and bullet point a few DEFINING FEATURES of the introductions you have chosen. Once you have created a list of defining features, create your top three list. (Question: in this assignment, am I asking you to think deductively or inductively? If you don't know, you need to review the introduction again.)
GROUPS 4 and 6: Please add your suggestions for potential paper topics of interest to USM students to the wikispace.

COMING UP

THURSDAY: The full paper assignment & Research overview: Using SIRS and Proquest/Citations
MONDAY: Sentence diagramming quiz & Paragraph fluidity and dealing with counter arguments
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: Time in computer lab to work on paper
FRIDAY: Paper due: we begin Macbeth.

DAY 5 - CYCLE 2 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-20T08:42:00.000-06:00

HAPPY INAUGURATION DAY!
In class, groups 4 and 6 took the vocabulary quiz, discussed Katha Pollitt's major and minor premises and her overall conclusion. With what time remained, we continued to work on the Seagull Reader introduction. If you haven't finished it, you will definitely want to do so.

You must have a solid understanding of the three ways that speakers--through voice or written word--try to reach their audiences:

LOGICAL: These are the appeals that describe the merits of the case, the reasons why you should act or behave in a particular way
ETHICAL: These are the statements that add to author credibility. That which makes you trust or identify with the author is an ethical appeal.
PATHETIC: This is an appeal to your emotions. It might describe someone else's emotional state or a situation designed to invoke your anger, fear, sense of protectiveness, patriotism, or love. A pathetic argument is said to be true when it invokes emotions that propel you toward logic, rather than encouraging you to act without a logical basis.

In discussing Katha Pollitt's work, I asked you to identify her

major premise: gender differences result from environmental rather than biological differences (i.e. nurture matters more than nature)
minor premise: parents find it easier, more convenient, and self-forgiving to believe gender differences result from "nature" rather than "nurture"
conclusion: In choosing this belief, parents reinforce socially-constructed, gender-based behaviors.

Similar derivations are entirely acceptable. Once you have the larger ideas down, it's easier to ask questions of her (or any) assessment: does she ever explain why biological theories are inferior to environmental theories? Why should I believe her? Etc.

While she effectively gets her audience to reconsider how we nurture differences in children, does she effectively dispute biological theories? Not so much, and that's a weakness of the argument.

Go over the introduction to the Seagull Reader again to make sure you understand the basic issues at play in any appeal to you. Tonight, you'll be looking at the appeals our new President is making to us, as he seeks to have us share his vision and contribute in the work of bringing about a new America.

HOMEWORK

First, read everything above carefully: really, really carefully.

Download the printed copy of the inauguration speech from today and TYPE a one to two page journal in response to the following questions:
PART ONE: Assess what the speech attempts to do.

What actions does President Obama want you to take? What beliefs does he want you to hold?
What logical, ethical and pathetic arguments does he use to get you to act/believe?

PART TWO: Evaluate whether or not it does it well.

Is this a good speech? Justify your assessment of it.

You might find it helpful (or confusing, so ignore this if you tend to be easily distracted/influenced) to see what other speechwriters have had to say about the speech.

Have fun with this. Talk about it over the dinner table. You are citizens (or respectful residents) of this nation, with a vested interest in its prosperity and peace. You have a role in creating that prosperity and peace; did he convince you to take that responsibility seriously?

DAY 4 - CYCLE 2 - SEMESTER 2 - Group 2 only

2009-01-19T14:15:00.001-06:00

Thanks to the days off of school, Group 2 had an extra class. In it, we took the vocabulary quiz and covered the Politt essay. Your homework? Type your argument essay ideas on the wikispace, making sure you read the paragraphs at the top.

DAYS 3-4 - CYCLE 2 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-15T19:25:00.000-06:00

Cold days!

Group 2, your vocab quiz is on Monday. Groups 4 and 6, yours is on Tuesday.

HOMEWORK:
Study for quiz;
Wednesday night's homework still applies;
Drink hot chocolate, bundle up, etc. Twilight series readers, enjoy!

DAY 2 - CYCLE 2 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-14T08:14:00.001-06:00

Today, we covered lesson 17 in the Sentence Diagramming workbook, more about Possessive Nouns. This lesson includes new layers of lines, so it might seem a bit tricky at first, but the logic is the same as for all attributive adjectives.

Then, we began our discussion of the Tannen and Pollitt essays, starting with the Tannen essay.

First, I provided you with a copy of some of her basic premises, and I asked you to agree or disagree with each one, using your anecdotal support from the past couple of days to help you make a determination:

Girls define themselves and their relationships through the way the talk to one another.
Boys define themselves and their relationships through the way they act with one another.
Boys engage in "ritual opposition" in almost all activities.
Boys use language to establish hierarchy.
Class discussion is inherently modeled to prefer boys' methods of speaking.
Debate relies upon competitive chllenges, and thus favors boys.
These language differences appear to be "Nature," not "Nurture."
Women learn by "contextualizing" (understanding things from a variety of views, seeing things from the author's perspective, connecting it to real-life experiences, etc.) Men see this as "soft."
Men learn by dismantling and then rebuilding. Women see this as "combative."
"Many, if not most" women shrink from being challenged nd find it humiliating.
Men prefer to speak in public.
Women prefer to speak in private.
Women think it is rude to seek the conversational spotlight.
Men think it is their job to seek the conversational spotlight.
Women who avoid speaking in large groups are likely to thrive in small groups, especially if partnered with people like them.
Those who are more passive, polite, or restrained in their conversational style do not have the same educational opportunities as their more assertive peers.
Small group interactions in a classroom help promote fairness to all learning styles.

I then asked you to add any underlying assumptions you see operating here; in other words, what are her general, implied or partially stated assumptions about girls, boys, and classrooms?

Once those were identified, I asked you to construct an approximation of her deductive and inductive arguments, and to note any invalidity or fallacies you saw at work.

We then left it open to general discussion about the essay. At the end of class, I asked you to take three to five minutes to write about how this has changed your ideas about class discussions in general.

HOMEWORK:

1. Write down the premises and assumptions for the Pollitt essay, and then identify her deductive and inductive arguments. We'll discuss that essay tomorrow.

2. Generate a list of THREE potential topics for an argument paper of potential interest to USM students. (Assigned lunch tables? No cut policy? Paying for music downloads? etc. And no, these should not be in your list.)

DAY 1 - CYCLE 2 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-13T17:06:00.000-06:00

Today, we covered Lesson 16 in the Sentence Diagramming Workbook: Interjections and Proper Nouns. Egad! Jinkies! Holy jumping jenny-wren! Great fun was had by all. See me if you would like to check your answers.

Then, it was on to the introduction of the Seagull Reader. Here, some of the basics about rhetoric are laid out, giving you the tools you need to assess an argument. I had you work on a study guide in class. You can find it on the wikispace. Learning this stuff at first might not strike you as inherently interesting (learning the vocabulary of any process usually isn't), but the process itself is actually good fun and rather gratifying once you've had some practice. Think an argument is silly, unconvincing, askew, or totally compelling? Now you can explain why! Who knows; perhaps you'll grow so good at it that you'll become a rhetoric major, which is great groundwork for all you budding lawyers.

The first thing to understand is the difference between a DEDUCTIVE argument and an INDUCTIVE argument. A deductive argument starts with a general premise and ends with a specific conclusion.

An inductive arguments examines several examples to draw a general conclusion.

If you understand these basic points, the "logical arguments" section of the introduction should make a good deal of sense to you. The "fallacies" (logical errors) section might be a bit tougher since not all fallacies are explained well.

For example, BEGGING THE QUESTION, or "circular logic" is not necessarily well-explained in the book. However, the following example serves nicely:

Examples of BEGGING THE QUESTION:

Bill: "God must exist."
Jill: "How do you know."
Bill: "Because the Bible says so."
Jill: "Why should I believe the Bible?"
Bill: "Because the Bible was written by God."
"If such actions were not illegal, then they would not be prohibited by the law."
"The belief in God is universal. After all, everyone believes in God."
Interviewer: "Your resume looks impressive but I need another reference."
Bill: "Jill can give me a good reference."
Interviewer: "Good. But how do I know that Jill is trustworthy?"
Bill: "Certainly. I can vouch for her."[1]

[1] "Fallacy: Begging the Question." The Nizkor Project. 2009. 13 Jan. 2009 .

In the RED HERRING FALLACY, the following happens:
TOPIC A is introduced;
TOPIC B is introduced and it's implied that it's related to topic A, but it really isn't;
TOPIC A is abandoned.

For example:

Imposing harsher consequences for uniform violations makes sense.
Visitors to University School are impressed by the students' appearance and the campus.
In these tough economic times, we need to make a good impression.

At the end of this, you still have no idea why it's a good idea to impose harsh consequences for uniform violations.

We'll continue our work on the introduction in class.

HOMEWORK:

1. Read the above.

2. Read Katha Pollitt's essay, "Why Boys Don't Play with Dolls" in the Seagull Reader starting on page 186 of the book.

3. Complete your anecdotal notes on "class dynamics" for each of your classes. That sheet is also available on the wikispace.

VOCAB QUIZ ON DAY 5 OF THIS CYCLE!

CYCLE 1 - DAY 5 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-12T15:19:00.000-06:00

Today in class, we covered the last 5 words of unit 6. Our quiz will be at the end of the week.

Then, I had you break up into small groups and discuss the two articles on trash television. I asked you to identify how each author appealed to you--logically, ethically, and/or emotionally. I then asked you to discuss which of the essays is better and why. While you had some strong opinions on these essays, you had a hard time explaining those opinions. Your answers indicated that a better understanding of basic rhetoric would be quite helpful in explicating these essays on a structural level. So, tomorrow, we will work our way through the introduction. It might not be riveting, but it will be extremely useful.

On Wednesday, we'll talk about the Tannen essay and the Politt essay that I'll assign tomorrow night ("Why Boys Don't Play with Dolls"). Thursday, we'll do some brainstorming about topics of interest to you.

HOMEWORK:
1. Write sentences on the wikispace
2. Bring your sentence diagramming book to class tomorrow
3. Read Deborah Tannen's essay "Coversational Styles" on pages 231-238 of The Seagull Reader.
4. Take notes on the class dynamic in each of your classes using the worksheet passed out in class and made available on the wikispace (scroll to end of page).

CYCLE 1 - DAY 4 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-08T18:26:00.000-06:00

Today, we covered words 11-15 in unit 6 of the vocabulary book, I collected your journals from yesterday and today, and we started our argument unit.

I also pointed out that the 3rd quarter ends February 18th. Yikes! While it may not have much repercussion in English, you should be aware that classes which have a quiz/quiz/test format may be a little tough this quarter. (If you really hate this idea, consider writing your argument paper about it...)

Today we read an article by Susan Crabtree: "How Trash TV Pulls America Down the Tubes." Clearly, she wants her reader to take a dim view of television talk shows, but how does she try to get you to think that way? I asked you to look for three kinds of appeals:

Those made to your common sense/intelligence;
Those made to you moral sensibilities/understanding of right and wrong;
Those made to your emotions.

Though we got through the reading, we didn't get a chance to discuss the appeals, but will do so on Monday, when we discuss articles covering both sides of the trash TV debate: "cultural rot" or "moral reinforcement"? The article also mentions some controversial Calvin Klein ads and the furor they sparked. To learn more about them and what resulted, click here. Really makes you wonder about the company, or at least about their choice in advertisers...

I also mentioned today that Jerry Springer once had a respectable career in politics (insofar as such a thing is possible, of course...). His meteoric rise to fame and spectacular plunge to the nadir that is daytime TV makes for great, epic drama. You can hear all about it here. (See? "This American Life" IS a great show!) Do you buy his excuses for what he does, or is he some kind of evil out of Mordor?

This isn't mandatory, but I'd be interested to hear what you have to say about the likes of daytime talk shows, South Park and the like. Do they damage the moral fabric of society? What would your Middle School morality test have to say? You (and I) are exposed to a veritable cesspool through media, and yet you all strike me as thoughtful, kind, reflective souls who genuinely do what is good for the community and yourselves. Why aren't you tainted if this is the kind of crap you can get your hands on? Fun stuff, these cultural debates. Do tell your opinions!

YOUR HOMEWORK (DUE MONDAY, JAN. 12):

1. Write sentences on the wikispace.

2. Read Barbara Ehrenreich's "In Defense of Talk Shows" on pages 60-63 of the Seagull Reader (forget your book? NO PROBLEM.). TIME magazine has the article on line!

For each article, identify the types of appeals named above.

CYCLE 1 - DAY 3 - SEMESTER 2

2009-01-07T10:11:00.001-06:00

We tackled the next five words in unit 6, and I checked your journals for last night. (Paul, Alex and Shorty, I know yours are posted on line, and Wil, thanks for the correction!)

Using your journals as fodder and preparation, I posed the following question: Did the Kato and Nakane families have their priorities straight in their treatment of each other and in their response to the external threats that faced them? How so or why not?

You took notes in response to that question, and those are posted on the wikispace. One particular theory came up about Old Man Gower as metaphor for Canada's relationship with the Japanese in their midst. As a kindly neighbor, he is expected to watch out for the Nakane family, especially Naomi. Instead,he clearly exploits her. He tells her to tell no one. Bizarrely, she seeks him out on her own, though she recognizes her behavior is shameful if pleasurable, a recognition that psychologically isolates her from the rest of her family (see page 77). So, if he represents Canada, as protector,he fails the test and instead damages and exploits that which he is supposed to protect. The consequences of this for Naomi also suggest the fractured Japanese families who cannot effectively connect to one another (consider the relationships of just about everyone else in the book, particularly Stephen). For her part as representation of Japanese-Canadians, Naomi returns to Gower, just as Uncle and Obasan claim gratitude for all that Canada has given them, just as Stephen embraces Euro-Canadian culture, just as Emily takes pride in being a Canadian citizen. And Gower, as Canada, imposes the silence that Emily constantly confronts. I think the theory holds water. If this was her intention, how well did she execute it, and what other symbolic interpretation does this invite? For instance, when she puts the baby chicks in with the hen! That's for you to decide.

Your homework:

Write sentences on the wikispace;
TYPE a more formal journal entry (1.5-2 pages in length, double spaced) that addresses the question from today's class, OR that answers one of the questions you posted on the "Cycle 1 - Day 1 - Semester 2" blog post, using specific instances from the novel and from your own experience/knowledge. You should provide ample, specific detail and incorporate quotations, but you are not restricted to the 12-sentence format.

CYCLE 1 - DAY 2 - SEMESTER 2: Obasan and the world questions

2009-01-06T17:00:00.000-06:00

We began class with the first five words of Unit 6 vocabulary. All three sections then moved on to dispiriting conversations. While the questions were undeniably splendid, the topics were just too weighty to get off of the ground.

We talked about issues of loyalty, dealing with the past, and coping with percieved threats. In the novel, Obasan dealt with trouble by being silent. Emily wouldn't shut up and kept agitating. Naomi is closer to Obasan in the spectrum, but it certainly doesn't seem as if any of the characters have found a sort of magical cure.

In one class, we moved on to talk about honesty within families. You'd want to know if your family had some hidden secret, even if it didn't directly affect you (e.g. one of your parents had a brief marriage before you arived on the scene). Yet, you noted that quite frankly, you've been in situations that you feel are none of your parents' business, or that perhaps they would not approve of the situation, but you trust your own good judgment and justify not saying anything to them because you think they'll over-react. The question I posed was this: how come you deserve honesty in matters that don't directly involve you, yet they don't deserve honesty in matters that do not directly involve them? It's worth pondering. All of you said that your parents have given you good advice, and you do honor their opinion. Perhaps some of the splendid questions you developed could be fodder for dinner conversation.

I asked you for homework to address the following:
Under what circumstances should loyalty to each matter more than any of the others?

In other words, under what circumstances should you put "self" before "family" or "family" before "friends." I'd like you to write a page long journal entry on this. If you'd like to post it as a lengthy comment, that's fine by me. Be sure to bring your vocabulary books with you tomorrow, and write sentences on the wikispace.

CYCLE 1 - DAY 1 - SEMESTER 2: Bad Apples and Obasan

2009-01-04T20:30:00.000-06:00

ADDITION: I notice that someone voted the book as an "A" and there are still two people who give it a "B." If you do like this lyrical, emotive style of writing that offers plenty of couched and not-so-couched social commentary, I recommend Toni Morrison, Isabel Allende, and Milan Kundera as authors to seek out. They're old school (Kundera hit his heyday in the late seventies through the nineties; Morrison started publishing in the seventies, gobbled up headlines in the eighties and nineties, and has won a nobel prize in the past decade; and Allende has been going strong since the eighties), but they are masters of their craft and do their particular style of writing exceptionally well. I am sure that Ms. Ihrke has plenty of suggestions as well.
******************

Since you took your exam in the morning (hope it went well for you), we did a fairly easy activity in class. We listened to the prologue segment of a recent episode of radio program "This American Life" (click here for a link to the program). In case you were absent, please click the link and listen to the program. Here's how:

Click on the link circled in the picture below (near the bottom, left of center).

The part of the program I want you to listen to takes place between 2:06 and 13:55 of the program. (There's a moment around 9:20 when it sounds like they might be done, but they're not, so keep listening!)

Anyway, the reason I had you listen to this is that in my informal poll about the book on this blog, 95% of respondents give it a grade of C or below (40% are at D). Yeesh. This suggests the potential for lots of "bad appl-ing" (to coin a phrase). We don't have to be crazy about the novel to learn from it, so I want us each to think about how we each can effectively do that over the next few days without being the bad apple that infects the room. And if one of us devolves into bad behavior by being a bully, a pessimist or a sloth, call us on it gently (myself included!).

Toward that end, here's your homework for tonight: I issue you a challenge! We will talk about this book through Thursday of this week. On Thursday night, you'll be writing a journal about it, topic to be determined based on what happens this week. So that we'll have positive discussions that generate interest and participation, I'd like you to develop a question that stems from the novel but which extends to the world outside of it. For example, "Is it ever right to impose distance between yourself and your family?" or "Is silence the best way to get over a troubling time?" In the novel, Obasan might say yes to the latter question, and Emily would sanctimoniously shout "No!" Based on your own experience, family culture, etc., you might have a different answer entirely. Whether or not we like the writing, the novel does raise questions that are important to ponder as we figure out our own time here on earth. Your job is to develop a question that invites discussion and contemplation, giving us the option of looking to the novel for answers, but enough of an out that we aren't stuck with a bad apple problem. Write your question as a comment to this blog post, or if you have issues with posting, send it to me as an email. Please make sure you sign your comment/question with your first name and last initial so I can be sure to give you credit for your work.

Welcome back, everyone!

CYCLE 12 - DAY 3 - SEMESTER 1

2008-12-11T22:34:00.000-06:00

Today, we talked about themes. To see the full list of what all three classes generated (and by all means, add to it! Make comments! Offer suggestions!), see the new page on the wikispace.

Good luck one and all!

HOMEWORK
Bring Obasan to class.

CYCLE 12 - DAY 2 - SEMESTER 1

2008-12-11T07:46:00.000-06:00

Today, you received 4 handouts:
1. A double sided overview of the 12-sentence paragraph. Two of the sections discussed the following quotation sandwich.

Fiver is very angry at Hazel. "'Don't be so foolish'" (Adams 247). He thinks Hazel is being an idiot.

This is a HORRIBLE quotation sandwich. Why?

The statement "Fiver is very angry at Hazel" is not an effective claim; it is not arguable or focused, and it does not answer how or why.
The quote is simply plopped in without any introduction. We do not know who is speaking, to whom, or in what context.
The commentary sentence does not explain the evidence's connection to any sort of thesis. It simply summarizes what the evidence is.
It's boring; the word choice is uninteresting, and the claim and commentary sentences are dull, simple declarative sentences. Ho hum.

Avoid writing horrible quotation sandwiches. The hardest part to master is the commentary sentence, which should connect specifics from the evidence to the specifics of the thesis (e.g. If you had a thesis that talked about the essential nature of Fiver's honesty and had used the same quote as appears above, you might have a commentary sentence like this: Fiver's use of the word "foolish" clearly indicates his willingness to speak truth to power with a candor that gives Hazel pause; Fiver's criticism sows the seeds of doubt in his chief's mind, and this doubt invariably leads to better decision making.) Practice writing commentary sentences, as they are the chief workhorses of your 12-sentence paragraph.

Practice writing several 12-sentence paragraphs between now and the exam, using that sheet to both guide and assess your work.

The other three sheets all relate to sentence diagramming, and the homework is to finish the double-sided practice sheet. See me if you need additional copies. Unfortunately, the most useful of them cannot be put on the wikispace because much of it is handwritten.

CYCLE 12 - DAY 1 - SEMESTER 1: Quotes

2008-12-09T18:54:00.000-06:00

Today, you worked on collecting quotations from the short stories. In small groups, you addressed the central themes and characterization from two of the semester's stories (your choice). Once you talked about these essential elements, you then divvied up pages and started looking for quotes in answer to the question, "Which quotes reveal something essential about the character/theme?"

You can find the quotes on the wikispace. Because of a server crash on wikispace's end this morning, we have a not particularly attractive product, but it gets the job done, and has a downloadable component that you can add to for your own benefit.

I strongly suggest you make use of the wikispace to share ideas, notes, hold discussions, etc. The power of the collective -- when it works in concert with everyone pulling his/her weight -- is extraordinary. USE IT!

HOMEWORK
1. Write your 6th story review. If I didn't check yours today, plan on having your notes checked tomorrow.
2. Review units 2 & 3 in the vocabulary book
3. Plan on having a review of sentence diagramming tomorrow

CYCLE 12 - DAY 1 - SEMESTER 1: Exam Quotes

2008-12-09T11:22:00.000-06:00

Once the wikispace server is restored, quotes will be available. As of 11:25, here's what they had to say:

Current Status
8 Dec 2008 11:45 PM PST (07:45 GMT)
We're facing a network failure at our hosting provider that's taken Wikispaces offline. We're working as quickly as possible with our hosting provider to work this out. We'll keep you apprised of the details. Update - a router failure at our hosting provider caused this outage, lasting from 7:40 AM PST - 7:56 AM PST. We're working with them to understand the root cause of this failure. Update 2 As of 8:28 AM PST, we're seeing a recurrence of the same problem. Will advise. - jbyers

CYCLE 11 - DAY 5 - SEMESTER 1 Exam Review; Day 1

2008-12-08T08:45:00.000-06:00

For today, I asked you to prepare study notes for four of the stories, your choice. Though these notes do not yet need to be exhaustive, they should be substantive and indicate that you have given serious thought to the stories, using the double-sided exam review handout I gave you last week.

I then passed out a sample 12-sentence paragraph that we reviewed together. All groups noticed that the thesis statement was simply too long to be useful. Two groups rewrote the thesis to make a better one.

Here are a few samples, some better than others:
Look for how to streamline the words for clarity. This is great practice for the exam.

Even though Fiver is physically unscathed, he has indeed sacrificed more, helplessly slipping into a death-like trance, having his own personal journey to the Black Rabbit of Inle, and losing the ability to connect with the warren.
Although Fiver is unscathed in the battle, Bigwig rightly says Fiver suffers more than he because of Fiver’s death-like trance during the raid, the cold he experiences similar to El-ahrairah, and his inability to interact normally with the other members of the warren.
Fiver mentally sacrifices more than Bigwig physically does because he follows in El-ahrairah’s footsteps by falling into a trance, meeting the Black Rabbit of Inle, and losing his ability to relate to others.
Bigwig rightly says that Fiver sacrificed more mentally by sinking into his helpless trance which ends up having the same consequence as El-ahrairah’s visit to the Black Rabbit of Inle; he no longer relates to others and can’t function in the warren.

Then I broke you up into small groups. In your small groups, I asked you to do the following:

Identify a story (not Watership Down) that you all worked on.
Identify an interpretive question to be asked about that story.
Collectively create a thesis to answer that question.
Subject that thesis to the "five questions" test and refine it accordingly.
If time allowed, talk through the remainder of the 12-sentence paragraph.

REMEMBER: All thesis statements must: (memorize this for the exam)
· Be arguable
· Be based in the text
· Be focused
· Be provable with evidence from the text
· Must answer how or why

Your thesis statements. Subject these to the 5 standards every thesis must meet. Again, some are better than others here. Which ones need serious work? Which ones do the job but lack style? Which ones work well?

Why is the town in Rivera’s short story, “Zoo Island” called Zoo Island?
The town is called Zoo Island because the Hispanics living in it feel like (1)animals being observed in a zoo, (2) are isolated from nearby towns, and (3) they are living under the control of a farmer (much like a zookeeper).

Why does Sponono consistently behave badly?
Sponono’s continuous bad behavior is a consequence of his faulty definition of forgiveness, his unwillingness to change, and the principal’s tolerance of Sponono’s horrific behavior.

Is Miriam's age significant to the story?
Miriam’s young age influences Mrs. Miller to be manipulated, lenient, exploited, permissive, generous, unreasonably kind, entranced. (Pick 3)

Why does Sponono want to work in the garden?
Sponono wants to wants to work in the garden because it makes him feel important.
Gives him responsibility
Keeps him out of trouble
Allows him to be close to the principal, his father figure

What is the meaning of the name “Zoo Island?”
The name Zoo Island given to the community by Don Simon, symbolizes that the farm is separated from the rest of the world, is under the watchful eye of the “white people,” and keeps workers captive until a new job opens up elsewhere.

Is Miriam a figment of Mrs. Miller's imagination? Miriam, while different than Mrs. H.T. Miller, is indeed a figment of Mrs. Miller's imagination, a younger version of Mrs. Miller, because they have the same name, they both want the same things, and, cannot be found by anyone but Mrs. Miller. [This is saying that only Mrs. Miller can find Mrs. Miller, and there's something to that, if you take it on a deeper level, but that's not really what you meant here.]

HOMEWORK
Add another story to your study notes.
Review Unit 1 Vocabulary.
Bring your Junior Great Books and "The Village Watchman" short story to class tomorrow.

Tomorrow's activity: we will create a list of "essential quotes" for as many of the short stories as we can.

CYCLE 11- DAY 4 - SEMESTER 1

2008-12-04T19:30:00.001-06:00

Today, I passed out exam review materials. I strongly suggest that you re-read DAY 2 of this blog since the information and tips it contains are extremely useful in guiding your approach to exams. I also pointed out that rather than listing just the information you are expected to know, I listed the skills you must demonstrate. THAT should do much more to suggest your approach to studying than anything else. I am available for extra help before and after school, and will be holding review sessions in the coming days. Be proactive. If it seems difficult or labor intensive or simply unappealing now, waiting until next weekend, or worse, the 17th or 18th to get started in your studying is NOT going to make that any easier.

After we spoke about the exam, we discussed the Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" structure. I asked you, in small and large groups, to first compare answers, and then to address the following questions:

How many hero's journeys does Hazel go on?
Does anyone else in the novel go on a hero's journey?
What are the gifts (tangible & symbolic) with which Hazel returns?
What lessons do the archetypes teach Hazel?

When I get my act together, I will get those notes posted on the wikispace. They'll be up by Friday. I promise.

HOMEWORK

You are to use the exam review materials to cover FOUR of the stories we have read (I don't care which ones). On Monday, you should have written or typed materials covering four of the stories. Even if they are not yet complete, they should be substantive. You know what this means. Showing up with a character list of the main characters will not qualify. Do a gut check--at this point, you know me pretty well, and you can guess what "substantive" means. If you need more detail, come in and ask.

CYCLE 11 - DAY 3 - SEMESTER 1

2008-12-03T20:08:00.000-06:00

Today, we concluded our discussion of the novel. It seems greater than half of you thought the ending was too tidy and kind, though others put forth the argument that for this type of story, such an ending is fitting: villains shouldn't live and heroes shouldn't die without a greater purpose, and many felt that Hazel deserves to see the warren through to self-sustaining completion (then again, Moses himself wasn't allowed into the land of milk and honey, so there would have been precedent for killing him off).

One group raised an interesting question: "Have we as a class gotten any better as leaders and followers throughout the process?" While time constraints prevented an in-depth exploration of this question, it merits reflection.

I'm sad to see this book end. Watching you engage, analyze, dissect, interpret, hypothesize, debate, concur, and relate to one another in discussing this particular text has been incredibly rewarding from my perspective. I don't think I have ever taught a book that has garnered more consistent and worthy engagement. When you are serious of purpose, you're a most impressive group of folks. When you're not, you're still pretty great, and certainly entertaining, but your smarts acting in concert is really the best show in town. Thank you.

HOMEWORK:

Complete the worksheet passed out in class about the stages of the hero's journey and common archetypes. Nothing fancy--just basic plot points and page numbers will do.

CYCLE 11 - DAY 2 - SEMESTER 1: Watership Down 421-454

2008-12-02T17:50:00.000-06:00

With some baiting and escalation from me, all three groups engaged in some competition against each other for the most productive discussion. Review all three sets of notes on the wikispace--you'll have to admit, the comeptition is really very close. And the group who has the "WE WON" sign on the notes? Self-proclaimed. Do you agree?

HOMEWORK:
Complete the novel. The discussion questions for tomorrow are:

Why does Adams tell chapter 48 from Lucy Cane’s perspective? Do you think this was a wise decision? Regardless of whether or not you agree with it, is it well-executed?
Why does Bigwig say that Fiver’s sacrifice in battle was greater than his own, even though Fiver was entirely physically unhurt throughout?
Is Groundsel ever truly accepted in the Watership Down warren? Why does Hazel make efforts on his behalf?
Vilthuril’s story on 470 heavily borrows from Hazel’s actual experience. Why mythologize it in this way?
How do they mythologize General Woundwort? Is the portrait unflattering?
Why is it El-ahrairah who comes at the end and not the Black Rabbit of Inlé?
Why does Adams include the following Lewis Carroll quote at the beginning of the Epilogue? “He was part of my dream, of course—but then I was part of his dream, too."

CYCLE 11 - DAY 1 - SEMESTER 1

2008-12-01T21:02:00.000-06:00

Who knows? I was out ill. Bring me up to speed, will you?

CYCLE 10 - DAY 5 - SEMESTER 1: What does it mean to "follow"?

2008-11-25T10:29:00.000-06:00

After we took a brief quiz on Unit 5 Vocabulary, we broke into small groups to discuss last night's reading and your paragraphs. Here are the specific issues I asked you to address.

Each small group discussed:

Remember our opening activity to the book when we talked about teams and leaders? We were reticent to use the word “follower” because it seemed like a backhanded compliment. Together, discuss HOW your ideas about followership have changed as a result of getting this far in the novel, reading these articles, and analyzing the character you chose for your 12-sentence paragraph today.
Together, create a list of key traits that the articles suggest are essential to good followership.
Consider this: Being a member of a class is also being a follower of sorts. The articles don’t cover all the traits required to being a good class member. What traits are missing from the discussion so far? Write your list in answer to questions 2 & 3 on the board

When the group reconvened, we reviewed the list and came up with the top three rules that, if followed by everyone, will make class meaningful, enjoyable & productive. (Ultimately, these three simple terms summarize what we want our lives to be, so why not begin that journey of a thousand steps here and see where it takes us?) There are certain base assumptions we made in this: we assume that everyone in the class wants to do well and that everyone does his or her best to be prepared for class. If this isn't describing your attitude and approach, see me, please.

Group 2 came up with the following rules:

Demonstrate respect toward others, always.
Think before you speak (and think all the time).
Challenge yourself and others in a useful way.

HOMEWORK:

Revise your paragraph, adding 2 to 3 sentences to it (you may do more), however you choose, that address the class dynamic we discussed today. You may choose to focus on your own participation or on the class dynamic as a whole. You can put the sentences wherever you wish. They need to be integrated into the paragraph and not just tacked on. That means you'll need to give some careful thought to transitioning (e.g. Just as Fiver tried to appear curious when looking at the fish so that others would follow him onto the bridge, I've feigned interest in passages just to get the conversation going again...). Look for parallels between your experience, the articles and the novel. My goals in assigning this are three-fold:

I want you to focus on transitions in your writing.
I want you to synthesize fiction, non-fiction and discussion in your thinking.
I want you to articulate your authentic ideas and reflections.

The paragraph, typed and double-spaced, is due on Wednesday. To cite the newspaper articles, you need only place the author's name in parentheses.

CYCLE 10 - DAY 4 - SEMESTER 1

2008-11-23T12:36:00.000-06:00

Today, we began with the review section for lessons 13-15 in the sentence diagramming workbook. This includes Direct Address, Prepositional Phrases (modifying nouns), and Appositives.

For those of you still experiencing issues about what to put on the main line in a sentence diagram, I recommended that you follow these steps:

You can download a better copy of this chart by clicking here.

PLEASE come see me with questions!

Then, we moved on to discuss last night's reading, pages 369-394 -- the extraordinary escape from Efrafa! Most of you thought Bigwig did a fairly good job getting the does out of Efrafa, and while plenty was out of his control, he managed to make the best of the opportunities presented to him. To view the class notes for the day, click here.

HOMEWORK:
There is no new reading in the novel for tonight. Instead, you are to read two articles about followers today, and to write a 12-sentence paragraph in response to the question: Who in the novel exemplifies admirable followership? Your paragraph must quote directly from the novel AND the articles!

You may find the articles on the class wikispace.

Also, your Unit 5 vocabulary quiz will be on TUESDAY. The format will be identical to the one for Unit 4.

CYCLE 1 - DAY 3 - SEMESTER 1: Watership Down 336-365

2008-11-20T17:20:00.001-06:00

Hi all,
No new vocabulary today: YOUR QUIZ WILL BE TUESDAY. It will be identical in format to the Unit 4 quiz. In sentence diagramming today, we covered appositives, nouns that rename nouns that came before (e.g. George Bush, the forty-forth president). Remember, the second noun is always the one that goes in parentheses.

Today, we discussed last night's climactic reading. In addition to the discussion guide questions provided to you on the study guide, we also talked about:
1. How the rapid scene changing heightened tension.
2. How relying on dialog for so much of the reading heightened tension.
3. How Adams used setting and weather symbolism to heighten tension.

More than one class noted that the extended conversation between Woundwort and Bigwig smacked of cheesy Hollywood silliness, because really, who gets into extended conversations when it's time to put up the fists (or in this case, paws)?

We found it helpful to consult the map on page 357 and to write in the page numbers of where we can find information about what happened at that spot (e.g. 354/ash tree).

Just to confirm, Bigwig DOESN'T die in this section: he's just badly wounded.

Check out your class notes on the wikispace.

HOMEWORK:
Read 369-394. You can find the studyguide here. YOU MUST WRITE AN INTERPRETIVE QUESTION FOR TOMORROW'S CLASS!

CYCLE 10 - DAY 2 - SEMESTER 1

2008-11-19T19:13:00.000-06:00

Hi all. It's Blood Donation day, and while mine went fine, my blood pressure dropped insanely low and has stayed low (lesson learned: eat before donating), so I am woozy and out of it and going directly to bed. Tune in tomorrow for details of today's class.

Thank you very much to the blood donors and supporters of donors today. This is such an important thing to do, and your typical commitment and enthusiasm today (often in spite of fear) is most impressive. You folks are really extraordinary, and no, that's not the wooziness speaking.

Have a good night.

HOMEWORK

Read 336-365. Long but dramatic. I may or may not have had brains enough to put the study guide on the wikispace.

CYCLE 10 - DAY 1 - SEMESTER 1

2008-11-18T17:02:00.000-06:00

Today, everyone took a grammar quiz wherein I asked you to identify how words operated in sentences, both diagrammed and undiagrammed. Afterwards, I asked most of you (section 2, I don't think you got this) to place yourselves on the following spectrum, both on the top and the bottom. Answering both of these questions can tell both of us a lot about where problems lie. Is it in degree of preparation or methodology? What is the correlation between your investment of effort and your return on that investment? If you found yourself on the left on the top half of the scale, but on the right on the bottom half, COME IN TO SEE ME!

Then, everybody but group 4 covered vocabulary (moment of idiocy there, group 4. Mea culpa).

After that, we covered a variety of discussion questions in each class:

Is Hazel's fear getting the better of him?
Is Fiver improving in his leadership?
Just how much of a price are these two willing to pay for their warren?
Is General Woundwort entirely unsympathetic? What motivates this ruthless dictator?
Why does Adams spend so much time describing setting, anyway? Is he excessive in this, or are we unappreciative because culturally we tend to think of the outdoors as something we go through to get elsewhere (i.e., is the fault with us or the book?)

There are other great points you folks made today, which you can find by perusing the class notes on the wikispace.

HOMEWORK

Read 312-336. The study guide is available on the wikispace.

Write sentences on the wikispace, too.

CYCLE 9 - DAY 5 - SEM 1: Watership Down 261-289

2008-11-12T10:43:00.000-06:00

Today, we covered words 11-15 in the vocabulary book, and we took a practice grammar quiz. Why did we do this? BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE A QUIZ THAT COUNTS TOMORROW! SEE THE HOMEWORK SECTION FOR DETAILS!

Today, we discussed pages 261-289, focusing mostly on Bigwig, the Black Rabbit of Inle, and Hazel's response to Bigwig's rash action. Please see your respective class notes on the wikispace.

HOMEWORK
PART I: READING
Read pages 289-312. Study guide #12 is available on the wikispace. We will DEFINITELY be speaking about the following question:

What does Adams do best as an author? Check your literary terms list from the beginning of the year to help out! COME PREPARED WITH A MINIMUM OF THREE PIECES OF EVIDENCE!
a. Create setting
b. Establish tone
c. Write dialogue
d. Develop characterization

Leaders, you should consider additional topics of interest, as well as strategies to get everyone involved.

PART II: WRITE SENTENCES
Add sentences to your section on the wikispace.

PART III: GRAMMAR QUIZ
You will be given sentences and sentence diagrams and asked in each to identify which part of speech is represented by a circled term.

There will NOT be a word bank. What are the specific grammatical terms we have covered so far?

Definite article - the
Indefinite articles – a/an
Linking verbs – be/become/get/sensory verbs; they operate like an equals sign in a sentence. If you can replace a verb with an equals sign (tense doesn’t matter here) and the meaning of the sentence is pretty much unchanged, then you have a linking verb. (Sally is angry. Sally = angry. Yes, that’s a linking verb. Sally smells horrible. Sally = horrible. Yes, that’s a linking verb. Sally smelled the soup. Sally = the soup. Nope. That’s not a linking verb.)
Helping verbs – words that work with verbs to establish tense (will be, have been, etc.)
Modal auxiliaries - a type of helping verb that identifies condition, possibility, or obligation (must, might, may, could, would, should, can)
Predicate nominatives – Nouns or pronouns that follow a linking verb and further define/rename the subject. They are doctors.
Attributive adjectives – Adjectives that come before the nouns they modify and name an attribute of that noun: shiny pen, fluffy puppy, little sister, mighty wind.
Predicate adjectives – adjectives that follow linking verbs and further define the subject. She will be delighted.
Possessive pronouns – Some function like adjectives and modify nouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their. My car, your binder, his blazer, her game, its burrow, our trip, their pet. Others function like nouns and do not appear next to the nouns they rename: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. That book is mine, yours is blue, this is his, give me hers, we have ours, I’d prefer theirs.
Direct objects – nouns or pronouns that receive the action of NON-LINKING verbs. To find out what they are, ask verb + who? Or verb + what? She ate chili. Ate what? Chili. You need to be able to rule out linking verbs before you do this test, however.
Adverbs – words that modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. Adverbs answer the questions, where? How frequently? To what degree? (too, very, often, frequently, etc.)
Prepositions – Words that explain its objects relationship in time, space, or logic to the rest of the sentence (on the desk, under the cabinet, through the window, without fear). Prepositions take objects (nouns).

Review your sentence diagramming workbook and do the exercises on line!

CYCLE 9 - DAY 4 - SEMESTER 1: Rabbit Commandments

2008-11-12T07:57:00.000-06:00

We covered the next five words in Unit 5 of the vocabulary book.

Today, you led the class work.

Group 4: Michael=leader, Shelby=typist, Billy=bouncer.
Small groups of 3 or 4 people worked together to:

define "commendments."
develop a list of ten of their own, using the previous night's homework.
consider consequenes of breaking those commandments to refine the list to essentials.

Large group reconvened, created a larger list, and then winnowed it down. Final notes are available on the wikispace.

PROPOSED COMMANDMENTS

Thou shalt not compromise thy warren.
- Your individual actions should never hurt the group.
Thou shalt trust thy Chief Rabbit.
Thou shalt respect Frith and follow El-Ehrairah’s example.
- Be cunning and resourceful
Respect instinct first and Chief Rabbit second. Thou shalt be precocious (wary).
- “If it is too good to be true, chances are it is” (Ostermeyer)
Thou shalt look for a friend in all possible places.
Honor thy group member’s abilities. Thou shalt know thy role as rabbit.
Thou shalt act with modesty.
- “If a rabbit gets too cocky, he/ she will make bad decisions” (Ostermeyer)
Don’t let emotion cloud your judgement.
Thou shalt keep thy goal in mind.
Thou shalt be proud to be a rabbit.

Useful "bouncer" technique developed in this class: Hand gesture signaling "STOP" the conversation.

Group 6: Lilly=leader, Wil=typist, Alex=bouncer.

Small groups of 3 or 4 discussed last night's homework, each agreeaing on two principles for the four episodes. Large group reconvened, each small group then listed what it came up with, and the master list was then winnowed down:

Top 10 Rabbit Commandments:

Trust each other
Stick together, use teamwork
Be patient with one another
Listen to the wise
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Do what is best for the group
Create alliances after weighing pros and cons
Be resourceful and creative
Sacrifice yourself for the team
Don’t carry out your plan without a group consensus (first make a plan)

Group 2: Henry=leader, Daniel=typist, Jack=bouncer

After we read the comments posted on the last blog entry about why discussion has not been all it could be lately, Henry led the class. We began with vocabulary.

Small groups developed 5 commandments each. When the large group reconvened, each group offered the two that they thought most important. Please see the wikispace for full class notes.

Our Class’s 10 Commandments for Rabbits:

Thou shall respect thy wisdom of Fiver-rah.
Thou shall treat thy fellow anamalia with dignity and respect.
Thou shall use the gifts of El-ahrairah for survival.
Thou shall trust thy instincts.
Thou shall trust in thy kin.
Thou shalt not leave thy kin behind.
Thou shall respect thy leaders/superior.
Thou shall listen to thy comrades when they haveth something to contribute

Afterwards, Henry offered discussion questions:

How do these rabbots' morals differ from our own? (Ours are meant to prevent harm; theirs promote survival.)
How do their religious beliefs influence their moral codes?
Are their values religious in nature?
What is the role of Frith in the rabbits' lives?
El-ahrairah is clearly a transcendent figure in their mythos. What are his morals?

HOMEWORK:

Read pages 261 through 289 in Watership Down. The study guide is posted on the portal, and available on the wikispace.

You are to write ONE study guide question related to this reading. While it should relate to the book, it does not need to be limited to the book (in other words, you may relate the reading to real life events, other books, etc.). You are to post your comment to the class blog, to the post entitled: "CYCLE 9 - DAY 5 - SEM 1: Watership Down 261-289." Just click the link here to get to it. If, for some reason, you are having issues posting your question, please just email it to me.

Also, please write 5 new sentences on the wikispace.

CYCLE 9 - DAY 3 - SEM 1 Watership Down 229-257

2008-11-10T09:41:00.000-06:00

IN CLASS TODAY:
We covered the first five words of Unit 5: Acuity, Delineate, Depraved, Enervate, Esoteric.

Then, Groups 2 and 4, we spoke about the reading for today: pages 229-257 in Watership Down. Group 6, as half the class did not finish the reading, we did not progress. Group 2, our conversation was lackluster at best. What gives, folks? Why the significant number of weak links? It seems ironic that after two weeks of addressing the critical elements of a functioning team, our own teams show signs of disarray. While I see great potential in you to steer the ship, I'm getting the sense you want me to take back the wheel. At least, that's what I saw today. Is this so? You've been most impressive in previous classes. Is the format merely losing its novelty?

Please comment on this because I would:
A) like to know what is causing the problem;
B) like to know your suggestions for solution.

We've got half of the novel to go; let's make a great go of it! I've been very impressed with the way you analyze the dynamics between characters, extrapolate larger, applicable meaning from the book, challenge each other to develop your ideas and create a meaningful, useful record of your conversation. How can we keep that going?

HOMEWORK:

WRITE SENTENCES ON THE WIKISPACE FOR THE WORDS COVERED TODAY.

WRITE DOWN TWO CENTRAL LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM EACH OF THE FOLLOWING EPISODES:
1. The River Crossing: Pages 36-39
2. The Time in Cowslip’s Warren: Pages 70-118
3. Creating an Alliance with Kehaar: 178-193
4. The Nuthanger Raid: 197-229, 242-253

You should have a list of 8 lessons overall.

In class tomorrow, we will create a list of Top Ten Rabbit Commandments. Leaders, YOU design the classes tomorrow. Rely on everyone to help you reach the goal, and structure activities/create roles that you think will help.

Again, please comment on the post above if you have an insight or suggestion. Today took me by surprise, and I'm sure no one wants a replay.

CYCLE 9 - DAY 2 - SEM 1: Watership Down 205-228

2008-11-08T08:39:00.000-06:00

In our abbreviated class period of twenty minutes, we addressed the question of whether or not Hazel should lose his status of Chief Rabbit for the debacle the Nuthanger Farm raid turned into.

Your comments about why he should all related to the following points:

It was an unnecessary risk
It was too impulsive: all they had to do was wait for Holly's return
It jeopardized everyone's lives for a payoff of questionable value; can the does breed? Their lack of knowledge about living in the wild puts everyone at risk.
It demonstrated cockiness on his part
He was not truthful to others in the group

Your comments about why he should not all related to the following points:

The raid demonstrated a finely trained team acting in concert
He was decisive and willing to take risks of his own
He did get does for the warren, which is what they need

While there was an unquestionable payoff, the vast majority of you felt that, in the end, it just wasn't worth it. I asked you to determine where you

would place Hazel on the following spectrum:

Most of you fell to the middle and the left, indicating that at the very least, Hazel deserves to be seriously reprimanded for his dangerous behavior.

YOUR HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEKEND:

Read pages 229-257 in Watership Down. The study guide will be on the wikispace by Saturday afternoon.

CYCLE 9 - DAY 1 - SEM 1 Watership Down 178-205

2008-11-06T17:08:00.000-06:00

More review sentences today in the Sentence Diagramming workbook.

Today, you led discussion again, after nominating and voting on lead roles. Notes are available on the wikispace. Be sure to check out each other's sections--you all developed great ideas, and collectively, you nailed just about all of the issues.

Group 6, we didn't talk about the moonlight, but should have. Check the other two section's notes from yesterday. Others did, and if you would like to revisit it, let's.

HOMEWORK
Read pages 205-229. See if your predictions came true! The study guide is also available on the wikispace and the portal.

CYCLE 8 - DAY 5 - SEMESTER 1 Watership Down 150-178

2008-11-05T20:47:00.000-06:00

We moved on in Sentence Diagramming today, covering Direct Address.

Then we talked about 150-178. Please see class notes on the wikispace (yes; it's up and running. You can disregard this afternoon's email.).

One area I was hoping we would get to but did not is the idea that "It's lonely at the top." El-ahrairah must keep so much secret. Hazel starts to conceal some of his real thoughts, too. Do you think this is necessary for them to lead effectively? Alas and drat, much of what we got to was just review.

Perhaps tomorrow we can get to the question.

In all sections, we reviewed some of the roles from last week, not as they pertain to the rabbits, but to ourselves. We've spoken about followers, and we know that being a follower isn't a negative; followers keep the group goals in mind and pitch in wherever they are able, without waiting for instruction. Are you doing that? Leaders don't just bark out instructions; they listen to what their followers say and select a course that is the best channel for the group's energy. That means a leader must pay very careful attention to the group dynamic, listen well, keep everyone's strengths in mind, and motivate people. That's a tall order, yes, but one for which many of you are very well suited (all of you are in the right circumstances!). For those of you who like the spotlight and the chance to showcase your talents, pay attention to your listening skills, too.

Tomorrow, we will look at the study guide questions again, but we have some other unresolved issues. Tomorrow, you will nominate and vote on roles rather than volunteer for them, so be prepared to go!

HOMEWORK:

Read 178-205. The study guide is available on the wikispace.

CYCLE 8 - DAY 4 - SEM 1 - Roles in Watership Down

2008-11-02T08:42:00.000-06:00

No new vocabulary or sentence diagramming today. I asked you to be sure to review the GRAMMAR REVIEW page on the wikisite, as you simply must have that material down pat before we move on.

Today in class, you assigned roles to the various rabbits of the Watership Down warren. Some of you decided that new roles needed to be added to the list to accomodate your understanding of the characters. These roles included "dissenter" (one who points out flaws in the group's decisions and behaviors) and "adviser" (one who, based on personal knowledge and experience, suggests specific improvements to the group). Notes for class discussion can be found on the wikispace, and thank you to the students who led, moderated, and recorded discussions.

After assigning rabbits to their roles, we assigned one another to roles, and simply did not get as fas in that conversation. This is a pity because assigning these roles indicates the strengths everyone brings to the table, and suggests how we can best capitalize on one another's talents. We'll pursue that line of reasoning a bit further when we reconvene.

HOMEWORK:

Be sure you have mastered all of the basic material for sentence diagramming before we move on. You should re-read each of the descriptions at the beginning of diagramming units 1-12, and make ample use of the links on the wikisite.
Read pages 150 through 178 in Watership Down. Use the study guide (#7) to guide your thinking and use the reading tips and review section as well. We will be addressing the following questions in class:
FOUR DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT CLASS:
1. Holly says that men are the source of all evil (151). What were Toadflax’s last words? Why bother to put these details in? What is Adams telling us about human nature in this book?
2. What are the other rabbits’ reactions to Hazel’s idea about working with other animals? What does that tell us about human nature?
3. Why do you suppose it is “’one of El-ahrairah’s rules never to let anyone see when he was angry’” (167)? What purpose does that serve for him?
4. What are the specific skills El-ahrairah possesses that make him a good leader, and where are those skills echoed in Hazel’s warren?

CYCLE 8 - DAY 3 - SEM 1 - Watership Down 121-149

2008-10-30T15:33:00.000-05:00

We took a short vocabulary quiz onUnit 4 today and continued with our discussion of Watership Down.

Today's episode looks at the arrival of Holly from the Sandleford Warren, the continuing evolution of Hazel as a leader and the bonds of the team as they grow through adversity. Notable quote: "There was no more questioning of Bigwig's strength, Fiver's insight, Blackberry's wits or Hazel's authority" (123).

You can find the notes of today's discussion on the wikispace.

HOMEWORK:

Assign each character in the Watership Down warren to one or more roles listed below
Which one(s) are you? Explain in a paragraph

Chief: tends to take charge, lead activities, organize others and give instruction
Warrior- works to protect the group from outside threat
Seer/Critic- helps the group decide where to go, remember their mission
Storytellers- keeps morale up; tells jokes and stories to buoy spirits, inspire
Inventors/technologists: develops tools and system to help the group function
Diplomats- keeps the peace within the group
Followers- take instruction- do work- look for ways to help

CYCLE 8 - DAY 2 - SEM 1: Watership Down 93-118

2008-10-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

Today, we continued with you running the show. Each of you will take on the role of leader, typist and bouncer.

The LEADER, not surprisingly, leads the discussion. The leader must:

make sure that all the basics of the reading assignment are well-understood,
determine the pace of discussion,
elicit contributions from all members of the class in a way that encourages the more silent types,
acknowledge/make room for additional lines of inquiry
direct readers into the text for substantiating evidence/passages of interest

The TYPIST takes notes for the whole class to be made available on the wiki. To do this effectively, the typist must:

track conversation
provide written summaries of ideas
organize the flow of conversation into logical format
provide enough detail for the notes to be useful

The BOUNCER makes sure the typist is able to keep up. To do this, the bouncer must:

keep an eye on the screen and make sure all aspects of the conversation are making it into the notes;
interrupt the conversation when the typist needs to catch up
summarize main points for the typist
quietly intervene to stifle sidebar conversations
work to get conversations back on track when they stray

So far, we have had volunteers for these roles. As we move ahead, all of you should take on each of these roles at least once. Like the rabbits of Watership Down, you are developing your own team dynamic here, and the group can benefit from everyone's strengths. And, as we have all spoken about, good teams help each member discover and build strengths, too.

The notes from today's discussion are on the wikispace, as is the study guide for tomorrow's assigned reading.

HOMEWORK:

We'll have a quick vocabulary quiz to start the period, predomonantly on unit 4, but words from unit 1-3 will be included. The format is the same as earlier quizzes: sentence matching, sentence writing, finding the correct sentence.

Then it's back into Watership Down. Use study guide #6 to guide you're thinking (it will not be checked). Discussion questions are printed on the study guide! Start think about which role you'll be volunteering for!

CYCLE 8 - DAY 1 - SEM 1: Your discussion of Watership Down 70-92.

2008-10-28T17:58:00.000-05:00

No new vocab or sentence diagramming today, though you should check out the Grammar Review page on the wikisite.

THE VOCAB QUIZ WILL BE ON THURSDAY.

Today, you ran the show--you led discussion, took notes, came up with new questions, etc. It was gorgeous. As teams, you're growing right along with Hazel et al.

You can find notes of today's session on the wikispace.

Homework: Read 93-118 and be prepared to discuss the questions at the end of the study guide, which appears below:
NAME:

AS YOU READ:
A. Much becomes clear at the end of this reading. Your goal in this reading is to get to the end, and then figure out how Adams gave you clues along the way.

1. This (93-99) is the second El-ahrairah story we have heard (the first 26-29). What purpose does this one serve?
2. What is Silverweed’s poem about?
3. What has Fiver so troubled? Once you know what happens, look again at Fiver’s “ramblings.” What is the real essence of his warning?
4. How is what happens to Bigwig foreshadowed in chapter 14, and again in the beginning of 17?

REVIEW ACTIVITIES:
1. Go over all chapters containing Cowslip. With whom does Adams get you to place your sympathies? How does he raise tension throughout?

FOUR DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CLASS TOMORROW:

How are the stories told by Dandelion and Silverweed good reflections of the groups’ differing character/customs/culture?
Hazel changes his mind a number of times in this reading. Where does this happen? Is he right to do so? Is he getting better as a leader?
Are your impressions of Bigwig changing? How so?
Fiver is clearly a bad team player throughout this episode. Is he right to behave this way? When is it right for a member of a group to behave in this manner, if ever?

CYCLE 7 - DAY 5 - SEM 1: Changing our minds/Knowing our terms

2008-10-27T19:52:00.000-05:00

We began today with a quick non-counting quiz wherein I asked you to write definitions to the following: modal auxiliary, direct object, predicate nominative, attributive adjective and linking verb. Most of you felt uncomfortable with this, and upon discussion, you admitted that while you might recognize these things in a sentence or follow a diagramming pattern in which they are used, you might not be able to explain how these parts of speech work.

Well, that's a problem, and it all goes back to DAY 2 of the blog: BLOOM'S TAXONOMY. If all you are able to do is recognize but not explain a pattern, you are not going beyond the first two levels of thinking: knowledge and comprehension. To keep moving ahead with sentence diagramming, you'll need to be able to apply your comprehension in new situations, analyze sentences for their individual parts, synthesize your understanding to make predictions about how new elements might work, and evaluate where you went wrong in your logic. In short, YOU NEED TO REALLY KNOW WHAT THESE TERMS MEAN!

So go back and re-read the explanations for these units and make sure you understand what they say!

Then, on a spectrum, I asked you to determine where you would place one of the characters you wrote about in your paragraph for today.
Good--------------------------------------Bad
Where does Hazel belong? Bigwig? Fiver?

We then charted your reasons, creating 2 columns (+/-). After you reviewed the columns and argued a bit, you then reassessed your opinion. So long as you keep an open mind and allow yourselves to change your opinions, the class is working well and you are being true scholars. Check yourself from time to time--if you're getting stubborn in your ideas, figure out what's shutting off your mind.

Finally, you had a few minutes to read. I will not be checking the study guide for tomorrow's assignment, but I encourage you to use it to guide your thinking, and to employ the reading and review strategies. I will expect you to be ready for the discussion questions we have tomorrow. Can't remember them? Here they are (and the study guide is on the wiki!):

THREE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR CLASS TOMORROW:
1. Why doesn’t Hazel listen to Fiver?
2. What advice would you give to Hazel right now? Why advise that course of action?
3. What are some of the key differences between the two groups of rabbits (their customs, forms of organization, priorities, etc.), and what are the sources of these differences?

REVIEW ACTIVITIES:
1. Review the opening quotes to each chapter and the chapter titles. How do they apply?
2. Add to your character list
3. Summarize the clues Adams presents to us about what makes Cowslip’s warren and his residents odd.

CYCLE 7 - DAY 4 - SEM 1 - Watership Down; Prelude to a Paragraph

2008-10-24T10:13:00.000-05:00

Today, we covered the last five words of Unit 4. Please write sentences for these on the wikispace. The quiz will be next Wednesday.

Afterward, we covered Lesson 12 in the Sentence Diagramming Workbook: nouns used as adjectives (school supplies; basketball player; county highway). They are diagrammed EXACTLY as attributive adjectives are--that is, underneath the nouns they modify.

Then, it was on to discussing Study Guide #3 for Watership Down (available on the wikispace). The class notes for the discussion are also available on the wikispace. I encourage you to take a look at different sections' notes as well.

Your homework is to write a 12-sentence paragraph answering ONE of the following questions:
A. Is Hazel a good leader?
B. Is Fiver a good team player?
C. Is Bigwig a good team player?

Your thesis will answer that question, and your paragraph will back up that thesis.
REMEMBER: A good thesis AND all claims:

are arguable
are focused
are proveable with evidence from the text
are based strictly in the text
answer how or why

TEST YOUR THESIS AND YOUR SUB-CLAIMS AGAINST THESE TRAITS!

Wondering about how to start? Here are some suggestions about how to go about writing this paper.

Generate a list of all of the traits you think your character exhibits that relate to the question.
Pick three (e.g. if I were to write about Blackberry, I might say he's creative, modest, and good under pressure).
Identify the unifying concept that made you pick those particular three (e.g., solving problems matters to him more than anything else).
Work that larger concept into a thesis statement. (e.g. What makes Blackberry an essential member of Hazel's group is his dedication to problem solving.)
Use the three traits you identified as subclaims.
Write those up as arguable, focused, claims that answer how or why. (e.g. Blackberry's creativity stems from his constant attention to problem solving.)
Find evidence to back up those claims. (e.g., When others are overcome with fear, Blackberry is able to stay focused on how to get across the stream: see pages 36-39)
Introduce that evidence carefully (remember "dab, dollop, lotsa sauce" -- see the wikispace if you need to download any of those handouts again).
Explain how this evidence relates your subclaim to your thesis. (e.g. While the others are paralyzed with fear or are panicking, Blackberry's absorbtion in finding the creative solution of the raft saves the group and allows them to remain together.)
Do this for all three quotation sandwiches.
Frame introductory and concluding sentences. Your introduction to set the stage, and your conclusion should summarize why what you have argued is important.
PROOFREAD! Check for use of literary present tense, correct MLA punctuation (see page 4 of the MLA guide), comma usage, etc. Be sure to consult the handouts I have given to you when returning past assignments to make sure you address the issues peculiar to your writing (splices, pronoun agreement, etc.).

Questions? You know where to find me.

HOMEWORK:

1. Complete sentences on the wikispace.

2. Complete the 12-sentence paragraph (read all that's above, if you haven't. It will help).